Matteo Gallo's contribution to ESFO 2025 conference

The 4th FestPac : how a festival that never happened straighten Pan-Kanak and Pan-Pacific Connections.

Abstract Abstract: The paper will focus on the Fourth Festival of Pacific Arts, originally planned for 1984 in Nouméa, subsequently postponed to the following year in Tahiti and finally never succeeded to happen. Although the festival never took place, its preparation, occurring at the height Kanak cultural revival and nationalist movement of the 1980s, led to a surge in artistic productions and circulation across the archipelago and the solidification of a pan-Kanak identity. Additionally, it contributed to strengthen pan- Pacific ties, revealing a network of solidarity and connections that had been developing for years. Considering this historical period and recent political events, the paper will conclude by reflecting on the upcoming Festival that will be held in New Caledonia.