hal-05658421 Between colonial past and common destiny : shadows and light for New Caledonia

In the aftermath of communal conflict, wars, colonization, genocide, and dictatorships, what narratives of history should be recognized? Does reconciliation depend on a shared-recognition of memories? When memories are painful or even unspeakable; when reconciliation is ongoing or unrealizable, what should be the role of schools? These issues are currently central to New Caledonia's struggle to write its history. Civil society is trying to unify New Caledonians, but standing in its way are two sides whose collective memories of the past are in direct competition. This paper is the result of reflections on issues of remembrance addressed in a doctoral research. Reflection and questioning are still ongoing. The main question raised by this paper is to know if the memory work (travail de mémoire), in other words, whether taking into consideration the different interpretations of the past and the various memories of this past in the school context by building bridges, leads to reconciliation? In this context of memory use, is the story telling one of the solutions to reconciliation? The Initial interviews with the communities show that the responses are ambivalent. Interviews with teachers also show that the tools available are not always appropriate. In conclusion, this paper looks at the role of France and New Caledonia in this process of transmission and reconciliation in New Caledonia. Recent events in New Caledonia make these issues more relevant, but they are also crucial in the Pacific, particularly in French Polynesia, which is also trying to understand how to pass on this difficult period of nuclear testing. If we can't undo the past, the way we choose to manage these difficult pasts has an impact on the stability of the region.