Conference honours Ron Crocombe

Festschrift for Ron Crocombe (1929-2009)
University of the South Pacic, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
12 – 13 August 2010

An extraordinary group of distinguished scholars will gather on Rarotonga to celebrate the life and achievements of one of the founding fathers of Pacific scholarship, known fondly to all as Papa Ron.

In a testament to the many lives Ron Crocombe has touched, speakers will travel from New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Hawai’i, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and Japan to present papers on a wide range of topics, from land tenure and development to politics, geography, biology, health, media, filmmaking and publishing.

Writer, artist and Emeritus Professor Albert Wendt will give the keynote address from a personal perspective, looking at how Ron’s research, writing, and teaching helped shape and develop the entire eld of Pacic Studies and influenced generations of Paseka scholars, researchers, teachers, historians and artists.

Speakers include:

• Dr. Linda Crowl – Divine Word University, Papua New Guinea
• Professor Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop – Foundation Professor of Pacic Studies, Auckland University of Technology
• Professor Vilsoni Hereniko – Director of Pacic Studies & Oceania Art Centre, University of the South Pacific (USP), Fiji
• Neti Tamarua Herman – University of Auckland
• Dr. Elise Huffer – Human Development Programme Advisor, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Fiji
• Professor Jon Tikivanotau Jonassen – Brigham Young University, Laie, Hawaii
• Dr. Kei Kawai – University of Kagoshima, Japan
• Professor Brij Lal – Australian National University
• Professor Hugh Laracy – University of Auckland
• Dr. Peter Larmour – Australian National University
• Dr. Ueantabo McKenzie – Campus Director, USP, Kiribati
• Professor Hiroshi Moriwaki – University of Kagoshima, Japan
• Dr. Doug Munro – Victoria University, Wellington
• Dr. Howard Van Trease – Honorary Research Fellow, USP, Emalus Campus, Vanuatu

Local presenters include:

• Hon. Jim Marurai, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
• Ross Holmes – Lawyer
• Hon. Wilkie Rasmussen – Minister of Finance, Cook Islands Government
• Iaveta Short – Lawyer and Businessman
• Makiuti Tongia, Cook Islands Research Association
• Lisa Williams-Lahari – Coordinator, International Federation of Journalists, Cook Islands

The event will also include a Pacic Artists and Writers Forum and a personal remembrance, “The Other Side of Ron,” from the Crocombe family. A book will be published to honour his many achievements.

Download the conference programme and handbook here:

FESTSCHRIFT PROGRAMME 2010

FESTSCHRIFT HANDBOOK

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