The insular Pacific is a region saturated with great cultural diversity and poignant memories of colonial and Christian intrusion. Considering authenticity and authorship in the area, this book looks at how these ideas have manifested themselves in Pacific peoples and cultures. Through six rich complementary case studies, a theoretical introduction, and a critical afterword, this volume explores authenticity and authorship as "traveling concepts." The book reveals diverse and surprising outcomes which shed light on how Pacific identity has changed from the past to the present.
About the Author: Jeannette Mageo is Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Washington State University. She has authored ten books and edited collections. Her recent research examines the collision of Samoan and European cultures and psychologies in the colonial encounter through performance art, historical photos, and colonial artifacts.
