Marquesas

Oceaniaother subsistence combinations
Map
expand_more Description

The Marquesans are the inhabitants of the six larger islands of the Marquesan Island group: Nukuhiva, 'Ua Pou, 'Ua Huka, Fatuiva, Tahuate, and Hora Oa, including intermittent occupation of some of the smaller islands of the group (e.g. Eiao). There has also been a large scale emigration of Marquesans to Tahiti. Subsistence is based on tree products (e.g. breadfruit, bananas, plantains) and root-crop horticulture supplemented by fishing. The political organization of the Marquesas consists of a number of chiefdoms, each without clearly defined territorial domains. Social organization was hierarchical, based on "tapu" principles, ritual occupation, sex, age, chiefly rank and property ownership.

Identifier
Region
  • Oceania
Subregion
  • Polynesia
Subsistence Type
  • other subsistence combinations
Samples
Countries
  • French Polynesia
External Links