Regardless of whether or not the proposal is accepted by existing member countries, the international pressures that impel this debate prompt us to ask ourselves what it means to be Melanesian.

Does the primacy of maintaining good relations with a powerful country like Indonesia supersede Melanesian solidarity, or are we able to transcend these pressures to define a common Melanesian perspective?

And what would a common Melanesian perspective look like? This question has been visited many times before. The late Papua New Guinea politician, lawyer, academic and philosopher Bernard Narokobi coined the succinct term, “the Melanesian Way”.

According to Narokobi, the Melanesian way is “the total cosmic vision of life”. It is not what other people say in defining who we are, nor is it about telling us who we are not.  We cannot accept others lecturing us what we ought to be, nor what we should be.

Narokobi himself refused to establish precisely what the Melanesian Way is because “…it is not only futile, but trite to attempt a definition of it”. But even if Narokobi refused to pinpoint what it is exactly, some key ideas emerge from his philosophies.

It could be said to be about respecting and valuing the Melanesian people with their unique cultures, philosophies, knowledge and traditions.

What it is not about is dreaming and seeing ourselves merely through the shadow of European and Asian interpretations. Our tragedy has been that we have allowed ourselves to be defined by someone else’s perspective, and not simply by being who we are. We still suffer from that legacy.

A stronger Melanesia must be built by all Melanesian people. The philosophies, knowledge and wisdom that guided our people for millennia need to be reasserted as the foundation for redefining who we are as a people; a critical first step if we are to going to establish some form of autonomy over our own future.

The Melanesian peoples of the Pacific must decide whether we are sufficiently united to support our brothers and sisters in West Papua, or whether our respective cultures are too diverse to be able to resist the trinkets offered by outsiders to look the other way.

The imminent decision to be made by the MSG leaders in Honiara will be a crucial one; one that will affect the Melanesian people for generations to come. Does the MSG stand for promoting Melanesian interests, or has it become tempted by the short term promises of the West and their Indonesian lackeys?

What has become of the Melanesian Way – the notion of the holistic and cosmic worldview advocated by Narokobi? The decision to be made in Honiara will shine a light on MSG’s own integrity. Does this grouping exist to help the Melanesian people, or is its real purpose to help others subjugate the Melanesian people?

This story isn’t a new one. The Western values of liberal democracy, free market, science and technology, and Christianity itself, would not have eventuated had it not been for a crucial decision made by the famous Macedonian conqueror Alexander after he defeated the great Persian army in the battle of Gaugamela in 334 BC.

The great commander had to decide whether to accept an offer made by the defeated King of Persia, Darius. The king offered half his empire, his daughter, and a fortune in money and gold to the young commander if he agreed to curtail his military expansion and rage.

Alexander refused. He had set his eye on conquering the world and he went on to conquer the Mediterranean world. His decision to reject King Darius’ offer meant that Greece became the hegemonic power in Europe and the Near East.

MSG would do well to consider Alexander’s decision. Does it allow itself to be distracted by the trinkets offered by Western governments and corporations? Or does it commit to realising the bigger prize of reshaping its own region according to its own interests and free from outside influence?

The decision by MSG whether to accept Indonesia’s offer of “princesses and money” to disregard the bid from the United Liberation Movement of West Papua for full membership will impact not just on Melanesia but on the world.

How remarkable would it be in this modern world if a long subjugated people stood firm against the mighty and rejected their gold in favour of their own souls.

Yamin Kogoya is a West Papuan living and studying in Australia