Center for Pacific Island Studies

Center for Pacific Islands Studies Videos

Negotiating Pacific Identities:
Ethnicity, Encounters, and Self-Determination

“Negotiating Pacific Identities,” held at the Hawai‘i Imin International Conference Center in 2004, was the first United Nations Seminar ever held in the United States. It dealt with several broad themes important to Pacific Islanders, including Hawaiians.

Identity, Interaction and Peaceful Co-existence
Histories of Encounters, Suppression, Self-Discovery & Self-Determination
Defining Identities: Culture and Place
Defining Identities: Land Resources
Law, Politics and Identity: Government Policies

The presenters (each talk is about 30 minutes):

Maire Bopp, Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation
Marshall Conley, President, Conley-International Education Associates; Former Vice President, Canadian Commission to UNESCO
Hans J. A. van Ginkel, Rector, United Nations University
Vilsoni Hereniko, Professor, Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
Moana Jackson, Co-Founder and Director, Nga Kaiwhakamarama I Nga Ture (Māori Legal Service); Former Member, UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka, Research Fellow, Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center
Jon Kamakawiwo'ole Osorio, Acting Director, Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Victor Ordonez, Senior Education Fellow, East-West Center; Former Director, UNESCO Regional Office of Asia and the Pacific
Sandra Pierantozzi, Vice President, Republic of Palau
Vicky Holt Takamine, Kumu Hula and Founder of Pua Ali'i 'Ilima; Lecturer in Hawaiian Chant and Dance, Department of Music, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Katerina Teaiwa, Assistant Professor, Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Konai Helu Thaman, Pro Vice Chancellor and UNESCO Chair in Teacher Education and Culture, University of the South Pacific
Mililani Trask, Pacific Representative to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Robert Underwood, Former Guam Representative, United States Congress; Retired Academic Vice President, University of Guam

Pacific Writers and Artists

Presentations by writers and artists from the Pacific Islands who were in residence at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. The talks were taped by the UHM Department of English and the UHM Distributed Learning Center, and shown as part of the English Department’s Hawaii BiblioVision series on ‘Ōlelo Community Television.

Teweiariki Teaero, UHM Center for Pacific Islands Studies Visiting Artist for 2006 [00:13:09]
Victor Rodger, 2006 Fulbright–Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer at the Center for Pacific Islands Studies [00:53/27]
Tusiata Avia, 2005 Fulbright–Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer at the Center for Pacific Islands Studies [00:57:00]
Sima Urale, 2004 Fulbright–Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer at the Center for Pacific Islands Studies [01:07:13]
Flora Devatine, writer featured in Varua Tupu: New Writing from French Polynesia, the Winter 2005 issue of Mānoa
Kareva Mateata-Allain, co-editor of Varua Tupu: New Writing from French Polynesia, the Winter 2005 issue of Mānoa
Rai a Mai, writer featured in Varua Tupu: New Writing from French Polynesia, the Winter 2005 issue of Mānoa
Celestine Hitiura Vaite, writer featured in Varua Tupu: New Writing from French Polynesia, the Winter 2005 issue of Mānoa
Alexander Dale Mawyer, co-editor of Varua Tupu: New Writing from French Polynesia, the Winter 2005 issue of Mānoa

Micronesian Voices in Hawai‘i

The conference “Micronesian Voices in Hawai‘i” was held 3-4 April 2008 in the Hawai‘i Imin International Conference Center.

Keynote Address

“Micronesians' Contributions and Challenges in Hawai'i,” by Dr Hilda Heine, Director of the Pacific Comprehensive Center Program, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL)

Strengthening Communities – Panel Presentation

Moderator: Joakim Peter, Director, Chuuk Campus, College of Micronesia–Federated States of Micronesia
Jocelyn (Josie) Howard, Program Coordinator, Imi Loa Program–Immigrant Employment Service, Goodwill Industries of Hawai‘i
Canisius Tkel Filibert, President, Micronesian Community Network, and Program Director, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL)
Justin Lani, Director, Marshall Islands Medical Referral Office, and member of the Marshallese Education Day Committee
Joanna Jacob, Bilingual School/Home Assistant, Hawai'i Department of Education: Honolulu District English Language Learner's Program and member of the Micronesian Cultural Awareness Project
Dionisialynn (Dion) Bernard, Hawai‘i Department of Education Behavioral Counseling Research Center and a former leader of Boys and Girls Club Pilot Programs

Increasing Effective Communication – Panel Presentation

Moderator: Richard Salvador, McKinley Community School
Aenet Rowa, Founder of Yokwe Online (www.yokwe.net)
Pastor Robert Lorin, Case Manager and Housing Specialist, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, and host of the Chuukese-language program on KNDI 1270 AM
Lillian Sepe Segal, University of Hawai‘i, Pacific Voices Project
Hilda Heine, Director of the Comprehensive Center Program, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) and co-founder of Small Island Networks (SINET)

Building Programs in Education and Health – Panel Presentation

Moderator: Jocelyn Howard, Imi Loa Program–Immigrant Employment Service, Goodwill Industries of Hawai‘i
Joanna Jacob, Bilingual School/Home Assistant, Hawai'i Department of Education Honolulu District English Language Learner's Program
Mary Milne, Part-Time Teacher (Central Middle School), McKinley Special ELL Project, and Employment Counselor with the Goodwill Industries Imi Loa Program
John S Ishoda, Paramedical Assistant, Bilingual Health Services, Ala Moana Health Center, Hawai‘i Department of Health
Richard Salvador, Teacher, McKinley Community School
Nia Aitaoto, Coordinator, Papa Ola Lokahi–Pacific Programs

Featured Presentation

“Compact Negotiations, Expectations, and Hopes,” by Mr Andon L Amaraich, chief negotiator of the first Federated States of Micronesia Compact of Free Association

Educating about Rights, Responsibilities, and Representation – Panel Presentation

Moderator: Lillian Segal, University of Hawai‘i, Pacific Voices Project
Brengyei R Katosang, Staff Attorney with the Housing Unit, Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i
Emma Reimers, Case Manager, Lighthouse Outreach Center
Elfriede Suda, Committee on Court Interpreters, The Judiciary–State of Hawai‘i
Catherine Leilani Aubuchon, formerly an Assistant Attorney General with the Federated States of Micronesia Department of Justice and now an Associate Attorney with Bronster Hoshibata, in Honolulu

Pastors' Panel

Moderator: Pastor Robert Lorin, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i
Rev Radigan David, Pohnpeian Fellowship/Ministry at Central Union Church
Rev Akendo Onamwar, Senior Pastor, First Chuukese Congregational Church of Hawai‘i
Lay Minister Steven Sigrah, Kosrae–Honolulu Congregational Church

Recommendations for Policy Makers

Moderator: Ben Graham, Management and Development Consultant, Republic of the Marshall Islands
Linda Smith, Senior Policy Adviser to the Governor of Hawai‘i
Henry Oliva, Deputy Director, Hawai‘i Department of Human Resources