Seia Mikaele Maiava speaking at the Climate Warriors welcome in Sydney
Seia Mikaele Maiava has always known that his place was in Tokelau, not only serving his people, but also serving his people to the best of his abilities. For Mika, this sense of service meant taking leadership roles in working with indigenous peoples rights, as well as mobilising people in the climate movement across the Pacific region and the world.
He was born and raised in Nukunonu, Tokelau and is of mixed heritage with roots tracing back to Samoa. He is a very spiritual man grounded in his sense of purpose and leadership.
Mika is also one of the 30 Climate Warriors from across the Pacific who will be using 5 traditional canoes to paddle into the oncoming path of coal ships in an effort to shut down the world’s largest coal port, for a day.
“These canoes represent our elders, our people and our land. This is such an emotional time knowing that with these canoes, the work of our elders will be used to make a stand and send our message on climate change to the world, saying we are not drowning, we are fighting.”
“Climate change is threatening our food security, our culture, our land and our identity. The fossil fuel industry and Australia’s continued commitment to its expansion, is directly increasing that threat.”
He decided to be part of this flotilla because it was a chance for him to protect his home.
“I am inspired to know that standing up for the Pacific, will give a chance for our future generations to call Tokelau, home.”
He has witnessed the impacts of climate change firsthand. Food security for him and his family is threatened because of sea level rise and the increased frequency of droughts on the atoll island.
Mika knows that his involvement with the climate movement, is his calling. This is what he needs to do protect his home, his family, his culture and traditions, his land and his identity.
For a lot of Pacific Islanders, the land to which they belong is everything, and the threat climate change poses on what is rightfully theirs, drives him to do what he can for the islands- and for now, that means stopping coal ships with canoes.
Mika looks on, armed with his conch shell, as coal ships travel in and out of the Port of Newcastle