Indigenous Articulations

Abstract

Taking its inspiration from the thought and action of Jean-Marie Tjibaou, this essay proposes a comparative analysis of “articulated sites of indigeneity.” It explores the advantages and limitations of translating North Atlantic cultural studies approaches into island Pacific contexts. Stuart Hall’s articulation theory is p roposed as a partial way beyond the stand-offs created by recent debates aro u n d the “invention of tradition.” The dialectic of indigenous and diasporic histories, roots and routes, is explored with regard to experiences of post- and neocolonial interdependence and pragmatic sovereignty.