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Part of
Narrative and Identity Construction in the Pacific Islands
Edited by Farzana Gounder
[Studies in Narrative 21] 2015
► pp. 37–58

We’ve never seen a cyclone like this

Exploring self-concept and narrator characterisation in Aulua

This chapter adds to the understanding of Melanesians conceptions of self and the structure of narratives in Melanesian Oceanic languages and Vanuatu cultures. In the early years of the 21st century a cyclone devastated much of the eastern seaboard of Malakula, Vanuatu. In 2007, the author collected narrative accounts of cyclone Ivy from members of the Auluan community. Examining the way the events of the cyclone and its aftermath are recounted and the positioning of the narrator and the community as characters we should be able to identify the characteristics of the notion of self within the Aulua speaking community. The shared theme of the narrative also provide a unique opportunity to witness a community narrate itself in one of its most difficult periods in recent times.

Published online: 20 May 2015
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https://doi.org/10.1075/sin.21.02pav
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