Jon Tikivanotau Michael Jonassen (24 July 1949 – 2023) was a

Cook Islands The Cook Islands is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately . The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers of ocean. Avarua is its ...

civil servant, diplomat, composer, and political scientist. From 1997 — 1999 he was the Cook Islands' High Commissioner to New Zealand.

Early life and education

Jonassen was born in

Rarotonga Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the Cook Islands. The island is volcanic, with an area of , and is home to almost 75% of the country's population, with 10,898 of a total population of 15,040. The Parliament of the Cook Islands, Coo ...

and grew up on Rarotonga and

Aitutaki Aitutaki, also traditionally known as Araura and Utataki, is the second most-populated island in the Cook Islands, after Rarotonga. It is an "almost atoll", with fifteen islets in a lagoon adjacent to the main island. Total land area is , and the ...

. He was educated at Arorangi School, Ararua School, and

Tereora College Tereora College is a secondary school in Nikao, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. It is the oldest secondary school in the Cook Islands and the national college of the Cook Islands for Year 9–13 students. The school was first established in 1895 by th ...

in the Cook Islands, and

Mount Albert Grammar School Mount Albert Grammar School, commonly known as MAGS, is a co-educational state secondary school in Mount Albert in Auckland, New Zealand. It teaches students in year levels 9 to 13. , Mount Albert Grammar School is the second largest school in N ...

in New Zealand. He later attended

Brigham Young University–Hawaii Brigham Young University–Hawaii (BYU–Hawaii) is a private college in Laie, Hawaii, United States. It is owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). BYU–Hawaii was founded in 1955 and it became a sate ...

, graduating with a BSc in business management and a BA in history and government, as well as studying at the

University of the South Pacific The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and is owned by the gov ...

. He later studied at the

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Hawaiʻi system and houses the main offic ...

, graduating with a Master of Arts in Pacific Island Studies in 1992, and a PhD in political science in 1996.

Civil servant

From 1983 to 1986 he served as the Cook Islands' Secretary of Foreign Affairs. In 1987 he was appointed director of programmes for the

South Pacific Commission The Pacific Community (PC), formerly the South Pacific Commission (SPC), is an international development organisation governed by 27 members, including 22 Pacific island countries and territories around the Pacific Ocean. The organisation's hea ...

, serving as acting secretary-general in 1989. In 1991 he returned to the Cook Islands to become secretary of the new Ministry of Cultural Development.

Academic

In 1993 he returned to Brigham Young University–Hawaii as a professor of political science. He took a leave of absence from 1997 to 1999 while he was serving as Cook Islands' high commissioner to New Zealand,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

, and

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...

. He returned to BYU-H, where he became director of Pacific Islands studies. He is currently emeritus professor of political science and Pacific Islands studies. Jonassen's work has focused on documenting Cook Islands culture, including traditional songs and chants. He published his first collection of Cook Islands legends while a university student. He is also a composer, and has composed more than 500 songs, including ''Mou Piri'', and ''E Tai Roimata''.

Recognition

He was made a member of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

for services to Cook Islands culture and the public service in the

2014 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 2014 were appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrati ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jonassen, Jon 1949 births 2023 deaths People from Rarotonga High commissioners of the Cook Islands to New Zealand High commissioners of the Cook Islands to Australia High commissioners of the Cook Islands to Fiji High commissioners of the Cook Islands to Papua New Guinea Cook Island civil servants Cook Island educators Brigham Young University–Hawaii alumni Brigham Young University–Hawaii faculty University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni Members of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Mount Albert Grammar School