Mā whero, mā pango ka oti te mahi: The role of indigenous diplomacies in the success of the 1997 Burnham talks

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Abstract

This thesis examines why the July and October 1997 Burnham talks succeeded in producing a durable truce in the Bougainville Civil War after thirteen failed negotiations. I argue that the incorporation of Melanesian trautim and Māori pōwhiri functioned as indigenous diplomacies that mitigated destabilising dynamics present in earlier, conventionally-structured talks by creating a culturally responsive negotiating environment. The thesis finds that, alongside ripeness theory, indigenous diplomacy offers a more holistic explanation of the Burnham talks’ success by emphasising participant ownership, cultural legitimacy, and sustainability.

Chapters

1. Introduction
2. Early peace attempts between 1988 and 1995
3. The Burnham Model
4. Trautim: Melanesian indigenous diplomacy at Burnham
5. Pōwhiri: Māori indigenous diplomacy at Burnham
6. Conclusion

Citation

Jayden Evett. “Mā whero, mā pango ka oti te mahi: The role of indigenous diplomacies in the success of the 1997 Burnham talks.” Master’s thesis, The Australian National University, June 2021. https://hdl.handle.net/1885/733713482

@mastersthesis{evett2021,
    author  = "Jayden Evett",
    title   = "Mā whero, mā pango ka oti te mahi: The role of indigenous diplomacies in the success of the 1997 Burnham talks",
    school  = "The Australian National University",
    year    = "2021",
    month   = "June",