The Dr Is In

At a rather formal ceremony at the Geelong Performing Arts Centre, I received an Honorary Doctorate from Deakin University, for “distinguished service to and collaboration with the peoples of the Pacific and beyond, in the areas of music and film and in the promotion of and partnership with Pacific and Indigenous Australian artists for reconciliation and development”. That is some sentence !

It was a high 30 degree February day and I was sweating beneath the ornamental robe and hat– it reminded me of some High Anglican Church mixed with an Adelaide Crows gown and with my pale skin, well, red and yellow aint my colour scheme. 

Nevertheless I felt honoured and somewhat humbled to receive this Doctorate - not just for myself but for the work that all the Wantok artists and many talented people involved have put in over a long period of time. 

I have no doubt that having collaborated with renound Rabaul/Gunantuna historian, the late Gideon ToBeovaira Kakabin, was part of this process. Gideon who wrote the Gunantuna history from the non colonial landowner’s perspective died before being awarded his Doctorate.

The firm belief that the songs and stories of our region are unique and valuable, that to lose them would be catastrophic, that Australia is a much better country for finally engaging with our region in a considered and two way fashion, this is what I took away from the awarding of the Doctorate. It is important that this artistic and cultural pursuit is recognised as vital knowledge and a worthwhile discipline of merit. 

For Deakin University this is not just lip service. They  are strongly involved in the Pacific History Association who honoured Telek and my sadly departed historian friend Gideon who was the driving force behind our a Bit Na Ta project. 

Deakin have committed to support  a PHD student attachment to Wantok Musik’s  Music for Change -Pacific Women Lead project that we are undertaking in four Pacific Island nation’s this year and next. 

So this Doctorate has some practical substance to it. I am however cogniscent that this Honorary Doctorate is no where near the same as those brilliant students who have slaved away for years for their PhD.  

The day was a tad emotional for me in that I lost mum and dad over the last three years. They would have bloody loved this. All the pomp and ceremony. I was a half unit short of completing my arts degree back in the day because NDW had begun touring. I never found time to go back and complete the degree. And whilst Arts degrees are not held in high esteem these days, I value their importance. I loved diving in to International Relations, Philosophy, History novels and poetry, and Classical Social theory. I loved university life. 

Mum finally forgave me for jettisoning my academic life around the time that the Cake played the Recital Centre.:)

Anyway, I should have worn my pantaloons to go with the rest of the outfit. And I haven’t decided whether to use the Doctor moniker on my future solo albums as yet… I could always do with a rebrand! 

Remember, The Doctor is “In”.

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