Take a dive into the Pacific
As our initiative is based on a lack or knowledge or representation of the Pacific islands on our campus, we don't expect you to know everything from the get-go. Hence, here is a little introduction tot he Pacific as a whole, it's islands, countries, cultures, history and more.
Let's fly over and get a good bird's eye view of the place...
A brief history
Oceania spans thousands of islands across the central and southern Pacific Ocean and includes sub-regions such as Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, as well as larger landmasses like Australia and New Zealand.
The islands vary widely: some are large volcanic or continental islands with fertile soils and mountainous terrain, while many are small coral atolls with limited land, shaping the livelihoods and settlement patterns of their inhabitants
Pacific cultures
Pacific cultures are anchored in deep oceanic traditions; from master navigators reading stars and swells to communal rituals that honor ancestral spirits, land, and sea as living kin. Colonialism also brought with it cultural influences from Europe and Asia.
Storytelling, tattooing, dance, and song serve not just as art but as vessels of identity and history, binding island communities across vast distances into enduring networks of reciprocity and belonging.
​
A geographical overview
Oceania spans thousands of islands across the central and southern Pacific Ocean and includes sub-regions such as Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, as well as larger landmasses like Australia and New Zealand.
The islands vary widely: some are large volcanic or continental islands with fertile soils and mountainous terrain, while many are small coral atolls with limited land, shaping the livelihoods and settlement patterns of their inhabitants
Geopolitics and news
The region is increasingly a geostrategic hotspot: foreign powers are vying for influence through security agreements, investments and diplomacy.
​
Meanwhile, island nations face environmental and security-related challenges: rising sea levels, ocean warming, and growing waves of transnational crime and illicit trafficking are deeply affecting communities and regional stability