Histories of Computing in Oceania

Abstract

This special issue explores the histories of computing in the countries of Oceania with reference to the nuanced relationship between the local and the global. Oceania includes Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu [5]. The region comprises indigenous Polynesian, Melanesian, and Micronesian cultures alongside more recent colonial influences. There is notable cultural and linguistic diversity throughout, for example, in Vanuatu alone, more than 100 different languages are spoken [11]. The inhabitants of Oceania have a strong connection with the Pacific Ocean, though many of the countries in the region are tiny island states, their exclusive economic zones include large expanses of ocean territory and associated fishing rights [16]. While Pacific Islanders regard themselves as guardians of their ocean territory, rising sea levels caused by climate change pose a serious threat, especially to the lower lying islands. In terms of global geography, Oceania is often regarded as peripheral, its countries have small populations and economies that are often heavily dependent on raw materials. This peripheral location and the region's colonial heritage influenced attitudes toward the arrival of computing technology.