Jean-Marie Tjibaou (January 30, 1936 – May 4, 1989) was a French politician in

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

and leader of the

Kanak The Kanak (French spelling until 1984: Canaque) are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southwest Pacific. According to the 2019 census, the Kanak make up 41.2% of New Caledonia' ...

independence movement. The son of a tribal chief, Tjibaou was ordained a Catholic

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

but abandoned his religious vocation for a life in political activism. During the 1970s, he undertook a thesis in

ethnology Ethnology (from the grc-gre, ἔθνος, meaning 'nation') is an academic field that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them (compare cultural anthropology, cultural, social anthropolo ...

at the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

. While he did not complete his studies, he became engaged in cultural and ethnicity issues on New Caledonia. In 1975 he arranged the Melanesia 2000 festival, which emphasized the Kanak identity. He was appointed

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Hienghène Hienghène (; Fwâi: ''Hyehen'') is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is located on a bay called Hienghène Bay, known for its eroded limestone islets. The islets are rem ...

in 1977 and, in 1979, he was made territorial councillor in the newly formed Independence Front, and the head of the pro-independence

Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front The Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (french: Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste, FLNKS) is a pro-independence alliance of political parties in New Caledonia. It was founded in 1984 at a congress of various politica ...

in 1984. On 4 May 1989, he was murdered along with in

Ouvéa Ouvéa () or Uvea is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from t ...

by another Kanak, . A cultural leader in the promotion of the indigenous Kanak culture, Wéa was shot dead by Tjibaou's bodyguards after the attack. Witnesses said other gunmen were involved. the modern

Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre The Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre (french: Centre culturel Tjibaou), on the narrow Tinu Peninsula, approximately northeast of the historic centre of Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia, celebrates the vernacular Kanak culture, the indig ...

, designed by Italian architect

Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (; born 14 September 1937) is an Italian architect. His notable buildings include the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (with Richard Rogers, 1977), The Shard in London (2012), the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (20 ...

, is named in his honour.

References

*http://www.adck.nc/ 1936 births 1989 deaths Assassinated New Caledonian politicians Assassinated French politicians Mayors of places in New Caledonia New Caledonian writers Laicized Roman Catholic priests Kanak people University of Paris alumni École pratique des hautes études alumni People from North Province, New Caledonia {{NewCaledonia-mayor-stub

See also

References