Jon Tikivanotau Michael Jonassen (born 24 July 1949) is a

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

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 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 the ...

in the Cook Islands, and Mount Albert Grammar School in New Zealand. He later attended

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

, 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 go ...

. He later studied at the

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa The University of Hawaii at Mānoa (University of Hawaii—Mānoa, UH Mānoa, Hawai'i, or simply UH) is a public land-grant research university in Mānoa, a neighborhood in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is the flagship campus of the University of Haw ...

, 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. The organisation's headquarters are in Nouméa ...

, 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, Fiji, and

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...

. 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 document 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 contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established 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 Living people People from Rarotonga High Commissioners of the Cook Islands to New Zealand 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