ABSTRACT
Epeli Hau’ofa’s writing, like Figiel’s and Wendt’s, is centrally concerned with the socio-political problems which have followed colonialism and independence in the Pacific region, and he similarly critiques stereotypical representations of indigenous bodies and cultures within European discourse. Hau’ofa differs from Wendt and Figiel, however, in his unique comi-satirical approach to representing the indigenous body. In his novel Kisses in the Nederends (1987) – the primary focus of discussion in this chapter – Hau’ofa sets out to metaphorically liberate the indigenous body from the limitations of various discourses and social taboos, and the comic resolution of the novel points towards possible solutions for worldwide problems of discrimination and social exclusion. This chapter investigates the influence of Hau’ofa’s anthropological training upon his representation of indigenous bodies and cultures, also evaluating his corporeal humour with reference to the relationship between satire and scatology in European and postcolonial literary traditions.
