Moana Nui 2011 Wrap

Producer: Kapōmaikaʻi Stone

Photographer: Kainoa Rudolfo

Editor: Justyn Ah Chong

As world leaders gathered in Waikīkī for last week’s APEC Summit, indigenous peoples came together for the first Moana Nui Conference to address concerns stemming from globalization, capitalism, environmental degradation. Over a three-day period, delegates drafted proposals aimed at rectifying issues affecting native communities. The Moana Nui statement encapsulates the sentiment surrounding the conference:

We, the peoples of moana nui, connected by the currents of our ocean home, declare that we will not cooperate with the commodification of life and land as represented by APEC’s predatory capitalistic practices, distorted information and secret trade negotiations and agreements.

We invoke our rights to free, prior and informed consent. We choose cooperative trans-Pacific dialogue, action, advocacy, and solidarity between and amongst the peoples of the Pacific, rooted in traditional cultural practices and wisdom.

For more information about the conference and additional draft statements, visit the Moana Nui website.