Page 34 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

Map of Indonesia, Melanesia,
Micronesia and Polynesia: a very
vast archipelago which have a
related history and culture.

The meaning of race within the framework of taxonomy is a subspecies-level of evolution
under species. All human populations living in the world now are grouped in one species
called Homo sapiens. The evolution process formed physical characteristics which
created population groups which are different one another. These groups are what the
experts group as subspecies or as races. When in one race there is another group with
characteristics which are different from one another, then this group is categorized as
a sub-race or part of a race. Based on this explanation, the Melanesian population is a
sub-race and together with the other sub-races, it is grouped as the Austromelanesoid
race (Jacob, 1967), a term which includes Australia and Melanesia based on settlement
geography. The Australomelaneosid race and other races in the world all belong to the
species of Homo sapiens.
Regarding the genetics of races or sub-species, because part of a species applies an
open genetics system in a sense among the races, there is the possibility of gene switching.
Because of this, the difference between races is not as clear as that between species. Races
also change faster than species and there is often a graded physical character among races,
which make us difficult to find an unambiguous border between one and another (Jacob,

34 Chapter 1

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