Vei Lomani: Rupeni’s story
On 20 February 2016, Tropical Cyclone Winston, the most intense (category five) tropical cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere on record, struck the mainland of Fiji, killing 44 people and injuring countless others. Hundreds of people lost their homes, with others seriously damaged, including Rupeni Vatugata’s,...
Catalina’s story: climate change in Fiji, through the eyes of a child
It’s 5:30am in Vunisavisavi, a small village on the coast of Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second biggest island. The sun is starting to rise, birds are beginning to chirp, and Catalina, 11 years old, is awake. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, she’s up with a spring...
Ma’e na ma’e: Rebuilding Ra after Tropical Cyclone Winston
The province of Ra is one of the strongest, most ethnically and linguistically diverse communities in all of Fiji, with over 86 villages and a population of 29,464 (2007 census). And it is also well recognized for keeping keeping traditional Fijian values like vei lomani – directly...
Vunisavisavi: Rising tides for one of Fiji’s most sacred communities
Vunisavisavi is not, at first glance, what you’d expect to be the home of a King. Perched below steep hills, on the south-east coast of Fiji’s second largest island of Vanua Levu, Vunisavisavi is relatively unassuming. Tucked quietly into the landscape, wrapped on both sides...
Leading a family, and a community, through and beyond Tropical Cyclone Winston: Raivolita’s Story
After travelling the world, living in Hawaii, Pohnpei and working in the tourism industry in across all of Fiji, Raivolita Tabusoro, 43, of Nabukadra, a village on the Northern coast of Viti Levu in Fiji, says there is no place like home. “I enjoy living...
A Mother, A Teacher, A Climate Change Fighter: Meredani’s Story
Vunisavisavi, a small community on the south-east coast of Fiji’s second largest island, is tucked modestly into the landscape, surrounded by the sea. In the heart of this quiet community, is Meredani Koco. A 61-year-old mother, wife and retired teacher, Meredani is also, in many ways, a...
Shaping the next generation of climate defenders: Asmita’s story
Twenty-four-year old Ashmita Ashwin Kamal knew she wanted to be a teacher from a young age. “I wanted to become a teacher… to fulfill my parents dreams and to be in a noble profession,” says Asmita. “I like shaping young minds and moulding them to be good...
Waivunia Marine Park: Luke Tuibua’s Story
The day before Cyclone Winston hit, Luke Tuibua and students from Deakin University (Melbourne, Australia) were hard at work planting mangroves along the coastline near Luke’s village Waivunia, on the coast of Vanua Levu, the second largest island in Fiji. Mangroves combat coastal erosion – the complex underground root...
Behind the Scenes: A Climate Change VR Storytelling Project
“Being a Fijian… I feel as though I have a very different perspective, a very different mandate than just research…” Here’s a rare insight into my personal video diary on Day 2, behind the scenes of making a climate change story VR film in Fiji...
Climate Change in Fiji in VR: ‘Our Home, Our People’
‘Vei lomani’ is a Fijian expression meaning ‘love in action’, and it is a value at the heart of Fijian life. And it is in the spirit of ‘vei lomani’ that Fijians are coming together to respond to the impacts of climate change. Experience the...
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