A short film highlighting the overlooked role of freshwater wetlands for climate resilience and women’s livelihoods in Macuata was launched in Labasa this week, organisers say. The 10-minute piece, titled “Women of Wetlands”, follows indigenous women as they harvest kuta reeds from inland swamps to weave traditional mats, documenting the cultural and economic importance of these ecosystems for communities on Vanua Levu.
Wetland ecologist Bindiya Rashni, who features in the video and helped with its production, said the film was intended to shift public attention from Fiji’s familiar “blue economy” focus on coastal and marine resources to the “green zone” of freshwater wetlands. “We usually focus on the blue economy. So, this was an effort to bring people away from the blue to the green zone, that while mangroves become a carbon sink for the coastal system, freshwater swamps become carbon sinks for inland systems,” Rashni said, underlining the role swamps play in sequestering carbon and sustaining water resources.
Produced by regional environmental group Wetland Pasifika, the film centres on women from Macuata communities — including Navakasobu and Wainidrua and the area known locally for its floating island — who continue the practice of harvesting kuta reeds for weaving. The footage shows the labour-intensive process from reed collection to mat-making and frames that work as both an income source and a key vehicle for transmitting traditional knowledge between generations.
Rashni also emphasised the intersections between ecosystem health and social resilience. “Wetlands also help pass traditional knowledge to younger generations, protecting both the environment and culture,” she said, noting that protecting these freshwater systems contributes to water security for inland communities and preserves livelihoods that are often carried out by women.
The organisers say “Women of Wetlands” will be screened at the global Women Deliver Conference in Melbourne next month, bringing the Pacific perspective on gender, climate action and livelihoods to an international audience. The appearance is intended to elevate the role of Pacific women in natural resource stewardship and to make a case for greater recognition and investment in freshwater wetlands in policy and funding forums.
The Labasa launch adds a cultural and gendered dimension to recent national discussions about water and climate resilience. Fiji has recently begun large-scale groundwater and water security initiatives, and environmental advocates say attention to wetlands complements technical efforts to map and secure drinking water sources. Wetland Pasifika hopes the film will spark local and regional conversations about protecting inland wetlands as multifunctional assets that support biodiversity, climate mitigation and community economies.
Organisers said they aim to use the film as a tool for community outreach and policy engagement, arguing that securing the future of kuta harvesting and mat weaving requires both environmental protection and support for women’s customary livelihoods.
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