For the people of Viseisei Village, living by the sea is both a blessing and a potential danger.
As one of Fiji’s oldest villages, their connection to the land and ocean has sustained generations, but rising sea levels threaten their home and way of life. Being the resilient people that they are, villagers have found ways to adapt, mixing age-old traditions with modern sustainability practices.
This week, Viseisei opened its doors to about 70 participants from eight Pacific island nations as part of a study tour organised by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The tour, a key event in a regional workshop, was designed to showcase the village’s efforts to manage its natural resources sustainably while grappling with the consequences of climate change.
Under the “Leaders for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific: Sea and Human Security (FOIP)” programme, participants, many of whom come from similar coastal communities, were eager to learn how Viseisei is tackling these shared challenges. Welcomed through the traditional Fijian ceremony, or “sevusevu,” the group heard from the village headman, Mr Inoke, who spoke about their fight to adapt to rising seas.
“We are at risk,” he said. “This is for those villages situated along the shoreline, and Viseisei Village is no exception.”
Wilfred Luiramo, a participant from the Solomon Islands shared what he learned from the visit.
“What I’ve learnt from the tour program is when culture is blended with the Locally-Managed Marine Area (LMMA) program, it creates a sustainable program with positive outcomes for rural communities. The Viseisei Village setting is an offspring of a well-organised and structured traditional governance practice.”
Tomorrow the group will visit Yako Village to participate in a mangrove planting project, another example of how communities fight back against the tide. The hope is that by sharing knowledge and experiences, these small island nations can continue to support each other in the face of climate change.
