The kingdom of Tonga devastated by a megatsunami in the mid-15th century

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck Lavigne ◽  
Julie Morin ◽  
Wassmer Patrick ◽  
Weller Olivier ◽  
Kula Taaniela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral Tradition ◽  
Colonial History ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Archaeological Data ◽  
15Th Century ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
History Of ◽  
Neighbouring Island ◽  
New Evidence

<p>The pre-colonial history of Tonga and West Polynesia still suffers from major gaps because its reconstruction is essentially based on legends left by oral tradition, and by archaeological evidence somehow difficult to interpret. By the fourteenth century, the powerful Tu'i Tonga kingdom united the islands of the Tongan archipelago under a centralised authority and, according to tradition, extended its influence to neighbouring island groups in the Central Pacific. However, some periods of deep crisis were identified, e.g. in the mid- 15<sup>th</sup> century, marked by an abrupt cessation of inter-archipelago migration on the deep seas in the Pacific, significant cultural changes, and a decrease in accessible natural resources. The origins of these disturbances are still debated, and are usually assigned to internal political problems or loss of external influence vis-à-vis neighboring states. However, the hypothesis of a major natural disaster was never suggested up to now.</p><p>Drawing on a body of new evidence from sedimentary signatures and radiocarbon dating of charcoal and marine bioclasts, geomorphology, and sedimentology, in support of previously published archaeological data, we argue that the Tu’i Tonga kingdom was severely impacted by a megatsunami in the mid-15th century. We also discuss the likely sources of this event, which happened in an isolated region of the world before the European maritime “great discoveries”. This tsunami could be the source of vivid local myths that strongly suggest that a giant wave covered almost the entire island of Tongatapu at one time.</p>

scholarly journals Bridging Legends and Science: Field Evidence of a Large Tsunami that Affected the Kingdom of Tonga in the 15th Century

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck Lavigne ◽  
Julie Morin ◽  
Patrick Wassmer ◽  
Olivier Weller ◽  
Taaniela Kula ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colonial History ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Science Field ◽  
Archaeological Data ◽  
15Th Century ◽  
Field Evidence ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Neighbouring Island ◽  
Large Tsunami

The pre-colonial history (i.e. before the 16th century) of Tonga and West Polynesia still suffers from major gaps despite significant scientific advances in recent years, particularly in the field of archaeology. By the 14th century, the powerful Tu’i Tonga kingdom united the islands of the Tongan archipelago under a centralised authority and, according to tradition, extended its influence to neighbouring island groups in the Central Pacific. However, some periods of deep crisis were identified, e.g. in the mid- 15th century, marked by an abrupt cessation of inter-archipelago migration on the deep seas in the Pacific, significant cultural changes, and a decrease in accessible natural resources. The origins of these disturbances are still debated, and they are usually assigned to internal political problems or loss of external influence vis-à-vis neighboring chiefdoms. However, the hypothesis of a major natural disaster was rarely suggested up to now, while field evidence points to the occurrence of a very large tsunami in the past, including the presence of numerous megablocks that were deposited by a “red wave” (or peau kula, which also mean tsunami in the Tongan language) according to a local myth. Drawing on a body of new evidence from sedimentary signatures and radiocarbon dating of charcoal and marine bioclasts, geomorphology, and sedimentology, in support of previously published archaeological data, we argue that a large tsunami inundated large areas of Tongatapu island in the mid-15th century with runup heights up to 30 m, and that the Tu’i Tonga kingdom was severely impacted by this event. We also discuss the likely sources of this tsunami.

Middle Byzantine Parekklesia of Constantinople: Their History, Purpose, and New Data

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-78
Author(s):  
Halûk Çetinkaya
Keyword(s):  
Archaeological Data ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Archaeological Excavations ◽  
Written Sources

Abstract Recent restoration projects in Istanbul have brought to light new evidence related to the middle Byzantine (843–1204) churches of Istanbul. In particular, archaeological excavations have exposed previously unknown parts of the monastic churches. This article provides a brief construction history of the middle Byzantine churches of Istanbul and their later additions, and elucidates the purpose for which the latter were built. Thus, together with written sources, archaeological data may improve our understanding of these constructions. In particular, this article discusses the recent discovery of a funerary chapel outside the Pantokrator complex and the parekklesia unearthed at Vefa Kilise Camii.

Early Yoruba Historiography

1976 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 69-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Law
Keyword(s):  
Oral Tradition ◽  
Historical Research ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Colonial History ◽  
Historical Writing ◽  
Local Tradition ◽  
History Of ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Government ◽  
Oral Evidence

The pre-colonial history of the Yoruba has attracted considerable attention from academically trained historians in recent years. This academic historiography–in Yorubaland as elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa–does not antedate the 1950s, but it was preceded by a tradition of historical writing by local amateur historians which stretched back well into the nineteenth century. The modern academic historians owe a great deal to these amateur predecessors: much of the “oral tradition” utilized by the academic historians comes in fact at second hand from the writings of the amateurs, and the current generation of local historians has figured prominently among the informants from whom the academics have collected their oral evidence.This fusion of academic and amateur historiography was, indeed, given some institutional recognition in the Yoruba Historical Research Scheme launched by the government of the Western Region of Nigeria in 1956, in which both academics and local historians were employed as research associates to collect traditional material. Despite their importance, however, little serious work has been done on the early historians of Yorubaland. The existence of a local tradition of historiography in Yorubaland has been mentioned in general surveys of historical writing on Africa, and attention has been drawn to it as constituting an aspect of the development of “cultural nationalism” among western-educated Africans in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These discussions of early Yoruba historiography, however, have dealt with only a few of the better known works and have given little idea of the wealth of the published material or of its character—nor is there any comprehensive bibliography of the writings of the early Yoruba historians. The present article, therefore, attempts to present as complete a survey as possible of historical writing on Yorubaland in the period before c. 1950 and seeks to make some contribution towards assessment of the value of the Yoruba local histories as sources by giving some information on the context in which the local historians wrote and the way in which they went about the task of reconstructing Yoruba history.

An Archaeology of Abundance

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Historical Ecology ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Power Networks ◽  
Hunter Gatherers ◽  
Archaeological Data ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
History Of ◽  
Restoration Practices ◽  
Spanish Explorers ◽  
Marginal Habitats

An Archaeology of Abundance focuses on the archaeology and historical ecology of a series of islands located off the Pacific Coast of Alta and Baja California, from the Channel Islands to Cedros Island. Compared to the adjacent mainland, these islands have long been considered marginal habitats for ancient hunter-gatherers, beginning with accounts of early Spanish explorers and by later naturalists, scientists, and government agents, as well as the anthropologists and archaeologists who followed. This perception of marginality has greatly influenced our interpretation of a variety of archaeological issues including the antiquity of first settlement; the productivity of island floras, freshwater, and mineral resources; human population density; and the nature of regional exchange, wealth, and power networks. Recent advances in archaeological and historical ecological research, combined with field observations of recovering ecosystems suggest that the California Islands may not have been the marginal habitats they once appeared to be. Severe overgrazing and overfishing during historic times heavily impacted local ecosystems, which are now recovering under modern management, conservation, and restoration practices. While older models developed through the perspective of island marginality may hold true for certain resources or islands, it is important to reconsider our interpretations of past and present archaeological data, and reevaluate long-held assumptions, given these new insights. Ultimately, a reexamination of the effects of perceived marginality on the history of archaeological interpretations on California's islands may have broad implications for other island archipelagos worldwide.

scholarly journals The use of digital technology in the preservation of Māori song

Te Kaharoa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael Ka'ai-Mahuta
Keyword(s):  
Digital Technology ◽  
Oral Tradition ◽  
Cultural Knowledge ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Alternative View ◽  
Digital Repository ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Transmission Of Knowledge ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
History Of

This paper will focus on the importance of digitally archiving waiata and haka (Māori song, chant and dance). Māori arrived in Aotearoa from their traditional homeland in the Pacific carrying with them all of the knowledge of their own ancestors, none of which was written down. This Māori oral tradition has taken on many forms, including waiata and haka. Waiata and haka are traditional mediums for the transmission of knowledge including tribal history, politics, historical landmarks, genealogy and environmental knowledge while also acting as traditional forms of expression for the articulation of anger, hatred, sadness, love and desire. Waiata and haka are examples of Māori poetry and literature and have been likened to the archives of the Māori people, preserving important historical and cultural knowledge. Therefore, waiata and haka offer an alternative view of the history of Aotearoa/New Zealand to those that are based on mainstream Eurocentric history books and archives. Waiata and haka are also important for the survival of the Māori language and culture. In this sense, they are bound to Māori identity. As a result of colonisation many of these compositions are being lost through time and with them, a knowledge base regarding the meaning behind the words. The adoption of digital technology to preserve waiata and haka provides a tool that could aid the oral tradition. Tāmata Toiere, a digital repository of waiata and haka, is a national resource which demonstrates the interface between recovering traditional knowledge and storing this through innovative technology for future generations.

Pilgrims at the Golden Gate: Christian Scientists on the Pacific Coast, 1880––1915

2003 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolf Swensen
Keyword(s):  
Social History ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
The United States ◽  
Golden Gate ◽  
Christian Science ◽  
Working Classes ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Evidence

There has never been a social history of Christian Science, a distinctive and controversial new religious group that emphasized metaphysical healing. The group appeared in the United States in the 1870s and 1880s under the leadership of Mary Baker Eddy. This article examines the early rapid growth of Christian Science on the Pacific Coast, for the religion flourished to a greater degree in this health- conscious and socially fluid region than in any other section of the world. Analysis of the occupations of more than 1,000 members and spouses of six Christian Science churches in California, Oregon, and Washington for the years 1905-1907 provides detailed conclusions at variance with previous conjecture. The new evidence shows that Christian Scientists on the Pacific Coast were an ethnically homogeneous, uprooted, and energetic lot from all social levels, with a surprisingly large contingent from the working classes.

Aeolian and fluviolacustrine landforms and prehistoric human occupation on a technically influenced floodplain margin, the Méma, central Mali

2007 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Makaske ◽  
E. de Vries ◽  
J.A. Tainter ◽  
R.J. Mclntosh
Keyword(s):  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Archaeological Heritage ◽  
Archaeological Data ◽  
15Th Century ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
History Of ◽  
Climatic History ◽  
Inland Niger Delta ◽  
Semi Arid Region

AbstractThe Mema is a semi-arid region in central Mali with a rich archaeological heritage indicating the former existence of large urban settlements. The archaeological data suggest millennia of occupation history of the Méma preceding relatively sudden abandonment by the 14th or 15th century AD. Population numbers have remained low since then and today’s human presence in the area is sparse and largely mobile. Geomorphologically, the Méma can be characterized as a graben hosting various generations of aeolian landforms and (presently mostly dry) interdunal channels and lakes, linked to the neighbouring Inland Niger Delta floodplain. Given this setting, and the variability of the Sahelian climate, climatic contributions to the region’s sudden abandonment are likely. A geomorphological survey of the region, and interpretation of the observed geomorphological record in terms of climatic history, aimed at providing a basis for understanding the intensive occupation and subsequent abandonment of the Méma. The results of this study underscore dramatic Holocene climatic variability, leading to the region’s present geomorphological diversity, but also suggest that neotectonic movements constitute an important additional cause of regional desiccation. Both may have encouraged prehistoric people to abandon the Méma after a long period of occupation.

scholarly journals “The Ocean in Us”: Navigating the Blue Humanities and Diasporic Chamoru Poetry

Humanities ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Santos Perez
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Pacific Islander ◽  
Complex Relationship ◽  
Colonial History ◽  
Poetic Form ◽  
Visual Poetry ◽  
Avant Garde ◽  
Diasporic Identity ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
History Of

This essay will explore the complex relationship between Pacific Islander Literature and the “Blue Humanities,” navigation traditions and canoe aesthetics, and Chamoru migration and diaspora. First, I will chart the history, theory, and praxis of Pacific voyaging traditions; the colonial history of restricting indigenous mobilities; and the decolonial acts of seafaring revitalization in the Pacific (with a specific focus on Guam). Then, I will examine the representation of seafaring and the ocean-going vessel (the canoe) as powerful symbols of Pacific migration and diasporic cultural identity in the context of what Elizabeth DeLoughrey termed, “narrative maritime legacies” (2007). Lastly, I will conduct a close-reading of the avant-garde poetry collection, A Bell Made of Stones (2013), by Chamoru writer Lehua Taitano. As I will show, Taitano writes about the ocean and navigation in order to address the history and traumas of Chamoru migration and diaspora. In terms of poetic form, I will argue that Taitano’s experimentation with typography and visual poetry embodies Chamoru outrigger design aesthetics and navigational techniques. In the end, I will show how a “Blue Humanities” approach to reading Pacific Islander literature highlights how the “New Oceania” is a profound space of Pacific migration and diasporic identity.

scholarly journals New Zealand’s ‘Critics of Empire’: Domestic Opposition to New Zealand’s Pacific Empire, 1883-1948

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nicholas Hoare
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Twentieth Century ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Context ◽  
The Other ◽  
Colonial History ◽  
The Public ◽  
Colonial Policy ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
History Of

<p>The recent resurgence of interest in the ‘other side’ of New Zealand’s colonial history has reaffirmed the need to view the nation’s history in its Pacific context. This historiographical turn has involved taking seriously the fact that as well as being a colony of Britain, New Zealand was an empire-state and metropole in its own right, possessing a tropical, Oceanic empire. What has yet to have been attempted however is a history of the ‘other side’ of the imperial debate. Thus far the historiography has been weighted towards New Zealand’s imperial and colonial agents. By mapping metropolitan critiques of New Zealand’s imperialism and colonialism in the Pacific (1883-1948), this thesis seeks to rebalance the historiographical ledger. This research adds to our understanding of New Zealand’s involvement in the colonial Pacific by demonstrating that anticolonial struggles were not only confined to the colonies, they were also fought on the metropolitan front by colonial critics at once sympathetic to the claims of the colonised populations, and scathing of their own Government’s colonial policy. These critics were, by virtue of their status as white, metropolitan citizens, afforded greater rights and freedoms than indigenous colonial subjects, and so were able to challenge colonial policy in the public domain. At the same time this thesis demonstrates how colonial criticism reflected national anxieties. The grounds for criticism generally depended on the wider social context. In the nineteenth-century in particular, critiques often contained concerns that New Zealand’s Pacific imperialism would disrupt the sanctity of ‘White New Zealand’, however as the twentieth-century wore on criticism bore the imprint of anti-racism and increasingly supported indigenous claims for self-government. By examining a seventy year period of change, this thesis shows that at every stage of the ‘imperial process’, New Zealand’s imperialism in the Pacific was a subject open to persistent public debate.</p>

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