. . . but I didn't realize how heavy-handed France was being towards the Kanaks. It sounds like France wants to squeeze as much nickel out of the archipelago as possible, which makes me worry that when the Kanaks finally win independence, the islands are going to be mostly stripped quarries anyway, which will make it difficult to survive off the land through traditional means. I hope they're able to take the archipelago back sooner than later!

—doctorlit met a family from New Caledonia, working the invertebrate touch tank at the zoo once