While Pacific leaders gather in climate-controlled rooms for their annual forum, a different voice is being prepared for the region’s shores.
Led by Sail Master Angelo Smith and Traditional Navigator Kaiafa Ledua of the Uto Ni Yalo, sailors from across Oceania will bring an alternative message to the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in Honiara, Solomon Islands. With 15 crew members representing the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kanaky (New Caledonia), Samoa, and Tonga, the voyage will set sail from Suva today, marking the vessel’s second journey to the forum—the first was last year, to Tonga.
Captain Smith says the voyage carries deep significance on multiple levels. It is a statement for sustainable transportation and ocean conservation, he notes, carried on a twin-hulled canoe that underscores a long tradition of voyaging. The mission, he explains, is to deliver a message on behalf of Fiji and the wider Pacific community, with a focus on a healthy ocean as essential to a healthy climate. The crew is calling for a fossil fuel-free Pacific, 100 percent renewable energy, comprehensive ocean management, and the establishment of 30 percent Marine Protected Areas across exclusive economic zones and the high seas. They also advocate for a moratorium on deep-sea mining and for deep-sea research to be completed across Pacific nations by 2030.
Vessels from neighboring Pacific islands will join the voyage, which is envisioned as a masterclass in representation and substance. It serves as a poignant reminder that for the Pacific, the climate crisis is not a distant threat but a current reality. Smith emphasizes that the Pacific Islands region should be an ocean of peace, and the crew supports ratification and implementation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, while also backing Temotu Province in the Solomon Islands in its marine-protected-area declarations.
The voyage does not come without challenges. Smith acknowledges that favorable winds are expected on the journey toward the Solomons, but the return trip could prove tougher due to headwinds as the fleet travels windward back toward Fiji. He notes the distance is significant—roughly comparable to the distance from Suva to Auckland—and stresses that the primary challenge will be ensuring their message is heard by leaders, governments, NGOs, and media across multiple platforms.
A veteran sailor with more than 100,000 miles of voyaging experience, Smith underscores the importance of traditional knowledge and practices. He emphasizes that Indigenous peoples have long sailed sustainably, using winds and traditional materials, and he calls for reviving these sustainable ways of living as the Pacific faces climate and ocean-degradation pressures. He hopes this voyage will raise awareness of cultural heritage and the role of traditional sailing in contemporary environmental advocacy. He also believes the vessel’s visibility can spark broad interest and engagement among Pacific communities.
Dr Sivendra Michael, Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, echoes the broader vision. He says the Pacific’s future depends on protecting national waters, strengthening regional unity, and moving away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy and Indigenous guardianship. “The Wansolwara Voyage carries with it the spirit of our ancestors and the aspirations of our people today,” Michael remarks, adding that leaders must honor that call to protect the ocean, resist militarization, and preserve the Pacific as an ocean of peace for future generations. He also notes that as Mama Uto departs, it carries the prayers of the people, the unity of leadership, and a region determined not to be passive in the face of climate change and ocean degradation.
The voyage has long been framed as both a cultural and environmental mission. Its supporters highlight the role of traditional voyaging in modern climate diplomacy and the importance of protecting ocean health as a regional priority. Sponsorship and collaboration from organizations such as the Waitt Institute, the Blue Prosperity Coalition, Oceans 5, the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, and the Office of the Pacific Oceans Commissioner—along with in-kind contributions from National Geographic Pristine Seas, Tradewinds Marine, Value City, and Niranjans—underline the collective commitment to Ocean stewardship. The mission also honors Tonga’s acquisition of its traditional voyaging canoe, Hinemoana II, symbolizing renewed cultural ties and regional cooperation.
As the Wansolwara voyage continues, it stands as a reminder that the Pacific’s path forward hinges on unity, Indigenous knowledge, and concrete commitments to protect the oceans that sustain communities across the Blue Pacific Continent. The voyage is framed not just as a cultural expedition, but as a bold statement of policy and partnership aimed at shaping a sustainable, resilient future for the region.
Summary: A multi-nation voyage led by Uto Ni Yalo sets sail from Suva to deliver an alternative voice at the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in Honiara, advocating for a fossil fuel-free Pacific, 100% renewable energy, 30% Marine Protected Areas, and a moratorium on deep-sea mining, with support for biodiversity protections and regional cooperation.
Positive outlook: The voyage highlights a proactive, values-driven approach to climate and ocean governance, building cross-cultural collaboration and elevating traditional knowledge in contemporary environmental policy.
Additional comments:
– The voyage reinforces Pacific unity and resilience at a critical time for regional climate action.
– It also showcases how indigenous voyaging practices can inform modern sustainability strategies.
– Strong international partnerships underpin the effort, signaling potential for broader influence on regional environmental policy.
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