Political Reviews

Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 michael lujan bevacqua, elizabeth ua ceallaigh bowman, monica c labriola, clement yow mulalap

Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 peter clegg, lorenz gonschor, margaret mutu, chris nobbs, ‘umi perkins, steven ratuva, forrest wade young

125 Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017

Reviews of American Sāmoa, Cook associate members since 2006, was Islands, Niue, Sāmoa, Tokelau, upgraded to full membership in the Tuvalu, and Wallis and Futuna organization (pir, 10 Sept 2016). are not included in this issue. While appearing at first glance a gesture of appreciation toward the French Polynesia two large French overseas possessions The year under review was again by their independent Pacific neighbors, relatively calm, without major politi- full membership for French Polyne- cal upheavals. Backed by a surpris- sia—as for New Caledonia—was in ingly stable majority in the Assembly fact highly controversial, both within of French Polynesia for his Tapura the country and among the larger Huiraatira party, President Édouard Pacific community. The government of Fritch continued leading the coun- French Polynesia and especially Presi- try with an essentially conservative dent Fritch, who was present in Pohn- political agenda, not aiming at major pei, surely expressed their satisfaction institutional or policy changes. On the and joy to have at last reached formal regional level, the country gained the equality with the neighbor countries, controversial distinction of becoming as did the president of New Caledo- a full member of the Pacific Islands nia’s government, Philippe Germain. Forum (pif). National elections in But, just like the Kanak pro-inde- France brought some fresh air into the pendence parties in New Caledonia, local political scene, giving Fritch’s Papeete’s pro-independence opposi- camp the opportunity to measure tion strongly opposed full member- its popular support, while the pro- ship and had in fact lobbied against independence opposition was able to it as much as possible (rnz, 11 Sept place its first-ever representative in 2016). Opposition leader and former the French National Assembly. At the French Polynesia President Oscar same time, the massive reconfiguration Temaru, head of the pro-independence of the political scene in Paris during Tavini Huiraatira party and the larger those elections has the potential to opposition coalition Union pour induce changes in the local configura- la Démocratie (upld), had always tions in Papeete over the coming years. warned that premature membership The first consequential political before having reached either indepen- event affecting the territory dur- dence or full self-government could ing the review period happened far jeopardize or at least slow down the away on Pohnpei in the Federated decolonization process, since it weak- State of Micronesia, where the pif ens the position of the Island states annual meeting took place from 8 to to put pressure on France in order 10 September 2016, and the status of to accelerate that process, making French Polynesia and New Caledonia, it more attractive to local leaders to

156 political reviews • polynesia 157 insist on complete decolonization as a non-Western powers (rnz, 14 Sept precondition for full pif membership. 2016; otr, 18 Sept 2016). Indeed, the acceptance of the two Armed with pif membership as territories as full members clearly evidence of tacit regional approval contradicts the self-definition of the of the country’s current relationship Pacific Islands Forum as consisting with France, in early October 2016 of “independent and self-governing Fritch attended the meeting of the states” (pif Secretariat 2017). This United Nations’ Special Commit- makes sense, since in only partially tee on Decolonization in New York self-governing territories such as to lobby for the removal of French French Polynesia, the colonial metrop- Polynesia from the United Nations olis—France, in this case—continues list of Non-Self-Governing Territories to have decisive influence. And it must (nsgts), to which it had been re-added be recalled that the pif was founded in in 2013. Fritch, the first-ever pro- 1971 specifically to create an organi- French local political leader to attend zation run by Island leaders in which such a meeting, argued that since colonial powers (specifically France, pro-French parties held the majority in with its extremely reactionary colonial the local assembly, decolonization was policies at the time) had no possibil- not desired by the local people, and ity to interfere (Fry 2015, 3–4). Since furthermore, that acceptance into the according to the organic law of French Pacific Islands Forum demonstrated Polynesia foreign affairs is an area of that such a process was unnecessary responsibility of the French national (pir, 4 Oct 2016). government and not of the semiauton- But this turned out to be a futile omous country government, the latter undertaking. Without checkbook- cannot make its own decisions in this wielding regional hegemons like Aus- field without prior approval from tralia and New Zealand in the room, a Paris. Hence, decolonization experts body run entirely by nonaligned coun- warned that membership for French tries of the Global South like the UN Polynesia and New Caledonia would Decolonization Committee was not be tantamount to a Trojan horse for easily impressed by Fritch’s efforts. France to enter the Pacific Islands Furthermore, the pro-French party Forum (otr, 19 Sept 2016). Tahoeraa Huiraatira of former Presi- It was also suspected that Australia dent Gaston Flosse, the third force in and New Zealand, whose geopo- the local assembly, from which Fritch’s litical interests appear to align ever movement had split in 2015, publicly more closely with those of France, disavowed Fritch’s New York mission were exerting pressure on the smaller and denied his authority to speak for island states to accept this de facto all “autonomist” (ie, anti-indepen- membership of France, in order to dence) locals (ti, 3 Oct 2016). Unlike obtain a further ally to support their the Pacific Islands Forum, the United neocolonial regional hegemony in the Nations would not bend its rules on Pacific Islands Forum and to contain decolonization. And as these rules the ramifications of Fiji’s alternative stand, only a UN-supervised referen- partnerships with China and other dum of self-determination, resulting in 158 the contemporary pacific • 30:1 (2018) either independence, free association, als” and requested UN authorities to or full integration (ie, becoming an monitor the impact of French nuclear administrative unit of metropolitan testing on the territory’s environ- France in this case) would lead to ment and its people’s health (United a removal from the list. In the end, Nations 2016). Moetai Brotherson, Tavini Huiraati- Meanwhile, back home, the ghosts ra’s representative at the Decoloniza- of the past were catching up with tion Committee meeting, provided President Fritch, reminding everyone more convincing counterpoints at the that, despite his efforts to style himself meeting, highlighting the fact that the as a new, rational, and forward-look- country’s “relisting on the UN list ing leader in local politics, he was far in 2013 gave France bad reasons to from a blank slate, as in late Septem- want us in the Forum, but at the same ber he was sentenced to repay 6.5 time gave our Pacific brothers a noble million cfp francs in salaries that he motivation to welcome us in” (otr, 7 had received for a “fictional employ- Oct 2016). ment” in the presidential office under Based on a draft prepared by Flosse between 1996 and 2004, part the Decolonization Committee, the of a large scheme of illegal funding UN General Assembly unanimously of Tahoeraa (Pacnews, 1 Oct 2016). adopted Resolution 71-120 on the (One hundred cfp francs is approxi- question of French Polynesia on 6 mately us$1.00.) Flosse himself and December 2016. While taking note of several others were sentenced to pay pif membership for the territory, the back an overall sum of 243 million resolution once more chastised France cfp francs to the public treasury (ti, for refusing to cooperate and submit 22 Sept 2016). information on the territory—this was But apparently this type of behavior the third year in a row that French was not confined to the recent past, Polynesia was the only nsgt for which as in mid-October, Flosse and Assem- the administrative power refused to bly Speaker Marcel Tuihani, Fritch’s submit any information, in violation successor as Flosse’s lieutenant party of its obligation to do so under article leader, were detained for questioning 73e of the UN charter. As in the year about a current suspected “fictional before, the UN General Assembly employment” of four Tahoeraa party urged France to work with both the members at the assembly’s secre- territory and appropriate UN bodies tariat, at a combined annual salary to educate the people on their right of of over 36 million cfp francs (pir, self-determination and to implement it 15 Oct 2016). Just a few days earlier, without delay. In addition, this year’s Flosse and his partner Pascale Haiti resolution contained much stronger had been sentenced to pay a fine of 3 language in support of the country’s million cfp francs for stealing expen- economic and ecological rights, under- sive silverware from the presidential lining “the permanent sovereignty of palace after Flosse’s removal from the the people of French Polynesia over presidency due to the confirmation their natural resources, including of another corruption conviction on marine resources and undersea miner- appeal in 2014 (rnzi, 12 Oct 2013). political reviews • polynesia 159

While corruption remains rampant include Flosse’s “pharaonic” tourism in local politics, the overall economic development project named Mahana situation is not improving either. Beach, continued by Fritch but still French subsidies to the local govern- in little more than its planning stage; ment and other monetary transfers a Chinese-run aquaculture farm in from Paris remain the lifeline of the the lagoon of Hao atoll that is under country. In August 2016, French High construction (ti, 21 June 2017); and, Commissioner René Bidal announced more recently, plans to reopen phos- the possible increase of annual grants phate mining on Makatea, where from Paris to the country government such mining operations existed until to 10.8 billion cfp francs, based on an the 1960s, and possibly on other obligation to compensate French Poly- Tuamotu islands as well (ti, 30 Nov nesia for three decades of nuclear test- 2016). More eccentric is a project by ing from the 1960s to the 1990s (ti, Seasteading Institute, a libertarian 31 Aug 2016). But this figure does not think tank in California, to build a cover various other monetary transfers city of floating islands within French to the territory, for instance, spending Polynesia’s exclusive economic zone as by the French state in areas of respon- a prototype for the envisioned future sibility not delegated to the country creation of such modules on the high government, as well as state subsidies seas beyond the control of any gov- to the municipalities. Altogether, ernment—a project that also received money directed to the territory from President Fritch’s support (ti, 5 Jan Paris one way or another amounts to a 2017). total of far over one billion US dollars On a more practical level, French annually. Polynesia also worked on the further As long as France is willing to pay diversification of its foreign relations, these sums, there is a semblance of mainly in order to open up new tourist economic prosperity, but it is certainly markets. In November, the country far from a desirable form of economy. government announced a new French A dynamic private sector providing Polynesia liaison office in St Peters- economic growth has been virtually burg, Russia, which opened in early absent for a long time. As Fritch’s 2017, to advertise more efficiently minister for economic recovery, Teva to the growing upper-class Russian Rohfritsch, succinctly stated, “The tourist market (pir, 14 Nov 2016; whole challenge is to get from an tpm, 24 Feb 2017), while a similar economy of public monetary transfers Canadian office was being built in to an economy of growth” (ti, 10 Oct Papeete (ti, 29 Nov 2016). Not only 2016). are significant numbers of Canadi- In order to create such growth, ans visiting Tahiti, but there is also Fritch and his predecessors Flosse, a growing Tahitian diaspora in the Temaru, and Tong Sang have all francophone part of Canada. tried to attract investment in various More controversial are the Fritch development schemes, but it appears government’s projects to implement none of them has yet yielded signifi- neoliberal “reforms” aimed at reduc- cant revenue for the country. These ing social security systems and ser- 160 the contemporary pacific • 30:1 (2018) vices, which have never been as well life of French painter Paul Gauguin, organized as in metropolitan France. with most scenes filmed on location Since the gap between rich and poor in Tahiti (ti, 3 Jan 2017). Ironically, has already been widening dramati- while Gauguin’s legacy in Tahiti was cally over the last few years, such celebrated in cinematography, the measures are sure to provoke major Gauguin Museum, a major tourist protests by trade unions and possible attraction, definitively closed in early social unrest (tpm, 28 Oct 2016). 2017—a move beyond comprehen- At the same time, the widening of sion in terms of tourism development social inequalities inevitably leads to strategy (tpm, 16 June 2017). further deterioration of social values. Back to politics, the simmering During the review period, various issue of Marquesan secession received criminal court cases took place new impetus during the review period, involving domestic violence, includ- as apparently the mayors of all six ing pedophile abuse and other sexual municipalities in the archipelago have aggressions. As if all of this was not now agreed to lobby Paris to sepa- enough, Islamic extremism was being rate their archipelago from the rest of imported from France into the local French Polynesia to become its own Nuutania prison, where a Polynesian French overseas entity. Both Fritch inmate who had become an adherent and Temaru, in a rare display of unity, of jihadist Islam in a jail in France denounced the proposal, as had Flosse repeatedly attacked his cellmates and in the past (rnzi, 30 Nov 2016). guards and had to be put into solitary While this issue will probably confinement (ti, 1 Sept 2016). remain in a standoff for years to come, On a more positive note, toward the upcoming French presidential and the end of the year Walt Disney Cor- parliamentary elections started having poration announced that its Polyne- major repercussions on local politics sian-themed, animated juvenile film after the beginning of the New Year. Moana would be dubbed entirely in Receiving ever-lower ratings, incum- Tahitian, including all song texts, and bent François Hollande decided not to the Tahitian version of the film would run again for the French presidency, be released in local theaters in early and since both his Socialist party and 2017. While the small target audience the center-right Gaullist Republicans would not make this commercially presented weak candidates, a lot of viable for Disney, the corporation attention began to be paid to Marine intended to make a positive contribu- Le Pen of the far-right National Front, tion to cultural preservation in the who was considered to be within Pacific, part of a campaign to improve reach of the presidency. its image among indigenous commu- In New Caledonia the National nities that have often accused Disney Front has always been supported by and other Hollywood firms of exploit- the most reactionary faction of French ing their culture without giving any- settlers and accordingly opposes any thing back (ti, 24 Oct 2016). Around steps toward decolonization there. It the same time, a French film studio has similarly opposed decolonization was producing a movie about the in French Polynesia, where the party political reviews • polynesia 161 has no significant support base, mainly April and 6 May, the results reflected for reasons of French national pres- the local endorsements, with Le Pen tige. But in February 2017, to boost scoring 33 percent in the first round, her support in French Polynesia for and a record 42 percent in the second the upcoming elections, Le Pen made round (much higher figures than in a surprising turn by announcing that France), while Fillon, who placed only if elected she would initiate a process third in France, came in first in French leading to a self-determination refer- Polynesia with 35 percent. The upstart endum after ten to fifteen years, with Emmanuel Macron, who surprisingly a preferred final status of free associa- scored first place on the national level tion in which France would only be in France, was far behind in French responsible for foreign affairs, defense, Polynesia, since he lacked the sup- currency, and judiciary, while irre- port of a major local political party. versibly devolving all other fields of In the runoff against Le Pen, Macron governance to the country government received Tapura’s support, as well as (Polynésie Première, 11 Feb 2017). that of several splinter groups, and Le Pen’s new platform in favor of free locally won with 58 percent, but association happened to be identi- this was still far behind his landslide cal with that of Flosse’s Tahoeraa victory figures on the French national Huiraatira party, and indeed Tahoeraa level (ti, 23 April, 7 May 2017). became the official local partner in Le Of more importance for local Pen’s presidential campaign (ti, 27 politics were the French national March 2017; tpm, 7 April 2017). assembly elections that followed on Meanwhile, Fritch’s Tapura, which 3 and 17 June, even though participa- had taken over Tahoeraa’s former tion rates turned out to be similarly position as the Republicans’ local low. The three deputy seats that partner, logically backed the latter’s represent French Polynesia in France’s candidate, François Fillon. Temaru’s lower legislative chamber were hotly Tavini-upld, on the other hand, did contested by the three major politi- not endorse any presidential candi- cal parties. Boosted by Le Pen’s high date, but Temaru himself announced scores in the previous month, Flosse his candidacy for French president, felt overly confident of winning back not actually hoping to win the vote all three seats (which in fact Tahoeraa but rather in order to get access to had won in 2012, but two of the campaign time in the French national deputies had followed Fritch’s 2015 media to advocate for the decoloniza- split and joined Tapura). tion of his country. But in the end, he In the first constituency—compris- was unable to gather the necessary ing the city of Papeete and its eastern five hundred signatures of elected suburbs, as well as Moorea and the officials in at least thirty different Tuamotu and Marquesas archipela- French administrative districts (rnzi, gos—Tapura incumbent Maina Sage 2 March 2017). led the vote in the first round and While less than half of registered successfully defended her seat in the voters participated in the presidential runoff against Tahoeraa candidate elections, held in two rounds on 22 Moana Greig. Former Senator Rich- 162 the contemporary pacific • 30:1 (2018) ard Tuheiava of Tavini-upld did not did not merely commandeer a par- make it to the runoff, because he had liamentary majority of convenience competition from Tauhiti Nena, a but could actually mobilize signifi- former leading upld member who cant electoral support. Flosse’s rump had recently split off and formed his Tahoeraa, on the other hand, expe- own party named Tau Hoturau. In rienced not more than a momentary the second constituency (rural Tahiti blip with Le Pen’s high scores—partly and Austral Islands), Tahoeraa loyal- explainable through upld’s boycott of ist incumbent Jonas Tahuaitu did the presidential elections—but in fact not run for reelection, and Tapura’s has once more sunk to a historic low Nicole Sanquer beat the new Tahoeraa point of political power. In between candidate, Teura Iriti, in both rounds, the two election rounds, Flosse’s loss solidly taking over Tahoeraa’s last of power continued, since Assembly stronghold for Fritch’s camp. upld’s Speaker Marcel Tuihani Jr (Flosse’s Tina Cross only scored third in the lieutenant and possible successor after first round, while an independent can- Fritch’s desertion), decided to join didate, Tepuaraurii Teriitahi, gained his father, Tahoeraa treasurer Marcel a surprisingly high score and thus Tuihani Sr, in quitting the party to played a role similar to that of Nena become a nonpartisan, making Taho- in the first constituency. eraa lose its last significant political But it was the third constituency— officeholder (ti, 6 June 2017). including the large cities of Faaa and Tavini-upld, on the other hand, Punaauia on Tahiti as well as the was able to profit from the power Leeward Islands—that delivered the struggle between Tapura and Tahoeraa biggest surprise. Tapura incumbent and gain entry to the French national Jean-Paul Tuaiva, damaged by corrup- legislature, an important step in its tion accusations, had declined to run long-term strategy of pushing for again, and his successor as Fritch- the country’s decolonization. While affiliated candidate, Patrick Howell, Temaru had made a blunder with led the vote in the first round with his unsuccessful bid for the French a solid 33 percent. But the second- presidency, he was smart enough to highest score was not Tahoeraa’s keep himself in the distance for the Vincent Dubois, but rather Moetai legislative elections and give Brother- Brotherson of Tavini-upld, and since son a chance to gain a public profile as Dubois decided to endorse Brotherson a possible successor at the helm of the for the runoff, the latter won against pro-independence movement. Unlike Howell and thus became the first local the idealistic but not always practi- pro-independence politician to sit in cally inclined Temaru, Brotherson is the National Assembly (dt, 5 June, 19 a realist intellectual characterized by June 2017). both high moral integrity—one of the An analysis of the election results few local politicians never accused of points to the beginning of a new cycle corruption—and political acumen. On in the ever-revolving local political the very day of his election, Brother- landscape. For Fritch’s Tapura, the son announced supporting a bill in elections proved that the new party the National Assembly that would political reviews • polynesia 163 prohibit all politicians convicted of agreement remains to be negotiated corruption from running for office, (pir, 19 March 2016). Brotherson, a measure that would be particularly on the other hand, found it refreshing useful in French Polynesia. Wearing that Macron had denounced former a floral shirt, sandals, and shorts or French colonial policies as “crimes pareu (wrap kilt) while his National against humanity” during the presi- Assembly colleagues were all dressed dential campaign and saw it as a pos- up in suits and ties, Brotherson imme- sible indication that, unlike Hollande, diately gained French national media the new president might be willing to attention as someone proudly repre- collaborate with the United Nations senting his Polynesian identity in Paris on the territory’s decolonization (ti, (ti, 17 June, 20 June 2017). 17 June 2017). It remains to be seen whether Perhaps the most positive measure Brotherson and his two Tapura col- undertaken by the Hollande govern- leagues Sage and Sanquer will be ment toward the end of its term was able to work constructively with the the amendment to the so-called Morin government of France’s new President Law of 2010 that regulates compen- Macron, whose new party En Marche sation of nuclear test victims, passed also swept the legislative elections on by the National Assembly in Febru- the national level. While Sage and ary (tntv, 9 Feb 2017). Promised by Sanquer joined the national caucus President Hollande during his visit to Les Constructifs (the Constructive the territory a year prior, the amend- Ones) that gathers the remnants of ment deletes a clause in the original the Republicans and other center-right law that had the effect of rendering parties that survived En Marche’s most compensation claims technically sweep, Brotherson and several other “negligible,” so that of the thousands pro-independence deputies from other of irradiation victims, only seven had French overseas regions joined the been awarded compensation under French Communist Party in its new the terms of the law—a fact that the caucus, Gauche Démocrate et Répub- two largest test victims associations, licaine (Democratic and Republican Moruroa e Tatou (MeT) and Associa- Left). Sage and Sanquer, together with tion 193, had repeatedly denounced President Fritch, are pushing for the (ti, 21 July, 14 Oct 2016). Based on continuation of negotiations with the amendment, the Paris Council of Macron’s government toward the so- State, France’s highest court of appeal, called Papeete Accord, which should ruled on 28 June that all rejected give the country slightly more control cases had to be reexamined and that over domestic affairs and guarantee hitherto a causal relationship between further financial aid but is far from nuclear irradiation and certain types adequate compared to its alleged of cancer must be presumed, unless it counterpart, the Nouméa Accord in has been specifically proven that the New Caledonia (Gonschor 2017, cancer in question had another cause 141–142). Shortly before leaving (ti, 3 July 2017). office, Hollande and Fritch had signed While the amendment is good news a preliminary accord, but a final for the victims of nuclear testing, the 164 the contemporary pacific • 30:1 (2018) test victims lost two of their most in Lyon for several decades, as well ardent advocates during the review as being a cofounder of MeT, Bari- period. On 25 December 2016, John llot had come to Tahiti during one of Taroanui Doom passed away at Temaru’s earlier terms as president age eighty. Besides having been the to serve as the country government’s cofounder and main coordinator of official delegate in charge of the legacy MeT, the country’s oldest nuclear test of nuclear testing and as liaison with victims association, Doom had been the victims associations. In between active in the Evangelical Church of Temaru’s multiple short terms in French Polynesia, the country’s larg- office, when local pro-French par- est denomination, which under his ties were in power and Barillot lost influence became actively opposed his government job, he had usually to nuclear testing and supportive of worked for the Protestant Church decolonization, changing its name to and MeT instead. After being fired Maohi Protestant Church in 2004. once more by Flosse in 2013, Barillot As a lay synod member and church was rehired by the Fritch government administrator, Doom had furthermore in August 2016 (ti, 26 March 2017; worked at the Pacific Conference of tntv, 25 March 2017). Churches and later represented the The country also lost an iconic Pacific churches at the secretariat of figure in local journalism, Alex W Du the World Council of Churches in Prel, who died on 14 March at the age Geneva. In those positions, Doom was of seventy-three. Also known as an instrumental in organizing a global author of short stories, Du Prel started network of solidarity in opposition Tahiti Pacifique Magazine (tpm) in to nuclear testing and in support of 1991. A remarkable one-man opera- its victims. Furthermore, as an excel- tion run out of a small home office off lent orator in Tahitian, Doom was the grid on rural Moorea Island, Du also a founding and lifelong member Prel’s magazine became feared by the of the Tahitian Academy and thus political class for its unwavering inves- played an important part in codify- tigative journalism, often providing ing and modernizing the country’s the initial evidence used in corruption principal indigenous language (ti, 26 trials, and generally giving insights in Dec 2017). Shortly before his passing, social and political issues not offered Doom had succeeded in publishing his by other media (ti, 14 March 2017; memoirs, providing insights into much tpm, 24 March 2017). of the social, political, and cultural life Several long-serving politicians of the territory over the second half of also passed away during the review the twentieth century (Doom 2016). period, including Roger Doom (John’s One of John Doom’s principal brother), who had been mayor of partners in organizing Moruroa e West Taiarapu for most of his life Tatou, French nuclear weapons expert as well as territorial assembly mem- and peace activist Bruno Barillot, ber (ti, 16 Sept 2016); his colleague passed away on 25 March 2017, aged Sylve Perry, long-serving mayor of the seventy-six. Having run a documen- neighboring East Taiarapu munici- tary center on French nuclear arms pality and also a former assembly political reviews • polynesia 165 member (ti, 26 Aug 2016); Joseph news. Honolulu. http://pidp.eastwestcenter Ah-Scha, assembly member from the .org/pireport Marquesas Islands (ti, 25 Jan 2017); Polynésie Première (French Polynesia and Pori Chan, delegate mayor of program of Outre-mer Première, the Kaukura Atoll in the Tuamotus (ti, French government television network for 1 May 2017). Finally, the country overseas departments and collectivities) also mourned two important cultural http:// http://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/ figures, local music producer Alphonse polynesie Vanfau (ti, 28 June 2016) and Wilfrid rnz, Radio New Zealand. Wellington. Pinai Lucas, one of the promoters of Daily radio and Internet news. the Tahitian cultural renaissance dur- http://www.radionz.co.nz ing the end of last century (ti, 31 Jan rnzi, Radio New Zealand International. 2017). Daily radio and Internet news. Wellington. lorenz gonschor http://www.rnzi.com ti, Tahiti Infos. Weekday daily newspaper and Internet news. Tahiti. References http://www.tahiti-infos.com dt, La Depêche de Tahiti. Daily. Tahiti. tntv, Tahiti Nui Television (the country http://www.ladepeche.pf government’s television network) Doom, John Taroanui. 2016. A he‘e noa http://tntv.pf i te tau: Mémoires d’une vie partagée. tpm, Tahiti-Pacifique Magazine. Papeete: Editions Haere Po No Tahiti. Fortnightly. Tahiti. Fry, Greg. 2015. Recapturing the Spirit of http://www.tahiti-pacifique.com 1971: Towards a New Regional Political United Nations. 2016. Question of Settlement in the Pacific. ssgm Discussion French Polynesia. Resolution adopted Paper 2015/3. Canberra: State, Society & by the General Assembly on 6 Decem- Governance in Melanesia, The Australian ber. UN General Assembly, 71st ses- National University. http://ssgm.bellschool sion. a/res/71/120. http://www.un.org/ .anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/publications/ en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/ attachments/2015-12/DP-2015-3-Fry RES/71/120 [accessed 12 Aug 2017] -ONLINE_0.pdf [accessed 15 Sept 2017] Gonschor, Lorenz. 2017. Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016: French Polynesia. The Con- Hawai‘i temporary Pacific 29 (1): 134–144. The year under review in Hawai‘i saw otr, Overseas Territories Review. Blog. the traditional Hawaiian voyaging http://overseasreview.blogspot.com canoe Hōkūle‘a and its accompanying Pacnews, Pacific Islands News Association. vessel Hikianalia return to O‘ahu on Daily Internet news. Suva. 17 June 2017 after a three-year, forty- http://pina.com.fj thousand-mile, worldwide voyage pif Secretariat. 2017. About Us: Our Staff. dubbed “Mālama Honua” (Care for http://www.forumsec.org/pages.cfm/about the Earth). The voyage circumnavi- -us/executive/ [accessed 17 Aug 2017] gated the Earth using only traditional pir, Pacific Islands Report. Daily Internet Polynesian navigation techniques,