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Jane Resture (abbreviated from the French - Bordeaux - surname Restieaux) was born on the island of Hull (Orona) in the Phoenix Group of the Gilbert Islands, now known as the Republic of Kiribati. (All Restieauxs /Restures outside France are related and they are all descendants of Andre Restieaux and Marguerite Magdaleine Mignot of France - and England).

Whilst she was still young, Jane travelled extensively through the island states of Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia as her father carried out his duties as a wireless operator for the then government of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, now known as the Republic of Kiribati and Tuvalu, as well as the Solomon Islands.

Jane is one of a large family comprising seven girls and five boys of which she is the eldest. Jane’s father is Polynesian of Tuvaluan descent, and of English and French extraction, whilst her mother is Micronesian of Kiribati (Onotoa in the southern Gilberts) and Caroline Islands descent.

Jane has particularly fond memories of some of the countries in Oceania in which she grew up. Jane is particularly fond of the atolls/islands of Kiribati, including the charming, thriving and vital capital Tarawa, the scene of the bloody Battle of Tarawa during World War II.

Jane also spent her young years on Christmas Island (Kiritimati) of the Line Islands which she remembers as one of the most unusual places on earth. Christmas Island is the largest coral atoll in the world being sculptured like the claw of a giant crab surrounded by a sea of emerald. This irresistible island has that special magical quality that enhances its natural beauty as a haven for unique, rare and colourful bird life protected within the confines of a world class wild life sanctuary. Christmas Island is also a world class fishing ground with an abundance of fish and marine life. The Christmas Island Hotel (Captain Cook Hotel) is utilized as a fishing lodge by game fishermen from all around the world.

The nine coral atolls/islands of Tuvalu have strong family ties for Jane. She particularly remembers the capital Funafuti which she revisited for the Independence celebrations. The birth of the new independent nation was a stirring and moving occasion that Jane will always remember with great pride.

Jane also has fond memories of the Solomon Islands, in particular the capital Honiara, on Guadalcanal, to which her father relocated as a wireless operator and where her father and mother retired and settled down. Many of Jane's brothers and sisters and their families have made the Solomon Islands their home.

As the eldest daughter in the family, Jane was brought up in accordance to the complex customs and rituals of the island people.

To this very day, Jane believes that the island customs, rituals and language and, indeed, the entire fabric of island heritage not only need to be preserved but can contribute so much to modern western society. Jane is particularly proud of her island heritage and believes that she is very privileged to have a background that incorporates elements of Micronesian, Polynesian and Melanesian cultures.

Jane was very fortunate to be able to enrol at the prestigious Immaculate Heart College, Taborio, Tarawa, Kiribati. Recognized at an early age as a gifted student, Jane was groomed for further study overseas and was awarded a scholarship on behalf of the government of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony (including Banaba), now the Republic of Kiribati and Tuvalu, to continue her schooling in Sydney, Australia, at St. Scholastica's College. Hence this was the first time that both Immaculate Heart College and the government of the then Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony (the Republic of Kiribati and Tuvalu) were represented at St. Scholastica's College, Glebe Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

During her time at Immaculate Heart College, Jane was privileged to concurrently hold the positions of House Prefect (Mount Carmel - Green) and Sports Captain. Later she was Head Prefect and, in her final year, she was Dux of Immaculate Heart College. The motto of Immaculate Heart College is "SEEK TRUTH" and this has been one of the guiding principles that Jane has applied throughout her life and, to the best of her ability, to all her undertakings and endeavours.

As a Pacific Islander, Jane felt most fortunate in having attended Immaculate Heart College for some years before continuing her education in Sydney, Australia. Like many of her fellow students, Jane has many happy and most wonderful recollections of this time. It is her great pleasure to be able to share one of them with you all (in her own words as per one of her monthly Newsletters of 2005) in addition to her own current observations:

"It was such a marvellous experience that brought about my humble belief in the importance of live theatre, including singing and dancing, in the preservation of the cultural identity of people worldwide.

The experience came about when I was selected by my fellow students and staff to play the lead role (Abu Hassan) in the dramatic play: "ABU HASSAN PAYS HIS DEBTS". It was a play built very much around the central role of Abu Hassan, and one that received popular acclaim throughout the Republic of Kiribati and Tuvalu, as well as neighbouring islands and beyond. Critical reports indicated that the role of the supposedly dead Abu had been played with such dramatic effect 'that made the staff recognize the importance of drama in the teaching and improving of English. From then on the teachers always tried to have it as part of the curriculum'."

Jane thinks that it is very important to remember that live theatre is something that should always be encouraged as a learning experience, a form of entertainment and, perhaps more importantly, as a teaching medium and the means of preserving the cultural heritage of us all.

* * * * *

September 2005 was the Golden Jubilee of Immaculate Heart College, Taborio, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati. 'A book entitled: RECTA SAPERE - The story of Immaculate Heart College, Taborio, 1955-2005, was prepared, presented and distributed by a former non-I-Kiribati student of Immaculate Heart College, from the island of Nanumea, Tuvalu, who is now a nun or Sister of the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, based at Teaoraereke, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati. The book was intended to provide a true representation of the history and achievements of Immaculate Heart College and was launched as part of the Golden Jubilee'.

The Latin RECTA SAPERE is "TO RELISH WHAT IS RIGHT" and, to be able to do this, one has "to know what is right". The school motto: RECTA SAPERE was later changed to "SEEK TRUTH" which was incorporated into the school logo.

Very sadly, the book - ...The Story of Immaculate Heart College, Taborio, 1955-2005, outlining the history and achievements of Immaculate Heart College, does not give an accurate record of many of the aspects of Immaculate Heart College during the period 1955-2005, including, among other things, Jane's part in playing the role of Abu Hassan which was deliberately given to someone else. Even her scholarship to complete her secondary education at St. Scholastica's College, Glebe Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was also deliberately taken off the record altogether. Where is justice?

Indeed, at most, it is a very poor record of Immaculate Heart College and the many outstanding and gifted students who attended Immaculate Heart College during this time. It contains errors that are so numerous that the same document will have to be completely researched and rewritten to provide a factual representation of the history and achievements of Immaculate Heart College along with the role played by many former students and staff during this period. The extent to which these errors result from inaccurate and distorted information or from an attempt by the author to undermine the achievements of prominent students is now under investigation. However, this whole matter raises many questions about the honesty, credibility and integrity that are central to the preparation of this document.

In this context, Jane's other concerns, and the concerns of many other former students, relate to several gross inaccuracies in this book. Indeed, in their Kiribati (along with other islands and countries) customs, these things reflect very badly on them all including their dear families, extended families, the government of Kiribati and Tuvalu (who were responsible for their scholarships, education and achievements during that period of time), as well as their many friends and associates all of whom know the truth. Certainly, this also raises questions about the possible existence of jealousy, revenge and vindictiveness on behalf of the author of this document. In this respect, Jane is now looking at a positive step in rectifying a very serious situation of errors which, if not corrected, in the Kiribati (and normal) way, will go on and on, and be discussed and disputed for generations to come - there will be no end to it until it is corrected.

Many of the former students feel that they have been badly treated, robbed, denied and cheated in this document in such a manner that causes them considerable distress and will no doubt cause distress in their families for generations to come. Certainly, a considerable effort needs to be applied to correct this appalling book which has now been brought forward by the same non-I-Kiribati author (Sister of the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) from the island of Nanumea, Tuvalu, by the name of Sister Alaima Talu, into a Master's thesis and presented to the University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji - and seek the truth according to the Immaculate Heart College (Taborio, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati) motto: SEEK TRUTH. *

Jane's comments, above, are not intended to reflect, in a general sense, upon the integrity of the former and present staff (at Immaculate Heart College) who have certainly done and still continue to do so much to bring, among so many other beneficial and important things, higher education and good Christian values to their students and the wonderful people of the Republic of Kiribati (and elsewhere). Sadly and unfortunately, it only takes the actions of one or two former staff, in this case, to impact adversely upon the good names of Immaculate Heart College as well as those of the many former students and former staff who have been badly treated, denied, robbed and cheated of their good names and achievements. Let us hope that Immaculate Heart College and its present staff continue with their good work and seek truth in order to forever erase and correct these (and future) unfortunate injustices.

* NOTICE!

The Importance Of Accurate School Records In Highlighting Students'
Achievements, Cognitive Development And For Ongoing Genealogical Research

It is very pleasing to be able to report now that, on 25th May 2010, after high level representations (especially by the Australian High Commission to Kiribati, as well as a strong and very kind support from a Sister of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Kensington, Australia) on my behalf and on behalf of my fellow former students and staff of my former college, Immaculate Heart College, that several corrections to the multitude of errors in the abovementioned document, via telephone by Sister Margaret Sullivan, Sister in-charge of the Catholic Archive, Teaoraereke, Tarawa, Kiribati, have now been most reluctantly put into place. This telephone advice from the Catholic Archive at Teaoraereke, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati, will hopefully (and I do mean very hopefully) be followed by a requested written confirmation. This is the first and most difficult step of the many steps necessary to correct the multitude of very serious errors still present in this document on behalf of the many former students and staff of Immaculate Heart College who were badly treated and cheated by the same Tuvaluan nun, Sister Alaima Talu, who was the author of "RECTA SAPERE - The story of Immaculate Heart College, Taborio, 1955-2005".

11th April 2012 - It is 2012 and we are still waiting to receive a requested written confirmation from Sr Margaret Sullivan who is in charge of the Catholic Archive at Teaoraereke, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati!! with regard to her telephone advice regarding the correction of errors in Sr Alaima's (Talu) published book: RECTA SAPERE - along with the correction of the multitude of errors brought forward into Sr Alaima Talu's thesis which was presented to the University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, mentioned above.

As a result of all of the above, I think that it is very important to remember that it is worth persevering, at all times, in the belief that when we seek truth, the truth will always ultimately prevail and we will be successful and triumphant in the end. Thanks be to God!

---- Jane Resture

Jane then successfully completed her Higher School Certificate at St. Scholastica’s College, Glebe Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She also enrolled in, and graduated from the June Dally-Watkins School of Modelling and Deportment in Sydney. Jane has also successfully completed courses in Cordon Bleu, Entertainment with Elegance, Interior Decorating and Fashion Designs in Canberra, Australia.

Upon her return to Tarawa, Kiribati, she hosted her popular radio program while awaiting finalization of a further scholarship to continue her higher education in Australia. Jane was then awarded another scholarship by the Solomon Islands government to continue her tertiary and higher education in Australia where she successfully completed her further studies in Accounting and Advanced Secretarial Studies in Sydney.

Jane then returned to work in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Afterwards, she again returned to Australia and pursued her career in both government and private enterprise. After a successful career working at a senior level within government and private enterprise in mainly Sydney, Grafton, Canberra and Brisbane, Jane relocated her business to the Australian Gold Coast.

Jane would also like to take this opportunity to extend her deep gratitude to Australia, her adopted home, as well as the wonderful Australian people for their unique and warm hospitality, their valued and lasting friendships along with their kindness and trust in making available so many opportunities both in education and for a rewarding and most fulfilling career. She now devotes much of her spare time to writing, particularly with regard to documenting the life, culture, customs, mythology, ethnology, genealogy, rituals, etc. of the island people along with the indigenous people of Australia and New Zealand.

One of Jane's current projects is documenting the amazing life of her great grandfather Alfred Restieaux. He was one of the pre-colonial traders in the Pacific Islands and she regards this project to be of a higher priority due to it being an invaluable record of island life during that period, in addition to providing many island people with an insight into from whence they came. She is also currently writing her Memories of Oceania book which records her life growing up in the islands of Oceania - Republic of Kiribati (Micronesia), Tuvalu (Polynesia) and the Solomon Islands (Melanesia). This book also details how the cognitive development of the growing young island woman is interlinked with the many facets of our wonderful and complex island culture.

In this respect, Jane felt most honoured and humbled to have received two knighthoods, and made a Dame in 2001, and subsequently a Grand Dame in 2002, in recognition of her contributions to education and the preservation of our rich and wonderful Pacific Island cultural heritage. Jane also holds a PhD in Anthropology with a specialization in Pacific Island Studies (2001).

Jane's Oceania Chat Room	A short history of Alfred Restieaux
A Handwritten page from Alfred Restieaux's Manuscript (345KB)	Jane's Oceania Home Page