The Island Man Sings His Song is a compilation of poems that expresses Giftus John's perspective of life in his native land, Dominica; an island full of culture and history, politics and religion, beauty and charm. An island where poetry is in motion everyday and every night. It also tells how an island man adapts to his adopted homeland, America, and the frustrations, the worries,fears, concerns and a contrasting way of life compared to the one that he grew up with. It also expresses the authors feelings for his homeland as it struggles to find itself in the developing world. The poems also take a look globally at topics that cover life in general. The poems in The Island Man Sings His Song cover numerous topics and have a style each of their own being presented in local dialect, kweyol and standard English usage. It is a collection of thoughts, ideas and hope and inspiration.

"Larry W. Jones has written over 3,500 song lyrics with island based themes. Most are in the sytle of the "hapa haole" return-to-paradise tradition of the golden years of Territorial Hawaii"--Volume 7, title page verso

This volume presents five variants of the Imdeduya myth: two versions of the actual myth, a short story, a song and John Kasaipwalova’s English poem “Sail the Midnight Sun”. This poem draws heavily on the Trobriand myth which introduces the protagonists Imdeduya and Yolina and reports on Yolina’s intention to marry the girl so famous for her beauty, on his long journey to Imdeduya’s village and on their tragic love story. The texts are compared with each other with a final focus on the clash between orality and scripturality. Contrary to Kasaipwalova’s fixed poetic text, the oral Imdeduya versions reveal the variability characteristic for oral tradition. This variability opens up questions about traditional stability and destabilization of oral literature, especially questions about the changing role of myth – and magic – in the Trobriand Islanders' society which gets more and more integrated into the by now “literal” nation of Papua New Guinea.

Author Giftus Johns goal for his home island of Dominica is to reach to the top of the mountaina milestone of greatnessdespite all the difficulties it faces. Although Dominicans may leave their home in pursuit of other dreams, he believes that someday they will return to a better land. Building on this idea, Verses from atop the Mountain expresses Johns passion and concern for events in his homeland and his hopes that its negative situations will soon be remedied. This anthology of poems focuses on an array of topics: politics, nature, culture, love of country, abuse, life and death, and human behavior. Poems such as The Migrants Song, also explore the conditions that Dominicans may encounter in their adopted homelands, like the United States. Although there are hurdles to navigate for Dominica, as John makes clear in the last poem of the collection, Living in Hope, there is hope for the future. Sharing one mans deep love for the land he still calls home, Verses from atop the Mountain presents poetry that invites you to experience the beauty and unique life of Dominica. *** Verses From Atop The Mountain is the essential expression from the heart of a passionate patriot, who maintains a determined stance of struggling purpose within the diaspora, as Dominica, his beloved island home, where nature abounds, beckons. I Wait For Spring, illustrates that nostalgic longing quite eloquently. Giftus John is obviously involved with life in Dominica. The wealth of topic selections is rivaled only by the surprising and yet simple and accessible twists of phrases that embellish the work and bring joy to the reader, as it leans on colorful contrasting symbols embedded in Nature. In The Village Awakens, one of my favorites, Giftus paints a lively picture of a village in Dominica that warms the soul of those who have experienced the unlocking of the secret of Dominican rural life. Like him, we all have smiled in awe at the beauty of the simple life that surrounds us. In What Is Freedom? another of my favorites, Giftus challenges almost everyones view of the word freedom. He is mad about the abuse of the doctrine of the right to free speech. He questions ones interpretation of freedom of association, and of freedom to be red, green, or blue, or to be gay, or straight. What is freedom? he asks. Is it just a word? Verses From atop the Mountain is a delightful journey and a must have book for anyone interested in Dominican, and Caribbean poetry. Ophelia Olivacc-Marie

Giftus Johns Ma William and her Circle of Friends recreates the idyllic life in the village of Senjo with a shopkeeper, Ma William, at its center. Her shop is a mecca of sorts; one where the villagers assemble to discuss the issues that impact their lives. John constructs an edenic landscape where communal activities such as playing mas, helping the local fishermen, attending mass, or going to a religious wake occupy center stage in the lives of the villagers. However, the impression of a settled and close-knit village is illusory. Politics fragments the community. Migration takes a toll as young and old seek supposedly greener pastures. The village is slowly changing as a result of these external forces. The reader is left to wonder whether or not these changes are indeed for the better. Written with great sensitivity and attention to local speech rhythms, Giftus Johns most recent work recreates a life which is slowly witnessing its demise. This book confirms Johns reputation as one of Dominicas finest writers. Justice Irving W. Andr Ontario, Canada Giftus John has done it again! His Ma William and Her Circle of Friends continues his great tradition of entertaining and enlightening Caribbean prose. This is a must-read for people of the Caribbean and for those who love the Caribbean or want an education in Caribbean culture. Vaughn E. James Glenn West Research Professor of Law and Director, Tax Clinic Texas Tech University School of Law Lubbock, Texas

"This volume brings together an innovative set of readings of complex interactions between Australian Aboriginal people and colonisers. It has its origins in 2003 when Mark Hannah, then a doctoral student in the Centre for Cross Cultural Research at The Australian National University, invited a group of early career scholars to meet in Canberra. They brought their diverse social science and humanities backgrounds to the uncovering of creative Indigenous responses to the colonial encounter in Australia, and fresh ways of writing about these. Their studies were focused in diverse parts of Australia and on different time periods, but shared a common interest in developing critical re-assessments of Australian colonial and anti-colonial histories. Their meeting encouraged face-to-face exchanges that could short-circuit the isolation often experienced by cross-disciplinary, original scholars. It also emphasised writerly aspects of creative thinking, promoting the portrayal of character, alternative prose styles and inventive narrative forms. The authors' responses to these invitations have flavoured the commissioned papers presented here. The critical and creative drives which inform them shines out in their writing. They are exciting and sometimes surprising in the angles they take, and the cross-overs of genre or subject that they offer."--Provided by publisher.

Intellectual, biological and cultural property rights are a powerful and debatable topic. They offer the possibility for protection of rights to intangible resources, including the products of knowledge and creativity. The forces of globalisation have made this subject of immediate, international concern. Struggles for ownership of intellectual property occur between and within local and global arenas. This book examines important questions which Papua New Guinea must ask in the development of intellectual property legislation. The chapters are written by specialists in the fields of medicine, law, the environment, music, genetics and traditional cultural knowledge. The wise and creative protection of intellectual, biological and cultural property is important if Papua New Guinea is to successfully define and realise its future.