Dr. Teresia Teaiwa was born on August 12, 1968 in Honolulu to an i-Kiribati father and African American mother and was raised in Fiji. As a scholar, poet, and activist her work engaged with the militarism, colonialism, and their impacts on Native Pacific peoples. As an educator and poet, Dr. Teaiwa carefully and intentionally challenged Pacific Island Studies to make space for scholarly and political voices truly representative of Oceania, especially those from Melanesia. Her work considered how Blackness functions in our region through her poem "Black in the Blue Pacific," her research and organizing against the militarization of Fiji, and her commitment to activism in support of West Papua's struggle for independence and more.
When Dr. Teaiwa passed away in March 2017 the Pacific community lost an engaged and compassionate leader whose creativity and conviction were an inspiration to many.
This year, we will gather to celebrate Teresia Teaiwa's legacy with an afternoon of poetry and performance. Light pūpū will be served.