"It is there that I learned to fish, to plant root crops and to hunt. I came to understand how to read the weather and which plants could be used for injuries and cuts. Above all, I was taught the importance of caring for the land and the ocean. During bedtime, the spiritual connection to the land was taught to me through kastom stories."
"I watch as it chips away at our island of Fanalei, the place we all love. The ocean that was once my playground and my teacher is now the source of one of my greatest fears. King tides, flooding, storms. What they call extreme weather. The fear that you feel for your life and the lives of your loved one stays with you for ever."
Childhood in the Reef Islands included learning to fish, plant root crops, hunt, read weather, and identify medicinal plants. A deep spiritual connection to land and ocean was formed through kastom bedtime stories explaining island origins, rivers, and rocks. The island of Fanalei now faces erosion from king tides, flooding, storms, and other extreme weather, with the sea steadily swallowing land. Fear for personal safety and loved ones accompanies repeated events, and relocation is discussed among elders and grandfathers. There is reluctance to leave ancestral home and anxiety about whether anyone will care if islands disappear. A commitment to fight for climate justice aims to secure a future for children and kin.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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