Moorea lagoon fishers' mental maps
An exploratory analysis of Polynesian spatial knowledge
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2263967 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Teriitutea Quesnot (0000-0002-2030-9510, Univ Brest, CNRS, LETG – UMR 6554 Plouzané France, corresponding author), Émilie Schmitter (Univ Brest, CNRS, LETG – UMR 6554 Plouzané France), Jean Wencélius (0000-0002-9500-4404, Université PSL, EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS, UAR 3278 CRIOBE Moorea French Polynesia), Tamatoa Bambridge (0000-0002-5463-4602, Université PSL, EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS, UAR 3278 CRIOBE Moorea French Polynesia) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 114-137 |
| Publication date | 2024-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Ethos (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0091-2131 • E-ISSN: 1548-1352 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/etho.12416 |
| OpenAlex | W4389600872 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
This empirical study builds upon prior research concerning cultural influences on spatial mental representations in Oceania. A comprehensive examination of 93 mental maps sourced from 59 lagoon fishers of Moorea (French Polynesia) reveals interesting facts about the way they organize and share their spatial knowledge. Firstly, consistent with previous studies across Oceania, Polynesian fishers exhibit a preference for the allocentric perspective when representing their environment. Secondly, they generally rely on marine landmarks for navigation, with a particular emphasis on four entities: the reef barrier, maritime beacons, coral outcrops, and a key chromatic marker - Moana (blue in Tahitian) - indicating the depth of the lagoon. Finally, the factor analysis we conducted highlights two significant facts: (1) a geographical self-censorship, demonstrated by the low presence or even the absence of landmarks useful for locating their fishing spots; (2) a continuum between the surface and the depths of the lagoon, showing that surface fishers (line, net, troll, etc.) have a proven knowledge of seabed topography, whereas underwater speargun fishers also rely on landmarks located above the water
Cartography · Fishery · Fishing · Geography · Habitat · Seascape · Categorization, perception, and language · Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies · Ecology · Spatial Cognition and Navigation
Map Drawing in Tonga, Polynesia
The Tree and the Canoe
Frames of Reference and Molyneux's Question
Cognitive maps in rats and men.
The Development of Spatial Representations of Large-Scale Environments
Territorialités et aires marines protégées à Moorea (Polynésie française)
Oriented and Disoriented Space in the Gambier, French Polynesia
A Companion to Cognitive Anthropology
Fish and Fishing on Niuatoputapu1
Gender differences in way-finding strategies
Le développement de la représentation de l’espace à Tahiti
Local perceptions of socio-ecological drivers and effects of coastal armoring
A social-ecological engagement with reef passages in New Caledonia
Crafting the success and failure of decentralized marine management
Perceptions and responses of Pacific Island fishers to changing coral reefs
The Making of Tupaia’s Map
The Embodied Mind
The Perception of the Environment
Ancient Tahitian Society
Where We Go From Here
A View from the Islands
Space and Culture
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |