Expressions of Love
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Alofa – Expressions of Love Change and Continuity in Tuvalu Sandra Iren Barkås Master Thesis Department of Social Anthropology UNIVERSITY OF OSLO Spring 2013 II Alofa – Expressions of Love Change and Continuity in Tuvalu Photo: Walking towards the village in Nukulaelae Sandra Iren Barkås Master thesis in Social Anthropology Department of Social Anthropology University of Oslo May 2013 III Copyright Sandra Iren Barkås 2013 Alofa – Expressions of Love: Change and Continuity in Tuvalu Sandra Iren Barkås http://duo.uio.no Print: CopyCat, Forskningsparken IV Abstract This thesis is based on seven months of fieldwork in the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. The first four months of the fieldwork was spent on the outer island Nukulaelae, while the last three months of the fieldwork took place in Funafuti, the country’s capital island. The objective of this study has been to discover how, and why change and continuity of custom and culture happen in Tuvalu. In recent years, several groups have had a focus on Tuvalu in regards to climate change. Some have claimed that the Tuvaluans are “losing their culture”. The inhabitants have, in some cases, been portrayed as helpless victims in regards to changes resulting from outside influences. Through this thesis, I aim to discover how people govern their own vulnerability, and if they themselves have any control of the changes taking place in their community. By using empirical descriptions of specific situations, I discuss how expressions of love is connected to change, family, nature and personhood. Through a recollection of the country’s history, I discuss how change and continuity has happened in the past, and how it is taking place today. Tuvalu, being a small and isolated nation in the South Pacific Ocean, have for several years been affected by outside influences. Today, these influences gives birth to conflicts between the younger and older generation. Facing expectations behave in accordance to what is regarded as traditional customs and good Christian values, this can be difficult to live up to for the younger generation of the islands. The conflicting expectations faced by young people in their day to day life, as well as regarding important life decisions, will be of interest to this thesis. Some of the questions asked in this thesis are; how do people respond and adapt to changes in their community and surroundings? Do they themselves have any influences regarding these changes? How do people act in situations that differ with what is regarded as being in accordance to “traditional” social custom? What steps do they take to ensure social continuity? By applying theories of moral reasoning, generalization, place and personhood I shall discuss how change, love, family and nature are all interconnected aspects of the Tuvaluan way of life. V VI Acknowledgements This paper would not have been possible without the wonderful people of the Nukulaelae community in Tuvalu. Despite of my social awkwardness, they have been understanding and welcoming to me. They have given me support and a new family when I was missing my family and friends at home. To all of you, fakafetai lasi lasi! I would also like to give a special thanks to Sonia, who has stood by my side from I arrived in Nukulaelae in January 2012, until I left on the plane from Funafuti in August. Her support and help has been invaluable to me throughout my stay, and has given me a friendship I will never forget. I also want to thank Sonia’s parents. Terje for all the help he gave me in the beginning of my project, and helping me arrange my stay in Nukulaelae. Emma for her understanding and patience during the many phone calls and also her visit to Tuvalu to attend Sonia’s wedding. I also wish to thank all of Sonia’s family in Nukulaelae, with a special thanks to Toe, Tagisia and Efata for letting me stay with their family and for taking care of me. I wish to thank Mary and Tulimanu for their patience and effort to introduce me to the Tuvaluan culture. I wish to thank Myra for her laughter and help, and Dan for all the fish and fresh coconuts he got for us. I want to thank Talo, Maiago and Luisa for their invaluable friendship, and all the good memories and support they gave. I also wish to thank Letioa for her understanding and sympathy. A special thanks to all of the Tala Vu in Nukulaelae, who welcomed me with open arms. I also wish to thank Niu and Jemeima for opening their home to me during my stay in Funafuti. And I want to thank Julian for his patience and friendship. I also with to thank Tolo for her support and help. I also wish to thank Isimeli for his understanding and humour. A special thanks also goes to all of the other inhabitants of Tuvalu who I got to know, without you this would never have been possible. I also wish to give a big thank you to Tania and Steve in Australia, for all the motivation and help they gave me. I also wish to thank my guidance counsellor Ingjerd for her positive words and invaluable help, both before I left, during my stay and in the writing of this thesis. It gave me the strength to carry on. I also wish to thank my mother for having such faith in me, and for all the help she gave. I also wish to thank my father for his support and interest. I also want to thank my grandfather, Lill-Ann, Selin, Jorun and my friends in Norway for the many phone calls, letters and packages they sent me. Lastly I want to thank Stein Jone for all his support and understanding, and for helping me through these two years. Thank you so much, all of you! VII VIII List of words 1 Alofa – Love/empathy Fakaalofa – Pitiable Fatele – Traditional dance Famau – Sweetheart Fekau – A mission Fekei – Pudding, sweet traditional dish made from swamp taro Gali – Beautiful Kaleve – Coconut sap toddy Kaleve kula – Red, sweet syrup made from toddy Kao – Fermented coconut sap toddy Kaupule – Council of elders Lolo – Coconut milk Maneapa – Community Hall Manuia – Good/cheers Palagi – Foreigner Pulaka – Swamp taro Ssai - Bind Sului – Local cigarette Spuun – Flirt/sweetheart Taina – Sibling of same gender as ego Tuagaine – Sibling of different gender as ego Tuisi – Dance/party Umaga – Human dug swamp taro pit Umu – Kitchen hut Vai laakau – Magic/sorcery 1 Translation of words used in this thesis. Based on how the words were used by my informants during my stay, in regards to the situations described below. For further translations of the Tuvaluan language, see also Besnier, N. (2000). Tuvaluan a Polynesian language of the Central Pacific. London ; New York, Routledge. IX X Table of Contents Introduction 1 - Lima and the card game 1 - The problem 2 Chapter 1 – Change in Tuvalu 3 - Introduction 3 - The history of Tuvalu, then and now 4 - Elekana and Christianity 6 - Slave-traders 7 - From Ellice Islands to Tuvalu 8 - Changes and development 10 - Climate and environmentalists 11 - Drought 13 - Summary 14 Chapter 2 - The Island and the Village 16 - Introduction 16 - Tuvalu 16 - Method 17 - Ethical challenges 19 - Fieldwork 19 - Nukulaelae 20 - The house 23 - Day to day life 26 XI - Place and landscape 29 - “I can't be found there” – Land and families 30 - Nature and money 33 - Summary 37 Chapter 3 - Family and youth in Tuvalu 38 - Introduction 38 - Family 38 - Personhood and stigma 40 - Tied-family 41 - Molly’s story 42 - Looking after each other – Male and female cousins 45 - To break a family bond 47 - Personhood and characters 48 o The aunt 48 - Sharing 49 - Summary 51 Chapter 4 – Love and Marriage 52 - Introduction 52 - The court case 55 - Sonia and Isimeli 56 - The preparations 58 - The signing of the papers 62 - The wedding ceremony 64 XII - The wedding reception 66 - The flowery sheet 68 - The Sunday gathering 69 - Marriage and Moral Reasoning in Tuvalu 71 - Summary 72 Chapter 5 – Change and Continuity 73 - Introduction 73 - Married life 74 - The Ghost 75 - Differences between Nukulaelae and Funafuti 77 - Choices and change 78 - Conclusion 80 Bibliography 81 XIII XIV Introduction Lima and the Card Game A group of five young adults was standing around a table inside an open kitchen hut in Funafuti. Two of them were newly married to each other, while the rest of them were unmarried relatives. Their older relatives were away, leaving them free to joke and laugh with each other. The conversation was happening partly in English for my benefit, and partly in Tuvaluan. «Yes!» exclaimed Max and jumped happily around the kitchen hut. His older brother Leupena was showing them a so-called magic card game, where one could ask questions about one’s love interests. He was lying out cards on the table while asking different love questions. Max had received the answer that a girl he liked was going to sleep with him, and was very happy. «OK, it's my turn!» said Lima and walked over to the table. «OK, who are your boyfriends then?» asked Leupena, while lying four kings from the deck of cards on the table. “This is Kiliasi!” said Lisa, Leupena’s wife, naming one of Lima’s boyfriends while pointing at the king of hearts. Lima nodded and agreed to this. “And this is Mark” said Leupena and laughed while pointing at a card, earning a “Teee!” and a dirty look from Lima. Mark and Lima are cousins; this makes it fun for others to jokingly refer to them as being in a relationship.