With a POD of no earlier than Jan 1, 1900, have all of OTL Melanesia (all of New Guinea, the Solomons, Fiji, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia) united under a single independent government.
AHC: United Melanesia
- Thread starter frustrated progressive
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I suspect that a common Melanesian national consciousness is unlikely to emerge without a common imperialistic overlord and colonial structure. By 1900, the region is too divided between Britain, France and Germany.
Go back 20-40 years and there are more possibilities but they require a more energetic push for British colonies in the region to shut out the other players.
Go back 20-40 years and there are more possibilities but they require a more energetic push for British colonies in the region to shut out the other players.
France hands New Caledonia over to Britain as some part of deal, Britain combines their colonial possessions in Melanesia into one colonial government. When German New Guinea is captured, it is incorporated into the colonial government and administered by Australia until achieving independence in the 70s or 80s.
Uhura's Mazda
Banned
Imperial Japan conquers the Pacific without pissing off America (somehow) and the Allies resort to setting up guerilla groups to fight the Japs, like a kind of Lawrence of Vanuatu affair. The Pacific islands are divided by Allied politicians into Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Not very plausible, really.
The thing is, Melanesia is really more of a Western geographical construct than a cultural thing. If you ask a Fijian what he's got in common with a Papuan and he'll look at you as if you're crazy. That's the problem with far-flung island groups - I've no idea how Kiribati and the FSM manage, and they're pretty much arbitrary aggregates of individual atolls and island groups drawn up by people in ties and offices in Europe. And as I understand it, there's no love lost between the Solomon Islanders and the Ni-Vanuatu. I mean, yes, there's the Melanesian racial classification, but: A) that doesn't include Fiji; B) almost all of them (as in, 11 million out of 12 million total) are citizens of Indonesia, in the Moluccas and western New Guinea, so you have to deal with the Dutch or the Indos before you can detach them; and C) it only really matters to Europeans - and mostly to 19th century Europeans at that.
So yeah, something with Japan wiping the colonial slate clean (including Indonesia) is probably a good bet.
FYI, bumping your threads after half an hour isn't a good idea.
The thing is, Melanesia is really more of a Western geographical construct than a cultural thing. If you ask a Fijian what he's got in common with a Papuan and he'll look at you as if you're crazy. That's the problem with far-flung island groups - I've no idea how Kiribati and the FSM manage, and they're pretty much arbitrary aggregates of individual atolls and island groups drawn up by people in ties and offices in Europe. And as I understand it, there's no love lost between the Solomon Islanders and the Ni-Vanuatu. I mean, yes, there's the Melanesian racial classification, but: A) that doesn't include Fiji; B) almost all of them (as in, 11 million out of 12 million total) are citizens of Indonesia, in the Moluccas and western New Guinea, so you have to deal with the Dutch or the Indos before you can detach them; and C) it only really matters to Europeans - and mostly to 19th century Europeans at that.
So yeah, something with Japan wiping the colonial slate clean (including Indonesia) is probably a good bet.
FYI, bumping your threads after half an hour isn't a good idea.
I think a United Melanesia could exist, but it would go the way of the West Indies Federation rather quickly. You'd just need a bit more of a political drive to organise such a thing (maybe Fiji wants some easy New Guinean labour for the sugar plantations?) and convince some people in Britain that it would be worthwhile. Could happen involving a different World War II, especially if you can find a way for France to transfer New Caledonia and the Dutch to transfer their side of New Guinea to this new federation.
The odds it will dissolve is basically 100%, though.
The odds it will dissolve is basically 100%, though.
Which is what I said in the beginning.
It is possible to get all of Melanesia under one set of boundaries but you need to start pre-1900 if you are trying to build some kind of national consciousness of "Melanesian-ness".
Good luck getting France to hand over New Caledonia. Just look at how long the mess of Vanuatu persisted prior to independence and you get some idea of how readily Paris will give up its favourite nuclear weapon test site.
It is possible to get all of Melanesia under one set of boundaries but you need to start pre-1900 if you are trying to build some kind of national consciousness of "Melanesian-ness".
Good luck getting France to hand over New Caledonia. Just look at how long the mess of Vanuatu persisted prior to independence and you get some idea of how readily Paris will give up its favourite nuclear weapon test site.