Now on YouTube: Epeli Hau‘ofa Memorial Lecture 2025 with Rev. Dr. Cliff Bird
The Australian Association for Pacific Studies (AAPS), in partnership with the University of Sydney, is proud to share the full recording of the 2025 Epeli Hau‘ofa Memorial Lecture, now available on our AAPS YouTube channel.
This year’s lecture, Alternatives in Development Narratives and Practice? Insights from Pasifika Faith and Indigenous Perspectives, was delivered by Rev. Dr. Cliff Bird—a renowned theologian, critical interdisciplinary thinker, and advocate for social, ecological, and economic justice in Oceania.
Drawing on decades of theological, academic, and grassroots experience, Rev. Dr. Bird explores Pasifika worldviews and the Reweaving the Ecological Mat (REM) Framework to propose more holistic and culturally grounded approaches to development. His reflections highlight the wisdom of Indigenous and faith-based perspectives in navigating today’s complex social and ecological challenges.
The lecture was held at the University of Sydney on 3 June 2025 as part of the AAPS biennial conference, Pacific Discourses and Destinies, on unceded Gadigal land of the Eora Nation.
This event was hosted by the University of Sydney. The event was generously supported by the Center for Pasifika and Indigenous Knowledges at the University of Utah, the Australian Museum, the Powerhouse Museum and the Keough School of Global Affairs at Notre Dame University in Indiana.
Vinaka vakalevu to D’harawal elder, Aunty Deb Lennis for your brilliant Welcome to Country preceding this. Thanks especially to our hosts, Professor Jioji Ravulo and Rachel Payne, at the University of Sydney. Thanks to Bayvick Lawrence at Bayvick Designs for the beautiful staging of the event, and to Akil Ahamat for video documentation of the lecture. Finally, thanks to all the AAPS executive members, particularly Victoria Stead, Katerina Teaiwa, Talei Luscia Mangioni, Romitesh Kant, and Sarouche Razi, for your ongoing support in administration and organisation over the past year.
📺 Watch the full lecture here.