LAST week I shared the story of how Nawaka River in Nadi metaphorically flowed to Suva with the River Babies of Namaka District School, the first from their village and school to participate in the 2017 National Schools Swimming Championship.

The second river referred to in the title is na wailevu, the widest river in Fiji. To most, it is known as the Rewa River.

Na wailevu originates in north-central Viti Levu on the flanks of Tomaniivi, Fiji’s highest point (1324 metres). It flows southeast for 145 km to its mouth at Laucala Bay on the south-east coast, near Suva).

A few weeks ago, I joined about 70 paddlers of outrigger canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards in a 23 kilometre paddle from Draubuta Village in Rewa, down the Wailevu/Rewa River and across Laucala Bay to the National Sailing Centre at Suva Point.

This event was the first in a series of non-motorised paddle events to be undertaken this year and is a joint initiative of VITI SUP and Va’a, a collaboration between the Fiji Outrigger Association, Uto ni Yalo Trust and Fiji Yachting Association.

“The purpose of the paddle is to not to race but to highlight the need to play our part in keeping our rivers and waters free of plastic bags and plastic products,” said event co-ordinator Colin Philp.

Before departing Draubuta Village, the paddlers held an environmental awareness session with villagers and then all joined hands to clean up the river banks and river itself. Along the 23km journey, paddlers collected rubbish they came across in the river and across Laucala Bay in special backpacks and bags documenting the litter they encountered. Approximately half a tonne of rubbish was collected.

The event was supported by the Yacht Shop, BSP, Vuda Marina, Leleuvia Isalnd Resort, Hot Bread Kitchen, Dennis Miller, BIC Sports and PFD Fiji.

The initiative received endorsement by the Fiji Oceans Champion and Minister for Fisheries and Forests, Semi Koroilevasau and the NCD national adviser and head of National Wellness Centre for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Dr Isimeli Tukana.

The paddle included at stop at the historic Nailillili Catholic Church where we heard from Sister Mariana Tevurega about Pope Francis’ encyclical on Care for Our Common Home, “Laudato Si.”

The next paddle will be from Navua River to Deuba on June 24 with a clean-up along Navua River, followed by one in August from Denarau to Vuda and perhaps even a paddle in Lautoka.

Paddling along, we noticed at some villages and settlements that rubbish founnd its way into the river because of a lack of proper rural waste management systems.

This issue was raised by the Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Teimumu Kepa, as she launched the Environment Day and Ocean Day program for Rewa Province at Lomanikoro on Monday.

Ro Teimumu raised the issue of rubbish disposal in her address to the turaga i taukei and stakeholders present at the launch calling on Government to develop village models of rubbish disposal and establish in partnership with the provinces rubbish pick-up options, particularly for non-recyclable rubbish.

She also pointed out that with 50 per cent of Fiji’s population and a high number of industries in Rewa Province, improper rubbish and waste disposal from households, squatter communities, individuals, industries and sewage facilities were poisoning rivers, estuaries and ocean in the province — and by extension fish stocks which we in turn were consuming. She also highlighted the impact of the 30 derelict vessels lying or sunken in Suva Harbour and the deforestation of mangrove trees as more foreshore developments take place.

The vanua of Rewa is taking the initiative over the next three days for a massive clean-up campaign of villages. Along with planting 1000 indigenous trees, all residents in each village have been asked to take part.

This is not only for those in the village. All of those living in the greater Suva area, part of the Suva-Nausori corridor is in the province of Rewa and need to take a moment to not just clean our front or back yards but the communities and neighbourhoods, parks and coastlines in which we live and work. Businesses, especially those whose product packaging are found clogging drains and floating in the ocean, need to do more than just the minimum in their corporate social responsibility.

Caring for the environment and the ocean in our vicinity may be a local action but it has a global effect.

Best illustration for the think global act local concept this week is the declaration by Ro Teimumu of a marine protected area at the mouth of the Rewa River which is the largest nursery ground in the world for the scalloped hammerhead shark, one the most globally threatened shark species.

Hammerheads lay large litters of up to 30 shark pups in particularly habitable coastal areas. These locations, known as nurseries, are consistently and faithfully used as natal sites, and they are an essential place for young scalloped hammerheads to develop and mature.

Scalloped hammerheads are quite timid and not considered dangerous to humans. They have been targeted for their meat and valuable fins and have suffered serious declines in abundance in many geographic regions around the world.

By declaring the nursery area tabu or protected, these baby sharks will be protected and connect Rewa and Fiji to the marine ecosystems of the world.

“Our people and fishermen know that when a tabu is declared for them not to fish in the areas. We are hopeful that these baby sharks will no longer be collected as bait, but will be allowed to grow and roam the oceans of the world from their humble origins in Rewa.”

Ro Teimumu also launched a bibilibili race scheduled for Saturday October 7 to call attention to the importance of the Rewa River and the seriousness of river to ocean pollution.

This bilibili race hopes to involve the provinces of Naitasiri and Taileuv also connect with the Rewa River, the Luvedra Na Ratu (Fijians of Indian descent) community, business houses and water-based sporting communities, such as outrigger and stand-up paddling and even sailing.

With World Oceans Day tomorrow, these small initiatives are significant in building community and grassroot commitments and actions to care for and protect our environment from ridge to river, to reef and beyond.

Tomorrow morning, early risers in Suva can participate in perhaps the first World Oceans Day event for 2017.

To commemorate World Oceans Day, the Viti SUP and Va’a fleet in partnership with Fiji Yachting, Fiji Outrigger Association and the Uto Ni Yalo Trust will hold a sunrise paddle to celebrate our ocean and call for greater commitment from ordinary Fijians towards healthy oceans.

Outrigger paddlers will, at 5.30am, paddle from the Maritime academy, parallel to Queen Elizabeth Drive, to opposite Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority headquarters.

Along the way they will be joined by stand-up paddlers who will be collecting plastic in the ocean. At 6am they will come ashore and will clean up the foreshore before a special prayer for the ocean, and for those at the Ocean Conference.

“We are inviting members of the public to join us for the clean-up and devotion from 6-6.30am at the beach opposite the FRCA HQ and be among the first people in the world on the day to pay respect to the ocean,” said Fiji Outrigger vice-president Duane Reiher.

I hope to see you out there tomorrow, but if you are unable to make it, please to spend a moment to consider the importance of the ocean and what flows into it to our way of life in Fiji and for many around the planet. And make a commitment to play your part to care for the land and sea.

“Simplicity, serenity, spontaneity.”

* Reverend James Bhagwan is an ordained Methodist minister and a citizen journalist. The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Methodist Church in Fiji or this newspaper.