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Maps and the European understanding of Fiji's Toponymy 1643-1840

Geraghty, Paul (2020) Maps and the European understanding of Fiji's Toponymy 1643-1840. The Globe (Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Map Society Inc), 88 . pp. 42-52. ISSN 0311-3930

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Abstract

In this article, I will point to a number of unexpected features of the early European understanding of the geography and toponymy of the Fiji Islands. First, the earliest visitors who compiled maps of parts of Fiji (Tasman in 1643, Cook in 1774, Bligh in 1789 and 1792, Wilson in 1797), had no contact with Fiji islanders, so all the toponyms listed on maps were of European origin. Second, lists of Fiji toponyms were published (Anderson 1777, Fanning 1807) before any appeared on maps. Third, because Fiji was commonly approached from Tonga, most of the early toponyms, and many of those that appeared on maps, were exonyms in Tongan, some of which have persisted in official use to this day.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General)
Divisions: Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) > School of Language, Arts and Media
Depositing User: Fulori Nainoca - Waqairagata
Date Deposited: 16 Sep 2021 21:47
Last Modified: 16 Sep 2021 21:47
URI: http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/13023
UNSPECIFIED

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