Taking its inspiration from the thought and action of Jean-Marie Tjibaou, this essay proposes a comparative analysis of" articulated sites of indigeneity." It explores the advantages and limitations of translating North Atlantic cultural studies approaches into island Pacific contexts. Stuart Hall's articulation theory is proposed as a partial way beyond the stand-offs created by recent debates around the" invention of tradition." The dialectic of indigenous and diasporic histories, roots and routes, is explored with regard to experiences of post-and neocolonial interdependence and pragmatic sovereignty.