Decolonizing moana stomachs: recipes for food sovereignty from Oceania

Colonialism, militarization and contemporary corporate food regimes have eroded the food sovereignty of the populations of Oceania. Such phenomenon named gastro-colonialism, has not only shaped local foodways with tinned and processed food, building a taste for it, but also made islands dependent from external food provisioning. In order to stress the relevance of the food sovereignty paradigm as a new arena for the emergence of collective actions in Oceania, this article analyzes firstly, the food sovereignty concept within the wider sovereignty issue, highlighting the plural and interconnected nature of sovereign-ties. Secondly, by analyzing the imperial forces accountable for such food dependency, it addresses the case of Tonga where the inalienability of the land could possibly shape a food sovereign milieu. Lastly, through a selection of indigenous artists, poets and writers bringing forward Hau‘ofa legacy it illustrates possible “recipes” that could be scaled up to decolonize moana foodscapes.