The Incommensurability of Value System:

For many generations in traditional societies like the Pacific Islands, dignity as explained above is associated with maintaining relationships through sweats. The time and efforts that is dedicated to creating knowledge and skills adds to the value of tangibles and intangible materials that are used to strengthening this relationship through giving, receiving and reciprocity. In this light, the value of pigs, fine mats, tapa cloths for example also takes into account the time and space that is fabricated during the process. These are some of the key wealth that defines the Pacific people, as it is through these tangible and non-tangible wealth that they are connected to the past and also to future generations. Please read Professor Okusitino Mahina’s pioneer work on “Ta and Va”, the pan-Pacific theory of Time and Space.

When receiving ODA through infrastructure development like building wharfs, hospitals and government complexes for example, the Pacific people see this as sweat of the people from development partners. Many elders in the Pacific still confidently talk about the Pacific art of giving (generosity) during the colonial period when a lot of their lands were given as gifts in exchange for commodities like an axe head and even a bag of tobacco.

In addition to recouping of dignity due to incommensurability of values, this initiative recognizes the significance of finding ways to maintain these traditional knowledge and skills that could be abused for the benefit of a few. Since most of these knowledge and skills are kept with elders which was orally passed on to them by their ancestors, questions will look  at how to extract these records and to work with the elders on how to transform these knowledge into new values for future generations.

Please share your stories with us ... 

In her book “Consuming Ocean Island; stories of people and phosphate from Banaba,” Professor Katerina Teaiwa tells how the indigenous people of Banaba were physically removed from their land in order to allow 90% of the island to be exploited for phosphate mining. Phosphate is an essential component for human DNA growth and it was in demand globally for agriculture. While the world progressed to Banaba’s detriment, this harm was seen as for the “good of mankind.” Out of generosity to contribute to this global demand, the chief and the locals accepted the offer from the mining company of around 50 pounds to mine for one year. 

The native people of Banaba are still adjusting to their new identity in Rabi (Fiji), reminiscing about the loss of both their land identity and income, cheated by the mining company throughout the period 1900-1980. In addition to recouping the dignity of the Banaba people that they deserve; this initiative hope to further recognize Banaba's contributions to the survival of human population, by giving up their land to enrich the world. 

One sphere to discuss could look at how to encourage this character that defines the Pacific people to avoid being abused for self-interested gains. As we proceed quickly with technology, this discussion could open new spheres to re-evaluate how these human values could be transformed into innovative ideas for future generations.  

Please share your stories with us. 

The Fish Negotiation

When Dr. Funaki was in Kiribati for his research, he witnessed a non-local who bargained to buy a red snapper fish almost one-meter in length on the foreshore for two dollars Australian. The buyer insisted while the fisherman spoke shyly in the local language in the beginning, but then decided to accept the offer. Dr. Funaki asked the fisherman later why he gave the fish away so cheaply; he said that "it is embarrassing to argue with a foreigner on money when he could easily get more fish from the sea". The knowledge created that Dr. Funaki observed in this transaction exists in both perspectives. One value Dr. Funaki observed was the non-confrontational character of Pacific people witnessed through the fisherman, who joyfully went home with the value of his catch, provided that he can always catch more later. The other value was the satisfaction from the buyer with the great bargain.

It is clear that the peaceful fish negotiation involved the concept of generosity to satisfy the desire of the other. In the Pacific, the value of generosity is not about sharing the abundance of your wealth, but rather about maintaining the value system of si’isi’i kae femolimoli’i (Tongan language for “sharing the little you have”). The  value of the gift is much more when it is given out of nothing. The fisherman knows the gaps in value but it is not culturally right to refuse the offer when you would seem stingy knowing you could catch more.

The question to raise here could discuss how to protect the dignity of both the giver and the receiver when the motivations for exchange is self-interested while the motivation of gift-giving is based on the interest on the other.