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University of Hawaii names award after late Indo-Fijian historian
Professor Lal was a pioneering scholar who profoundly influenced the study of Pacific history, particularly concerning Fiji and the Indian diaspora.
Brij V Lal. / Image - University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa has established a new award to honor the legacy of the Indo-Fijian historian and former faculty member, professor Brij V. Lal, who passed away in December 2021.
The Professor Brij V. Lal Award, created to recognize his significant contributions in the field of Pacific history, will recognize outstanding articles published in “The Contemporary Pacific”, a journal produced by the University’s Center for Pacific Islands Studies (CPIS).
"This award represents a wonderful testament to Brij’s scholarly legacy as the first editor of The Contemporary Pacific, as well as the generosity of the Lal family,” said Terence Wesley-Smith, UH Mānoa emeritus professor and chair of the journal’s review committee.
The inaugural recipient of the award is Monica C. LaBriola, an associate professor of history at UH Mānoa. LaBriola was recognized for her article, "Marshallese Women and Oral Traditions: Navigating a Future for Pacific History," which was published in the journal’s fall and spring 2023 issues. Her work reevaluates the role of women in Marshallese history by analyzing oral and performative traditions.
“To say it is an honor to be the inaugural recipient of the Professor Brij V. Lal Award is an understatement—he was a true giant in the field of Pacific history. I hope Brij would approve,” LaBriola said.
Professor Lal was a pioneering scholar who profoundly influenced the study of Pacific history, particularly concerning Fiji and the Indian diaspora. In recognition of his impactful career, Lal's family, CPIS, and UH Mānoa established the annual award to honor a The Contemporary Pacific article that embodies the rigorous scholarship and depth of understanding Lal championed.
The Lal family expressed their delight that the first award was given to an article examining a nation's history from marginalized perspectives, written by an early career academic.
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