Oceania is characterized by diversitythe state of being diverse or different, variety and/or diversity is more than exhibiting "different" outward appearances; diversity is often much more about cultural differences, cultural heritagesomething that comes or belongs to one by reason of birth; ancestors may be considered a kind of heritage; also traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation; something passed down from preceding generations, and its vast expanse of thousands of islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean, with wide ranges of environments. The many diverse cultures are separated by distance, but they share ancestralof, belonging to, inherited from, or denoting an ancestor or ancestors roots and traditions. Their means of navigation, storytellingthe interactive art of using words and/or actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the reader's or listener's imagination; an ancient art form, and a valuable form of human expression; storytelling is essential in almost every art form involving a two-way interaction between the art and the observer, reader, or listener, and communal living are all related. The Indigenous peoples have preserved their unique cultures no matter the centuries of colonization and globalizationall nations and peoples are interconnected in today's world due to massive flow of goods and services, importation of labor, immigration, technology, finance capital, outsourcing of businesses, and diseases, etc.; globalization promotes rapid culture change and adaptations, which increasingly blurs the lines of cultural components.
There are four sub-regions in Oceania: Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. They are all characterized by shared cultural, religious, linguistic, and ethnic traits. The four sub-regions are as follows:
- Australasia, which includes New Guinea, Kangaroo Island, Lord Howe Island, K’gari, Rottnest Island, Belowia Island, Bruny Island, Phillip Island and Tasmania.
- Melanesia, which includes Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Maluku islands, New Caledonia, and Torres Strait Islands.
- Micronesia, which includes the westernmost islands of Palau, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Kiribati, Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, and others.
- Polynesia, a vast region in the South Pacific, includes Tahiti, Bora Bora, Samoa, the Cook Islands, and the Marquesas Islands.
Key Cultural Elements:
Artthe expressive or application of human creative skill and imagination in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, or in music, literature, or dance; art is created primarily for beauty and emotional power; and "holds art is anything the viewer or listener finds aesthetically pleasing." and Architecture reflect the unique environments and cultures of the region, including intricately carved wooden objects, amazing textiles in vibrant colors, and elaborate ceremonial structures.
Music and Dance
Music and dance are vital to Oceanic cultures. Their songs and dances are found in their storytelling techniques, in their celebrations, and in their religious ritualsthe prescribed order of performing a ceremony or act, especially one characteristic of a particular religion or church; rituals are usually collectivistic behaviors and most often include a specialist overseeing the activity or activities.
Literature
Oral traditions (storytelling) and written literature are used to preserve and transmit knowledge in their cultural communities.
Social Structures
Societies in Oceania exhibit diverse social structures, from kinship-based systems to hierarchical systems of government.
Religionbelief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe; a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship; a set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader and Spirituality
There are many diverse religious beliefs among Oceania cultures. Some groups adhere to traditional animistic practices, while others are practicing Christians.
There are theories galore about where the early Oceania inhabitants came from and how they got there in the first place. It is hard to pinpoint which routes they followed. Did they make contact with peoples in the South American mainland? Animals, which were carried by these first explorers and colonizers, suggest that contact in South America did not happen. The question is often asked, did these first travelers beat Columbus?
Some archaeologists and scholars say there is evidence that Columbus may have arrived later. David Burley, of Simon Fraser University in Canada and an accomplished archaeologist, says, “We have the sweet potato, the bottle gourd, all this New World stuff that has been firmly documented as being out here pre-Columbian. If the Polynesians could find Easter Island, which is just this tiny speck, don’t you think they could have found and entire continent?”
So far, not a single Polynesian voyaging canoe has survived for anyone to study. The stories about these migrations by early boat people are drawn from evidence of scattered bones, pottery bits and pieces, strands of DNAself-replicating material present in living organisms- the main constituent of chromosomes- the carrier of genetic information More from plants and animals those early peoples brought with them, and the descendants that are alive today.
Finally, an animal that traveled with the early seafarers was the Rattus exulans, better known as the Pacific Rat. This exceptional rodent traveled everywhere with the Polynesians. Wherever they made landfall, the rats established thriving rat populations that live on today. However, there are no Pacific rats in South America. Until there is a canoe found to study and a Pacific rat found in South America, the debate will continue.