Just returned from a conference sponsored by the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society at Columbia University. The conference entitled, "Comparing, Editing, Translating: Periodicals and Interdisciplinary Journals Today" addressed the subject of academic and non-academic journals and periodicals in attempting, encouraging and inciting interdisciplinary and comparative work. Our panel on "Public Discourse, Post-colonialism, Globalization and Comparativism" included another presenter from South Africa, sometime contributing writer to The Nation, Mark Gevisser, and Editor of the Journal of Spanish and Cultural Studies, Jo Labanyi. My paper on 'Oiwi a Native Hawaiian Journal placed the origin of the journal within the context of a complex multi-ethnic/indigenous Hawai'i, the globe's pass-through-place for tourists, military personnel and migrants/immigrants. In suggesting this view of Hawai'i I also discuss the difficulties of proclaiming native subjectivity in a place which for most people serves as "Paradise."'Oiwi was the brain-na'au child of founding editor Mahealani Dudoit, who sought to counter the charge that no serious Hawaiian literature existed. She and co-editor Ku'ualoha Ho'omanawanui took issue with the claim that the phrase "Hawaiian-writer" was an oxymoron. In my paper I talked about how 'Oiwi actively sought out contributers for its first three journals, and addressed the subject of audience creation. 'Oiwi is a success in terms of finding a niche in other indigenous communities, schools, and homes, inspiring other native communities to produce their own journals and publications.My paper discussed the politics of 'Oiwi's language and translation policies within the colonial context of Hawai'i. This conference was sponsored by Professor Gayatri Spivak and was attended by writers and editors from distinguished journals such as Signs, The Journal of Pacific History, PMLA, New German Critique, The London Review of Books, The Nation, Small Axe: A Caribbean Journal of Criticism, just to name a few. Having meals with professors, editors and authors and listening to their presentations I find quickens my mind and helps me to think of a thousand other projects that could be launched from home. Also, these kinds of gatherings force me to think about my work in different ways. New York, Boston, London, New Zealand, Tahiti, Rapa Nui---from these vantage points I feel I am able to see home from different perspectives, since one always has to formulate and re-formulate "home" in speaking to people from "away." In this mode of translating I discover more clearly what Hawai'i/home means to me and am able then to resituate or reconfigure my own work. Also taking up the subject of where Hawai'i fits in relation to larger global schemes and processes I find liberating, transforming, like taking a break from battle and looking at the map anew. I can abandon my preconceived notions of how things are stuck at an impasse, mired in the muck of everyday challenges, by thinking about the difficulties facing people in the Caribbean, India or South Africa I rethink my orientation to problems in Hawai'i. I have learned much and hope to continue to do so. I am very grateful for these opportunities.Na'u na Noelani
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