The land has voice: understanding the land tenure – sustainable tourism development nexus in Micronesia

Abstract

Externally-generated prescriptions for development continue to be imposed on Pacific Island societies. Frequently lost in this process is provision for the idiosyncratic localized realities of the people actually living in these places. Using an interpretivist critical discourse analysis, this study examines Indigenous perspectives on land, and how these perspectives interface with such standardized development ideals. More specifically, this study explores how issues related to Indigenous land holding rights in Micronesia are at the core of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The results elucidate how the current SDG targets lack sufficient provision for how Micronesian societies function, what is valued by the people that comprise these societies, and how Indigenous land holding rights form the bedrock of the sustainability of Micronesian livelihoods.