Kanak Culture

The Kanak people are the native people of New Caledonia. They comprise just under half of the total population of New Caledonia, around 45% by some estimates.

Kanak Clans

Kanak society is organised around clans, which can be made up of people related through a common ancestor, thus comprising several families. There can be between fifty and several hundred people in a clan. Clan structures evolve however due to migration, disputes, or members switching clans.

Within the clan there is a hierarchy comprising mostly of familes and descendents through to the clan chief who is also called the "the eldest brother". The "eldest brother" presides over clan life and settles disputes within the clan. In some places, notably the Loyalty Islands, clan autonomy becomes reduced through their integration into a larger social organisation known today by the term «district coutumier» or "customary district". In this more elaborate organisation, various clans join together around a large "chefferie" (dwelling places ruled by the chiefs), where their status and prestige is more similar to Polynesian royalty than to the Kanak clanical chefferie. It is believed this structure originates from historical influence from Polynesian immigration to the islands. In this context, the clan not only identifies itself as its own autonomous entity, but also by the place it occupies in the social organisation of the larger district. In this structure the clan's chief becomes subservient to the great chief and is expected to show respect. This great chief symbolises the district and assures social cohesion but the clan chief can settle disputes as a last resort.

Men and Woman

In all aspects of social and daily life, Kanak society is structured according to a clear distinction between men and women.

Men, have social and public responsibilities including managing the community's food resources like yam growing.

Women, have responsibility for everything pertaining to the family, housework, and other family supplies besides food.

This duality is present in the youth too. Boys work for the community and are cared for by the community. Following adolescence, they live together in a separate area where they are educated on their future social and clan responsibilities. Girls live with their mother at the family home until marriage, where they learn the rudiments of family and domestic life.

Relations

Social roles in Kanak society differ if you are a landowner, fisherman, a spokesperson for a district, etc, and is also judged by your age. As expected, you respect your elders. This respect shows itself at mealtimes for example where old men and women will be served first and new harvested yams are given to elders in preference to younger people.