Title First contacts in Polynesia : the Samoan case (1722-1848) : western misunderstanding about sexuality and divinity / Serge Tcherkezoff

Edition New ed Published Canberra : ANU E Press, 2008

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Description 1 online resource Contents Part One: the Samoan discovery of Europeans (1722-1848). June 1722, the Dutch 'discovery' by Jacob Roggeveen -- May 1768, the French 'discovery' by Louis-Antoine de Bougainville -- December 1787, Lapérouse: first incursion on land -- Lapérouse, the Ignoble Savage, and the Europeans as 'spirits' -- The turn of the century: from Edward Edwards (1791) to Otto von Kotzebue (1824) -- Commercial vessels. Another French visit: Lafond de Lurcy -- The late 1830s: Dumont d'Urville and Wilkes; Jackson and Erskine -- Part Two: Methodological comparisons. 'On the boat of Tangaroa'. Humanity and divinity in Polynesian-European first contacts: a reconsideration -- Sacred cloth and sacred women. On cloth, gifts and nudity in Tahitian first contacts: a culture of 'wrapping-in' -- The Papālagi ('Europeans') and the Sky. Etymology and divinity, linguistic and anthropological dialogue -- Conclusion: Ethnohistory-in-the-field Summary 880-01 "This book explores the first encounters between Samoans and Europeans up to the arrival of the missionaries, using all available sources for the years 1722 to the 1830s, paying special attention to the first encounter on land with the Lapérouse expedition. Many of the sources used are French, and some of difficult accessibility, and thus they have not previously been thoroughly examined by historians. Adding some Polynesian comparisons from beyond Samoa, and reconsidering the so-called 'Sahlins-Obeyesekere debate' about the fate of Captain Cook, 'First Contacts' in Polynesia advances a hypothesis about the contemporary interpretations made by the Polynesians of the nature of the Europeans, and about the actions that the Polynesians devised for this encounter: wrapping Europeans up in 'cloth' and presenting 'young girls' for 'sexual contact'. It also discusses how we can go back two centuries and attempt to reconstitute, even if only partially, the point of view of those who had to discover for themselves these Europeans whom they call 'Papalagi'. The book also contributes an additional dimension to the much-touted 'Mead-Freeman debate' which bears on the rules and values regulating adolescent sexuality in 'Samoan culture'. Scholars have long considered the pre-missionary times as a period in which freedom in sexuality for adolescents predominated. It appears now that this erroneous view emerged from a deep misinterpretation of Lapérouse's and Dumont d'Urville's narratives."--Publisher's description 880-01/(Q "This book explores the first encounters between Samoans and Europeans up to the arrival of the missionaries, using all available sources for the years 1722 to the 1830s, paying special attention to the first encounter on land with the Lape⁺ѓrouse expedition. Many of the sources used are French, and some of difficult accessibility, and thus they have not previously been thoroughly examined by historians. Adding some Polynesian comparisons from beyond Samoa, and reconsidering the so-called 'Sahlins-Obeyesekere debate' about the fate of Captain Cook, 'First Contacts' in Polynesia advances a hypothesis about the contemporary interpretations made by the Polynesians of the nature of the Europeans, and about the actions that the Polynesians devised for this encounter: wrapping Europeans up in 'cloth' and presenting 'young girls' for 'sexual contact'. It also discusses how we can go back two centuries and attempt to reconstitute, even if only partially, the point of view of those who had to discover for themselves these Europeans whom they call 'Papalagi'. The book also contributes an additional dimension to the much-touted 'Mead-Freeman debate' which bears on the rules and values regulating adolescent sexuality in 'Samoan culture'. Scholars have long considered the pre-missionary times as a period in which freedom in sexuality for adolescents predominated. It appears now that this erroneous view emerged from a deep misinterpretation of Lape⁺ѓrouse's and Dumont d'Urville's narratives."--Publisher's description Analysis history customs social life samoan islands foreign relations europe Bougainville Island Ethnic groups in Europe James Cook Jean-François de Galaup comte de Lapérouse Polynesia Polynesians Tahiti Notes Previously published: 2004 Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-241) Notes English In Books at JSTOR: Open Access JSTOR OAPEN (Open Access Publishing in European Networks) OAPEN Subject History. Anthropology. SOCIAL SCIENCE -- Anthropology -- Cultural. Diplomatic relations Manners and customs Kulturkontakt Sexualität SUBJECT Samoan Islands -- Foreign relations -- Europe Europe -- Foreign relations -- Samoan Islands Samoan Islands -- History Samoan Islands -- Social life and customs Subject Europe Samoan Islands Samoainseln Genre/Form History Form Electronic book ISBN 9781921536021 1921536020 9781921536014 1921536012

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