Melanesian
Vanuatu native, perhaps
Melanesian refers to the people, languages, and cultures of Melanesia—a region of the southwestern Pacific including New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and New Caledonia.
The term distinguishes this island group from Polynesia and Micronesia.
As a noun, a Melanesian is a person from this region: Melanesian societies developed sophisticated agricultural systems.
Southwest Pacific island nation
- Solomon IslandsOceanian archipelago nation
- VanuatuMelanesian archipelago nation
- FijiPacific island republic
- New CaledoniaFrench territory near Australia
Guadalcanal · Coral Sea · Oceania · New Britain · Highlands
Sedative Pacific Island drink
- shell moneyMollusk-based medium of exchange
- canoeSlender paddled vessel
- yamStarchy tropical root vegetable
- taroEdible tropical corm
outrigger · sand drawing · woodcarving · obsidian · betel nut · feather headdress · nose piercing · scarification
Related group sharing ancestry
- kinshipState of being related
- chiefTop-ranking leader
- villageSmall rural community
- ancestor worshipReligious honoring of forebears
totems · sorcery · mythology · ceremonies · taboo · rites · matrilineal · patrilineal
Of a Pacific archipelago
- creoleNativized pidgin tongue
- language familyRelated tongues from one source
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
Papua New Guinea
Southwest Pacific island nation
- Solomon IslandsOceanian archipelago nation
- VanuatuMelanesian archipelago nation
- FijiPacific island republic
New Caledonia · Guadalcanal · Coral Sea · Oceania · New Britain · Highlands
kava
Sedative Pacific Island drink
- shell moneyMollusk-based medium of exchange
- canoeSlender paddled vessel
- yamStarchy tropical root vegetable
taro · outrigger · sand drawing · woodcarving · obsidian · betel nut · feather headdress · nose piercing · scarification
clan
Related group sharing ancestry
ancestor worship · totems · sorcery · mythology · ceremonies · taboo · rites · matrilineal · patrilineal · big man
Fijian
Of a Pacific archipelago
- creoleNativized pidgin tongue
- language familyRelated tongues from one source
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
MelanesianPolynesian
Of Pacific island peoples
Micronesian · Polynesia · Hawaiian · Samoan · Tongan
MelanesianEuropean
From that continent
Asian · African · continental · mainland · Australian