Indigenous and Islander climate talks break ground tomorrow
Activist says Indigenous and Islander people are 'first and worst' hit by climate change
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JARMARLEY Willett is a Bidjara man from south-east Queensland but he made Central Queensland his home during high school.
The St Brendans graduate returned to the region in March to explore some 'front line truths' with indigenous people and Pacific Islanders.
He is the regional coordinator for SEEDS, the National Indigenous Youth Climate Network, which hosted a gathering at the Dreamtime Centre in March.
He will perform in Breaking Ground this Saturday at the Walter Reid Cultural Centre alongside climate warriors from Papua New Guinea and the Kiribati, Samoa, Tokelau and the Fiji diaspora in Australia.
"Indigenous people from around Australia and the Pacific Islands are the first and worst hit by climate change,” he said.
"We want the people of Rockhampton to come and listen to and share our stories.”
The Breaking Ground tour will travel through key electorates in Queensland to drive home why Australia's leaders need to commit to climate action.
"As a Bidjara man, my language is the point of extinction and land is all I have left,” Mr Willett said.
"Among all the other problems indigenous people face, and feel obligated to solve, climate change exacerbates everything else.”
Mr Willett said it can be most difficult to begin discussions with people about climate change in areas such as Rockhampton which sees itself as a 'mining town'.
"Breaking Ground is an attempt to humanise the impact of climate change and move indigenous people and pacific Islanders to the forefront of the narrative,” he said.
"We want to work closely with all stakeholders to build true leadership in the region in order to change policies.”
The tour's organisers, 350 Australia, say it is important we all step up and become climate defenders, by protecting water, stopping new coal mines and voting to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees.
CEO of 350 Australia, Glen Klatovsky points out that climate change is already negatively affecting Australia and our Pacific neighbours.
"Here in Australia we have just experienced the hottest summer on record and in the Pacific Islands, surging storm fronts and sea level rise have even forced some states to plan the relocation of their entire population within a few decades,” he said.
"And yet, the Australian federal government acts as a powerful advocate for the coal industry, ignoring the existential threat to our Pacific neighbours.”
Frontline Truths events will feature stories from Papua New Guinea and the Pacific diaspora of Kiribati, Tokelau, Fiji, Samoa; traditional dance from the local community; spoken word performances; weaving circles; and a Pasifika pop-up art exhibition.
BREAKING GROUND
Walter Reid Cultural Centre, cnr Derby and East Sts, Rockhampton
Saturday 6 April 2019, 6-9pm
Originally published as Indigenous and Islander climate talks break ground tomorrow
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