Four days of sharing of information included much debate and screen culture on Australian South Sea Islander history along with evidence based documentation that could be used as tools of information in spreading the word. There were three booklets provided to participants 1. Historical facts on ASSI history 2. Labour trade diaries 3. ASSI QLD State Archives – all are available for download at the bottom of the page.
Professor Clive Moore shared a powerpoint presentation on some of the useful tools in archives and other records in tracing family along with leaving participants ASSI historical DVDs and a detailed list of over 48,000 names with all powerpoint presentations and notes for ongoing workshops. The most organic and profound outcome was that discussions around how to progress this work in days, months and years to come would be to form an interim committee that represented the 10 provinces of the Solomon Islands and before our eyes we had articulate, culturally connected and educated peoples from all of those provinces being nominated and voted to sit on the committee with much enthusiasm.
It was unanomous from those participants in the room that the committee be formed there and then and named Faendem Baek Famili Association. Those members of the interim committee are Cecil Ono(chair), Jones Sanga, Rose Haro, Benjamin Farobo, Ann Mildred Irobiu, Hubert Bongoiko, Joseph Pinita, Michael Tolingikirio, Rex Ringi, Alfred Ngilia, Hilda Toosi, Joylyn Steven, Meshullum Soma. This committee were conscious of gender equality and diversity in all areas and creed.
