In what ways did Kiribati's colonial rule affect the local population?
Kiribati is a small island nation located near the equator in the Pacific Ocean with rich natural resources and a unique culture, however, over the past period, Kiribati has experienced several colonial rules that have had a profound impact on the local people.
This article examines the impact of Kiribati's colonial rule on the local population.
Historical background
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Kiribati was colonized by the British as a British colony, and in 1942, Japanese troops established a military base in Kiribati and occupied the area until it was recaptured by U.S. forces in 1943.
In 1957, Kiribati became a special colony of the United Kingdom. In 1979, Kiribati became independent and became a free country.
Impact on local culture
Colonial rule had a profound impact on the local culture of Kiribati, and during the colonial period, British colonists tried to force the people of Kiribati to adopt their religion and culture.
Many Kiribati people have been forced to abandon their cultural traditions, including language and beliefs. British colonists tried to force Kiribati people to learn English as the only official language.
This led to the decline and disappearance of the Kiribati language, as well as the loss of Kiribati people to their own culture. Although after Kiribati's independence, the government has begun to pay attention to the preservation of indigenous culture, many Kiribati people still face the challenge of preserving their cultural traditions.
Impact on the local economy
Colonial rule had a profound impact on Kiribati's economy, and during the colonial period, British colonists came here mainly to exploit Kiribati's phosphate resources.
However, the exploitation of these resources brought very little wealth to the people of Kiribati, on the contrary, the British colonists acquired a large amount of wealth and resources, exacerbating Kiribati's poverty and backwardness.
After Kiribati's independence, the country's economy has been facing serious challenges, including high unemployment, economic instability and poverty.
Impact on the local political system
Colonial rule also had a profound impact on Kiribati's local political system, during which British colonists controlled Kiribati's politics and economy.
They appointed local leaders to ensure the continuation of their rule, which led to corruption and instability in Kiribati's political system, and after Kiribati's independence, the government tried to improve the political system, but due to the effects of colonial rule, the government's reforms met with great resistance.
Impact on social development
Colonial rule had a profound impact on the development of Kiribati society, and during the colonial period, British colonists controlled Kiribati's education and healthcare system.
They provide basic medical and educational services to the local people, but these services are of low quality and cannot meet the needs of the local people, which leads to the low level of health and education of the people of Kiribati.
After Kiribati's independence, the government tried to improve the education and healthcare system, but reforms met with great resistance due to the effects of colonial rule.
In addition to the above-mentioned influences, the colonization of Kiribati also had an important impact on local culture, language and beliefs.
During the colonial period, Kiribati's culture suffered destruction and distortion, and the British colonists tried to impose Western culture and values, weakening the status and influence of local culture.
This has led to the loss of Kiribati's traditional culture and language, as well as the collapse of local belief systems, and while Kiribati has recovered many traditional cultures and languages, these cultures and languages still face many challenges.
In addition, the colonial rule of Kiribati also had an impact on local natural resources, and the British colonists carried out large-scale exploitation and utilization of Kiribati's natural resources, which led to the deterioration of the local natural environment and the destruction of the ecosystem.
This has had a profound impact on Kiribati's sustainable development, and local governments and communities need to take steps to protect and restore natural resources in order to achieve sustainable development.
In short, the impact of Kiribati's colonial rule on the local people is multifaceted, involving cultural, economic, political, social development, natural resources and other aspects.
Although Kiribati has been independent for many years, these impacts still exist and require measures by the Government and local communities to address them in order to achieve sustainable development in Kiribati.
conclusion
The impact of Kiribati's colonial rule on the local population is reflected in many aspects such as cultural, economic, political and social development, and these effects are reflected in Kiribati's history and reality.
Although Kiribati had been independent for many years, the effects of colonial rule continued and the Government and local people needed to be aware of those problems and take measures to address them in order to promote Kiribati's continued development.
Bibliography:
1、Bebbington, A., & Warburton, E. (2019). Decolonising conservation: colonial pasts and national presents in Kiribati. Third World Quarterly, 40(3), 453-470.
2、Taruia, T., & Puati, T. (2017). Resilience and adaptation of Kiribati's smallholder farmers to climate change: the role of cultural and traditional knowledge. Climate and Development, 9(3), 283-294.
