The Asian American Research Center, Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies, the Pacific Islander Initiative at UC Berkeley, and Asian Pacific American Student Development are pleased to announce our inaugural Critical Pacific Islander Studies Scholar in Residence, Dr. Ponipate Rokolekutu! This residency will be from October 22-24, 2024, and will feature drop-in hours, a public event, workshops and more.
Ponipate Rokolekutu is Assistant Professor of Critical Pacific Islands and Oceania Studies in the Department of Race and Resistance Studies, College of Ethnic Studies, San Francisco State University. Dr. Rokolekutu’s genealogical roots as an iTaukei from Fiji deeply informs his work. He is from the lineage of the Mata ni Vanua to the Tui Kuku, within the iTokatoka of Vosatoranikuku, of the Vanua of Nailagolaba. He completed his undergraduate degree in history, politics, and sociology at the University of the South Pacific. He furthered his education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, earning a PhD in political science.
Dr. Rokolekutu’s research is rooted in post-colonial theory, focusing on the impact of colonialism on indigenous land rights and marginalization. His work critically examines British colonial land legislation in Fiji, particularly their effects on the iTaukei people. His broader research addresses race, indigeneity, and colonialism in Oceania, significantly influencing debates on land dispossession and iTaukei economic development. Recently, Dr. Rokolekutu co-edited a special issue of the Okinawa Journal of Island Studies titled "Our Sharpest Tools: Unsettling Empire from Islands and Ocean." The issue includes his own article, "Interrogating British Colonial Benevolence and the Annexation of the Fijian Islands," which explores the complexities of colonial narratives and their impact on Fijian land and sovereignty.
Dr. Rokolekutu is an advocate for Pacific Islander communities and students in the San Francisco Bay Area, actively participating in initiatives like the 2020 Census Advocacy, COVID-19 awareness campaigns, and the establishment of a Pacific Islander Cultural District in San Francisco. He is also part of the Pacific Islander Stakeholder Round Table and Listening Session with the White House. He serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) for the Oceania Scholars Program at SFSU. This program supports Pacific Islander students' retention, graduation, and success by addressing educational equity and providing culturally relevant support.
