my rarotonga

Indigenous peoples everywhere, including some of us here in the Pacific Island nations, understand all too well what it means to lose ‘home’ – physically, mentally, spiritually or emotionally.

I watched a really interesting episode of Tagata Pasifika (did anyone else see it?),  about the plight of the people of Olohega.  Olohega, a small island originally part of Tokelau, bought many years ago for 15 shillings an acre plus a bottle of Gin, is now part of the United States of America and is owned by Alexander Jennings.

Olohega

Back sometime around the 1950’s, all the native islanders of Olohega were kicked out (they were employed by the Jennings family, and were kicked out after protesting against the inhumane working conditions) and shipped off to American Samoa.  Then in 1980, New Zealand signed the Treaty of Tokehega with the United States of America, formally signing over ownership of Olehega to the United States.  The people of Olehega now live in Hawaii, displaced and longing to return home, while the Jennings family still continue to enjoy their private resort island.  This story saddened me deeply, so I wanted to do what I could to make their story known, and to help their movement.

Olohega

Olohega belongs to the people of Olohega, and the nation of Tokelau.

Support their cause on Facebook here.  Following is an excerpt from the episode, spoken by one of the people of Olohega:

In humility I speak to you.
My voice is not a mighty rushing wind, its gentle, yet piercing.
Don’t forget it’s our heritage.
Don’t forget it’s our bones and flesh, handed down to us from our ancestors.
A fishing line that broke, a fish that broke off from the line.
Heed to that small still voice, your ancestors’ whisper, saying – its yours.
…

Just a footnote on the subject of losing ‘home’……

Unfortunately, ALL Pacific Island nations face another threat to their homes: Climate Change.

I read a quote from a great piece by Caroline Howe, which simply and truthfully summed up what climate change means to the Pacific:

“Nations are Disappearing. Entire Nations. Now.”

Climate Change is not a concept or theory for us – it is reality.  Already Kiribati has lost two of its islands, and it won’t take much more of a sea-level rise for more of our precious lands to disappear.

With my small voice, I urge you to do what you can to stand up to your governments to reduce emissions and fight climate change, to protect all the cultures, the hearts, the stories and the people of the Pacific.