This series contains material from the regions of Melanesia not covered in other series. It includes Capell’s notes on other linguists’ papers, Capell’s ethnographic notes on social organisation, Capell’s handwritten notes on the distribution of culture within Melanesia, and a paper by John W. Layard on the island of Atchin.

Melanesia is a region extending from the western side of East Pacific to the Arafura Sea, north and north-east of Australia. The term was first used by Jules Dumont d'Urville in 1832 to denote an ethnic and geographical grouping of islands distinct from Polynesia and Micronesia. Today d'Urville's racial classification is known to be inaccurate because it obscures Melanesia's cultural, linguistic, and genetic diversity. Most importantly, this term combines two quite distinct groups, the Austronesians and the Papuans (who themselves can be considered as comprising a number of distinct groups).

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesia

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05  Melanesia and Oceania - Regions and Languages