The World YWCA started a South Pacific Project in 1974 with Ruth Lechte as staff person. In 1982, Ofis Blong Ol Meri was established with Diane Goodwillie as Co-ordinator. In May 1983, Edith Enoga from Papua New Guinea was appointed as Communications Development Officer. Ofis Blong Ol Meri was a project to serve the needs of women in the Pacific Islands (especially PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, New Caledonia, Kiribati and Tuvalu). It worked mainly with non-government women’s groups. (From leaflet, n.d., 1983?)

Circulars, leaflets and reports, 1982-1987; Newsletters, 1983-1991; Photographs; Calendars, 1984-1988; Related Publications, 1994-2002.
See Finding aids for details.

Before joining the South Pacific Commission as Director of Programmes, Jon Jonassen was Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Cook Islands Government. Born in 1949 and educated in the Cook Islands, New Zealand and Hawaii, he has always been greatly interested in Pacific Island traditional music and dance and in family history. These interests are reflected in the present collection of his writings.

The reel contains three items:

1. The Betela Dance Troupe through the years: a series of 9 articles written by Jon Jonassen for the Photo News (Rarotonga, Cook Islands) issues 23 Oct., 30 Oct., 6 Nov., 13 Nov., 27 Nov., 4 Dec., 11 Dec., 18 Dec., 1976. 20 pages
2. Early immigrants to the Cook Islands: Nicholas (History and genealogy of the Nicholas family, from Albert John Nicholas 1813-1888 to Diya Moana Nicholas-Tarip, born 1955, wife of Jon Jonassen) - compiled by Jon Jonassen, 1986. Pages iv, 20, charts 8 - 13.
3. Original compositions, Volume 1: (Words and guitar chords of songs composed between 1967-1987 in Cook Islands Maori, English, French Polynesian and other Pacific Islands languages, Japanese etc.) - includes audio cassette publicity material, microfilmed from photocopied handwritten original. Pages v, 100, 8.

John C. Dorrence (pseudonym James Hartley) spent a term as U.S. consul in Fiji. He wrote this study of J.B. Williams and the American claims in Fiji while at the University of Hawaii, basing it largely on unpublished letters in the Peabody Museum, Salem, Massachusetts. A full bibliography is included. The study is dated March 20, 1966.

A study of J.B. Williams' claims against the Fijian chief Cakobau and their impact on Fiji's history in the mid-19th century. Williams (1810-1860) was an official United States representative in Fiji from 1846 until his death in 1860. His claims led ultimately to the Chiefs' Cession of Fiji to Queen Victoria.

Published by Yap State Government, Colonia, FSM. “The Yap State Bulletin is a vehicle for disseminating news and information about how your State government works; what type of projects, plans and decisions are being made and carried out by your government. The Bulletin is a compilation of information from the various departments, offices, agencies and branches of your State government gathered by the Department of Youth and Civic Affairs.” (Yap State Bulletin, No.1, 17 Nov 1989) The Yap State Bulletin ceased publication in July 1999 in anticipation of the production of The Yap Networker.

Reel 1.

Vol.1, Nos.1-26, 17 Nov 1989-16 Nov 1990
Vol.2, Nos.1-20, 30 Nov 1990-1 Nov 1991
Reel 2.
Vol.3, Nos.1-7, 9-22, 29 Nov 1991-1 May 1992, 15 May-13 Nov 1992
Vol.4, Nos.1-26, 27 Nov 1992-12 Nov 1993
Vol.5, Nos.1-22, 26 Nov 1993-30 Sep 1994
Vol.6, Nos.1-26, 9 Dec 1994-8 Dec 1995
Vol.7, Nos.1-26, 22 Dec 1995-6 Dec 1996
Vol.8, Nos.1-13, 20 Dec 1996-19 Dec 1997
Vol.9, Nos.1-8, 2 Jan-31 Dec 1998
Vol.10, Nos.1-3, 7 May-30 Jul 1999

In 1947 the United Nations established the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI), vesting administration with the USA. The districts within the TTPI included Ponape (then including Kusaie), Truk, Yap, Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Northern Marianna Islands. In 1960s and 1970s the US and local representatives from these districts met to discuss various options for self-determination. This resulted in the eventual partition of the TTPI. The Northern Marianas became a self governing commonwealth within the US, while the rest of the TTPI was divided between the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), all gradually achieving independence in free association with the USA from the early 1980s through to 1990 when the TTPI was finally dissolved by the UN.

In 1978 the peoples of Truk (now Chuuk), Ponape (Pohnpei), Kusaie (Kosrae) and Yap voted to form the FSM. In the early 1980s these states drafted and implemented their own constitutions, ready for the FSM's 1986 ratification of the Compact of Free Association with the USA. On 16 March 1982 the first Yap State Convention met to draft a constitution that was ratified by plebiscite in November of that year. The constitution enshrined a four branch system of government comprising the executive, legislative, judicial and traditional. Yap became the only state in the FSM where traditional leaders were fully incorporated into a constitution; through the Council of Pilung and the Council of Tamol, representing traditional leaders from Yap's main island and the state's outer islands respectively. These councils were granted authority over matters concerning tradition and custom. The constitution is also unique in Micronesia in mandating a balanced state budget. These papers cover the debates, discussions and meetings that resulted in this constitution.

Registered files of the Yap State Constitutional Convention, including: resolutions and reports of Convention Committees; agenda, journals and verbatim transcripts (in Yapese, Ulithian and English) of the proceedings of the Committee of the Whole and Plenary Sessions; Proposals; Resolutions; drafts of the Constitution; correspondence and related administrative documents.
See reel list for further details.

Law making powers in Yap, one of the four states that comprise the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), is vested in the State Legislature. The legislature has operated in its current form since 1983 following the approval by referendum of the State constitution in 1982 (see <I>PMB 1173</I> for further details). It has 10 members who are elected by universal adult suffrage every four years. However, the Legislature has its origins in the immediate post World War II period when the US Navy assumed administrative responsibility for the island. In 1945-47 the Navy encouraged and helped re-establish a Council of Chiefs. In the 1950s the 10 municipal magistrates (who were also customary chiefs) began holding meetings with the then US civil administration. Technically this Council was separate from that of the chiefs, but usually represented them. Between 1957-58 the municipalities were chartered, part of a process leading to the formation of a representative legislative body. In 1959 the first Yap Island Congress as it was then called, was convened, running parallel to the Council of Magistrates. In the 1960s Congress was expanded to include representatives from Yap's outer islands. In 1967 a new Yap District Legislature was formed, whose powers were enhanced by amendment[s] in 1978. These developments provided the foundations for the formation of the current legislature whose session journals are included here.

The Yap Legislature has law making powers over matters of public health, education, schooling, resource management, land use, the civil service, and some revenue raising abilities. Debates and discussions over these issues are carried in the <I>Yap Legislature Journal</I>.

The Journal is compiled by the Office of the Speaker of the Legislature. Issues from 1984-1997 are available here. Each volume is 500-600 pages, ring bound, double-sided photocopies. Digital copies of the <I>Legislature Journal</I> are held by the Office of the Speaker on diskette, including editions of the <I>Journal</I> since 1993. See reel list for more details.

Published by the Yule Island Club, C/- Catholic Mission, Yule Island, Papua. Printed by the Comet Press, Yule Island, Papua.

The newsletter consists of 4 or 8 pages and includes detailed reports on personnel and activities of the Sacred Heart Mission in Papua, primary and secondary school and teacher training reports, letters, general reports, and lists of subscribers. Yule Island Club Officers in August 1961 were:
President: George Scott
Vice-President: Michael Neni
Treasurer: Andrew Ofoi
Assistant Treasurer: Billy Bray
Secretary: Henry Natera
Assistant Secretary: Mika Taligatus

See Finding aids for details.

Statistics gathered at the Mission station on Yule Island.

Newsletter, irregular, containing news and articles relating to Marist missions and missionaries in the Pacific Islands

Nos 36, 57, 62 and 68 were not available for microfilming. Reel 4

The 'Whalemen's Shipping List' was a New Bedford weekly publication containing the names of ships operating out of New Bedford, their masters, agents, dates of departure and return, where bound, date and place of last report, and catch. Many of the ships operated in the Pacific Ocean. Please see also PMB MS 411.
13 Feb. 1883-2 - 2 Feb. 1886/24 Feb. 1874 - 15 Feb. 1876