Blond Melanesians Have No European Ancestors

Much speculation has been made over the years about why so many Solomon Island natives have blond hair. The result makes for memorable photography of the people of the region. In a recent study, however, geneticists have discovered a gene unrelated to the blond gene in Europeans, is behind the phenomenon:

"The reason why some five to 10 percent of the islanders are blond comes down to simple genetics -- a gene called TYRP1 that natives of the Solomon Islands possess but Europeans do not, said the study in the US journal Science.

"So the human characteristic of blond hair arose independently in equatorial Oceania. That's quite unexpected and fascinating," said lead author Eimear Kenny, a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University in California."

Check out this article from the Medical Press for more on the story.

Check out the new Interfaith Column at the Borneo Post website. What's happening on the ground? What do you think?

Looking for an interesting route through Melanesia? I'm thinking of following the itinerary of this "Victories in the Pacific" cruise:

Cruise itinerary overview

• Day 1 - New Caledonia, Depart Noumea
• Day 2 - Lifou Island
• Day 3 - Vanuatu, Tanna Island Volcano
• Day 4 - Espiritu Santo and Million Dollar Point
• Day 5 - Ureparapara Island and ‘Kastom’ Dancing
• Day 6 - Solomon Islands, Nendo Island
• Day 7 - Santa Ana
• Day 8 - Guadalcanal
• Day 9 - Tulagi
• Day 10 - Arnavon Islands Marine Reserve
• Day 11 - Ghizo and Kennedy Island
• Day 12 - Papua New Guinea, Bougainville
• Day 13 - Buka Island
• Day 14 - New Britain/Rabaul and Farewell

From Rabaul to Cairns, Australia & from there all points. March, 2012, so if you're thinking of doing this now, please either pummel the cruise company to do a second sailing of this itinerary, or charter your own boat.

Invite me along, too. I'm good company.

South Pacific Quakes

Maybe it was a slow news day. Maybe I feel the earth shaking a bit myself. In any case, here is a sample of the earthquakes Magnitude 4.0 or higher that happened today around the South Pacific.

Magnitude 4.5 2012/02/27 11:58:03 3.215 128.252 96.2 NORTH OF HALMAHERA, INDONESIA

Magnitude 4.6 2012/02/27 11:32:06 40.136 141.577 37.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

Magnitude 4.9 2012/02/27 07:11:12 -24.948 -177.263 10.2 SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS

Magnitude 5.0 2012/02/27 03:01:56 -24.870 -177.696 9.9 SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS

Magnitude 4.8 2012/02/27 01:35:05 -24.797 -177.212 10.0 SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS

Magnitude 5.0 2012/02/27 00:33:49 -6.513 154.903 93.9 BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Happy International Mother Tongue Day!

Happy International Mother Language Day! Never heard of it? UNESCO initiated the holiday in 1999 and it was officially adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2008. To help celebrate, please enjoy this Port Moresby Tok Pisin dictionary. 

Okay, okay, I hear the arguments now: "But Tok Pisin is a creole language formed from both native and colonial languages." Fair enough. But that's how French began too, as a creole of native (Celtic) and colonial (Latin) dialects in ancient Gaul. Languages morph like that all the time.  Fascinating, huh?

Now go talk to your mother, 'kay?

Solomon Islanders Offer Solutions to Environmental Destruction

Conservation Story Blong Chivoko was made by the men and women of the remote coastal village of Chivoko (on the island of Choiseul)...whose tribal land is one of the last remaining intact and unlogged forests in the Solomon islands."

I love this video. The people discuss not only the problems logging has caused them, in terms of environmental and cultural destruction, but they offer solutions that may help others facing similar challenges.

The video itself beautiful to watch -- the people, the forests -- and to a linguist the Tok Pisin is fascinating.

A 4.4 earthquake rattled Fiji today, Monday, February 20, 2012 at 10:31 a.m. New York time (or Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 03:31 a.m. Fiji time) 217 kilometers or 134 miles East South East of Lambasa, Vanua Levu, Fiji.

Did you feel it? If so, please go here and tell the seismologists at the USGS (United States Geological Survey) what you experienced. Your input can help predict tsunamis and where the next earthquake will hit.  Your info might help save lives, now or during future quakes.  Thanks!