Une horticulture maritime  ? Pratiques et perceptions de la mer à Tongoa (Vanuatu)

Abstract

On Tongoa Island, a small island located in the central Shepherd’s archipelago in Vanuatu, the sea is considered as an extension of the land. Men own coastal plots (natasi) and allotments on the land (roara), on which they rely to feed their families. Our ethnographic research in Kurumampe village shows that sea plots are managed and perceived like subsistence gardens. The locals are horticulturists of both the sea and their land. This article examines the various modalities of use and apprehension of Tongoa's oceanic environment, by detailing and analysing the maritime tenure and toponymy, the representations of the sea and the local technics related to the coastal space.

Keywords

• sea
• territory
• fishing
• horticulture
• Tongoa