Why were the earliest Pacific Islander writings mainly mission-inspired autobiographies rather than fiction?

The earliest written works by Pacific Islanders were mission-inspired autobiographies because, during that period, no fictional or imaginative writing had yet emerged in the region.1

The slow development of a broader written literature can be attributed to several factors, including the enduring strength of traditional oral literature, a general condition of dependency, and the indifference of missionaries and ruling elites toward the creation of indigenous literary works. Furthermore, there was a lack of the type of serious oppression that might have otherwise stimulated protest or nationalistic writing.2

It was not until the 1960s and 1970s—coinciding with the establishment of regional universities, the rise of political independence movements, and a growing consciousness of indigenous identity—that Pacific writers began to move beyond these early autobiographical forms to explore individual and ethnic identity through more diverse literary expressions.32