Urbanisation in Melanesia is a rapidly growing trend and the changes come with their own challenges.

By Flora Kageni

You will find today many urban centres are growing rapidly because of the many reasons that relate to the needs of the people which are influential and attractive.

In the traditional society of Melanesia, people do not live in towns, they live together in small communities which consists of a hundred number of people living together both in the highlands and coastal areas.

Towns were established as centres of colonial commerce and administration and therefore when colonial administration sought to extend itself with its influence inland, towns grew up around administrative centres.

Urban population growth is mainly due to the influx of population migrating into urban centres. People migrate to towns on specific reasons such as land dispute or land shortage, sorcery accusation related violence, tribal fights, and others which lead to the pull and push factor demanding people to migrate to urban centres.

Urban development has created a pull on rural dwellers into towns and cities. People today find employment, better living, good education, proper health services, and these has led to the influx of people migrating.

Urbanization is a complex process culture change associated with socioeconomic system of urban centres.

Melanesians depend entirely on land and therefore they live a subsistence life. Getting into towns and cities will lead to a different lifestyle where those migrants will have to depend on cash income.

Urbanization has a great influence and has affected people’s lives.

Urban centres have played a fundamental role in the recent political, social and economic changes that have occurred throughout Melanesia. Towns and cities are growing rapidly in terms of population because of migration. Although, majority are still living in rural areas however, succumb to the influence in some degree by urbanization.

Urbanization brings about wider social groupings, new kinds of social interaction, changes in roles, ideas and values.

PINIS.