donald kalpokas was born on august 23, 1943, on lelepa island, new hebrides. after graduating from onesua school on efate island and king george vi school in honiara, he entered the teachers college in auckland. from 1971 to 1974 he studied at the university of the south pacific in suva. from 1968 to 1976, he taught on behalf of the british national service, and from 1975 to 1976 he taught at a british high school. kalpokas later became the founder and first president of the teachers' association and the new hebrides cultural association.