Fenton Lutunatabua, a storyteller from the Fiji Islands, shares his personal journey and the powerful movement of the Pacific Climate Warriors. He talks about how his upbringing, deeply connected to the ocean, shifted as he learned about climate change. This led him to dedicate himself to a Pasifika-led climate movement, highlighting the resilience and fight of communities often seen only as victims.
The Ocean’s Shifting Story
Growing up, Fenton’s grandfather taught him about their family’s long history as boat builders and fisher folk, always emphasizing the ocean’s kindness. This connection shaped Fenton’s early life, making him feel deeply linked to the sea. However, as he learned about rising sea levels and climate impacts, he realized that the very ocean that had sustained his family for generations could now threaten their existence. This realization sparked his commitment to building a climate movement led by the people of the Pacific.
The Pacific Climate Warriors: A New Narrative
Fenton introduces the Pacific Climate Warriors, a group of young Pasifika people from across the Pacific region and in diaspora communities. These communities contribute less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions but are among the most vulnerable to climate change. The movement started over a decade ago at a youth climate conference in Istanbul, Turkey.
At this conference, they realized that outsiders often saw Pacific Islanders as mere victims, waiting to be saved from their drowning islands. This was not true. They decided to change this narrative. Instead of just focusing on the impacts, they wanted to show the world their fight. Their slogan became: "We are not drowning, we are fighting."
This new identity led to powerful actions. Less than a year later, at the largest coal production port in Newcastle, Australia, they blockaded the port for a day using traditional handmade canoes. This act broke the victim narrative and showed the dignity and strength of their people in the face of the climate crisis. They refused to be seen as just a warning sign, ready to be sacrificed. They knew they had to be the heroes their communities needed and tell their own stories.
The Power of Storytelling
Fenton emphasizes that many people are defined by stories that don’t serve them, stories that take away their power and authenticity. He believes this needs to change. We are who we are because of the stories we tell ourselves and each other. To build a new vision for the future, we need to get better at telling stories and creating strategies that are bold enough to co-create that future.
To do this, two things are needed:
Key Takeaways
- Climate Leadership: This means Pacific communities saying no to fossil fuels and yes to climate solutions, from local village meetings to global United Nations climate talks. It also involves allies creating conditions for a fossil-free Pacific. Examples include learning to build portable solar modules for use after cyclones and developing keyhole gardens to grow food despite saltwater intrusion.
- Narrative Leadership: This is about community organizers from the Pacific sharing their stories from the front lines of the climate crisis. It’s about articulating an alternative path that prioritizes people and communities. It means telling fuller, more nuanced stories that allow them to become ancestors their children will be proud of.
Building a Fossil-Free Future
Fenton believes that climate and narrative leadership, built by the most vulnerable communities, can create the future we all deserve. This future includes:
- Climate solutions that support Indigenous communities to be their most dignified selves.
- Communities owning and having access to renewable energy sources.
- A future that is completely fossil-free.
It takes everyone doing their part to co-create these futures. To do so, we must break away from stories and strategies that no longer serve us and build new ones that do. We can be stewards of both our stories and our solutions.
