High Chief of Lau ;
The Chief of Totoya,
The Chief of Mualevu ;
Representatives of the Methodist Church of Fiji ;
Members of the Lau group present today and those following the proceedings via the internet ;
The Lau Seascape Initiative organisation ;
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.
At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the observance of traditional iTaukei protocol of welcome accorded to me earlier. I am honoured to be recipient of the mana from the chiefs and vanua of Lau. I pray that we will all be blessed and all of Lau be blessed with continued prosperity and abundance to its people as well as its land and marine boundaries.
I am indeed honored to be invited to be part of this inaugural celebration. I acknowledge the timeliness of this event, as it culminates a week of deliberations at the annual provincial council meeting on development aspirations for the people of Lau. It is a testament that whilst you strive for development, you hold on to your culture, heritage and identity.
I am advised that this is the first event of its kind, and I would like to make special mention of the steadfast leadership and foresight of the Masi ni Vanua o Lau to convene the Lau Yaubula Festival. I am advised that this event is jointly organized by the Lau Provincial Office, Matabose ni veika-vakavanua and Conservation International, under the guidance of the Bose Vanua o Lau. The partnership is a strong testament of the alliance between the Vanua, Government and NGO partners to preserve our eroding cultural integrity, threatened natural ecosystems and the impact of climate change.
The Vanua o Lau possesses a large maritime domain that contributes substantially to the national economy, and provides recreation, food and income as well as a myriad of other benefits to coastal communities across Fiji. Our ocean also contains a wealth of globally significant biodiversity that underpins our culture, development and attracts tourists from around the globe.
This event provides a platform to celebrate and convene the multitude of kinfolks of Lau among its resident and diaspora populace. I have been informed that 90% of Lauans live in diaspora and 10% are residing in the 13 Tikina in Lau. I have no doubt that this event will strengthen kinship ties and reinforce the spirit and aspirations of family values at Tikina, Village, Mataqali, Tokatoka, and Vuvale for the greater good and that people need nature to thrive. Strengthening the biblical teaching in Acts 1:8 Everything begins from home or “me tekivu i Jerusalemi”.
Ladies and gentlemen, I was presented the opportunity to peruse your Lau Seascape Strategy 2018-2030, and was deeply concerned with the threatened [red] status of one of the 10 strategic targets – Cultural Integrity. Today’s milestone event is one step towards moving the needle from red to green. The preservation of Cultural Integrity will restore the critical social-cultural elements that are of significant value to guide conservation and sustainable development in Lau.
I am humbled that while you strive to deal with the above challenges I am encouraged to see that Lau is contributing and shaping national development to fulfill Fiji’s UN Ocean commitments such as the MPA 30×30 where 8.26% is the contribution of Lau. These national commitments are aligned to the Lau Seascape Strategy.
Perhaps it is timely at this point, to bring to your attention the timely developments at the international level, of instruments and declarations that are bringing the world’s attention to the special connection indigenous peoples have to their resources and the need for its protection.
We have our land and resources including our iqoliqoli that we have demarcated and registered and protected through our own laws as envisioned by our past leaders. Now we have the international recognition of that special connection through the United Nations Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples [UNDRIP] adopted by the UN general Assembly in 2007. It is indeed a landmark achievement in the development of indigenous rights under international law, particularly its unequivocal recognition of indigenous people’s rights to self-determination. Self-determination entails the right of a people to control their own affairs through freedom from discrimination and meaningful participation in decision making. The intended venture of the Province of Lau to sustainably and properly manage its resources, in my mind, moves the Yasana o Lau towards a stronger future. I have no doubt that it has relevance to other maritime provinces as well.
This event recognizes the unique, rich diverse culture and traditions that is known to Lau – its people, and identity as a community.
The event will also highlight the essential components of cultural safeguards and preserve these rich Lau identities as a precedent through video, audio and written publications.
This event aligns with the government’s aspirations in reinstating the Bose Levu Vakaturaga and embracing the Bose Vanua decisions in fulfillment of the management of nature in Lau – the residential and diaspora communities. Gender and Youth Empowerment is a hallmark of this event that brings in the inclusivity of all works of social groups in building a concrete and substantive succession plan and capacity building. Fiji’s 5 & 20 Year National Development Plan also speaks to partnership & networking with government sectors, NGOs, private sector agencies, community-based economic institutions, and individuals that can support delivery of Province-based Resource Management Strategy such as the Lau Seascape.
Recognizing the social connectivity of conservation measures and sustainable production, the Lau Seascape iYaubula Festival signifies the commitment of the Bose Vanua o Lau and its people in progressing and garnering overarching support from all relevant stakeholders in the execution of the Lau Seascape Strategy 2018-2030.
I was personally involved in the development of Fiji’s Great Sea Reef, which spans an area of roughly 1,200 km2 and extends from the northern tip of Vanua Levu to the western side of Viti Levu across Macuata, Bua, Ba and Nadroga Provinces. Well before the announcement of the Great Sea Reef as one of Fiji’s Voluntary Commitments to SDG 14, I was proud to work with the World Wildlife Fund and ensure Macuata’s inclusion as part of the Great Sea Reef Seascape. The Great Sea Reef is the world’s third longest barrier reef, and contains an array of unique mangrove island habitats, endemic fish and coral species, and other globally significant and diverse marine life. The Bose Vanua of Macuata is also aligned to the build up and construct of the Great Sea Reef conservation initiative working closely with WFF.
The Lau Yaubula Day celebration is set at a unique moment in time – as climate change impacts accelerate and the need for rapid economic development rises to support the wellbeing of our people; we have a limited window of time to work towards establishing meaningful mechanisms for safeguarding and protecting our cultural integrity.
In the post-pandemic situation and impact to our national economy and the compounding global economic crisis, it is without a doubt that Lau will need a new way forward grounded in our care for one’s self and integrating your richly embedded cultural diversity of each islands.
I am excited to be part of this event, and to celebrate with you the milestone for your collective stewardship of Lau natural resources from the mountain-to reef-to ocean. We are in this together, to protect our cultural heritage, secure our people, place and secure prospects now and in the future in protection of our cultural rights.
I have much pleasure in standing before you today to launch the Lau Yaubula Day Festival.
May God bless Fiji and May God bless continue to bless our natural resources.