Joseph-Zane Sikulu

Written By Guest User

Joseph hails from the Kingdom of Tonga and climate justice is all about protecting his family and his homeland.

“In the Pacific, we communicate through storytelling. I grew up learning my history and my background through stories. Stories are how we find our connection between each other and they are powerful when used in the right spaces.”

Using this mentality, Joseph has seen circles formed in parliamentary spaces to talk about the effects of climate change on his home and the islands experiencing it.

“I felt such a need to get the story of the Pacific out there, because it’s so important for everybody to hear what it is we have to say.

I am one of many LGBTQIA+ First Nations people across the world fighting to protect home and country whilst struggling to deal with our place in a western world that was built to oppress us, and continues to do so.”

He is driven by the injustice that it is the people who have contributed least to the causes of climate change that are now facing the worst effects. Knowing that his people have to face the effects of a problem they did not start is what keeps his passion for climate justice strong.

“We have to continue to walk backwards into the future, never losing sight of those who made it possible for us to take space to today and always dreaming way beyond ourselves to the next generation and how we set them up to take space tomorrow.”
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