Towards a New Oceania

Towards a New Oceania  ( B Ed English )

   'Towards A New Oceania' is an essay. It is written by Albert Wendt. Through this essay Albert mainly focuses on the cultural diversities found in New Oceania. It tries to reflect the change of culture and its impact on education, architecture and diversity. The author speaks from nationalist points of view. He feels that colonizers have deformed all the aspects such as culture, education, architecture and valued heritages in the islands of Oceania. He attacks the colonizers for polluting and deforming them. He has kept some questions at the beginning of his writing in order to arouse interests in readers to get the main points of the text.

1.Culture: The author thinks that there was no fall, golden age, revolution in the cultures of Oceania island. These cultures were corrupted by colonialism. He does not advocate their pre-Papalagi culture of Golden age. It means that he does not want revival of the past cultures but the creation of the new cultures free from colonialism. The author views that there is much racial discrimination between different ethnic groups and it was promoted by the colonizers. The author views that no national culture is homogenous because each culture has its sub cultures. The life-blood of any culture is the diverse contributions of its varied sub-cultures. Therefore, all the societies in Oceania are multi-cultural.

2.Education: The writer has mentioned a poem entitled "Education kidnapped" composed by Rupertake Petaia from Western Samoa to show the features of colonial education. The author mentions that the poem is remarkable which aptly describes colonial education system. He views that the basic function of education is to promote conformity, obedience and respect in order to make the learners complete their roles the society has determined. It has to culture humankind. The writer feels that the colonizer's education systems are not programmed to educate the people for development but to produce manpower that is needed in the colonizer's administrative mechanism. Colonizer's wanted to make the people of Oceania sellers of the cheap raw materials and buyers of their expensive manufactured goods. Colonizer's education systems are beneficial for the elite groups, not for the common people of Oceania. Their education systems make the people of Oceania passive without confidence, self-respect and productivity.

3.Architecture: The writer's views that a frightening type of Papalagi architecture is invading Oceania. Papalagi architecture is soulless although it is of multi-storied impressive buildings which are air-conditioned. The writer feels that Papalagi architecture is not only soulless but also soul destroying. He views that the buildings have been constructed of the dead materials. He feels that Papalagi architecture is like quicksand into which the people of Oceania are drowning willingly. The writer feels that all the countries in Oceania are accepting Papalagi architecture without questioning; it is the most frightening aspect. They are copying Papalagi architecture. The writer feels that it is failure to understand reality.

4.Diversity, a valued heritage: Each society in Oceania islands processes cultural, political, social and economic diversity. Similarly, these societies are multilingual. These valued heritages have been affected by colonialism. Likewise, sculptures and carvings which are unique heritages also badly affected by colonialism. Despite political barriers between the countries, there is interflow of different aspect. The writer feels that self – expression is pre- requisites to self- respect. Therefore, valued heritages are found to be flourishing after decolonization emerged.