The Yasawa group of islands is synonymous with the unique beauty that has made Fiji a top travel destination.
Located northwest of Viti Levu, Fiji’s main island, the archipelago consists of 20 picturesque islands surrounded by turquoise blue waters.
The islands have white sandy beaches, peculiar underwater caves, and many tourist attractions.
The Yasawa Islands are arguably the central jewel in Fiji’s tourism crown. While the outside world views these islands with wonder, the reality in Marou Village — located on Naviti Island in the centre of the Yasawa line of islands — is quite different.
As village headman Tuwawa Ratu describes it, Marou’s inhabitants are paying the price of climate change while living in the middle of paradise.
Regularly plummeted by huge waves tearing at the coastline and flooding the village, Naviti Island faces long-lasting risks threatening life at Marou.
Although for generations the people of the Yasawa Group have lived an ideal lifestyle depending on the vanua for sustenance, the wrath of severe weather has become the norm in recent years.
In November 2023, as it does during the cyclone season which runs from November to April each year, the Fiji Meteorological Service warned of a tropical depression heading towards Fiji.
For the people of Marou, that now means more than just bad weather because destructive tidal waves signal the start of this Pacific cyclone season.
“It was a rare sight. Many of us have never seen such huge floodwaters before, huge, gigantic waves gushing into the village front, leaving many villagers terrified,” Mr Ratu said.
“That same night we evacuated a few elders, including our young children, to the village hall. Then we worked hard to move the basic food supplies to the evacuation centre.
“It was a terrifying thing for us to see. It is hard because the weather warning only issued a depression alert. We were not expecting what we experienced.”
The Northwest Pacific experiences the most number of hurricanes each year, accounting for one-third of all tropical cyclone activity in the world. But while living with cyclones is not new, the severity of damage to lifestyle and sources of living is.
“The tidal waves came with heavy rain for many days. Many of our farms were washed away and seawater seeped into whatever was left, so that turned bad immediately after the water receded,” Mr Ratu said.
“Our islands are small, so we do not have much land to plant, but the ocean surrounds us, so these tidal waves have brought us the worst times.”
For people who have always relied on the land and ocean, the four-hour trip to the mainland to buy food is a huge and unusual burden.
The Yasawa Islands are on Fiji’s northwestern border and are closest to cyclone activity, but Mr Ratu said that recently, the severity and frequency of that weather have made it hard for people to go about their daily lives or earn a consistent income.
The villagers say tides wipe out more than just crops and schools. Some damage cuts deeper.
Last November’s tidal waves also damaged the graves of loved ones, and there is fear that the following severe weather can sweep the bones of their ancestors out to sea. Even children can feel the impact of tidal waves.
For many of Fiji’s children, severe weather comes at the start of examination season, so the big waves of November 2023 hit students extra hard. After the evening high tide came in on November 13, the village children awoke the next morning to a disturbing scene.
“The only shortcut (to school) that has been used by students of Marou for many years was completely washed away by floodwaters, and a new waterway had forced its way into that path. So, we waited for the next morning to see how well we could get students to the other side dry so they could be comfortable travelling to school,” Mr Ratu said.
“It was hard at first, but with the assistance of villagers, we were able to work out the tides, and when we got students across via this new waterway the water had created.”
The villagers eventually figured out how to get their 120 primaryaged students to Naviti District School.
Miriama Bainivalu is a mother of two children at Naviti District School. She started the 2024 school year worrying about more than just the financial cost of an education.
“New uniforms, new pair of shoes, new bags and books and now I also can’t stop thinking about how they will cross the creek to get to school. That’s another story,” Ms Bainivalu said.
“It is a sad reality that we have had to deal with ever since the only shortcut was washed away in November. They are young children who have already faced difficulties in learning daily. It’s quite difficult for me as a mum.”
The headman, Mr Ratu, said the situation was dire and he wants the Government to provide immediate and long-term solutions for his community.
While he has appealed to local authorities for a school boat to transport the children daily, he says the island will need to construct an Irish crossing.
“We have reached out and are asking the authorities for help so we can attend to our children’s education. It is hard here in the village. Parents rely on crops to go with their children’s school lunches, but that has not been possible when plantations are regularly washed away.
“We are just looking out for one another and ensuring we tend to each other’s needs in the hope that our needs will be looked into.”
While waiting for government help, the village headman has reached out to traditional leaders at the Yasana o Ba (Ba Provincial Council), which the Yasawas are a part of, hoping more people will become aware of the impact of climate change on the islands.
The story of the people of Naviti Island is not unusual as this has become the norm for many of Fiji’s coastal communities in recent years.
However, Fenton Lutunatabua, a climate activist turned storyteller, believes more can be done to bring global attention to how climate change impacts Pacific communities’ rights.
“Often, the narrative has been about impacts on land and sea— which is important and necessary. I think more should be said about how climate change impacts Fijians’ and Pacific Islanders’ access to basic human rights,” Mr Lutunatabua said.
“I think it’s often overlooked because climate change impacts even more geographies now. Whilst before, the Pacific was the ‘canary in the coal mine’, so to speak, it’s a lot more spread across now. I think this doesn’t mean that our stories are less important; it’s just that there are a lot more stories out there right now.”
His entire youth and adult life have been spent on environmental work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Lutunatabua produced a video anthology of poems on climate justice, climate activism and organising communities across the Pacific to address the impacts of climate change.
He is part of a network of young Pacific islanders working to raise global awareness of climate change. Like Mr Lutunatabua, other Pacific islanders are rising out of coastal communities, and Ratu Filimoni Tuivanualevu is one of them.
“We are at the forefront of the climate change crisis, and the Pacific is well aware that we are more susceptible to climate change impacts than most of the modern world,” Mr Tuivanualevu said.
“Pacific Large Ocean states must now build resilience against tropical cyclones, flooding, droughts, and other adverse weather conditions. Communities are losing their homes, sources of livelihood, and traditions and cultures.”
A former leader of the Bua Urban Youth Network, Mr Tuivanualevu’s work has been building the capacity of young indigenous leaders based in Fiji’s urban settings to implement adaptation measures on their home front.
Now, as the acting director for the Climate Change Division under the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, he believes attention to the human rights aspect of the impact of climate change has increased, but many argue that it is not enough.
“This attention stems from recognising that climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable communities, exacerbating existing social and economic inequalities. Issues such as access to clean water, food security, displacement, and health risks are all interconnected with climate change and human rights,” Mr Tuivanualevu said.
“Despite efforts by governments, NGOs and grassroots movements to raise awareness, there remains a gap between recognising the issue and meaningful action.”
He believes human rights considerations are often not fully integrated into climate change policies and strategies at all governance levels, which results in inadequate protection for vulnerable communities like Marou Village. He said there needs to be more accountability for human rights violations related to climate change.
“Those responsible for emissions and environmental degradation may not face consequences for the harm caused to affected communities.”
He said there were still not enough resources directed at increasing understanding of how climate change impacts erode the human rights of people who live at the forefront of it.
Without proper understanding of climate change and human rights, residents of paradise spots like Marou will continue to face destructive tidal waves.
