Translocalisation over the Net: Digitalisation,Information Technology and Local Cultures in Melanesia

In the Western Pacific, the People First Network project has since 2001 been building a growing network of rural email stations across the conflict-ridden Solomon Islands. These stations are based on robust technology and consist of solar panels, shortwave radios and compatible modems, laptop computers and printers to provide email communication to rural people across the archipelago. The email stations are connected to the project's Internet Center located in the capital city, Honiara, which operates as the ‘central email post office’ of the Solomon Islands and channels the traffic between the rural stations and the Internet. From the outset, the project has proved to be not only a local but an international success, receiving attention from various quarters. The project has significantly improved rural people's opportunities in developing their grassroots businesses, connections with friends and relatives, and participation in national affairs. In the male-dominated local communities, a particular advancement has been the notable activity of women in using the email stations. The article analyses the project's outcomes especially from the perspectives of translocalisation and social network models, and outlines experiences relevant to other regions and communities elsewhere.