Honiara, 9 May 2025
Vanuatu was fortunate to participate in the regional dialogue on Indigenous Constitutionalism held in Honiara from 7th to 9th May 2025 organized by the Islands Knowledge Institute and the SINU Centre for Islands Futures, at the Amazing Grace in Honiara Solomon Islands.
This event commenced by the launching of a Book by DR, Bal Kama of Papua New Guinea on Wednesday evening at the Nation Arts Gallery. The Book by Dr, Bal Kama was titled “Rethinking Judicial Power in Papua New Guinea”.
The book’s major focus was to rethink the character of the PNG Judiciary arguing for a departure from the narrow legislative approaches towards the understanding of judicial powers, departing from the traditional tripartite model of restrictive role to a modified model that recognizes the independent constitutional institution as the fourth arm of government and a judiciary with a constitutionally mandated active function,
The Island Knowledge Institute (IKI) is based in Solomon Islands, is committed to promoting Indigenous Knowledge, thought, leadership and research throughout Melanesia and the Pacific. A central focus of the work undertaken by IKI is “Indigenous Constitutionalism”, which seeks to explore how indigenous worldviews, governance systems and customary law can shape and strengthen contemporary constitutional frameworks.
Building on previous discussions held in January 2024 (Honiara) and June 2024 (Hawaii), this edition includes key thinkers, leaders and practitioners from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu who attended this milestone dialogue.
The 2024 Tok Stori opened space for critical and creative reflection on how these constitutional visions have been remembered, marginalized, or renewed. It reminded us that these are not abstract ideals. As the preamble of the Papua New Guinea declares” “By authority of our inherent right as ancient, free and independent peoples, we the people, establish this sovereign nation”.
In gathering together, the participants acknowledge the dangers of forgetting While over 90% of land across Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea remains under customary tenure, supporting indigenous lifeways, economies and biocultural systems, these constitutional foundations are under threat, from the devaluation of indigenous knowledge to the seduction of leaders away from land and lifeways. Our Constitutions set up the negotiating framework between our indigenous nations on one hand and the State on the other.
The gathering has provided a platform to reflect, learn and reimagine how indigenous governance systems, rooted in pre-colonial traditions can inform and fortify constitutional futures in the Pacific. In 2025, we return to Honiara to look more closely what constitutional guidance might look like in practice, to strengthen cross national collaboration and to consider how, custom, identical and are grounded, just and alive.
The 2025 Tok Stori includes:
- Long Histories of Sovereignty: exploring the governance of indigenous nations in Solomon Islands, PNG and Vanuatu through customary law and practices that predates State Constitutions
- Embedding Indigeneity in Modern Constitution: Identifying ways for Constitutional provisions to move beyond merely protecting customary land and law to interpreting indigenous governance principles at their core; and
- Reimagining Governance: Envisioning governance systems that are grounded in Melanesian thought and aligned with Community realities.
The next storian will likely take place in Port Moresby in September 2025 to coincide with the 50 years anniversary of the Independence of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. And another Tok Stori is likely to be held in Vanuatu in 2026.
Esteemed officials attending the 2025 Tok Stori includes Justice Vergil Narokobi, Justice of the High Court of Papua New Guinea and Chief Patteson J. Oti, Speaker of the Parliament of Solomon Islands. Vanuatu was represented by the Secretary of the Vanuatu Law Reform Commission, who was nominated by the Director General of the Ministry of Justice, Youth and Community Services.