Abstract
Throughout Oceania, pit fermentation of starchy crops was used as means of ensuring a predictable food supply despite the vagaries of drought, cyclonic storms, and warfare. During a 6-mo period, fermentation techniques for breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) were studied in Micronesia in the islands comprising Majuro, Guam, Belau, Yap, and Ponape. Fermentation techniques were found to vary throughout Micronensia but as a whole to differ significantly from techniques used in Polynesia. We believe the benefits of such food preservation technologies to be significant in facilitating colonization of temporally marginal island environments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
BARRAU, J. 1961. Subsistence agriculture in Polynesia and Micronesia. Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bull. 223: 1–94.
COENAN, J., and J. BARRAU. 1961. The breadfruit tree in Micronesia. S. Pacific Bull. 11: 37–39, 65–67.
COX, P. A. 1980. Two Samoan technologies for breadfruit and banana preservation. Econ. Bot. 34: 181–185.
—. 1981. Masi and tanu ’eli: ancient Polynesian technologies for the preservation and concealment of food. Bull. Pacific Trop. Bot. Garden 4: 81–93.
DAHLQUIST, P. A. 1972. KhodoMWenge: The food complex in a changing Ponapean community. Masters thesis, Ohio State Univ. Columbus, OH.
FOSBERG, F. R., M. SACHET, and R. OLIVER. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian Dicotyledoneae. Micronesica 15: 41–295.
FREEMAN, O. 1951. Geography of the Pacific. Wiley, New York.
HANDY, E. 1923. The native culture in the Marquesas. Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bull. 9: 1–358.
HUGHES, D. T. 1969. Reciprocal influence of traditional leadership roles in Ponape. Ethnology 8: 278–279.
KIRCH, P. V. 1979. Polynesian prehistory: cultural adaptation in island ecosystems. Amer. Scientist 68: 39–48.
KRUZENSHTERN, I. 1811. Reise um die Welt in dem Jahren 1803, 1804, und 1806 auf Befehl seiner Kaiserl. Haude and Spener, Berlin.
LINTON, R. 1926. Ethnology of Polyensia and Micronesia. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Guide 6: 1–191.
Mackenzie, J. B. 1964. Breadfruit cultivation practices and beliefs in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,In B. MacKenzie, R. K. McKnight, and P. Lawrence, ed, P. Anthropological Working Papers, p. 7–8, 11–12. Saipan.
MASSAL, E., and J. BARRAU. 1954. Breadfruit. S. Pacific Bull. 4: 24–26.
MURAI, M., F. PEN, and C. MILLER. 1958. Some Tropical Pacific Foods. Univ. Hawaii Press, Honolulu, HI.
O’ CONNELL, J. F. 1972. A Residence of Eleven Years in New Holland and the Caroline Islands. Univ. Hawaii Press, Honolulu, HI.
PURSEGLOVE, J. 1968. Tropical Crops: Dicotyledons. Longman, London.
SHATTENBURG, P. 1976. Food and cultivar preservation in Micronesian voyaging. Miscellaneous Work Papers, Pacific Island Program, Univ. Hawaii 1: 25–52.
Soucie, E. A. 1971. Introduction to Tropical Agriculture: Plant Science. Agriculture and Trade School, Ponape.
Whitney, L. M. B. 1871–1873. Journal. Original ms. deposited in the Bishop Museum Library, Honolulu, HI.
YEN, D. 1973. Indigenous food processing in Oceania, gastronomy.In M. Arnott, ed, The Anthropology of Foods and Food Habits, p. 141–146, Morton, The Hague.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Atchley, J., Cox, P.A. Breadfruit fermentation in micronesia. Econ Bot 39, 326–335 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02858803
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02858803