Tropical Island Paradise Rip Off in the South Pacific.


by Wendy Stenberg-Tendys Dr. - Date: 2008-09-18 - Word Count: 780 Share This!

Life has continued for thousands of years, in a simplistic form, in the tropical islands of the South Pacific. Culture and tradition have been the rule of the village, where the people live very much hand to mouth, as the necessity arises.

However, these ancient indigenous communities are in danger of losing their tropical island paradise. They are not protected by Intellectual Property Rights, in the ever increasing hard-fisted world of commercialism. Education is urgently needed if what is communally owned is not to be stolen away, piece by piece, in highway robbery.

Because the islanders live a simplistic way of life, they have preserved unique pockets of areas, untouched by modern civilization, which are a delight to the scientist and a unique experience for the tourist.

An ambitious research program in the picturesque tropical island of French Polynesia is constructing a library of genetic markers which will be used as a unique resource for ecologists and evolutionary biologists around the world. This is a joint venture between the University of California and a French research institute.

Once such projects turn into profit, it is usually very little profit that finds its way down to the islanders, whose homes have been violated. One has only to look at the large diamond fields of the world to ascertain this.

Co-editor of the book, Aroha Te Pareaka Mead, wrote of  the high profile case, where Carol Jenkins, a medical anthropologist, who allegedly stole leukemia curing genes from the Hagahai people in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. The USA, through its National Health Institute, patented the DNA cells, claiming ownership, without permission, upon something that belonged to a group of tribal people and their unborn children.

Neither the individuals, their communities, nor their government were informed of what the project was about. The claims of the Hagahai people were claimed as totally inconsequential by the US government.

The question, as old as commerce itself, is who should have the benefit from such commercial ventures? The people who put the time and effort into developing the product, or the original owners of the raw material?

History shows that such projects have not been kind to Pacific islanders.

Property is owned by everyone in the group, in Pacific islands, Mead explains.  For individuals, who culturally own nothing, to begin to claim Intellectual Property Rights, is to deny what is owned communally. "They don't own the myths and traditions they pass from generation, the music they sing, their mind, their bodies, the words they speak, or the dances they dance. All these form part of their ancient heritage. Any creativity, or gifts, become part of the next generation's heritage".

An uncle has a right to any money owed to a nephew. If you loan a shirt to a local person, chances are it won't be returned. Not because they are stealing the shirt, but because of their unsophisticated inherent belief that wealth is defined by what they can give away.  Their ability to play host, to be generous and what they can give to others is the measure of their riches.

It is not in their mentality to amass wealth, as seen in developed countries. If the price of local grown commodities rise, due to rising world food prices, the locals produce less. Once enough money has been earned to pay the school fees, buy clothing and a few staples, what is the need to sell any more of the crop? Earning more money only takes more effort. Why bother? These people have no lasting dependence on a cash economy, though they do enjoy the limited benefits it gives them.

In the rural areas in particular, the majority of the population are unable to recognize and capitalize on any potential commercial opportunities within their culture. From metaphysics to blood cells, cultural expression to mineral rich volcanic ash, unique flora or fauna, the Pacific islanders are unknowingly sitting on a gold mine.

Education is an absolute necessity, if the younger generation of island people, who stand as a link to the richness of their traditional culture and partaking of the benefits of the 21st century. Only through education will they come to an understanding of how to protect their custom rights and privileges as well as maintain their island way of life, before their tropical island paradise is lost forever.
The message is clear for countries like the still underdeveloped tropical island nation of Vanuatu. The days of poorly educated politicians leaping on the Government gravy train and blundering their way through a few years of pocket-lining public office are over. There is a rising swell of opinion, demanding better education and health facilities, for all members of the community.


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Related Tags: in, island, south, tropical, the, rip, pacific, off, paradise

Dr Wendy Stenberg-Tendys and her husband are CEO's of YouMe Support Foundation, Vanuatu, (http://youmesupport.org) provide high school education grants through a Blue Moon Opportunity. You can really help make a difference. Take a few minutes to check it out
http://winaresort.com


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