The Uto ni Yalo voyaging canoe, carrying a regional Pacific crew, has left Suva to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands. On its approach to Temotu, the crew will swap to accompany the Taumako TePuke canoe en route to Honiara, in a voyage that pays tribute to Solomon Islands’ navigation heritage and supports the Motalava Treaty between Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The treaty aims to recognise traditional ties and to foster joint ocean, cultural and development initiatives, including large, connected marine protected areas after further consultation and due process.
This year’s journey continues the Sautu Voyage tradition. In 2024, the Uto ni Yalo undertook a voyage from Fiji to Tonga with a Fijian and Tongan crew. As with last year’s voyage, the current sail symbolizes Pacific prosperity and unity, tracing ancestral routes and underscoring the importance of traditional knowledge in addressing today’s environmental challenges.
The Uto ni Yalo and Taumako TePuke vaka are scheduled to arrive in Honiara in the early hours of September 8, where they will be welcomed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders as part of the forum’s opening.
Key messages of the Wansolwara Voyage include:
– A healthy ocean is essential for a healthy climate
– A fossil fuel–free Pacific and 100% renewable energy future
– Advocacy for 100% ocean management and 30% Marine Protected Areas across Pacific waters
– Recognition of the Pacific as an Ocean of Peace, resisting militarisation and affirming Indigenous guardianship
– Support for ratification and implementation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction treaty
The voyage is part of a three-year Wansolwara Sail Plan, endorsed by the Pasifiki Voyaging Alliance, a network of voyaging societies from Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Aotearoa, Micronesia, and the Torres Strait. Future voyages are planned to attend COP31 in Australia in 2026 and to venture into Pacific High Seas areas to bolster global ocean advocacy around the BBNJ framework.
Fiji’s Environment and Climate Change Minister, Mosese Bulitavu, urged leaders to heed the call to protect the ocean. “The Wansolwara Voyage carries with it the spirit of our ancestors and the aspirations of our people today. By sailing together across our Blue Pacific, our voyagers remind us that we are one ocean and one family,” he said. “This voyage is more than a journey—it is a symbol of prosperity, unity, and peace. As leaders, we must honour their call to protect our ocean, resist militarisation, and ensure that the Pacific remains an Ocean of Peace for generations to come.”
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele also commented, highlighting the voyage as a demonstration of the enduring strength of shared ocean heritage and ancestral ties. He said the forum’s Blue Pacific vision should be peaceful, prosperous, and united, and that the Sautu Voyage reinforces the value of drawing on traditional and Indigenous wisdom to protect the ocean and promote regional solidarity.
Kakala Tevi, a Wansolwara Voyager, expressed pride in voyaging for home and carrying messages of a healthy, peaceful, and prosperous Pacific. “We voyage to Honiara, carrying messages for a healthy, peaceful and prosperous Pacific because a healthy, peaceful and prosperous Pacific means a healthy, peaceful and prosperous home for all of us,” she stated.
The voyage not only strengthens regional unity and resilience but also provides a platform for young seafarers to experience blue ocean voyaging and deepen connections within the voyaging community as it works with civil society and governments to advance the 2050 Strategy. The journey also aligns with broader regional developments, including Tonga’s recent acquisition of its own traditional voyaging canoe, Hinemoana II, and ongoing international support from partners such as the Waitt Institute, Blue Prosperity Coalition, Oceans 5, and others, all working toward protecting 30% of the Pacific Ocean by 2030.
Commentary and context:
– The Wansolwara initiative reinforces a long-standing tradition of Pacific-led ocean governance and indigenous stewardship, seeking tangible actions—like expanded marine protected areas and strong climate commitments—through diplomatic platforms and regional collaboration.
– The focus on youth engagement and intergenerational knowledge transfer underscores a hopeful path for sustaining voyaging heritage while addressing environmental challenges.
– The alignment with global forums such as COP31 signals a broader strategy to link local, Indigenous leadership with international climate and ocean governance.
Summary:
The Uto ni Yalo’s current voyage to the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Honiara builds on a multi-year plan to promote ocean health, climate resilience, and Indigenous guardianship. By highlighting milestones like the Motalava Treaty, 30% MPAs, and the BBNJ framework, the voyage blends cultural heritage with concrete environmental and governance goals, aiming to inspire regional solidarity and a sustainable Blue Pacific future.
Positive outlook:
The mission demonstrates a confident, proactive Pacific voice—one that blends ancestral wisdom with modern advocacy—to safeguard the ocean, support peaceful regional cooperation, and empower the next generation of voyagers and leaders.
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