Unveiling Colonial Narratives and Amplifying Indigenous Voices: The Role of Kanak Women in Resisting Settler Colonialism in Kanaky/New Caledonia

Abstract

This thesis explores gender dynamics in Kanaky/New Caledonia, highlighting colonialism's enduring impact on Kanak women's lived experiences. In response to the gaps in research on how Indigenous women actively negotiate the tensions between custom, modernity and colonialism, this study examines their narratives and practices in cultural education and media activism.

Mobilizing a theoretical approach rooted in decolonial epistemologies, intersectionality and Indigenous feminism, this research draws on a qualitative methodology combining in-depth interviews with Kanak women, archival analysis, and a critical examination of colonial political texts. The work demonstrates that the commitment of Kanak women contributes to the construction of a situated decolonial feminism, rooted in Indigenous knowledge and living cultural practices.

The trajectories of these women reveal a resilient resistance to internal patriarchal structures and colonial systems, as well as a capacity to reconfigure traditions in favor of self-determination. By articulating memory, cultural identity and political action, they contribute to a feminine sovereignty in the making. This work enriches contemporary debates on decolonization by highlighting the central role of Indigenous women in the struggles for social justice and political emancipation in Kanaky/New Caledonia.