The Pacific region covers more than 800 000 km2, has thousands of islands, and a relatively small population. Although we live in the Pacific, how much do you know about its origins, its geography, its history, its people and its politics? Starting with the Pacific Ring of Fire and a basic who’s who of nations, we move on to look at several case-studies which highlight past and present issues which relate to Aotearoa New Zealand, and help us understand more about ourselves and our home region.
Image of Bora Bora, French Polynesia by John Ko. Uploaded from Unsplash.
Depending on the class' interests we will choose case studies from
- French nuclear testing
- Sea-level rise affecting low-lying Pacific nations
- Blackbirding and the slave trade in the Pacific
- Rapanui | Easter Island
- World War 2
- Tourism in the Pacific
We will build our knowledge of the issues from written and visual texts (photos, cartoons, maps, video clips & docos) and use this knowledge to discuss and debate. Each week, we will look into a current issue in the news in the Pacific.
You will need a device for research and | or a book or device for keeping notes and completing tasks.