Tropical Islands of the South Pacific Ripped Off

belonged to a group of people and their unborn generations, with little recompense to the local people.

Neither the individuals, their communities, nor their government were informed of the project. When the Hagahai people objected, the US government said their claims were inconsequential.

The question, which is as old as commerce itself, is who should gain from the benefits of such projects? The company who found and researched the product, or the original owners of the source of the raw material?

History proves that such projects have not shown any kindness to Pacific islanders.

Mead says the indigenous people of the Pacific nations don’t own anything, because property is owned by everyone in the group.  Culturally, individuals own nothing. To start to claim Intellectual Property Rights is to deny what is owned by everyone. “They don’t own their bodies, the words they speak, their mind, the music they sing, or the myths and traditions they pass from generation. All these things form part of their heritage. Gifts and creativity belong to the next generation”.

If money is owed to a nephew, the uncle has full right to claim some of it. Let a Pacific islander borrow a shirt and it is usually not returned. Not because they are trying to steal the shirt, but because of their simplistic inherent belief that wealth is defined by what they can give away. Their ability to play host, to be generous and give to others is a measure of their riches.

The idea of amassing wealth is foreign to these people. When the price of local grown commodities rise, due to rising food prices globally, the local people produce less. Once a villager has earned enough money to pay the school fees, buy clothing

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