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Tropical Islands of the South Pacific Ripped Off
But, these ancient indigenous societies are in danger of losing their tropical island paradise. They are not protected by Intellectual Property Rights, in the ever increasing hard-fisted world of commercialism. Schooling is urgently needed if what is communally owned is not to be stolen away, piece by piece, in highway robbery.
The very simplistic way of life of these people has preserved singular pockets of areas, untouched by current civilization, that offer a unique experience for the tourist and a pleasure to the scientist.
An ambitious research agenda in the picturesque tropical islands of French Polynesia is constructing a library of genetic markers which will be used as a resource for ecologists and evolutionary biologists around the world. This is a joint venture shared between the University of California and a French research institute.
When such projects translate to profit, usually very little finds it way down to the islanders, whose home is being violated . One only has to look at the largest diamond fields of the world, to confirm this.
Co-editor of the book, ‘Pacific Genes and Life Patents’, speaks of a high details situation where health anthropologist, Carol Jenkins, who allegedly stole leukemia curing genes from the Hagahai {{{people | villagers}} in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. The United States, throughout it’s National Health Institute, patented the DNA cells, stamping ownership, without permission, upon something that belonged to a group of people and their unborn generations, with little recompense to the local people .
Neither the individuals, their communities, nor their government were informed of the development. When the Hagahai people objected, the US government said their claims were inconsequential .
The question , which is as old as trade itself, is who should gain from the benefits of such projects? The company who found and researched the product, or the original owners of the source of the raw material?
History proves that such projects have not shown any kindness to Pacific islanders.
Mead states the indigenous people of the Pacific nations don’t own anything, according to their traditional ways. Everything is the property of every body ! the community in the group. This is a foreign concept for those who live in developed nations.
For individuals, who culturally own nothing, to begin to claim Intellectual Property Rights, is to deny what is owned by every body. “They don’t own their bodies, their mind, the words they speak, the myths and traditions they pass from generation to generation, the music they sing, or the dances they dance. These all form part of their legacy, just as gifts and creativity are part of the next generation’s legacy.”
An uncle has a right to any funds owed to a nephew. If you loan a shirt to a local person , chances are it won’t be returned. Not because they are stealing the shirt, but because of their unsophisticated inherent belief that wealth is defined by what they can give away. Their ability to play host, to be kind and what they can give to others is the calculate of their riches.
The idea of amassing wealth is foreign to these people . When the price of local grown commodities rise, due to rising food prices globally, the local people produce less. Once a villager has earned enough funds to pay the school fees, buy clothing and a few basic supplies, there is no need to sell any more of their crop . When they are able to earn the same amount of funds for less effort, why do anything more? They have no lasting dependence on a cash economy, though they do enjoy the limited benefits it gives them.
In the countryside in particular, the majority of the population are unable to recognize and capitalize on any potential commercial opportunities within their culture. From metaphysics to blood cells, cultural expression to mineral rich volcanic ash, unique flora or fauna, the Pacific islanders are unknowingly sitting on a gold mine.
Schooling is no longer something to be treated lightly, but has become an absolute necessity, for the younger generation who stand between their rich cultural legacy and the benefits of the 21st century. It is imperative they come to an understanding of how to protect their custom rights and privileges, while maintaining their unique island way of life, before their tropical island paradise has disappeared forever.
The time of poorly educated politicians riding on the Government gravy train and clumsily working their way throughout a few years of pocket-lining public office is over. It is hoped that nations like Vanuatu, with a newly elected government, will listen to the rising tide of opinion, demanding better education and health facilities, for all members of the community.
