Pacific Climate Justice TREK

This is one of the blog posts you’ll see today, but is the post for yesterday, June 19th. We spent the day on the island of Fualopa, one of Tuvalu’s nine islands – which is how many stars they have on their flag. The day was spent with tuCAN, aiding environmental projects on the island. tuCAN is Tuvalu’s chapter of Climate Action Network. The organization does advocacy internationally, advocating for Tuvalu at international summits like the Conferences of the Parties (COPs). In addition to international work, they also do local projects like the tree planting and coral garden we did today. Getting to the island required a boat, and the trip took about an hour. 

The first activity was planting pendana trees, a native species. The trees grow fruit, but some grow edible fruit and some grow inedible fruit. The ones that grow inedible fruit are used for weaving. There were two trees for each kind. They help prevent soil erosion, which is drastically needed in a time when islands are sinking. Multiple youth groups were also present on the island, leading the planting. When the problem of climate change is so big, planting a tree already feels empowering. But it was also a powerful experience to see people our own age so involved with efforts to combat the crisis. They are facing the same challenge without being paralyzed.

During the planting, we picked up coconuts and were reminded of how much of the fruit is used. Water, flesh, and skin are all able to be consumed. A reminder of how many parts of a fruit can be used. 

Group Photo with tuCAN on Fualopa – ft Naomi
We also saw their coral garden and much of Tuvalu’s coral. 99.9% of coral in Tuvalu is dead. The statistic is shocking, but there’s a difference between reading that statistic and seeing it. A field of dead coral. The 0.1% were spots of living coral at the edges, and the coral garden being tended. According to the plan, the living coral in the garden will be attached to a metal chain and planted elsewhere, growing into more coral. This will exponentially increase the living coral in Tuvalu. The ride back was choppy but fun, as the boat broke into song. Turning travel into a communal experience – instead of retreating into personal corners – is just one example of the strong presence of community on Tuvalu. 

In the evening, we had dinner with tuCAN. In 2024, tuCAN started “Earth Hour”. During this hour, people are encouraged to shut off their power. Tuvalu emits very little carbon compared to industrialized countries like the United States, so this event aims to educate people our age and younger. Instead of electricity, we used candlelight to debrief for the day.

Arranging Candles – ft Naomi

Sara Moore

Today is Thursday, June 18, and we had the opportunity to meet with two men who are doing very important climate work in Tuvalu and surrounding islands. Our first meeting was with Reverend Doctor Tafue Lusama. He works as a Climate Change Officer at the Pacific Theological College in Suva, Fiji and is also an ordained Minister of the Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu (EKT). Rev. Lusama’s lecture was on the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, Christianity, and climate justice.

Rev. Lusama began by telling us a story about a group of boys who came across a bowl of apples and were asked to only take one. They then approached a second bowl full of candy where someone had written, “take as much as you want because God is busy watching the apples.” He explained how we often view ourselves as individuals and that we believe our actions will not impact anyone. He encouraged us to not think of ourselves in terms of a singular individual, but rather as a collective of everyone who has come before us. We are all connected to the “fenua” (which means “land”), and as such we are connected to one another. Fenua also includes our ancestors, whom we are connected to through “vaa fesokotaki,” which refers to a sacred space. Within this space, we are not rich or poor, living or dead, we are simply beings who wish to achieve the same goal. He explained that God is not responsible for climate change; rather it is the actions of humans that are blamed on God. He ended his talk by telling us that the beginning of the problem should be the beginning of the solution, because if the issue is not stopped at the source, then no one will be safe from its effects.

After Rev. Lusama’s talk, we had a short break for lunch and then a group of us went to the runway to watch a plane land. Tuvalu receives a small number of visitors so only one plane will arrive a day throughout the week. It is amazing to watch the world stop for the arrival of the plane as the runway is located at the heart of the island. It is very similar to watching a train go by, except everyone on the island is aware of its arrival. We were able to finally get our luggage after being separated from it on Tuesday. We then rushed back to the EKT office for our next lecture with Dr. Maina Talia. 

Dr. Talia is Tuvalu’s Minister of Home Affairs, Climate Change, and the Environment. The next year will be very important for Tuvalu as they are hosting the pre-COP (Conference of the Parties) meeting along with Fiji in October. They will also host the Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels next spring. These two events will bring world leaders to Tuvalu so they can see the impacts of climate change first-hand. About 2,000 people are expected to attend the fossil fuel conference, so the government is constructing new lodging on the reclaimed land we visited yesterday, with the rest of the attendants residing on a cruise ship that will be docked near the island. He said the reclaimed land is something they can point to during the events as something they have done to combat the effects of climate change. Dr. Talia hopes to use these events to shift the narrative away from how vulnerable Tuvaluans are to how resilient they are. He stated that while the events are important, Tuvalu is often ignored on the global scale, so he asked us to use our voices to amplify theirs. Rather than blaming one another or God for climate change, Dr. Talia implored us to listen to one another, saying that if even one world leader walks away from the events with a new perspective, then he will have considered them a success. 

Later in the evening, we had a chance to walk along the runway and watch the locals play volleyball, rugby, and soccer. I was told that since the runway is not often used for planes, it acts as their playground and gathering space. We then visited the reclaimed land to watch the sunset and the appearance of the stars. You really do not realize how bright it is at night until you are somewhere with almost no light pollution and you can see the entire Milky Way. After dinner, we broke off into our small groups to spend the evening with the EKT youth and learn more about the island of Tuvalu by interacting with its people.

Today is Friday, June 12th, our 7th day in Suva! Today was such an incredible learning experience. We started today off with heading to the PCC (Pacific Conference of Churches) office to meet with Ani, a representative from the AFG, or the Alliance for the Future Generation. She explained that the AFG was not formed by those with college degrees or credentials, but rather young and wise people with strong ambitions and emotions about the climate crisis in pacific islands. She had quite a sense of humor and completely captured our groups attention from the moment she started speaking. The AFG is an organization almost fully funded by the pockets of the members, making this group self-sufficient, unlike other climate change groups in Fiji that are funded by other countries. Ani is one of the many members of the AFG that advocate and fight for a sustainable future, one where future generations will not have the same problems.

Ani stated that the AFG had been calling out the Fijian government because they take grants and funding and use it in unhelpful ways. She explained how using money to fly to all different climate meetings and conferences takes away from the real reason that they are fighting for change. The state of these Pacific Islands is unlivable; no clean water, no homes, no basic necessities. All these people need is a little bit of help, just a bit of help and their lives would drastically improve.

One thing that stuck out to me was when she spoke about “Vanua” and how this applies to the climate crisis. Vanua in Fijian refers to the land, the ocean, and the people all together in one blend. AFG believes that climate justice should be connected like Vanua is connected to everything. When the ocean is brought up in climate conversations, people should be in that same conversation, and vice versa.

The last thing that Ani spoke about was how climate change doesn’t mean everything to you until it affects someone that you know personally. It is hard to understand the cruciality of this problem until it happens to you. She spoke of how her brother was injured in a storm due to an unnaturally occurring, climate change influenced storm. Personal stories like this need to be spread and brought up in conferences in order to make change, because people need to see the truth. Ani explained that these regulations being made are good, but everyone should witness the real stories that are happening as we speak.

After our great meeting with Ani, we headed over to the Colo-I-Suva rainforest for a lunch and an exploration into the beautiful park. This hike is filled with waterfalls everywhere, incredible birds, and relaxing swimming pools. The scenery was absolutely stunning, and the water was so refreshing to jump into. Our driver friend Levi said that he would always come here as a young adult with his friends to swim when it was warm. Today, it wasn’t too hot, but still much warmer than Ohio or Pennsylvania during the winter!

Finally, after heading back to the hotel after swimming in the rainforest’s waterfalls, we headed over to a one-year old’s birthday at the local Rotuman church. This was our friend Wilford’s niece’s birthday (Wilford was who took us to the Rotuman church service earlier this trip), and it was a religious celebration, but also an informal celebration. It was so much fun! All of the kids in front of us were so silly and after we ate dinner, we played with all the little kids (ages 9-12). We played with bubbles, played a rock-paper-scissors variant game, and another game that involved slapping each other’s hands in a circle. Basil, Sofia, and I were also messing with them saying ridiculous things like I was 101 years old and was Basil’s grandfather, or that Sofia was born on the 67^th of March. Then, I let them try some pop-rocks, and they all were shocked by it, which was very funny. I gave one of the boys a hot wheels car, and the other a Super Mario toy, and they loved the gifts. One thing I noticed was how giving and polite these kids were, as they kept offering us their candy. This is one part of the Pacific Island culture that American children could learn from! Then, it was time to leave, and it was sad to leave them, as our group and this group of children already had grown a relationship so quickly.

Written and Edited by:

Michael Graban

Class of 29′

Hi readers! Today is Thursday, June 11^th, but this blog post is for yesterday, June 10th.

We started by driving to the Pacific Conference of Church’s (PCC) Farm to plant trees and tour. The farm is ran by Sepo and his son, with funding and training from the PCC. We started by planting 15 trees near the property line before moving through the rest of the property. Before stopping, I saw abiu trees, and egg fruit, among other vegetation. We stopped to ask questions and learned that PCC trains other church leaders in the pacific on the farm, so they can start their own in their communities. This is critical work to build resiliency in communities as they experience insecurity made worse by climate change. The farm is also trying to ease food insecurity within Suva by growing and selling cabaza – a local foodstuff that provides important calories for the community. Cabaza prices in markets have increased dramatically due to oil prices, becoming a problem for residents. The plant’s role is comparable to a potato, with more fiber. On the rest of the farm, we saw numerous types of trees, vegetables, and other plants, including honey and mangos. Sepo Jr. likes to collect honey, due to the predictable nature. After touring the farm, we shared cabaza with Sepo. The experience was another display of welcome shown to guests throughout the trip. This welcome goes deeper than simple manners; it is an aspect of the kinship valued throughout the islands and indigenous populations, a value which drives there actions and worldview.

The second part of the day was our 5^th lecture, presented by the owner of a small media company in Fiji: Netani Rika. He weaved together many ideas: the role of local initiatives, how media frames them, and responsibility when working with climate solutions. In the talk, he asked the simple question: what can you do? Instead of waiting for solutions from larger parliaments, what can be done in your own community? What efforts are already being done? He talked about these smaller, grassroots efforts having a tendency not to be as covered by the media as the bigger, flasher efforts (or sabotage of those efforts). Lacking an ability to be sensationalized, they also lack views. Netani also talked about the need for responsibility within climate solutions. He framed solutions not in terms of carbon emissions, but rather in terms of whether they were being used to help the community. The use of A.I. was one technology mentioned in the lecture, as Netani uses it for graphic design in his company. It allows him to get more local stories out, but cannot replace Fijian workers.

Finally, you all read about Barney Dunn yesterday. I was inspired and have been encouraged to show my work. Thanks for reading!

              For a man who ran, chasing wind and waves to freedom,

as they slapped against the hull, memory is water.

              As his boys back the ball between them, sweat

dripping down their back into sand, memory is water.

              To the drops that rise, becoming a flood for the rugby

sand, blanketed in blue, destructed memory is water.

              Now the boat on blue, before the sun meets the sea

instructed by forefather, his memory is water.

              As it catches less, disappearing from the shore, one day

takes three, poor memory is water.

              Returning to shore welcomed, cava passed

and spilled, shared memory is water.

              Retreating roaring waves, where they do not echo

in the green, no memory is water.

Sofia Wolken
Happy World Ocean Day! Today is Monday, June 8th and we had the amazing opportunity to celebrate world ocean day in Fiji! Our day began with a trip to the lower campus of the University of the South Pacific (USP). They had a program called the Pacific – European Union Marine Partnership Program (PEUMP), which helped organize activities for World Ocean Day. I was excited to be able to celebrate this day in a place where the ocean is so important and valued in the culture, history and everyday lives. We were able to hear from and meet professors from the USP and members of the PEUMP. The program day started off with introductions and the speaker talking about the significance of World Ocean Day, which is for raising awareness and honoring the oceans that we share and taking action to help protect the oceans. A way that we took action was attending this World Ocean Day event, and participating in a beach cleanup, where we went to a nearby beach to collect trash and debris that had been brought onto the shore. At the end of the trash cleanup, we took a group picture and weighed all of the waste. Another part of the World Ocean Day program, was when the members of the USP and the PEUMP released free online courses dedicated to learning about the ocean. The website, linked here: https://openpasifika.usp.ac.fj offers 2 courses, one about sea urchins and the other about coconut crabs. Both courses explore the ecosystems that these organisms live in, and how they are being harmed because of climate change. Finally, to wrap up the activities, we had lunch with all of the members and shared a World Ocean Day cake to celebrate the day. It was amazing to experience World Ocean Day in the South Pacific, and to take part in a small act, like cleaning a beach on a day dedicated to honoring and taking care of the oceans. 

In the early afternoon, we took a walk along the beach as the clouds came in and it looked like it was going to rain. It is so amazing how quickly a sunny, clear day can change into a cloudy, windy day. Although it was a beautiful beach walk, there was still a great deal of trash left on that beach as well. It is heartbreaking to see so much trash on such beautiful beaches, and seeing first hand how pollution can have such a negative impact on the oceans themselves, and the wildlife living in and around them as well. This was a nice way to appreciate the oceans, and at the same time see the impacts we have on such a rich natural resource. 

Our final activity was a lecture with Mr. Fiddle Casimira, titled “Christianity, Colonialism and Development”. We were once again in the PCC office, where Mr. Casimira talked to us about the effects and importance of Christianity within the South Pacific culture, and how that has changed with colonialism and development. His presentation was titled “Three idioms in a proverb”, which I thought was an interesting title. After we reviewed what idioms and proverbs were, he shared a proverb that has 3 idioms within it, which reminds people how to appreciate and view the earth. The proverb read: “Lo Se Rere, Lo Se Vas Ta, Lo Se Laloga”. The first idiom in the proverb, ”Lo Se Rere” means “always look up” which refers to the stars, and how the cosmos brings us all together as conscious beings with responsibility. The second idiom, ”Lo Se Vas Ta” means to “always look out”. Mr. Casimira explained how before you go fishing or diving into the ocean, you must always look out into the ocean and know how you are part of the earth. There is a balance between the needs of the community and the environment, and that ecological balance needs to take place for ecosystems to function. The final idiom, “Lo Se Laloga” means “always look in”, which refers to the biodiversity within a human. He tied these to Christianity by sharing that the first idiom refers to cosmic spirituality and how we are conscious, the second idiom refers to ecological spirituality and how we value nature and humans no matter what, and the third idiom refers to where Christianity comes from. These idioms and proverbs were pulled from experiences and have meaning, which when used together create a balance in the earth through the land, sea and people. Mr. Casimira shared about knowledge being passed down through generations and how important stories are, and stated that we are privileged to be on this earth, but we have a responsibility too. This really resonated with me, and I think it is a powerful way of thinking about our purpose on earth, and how we must believe ourselves to be part of the environment, but with responsibility and reciprocity. He also stated that “if you keep believing that humans are at the center of the universe instead of part of the universe with responsibilities, nothing will change”. This was inspirational to hear, and tied back into the idioms and proverb that Mr. Casimira shared at the beginning which made

Naomi Kaczor (June 7th, 2026)

It was a beautiful Sunday in Suva, Fiji. Many of us woke up before dawn due to lingering jetlag and enjoyed hearing the chorus of birdsong and church choirs as the day began. 

In our newly acquired traditional garbs of sulus (black wrapped skirts) for men and sarongs (colorful wrapped skirts) for women, we headed to a local church to join their Sunday morning worship service. The minibus dropped us off, and we were welcomed into the church, only to realize after sitting down that we had arrived at the wrong church. We were at the Tongan church, but were supposed to be at the Rotuman church. Luckily, the correct church, Churchward Methodist Church, was within walking distance. As we walked into the church, a man played the Lali (slit gong drum) outside, which is used to signal the summoning of congregations for church services in Fiji. We were greeted with the warmest welcome, which was the only part of the service in English. The rest of the service was conducted in Rotuman, the language of the island of Rotua, which is inhabited by only a few thousand people, making it an extra special experience to hear their language. Despite not understanding the exact meanings of the words being used, it was still a spiritually moving experience, especially to hear the beautiful singing and angelic harmonies of the choir. After the two-hour service, we met John, an elder of the church, who eagerly shared how he had been a part of the construction of the church building 45 years ago. The octagonal shape of the church had stood out to me, so I asked John what the significance of the octagon was. He explained that there are seven districts on the island of Rotua, so each side represents one of the districts, plus an additional eighth side to represent the Rotuman population living here on the main island of Fiji, Viti Levu.

After church, we walked to a nearby food court for lunch then headed to the Fiji museum. Along the way, we admired the brightly colored tropical flowers and views of the ocean with lush green mountains on the horizon, all reminders of the ever-present natural beauty all around us. 

At the Fiji museum, we learned about some of the history of the Fijian people, how they crafted advanced double-hulled canoes (Drua) using natural materials to fish and voyage across the Pacific ocean (Fun fact: Disney came to Fiji to do research and gain inspiration for the Moana movie). We focused on looking for stories of struggles and successes, which I found evident in the section about community conservation efforts and how climate change is impacting Fiji. In the face of village relocations, increased flooding, and land and crop loss, amongst other negative impacts of climate change, there are many community conservation efforts working to protect and restore the wildlife and natural environments of Fiji. 

Our day concluded with a lecture from Rev. James Bagwhan about the history and culture of Fiji and the “blue continent.” Much of the lecture focused on how the traditional values and mindset of the Pacific can help us address climate change and develop sustainable solutions. Rev. James explained how the “new normal” of COVID, in which we had a deeper appreciation for connection, community, and sharing of resources, was the “old normal” of the Pacific. The mindset and culture of abundance, reciprocity, and hospitality are foundational to Pacific Island culture, and will be foundational in creating the necessary changes to address the climate crisis. A key point of Rev. James’ lecture is that we need a balance of both the modern and traditional working together to address the risks and challenges of climate change. He expressed that “climate change is generational change,” and therefore, working toward climate justice requires us to hold ourselves responsible for the well-being of future generations. Importantly, he emphasized that the necessary changes to address climate change will be inconvenient, and he posed the crucial questions: Are we willing to be inconvenienced? Is a Pacific island life worth less than American comfort?

Hello, and welcome to the official blog site for The College of Wooster’s Pacific Climate Justice TREK. Between June 4 – 25, 2026 a group of 10 students and 2 faculty will be traveling to Fiji and Tuvalu as part of a Wooster course called “Climate Justice and Religion in the Pacific.” (Click here to meet our team.)

What to Expect on this Blog

Each day during our trip, one of the students will post a daily blog update here with stories, photos, and more about our shared experiences. The purposes of this blog are threefold.

1. First, it’s one of the assessment tools used in the course, requiring students to intentionally reflect on and summarize what they’re learning and experiencing.
2. Second, it’s a great way for the students to keep in touch with you–their peers, friends, and family.
3. Finally, and most importantly, through this blog we aim to amplify the voices of Pacific peoples so as to bring awareness to the unique challenges (and injustices) brought by climate change to the Pacific AND to bring awareness to the unique strengths, skills, and solutions that Pacific and indigenous peoples have to offer regarding the climate crisis.

You can expect daily updates here, typically posted early in the morning (we’ll be 16 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time). In addition to the blog, you can get many more updates from our the Sustainability Office’s Instagram account (@WooSustainability), as students will also be using this social media platform to communicate more frequent posts, photos, and videos.

Our Itinerary

We’ll spend our first 10 days in and around Suva, Fiji, the cultural and economic heart of the Pacific. Students will learn about how climate change is impacting the Pacific region, how colonialism has influenced Pacific cultures, and different ways that people and institutions in the region are responding to this global challenge. Our hosts, the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC), will connect our students with community leaders, youth activists, academics, NGO leaders, and ordinary people using their skills and their voices to bring global attention to the climate crisis. Religion forms a core part of Pacific culture and identity, so our TREK is focusing particularly on how religious groups (such as the PCC) help address climate justice concerns.

Next we’ll travel to Funafuti, Tuvalu to spend 6 days in one of the smallest and least visited countries in the world. Given that almost the entire country is less than 1 meter above sea level, Tuvalu represents the literal frontlines of climate change impacts, as sea level rise, saltwater intrusion in aquifers, droughts, and storm surge all threaten the future livability of the nation. Yet Tuvaluans are resilient and have taken an outsized leadership role on the global stage. Over the course of the next year this remote country will host both the pre-COP meetings (where planning for the annual UN climate summit take place) and the 2nd Transition Away From Fossil Fuels Conference (a new and exciting multilateral effort to accelerate the clean energy transition). During our time in Tuvalu we’ll build relationships with their youth, meet with government ministers, participate in a coral planting project, and learn about climate communication from the Tuvalu Climate Action Network (TuCAN).

Finally, we’ll return to beautiful Yasawa Islands in Fiji for a few days of relaxation, team reflection, and bringing everything we’ve learned together into concrete “what next” ideas.

What Can You Do?

First, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to this blog. Knowing about climate injustice is the first step to righting the wrongs that our actions have inadvertently caused.

Next, share what you’re learning! Repost social media content. Forward blog posts to your friends. Invite one of the students on the trip to present about their experience to your church, your rotary club, your school, or just a group of friends.

Consider how you can reduce your own climate impact. There are countless online resources to help you with this, but often simple actions are the easiest. Bike somewhere instead of driving. Eat less beef this week. Change your light bulbs. Turn your thermostat up/down a degree or two.

Donate to a group that works to address climate justice challenges. TuCAN is part of a larger organization called the Climate Action Network that does climate advocacy around the world. Citizens’ Climate Lobby works to empower ordinary people to help influence political change. For those who are religious, the Pacific Conference of Churches has climate justice as one of their core project areas. And there are many more…

Thank you!

Finally, we want to thank the Wallace Genetic Foundation for a very generous grant that has helped make this TREK possible. Their grant has significantly subsidized this trip for students, making it more accessible for all students and giving us the opportunity to work with our Pacific partners to amplify the voices of those on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Thank you!