Due to the irregular distribution of resources throughout Oceana (Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia), it is necessary for the people that inhabit this area of the Pacific to develop a form of constant interaction with each other. Thus, through these interactions, trading lines can be established and therefore certifying the proper distribution of all the natural resources needed for continued survival. The phrase "organized flow," which was coined by Dr. James Watson, describes this form of trading strategy. According to his research, "organized flow" is the constant migration of individuals or large groups of people from one community to another in order to establish kin ties and trading partners. He further elaborates this idea by classifying two kinds of "organized flow," small scale migrations and en bloc migrations. Small-scale migrations, which occurs more frequently according to Watson, may be caused by marriage, sickness, death in the family, adoptions, divorce and many others. Through such small-scale migrations, kin ties can be formed and thus further enhancing the trading capabilities of the communities involved. En bloc migration, which happens less frequently, is usually caused by war, divisions within the community and many others. Much similar to small-scale migrations, en bloc migrations also affect the trading capabilities of the communities involved, for through increasing the trade routes of the community; they are more able to enjoy resources alien to their environment.

In this paper, five communities will be examined in order to ascertain that all five groups practice different forms of "organized flow." Moreover, through such practices, they further enhance their trading routes, develop kinship ties that allow them to acquire exotic goods, and plus gain added manpower when the need arises. Furthermore, communities are not the only ones to benefit through the practice of "organized flow," individuals also profit by using these increased trading lines to acquire higher statuses in their communities.

The idea of "organized flow" came from Dr. Watson's study of the Tairoran people found in the central highlands of New Guinea. This society is most peculiar because there is always ceaseless divisions within the community especially among kin (Watson 120). Because of these power struggles, the need for new allies frequently emerges; hence, immigrants are always sought for and welcomed in the community. Therefore, "organized flow" in the Tairoran society is present in the form of new allies that migrate into the community. These new ties usually tip the balance between the factions and determine the victor in the power struggles. Therefore, through these immigrants (either small-scale or en bloc), a faction within a community may gain more influence in the society and thus individuals can acquire a higher status in the village upon winning the war. Furthermore, after the strife is settled, these migrants usually become new kinsmen who bring with them other trading partners into the community. Through this, the trading capability of the village is increased and thus the economy is further developed.

Another group that practices "organized flow" in order to form trade partners as well as allies in times of war are the Maring speakers of Tsembaga. Also found in the central highlands of New Guinea, these people form kinship ties through organized dancing parties with their neighboring communities (Rappaport 79). Through these dancing parties, relationships are formed by trade and thus small-scale migrations are practiced (usually because of marriage or adoption). Due to these ties, exchange of goods and services are carried out between allied kin in order to further solidify the kinship. In times of war, such partnerships are extremely important in determining who will become victorious. This is because the group able to recruit the most allies in the least amount of time is often the faction that prevails. And often, the manpower acquired for such a victory are the friends and neighbors of nearby kinsmen. Upon victory, these allegiances are terminated through kaiko, which is a dancing party based on the wholesale slaughter and consumption of pigs. Through this kaiko, these war allegiances ( with people brought by their kinsmen) are turned into trading ties by exchanging goods during the dancing party. Therefore, by using small-scale migrations and sometimes even en bloc migrations, not only do the Maring people establish new trade routes and kinship ties, they also use such practices to their advantage by gaining the support in war campaigns and thus securing their victory.

Even though both the Tairorans and the Maring periodically use "organized flow" as an advantage in times of war, some groups (who are not as warlike) often use these strategies as a way to gain more kin relationships for trading practices and personal advancement within the community. Such a group is the people of Samoa. According to Margaret Mead's studies, these people usually establish ties with neighboring societies by organizing a malaga (travelling party) and sending them to other communities (Mead 110). Through these dances, they are able to form connections with other villages and thus trade populations through marriage and even adoptions. Such an exchange of people is seen in the Samoan society as an economic transaction and therefore further established by trading goods and resources (Mead 105). Furthermore, unhappy villagers can also move from one place to another until they find a household that is more agreeable to their lifestyle (Mead 104). Hence, such patterns of migration not only help ease tensions in the household, it also creates a link from one family to another. Moreover, through these links, new kin partners are instituted for use in trading and exchange. Therefore, through these small-scale migrations, the Samoan economy is benefited by establishing kin relationships that result in acquisition of goods and resources.

The Pulapese of the Pulap islands in Micronesia also practice a different form of "organized flow." Due to western influence, the education of the Pulapese children has become one of the main concerns of the community (Flinn 13). Moreover, through the old ways of establishing kin relations, they are able to send their young to different schools in different islands. Since the Pulapese mainly practice a maritime subsistence economy, they have established kin ties with different islands through their fishing trips and therefore have created lasting trade relationships that can be used in different ways. One of the ways they use these connections is through small-scale migrations of their children to kinsmen located near the schools their youngsters are attending. Thus, through this "organized flow" of children, they reaffirm their relationships with their distant kin and therefore continue trading goods, resources and even food with them. Because of this, the constant migrations of the Pulapese often result in regular contact with other cultures and thus establishing trade relationships and kin ties.

In addition, through such regular contact with cultures dissimilar to theirs, the Pulapese constantly compare themselves as a group and determine the difference of their lifestyle and their beliefs parallel to those they come in contact with (Flinn 7). Through this, the Pulapese can establish their identity as a culture by regularly contrasting the way they live with the lifestyle patterns of alien cultures. An example of the way the Pulapese compare themselves to other cultures is the way they wear their traditional garments (lavalava). Through this, they are able to discern their own identity by comparing themselves to cultures they come in contact with. Therefore, through "organized flow," the Pulapese regularly associate themselves with cultures dissimilar to theirs. And because of this, they are able to realize the differences of their beliefs and lifestyle with those they come in contact with and thus define them as distinct to their culture.

Another society that uses "organized flow" as a method of creating trading relationships by establishing kin ties are the Mandoks of Melanesia. Since they also mainly practice a maritime subsistence economy (like the Pulapese), the Mandoks have established long-standing partnerships with neighboring islands (ie. Vitiaz and Dampier straits) due to their expertise as fishermen (Pomponio 95). Through these relationships, they were able to create trading routes with islands both near and far that have exotics goods sought after in the Mandok community. Such trading relationships are then further solidified and established by using different "organized flow" techniques such as adoptions and marriages. Through marriage, a small-scale migration to the spouses home ensures the link between trading partners and thus securing the continuous exchange of resources (Pomponio 97). Therefore, through this type of "organized flow," the connection between commercial routes are established and thus guaranteeing the gain of exotic products. Furthermore, through such a connection, an individual who successfully establishes a good number of trading routes (by using "organized flow") may seek a higher status in the society and thus gain more power within the community (Pomponio 100).

Mbeb to te (from the sea) is the best way the Mandok defines themselves as a people (Pomponio 54). Because of long standing practices of different types of "organized flow," the Mandoks have been able to define their culture as a migratory people who practically came from the waters. Through this, they have been able to survive as a society by gaining access to resources that they (without "organized flow") normally would not have. Therefore, through "organized flow," they were able to define themselves as a distinct group of people using small-scale migrations as the singular basis for their cultural identity. This is most evident in the way the Mandoks perceive their mythology. According to them, their people came from a man named Mala and his son Namor (Pomponio 35-53). These mythological beings, were said to have been the first to establish kin ties with other islands by migrating from one community to another. Through this, they were able to acquire exotic goods and, in addition, gain an increased awareness of how to make trading partners along the way. From such exploits, the Mandoks allegedly gained the proper training and "genetics" to be uncanny fishermen and traders.

Thus, by using their mythology, the Mandoks were able to distinguish their culture by using different types of "organized flow" techniques to define it. May it be through comparing themselves to other cultures (similar to the Pulapese) or by adhering to their mythology, the Mandoks were able to characterize their culture and thus separate themselves as a distinct group of people.

By looking at both the Pulapese and the Mandok examples, not only did "organized flow" benefit them by acquiring kinship ties and trading routes to gain exotic goods, it was also a mechanism for these communities to define themselves as a distinct culture with recognizable characteristics. Therefore, without the process of "organized flow," such cultures may not have been able to distinguish themselves as a separate group of people for there would not have been a standard to compare their cultures with (like the Pulapese) or a migrating strategy that can be used to define it (like the Mandoks).

Furthermore, the process of "organized flow" is used through out the Pacific islands in many different cultures. And among these cultures, the Pulapese and the Mandoks show the greatest potential for mobility. Because of such ability, it is therefore possible to describe their process of migrations as a form of circulation. Such a circulation is composed of periodic influx and efflux of groups of people moving from the main community to other sister communities in a regular pattern. Therefore, if a map of this circulation is to be drafted, it will consist of circular patterns of migration starting from the main village and then linking from one community to the next. In addition to this, since most communities have trading partners with more than one village, it is then possible that one community may have more than one circular pattern overlapping the other. Therefore, the map drafted to show the migratory pattern of the Pacific islanders may look like a complex web of circular patterns through out different islands that are scattered throughout the Pacific.

In conclusion, "organized flow" is practiced through out the Pacific in many different ways and in many different cultures. Societies like the Tairorans, the Marings, the Samoans, the Pulapese and the Mandoks all use the same concept of mobility (either by small-scale movements or by en bloc migrations) in order to form complex trade relationships. Through these relationships, kin ties are formed by using different "organized flow" techniques thus solidifying the partnership. Therefore, by solidifying these partnerships, villagers may gain access to goods and resources that are otherwise unattainable to them.

Furthermore, not only does "organized flow" link communities for the purpose of commerce, it also is a valuable tool in affirming a specific group of people's identity as a culture. By keeping alien cultures in regular contact with each other, "organized flow" helps to create a field of comparison between different societies thus enabling them to discern their own beliefs and customs with those of others.

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