[ANU Pacific.Institute] AUSTRALIAN KAVA CONFERENCE, 4-6 September 2015

[Nicholas Mortimer]

MORE ON THE UPCOMING KAVA CONFERENCE IN CANBERRA AT THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY IN SEPTEMBER 2015
OVERVIEW OF CONFERENCE
The Second Kava Conference of the Australian Kava Movement (AKM) and World Kava Movement (WKM) with the support of the Lo'au University and Asia and Pacific Studies of the Australian National University (ANU) will be held in Theater 1 of Hedley Bull Building at the Australian National University (Canberra) from Friday 4th until 6th Sunday of September 2015.

THEME: "KAVA TRADITION IN PACIFIC ISLAND (MOANAN) CULTURES IS A 'SOLUTION':' SOCRATIC TALANOA/DIALOGUE' IS A WAY OUT".
AIM: FURTHER DIALOGUE FOR CERTAIN SOLUTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL MOVE TO BAN KAVA TOTALLY.

OUTCOME: THE RESULT OF THE CONFERENCE WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
WORK IN PROGRESS: FOR CONTINUING TALANOA WITH THE GOVERNMENTS FOR EXEMPTION OF KAVA TRADITION, A RE-REGULATION FOR MORE KAVA KILOS IMPORTATION THAN THE CURRENT TWO KILOS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A KAVA EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OF THE AKM AND WKM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE LO'AU UNIVERSITY.

We would like to provide a free forum for all interested individuals and groups of Moanan (Pacific Island) and Non-Moanan kava supporters to come together and exchange ideas, beliefs and feelings in the manner of 'Socratic Talanoa Method'. Socratic Talanoa is derived from the Socratic Method of Dialogue and the traditional Moanan Talanoa of solving any problem or dispute. It is based in exchanging and sharing ideas, stories, experiences and impressions on a given issues in a relaxing, peaceful and soothing way but very enlightening through discussion, question and criticism without disputing. How Socratic Talanoa Method is delivered, each presenter will highlight and brief his/her paper just in 10 minutes within one hour presentation time and the rest of the time will be left for Talanoa. For the panelists, they will begin by discussing their given topic and continuing from there until the completion of the one hour.

We submitted two Submissions on Kava together with a Proposal for a Kava Educational Program to the Federal Government in 2011 and 2012. The AKM and WKM with the support of Lo'au University are ready to run a Kava Educational Program for the Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory and other interested individuals and groups in the wider society. The two Submissions and its Proposal were not accepted by the Federal Government. However, the AKM and WKM are still continuing in lobbying for further Talanoa with the governments for the exemption of kava tradition, increase of two kilos of kava and the implementation of their Kava Educational Program.

OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM
The academic speakers for the upcoming Kava Conference will be Edmund Fehoko, Professor 'Inoke Hu'akau, Dr Abo Aborosa, Kirk Huffman, Valerie Bichard, Luseane Tuita Lafitani, Professor Siosiua Lafitani, Professor Sitaleki Finau and Hufanga Professor 'Okusitino Mahina.
The Program is planned for three days - Friday 4th, Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th. On Friday, there will be two Panels and the
Presentations from five academics, and likewise in the Program of Saturday. The United Nesian Movement (university and high school students in Canberra) will have their own panel, community kava drinkers among themselves and likewise in the Panels of women and religious leaders. For Friday evening, the Conference participants will socialize with the kava drinkers, which is to be led by Fofo'anga Kava Club, and with the UNM at the University of Canberra on Saturday evening. Sunday is for everyone to worship
together in one of the Moanan churches before dismissing. All Moanan churches in Canberra will be invited.

A Guest of Honour will be invited to open the Conference, and there will be entertainment in the Official Opening, as well as, Saturday and Friday evenings. Hufanga Professor 'Okusitino Mahina will open the Presentation after the Guest of Honour's Official Opening of the Conference, Dr Apo Aporosa as the Keynote Note Speaker for Friday and Edmund Fehoko on Saturday. The name of the Guest of Honour will be shown on the Conference Final Program. The Panels will be opened by the religious leaders panelists after Mahina's Presentation.
The presenters and panelists will be given one hour each for their Socratic Talanoa and discussion. The topics for the panelists are as follows: "Why kava is important for Moanan university and high school students in Australia?" - for the UNM Panel; "Is kava fundamental to us Moanan women in Australia" - for Women Panel; "Why we have to preserve Moanan social and cultural kava rituals in Australia?" - for kava drinkers Panel; and "Why kava is vital for Moanan churches in Australia?" - for religious leaders. There will be 5 panelists in each Panel.
The multi-media team of the UNM will document the Conference for their own records and to present a copy to the Federal and Local Governments.

MOANA (PACIFIC ISLAND) COMMUNITIES IN AUSTRALIA
The AKM and WKM would invite Moanan and Non-Moanan kava supporters in Australia to participate in the three Panels of the
kava drinkers, women, and religious leaders. The Panel of the United Nesian Movement will be organized by themselves. Anyone who wants to participate in the Panel please feel free to contact us on this Page oraustraliankavamovement at gmail.com<mailto:australiankavamovement at gmail.com>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/pacific.institute/attachments/20150513/c87bf917/attachment-0001.html