Talanoa Oceania 2008: Mana, Vanua, Talanoa
Presentations at this first gathering circled around three significant PI concepts: Mana, Vanua, Talanoa. These concepts have multiple meanings in the various language and island groups:
- Mana can mean sacred, magic, courage, power, transformation, creativity, healing, imagination, and so forth
- Vanua (fonua, fenua, whenua, etc) can mean land, womb, home, identity, roots, tradition, and so forth
- Talanoa can mean telling, story, storytelling, conversation, orality, empty-talk, and so forth
Presentations were also encouraged to address the challenges of global warming and our drifting generations, the realities of dispersion, diaspora and cultural confusions, in relation to vaious areas of interest to PIs, such as:
§ art, handicraft & body-art
§ poetry, lyrics & rhythms
§ performance, dance & storytelling
§ Pacific, oceanic & indigenous studies
§ academic, theological & island disciplines
§ ministerial, cultural & ethnic praxis
§ and so forth
Date & venue:
September 29 – October 01, 2008
Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta, NSW 2151, Australia
Support for 2008 Gathering
United Theological College has enabled the 2008 Gathering to take place on the premises of the Centre for Ministry, which is located on land for which the Darug people cared and made home.
Two organizations have made financial contributions toward the running of the 2008 Gathering
- Synod Mission Resource Fund of the NSW Synod, Uniting Church in Australia
- Public and Contextual Theology Group of the Charles Sturt University