The Trobriand of Papua New Guinea shows that change has reached even the outlying islands of Papua New Guinea. As in other indigenous communities, missionaries have encouraged the people to abandon their magic and spiritual beliefs. The power of the village chiefs has diminished and money and commercial goods are an increasingly important measure of status. However, the Trobriand islanders have retained control of their land and to a large degree continue to be self-governing. As islanders they have managed to avoid large-scale development and resource exploitation. These factors, alongside the strength of their cultural identity, have seen the Trobriand islanders manage to adapt to outside influences while continuing to pracise many of their traditional customs.