Page 354 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

Every area has its own way and pattern to build their life history that is suitable with
the identity the society has. Interesting stories about Polynesian society are told in
mythology and legends in the form of specific metaphors. The history of ethnic groups
in Polynesian society is varied and needs to be studied more deeply. A lot of experts have
studied Polynesia but the history they portray is more about European influence. That is
why something that needs to be done is checking the recorded stories that are based on
the mindset of the elders from the villages who live in the remote areas. A study on the
origins and genealogy and on topogeny plays a big role in the study of accurately mapping
the ethnic groups of the people in Polynesian area (Howard, 1993).
Folktales are one of the sources to get a correct biographical description of Polynesian
people. Polynesia has jokes in the context of family, greetings, and meaningful sayings,
names of places under the authority of a particular ethnic group, and the image of
influence on traditional society. Local people have specific ways and patterns in correctly
and contextually revealing their identity. In 1959-1961, Howard went to Rotuma. He went
back to the area in 1987-1991 and found a new perspective that has been recorded during
his earlier stay (Howard, 1993).

Conclusion
In centuries the history of Nusantara has been alive from the perspective of Melanesia
in the life frame of Oceania. The Melanesian image is elaborated in three fundamental
discourses, which are unity, humanity and prosperity and this is passed down through time
supported by the dynamics of human life on the domains of Nusantara and Pacific.
Now the image of Melanesian culture can be read in all context of human life in the
whole region whose people speak the Austronesian languages. Multi-faceted people with
varieties of perspectives on life are connected to nature and everything can be found from
generation to generation along the journey of the Melanesian race. The picture of the
border line between Melanesian culture and geography does not mean to build a political
map based on the rise of ‘the Melanesian feeling’ to make an exclusive political region. It is
merely to find the origins of life to build social realities on the awareness of the existence
of Melanesian race.

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