Who we are as indigenous people is intrinsically linked to the ocean — our histories, identities, and way of life. But if deep-sea mining is allowed to happen, all of these will be brutalised, violated, and trampled upon. We will not stand for that.”
Indigenous Fijian cultural expert and scholar Simione Sevudredre emphasised this key point during a dialogue session on Deep-Sea Mining (DSM) earlier this week, where he also argued against all forms of mineral exploration and extraction in the Pacific Ocean.
Sevudredre emphasised the almost symbiotic bond between the indigenous Fijian people and the ocean, which endures to this day.
While our ancestors relied upon the ocean as a source of food and resources, they also traversed its length and breadth with precision as skilled navigators, using the stars, wind, currents, and birds as guides.
