Celebrating the 75th birthday of Professor 'Ilaisa Futa 'i Ha'angana Helu and and his life and work, six overseas academics, including one Tongan, were inducted as Fellows of the 'Atenisi University in a special ceremony attended by the Prime Minister Hon. Dr Feleti Sevele, on June 16.

Futa, who is 75 years old today June 17, founded 'Atenisi over 40 years ago. The four-day programme celebrates his life as a philosopher, historian and educator, whose influence has been felt not only in Tonga but in the Pacific region.

The ceremony presided over by Hon Lupepau'u Tuita honoured six academics, each well known in their respective fields, and who are long time supporters, advisors, lecturers and contributors to the institute.

Fellows

The fellows are:

Dr Wendy E. Cowling, a Senior Lecturer in Anthropology at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, who coordinates a programme in Pacific studies. She is also the author of insightful papers on Pacific behaviour, ritual and art on topics such as Tongan emotion, Memorialisation in New Zealand and the Traditional Crafts of the Cook Islands;

Dr Niko Besnier, (anthropology, linguistics and mathematics) who is currently on leave from his post as Professor of Cultural Anthropology at the University of Amsterdam. He is also a visiting scholar at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan;

Historian, Ian C. Campbell, currently Professor of History and Politics at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, is also the author of acclaimed histories of the Pacific Islands and the Kingdom of Tonga;

Dr Ron Crocombe, a Professor Emeritus at the University of South Pacific, was the founding Director of the Pacific Studies Institute and for two decades the Professor of Pacific Studies. He was previously the Director of, what is now, the National Research Institute of Papua New Guinea, and author of several books on Fiji, Tahiti and Cook Islands.

Dr David Robie, a journalist and academic, holds a PhD in History and Politics from the University of the South Pacific and is a former coordinator of its Regional Journalism programme. He is currently an Associate Professor in Journalism and Communication at the Auckland University of Technology School of Communication Studies where he also directs the Pacific Media Centre. He is also a recipient of the Australian Press Council Fellowship and Pacific Media Freedom Award.

The only Tongan inductee honoured as a fellow was Dr 'Opeti Manisela Taliai an early graduate of 'Atenisi University who in the early 1990's was its Literature and Linguistic instructor. He recently received his PhD in Anthropology from the University of Auckland and is a founding member and ongoing contributor to the Tonga Research Association.

The fellows, who spoke during the ceremony, were united in their praise for Futa's work and commended his deep insight and recognised him as a reigning authority on Tongan history, tradition, and education, amongst many other things.

Foa

Futa who was born in Foa, Ha'apai studied at Newington College and the University of Sydney in Australia studying Philosophy, English Literature, Mathematics and Physics between 1953-61.

Upon returning to Tonga he became a tutor to those students who were having trouble keeping up with school; and in 1963 initiated Atenisi, which in English means "Athens". It began as a downtown night school providing education for civil servants but then became a high school in 1964 and a university in 1976.

Birthday celebrations will continue with feasting and entertainment at the school campus at Halaano today, Wednesday.

A documentary film about Futa Helu's life and work, that is being produced by Lose Miller-Helu will have its first screening tonight during an Athenian evening at the institute. The documetnary whichis described as a work in progress is called "Ko e Tata 'o Helu: Tau'ataina 'o e Fakakaukau" (The Helu Hat: Freedom of Ideas).