Knowledge Exchange

One Wave Gathering 2020 Meets Pandemic Challenges

December 1, 2020 by Pacific Peoples' Partnership

By Jaimie Sumner, PPP Operations Coordinator and One Wave Program Coordinator

Over the last decade, One Wave has grown into a much-anticipated annual event here in Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ territories, with big crowds gathering in downtown Victoria for Indigenous and South Pacific art, music, food, and dialogues. With the Covid-19 pandemic demanding many changes, we got creative with new ways to gather safely – for instance, planning many smaller events, taking programs online, and holding events outside. It has been great to work with partners to offer free cultural programs, bring Pacific communities together, and share stories from Indigenous and Pacific perspectives. This year we held nine public events, with one still to come!

Bradley Dick’s Territorial welcome at the One Wave ceremony, with PPP President, Muavae Va’a.

Our Opening Ceremony took place at Songhees Point on September 3 with a territorial welcome by Bradley Dick and opening words from PPP’s President, Muavae Va’a and Executive Director April Ingham. We hold up our hands to Bradley for honouring our gathering this year with his welcome, sharing of knowledge, and powerful song and to Mua for his opening words in Samoan and English. It was a sunny day near the water, and where we stood with Bradley was steps away from a beautiful cedar spindle whorl designed by his father Butch Dick, one of the seven Signs of Lekwungen. The location, Songhees Point or PAH-lu-tsuss in Lekwungen, is an important site to Songhees and Esquimalt people. It was meaningful to open our One Wave events on a special Lekwungen site on the shores of the Pacific Ocean that connects us North and South.

Later on that day, we opened our Together / As One exhibit at MediaNet’s FLUX Gallery. On select days from September 3-18, the gallery came alive with costumes and songs from the youth opera Flight of the Hummingbird based on Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas’ Haida manga, as well as set-pieces and footage from the theatrical production of Peace Dancer by Roy Henry Vickers.

Flight of the Hummingbird performers with Pacific Opera Victoria and Opera Vancouver.

This opera is the story of a brave hummingbird taking on a forest fire, while Peace Dancer is the story of a big flood descending on a community after the village’s children mistreat a crow. These compelling, artfully presented stories that encourage each of us to take action to make a difference, like the little hummingbird, and ensure we treat all living beings with respect. Flight of the Hummingbird was produced by Pacific Opera Victoria and Opera Vancouver, and Peace Dancer was a collaboration between Theatre Inconnu, Story Theatre, and Puppets for Peace along with Roy Henry Vickers and a community cast. Complementing these two features were Pacific cultural items from PPP’s collection, along with short films on PPP’s work by youth multimedia makers and a special short on Fijian masi (bark cloth) from UBC Curator Carol Mayer. Visitors to the gallery were also invited to share their thoughts on the guiding themes of this year’s One Wave: resilience and allyship.

Our next public offering was the outdoor KAIROS Blanket Exercise. More than 20 participants braved the weather under tents at Royal Athletic Park to take part in this interactive workshop about Indigenous history. Facilitating the exercise were Muavae Va’a and his wife Marie Va’a from Tsartlip First Nation, facilitator Linda Flynn, and Tsartlip elder Judy Bartleman. The facilitators did a great job of adapting the exercise to keep everyone safe and socially distanced and bring Canada’s difficult Indigenous history to life. In the circle at the end, participants shared that they were deeply moved and eager to help bring this knowledge forward.

WildFlowers Drum Group at Orange Shirt Day Market. Credit: Jesse Holland

Then, on September 30, One Wave hosted the Orange Shirt Day First Nations Market & Mural at Royal Beach in Colwood in partnership with Songhees & Esquimalt Nations and Royal Beach. This event was part of the Orange Shirt Day movement across Canada to honour all who went through the horror of residential schools and reaffirm that “Every Child Matters.” It was an amazing, sunny day with art by Indigenous makers, songs from the WildFlowers girls’ drum group, Tongan dance by Ruby Kafalava, and bannock from Songhees Catering.

To open this Orange Shirt Day event, Florence Dick shared opening words and her grandson Darwyn Seaweed did a territorial welcome. Local artists Brianna Bear and Margaret August facilitated the mural, inviting community members to add a handprint and messages of love for residential school survivors. We are grateful to Florence Dick for her guidance in arranging this beautiful day and Sara from Royal Beach for all the event planning support.

During September, we also held several youth workshops. Local youths had a chance to learn from Cowichan artist Stella Johnny and help out in the Tsawout Learning Garden with Tiffany Joseph. Footage from these small group workshops will be released on social media this December. A group of South Pacific and Indigenous youth committee also started plans for a community storytelling project to be announced soon!

Usually, One Wave wraps up in September, but this year we reached the end of September with lots more to offer! This is mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as we found that each event took hours of extra planning. The pandemic also meant we had to set attendance limits, making our free events less accessible than usual. By the end of the month, we had plans still in the making with several Indigenous and Pacific artists, speakers, and partners and decided to extend One Wave, offering our remaining events online so that more people could enjoy them.

Pacific Story & Song storyteller Erin Blondeau

The first of these online events was Pacific Story & Song, an evening of Pacific arts and culture live-streamed by Sunset Labs on October 15. Sharing stories at the event were Sḵx̱wu7mesh / W̱SÁNEĆ storyteller Tiffany Joseph, Métis storyteller Erin Blondeau, and Polynesian actress Rena Owen (Once Were Warriors, Star Wars, Siren). The evening also featured live songs by Stz’uminus singer-songwriter Nate Harris from his upcoming album Precious You, PPP President Muavae Va’a, and local Hawaiian performer Anela Kahiamoe, as well as a song by Khu.éex’ centering on a story told by Tlingit / Iñupiaq / Paiute / Kaigani Haida vocalist Nahaan. Thank you to all the presenters for your cultural sharings and to our special guest Rena Owen for making time from across the Pacific to speak about your journey and encourage each of us on our own. Our recording of Pacific Story & Song will be released soon on social media.

Next up in the virtual space was our Together / As One Film Festival from October 23 to November 24. Thank you to local Coast Salish filmmaker Steven Davies for putting together this powerful program of Pacific-based Indigenous features and shorts! Our two opening films were Feature Film Vai by nine female South Pacific filmmakers, and the National Film Board short Now is The Time about Haida carver Robert Davidson and his reclamation of cultural traditions. We then featured 6 films from Aotearoa, Haida Gwaii, Australia, and Kapuivik. While the free viewing period for most of these films is over, we encourage you to check out our Film Festival webpage for some great films to add to your list or order at your local library!

A final unique online One Wave event was called A Virtual Feast: Honouring and Revitalizing Indigenous Food Systems. This was an interactive panel and film premier on Indigenous food sovereignty co-organized with our partners at the University of Victoria Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement (CIRCLE). We had more than 100 participants registered for the online event! The dialogue was hosted by Lisa Kenoras and Jeff Corntassel with a traditional Lekwungen welcome by Brianna Dick. The Virtual Feast fed us all with presentations by local Indigenous knowledge holders, Tiffany Joseph and Cheryl Bryce, and Papua New Guinean cultural TV producer, Jennifer Baing-Waiko, as well as a premier of CIRCLE’s new short film Rising Tides which you can find on our Vimeo here.

And that’s a wrap… almost! We have one more One Wave event we hope to present this winter, the raising of the Pacific Peace Post at Macaulay Point, a beautifully carved house post by local Lekwungen carver Bradley Dick and Solomon Islands carver Ake Lianga. We hope to see the Peace Post go up in early January — watch our social media channels for news!

Ake Lianga and Bradley Dick carving the Pacific Peace Post.

We were thrilled to offer a bountiful One Wave 2020 program in spite of the pandemic, making space for Pacific cultural sharing while offering paid opportunities for local artists and Indigenous knowledge keepers. To the volunteers who came with open hearts; to the artists and speakers who shared at One Wave events; to our amazing partners and funders who worked with us to make it happen; to the participants who came ready to learn and share; and to our team who pulled together in this challenging year – thank you, thank you, thank you.

Our programming partners for One Wave Gathering 2020 were Songhees Nation, Esquimalt Nation, MediaNet Flux Gallery, CIRCLE at UVIC, Theatre Inconnu, Puppets for Peace, Story Theatre, Pacific Opera Victoria, Vancouver Opera, and Royal Beach. Thank you for helping design inspiring programs enjoyed by so many.

Key funders and contributors were Canadian Heritage, BC Arts Council, Government of Canada, Province of BC, CRD, City of Victoria, Township of Esquimalt, City of Colwood, CTV / CFAX, Rika Design, Peppers Foods, Royal Scot Hotel & Suites, Metropol, The Sign Pad, Black Press Media, and Sunset Labs. Your contributions were crucial to the success of our One Wave Gathering.

One Wave 2020

September 9, 2020 by Pacific Peoples' Partnership

One Wave is Back in September … with many Online and In-Person Events!

By Jaimie Sumner, PPP Operations Coordinator & One Wave Program Coordinator

It’s September, and our 13th annual One Wave Gathering is once again brightening the streets of Victoria, BC in beautiful Lekwungen territories! One Wave is a free, family-friendly celebration of Pacific Island and Indigenous cultures organized by Pacific Peoples’ Partnership each year. This year’s gathering is focused on the themes of resilience and allyship and will feature arts and culture events including Indigenous opera, digital media, theatre, film, workshops, and more.

Pearls of the South Pacific Dancers at One Wave 2018. Credit: Heather Tuft

In these challenging times, we feel it is more important than ever to make space for cultural connection and learning. While we need to take precautions to keep each other safe, it is vital that we find ways to share special moments, listen to each other, and engage with the issues facing the Pacific. From Samoa to T’Sou-ke, from Viti Levu to Lekwungen territory, Pacific communities are working to preserve and revitalize culture, pass on knowledge, and ensure a healthy future for all. At One Wave, we invite people from all backgrounds into the circle to hear these stories, be inspired, and find ways to move forward together.

Our team has worked extra hard this year to create safe ways to come together. This year, we are offering a robust online program as well as a few in-person events within the safe protocols of social distancing.

Read on for some highlights you can expect at One Wave this month. Some of our events will not be announced in advance, so join us on Facebook and check out our website to avoid missing out!

A colorful theatrical performance accompanies Indigenous author, Roy Henry Vickers, as he reads from his children’s book Peace Dancer. Credit: Tony Sprackett

Together / As One – Sept. 3-18 at FLUX Gallery 821 Fort St.

Visit the gallery and witness powerful Indigenous and Pacific stories woven together in Together / As One, an exciting digital media and art exhibit. Watch carvings and masi cloths take shape and collective stories come alive in this display of cultural objects and films by local and international artists. Featured works include Roy Henry Vickers’ Peace Dancer (Theatre Inconnu, Story Theatre, Puppets for Peace) and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas’ Flight of the Hummingbird (Pacific Opera/Opera Vancouver). You are welcome to visit Tuesday – Friday between 12-5pm and walk through the exhibit in groups of 6 or less. We will provide visitors with masks and social distancing instructions to ensure a safe space for all.

Flight of the Hummingbird performers with Pacific Opera Victoria and Opera Vancouver

KAIROS Blanket Exercise – 9:30am, Sat, Sept. 26 at Royal Athletic Park *Sign up on EventBrite to reserve your spot.

Deepen your understanding of allyship, reconciliation, and Indigenous history in Canada through an interactive history lesson called the Blanket Exercise. During the exercise, participants will accompany facilitators on a journey through Indigenous history in Canada, spanning pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization, and resistance. Blankets laid out on the ground will provide a visual guide to the history lesson as participants walk through a set of interactive exercises that bring history to life. Attendance is limited, so reserve your space now on EventBrite and visit the KAIROS website to learn more.

During the Blanket Exercise, blankets laid out on the ground symbolize Indigenous territories

Rising Tides

Tune in online for a new film on Indigenous food sovereignty and climate justice by the Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement (CIRCLE). Rising Tides is locally produced and features knowledge-sharing and ideas for action shared by Erynne Gilpin, Jeff Corntassel, Peruzzo Andrade, Cheryl Bryce, Beangka Elliot, and April Ingham.

Pacific Peace House Post

A momentous event this year will be the installation of the Pacific Peace Post, a symbolic house post carved by local Lekwungen and Solomon Islands carvers Bradley Dick and Ake Lianga. The Pacific Peace Post will overlook the waters at Macaulay Point and stand as a symbol of peace and connection between Pacific peoples. Watch for the unveiling in late September!

Carvers Bradley Dick and Ake Lianga working on the Pacific Peace House Post

Films, Pop-ups, Workshops & More!

Join our Facebook or visit our website for a full listing of events. We have lots more exciting programming in the works this month, including online feature films, pop-up music and dance, workshops on topics from slam poetry to weaving, and maybe even a drive-in theatre.

We hope to see old friends and new as we gather once more – in person and online – for a powerful program of Pacific stories, songs, and speakers.

If you are interested in volunteering, there may still be an opportunity! For more information, get in touch with us at: operations@archive.pacificpeoplespartnership.org.

One Wave Gathering is held on Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ territory and made possible with the consent and consultations by hereditary and elected leaders, elders, youths, artists and community members.

Our amazing partners for One Wave 2020 include Songhees Nation, Esquimalt Nation, MediaNet FLUX Gallery, CIRCLE (Centre for Indigenous Research and Community Led Engagement at UVIC), Theatre Inconnu, Puppets for Peace, Story Theatre, Pacific Opera Victoria, Vancouver Opera, City of Victoria, Township of Esquimalt, the Government of Canada, the Province of BC, Canadian Heritage, British Columbia Art Council, Capital Regional District, CTV / CFAX, and Rika Design.

People & Passages: Johnny Edmonds

September 9, 2020 by Pacific Peoples' Partnership

Johnny Edmonds, A Champion of Indigenous Tourism

Prepared by Dani McDonald, Communications/Media, New Zealand Māori Tourism

We learned with heavy hearts that our dear friend and colleague, Johnny Edmonds passed away in May 2020. Johnny was a stickler for detail and flag bearer for the development and strengthening of indigenous tourism. For Johnny, tourism was a vehicle for indigenous people to tell their own story. It is because of his foresight that New Zealand Māori Tourism exists today.

Johnny held executive management positions for indigenous non-profit organizations for the past two decades in Aotearoa and Australia. These include the Waitangi National Trust, Taitokerau Regional Māori Tourism Organisation, NZ Māori Tourism Council and the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council. He served on tourism industry boards in NZ and Australia and held statutory and executive management positions in the NZ government.

Johnny led the formation of the national body of NZ Māori Tourism, as we know it today, from 2004 – 2007 where he helmed the establishment and organizational development of the NZ Māori Tourism Council, and the development of national and international relationships to foster the development of Māori tourism. In 2005, only one year into his new role at NZ Māori Tourism, Johnny established the inaugural nationwide conference in Tāmaki Makaurau focusing on operating sustainable clusters alongside the former Associate Minister of Tourism, Hon Dover Samuels. A year later, Johnny’s expertise at building relations was evidenced in a collaboration between Government and NZ Māori Tourism to provide targeted mentoring services to the business development needs of small Māori tourism businesses.

Johnny poured his energy into turning the attention of the tourism industry toward the Māori tourism product. During his tenure, Johnny saw that Māori tourism would grow Aotearoa’s entire tourism industry. Māori tourism eventually became the fastest growing sector, as a result of Johnny’s dedication and visionary leadership.

Pasifik Currents May 2020 Executive Message

May 1, 2020 by April Ingham

April keeps safe with a Fijian-pattern mask made by her mother in law.

Talofa Lava Friends,

We are in an historic moment in time, one that has the potential to change our lives forever. While we are impacted differently in each part of the globe, we share the opportunity to address systemic changes and challenges that can positively transform our world, if we act together.

Early this month Pacific Peoples’ Partnership (PPP) marked our 45^th Anniversary by launching a campaign for our Pacific Resilience Fund. Donations through this fund are distributed equitably throughout the South Pacific, and most importantly, they support Islander-led processes at the community level. Our local partners continue to work together and build resilience even in the face of recent crises, including COVID-19 and Cyclone Harold, both of which you will see covered with stories in this issue. PPP stands in solidarity with our friends and neighbors in the South Pacific – will you join us and be a part of building this legacy?

Makere – a recent donor to the Pacific Resilience Fund – wrote in the Maori language: “Tena koutou ki a koutou katoa, he koha iti, engari he koha aroha tenei…” “We are with you all. A little gift, but this is a love gift…”

This sentiment is shared by PPP’s Samoan-Canadian President Muavae Va’a, who passionately shared his own stories of resilience and urged your solidarity. “As a Pacific Islander, it is important to me to support our peoples back home… Let’s begin today…even small amounts will

In November 2019, Samoan Elders Po & Savea joined program partner Eco Canada’s Kori, April and Mua at an Indigenous Youth Climate Connect workshop held at ȽÁU, WELṈEW̱ Tribal School on Vancouver Island, Canada.

be helpful.” We invite you to watch his 8-minute video message.

While the immediate challenges of the recent cyclone and COVID-19 crises may take up our days, we are all adjusting to this new reality. PPP and our partners continue to work in physical isolation, but please know that we are working hard to make an impact – even virtually!

Within this edition of Pasifik Currents, you will find feature stories on our 45^th Anniversary, updates from the HELP Resources Papua New Guinea project Vendors Collective Voices, inspiring stories from up and coming young female leaders, plus more people, program and news updates.

Save the date: “Giving Tuesday” will take place on May 5th as an emergency response to COVID-19. This is a global day of giving and unity that demonstrates the power of our collective generosity. Look to hear from us and the communities we are supporting in the South Pacific.

Thank you for continuing this Pacific Peoples’ Partnership journey. We look forward to you standing in solidarity with us well into the future!

April Ingham, Executive Director

Pacific Peoples’ Partnership

Ottawa Youth Forum for Young Women Across Canada

May 1, 2020 by Pacific Peoples' Partnership

By Chesa Abma

At the forum, Chesa Abma (front left) learned that women are the eyes and ears of the community.

Early this year, after hearing about an exciting opportunity from PPP Executive Director, April Ingham, I found out I was selected by the BC Council for International Cooperation (BCCIC) to go with the Inter-Council Network (ICN) youth delegation to attend the 64th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW64) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The delegation was comprised of eight fierce young women from across the country, all working in and passionate about areas related to gender equality. After connecting with my fellow delegates through webinars and navigating my way through the event schedules, I was full of excitement about what I would experience. My focus for CSW64 was issues related to justice and Indigenous rights.

In early March as we were getting ready to embark on our travels, we were disappointed to hear of the cancellation of CSW64 due to COVID-19. Although this was certainly the right choice, there were feelings of sadness for all the work done by individuals around the world to bring different discussions and events together that would now be cancelled or hopefully moved to an online platform.

Little did I know as I was coming to terms with the news, that Senator Marilou McPhederan and her team in Ottawa were coming up with an alternative. A Youth Forum for young women from across Canada. In a quick change of events, I found myself on route to Ottawa for the first time in my life. Over two days, we heard from many impressive and influential people: these included Afghan-Canadian politician and Minister for International Development, the Hon. Maryam Monsef; Canada’s first ambassador for women, peace and security, H.E. Jacqueline O’Neill; members of the Canadian Senate, and experienced professionals working for NGOs in the field of women’s rights and gender equality.

During our first Round Table, I was blown away by the important work being done within our different communities. It was inspiring hearing about all the efforts made towards achieving gender equality in areas that included but were not limited to health, Indigenous rights, gender-based violence, and LGBTQ2+ rights. I was appreciative of the representation in the room and the experience and wisdom that my fellow delegates brought forward. There were stories detailing the many complex issues faced by women nationally and globally and how the understanding of intersectionality is vital in addressing those issues. As I listened, I thought about how crucial it is that we continuously make the effort to come together and find out what is going on for folks in all communities both near and far. The experience of being in a room with so many strong young leaders was humbling in the best sense.

It was interesting to hear about the work and experience of the Senators and speakers. I appreciated hearing about their journeys and the insight they provided. Senator Mobina Jaffer told us that as women “we bring the point of view of the community, as we are the eyes and ears of the community.” I had so many questions, but there was limited time. I took away a lot from the thoughtful dialogue and difficult questions brought forward by everyone in the group. I appreciated that there were genuine invitations made by the Senators to continue the conversations with them.

Attendees of the March 2020 Ottawa Youth Forum.

As a young Indigenous woman, I had conflicted feelings about being in Ottawa and in a space where the decisions made have an immense impact on every aspect of our lives. It is hard not to think about how often the people most negatively impacted by these decisions face the most barriers in having their voices heard. For this reason, having the opportunity to share my thoughts and ideas is not one I take lightly. I know that having this experience has added to my understanding of the Canadian Governmental structure and processes, which will continue to be helpful into the future. After listening to each other’s stories and feeling our collective determination and passion, I left Ottawa feeling hopeful, especially if efforts such as this one continue to engage diverse groups of young people.

It was an honour to witness the events over these two days. Hay’sxw’qa si’em to everyone who attended, Senator McPhedran and her team, all the guest speakers, BCCIC, ICN, PPP and April Ingham.

Chesa Abma, a member of Xwsepsum (Esquimalt Nation), is honoured to live and learn on her ancestral lands in the beautiful Lekwungen territory. As she has worked for Pacific Peoples’ Partnership in the past, she is grateful for the experience and knowledge gained and the relationships formed during her time with PPP. Sustained by her passion for education and justice, Chesa will be pursuing studies in the Indigenous Law Program at the University of Victoria in the Fall of 2020.

RedTide Summit 2020 Postponed Due to Coronavirus

May 1, 2020 by April Ingham

RedTide logo by Mark Gauti, T’Sou-ke Nation

In 2018 PPP was part of a remarkable project that saw the birth of the RedTide International Indigenous Climate Action Summit. This was hosted by Toitoi Manawa Trust in May 2018 in Te Kaha, Aotearoa (New Zealand). Attending that first RedTide was youth activist Kalilah Rampanen from the Nuu-chah-nulth Territory of Ahousaht on Vancouver Island, British Columbia which became the designated location and host for RedTide 2020. Kalilah was named youth Chair of RedTide 2020, working diligently with her family with the expressed permission and support of her Hereditary Chief Maquinna, towards hosting the next bi-annual summit in July 2020.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that all travel is now restricted for the foreseeable future, as is entry into this small Indigenous community. It has been a difficult but necessary decision to postpone the event. The Summit team is now looking at the possibility of hosting virtual programming this summer, and the Summit on Vancouver Island next year.

If COVID teaches us anything, it is that we are indeed interconnected and must work together in solidarity to responsibly halt the spread and successfully bring this pandemic to an end.

One Wave 2020 – Rain, Shine, or Online!

May 1, 2020 by Jaimie Sumner

By Jaimie Sumner, PPP Operations Coordinator

Yes, we are still planning for a great big beautiful One Wave Gathering this Fall!

In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever to connect with each other, find strength in our cultures, and practice solidarity. These goals are central to us at Pacific Peoples’ Partnership and to One Wave Gathering, our main annual event.

Lekwungen Dancer at One Wave 2019. ©John-Evan Snow of FotoVie

Held each year on Lekwungen territories in Victoria, B.C., One Wave is an award-winning event series celebrating Indigenous and Pacific culture, knowledge, and arts. One Wave is about getting together, sharing traditions, and building relationships across cultures. It’s a month-long gathering full of smiles, learning, good conversation, and of course, lots of socializing! And even though we don’t know what social protocols will look like this September, we are committed to bringing you One Wave again – rain, shine, or online!

Whatever the case, there are a few certainties you can count on for One Wave Gathering 2020. The first being – you are invited! Whether in person or virtually, we are excited to offer this event to all who want to learn and share Pacific and Indigenous cultures. All events will be free throughout the month of September. As always, One Wave will feature vibrant cultural presentations, creative works by master and emerging artists, and meaningful opportunities to participate and engage with people of diverse cultures.

Our main event is usually a large public gathering in downtown Victoria, alive with visual art, theatre, and dance; knowledge-sharing by local cultural leaders; food and games; and participatory activities for the whole family. Highlights from last year were local dances from Pearls of the Pacific and Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations, a staging of Roy Henry Vickers’ Peace Dancer with local theatre groups, and illuminating talks by cultural ambassadors such as master carver Joe Martin.

We are hoping dearly to hold our main gathering in person this year, as we love to see your wonderful faces! We also have a great roster of other events planned for this year, including screenings of films by local Indigenous youth and established Pacific filmmakers, pop-up galleries throughout the city, dialogues at the University of Victoria’s First Peoples House, and PPP’s 45^th birthday party – yes, we’re that old! That said, if we can’t meet in person this year, we are preparing to bring the gathering into your living room by hosting our events online. Stay tuned for updates.

Penina from Pearls of the Pacific at One Wave. ©John-Evan Snow of FotoVie

We have been honoured to host One Wave for the past 12 years on Lekwungen territory, and we are so grateful to the local Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ communities and the Pacific Islander diaspora for their support of One Wave over the years. This gathering of cultures could not exist without your permission, guidance, and participation. One Wave is also made possible by many other amazing partners, including MediaNet, CIRCLE, and the City of Victoria, as well as, of course, our participants and guests!

We welcome input from as many Pacific and Indigenous voices as possible in designing One Wave, and we invite volunteers, artists, and participants of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to help make each gathering happen. If you would like to help with One Wave 2020, now is the time to get in touch at operations@archive.pacificpeoplespartnership.org. We’d love to hear from you.

We hope you will join us for One Wave 2020!

Reviewing and Enriching PPP’s Essential “Community Toolkit”

May 1, 2020 by Pacific Peoples' Partnership

By Cedar Luke, PPP Intercultural Research Associate

Pacific Peoples’ Partnership (PPP) has inspired me to cultivate my abilities to serve something greater. My name is Cedar Luke, I began to work with PPP in the first weeks of 2020 as an intern by means of a continuing studies program in Intercultural Education at the University of Victoria. PPP seemed to align well with my previous engagement in Indigenous Studies, Social Justice and Latin American Studies which I pursued throughout my undergraduate degree.

My work with PPP has allowed me to synthesize years of research and academic pursuits by bridging the university with a larger community vision. April Ingham, the executive director of PPP, has been an incredible guide, focusing my efforts to the benefit of the organization as well as the greater movement towards equity, inclusion, and social justice.

Through my internship, I had the honour to review a program developed by a previous Indigenous Governance intern, Russ Johnston, titled the “Community Toolkit.” This program is designed as a workshop to explore the importance of our own history and perspective in working cross-culturally as an ally for social justice. This program recognizes the unjust history of colonization and searches to define and practice decolonization as a tool to envision positive pathways to healthy and reciprocal relationships between people, place, and culture.

This program defines six specific steps to accomplish this: an introduction aligned with local Indigenous protocols, the exploration of self-location and accountability, developing definitions of decolonization and allyship, and the creative aspect of envisioning positive, cross-cultural relationships and a future which we can work towards together.

Through my conversations with community, I realized just how important it is to know where one is coming from and what influences our perspective. In the step on self-location, we ask participants to identify their birthplace, their ancestry and their relationship to different natural environments in order to welcome their stories into the space. As Russ says, the work of this workshop needs to matter to each participant and is only meaningful if we know who we are in relation to it. In the next step, we explore different levels of accountability experienced in each aspect of our self-location and explore why we have chosen to participate in this workshop and the service of solidarity.

Harsha Walia, a Vancouver based activist and writer, defines decolonization as “a dramatic re-imagining of relationships with land, people and the state. Much of this requires study. It requires conversation. It is a practice; it is an unlearning.” We intentionally avoid giving a static definition for decolonization because it is a concept and practice which is constantly evolving. Decolonization is critical of imperialism and colonialism and thus works to advance the interests of Indigenous peoples by re-centering Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. The values derived from colonization continue to be upheld in many societal norms and institutions, intimately interwoven into social structures that perpetuate inequality and discrimination. For this reason, decolonization has deep implications for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous citizens who wish for a more equitable and just society.

Two Canoes seminar – an allyship program from our friends at Fair Mining Collaborative. Photo by A Holbrook

Exploring colonization and decolonization can bring up many deep feelings of sadness, confusion anger, guilt, denial, etc. Many individuals who are privileged by the structures of inequality can choose not to engage and for this reason it is important we call people into the conversation rather than calling people out. To become an ally through grounded relationships is a great honor and gift. In working cross-culturally we learn about ourselves, we learn how to respectfully and curiously learn from others, and have the opportunity to be part of beautiful collaborations. This willingness to connect with what is unknown expands our sense of community, our sense of purpose and sense of belonging.

This program will be primarily used as an introductory workshop within the orientation process for new PPP interns and volunteers. This is to assure the heart of our operations are aligned with critical inquiry and the most effective positive change for the individual as well as the collective. As this program continues to develop, we are open to cultivating a several session seminar which would be open to the public for community engagement. I am currently refining a final draft of recommendations which I have generated over the past four months. I look forward to seeing how this program will grow into the future.

Although my work with the Community Toolkit is coming to a close, I am continuing to work with PPP as a research associate. In the coming months, I will focus on the development of a handbook to enshrine wise practices and policies for working with youth. I hope this handbook will assure PPP’s work is forever a safe and inspiring space for youth to learn and grow.

As we move forward together, may we remember that we are all historically Indigenous to somewhere. We all need the same vital nutrients of this Earth to nourish life, and through the act of giving we truly do receive.

Cedar Luke has lived, studied and worked in Latin America for five years and is graduating in Latin American Studies and Intercultural Education from the University of Victoria. Over the years, he has built relationships with Indigenous traditions of the Amazon as well as with the Annishnaabe community where he was raised in Duluth, Minnesota in the United States.

45 moments over 45 years – Celebrating the 45th Anniversary of Pacific Peoples’ Partnership

April 30, 2020 by Pacific Peoples' Partnership

Compiled by Andy Nystrom, PPP Volunteer Archivist and Researcher

Traditional Sepik Dugout canoe by A. Holbrook

Many years of our organization’s Tok Blong and Tok Blong Pasifik journals have captured numerous highlights between 1982 and 2015. To celebrate our 45^th anniversary, here are 45 highlights from our years of work linking Canada and the South Pacific.

Please note: From 1975 to 2000, the organization was known as South Pacific Peoples’ Foundation (SPPF) and from then on as Pacific Peoples’ Partnership (PPP).

We hope you enjoy these 45 highlights! We have linked to the online Tok Blong editions for each fact – please see page numbers for specific articles.

Since 1982, Tok Blong Pasifik has featured a rich variety of “talk that belongs” to the Pacific: news, views, debates and insights. Begun in a pre-internet, fledgling-independence, nuclear cold-war era, where communications among Pacific islands was prohibitively expensive and where North-South information flows were virtually non-existent, Tok Blong Pasifik filled a void not only for Northerners concerned about peoples of the region, but also for Pacific islanders curious to hear about neighbouring South Pacific nations. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 23.
In 1982, SPPF organized a tour of British Columbia and Alberta for Sinisia Taumoepeau, an artist from Tonga. The tour helped to give SPPF’s work further exposure in BC and Alberta and showcased Taumoepeau’s work. #3 Winter 1982, page 2.
We spoke with Rabhie Namaliu, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for Papua New Guinea, when he was in Victoria at the end of November 1983 to receive an honourary Doctors of Law degree from the University of Victoria. While in Victoria he was interviewed by Phil Esmonde, our first Executive Director, for Tok Blong. In the interview Namaliu discussed the plebiscites in the Trust Territories, independence for New Caledonia and Polynesia, a nuclear-free Pacific, Japanese multinationals in PNG, and the effects of mining on PNG’s economy. #7 Jan 1984, pages 13-16.
In 1987 SPPF produced fact sheets on the Pacific on the topics of Tourism, Health, Population, and Fisheries. These original versions were compiled by Jay Gould with funding assistance from the Challenge ’87 summer works program. #21 Nov 1987 pages 10, 14; pages 11-14 are the health sheet.
In 1988 SPPF produced postcards criticizing French nuclear testing in French Polynesia, which got a response from Guy Azais, Charge d’Affaires in December of that year. The following January, Phil Esmonde responded, pointing out that all Pacific governments had asked France to stop testing in the Pacific, and suggesting that if France is correct that there are no health or environmental effects from the nuclear testing, they should welcome an independent investigation on the effects of nuclear testing on the health and environment of French Polynesia. #27 April 1989 pages 17-18.
A partnership with Project Canada Pacifique in Montreal led to French versions of Tok Blong. #30 Jan 1990 page 2. Check out the January and May French editions from 1991!
A crew of SPPF supporters formed a team in the 3rd annual Save the Strait Marathon (August 22). Traversing 29 kilometres of Georgia Strait from the mainland to Vancouver Island by kayak, the intrepid band of six raised $1,538 in support of SPPF projects and Save Georgia Strait Alliance environmental programs. #40 Aug 1992 page 2.
Traditional Coast Salish dugout canoe with Teddy Balangu. by A. Holbrook
SPPF’s revised mission statement in 1992 was to promote increased understanding of social justice, environment, development, health and other issues of importance to the people of the Pacific Islands; and to supporting equitable, environmentally sustainable development and social justice in the region. #40 Aug 1992 page 10.
From 1991-1993, SPPF and the Sierra Club of Western Canada co-sponsored the Indonesia-Canada Rese postage and harch Project, which examined the Canadian presence in Indonesia, particularly West Papua/lrian Jaya, and the impact of this presence on the indigenous Papuan people and environment. #43 May 1993 page 2.
1994’s “Land is the Heart of the People” conference drew 100 people, including 10 Pacific Is-landers and 30 First Nations people. Several Pacific Islanders and First Nations people, including local Cowichan people, contributed to the program. The result was a conference more shaped by Indigenous perspectives than in the past. #47 May 1994 page 2.
In 1996, SPPF hosted 3 Pacific youth on temporary volunteer placements. All three (Fredlyn Nako of Vanuatu, Faye Nuakona of Papua New Guinea, and Eroni Rakuita of Fiji) were students at Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific and were interviewed for Tok Blong. Vol. 50 #2 Jun 1996 pages 1, 8-10, 12, 15.
The growing concerns of Indigenous Peoples in the Pacific and Canada about the critical issues surrounding intellectual property rights and patent law, and the threats they bring to the traditional knowledge and culture of Indigenous Peoples, motivated SPPF to choose the theme “Our Knowledge, Our Rights: Traditional Knowledge and Pacific Peoples” for its 15th annual Pacific Networking Conference. Vol. 52 #4 Dec 1998-Feb 1999, page 5-6.
On February 18, 2000 SPPF became PPP – Pacific Peoples’ Partnership. The new name was intended to better reflect the nature of our work and to distinguish PPP from other organisations working in the Pacific. Vol. 53 #4 December 1999 page 2.
After a tidal wave hit Papua New Guinea in 1998, PPP members donated more than $6,000 to the Catholic Diocese of Aitape’s tidal wave relief effort. Vol. 54 #3, 2000, page 15.
To celebrate PPP’s 25^th anniversary, a cultural evening was held during the Pacific Networking Conference May, 2000. The evening celebrated the diversity of the participants and included performances by local First Nations, visiting South Pacific Islanders, and the Victoria and Vancouver expatriate Pacific community. It was held at the Lau Wel New Tribal School, Tsartlip Reserve in Saanich. Vol. 54 #3, 2000, page 16
PPP Produced Hailans to Ailans Cultural Sharing 2009 by A Holbrook
In 2000, prominent travel book writer David Stanley praised PPP, calling it “North America’s leading advocate for the inhabitants of a third of the earth’s surface. May the voices echo and the waves unite the goals and aspirations we all share.”
In 2003, the Canadian Council for International Cooperation pulled together a reference group on public engagement for the first time. PPP was one of 10 members of this policy forum whose primary goals include exploring ways the community can work together to strengthen our educational work, articulate a common vision for engaging Canadians in development issues internationally, and determine how best to measure and build on the results of previous efforts. Vol. 1 #1 Spr 2003 page 5.
The Indigenous Peoples’ Abroad Program (IPAP) provided opportunities for young professionals from Canada’s First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to engage directly in sustainable development initiatives, sharing skills, knowledge and cultural perspectives with Indigenous counterparts in the Small Island Developing States of the Pacific. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 pages 7, 22. The following items (18 – 32) are from the same issue.
After Cyclone Isaac hit Tonga, SPPF fundraised throughout 1982-1983 to assist in rebuilding Tonga. SPPF fundraising, supplemented by a three-to-one CIDA matching grant, resulted in more than $40,000 in reconstruction support to Tongan communities in 11 islands of the isolated Ha’apai Group. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 20.
As part of the Marasim Meri Program (1987-1992), SPPF was a primary fundraiser, with CIDA matching funds three to one. Maprik Hospital partnered with the Maprik Women’s Association to select respected women from remote villages, train them in basic health, and provide them a dependable supply of basic medicines. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 20.
In 1994, SPPF supported fundraising by the PNG Integral Human Development Trust, which created a new cadre of literacy trainers and co-coordinators. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 20.
In 1997, SPPF’s network set out to ensure that Pacific Islanders were not marginalized during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit and APEC Parallel Conference, a gathering of civil-society hosted in Canada. The Pacific Networking Conference of that year was strategically timed so that Pacific Islanders attending the conference could also participate in the APEC Parallel Conference. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 21.
From 1997-2001, the Ecowoman project grew from the determination of Pacific women to promote sound eco-friendly science at the grassroots level. Project leadership came from the South Pacific Action Committee for Human Ecology & Environment (SPACHEE), a collective of women in science and technology, representing traditional methods and modern approaches. By working together, they were determined to have urban-rural collaboration that improved their lives and protected their environment. CIDA contributed $100,000 and the SPACHEE-PPP partnership provided $60,000 in cash and in-kind contributions. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 21.
The Canada-South Pacific Ocean Development Programme (CSPOD) (1997-2004) was the largest Canadian development initiative in the Pacific Islands. PPP partnered on this 14-year $28-million CIDA project which started in 1988. CSPOD increased the capacity of regional institutions to manage and South Pacific marine resources. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 21.
From 1998-2003, the WAINIMATE support project combined preservation and enhancement of traditional science-based knowledge with forest and environmental protection. It forged links with Canadian First Nation traditional medicine practitioners through exchanges that included workshops on governance, intellectual property rights and biodiversity conservation. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 21.
The Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Science and Sustainable Development Project (IPSP) (1999-2000) focused on cultivating exchanges and linkages between Canadian and Pacific Island Indigenous peoples for mutual problem-solving. A series of reciprocal visits, tours and discussion forums were held jointly by Canadian First Nations and Pacific Islander groups. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 22.
Indigenous youth-to-youth activities (2001): This CIDA-funded project provided four venues for youth: a tour in Canada’s Northwest and the South Pacific, workshops on Vancouver Island and in Kelowna, cultural evenings, and publication of a youth issue of Tok Blong Pasifik. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 22.
Speaking Out: Indigenous Media Talks Development – In 2003, PPP organized a program to send three prominent Indigenous journalists to Fiji and Vanuatu for a three-week tour. This was intended so that Indigenous people from Canada could examine the commonalities of experience among Indigenous peoples in Canada and the South Pacific and gain a deeper understanding of how communities are addressing challenges creatively. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 22.
From 1996-1998, SPPF and CUSO co-sponsored a Canadian occupational therapist to work for two years with the Vanuatu Society for Disabled Persons (VSDP). Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 20
Fair Trade: Bad Business or Global Prosperity? (2004-2005) – This public engagement initiative, which included the educational resource kit “Trade My Way”, saw PPP conduct a series of consultations about trade and values with a diverse cross-section of people in 15 different communities across British Columbia. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 22.
Shifting Tides: Indigenous responses to global climate change (2007) was conceived to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change on Indigenous communities in Canada and in the South Pacific. In November 2007, an international delegation of Canadian Aboriginal and Cook Islands Maori Elders, Youth, and Scientists took part in a month-long tour that involved visits to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands and various cities in Canada, including Victoria, The Cowichan Valley, and Vancouver, BC; Winnipeg, MB; Ottawa, ON; and Iqaluit, NU. It was delivered in collaboration with the Kouto Nui council of traditional leaders in the Cook Islands with sponsorship from CIDA and additional financial support from IDRC, the Mountain Equipment Co-op, BC Hydro, Canadian North, The British Columbia Council for International Cooperation, the United Church of Canada and the Anglican Church of Canada. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 22
Pacific Promises: A Story from the Leaders of Tomorrow (2008) was originally published as a special edition of Tok Blong Pasifik in 2008. The children’s book, funded by CIDA and Mountain Equipment Co-op was written by Stephanie Peter and Deyna Marsh with illustrations by Natalie Christensen. The writers were participants in past PPP youth projects and were inspired to write this book about the impact of climate change on the social, cultural and economic well-being of Pacific island Indigenous peoples in the South and North Pacific. Vol 8 #2 Nov 2010 page 22.
From 2009-2012 Papua: Land of Peace: Civil Society Leadership in Conflict Transformation (PLP), funded by CIDA harnessed rights-based approaches toward integrating capacity strengthening and education around sustainable livelihoods, Indigenous rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, and violence against women. Dec 2015 page 4.
The Phil Esmonde Legacy Fund, in remembrance of SPPF’s first Executive Director, was started in 2011 as a way for donors to support PPP’s continuing mission of supporting the aspirations of South Pacific Islanders and Indigenous peoples. Dec 2015 page 4.
In 2012, a Special Edition of Tok Blong Pasifik called Raven and Paradise explored the alternate biospheres of West Papua, Indonesia and the Coast Salish territories of Canada. It included illustrations by children from both Coast Salish and West Papuan communities as well as the skilled work of T’Sou-ke Nation artist Mark Gauti and the literary talent of Jen Jorgensen. This storybook was also produced in Indonesian. Dec 2015 page 5.

The late Dan Lepsoe and Elaine Monds evaluating a Sepik River carving.
After volunteer Dan Lepsoe passed away in 2013, PPP created the Dan Lepsoe Chisel Fund to assist carvers in the Sepik region in the purchase of new chisels. Dec 2015 page 18.
With the Indigenous-Led HIV Prevention Strategy for Tanah Papua (2013-2015), PPP, the University of Calgary, and our partners in West Papua initiated collaborative research to examine effective HIV prevention and treatment among Indigenous mothers. Dec 2015 page 5.
At the 22nd Pacific Networking Conference: ‘Rising Tides: Our Lands, Our Waters, Our Peoples’ in September 2015, participants examined issues such as reclaiming of traditional knowledge, land stewardship, Indigenous governance, environmental sustainability, and Indigenous solidarity. Three days of the conference were spent with our Coast Salish Tsartlip, T’So-uke and Songhees partners. Dec 2015 page 12.
The Pacific Voices X-Change (PVX) Indigenous Youth Artist Residency was held from August 10 to 21, 2015, providing ten Indigenous Youth from ages 15-30 with the opportunity to grow their creative voice, skills, and art practices in a two-week intensive training day-program. Youth were guided with the knowledge and insight of main mentor Janet Marie Rogers, as well as a diverse lineup of artist mentors and Coast Salish territorial guides. Through the exploration of creative writing, photography, song writing, audio recording, poetry and more, the youth created works that express very diverse insights and perspectives. Dec. 2015 page 22-23.
In February of 2016, the strongest and costliest cyclone in the history of the South Pacific of the time, Cyclone Winston swept across Queensland, Tonga, Vanuatu, Niue, and Fiji. Tropical Cyclone Winston illustrated the widespread damage an extreme climate event can inflict upon island nations. Together with a variety of donors, including the local Pacific Islander community of the Victoria area, Pacific Peoples’ Partnership raised $15,000 for rebuilding Loreto Catholic School. The funding was channelled through the Pacific Resilience Fund, a flexible funding mechanism designed to promote medium term resiliency programming in communities as a supplement to the short-term disaster relief system. News, August 30, 2017 http://
RedTide: International Indigenous Climate Action Summit, May 2018, was hosted in the Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, a Māori iwi located in the eastern Bay of Plenty and East Coast regions of New Zealand’s North Island. At this gathering, Indigenous scholars, activists, knowledge keepers and artists from around the world connected and shared stories and knowledge about climate change and resilience.
FrancOcéan Pacifique connected British Columbia and New Caledonia youth via a collaborative, interactive ocean study program, which included educational booklets, exchanging of Indigenous knowledge, and preparatory worksheets and videos. In support of these educational activities, a website was created to promote and to prepare the youth for the central events: the live dives.
Canadian Cabinet Minister Maryam Monsef, Squamish Council Members and PPP Executive Director April Ingham at a PPP/BCCIC Side Event The Longhouse Dialogues as part of a Women Deliver, June 2019.
In 2017, PPP’s 10th annual Pacific & Indigenous arts and culture event One Wave Gathering was marked by a unique symbolic installation: the Longhouse Project. Under the direction of Nuu-chah-nulth artist Hjalmer Wenstob, four First Nations and Maori youth were selected to design art for the façades of the temporary longhouses. The houses were created in the styles of the Coast Salish, Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth, and South Pacific Islands respectively. Inside each longhouse, community members from each area created welcoming and educational interactive spaces for the public. Situated with permission at the BC Legislature, it was the first time in many generations that four longhouses stood on this former traditional Lekwungen village site. The Longhouses were raised again at the Women Deliver Conference in Vancouver in June 2019 as centres for dialogues.
In October 2019, as Indonesian state violence mounted against protesters in West Papua, concerned Canadians including PPP called for pressure on the Indonesian government to halt repression and take steps against racism in the Pacific Island region.
The measles outbreak in Samoa in late 2019 hit close to home for PPP’s President Muavae Va’a, who grew up in Samoa. Through the Pacific Resilience Fund, PPP raised collected donations to support affected families and health care workers. In January 2020, Muavae traveled to hear stories from affected families, identify ways we could help, and provide support. One of the ways he and partners identified to help was purchasing a new washing machine, dryer and boiler for Lalomanu village hospital, which took pressure off hard-working nurses who were washing all hospital linens by hand.

Forty-five Years and Counting: A Reflection on the Many Accomplishments of the Pacific Peoples’ Partnership

April 30, 2020 by Pacific Peoples' Partnership

Victoria Peace Walk-Nuclear Free Pacific by ©Belau-Jurgen Pokrandt

By Art Holbrook with grateful input by Jim Boutilier, PPP’s President Emeritus and Founder of SPPF

Seventy-five years ago in August 1945, the United States Air Force dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Those bombs unleashed a race to build ever more destructive weapons. Several nations turned to the vast Pacific Ocean for these tests. However, vast as it is, the Pacific is far from uninhabited.

The United States began post-war tests starting in 1946 at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands of Micronesia with the residents of the atoll moved to Rongerik Atoll ahead of the first tests. They were left alone there for over a year before an anthropologist from the University of Hawaii found them starving on the barren landscape, and they were moved again. Even today, Marshall Islanders from islands near Bikini have elevated levels of many cancers; the female population has a cervical cancer mortality rate that has been reported to be 60 times higher than comparable mainland U.S. populations.[i] The people of the Marshall Islands have filed many lawsuits in an effort to compensate them for the desecration of their homelands and the damage to their health.

The United States was not alone in nuclear testing in the Pacific. The British, beginning in 1952, tested nuclear weapons in the Gilbert and Ellice Island archipelago which in 1976 became the independent nations of Kiribati and Tuvalu. Amid mounting protests from Pacific Island nations and anti-nuclear activists from many countries at the increasing evidence of nuclear fallout around the world, atmospheric and underwater testing was forbidden under the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963. Despite this ban, nuclear testing continued. The French conducted aerial nuclear tests on Mururoa and Fangataufa in the Tuamotu archipelago of French Polynesia starting in 1966 and underground tests up to 1996.

The remote and seemingly peaceful islands of Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia, the three regions that contain so many small island nations of the Pacific Ocean, have remained to this day part of the on-going great power struggle for dominance of the region. With the Japanese pushed out of the islands during World War II, the island nations soon became part of the Cold War as Russia attempted to build influence in Micronesia and later competition between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China as they sought friends and allies in Oceania as each of those nations sought votes in the United Nations. Today, China is active in the region, principally in Polynesia and Melanesia, as they fund major building projects and seek to influence island state governments. Their activity, and their aggressive approach in the region, have generated increasing concern in western capitals.

What does this brief history have to do with the 45^th anniversary of Pacific Peoples’ Partnership (PPP)? The Pacific Peoples’ Partnership, or the South Pacific Peoples’ Foundation (SPPF) as it was known from 1975 to 2000, was founded in Canada as an adjunct of a U.S.-based organization, the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific whose main goal was to protest the nuclear tests. The U.S. link brought suspicion on SPPF because of the American nuclear testing. Recognizing this challenge to SPPF’s identity and desiring more autonomy, the organization soon broke away from its U.S. parent and became an independent organization.

Even as social justice and environmental issues grew in importance in SPPF’s early years, the foundation remained responsive to military issues. It lobbied against Canadian military participation in naval exercises targeting a Hawaiian island sacred to the indigenous people there. It also became a partner with Pacific Islanders in the Pacific Campaign Against Sea-Launched Cruise Missiles. SPPF’s role in that campaign was to alert global peace committees that, while land-based cruise missiles were being curtailed in Europe, those missiles were making their way to Pacific testing sites.

But the early members of SPPF had a more ambitious agenda on their minds than just military testing. From the beginning SPPF’s vision was clear: to increase awareness among Canadians of development issues in the Pacific Islands, and to attempt to connect knowledge of input-and-response networks with the Pacific Islands. As well, the organization developed efforts to connect knowledge and cultural sharing among Indigenous peoples both in Canada and the Pacific with a goal of building solidarity. And, of course, we needed to develop a membership and funding base to support our activities both in Canada and in the Pacific.

SPPF/PPP’s First Executives, (l to r) Phil Esmonde, Randall Garrison, Stuart Wulff and Margaret Argue.

In the early days, SPPF was fortunate to have substantial funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and took full advantage of those funds to carry out ambitious projects in the South Pacific. However, government funding is a double-edge sword. It gave us the wherewithal to carry out programs but we always had to be sure we were within the guidelines set out by the government of the day. Early boards and directors recognized this challenge and began diversifying PPP’s revenue sources, a fortunate piece of advance planning as CIDA funding dried up in the 1990’s. As Stuart Wulff, former PPP executive director from 1991-2000, said, “In a way, the lost CIDA funding liberated us to follow our vision. PPP is now more engaged directly on the ground.”

What has PPP accomplished in our forty-five years?

Andy Nystrom, PPP’s invaluable archivist and research assistant, has compiled a fascinating selection of 45 projects and events highlighted in back issues of Tok Blong Pasifik, the foundation’s news magazine. These initiatives, ranging from artist exchanges to cyclone relief to HIV/AIDS prevention to youth and programs to combat violence against women, demonstrate PPP’s wide-ranging activities and relevance in the South Pacific. Long-time PPP members may celebrate anew our organization’s rich history while new members can learn what a dynamic and richly-rewarding experience being part of PPP can be. We hope you enjoy these glimpses into our archives; it is our goal to make those archives even more accessible in the future. Here are a couple of samples of what you will find there:

Vanuatu, We Are With You! (2015)

On March 13, 2015, category 5 Cyclone Pam devastated the southern region of Vanuatu. By virtue of ties that run deep between Victoria, Canada and Vanuatu, the shock of this event quickly became very personal for Victoria, British Columbia residents that have family, friends or colleagues in the region. Reports from the country lent compelling urgency to mobilizing support focusing on this unprecedented natural disaster during which access to safe drinking water, food and housing became an immediate priority.

Vanuatu Member of Parliament, Ralph Regenvanu reported at the time, “The total population of Vanuatu is affected, as the cyclone travelled north to south, with the eye going over Shepherds, Efate, Erromango and Tanna. Cyclone Pam has damaged or destroyed 90 per cent of the infrastructure in Port Vila, Vanuatu’s capital and largest town, and damage to the more remote islands and communities is equally devastating.”

In very short order, Pacific People’s Partnership (PPP) flew into action connecting with Canadian government officials, key organizations and individuals in Canada and in the South Pacific. A hallmark fund-raising event, “Vanuatu, We Are With You!”, did much to raise the disaster’s profile, bringing together PPP’s staunch supporters and many new friends of the organization to raise over $11,000. Half the funds were put towards a shipping container filled with much needed supplies for disaster relief and the remainder for rebuilding of schools and hospitals.

Enterprising West Papuan Women Initiative (2013-2015)

WATINI Indigenous Women’s Collective, Wefiani Village, West Papua.

Enterprising West Papuan Women was funded through Development & Peace, LUSH Canada, and other donors between 2013 and 2015. It was facilitated in partnership with the Manokwari-based Institute for Research, Analysis, and Development of Legal Aid (LP3BH) to support livelihood opportunities for women in West Papua and promote gender equality. Under this program, PPP constructed several women’s cooperative centres within Arowi and Mansinam, both in the Bird’s Head Peninsula of West Papua. The centres function as small-scale, co-operative stalls for livelihood development and related skill-building activities such as financial management, strategic planning, proposal writing, and community organizing.

It has been no small feat for PPP just to stay alive for forty-five years … indeed, many NGOs don’t last that long. However, PPP has met many challenges to accomplish that feat. Even more, it has been an achievement to have produced so many significant programs and events for the people of the South Pacific and the Indigenous peoples of Canada in those forty-five years. We look back proudly at our past and with eager anticipation we look forward to what comes next.

I believe it can be said with confidence that PPP has demonstrated its resilience and enduring relevance over the years. We remain Canada’s only non-governmental organizational devoted to the people of the South Pacific and, as such, have a voice of authority that is acknowledged by out federal and provincial governments and by the people of many countries throughout the South Pacific region. In recent years PPP has sent First Nations youth to the islands as part of an expanded mandate that recognizes the historical parallels between Canada’s Indigenous peoples and the peoples of the South Pacific as they work to overcome the challenges of their colonial pasts. While the Covid-19 pandemic has delayed some new developments, we are on the cusp of new and exciting programs that will add more chapters to PPP’s legacy as we look to our 50^th anniversary.

Canadian Cabinet Minister Maryam Monsef, Squamish Council Members and PPP Executive Director April Ingham at a PPP/BCCIC Side Event The Longhouse Dialogues as part of a Women Deliver Conference, June 2019.

Prepared by Art Holbrook, PPP Board Member and Chair of the Communications Committee. Art has been a board member at PPP for the last three years. He has traveled to Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu and has developed an affinity for the people of the South Pacific island nations.