Epilogue: A Personal Perspective on Afta 26 Yia: Collaborative Research in Vanuatu since Independence

The Vanuatu Kaljoral Senta (VKS) was the venue this week for a unique conference. Conjointly organised by Director Ralph Regenvanu and a team of young Australian researchers, Jack Taylor, Nick Thieberger and Stephen Zagala, it was focused on the theme of collaboration in research, wok tugeta. But collaboration was not just the theme but the practice. The conference was well timed between the annual workshops of women and men fieldworkers of the VKS. Many fieldworkers and other ni-Vanuatu presented papers and participated in the conference. And although the conference was advertised to start in Bislama and then move into English and French, in the event most of the presentations and discussions were in Bislama. From the opening stirring speeches by Chief Paul Tahi, President of the Malvatumauri National Council and by Chief Murmur of Mangaliliu, reflecting on his conversion from Presbyterian elder to kastom jif, to the closing funny stories by Bob Tonkinson about his anthropological research in Mele-Maat and Ambrym during the colonial period, the three days offered a feast for all participants.