It is, as poet Peter Balakian notes, a moral act. Beyond that, how society constructs and represents the past is profoundly political. What is celebrated, denigrated or omitted has widespread ideological implications. April 8, 1998. April 9, 1998.
Hotels promote Polynesian revues with hula-hula girls.
Shopping malls and golf courses cover sacred sites. Indigenous people are stereotyped and marginalized. In addition, major U.S.military bases are causing serious environmental problems. Japan, France and other countries also contribute to environmental degradation in the region. The vast Pacific is a dumping ground for toxic and hazardous wastes.