CFP: Melville in the Marquesas: an Interdisciplinary Conference and
Expedition.
(12/31/02; 7/1/03 - 7/12/03)
The Purdue Circle for America-Pacific Studies announces a conference and
expedition to the Marquesas Islands and Tahiti in July 2003. Herman
Melville's experiences in Polynesia and his writings, particularly Typee,
Omoo, and Moby Dick, will be the focus of the conference, but we invite
papers on any aspect of Euroamerican and native contact in the region over
the last three centuries--from the first Spanish landings in 1595 to the
twenty-first century television show, Survivor. Other major writers and
artists who worked in the Marquesas include Robert Louis Stevenson, Paul
Gauguin and Jack London. Papers that examine present-day Polynesian identity
in view of this long history of colonialism and the visual and literary
romance are strongly encouraged. In the spirit of Melville's fascination with
Marquesan life, we also invite presentations that deal specifically with
native culture, including religion, dance, cuisine, fishing, tattooing, and
sexual practices. Studies in archeology, anthropology, natural history,
visual arts, political science and history are welcome.
Expeditions on and around the islands, including a hike to the site of
Melville's pae-pae in the Taipi Valley, will be led by Dr. Robert Suggs,
foremost expert on Nuku Hivan history and culture. In 1957, Dr. Suggs first
excavated the Melville site for the American Museum of Natural History and he
continues to provide clues to Melville's experiences in the region.
Send abstracts of approximately 300 words by December 31, 2002 to
G. R. Thompson, Department of English, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
47907 (poe@purdue.edu) and Henry J. Hughes, Humanities Division, Western
Oregon University, Monmouth, Oregon 97361 (hughesh@wou.edu).
For more information contact Henry J. Hughes (hughesh@wou.edu)
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