Human, Ecological and Indigenous Rights Defender Tevita Naikasowalu attended the UN Ocean Conference in June 2022. This was his message to the leaders of the world on the last day of the conference.
For me, being here in person – that’s a message. Because to come here, it costs my life’s savings to arrive here. But I have to get all the finances available because I have a point to prove. It matters to be here.
Before I came, in my tradition we do what we call a blessing before we leave: I Tatau. I presented it from my parents, to ask them: "I am going to go to represent us."
It was a great honour for them. They say, “You are going not only for our land. Your people, your ancestors, those who have fought, those who have lived, those who have died in the name of faith, in the name of development. You carry a lot, even though nobody might have heard your voice. But you are going there.”
That’s why it matters to be here. It is important for us to stand up and take the God-given chance and the opportunities that we are given because it matters to other voiceless people back at home. To take up their voices.
To our leaders of the world, my message is about simplicity. We do not need to grow bigger, better to make the world a better place. We need to become more humble, like the original people. You don’t need much to get more. You have to give more to get much. That’s my message.
Even if we can share the wealth that we already have with other countries that have less. We don’t need to take more. We need to share more. Because we already have less. That’s my message. We need to live simple and we have to try to be happy. Also, we have to carry on the honour of those who have gone before us. It does matter to continue telling this story. That’s why it’s extremely important to me. It’s not easy to cry on such a platform. Thank you.
I would like to sing the song for the lament of the Oceania people. This song is an adaption from one of the groups in Fiji called the Rootstrata. They used to sing about our social justice messages. This happened during the political upheaval in Fiji during 1987.
Hear me Cry in the Ocean
1) Hear me crying in the ocean
I need your help, come help me now
There’s so much pain.
2) Pollution, mining and climate change
And all we need is a chance to live
And just be free.
Chorus
For we are the victims of this greed and war
We do not want our children to suffer more
In the world where only, a few would rule
No equal opportunity for the majority
Hear us now
Hear us now
Hear us now
Hear us now
3) Rising seas, drowning lands
We are refugees
Our Identity and dignity, washed away
4) Though we cry, but we defend our ocean
It’s our motherland, it’s all we have
Stop hurting her.
Chorus
For we are the victims of this greed and war
We do not want our children to suffer more
In the world where only, a few would rule
No equal opportunity for the majority
Hear us now
Hear us now
Hear us now
Hear us now
5) Oceania people raise their voices in unity:
Stop destruction of the ocean,
She’s our home
Chorus
For we are the victims of this greed and war
We do not want our children to suffer more
In the world where only, a few would rule
No equal opportunity for the majority
Hear us now
Hear us now
Hear us now
Hear us now ……………. Hear me crying in the ocean.