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This book was originally published in 1977 as Rotuma: Split Island, and republished in 1991 under its present title with three additional articles.

From the Foreword by Chris Plant:

The aim of the publication has been to present various facets of Rotuma's culture and the changes faced by the Rotuman people today. With three exceptions, the authors are all Rotuman, telling their own tales of Rotuma's uniqueness in depth for the first time. They relate aspects of Rotuma's geography and history as well as the influence of the missions and colonial attempts to govern land tenure. The marriage and mamasa ceremonies are described in detail, and the different dance forms and certain chants. A major section focuses on the network of kinship links which forms the basis of Rotuma's social and political system. Almost all of the authors are concerned indirectly with the process of change affecting Rotuman society, and three chapters describe the physical manifestation of this: the emigration of Rotumans to Fiji, the need for children to leave the island for higher education, and the communities established away from home.

1. AN INTRODUCTION AND GEOGRAPHY Anselmo Fatiaki
2. HISTORY, SUPERSTITION AND RELIGION leli Irava
3. MISSION INFLUENCE ON SECULAR LIFE John Tanu
4. KINSHIP, RECIPROCITY AND SOCIETY leli Irava
5. ROTUMAN MARRIAGE Tiu Malo
6. THE MAMASA CEREMONY Aileen Nilsen
7. DECISION-MAKING IN ROTUMA Mamatuki Itautoka
8. LEGAL ASPECTS OF ROTUMAN LAND TENURE Daniel Fatiaki
9. DANCE AS A REFLECTION OF ROTUMAN CULTURE Vilsoni Tausie Hereniko
10. ROTUMAN CHANTS, SPORTS AND PASTIMES Mosese Kaurasi
11. THE EMIGRATION OF ROTUMANS TO FIJI leli Irava
12. ROTUMAN COMMUNITIES IN FIJI: RAIWAI, RAIWAQA AND LOMAIVUNA Lavenia Kaurasi
13. REFLECTIONS ON FAMILY LIFE: A FOND FAREWELL Maniue Vilsoni
14. HOUSING AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS ON ROTUMA Jan Rensel
15. THE DEVELOPMENT DILEMMA Chris Plant
16. REFLECTIONS ON CHANGE IN ROTUMA, 1959-1989 Alan Howard

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