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Oceania

And now
I make the canoe turn
Towards the horizon of the rising Sun
TA-MA NUI LA–
The Sun's greatest son
Help me navigate through the ocean
With the raising sail,
lead my way to that nation -
My homeland

-Excerpted from “The Dancing Song of Polynesia”

The vast Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean in the world, and also contains the most islands. Islanders have developed diversified lifestyles.

After the "Great Geographical Discovery" era in the 16th century, Oceania became a place for Westerners to go for "adventure", "discovery" and colonization. Due to contact with Western society, the islands' natures, societies and cultural systems dramatically changed.

In the 21st century, in Oceania, diversified knowledge systems, social and cultural systems, expressions of art, alternative viewpoints and healthy relationships between humans, nature and the supernatural have been lost or are rapidly disappearing.

Copyright

All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the National Museum of Natural Science.

  • Authors: Wang, Sung-shan, Lin Yang and Chuan-kun Ho
  • Photographic Sources: Rhythms Monthly, Family members of Max Chi-wei Liu, Lin Yang, Chuan-kun Ho and Bor-liang Lin
Beautiful sea, blue sky and clouds.
Beautiful sea, blue sky and clouds.
Publication

1. Oceania Passport (NT $10) [Chinese Version]
2. Peoples, Cultures and Natural Environments of Oceania (NT $170)

2023/12/01 Updated