Ron Crocombe

Ronald Gordon Crocombe (8 October 1929 – 19 June 2009) was a Professor of Pacific Studies at the University of the South Pacific. His reputation was such that he was described as the "father of Pacific Studies".

Ron Crocombe was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and was raised in Piopio in the King Country, before attending Otahuhu College in Auckland. He later completed a degree from Auckland University. Ron went to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands as Clerk of Works for the New Zealand colonial Government's Public Works Department in 1950. In 1957 he became the Resident Agent "Akavanui" or head of local government on the island of Atiu. There he formed a lifelong association with the people of Atiu including the high chief Rongomatane who named one of his sons in honour of their friendship.

He started university studies by extension in Rarotonga and went on to complete a bachelor's degree from Auckland University, then completed an MA from Victoria University of Wellington, and a PhD in history at the Australian National University (ANU) in 1961. His work on land use and tenure in Cook Island society was considered groundbreaking at the time and is still used as a standard text in South Pacific land tenure studies.

Ron Crocombe lived in Papua New Guinea between 1962 and 1969, as Director of the ANU's New Guinea Research Unit based in Port Moresby, and then went to the newly established University of the South Pacific where he was Professor of Pacific Studies for 20 years. He was made Emeritus Professor in 1989.

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