Contextualizing future climate-forced community relocations on islands: the long history of water-related settlement mobility in Ra Province, Fiji

Nunn, Patrick D. and King, Tricia and Kumar, Roselyn and Shivakoti, Binaya R. and Zavar, Elyse and Geraghty, Paul and Korovulavula, Isoa T. and Kotra, Krishna K. and Ram, Arishma R. and Sekinini, Seci T. (2026) Contextualizing future climate-forced community relocations on islands: the long history of water-related settlement mobility in Ra Province, Fiji. Human Ecology, 54 (26). NA. ISSN 0300-7839

Text - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (3MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Through a study of Ra Province (northeast Viti Levu Island, Fiji) involving both archival research and community
engagement, we highlighted a long history of Indigenous population mobility. Many coastal settlements have mostly
undocumented histories of relocating inland due to shoreline retreat and land loss over recent decades. Studies of
Navutulevu and Vunitogoloa use oral histories and nineteenth-century accounts to show this. More recent autonomous relocations, identified through field surveys in Madhuvani and Navuniivi, are regarded as ‘invisible’ because such major
adaptation responses are not usually included in most formal or published reviews of community relocation in the Pacific.
Based on our results and a broader understanding of societal evolution in the Pacific Islands region, we concluded
that population mobility and settlement relocation have historically been common on (comparatively small and remote)
oceanic islands, often in response to changing environmental conditions. Therefore, the possibility of future relocation
might seem less intimidating for many coastal residents because of this history. The idea that future relocation is rare and therefore requires extensive funding and policy support, rooted in post-globalization norms, is inaccurate. In reality, it could undermine the resilience of Pacific Island communities by dismissing their histories of autonomous adaptation.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Wate, Mobility, Islands, Climate change, Sea-level rise, Future, Ra Province, Fiji
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GB Physical geography G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GC Oceanography G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Divisions:	School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences (SAGEONS)
Depositing User:	Dr Krishna Kotra
Date Deposited:	29 Mar 2026 23:55
Last Modified:	29 Mar 2026 23:55
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/15315

Actions (login required)

View Item