How Are Tradition and Modernity Integrating into Pari Village in Port Moresby City, Papua New Guinea, amidst Rapid Urbanization?

Abstract

Rapid urbanization in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG), has transformed traditional villages into informal urban settlements. Inhabited by the indigenous Motu Koita people, these areas often lack formal planning and face challenges for sustainable development. Existing literature often overlooks the intersection of indigenous governance and Pacific urbanization, particularly in relation to clan-based land use. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the informal urbanization of Pari Village. Using mixed methods, literature review, interviews, field observations, GIS mapping, and visual analysis, the research investigates how government and local landowner decisions influence Landside (LS) and Seaside (SS) settlement patterns. The key findings are as follows: (1) Clan-based, conservative land use patterns in Pari Village remain largely intact and have persisted despite urban pressures. (2) Customary governance operates alongside, and endures despite, ongoing urbanization, helping to preserve indigenous practices. (3) Tensions persist between indigenous tenure and state planning, and these actively shape the resilience and persistence of clan structures. These findings emphasize the need for a culturally sensitive framework to modernize indigenous governance, and the study proposes policy recommendations for formalizing settlements and promoting sustainable development without compromising cultural heritage.