The South Pacific is our geographic environment but it is also our cultural environment. Many New Zealanders trace their ancestry to Polynesian seafarers. This book is an introduction to the history of the South Pacific. A companion book to Illustrated History of New Zealand, also written by Marcia Stenson, this covers the following topics: geology and geography, the arrival of the first people to the Pacific, European exploration, war in the Pacific, political issues both historic and current. There is also specific information on these island groups: Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and the Polynesian outliers. This timely book fills a much-needed gap in our knowledge of the South Pacific. It will be an essential reference book for every home, school and library.
Accolades
Winner of New Zealand Post Children's Book Award: Non-Fiction Award 2007.
Winner of New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards: Children's Book of the Year 2007.
Shortlisted for LIANZA Children's Book Awards: Elsie Locke Award 2007.
Author Biography
Marcia Stenson is also the author of the companion book, Illustrated History of New Zealand. She has been a secondary school History teacher and a Deputy-Principal and has written a number of other books including The Story of New Zealand.
