The theme of the conference, from lamentation to hope, suggests a spectrum (along which different speakers situated themselves) as well as directional movement. Tuvaluan theologian Tafue Lusama, from Pacific Theological College, argued that to lament is to be prophetic. Several speakers spoke of distressing and challenging events, but rather than being crushed by their destruction or destructive potential, considered the promise inherent in them. Anglican Bishop Nicholas Chamberlain from the Diocese of Lincoln mentioned that his diocese was almost insolvent in 2019. Professor Elisabeth Holland, a renowned scientist specialising in climate change and ocean systems, spoke about environmental tipping points, points after which change becomes irreversible. Yet both shifted from lamentation over these circumstances towards hope. The financial challenges of Bishop Nicholas’s diocese offered an opportunity to change for the better, and for a total reframing and reprioritising of their ecological goals. Care for the environment is now central to the work of the diocese. Professor Holland cautioned strongly about the potential realities of unchecked climate change, but alongside that lamentation she offered the potential of a tipping point for good, comprised of divestment from fossil fuels and other solutions which are being developed by scientific research.

In order to tip those balances in the right direction, many speakers talked about what actions and connections needed to be strengthened in order to make a positive difference with real impact. There was much emphasis upon the partnerships that must be forged between churches and scientists. Though some in the community—even the leaders of some churches—hold religion and science to be in opposition, that is not the case and need not be the case: creating and investing in connections between the two is a critical way forward. While there is benefit for church leaders and scientists in engaging with political processes, particularly in bodies like the United Nations’ COP, it is also clear—as Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Dr. Winston Halapua pointed out—that political lifespans are short compared with the work of the church. Because politicians’ term of influence can be brief, scientists and church leaders should be talking to corporations as well as political leaders. In addition, Anglican Archbishop Julio Murray argued that though COP is a significant body, the real work of combatting climate change doesn’t happen at its meetings. Churches also have the opportunity to communicate from within, from a cultural context that could reach climate change deniers or millenarian Christians and lead to concrete local action. Archbishop Winston urged church leaders to do something with what they have: words. And Rev. Dr. Hirini Kaa, Manukura of St John’s Theological College in Auckland, described the comfort and spiritual support provided by the Anglican Church to those impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Gabrielle in Tairawhiti in 2023.

Another strand woven from many speakers’ points was that people of all ages can contribute to the work of protecting the environment around us. Several spoke of the importance of listening to as well as guiding youth. Reverend James Bhagwan of the Methodist Church in Fiji, and General Secretary of the Pacific Council of Churches, began his talk by asking his daughter Antonia to read her published poem, itself a lament, titled ‘Don’t let my home sink like the sun’. He called for indigenous climate knowledge to be brought into the curriculum of schools, including church-run primary and secondary schools, using empowering decolonised language. He called also for theological colleges to take two particular steps. First, to prioritise climate change work, so that it will be brought to the communities where graduates will go after their training. Second, to make actions which resist or reverse climate change a part of church life in the round rather than a separate programme, recognising the interconnectedness of this work with all of religious life and practice. The seeds of hope are not tended only by the young; Anglican Archbishop of Polynesia, Sione Ulu’ilakepa, told a story about an elderly man, Mihati, who took on some of the clean-up after Cyclone Kita in Tonga in 2018. Mihati responded with openness and positivity even after his house and all of his possessions in it had been destroyed by the cyclone, and he was eager to make a contribution to his community’s survival. In addition to supporting youth, Archbishop Sione advised listening to the wisdom of those with experience and knowledge.

Speakers also stressed the importance of reframing economic models and moving away from the orthodoxies of capitalism and neo-imperialism. Rev. Dr. Cliff Bird of the Uniting Church of the Solomon Islands spoke about his work reimagining the dominant model of economic projection away from GDP and a focus on growth. The political pressure being exerted right now by mining companies, who want to extract minerals from the deep ocean, alongside the environmental impacts of historical mineral extraction and the destruction of forests, leaves us ecologically poorer and less stable; Dr. Bird argued that the economic model of market growth/GDP as a measure of the economy is weak. Sharing and reciprocity preceded capitalism, and this informed his work in formulating Reweaving the Ecological Mat (REM), published by the Pacific Council of Churches. Rev. James Bhagwan pointed out that the ocean plays an important role in absorbing carbon and in producing 50-60% of the oxygen we breathe, and yet the ocean is mapped for exploitation and as a part of an economic war for resources. Feiloakitau Tevi directed a question at those from Aotearoa: what is your role in exploiting others in the Pacific? Similarly, Dr. Paul Roughan cautioned against the neo-imperialism which is present in the Pacific, and warned about treating some legal strategies as a panacea. He pointed out the risks of naming the ocean as a person (as has been done with the Whanganui River in Aotearoa) because while this strategy appears to protect the ocean, people can be subjected to custodianships, and controlled by lawyers.

The final strand highlighted here is the power of the unknown and how an awareness of how much we do not know must temper advocates of further extraction. Taholo Kami, the United Nations’ IUCN Regional Director for Oceania and the Pacific, showed an image of nodules at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Scientists have recently realised that these nodules are charged, and can break apart water molecules to produce oxygen deep in the ocean where light cannot reach. This ‘dark’ oxygen sits counter to the orthodoxies about the production of oxygen on our planet. Messing with these nodules—as would happen were proposed deep sea mining to proceed at scale—could have significant flow-on impacts on the health and even survival of those of us who live outside the ocean. Though there is much we cannot see or do not yet know about its systems and its depths, the ocean is central to life on land.

The Moana Water of Life 2 conference was livestreamed and can be watched here.

The post Science and Faith: Moving from Lamentation to Hope together at the Moana Water of Life 2 Conference appeared first on He Taonga Tuku Iho.

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‘I he ngaahi ta‘u kuo maliu atú, na‘a ku ngāue mo e ngaahi komiunitī ‘i he tapa kotoa ‘o Tongá ki hono fakasi‘isi‘i e uesia fakatamaki fakaenatulá mo e ngaahi palopalema ‘i he feliuliuaki ‘a e ‘eá. Ko hono lelei ‘o e ngāue mo e kakaí ko ‘ete sio tonu ki he ngaahi palopalema ‘oku nau fehangahangai mo ia ‘i honau ngaahi tūkungá, mo fanongo tonu ki he‘enau ngaahi talanoá, pea toe sio tonu ki he me‘a ‘oku hoko ki he ngāue ‘a e ngaahi siasí ‘i funga ‘o e fonuá. ‘I he ta‘u ‘e valu kuohilí, ne u ma‘u ‘i he‘eku fekumí ko e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ko e palopalema ‘oku kei fo‘ou pē ‘i he lēvolo ‘o e siasi fakakoló; ko e tokolahi taha ‘o e kakaí ‘oku ‘ikai ke nau ‘ilo‘i pe ko e hā ‘a e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, pea ‘oku kei pehē pē ‘e he kakaí ko e fa‘ahinga palopalema eni ki he kakai mā‘olungá pē. Kuo lahi ‘a e talanoa ‘a e kau taki ‘o e siasí ‘i he lēvolo faitu‘utu‘uní, ka ‘oku te‘eki lahi ha ngaahi ngāue kuo fakahoko ‘i he ngaahi feitu‘u ‘oku fiema‘u lahi taha ai hono matatali ‘a e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá.

Kuo ngāue‘aki ‘a Tonga ko e sīpinga ako ki he konga tohi faka‘osi ko ‘ení, koe‘uhi ‘oku ‘ikai ngata pē ko e mēmipa ia ‘o e Konifelenisi ‘o e ngaahi Siasi Pasifikí, ka ‘oku malava foki ke tau ngāue‘aki ‘a Tonga ko e tūkunga fakalotofonua ia ke vakai‘i pe ‘oku lele lelei ai ‘a e ngāue kuo fakahoko ‘e he PCC ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá. ‘Oku mahu‘inga ke tau talanoa fekau‘aki mo Tonga, koe‘uhī fakatatau ki he Lipooti Tu‘ulaveatamaki ‘a Māmaní, ko Tonga ‘oku fika ua ‘i māmani ‘i he fonua tu‘ulaveangofua taha ‘i he tu‘a ‘o Vanuatú; ko e taha ia ‘o e faingamālie lahi taha ke uesia ngofua ‘e he fakatamaki ‘fakaenatulá mo e ngaahi uesia ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘a e ‘eá.^[1] Hili e ta‘u ‘e nimangofulu ‘o e fengāue‘aki, ngaahi fono, mo e ngaahi talafakahāhā, ‘oku te‘eki ke ngāue lelei ‘a e ngaahi ngāue kamata‘i ‘e he PCC ki he feliuliuaki e ‘eá, ke hoko ha liliu ‘i he lēvolo fakalotofonuá. ‘I he konga tohi ko ‘ení, te u talanoa ai ki he ngaahi ngaue ‘a e ngaahi siasi Tonga ‘i he kuohilí mo e lolotongá ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá. ‘Oku ou kamata’aki e sio ki he tūkunga fakafonua ‘o Tongá mo e ngaahi lavame‘a mahu‘inga kuo a‘usia ‘e Tonga ‘i hono tali ‘a e feliuliuaki e ‘eá. ‘Oku fiema‘u ke mahino‘i ‘a e me‘a ‘oku hoko ‘i he lēvolo fakafonuá mo ‘ene fehokotaki ki he sekitoa ‘o e siasí. Hokó, te u to‘o konga lalahi ‘a e hisitōlia ‘o e Kosilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasí ‘i Tonga mo e Folomu Fakafonua ‘o e kau Taki Lotu ‘o Tongá, mo ‘enau fe’ao mo e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá. Ko e taumu‘a ‘o e konga tohí ni ke hulu‘imahinomai ko e hā ‘a e me‘a kuo lavá, ko e hā ‘a e ngaahi to nounou ke fai ki ai ha ngāué, pea ko e hā ‘a e ngaahi me‘a ‘oku fiema‘u ke fakalelei‘í. ‘Oku ou aofangatuku‘aki hono faka‘ilonga‘i ko e hā leva e ‘uhinga ‘o e me‘a ko iá ki he Siasi ‘Ingilani ‘i he Pasifikí, mo ‘ene mōtolo Tolu‘i ‘Ulungaanga Fakafonuá, mo ha ngaahi fokotu‘u ke hoko ko e halafonongá ke toe lelei ange ‘a hono tokangaekina e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá.

‘I he lēvolo fakafonuá, kuo a‘usia ‘e Tonga ha ngaahi makamaile mahu‘inga ‘i hono matatali ‘o e ngaahi palopalema ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘a e ‘eá talu ‘ene kau atu ki he Fa‘unga Konivēsio ‘a e Pule‘anga Fakatahatahá ‘i he Feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘Eá (UNFCCC) ‘i Siulai 1998. ‘I he tataki mo e haofia ‘a e pule‘angá, kuo lava lelei ai ‘e Tonga ‘o fakataha‘i ‘a e Feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘Eá mo e Fa‘unga Palani Fakalakalaka ‘a Tonga (TSDF) 2011–2014 mo e 2015–2025. ‘Ikai ke ngata aí, kuo tuku atu ‘e Tonga ‘ene Fetu‘utaki Fakafonua ‘Uluakí ‘i he malumalu ‘o e UNFCCC ‘i he 2005, ‘ene Fetu‘utaki Fakafonua Uá ‘i he 2012, mo ‘ene Fetu‘utaki Fakafonua Tolú ‘i he 2019.^[2] ‘Oku toe ‘i ai mo e ngaahi makamaile ‘o kau ki ai ‘a e liliu ‘o e Toha ki he Kioto Polotokolō ‘i he 2018, hono fa‘u ‘fa‘u ‘o e Palani Ngāue Fakafonua Fakatahataha ‘i he Liliungofua ki he ‘Eá mo hono Tokangaekina e Faingamālie ki he Fakatamaki ‘Uluaki (JNAP) 2010–2015 pea hoko mai ki he Palani Ngāue hono Ua Fakafonua Fakatahataha ‘i he Feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘Eá mo hono Tokangaekina e Faingamālie ki he Fakatamaki 2018–2028. Faka‘osí, kuo fakahoko ‘e Tonga ‘a e ngaahi polokalama mo e polōseki ke fakasi‘isi‘i mo e lilliungofua ‘i he feliuliuaki e ‘eá ki he kotoa ‘o e fonuá.^[3]

Ko e mahu‘inga ‘o e ngaahi Polōseki Fetu‘utaki Fakafonuá he ‘oku ‘ikai ngata pē ‘enau tuku atu e ngaahi fakamatala fakamuimui ki he ngaahi ngāue fakafonua fekau‘aki mo e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ki he UNFCCC, ka ‘oku nau toe fakaivia ‘a e ngaahi ngāue kuo alea‘i ‘i he ngaahi Polōseki Fetu‘utaki Fakafonua ‘o e kuohilí. Ko e Fetu‘utaki Fakafonua Tolú na‘e langa ia ‘i he fika uá, pea ko e fika ua ‘i he fika ‘uluakí, ‘i hono toe fakalea ‘e tahá. Na‘e lipooti ‘i he Fetu‘utaki Fakafonua hono Tolú ko Tonga kuo “fakaivia ‘a e ngaahi ivi malava fakafonuá, kautaha mo fetokoni‘aki mo e ngaahi kupu fekau‘akí, hikihake e ‘ilo fakalukufuá, fakatupulekina ‘a e kau kotoa e ngaahi kupu tautonú mo fakalahi e lāu‘ilo ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá mo hono ngaahi nunu‘á.”^[4] Fakatātā‘aki ‘eni, na‘e ola lelei ‘a e kau ‘a Tonga ki hono fakakakato ‘o e toko 55 mei he ngaahi fonua ‘e 60 na‘e fuofua hū ‘o fakamo‘oni, tali, fakangofua pe fakaai ‘a e Aleapau Palesí mo e Tipositelī ‘a e Pule‘anga Fakatahatahá (UN)^[5] Fakatatau ki he Sekelitali Seniale ‘a e UN, Ban Ki-Moon, ko e lavame‘a mātu‘aki fungani ‘eni. Hangē ko ‘ene lau, “Ko e taimi malava vave ko ení ‘oku tō atu, he ko e taimi ‘e ni‘ihi ‘oku tuku e ngaahi ta‘u pe laui ta‘u ki ha tālite ke toki hū ‘o ngāue‘aki…Ko e fakamo‘oni ‘eni ki he tāsi’i e taimi ‘o e faingata‘a ‘oku tau fehangahangai kotoa mo iá.”^[6] Kuo ‘osi kamata foki ‘e Tonga ‘a e Pa‘anga Talāsiti ‘a Tonga ki he Feliuliuaki e ‘Eá, hili ia ha ngaahi ta‘u lahi ‘a e ngāue ki aí. Ko e pa‘anga ko ‘ení na‘e fokotu‘u ia ke tokoni taau taha pe ki he ngaahi komiunitī fakalotofonuá ke fakasi‘isi‘i ‘a e ngaahi uesia ‘o e feliuliuaki e ‘eá. Fekau‘aki mo hono langahake ‘o e ivi malavá, kuo lava ‘e Tonga ke fakatupulekina ‘ene kau ki he ngaahi teuteu ‘o ku ki he ngaahi ako fakangāue mo e fakatahangāue fekau‘aki mo hono Langa ‘o e Fale Tauhi Ngoue Matauhi Fakafonua Sisitemi Tokangaekina e Lekooti Kasa. Kuo ‘osi fakahoko foki ‘e Tonga ‘a hono ngāue‘aki ‘o e 2006 IPCC Takiekina ‘o e Fale Tauhi Ngoue Lekooti Kasa. Ko e me‘a mahu‘inga mo‘oni ‘eni ki he lekooti ‘o e kasa ‘oku tuku ange ‘i Tongá.

Kuo hanga ‘e ngaahi Polōseki Fetu‘utaki Fakafonuá ‘o tuku mai ha fakaikiiki mo e fakamatala ki he Lipooti Fakafonua Fakapapau‘i Tukuatú (NDC), Tu‘utu‘uni Ngāue Feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘Ea 2016, JNAP 2, Polokalama Fakafonua GCF Tonga mo e ngaahi ngāue mo e fokotu’u ngāue kehe. Ko e mahu‘inga ‘o e ngaahi tohi fakamo‘oni ko ‘ení ‘oku ‘ikai toe fiema‘u ke toutou fakamamafa‘i, koe‘uhi ‘oku nau ‘omai ‘a e fakamatala fakamuimuitahá, falala‘anga mo fe‘ungatonu mo e ngaahi tu‘unga ‘oku ‘i ai e ‘eá ‘i Tonga mo ngaahi tu‘utu‘uni ngāue, ngaahi me‘a ‘oku fakahokó mo e ngaahi polokalama lolotonga e ngāue ‘a Tonga ke malohi. Fakatātā‘aki ‘eni, ‘oku nau fakahā pe ‘oku angafēfē ‘a e lahi ‘o e kāponi ‘oku tukuange ‘i he ta‘u kotoa pea ko e hā e lahi kuo lava ‘o fakasi‘isi‘í. ‘I he malumalu ‘o e fakakalakalasi ‘a e UNFCCC, ko Tonga ko e fonua mēmipa non-Annex I, ‘a ia ‘oku ‘uhinga ko Tongá ‘oku ‘ikai fakafatongia‘i ke muimui ‘i ha fa‘ahinga holoki pau ‘o e kasa fale tauhi ngoue ‘oku tu‘utu‘unia ‘e he Kioto Polotokolō. Kaikehe, ‘oku kei hokohoko atu pē ‘a Tonga ‘i he ngāue ke holoki ‘ene kasa fale tauhi ngoue ‘oku tukuangé, ‘aki ‘ene ngāue‘aki mo tu‘uaki e ngaahi ma‘u‘angakoloa ‘oku fakafo‘ou ai ‘a e iví mo e ngaahi me‘angāue ‘oku si‘isi‘i ai hono ngāue‘aki e iví.^[7] Neongo ‘oku si‘isi‘i ‘aupito ha tānaki ‘a e fonuá ki he tukuange kasa fale tauhi ngoue fakamāmanilahí, ‘oku tu‘uma‘u ‘a Tonga ‘i he’ene tukupā ki he taumu‘a fakakātoa ‘a e UNFCCC.

Ko e ngaue eni ia kuo fakahoko ‘e he pule‘anga Tongá, kae fēfē ‘a e ngaahi siasi Tongá ia? Ko e hā ‘enau ngaue kuo faakahoko ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá? Ko e ngaahi kulupu lotu Tongá ‘oku kehekehe pea ‘oku fa‘u‘aki ‘a e ngaahi va‘a lotu ‘e 13, pea toe fakava‘ava‘a kehekehe atu ‘a e ngaahi va‘alotu ‘e ni‘ihi.^[8] Ko e fakatātā 1 ‘oku ne fakahā ‘a e ngaahi fika tokolahi mo e kongakonga ‘o e ngaahi siasi lalahi ‘e nima ‘o Tongá ‘i he 2020 mo e 2021.

Figure 1: Religion in Tonga
(Source: Tonga Statistics Department, ‘2021 Population and Housing Factsheet’, 3)

Kuo ma‘u ‘i he‘eku fekumi ako-toketá ko e tali ‘a e ngaahi siasí ki he feliuliuaki ‘a e ‘ea ‘i Tongá ‘oku fusimo‘omo. ‘I he ta‘u ‘e tolungofulu he kuohilí, ko e kotoa ‘o e ngaahi siasi ‘i Tongá na’e si‘i ‘enau ngāue fakahoko ki hono tali ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, ‘o tatau pē ‘i he levolo fakasiasi mo e faka‘ekuimenikale. ‘Oku ua ‘a e sino tefito faka‘ekumenikale ‘i Tonga: ko e Kosilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasi Tongá (TNCC) mo e Folomu ‘o e kau Taki Lotu Fakafonua Tongá (TNFCL).^[9] Ko e TNCC ‘oku kau ki ai ‘a e ngaahi siasi tefito: Siasi Katolika Lomá, Siasi ‘Ingilaní, Siasi Uesiliana Tau‘ātāina ‘o Tongá mo e Siasi ‘o Tongá. Ko e TNFCL ‘oku kau kotoa ki ai e ngaahi siasí, ‘o kau ki ai e Māmonga, ‘i Tonga.^[10] ‘I he ta‘u ‘e fāngofulu ‘o e ngāue ‘a e TNCC, na‘e ngāue fakataha ‘a e kau mēmipa ‘i he ngaahi ngāue fakalakalaka fakakomiunití kehekehe, ngaahi poloseki, seminā fekau‘aki mo e palopalmea fakakelekelé, tokoni Afā ‘Aisake (1982), mo e ngaahi ngāue feinga pa‘anga ke tokonia e ngaahi komiunití ‘i Tonga. Neongo e ngaahi ngāue lelei ko ‘ení, ‘oku kei si‘isi‘i pē ha ngāue kuo fakahoko ‘e TNCC ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá. Hangē ko e TNCC, ko e TNFCL ‘oku si‘isi‘i ‘enau ngāue kuo fakahoko ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá talu mei hono fokotu‘u ‘i he 2012. Ko e ngāue kuo tukutokanga ki ai ‘a e TNFCL ko e ngaahi palopalema fakasōsiale-politikale ‘o hangē ko hono fakafepaki‘i ke fakamo‘oni ‘a e pule‘anga ‘i he Konivēsio ki hono Ta‘ofifaka‘aufuli ‘o e ngaahi Fotunga kotoa pē ‘o hono Fakamo‘ulaloa‘i e Kakai fefiné ‘i he 2015 mo hono teke ke tapui ‘a e ava e ngaahi falemā ‘i he ngaahi Sāpaté.^[11] ‘I ha fetu’utaki ‘īmeili mo e Sekelitali Seniale ‘o e TNFCL, Faifekau Fili Lilo ‘i he 2017, na‘a ne fakaha ai neongo ko e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ko e taha ia e ngaahi palopalema tefito ‘i he tepilé, ‘oku kei tu‘u pē ko e palopalema fakatalanoa.^[12] ‘I he‘eku fekumi ‘i he vaha‘a ‘o e 2018 mo e 2024, ‘oku kei tu‘u pē ‘a e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘ea ‘i he lēvolo talanoá. Pe ko hono toe fakalea ‘e taha, ‘oku malohi ‘a e TNFCL he talanoa, kae si’i p eke fakahoko ha ngaue fekau’aki mo e palopalema ni. ‘O tatau ki he hūmai ki Tonga ‘a e palopalema ‘o e Koviti-19, na‘e kei hoko atu pē TNFCL he talanoa mo hono fakahū atu e ngaahi lipooti ki he pule’anga ‘o fakafou atu ‘i he kapineti.^[13]

‘I he lēvolo fakasiasí, ko e ngaahi siasi tokosi‘i pē kuo nau fakahoko ha taukapo ki hono tali ‘o e ngaahi angatamaki ‘oku palomesi mai ‘e he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, ka neongo ia ko honau taimí mo e ivi ngaué ‘oku kei tāutu‘u lahi pē ‘i he lēvolo ‘o e talanoa. Fakatātā‘aki eni, kuo tali lelei ‘e he Siasi Katolika Lomá ‘a e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘ea ‘o fakafou ‘i he ngāue ‘a e Kalitasi Tongá, ‘a ia ko e kupu ia ‘o e Siasi Katoliká ki he ngaue totonu, melino mo e fakalakalaka ‘i Tonga mo Niue. Ko e ngāue tefito ‘a e Kalitasí ‘i he‘ene felāve‘i mo e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘i Tonga ko hono fakalahi ‘a e ’ilo ‘a e kakai fekau‘aki mo e palopalema mo hono nunu‘a tamaki (e.g. tā ‘akau mo e tupu ma‘olunga ‘a e lēvolo ‘o e tahí).^[14] Kuo fakatahataha‘i mai ‘e Katenali Soane Mafi ‘a e siasí (ko e fika tolu lahi taha ‘i Tonga, hangē ko ‘ene hā he Fakatātā 1) ‘i Sepitema 2020 ‘i ha Misa; na‘e kātoanga‘i ‘i he Misa ko ‘eni ‘a e kamata‘anga ‘o e uike tokangáekina ‘a e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá.^[15] Makehe mei he fo‘i houalotu fakasiasi ko ‘ení, na‘e te‘eki ke toe ‘i ai ha ngāue ‘e fakahoko ‘e he Siasi Katolika ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘ea he levolo palokia.

Ko e Siasi ‘Ingilani kuo nau kamata ha ngaahi ngāue ‘i hono tali ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá. ‘I ‘Aokosi 2015, na‘e kau fakataha ‘a ‘Alekipisope ‘o Ioké, Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu, mo e ‘Alekipisope ‘o Polinisiá, Rt Hon Dr Winston Halapua, mo e komiunitī ‘Ingilani ‘o Tongá, ‘i ha ouau Lotu ‘Osēni ‘Eukalīsia ‘i he motu Pangaimotú. Ko e konga mahu‘inga ‘eni ‘i he misiona ‘a e ‘Ingilaní ki hono talia ‘a e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, koe‘uhī na‘e hoko atu mo e tō tongo hili e misá ‘i he konga ‘o e motú kuo ‘auhia e fonuá pea mate mo e ngaahi ‘ulu ‘akaú. Ko e mahu‘inga faka‘ātakai ‘o e ngaahi tongo ‘i he feitu‘ú ni ko ‘enau tokoni ke pukepuke ‘a e fonuá ke ta‘ofia mei he‘ene ‘auhiá, pea mo e maumau ‘o e peaú, ‘a ia ‘oku toe tokoni ki hono fakasi‘isi‘i ‘o e ‘auhia ‘oku fakatupunga ‘e he ngaahi peaú. Na‘e fakahoko foki mo ha fakatahangāue ‘a e talavou mo e finemui ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘i Nuku‘alofa ‘i he 2017 ke tokoni ki he matatali ‘a e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá. Na‘e toe fakaivia ‘eni ‘i hono fakahoko ‘e he taha ‘o e ngaahi palokia ‘Ingilani ‘o e Kau Sangato ‘o Fasi-mo e-Afí, ‘a e ako ngāue ko e Sivi Fakatahataha‘i Tu‘ulavengofua Komiunitī (CIVA) ke fakanaunau‘i ‘a e to‘utupú ke nau tānaki ha fakamatala fekau‘aki mo e kakai ‘oku tu‘ulavengofua tahá mo e ngaahi feitu‘u ‘oku tu‘ulaveatamaki ‘i he ngaahi taimi ‘o e Afā. Na‘e fanau‘i ‘e he CIVA ‘a e Kemipeini Tokangaekina e Fakatupú ‘‘Ikai Pelesitiki’. Na‘e tupu eni mei hano ‘ilo ‘e he to‘utupú ‘a e lahi fau ‘o e veve pelesitiki ‘oku tukuange ki tahí, ‘o ne fakatupu ‘a e tu‘ulaveatamaki ki he mo‘ui lelei ‘o e ngaahi feitu‘u toutaí. ‘Oku fakataha e to‘utupú ‘o hiko e veve pelesitiki ‘i he fōsoa ‘i Nuku‘alofá ‘i he ‘aho Tokonaki he taimi ‘oku nau ‘atā ai.^[16] ‘Oku mahu‘inga ke fakatokanga‘i heni, ko e ngāue ko ‘eni ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘oku fakahoko pē ia ‘e he palokia pe ‘e taha pea mo ‘enau to‘utupú pē.

Ko e Siasi Uesilianá kuo nau fakahoko foki mo ha ngāue ke fakasi‘isi‘i ‘a e feliuliuaki e ‘eá. Talu mei he 2021, kuo ngāue mai ‘a e Potungāue Vakaimatangi, Ivi, Fakamatala, Tokangaekina Fakatamaki, ‘Ātakai, Feliuliuaki e ‘Eá mo e Fetu‘utakí (MEIDECC) mo e Siasi Uesiliana Tau‘atāina ‘o Tongá mo e Kolisi Teolosia Sia‘atoutaí ‘i ha vāfengāue‘aki ‘i he Polōseki Palani Fakaivia Liliungofua ‘i Tonga (SAPT). Ko e ngāue ‘eni ki hono ‘Fakalakalaka’i ‘o e Silapa Ke Tu’u Mālohi mei he ‘Eá’ (DCRC) ma ‘a e Kolisi Teolosia Sia‘atoutaí. Ko e konga ‘uluaki ‘o e polōsekí, na‘e liliu ai e silapa ‘a e STC ke tānaki mai ki ai ‘a e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá mo e ngaahi palopalema faka‘ātakaí. Ko e konga uá na‘e tukutaha ki hono fa’u ha kalasi ‘e ma’u ai ‘a e faka’ilonga ako ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, tokateu fakatamaki, ‘ātakai, pea mo e teolosiá. Na‘e kamata faka‘ofisiale ‘a e DCRC ‘i Siulai 2023 pea “‘e ako‘i ‘i he Kolisi Teolosia Sia‘atoutai ko e konga ‘o ‘ene silapa ako mo e ngāue fakalotú, fakataha mo e ako ngāue ki he tu’u malohi fakataha ‘i he ako‘i komiunitī ma ‘a e kau taki lotu mo e kau faifekau ‘o e lolotongá.”^[17]

Ko e hā ‘a e me‘a te tau lava ‘o ako mei he ngaahi fokotu‘u ngāue ko ‘eni ‘i he fonuá? ‘Uluaki: ‘oku nau tukupā, ka ‘oku fiema‘u ke fakalahi e ‘ilo mo e ngāué. Ko e to‘utupu ‘i Nuku’alofá ‘oku nau fakahoko ‘a e ngāue lahi: ko e hā leva ‘a e me‘a ‘e fai ke fakalotolahi‘i ‘a e ngaahi to‘utupu kehé ke nau kau ‘i he ngāue ko ‘ení ‘i he ngaahi feitu‘u kehe ‘o Tongá, kae tautonu ki he ngaahi fiema‘u ‘a e kolo takitaha? Ko e hā ‘a e ngaahi fiema‘u fakalotofonuá—hangē ko hono fakafo‘ou e tongó—‘a ia ‘oku kei tu‘u ta‘etali ka ‘oku malava ke tataki ‘e he ngaahi solova‘anga fakafonuá, ‘o hangē ko e ngāuekamata tō tongo na‘e fakahoko ‘i Pangaimotú? Ko e me‘a ‘e tahá, ko e ngaahi fakamatalá ‘oku ‘ikai ke kakato ka ‘oku kei tu‘u mo ia, ‘o iku eni ke fakangatangata ‘a e ngaahi founga ‘e mahino ki he kakai fekau‘aki mo e feliuliu‘aki ‘a e ‘eá ‘i Tonga. ‘Oku hā mahino mai ‘a e fiema‘u ke toe lahiange ‘a e fakamatala vakaimatangi ke tānakí; ‘o hangē ko e fakamatala fakaikiiki ngāue fakatautefito ‘ilo ‘o hangē ko e fakamatala ki he hauhau ‘o e kelekelé, fakamatala momofí, mo e fakamatala ‘o e ‘ea ‘i ‘olungá. ‘Oku fiema‘u ke toe lahi mo e ngaahi fakamatala hono fua ‘o e ‘uha ‘i he ngaahi feitu‘u ‘o e fonuá mo lahi ange hono tānaki ‘o e ngaahi fakamatala ke vakai ‘a ‘ōseni/ngaahi vakai vai he matāfangá (e.g. hu‘a mo e mamaha ‘a e tahi, mā‘olunga ‘o e tahi, konokona mo e ‘esitī, ‘a ia ko e puli ‘o e ngaahi me‘á ni ‘oku faingata‘a leva ke fai ha sivi fakalelei faka‘auliliki ‘o e ngaahi feitu‘ú). ‘Oku ‘i ai e fiema‘u ke tānaki ha fakamatala ki he ‘ilo tu‘ufonua/tukufakaholo mo hono ngaahi ngāue‘akí. Fakatātā‘aki eni, ‘oku fiema‘u ke tānaki ha fakamatala ki he ngaahi makatu‘unga ‘o e ‘ilo tukufakaholo ‘o e ngaahi komiunitī takitaha pea tauhi ‘i ha feitu‘u ‘oku maau mo ‘atā ke ngāue‘aki. ‘E tokoni ‘eni ki he kakaí ke nau ‘ilo ki he ivi malava ‘oku nau ‘osi ma‘ú pea mo e founga ke nau ngāue‘aki ke matatali e liliungofua ki he ‘eá mo e ngaahi founga ke fakasi‘isi‘i‘akí. Fakatātā‘aki eni, ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e ngaahi founga tukufakaholo malava solova ki he taimi afā (kimu‘a, lolotonga, mo e ‘osi ‘a e ‘iveni). ‘Oku ‘i ai mo e fiema‘u ki ha fakamatala nunu‘a, tautefito ki hono fakahoko ‘o e fakahoko ngaue ki he ‘eá ke toe lelei ange. Fakatātā‘aki eni, mape GIS, fakapolofaile ‘o e ‘eá mo e tu‘ulaveatamaki ‘o e komiunitī takitaha ‘o kau ai hono tānaki ‘o e ngaahi ‘ilo mo e anga ngaue tukufakaholó. Ko hono ma‘u ha fakamatala ‘oku lelei ange mo toe kakato ange ‘oku ‘ikai ngata pē ‘i he‘ene fakaivia e kakaí ke fakalahi ‘enau ka ke nau ‘ilo mo e ngaahi founga tukufakaholo ke matatali ‘a ia ‘oku nau ma‘u. ‘Oku mahu‘inga ‘eni mo tokoni lahi ki hono ‘ilo‘i e ngaahi feitu‘u ke langa hake ‘a e ivi malava ‘o e ngaahi komiunitī, ko e konga ‘o ‘enau tali ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá.

Ko e hā leva e ‘uhinga ‘o e kotoa e me‘á ni ki he Siasi ‘Ingilaní, pea mo ‘ene fa’unga tolu‘i ‘ulungaanga fakafonua? ‘Oku fakahā heni ‘a e mahu‘inga ke kau atu ‘a e ngaahi siasí ki he ngaahi ngāue ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá mo ngāue fakataha pea mo e pule‘angá mo e ngaahi kautaha fekumí ‘i hono ‘ilo‘i mo tali e ngaahi palopalema faka‘ātakaí. ‘Oku takimu’a ‘a e Siasi ‘Ingilaní ‘i Tonga ‘oku ne taki e lava ngāue ‘i he fonuá—ka ‘oku tau lava ke fakahoko ha ngāue lahiange heni. ‘E lava ke fokotu‘utu‘u mei he ngāuekamata si‘i ki he lahi, pea fakataha‘i mo ha ngaahi ngāuekamata. Koe‘uhi ‘e ‘ikai lava ‘o talilelei e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘i he lēvolo fakataautahá ‘o e hangē ko e tūkunga ‘ulungaanga fakfonua ‘o Tongá, ‘a ē ‘oku longomo‘ui pea matauhi ‘i he nofo-‘a-kāingá, ‘oku taau ke ngāue‘aki ha ngaahi solova‘anga ‘oku taau pea mo tefito fakatokolahí. ‘Oku fiema’u lahi leva heni ‘a e ngaahi fatongia ‘o e Konifelenisi ‘o e ngaahi Siasi Pasifikí, Kosilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasi Tongá mo e Fōlomu ‘a e kau Taki lotu Tongá. Ke fakasi‘isi‘i e fakamole lahi e pa‘anga he talanoá mo e fakatahá, kae ngaue’aki ‘a e pa‘anga ko iá ke fakatupu kimu‘a mo fakahoko ha ngaahi ngāuekamata ‘oku fe‘unga mo e lēvolo siasi fakakoló. ‘E malava leva ke mataua ‘a ia ko hono uesiá mo e ola leleí. ‘E malava leva ‘a e ngaahi siasí ke nau kamata mei he ngaahi feitu‘u ‘oku tu‘ulavengofua taha ki he ‘eá pea toki hoko atu ki he ngaahi feitu‘u ‘oku fiema‘ú, ‘a ē kuo‘osi faka‘ilonga‘i ‘e he pule‘anga Tongá. Tānaki atu ki aí, ‘a e fakama‘unga ‘i he fakakoló, ‘e lava e ngaahi siasí ‘o tokoni lelei ki he tukupā ke holoki ‘a hono tukuange e kaponi ‘aki hono ngāue‘aki si‘isi‘i e fefononga‘aki saliote misiní mo si‘i ange e fefolau‘aki vakapuna ki he ngaahi fakatahá, konifelenisi, fakataha ngāue, mo e akongāue fakavahefonua/fakatu‘apule‘anga.

‘I he vakai ki he ‘ātāngofua, ma‘ama‘a, mo malava ‘o e ngaahi solova‘anga ‘oku alafalala‘anga ma‘a Tonga, ‘oku ou fokotu‘u ha ongo solova‘anga ‘e ua ke kamata‘aki: 1) Tō e tongó mo e ngaahi ‘akau kehé; pea 2) Ngāue‘aki e ‘ilo tu‘ufonua/ngaahi pōto‘ingāue, ngaahi koloa mo e ngaahi me‘atokoni ‘i he tokateu ki he ngaahi fakatamaki fakanatulá. Ko e mālohinga ‘o e ngaahi solova‘anga ko ‘ení ko e ‘uluaki: ko e kakai ‘i Tongá te nau lava ‘o felāve‘i mo kinautolu pea ‘ikai toe fiema‘u ha kau mataotao ‘e totongi mei tu‘apule’anga ke ako‘i kinautolu ki he anga hono fakahoko e ngāue. Ko e fakaangá, ‘oku ma‘u ‘e he ngaahi siasí ‘a e ngaahi ma‘u‘angakoloa ki hono fakatupu ‘o e ngaahi ngāuekamata fe‘unga ko ‘eni mo fakahoko kinautolu, kapau ‘oku fakamu‘omu‘a ‘e he ngaahi siasí ‘a hono fakasi‘isi‘i e nunu‘a ‘o e feliuliuaki e ‘eá. ‘I hono toe tō e ngaahi ‘akaú, ‘oku lava e ngaahi siasí ‘o ngāue fakataha mo e pule‘anga ‘i hono tukumai e ngaahi ma‘u‘angakoloa fakaetangata (tautefito ki he ngaahi kulupu to‘utupú, he ko kinautolu ‘a e mēmipa longomo‘ui taha fakaesino ‘o e sosaietí) ke tō e tongó mo e ngaahi ‘akau kehé ‘i he ngaahi feitu‘u kuo ‘osi faka‘ilonga‘i ‘e he pule‘angá, ‘o fakafou ‘i he Va‘angāue ‘o e ‘Ātakai mo e Feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘Ea. Ko e fusimo‘omo fakaekakai ki hono fai ‘o e tō ‘akau kuo ‘ilo‘i ia he ta‘u lahi, ka ‘oku lava e ngaahi komiunitī fakasiasí ‘o fakatahataha, pea ‘e lava ‘e he PCC ‘o fokotu‘u ha pa‘anga tokoni ki he taumu‘a ko ‘eni mo kumia ha ngaahi founga ke fakatupulekina mo matauhi ai e pa‘anga ko ia ki he lele lōloá. ‘I he lēvolo fakakoló, ‘oku lava e ngaahi siasí ‘o faka‘ilonga‘i ha ngaahi ‘aho ke fakahoko ai ‘eni, ‘o a‘u ki hono ngāue‘aki e ngaahi ‘aho mo e taimi kuo‘osi vahea ki he ngaahi polokalama anga maheni ‘a e siasí (e.g. ako tohitapu, ngaahi lotu, etc.) ki he tō ‘o e ‘akaú.

‘Oku lava foki ‘e he ngaahi siasí ‘o ngāue‘aki ‘a e ngaahi fu‘u ma‘u‘angakoloa (hangē ko e PCC, TNCC, TNFCL, mo e ngaahi siasi fakakoló) ‘oku nau ma‘u ke fakafonu‘aki e ngaahi tonounou ‘i he ngāue lolotonga ‘a e pule‘angá ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá. Fakatātā‘aki eni, ‘oku lava e ngaahi siasí ‘o fokotu‘u ha pa‘anga ki hono tānaki ‘o e fakamatala ‘i he ‘ilo tu‘ufonua/tukufakaholo mo e anga ngaue ‘i he tokateu ki he ngaahi fakatamaki fakanatula (kimu‘a, lolotonga, mo e ‘osi). Ko e ngaahi fakamatala ko ‘eni ‘oku totonu ke ‘atāngofua ‘o fakafou ‘i ha tānaki‘anga fakamatala, ‘a ia kuo maau pea ‘atā ki he kakai ‘o e fonuá. Ko hono tānaki ‘o e ‘ilo tu‘ufonuá ‘e lava ke tokoni ki hono tu‘uaki ‘o e ngaahi fakaukau ki hono fakatupu ‘o e founga fakataki mo hokohoko atu ‘a e ngāue ‘i he ‘elia ke malohi ange matatali e ‘ea (liliungofua/fakasi‘isi‘i). Ko hono fakalahí, ‘e lava e ngaahi siasí ‘o fakatahataha‘i ‘eni mo fa‘u ha silapa pe polokalama akongāue ma ‘a e fānaú mo e to‘utupú pea toki fakamafola atu ke kau e ngaahi kulupu kehe ‘i Tongá. ‘E lava e ngaahi siasí ‘o hokohoko atu hono fakalahi ‘enau ngaahi ma‘u‘anga pa‘anga tokoni mo kumi ha ngaahi founga ke matauhi‘aki e ngaahi ma‘u‘anga fakapa‘angá.

Kuo taimi ki he Siasí ke nau hoko atu ā ke fakahoko e ngaahi ngāue hā mai, kae tukuā e talanoá mo e ngaahi fakatahá. ‘E ‘ikai lava ‘o matatali e faingata‘ia mei he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘aki e ngaahi fakakaukau mo e ngaahi lea ‘ata‘ata pē, ka ko e ngāue foki. Ko hono tokangaekina ‘o e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otua ‘oku tautefito ia ‘i ‘uli hotau nima pea mo e tāpupuha hokohoko—pea mo e—‘i he fonua foki. ‘I he‘etau ngaahi ngāue fakataha ‘oku tau faka‘iloatu, fakalahi, pea mo fakalelei‘i ‘a e ngaahi fakakaukaú, talanoa mo e ngaahi fakataha. ‘Oku ‘ikai lava ‘e he lea iate ia pē ‘o fakatupu e tongó/‘akaú ta’ofi e fasi‘anga peau mo e auhia e fonua, pe langa ha ngaahi fa‘ungamalu mei he ‘eá. Ko e ngaahi lea mo e ngaahi ngāue, ‘oku ‘ikai ke na ngāuelelei ‘i hono fakamavahevahe‘i kinauá. ‘Oku pau ke na fengāue fakataha, pea ko hono toki lalanga fakataha kinauá, te tau toki lava ‘o ma‘u ai ha ngaahi solova‘anga ‘oku sai ange, malohi ange pea tu’uloa ki matatali e ngaahi nunu’a ‘i he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá.

Translated by Rev. Dr. Laiseni Liava’a and Dr. 'Alaimaluloa Toetu'u-Tamihere

This is the last in a series of four posts. Click here for the first post: A History of Care for God’s Creation within the Church: It’s Time to Walk the Walk!  Click here for the second post: Lynn White Jr. and the Origin of Care for God’s Creation in the World Council of Churches. Click here for the third post: The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) and Practical Initiatives Addressing the Climate Crisis.

Footnotes

¹ Peter Mucke, ed., WorldRiskReport 2020; Focus: Forced Displacement and Migration (Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft And Ruhr University Bochum – Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), 2020), 7.
² The National Communication on climate change issues is a vital part of the obligations of countries who have officially signed/declared their commitment under the UNFCCC. These provide regular updates on their national circumstances, greenhouse gas inventory, mitigation analysis, vulnerability/adaptation assessment, constraints, gaps/needs, and other information considered relevant to the objective of the convention in addressing climate change. This update takes the form of a report.
³ Ministry for Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Climate Change and Communications [MEIDECC], Kingdom of Tonga Third National Communication on Climate Change, December 2019.
⁴ ibid., ii.
⁵ The Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016, 30 days after the date on which at least 55 Parties to the Convention, accounting in total for at least an estimated 55% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary. Both the threshold of at least 55% Parties and 55% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have to be met before the agreement is legally binding. This is conditional to the parties’ agreement to pursue efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C. For more details, see ‘Paris Agreement – Status of Ratification | UNFCCC’, (accessed 20 August 2024).
⁶ MEIDECC, Kingdom of Tonga Third National Communication on Climate Change, 192.
⁷ ibid., 192.
⁸ Tonga Statistics Department, ‘Population and Housing Factsheet 2021’, 3
⁹ TNCC was established in 1973. See I. C. Campbell, Island Kingdom: Tonga Ancient and Modern (Canterbury University Press, 2001), 217; J. Conan, Pioneer Secretary of TNCC for 10 years, Questionnaires sent through email, 22 October 2023.
¹⁰ Philip Cass, ‘A Common Conception of Justice Underlies Pacific Churches’ Message on Climate Change’, Pacific Journalism Review: Te Koakoa 26, no.2 (2020), 88–101.
¹¹ Suliana A. Mone, ‘Human Rights Treaties in the Pacific: A Case Study of the Non-Ratification of CEDAW in Tonga’ (PhD Thesis, University of Waikato, 2022).
¹² See Laiseni F. C. Liava‘a, ‘Climate Change and Churches in Tonga: Hampering Factors Towards Unity’ (Master of Applied Theology Thesis, Carey Baptist College, Auckland, 2018), 24.
¹³ Laiseni F. C. Liava‘a, ‘Reimagining a new and unifying approach to climate resilience in Tonga’ (PhD Thesis, University of Canterbury, 2024), 30.
¹⁴ Cass, 95.
¹⁵ Ibid.
¹⁶ Julanne Clarke-Morris, ‘Tongan Anglicans Build Climate Resilience’, Anglican Taonga, 19 October 2021.
¹⁷ ‘Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet, ‘Acting CEO for MEIDECC launches Reports on the Development of a Climate Resilience Curriculum for Sia’atoutai Theological College’, 11 July 2023.

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Ko e talanoá, ko e fakakaukau tu‘ulotoloto ia ‘i he ngaahi ‘ulungaanga fakafonua ‘o e ngaahi ‘otu motu Pasifikí. ‘Oku ‘uhinga ‘a e talanoá ko e fealea‘aki, lea, fevahevahe‘aki ‘o ha ngaahi fakakaukau, ‘o tatau ‘i he fakamatāpulé mo e anga mahení.^[1] Ko e talanoá ‘oku mahu’inga, koe‘uhí ko e tauhi ‘o e ngaahi vā ‘oku makatu’unga lahi ai e ngaahi ngāue ‘a e Pasifikí.^[2] Ko e taha e ngaahi mālohinga ‘o e talanoá, ‘a ‘ene holoki ‘a e ngaahi ‘ā vahevahe ‘i he vaha‘a ‘o e kakaí mo honau ngaahi tu‘unga kehekehe, ka ne faka‘atā ke nau fengāue‘aki ‘i ha lēvolo ‘oku tatau ki he tokotaha kotoa. ‘I he talanoá, ‘oku ‘ikai ke ngata pē hono tānaki ai ‘e he kakaí ‘a e ngaahi ‘ilo ‘oku kaungatonu, ka ‘oku lava ‘o vahevahe atu ai ‘a e fakamatala mahu‘inga ke tali‘aki e ngaahi palopalema ‘o e Pasifikí. Neongo e ‘ilo ‘a e mālohinga ‘ oe talanoa ma ‘a e ngaahi fonua he Pasifikí, ‘oku malava foki ke toe hoko pē ko e vaivai‘anga, tautautefito ki hono ‘omai ke tali‘aki ‘a e ngaahi palopalema faka‘ātakaí. Kuo pau ke tau teke‘i ‘a e ‘āsenitá ke fakalaka mei he talanoá ki hono fakahoko ha ngaahi ngāue hā mai ‘i he fonuá.

‘I he kongatohi kimu‘á, na‘a ku lave ai ki he kamata‘anga ‘o e mofele mai ‘a hono fakatokanga‘i ‘i he Kōsilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘o māmaní ‘a e ‘i ai e fatongia ‘o e kau Kalisitiané ke tokangaekina e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá, hili ia ‘a hono tukuaki‘i ‘e Lynn White ‘i he 1967 ‘a e Lotu Kalisitiane faka-Uesité ‘i he‘ene kau ki he palopalema faka‘ātakai kuo tau fehangahangai mo ia ‘o a’u mai ki he lolotongá ni. Ko ‘eku konga tohi ‘i he ‘aho ní te ne tomu‘a to‘oto‘okongalalahi mai ‘a e puipuitu‘a fakahisitōlia kuo ne tataki e fehokotaki ‘a e WCC ki he vahefonua Pasifikí pea mo hono toki fokotu‘u ‘o e PCC. ‘Oku mahu‘inga ke ‘ilo ‘a e puipuitu‘á kae lava ke mahino ‘a e anga hono fononga‘ia mai ‘a e palopalema ‘o hono tokangaekina e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá ‘o a‘umai ki he PCC. Te u toki fakalahi leva e fakamatala ki he ngāue kuo fakahoko ‘e he PCC ki hono tali e ngaahi palopalema ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá talu mei hono fokotu‘ú. ‘I he tu‘unga ko ení, ‘oku ou loto ke tōmu‘a fakahā atu: kuo ma‘u ‘i he‘eku fekumí, neongo ‘a e ngaahi taukave kuo fakahoko ‘a e ngāué ‘o ‘ova ‘eni he ta’u ‘e uongofulu tupu, kuo te‘eki ke fakahoko ‘e he PCC ha ngaahi ngāue fe‘unga ke matatali‘aki e palopalema ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá. Ko ‘enau tefito‘i tokongá kuo meimei fakapalataha pē ki he fokotu’u fakakaukaú/fakamatalá, ‘o hangē ko hono talaki ‘o e ngaahi talafakahāhā fekau‘aki mo e nunu‘a ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, kā ‘ikai pe ke fakahoko ha ngāue totonu mo fakavavevavé ‘a ia ‘oku fiema‘u lahi ke hoko ‘i he fonuá.

Ko e kakai ‘o e ‘otu motu Pasifikí na‘a nau takiaki’i ‘a e talaki ‘o e ongoongoleleí ki he ngaahi ‘out motú, ka na’e ‘ikaai kau honau ngaahi siasí ‘i he taimi na‘e fokotu‘u ai ‘a e WCC ‘i he 1948. ‘I he 1961, na‘e loto ai ‘a e ‘Inglaní mo e ngaahi siasi kehekehe faka-Palotisani ‘i he Pasifiki ke fa‘u ha sino ‘eukamenikale fakavahefonua. Ko e kamata‘anga ‘eni ‘o e fehokotaki mo e talanoa ‘i he vaha‘a fakavahefonuá mo e WCC, ‘a ia na‘e fakaiku ai ki hono fokotu‘u ‘o e PCC ‘i he 1966. ‘I he 1983, ko e Fakataha hono nima ‘a e WCC na‘e fakahoko ‘i Venikuva, pea na‘e fakamamafa‘i ‘i he ‘āsenitá ‘a e ngaahi palopalema fakavahefonua ‘a e Pasifikí, tautautefito ki he ‘ahi‘ahi ‘ātomi na‘e fakahoko ‘i he taimi ko iá ‘e he ngaahi fonua ‘Iulopé ‘i he Pasifikí, mo hono ngaahi nunu‘á hā sino mai ‘i he ngaahi fonua he Pasifikí. Ta‘u ‘e tahafitu kimui aí, na’e fakahoko leva ‘e he WCC ‘o fakafou ‘i he tataki ‘a e PCC, ‘o fakalahi ai ‘enau hoha‘á ‘o fakakau ai ‘a hono fakafepaki’i ‘a e tupumā‘olunga ‘o e tahí mo e ngaahi nunu‘a ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, ‘a ia oku mahu‘inga fakamamanilahi, ka ko e Pasifikí ‘oku tefito ki ai ‘a e faingata‘á. ‘I he ngaahi ta‘ulahi kimuí ni maí, kuo tānaki ‘a e ngaahi fakamo‘oni lahi ‘o fakahā ‘a e maumau lahi ki he kakai Pasifikí mo honau ‘ātakaí tupu mei he ‘ahi‘ahi ‘ātomí mo hono fakatupulekiná, mei he tupumā‘olunga ‘a e tahí mo e ngaahi fakatamaki faka‘aufuli ‘o e matangí ‘i he vahe fonuá. Ko e ola ‘eni ‘o e ngaahi feliuliuaki ‘i he māfaná mo e ngaahi fetō‘aki ‘i he matangí. ‘I hono tali ‘o e ngaahi fakamatala ko ‘ení, kuo fa‘u ai ‘e he PCC ‘a e teolosia ki hono tokangaekina ‘o e ‘ātakaí ‘aki hono tu‘uaki ‘o e ngaahi fatongia mo e fakatahataha ‘a e kau Kalisitiané ‘i hono malu‘i e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá, ‘o fakakau atu ki ai ‘a e tangi ki he fakamaautotonu fakasōsiale kiate kinautolu ivivaivaí.

‘I he ta‘u ‘e uongofulu tupu kuohilí, kuo fakahoko ai ‘e he PCC mo e WCC ha ngaahi talafakahāhā ‘o tukupā te na ngāue ‘ātakaimalú ki he totonu ‘a e tokangaekina ‘o e ‘ātakaí. ‘I Ma‘asi 2004, ‘i Kilipati, na‘e talaki faka‘ofisiale ai ‘e he WCC ‘a e Otin Tai Talafakahāhā, ‘a ia ne fakapapau‘i ai ‘e he kau takilotú mo e kau ma‘ufakataha ‘i he Alea ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘i he Pasifikí ki he Feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘Eá, ‘enau tukupā ‘o ‘ikai ngata pē ‘i hono tokangaekina ‘o e māmani ko ‘enau tali ia ki he ‘ofa ‘a e ‘Otuá ‘i he fakatupú, kae pehē foki ‘a e fiema‘u ke nau tali fakavavevave ki he fakamātoato ‘o e feliuliuaki e ‘eá kuo fakatupu ‘e he fa‘ahinga ‘o e tangatá ki he ngaahi mo‘uí, ma‘u ‘angamo‘uí, sosaietí, ‘ulungaanga fakafonuá mo e ‘ekosisitemi-faka‘ātakai ‘o e ngaahi fonua he Pasifikí. Na‘e mahino ‘a e Talafakahāhā—‘e ‘ikai ke toe tala ‘e he ngaahi siasi tukufakaholomotu‘á ko e palopalema fakataautaha ‘a e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, ka ko e palopalema faka‘ekuimenikale. ‘I he‘ene pehē, ko e palopalema ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘oku totonu ke tali fakakomunitī, mo kau fakataha mo uouongataha ‘a e ngaahi siasí. Neongo na‘e fakafofonga‘i ‘e he ngaahi Talafakahāhā ko ‘ení ‘a e nga‘unu ‘a e fakakaukaú mei he fakafo‘ituitui ki he fakatokolahi hono tali ‘o e ngaahi palopalema ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, ka na‘e ‘ikai ke liliu ‘e he PCC mei he talanoa ki he fakahoko ngāué.

‘I ‘Epeleli 2009 ‘i Fisi, na‘e fengāue‘aki ai ‘a e kau taki ‘o e PCC mo e kau ngāue ‘o e WCC ‘o fakahoko ai ‘a e Moana Decelaration (MD) —“Ko hotau Oikosi – ko e fakakaukau fo‘ou ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá mo hotau ui ke fakahoko e ngāue” (WCC, 2009). Ne ngali hāmai ‘eni ko e ngāue mahu‘inga ‘a e PCC, tautautefito ‘i hono uimai ‘o e kau takilotu ke tataki ‘enau ‘eukuimenikale ‘i he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá mo tali ‘a ‘ene ngaahi uesia ki he ngaahi fonua he Pasifikí. Na‘e tukumai ‘e he kau takilotu ‘a e talafakahāhā ‘e 12, ‘o kau ai e: faka‘apa‘apa‘i mo malu‘i ‘a e totonu ‘o e kau hikifonuá koe‘uhī ko e feliuliuaki ‘a e ‘eá; fa‘u ha palani mo ha ‘esiangāue ke tokoni‘i e totonu e kakai hikifonuá tupu mei he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá; fekumi ki ha ngaahi koloa ke tokoni ki he fehikitaki mo e hiki e nofo; mo fakahoko ha ngaahi fono mo e komiuniti ‘o e Pasifikí ‘a ē ‘oku uesia ‘e he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá.

‘I Fisi ‘i ‘Epeleli 2017, ko e kau taki ‘o e PCC, mo e kau fakafofonga mei he ngaahi komiunitī mo e ngaahi kautaha sosaieti sivilé, na‘a nau tukuatu ‘a e Fakamatala ki he Kelikoloa ‘i Kilisitahí, mo ui ki he Pule‘anga ‘o Papua Niukiní mo e ngaahi fonua kehe ‘o e Pasifikí, ke fakangata ha toe ngāue pe fakalakalaka ‘o fekau‘aki mo e tekinolosia Kelikoloa ‘i Kilisitahí ‘i he ngaahi fonua mo e ngaahi tahi (PCC, 2017). ‘I ‘Aokosi ‘o e ta‘u tatau, na‘e fakataha ai ‘a e kau taki ‘o e PCC ‘i ‘Okalani, Nu‘usila pea fokotu‘u ai ‘a e Ui mei Moana Ki Fakahoko Ngāue (MCFA). Ko e fo‘i nga‘unu mahu‘inga ‘a e kau taki ‘o e PCC hili ia ha ngaahi ta‘u lahi ‘o e talanoa, fengāue‘aki mo e lototaha ‘ia te kinautolu fekau‘aki mo e ngaahi palopalema ko ‘ení. Kuo taimi ke fakahoko ā e ngāue, kae‘oua ‘e kei tuku ai pē ngaahi palopalema ko ení ‘i he lēvolo ‘o e talanoa mo e fakataha. ‘I he MCFA, na‘e ‘i ai ‘a e palopalema lalahi ‘e 7 ‘o e ui ki he ngāue ‘a ia na‘e kau ai: 1) Tutui fakaekita, 2) Kelikoloa Kilisitahi, 3) Tisapola Pasifiki, 4) Tataki ‘o e siasí, 5) Vā ‘o e Siasi mo e Pule‘anga, 6) Hū mai ‘o e ngaahi lotu fo‘ou, mo e 7) Totongi mēmipa he PCC. ‘I he tu‘unga ko ‘ení, ‘oku hā mai kuo nga‘unu e PCC ki hono fakahoko ‘o e ngāue.

Kaikehe, ko e kau taki PCC, kau fakafofonga mei he komiunitī, mo e ngaahi kautaha sosaieti sivile ‘oku nau kei tu‘uma’u pē he lēvolo ‘o e talanoá mo e fakatahá. Ko e taha e ‘uhinga ki hení ko e si‘isi‘i ha founga pe sipinga ke nau muimui ki ai ‘i hono ‘ohifo e ngaahi fakakaukau faka‘ātakai ke fakahoko’aki e ngāué. ‘I he ‘uhinga ko iá, na‘e toe ‘i ai e fakakaukau na‘e kamata’i—Toe Lālānga e Fala Faka‘ātakai (REM). Ko e REM na‘e kautaha ai ‘a e Kolisi Faka-Teolosia ‘a e Pasifikí (PTC), Konifelenisi ‘o e ngaahi Siasi he Pasifikí (PCC), mo e Senitā ‘Ōsenia ki he ‘Aatí, ‘Ulungaanga Faka-fonua mo e ngaahi Ako Fekau’aki mo e Pasifiki (OCACPS) ‘o e ‘Univēsiti ‘o e Sauté Pasifiki (USP), ‘o kamata ‘i he 2017. Ko e taumu‘a ‘o e REM na‘e ua. ‘Uluaki, ke tataki e ngaahi hoá ngāué mo fakakaumai honau kau mēmipá ‘i hono tali e faingata‘a faka‘ātakai ‘o e ‘aho ní. Ua, ke ‘oatu ki he ngaahi pule‘anga ‘i he Pasifikí ha ngaahi founga (‘o kau ai hono ngāue‘aki ‘o e ngaahi vakai teolosia, fakatohitapú, mo e fakafonuá) ki he fakalakalaka ‘o tatau mo ia na’e fakahoko ‘i he kuohilí. Na‘e toe fakataumu‘a foki ‘a e REM ke fakatupu e ngaahi fakakaukaú mo fakanofonofo e fakalakalaka ‘i he vahefonua ‘o e Pasifikí ‘i he fa‘unga fo‘oú.

‘I he 2020, na‘e hikihake ‘a e REM ki he konga fakalakalaka hoko ‘o paaki ha tohi, Toelalanga ‘o e Fa‘unga Fala Faka‘ātakai: Ki ha Fa‘unga Faka‘ātakai ma ‘a e Fakalakalaká..^[3] Ko e tolu‘i fa‘ungá ni na‘e fa‘u ‘aki ha fuo ‘e tolu—teolosia, ‘ekonōmiká, mo e ngaahi ‘ulungaanga fakafonua/fakalaumālie. ‘I loto ‘i he ngaahi fuó ni ‘oku tu‘u ai ‘a e vāfekau‘aki, pea ‘oku ngāue‘aki ko e me‘afua, ki hono fakatokanga‘i mo faka‘apa‘apa‘i ‘a e fenāpasi mo e fetāiaki ‘a e kātoa ‘o e ngaahi felālānga‘aki e tu‘oni kehekehe ‘o e mo‘uí. ‘Oku kamata ‘a e fa‘ungá ‘aki hono fakamatala‘i e tu‘unga ‘o e Pasifikí mo e founga ‘o e mōtolo niolipalolo fakalakalaka faka‘ekonōmiká, ‘oku ‘ikai ke fehokotaki lelei ia mo e tūkunga fakakātoa ‘o e Pasifikí. Ko e mōtolo niolipaloló ‘oku fakaivia ia mei he ma‘utakī tokanga ki he tupulaki ‘o ‘ikai fakangatangatá. Ko e taimi ‘oku makatu‘unga ai ‘a e tupu “‘i hono ta‘aki ‘o ‘ikai toe fakafo’ou pea mo hono ngāue fakavalevale‘akí e ma‘u‘angakoloa, ‘oku ‘ikai fenāpasi, ka ‘oku ne maumau lahi ‘a e mo‘ui lelei ‘o e hotau ‘api fakalukufua, Māmani” (UNEP, 2019). ‘Oku fakamamafa‘i ‘e he fa‘ungá ko eni ‘a e REM ‘oku hā mai ai ko e fa‘unga faka‘ātakai ki he fakalakalaka ‘i Pasifikí.

‘Oku taukave ‘a e kau fatutohi ‘a e REM ko e mōtolo niolipalolo fakalakalaka faka‘ekonōmiká ‘oku lahilahi kaungalelei pē ki he kau tu‘umālie tokosi‘i, mo e kau ma‘umafai mālohi-taha fakataautaha/fakatokolahi ‘o māmaní, ka ‘ikai ma ‘a e tokolahi-taha ‘o e kakai ‘o māmaní, ‘o kau ai ‘a e kakai ‘oku nofo ‘i he Pasifikí. Ko e mōtolo niolipalolo fakalakalaka faka‘ekonōmiká ‘oku ne tu‘uaki ‘a e tō‘onga tatau na‘e ‘uhinga ki ai ‘a White mo ne fakaanga‘i ‘i he‘ene ‘analaiso ‘a e ngaahi uesia faka‘ātakai ‘a e Tui fakakalisitiane ‘o e Uesité (sio ki he kongatohi kimu‘a).Ko e mōtolo ko eni ‘oku makatu‘unga ‘i hono “‘o hake ‘o e ma‘u‘angakoloa ‘o māmaní, tā ‘o e ‘ulu‘i‘akaú, fakakonahi e vaí, tukuange hake ‘a e veve fakangāue‘anga ki he ‘etimosifiá, palau‘i hake ‘a e ngaahi fonuatongotongo, mo kelikoloa ‘i he ngaahi feitu‘u ‘oku pelepelengesi faka‘ātakaí.”^[4] Kuo uesia ‘e he mōtolo niolipaloló ‘a e Pasifikí ‘i he founga kehekehe ‘o hangē ko e fu‘u fakafalala ‘i he koloa hūmai mei mulí, ngāue‘aki e koloa ‘oku teke ‘e he māketí, maumau e ‘ātakaí koe‘uhī ko e ngaahi fahipapa fakakomēsialé, mo e ngaahi mahua ‘a e loló ‘i ngaahi ‘out motu Solomoné ‘i he 2019, ke fakalau pē ha kongasi‘i.^[5]

‘Oku ‘i ai e ‘uhinga na‘e mahu‘inga ai ‘a e paaki ko ‘ení. ‘Oku ne fakamahu‘inga‘i ‘a e kehekehe ‘o e ngaahi ‘ekonōmika iikí, komiunitī iikí, mo e ngaahi founga iiki ‘o e fatongia fakasetuatá/tu’ufakakalikali ‘oku ne fakahoko ‘a e mo‘uí mohutafea. ‘Oku ne tu‘uaki ‘a hono toe fakafoki e mafaí ki he ngaahi ‘ekonōmika faka‘aho ‘i he ngaahi tulikí, ‘aki hono ‘omai kinautolu mei ai ki he senitā. ‘Oku ne toe fakamaama ‘a kinautolu ‘oku teke‘i ki he tulikí, ‘o hangē ko e ngaahi fonua ‘i he Pasifikí, ke toe fakafoki mai ‘enau mo’ui fakalaumalie mo e ngaahi makatu‘unga vā mahu‘inga felalave‘i faka‘ātakai ki lotomālie. Ko e mo‘ui kotoa pē ‘i he māmaní ‘oku vā ofi pea fekaukau‘aki ‘afa‘afa; Ko e māmaní ko ‘api ia ‘a e ‘Otuá, fa‘ahinga ‘o e tangatá mo e me‘a mo‘ui kotoa pē; pea ko e pule‘anga ‘o e ‘Otuá ‘oku tonu ke to‘o fakamātoato ‘e he māmaní mo e kakaí, koe‘uhi ko e kupu kotoa pē ‘e taha. Kaikehe, neongo ‘oku makatu‘unga e REM ‘i he ngaahi fekumi kehekehe mei he tapakehekehe ‘o e kolopé mo e Pasifikí, ‘oku lahiange ‘ene fakamamafa ‘i faka-e-fakakaukaú kae ‘ikai ke tukumai ha ngaahi founga mo‘oni fakaengāue. Neongo na‘e fakatokanga‘i ‘e he tohi ‘a e kehekehe ‘o e ngaahi mo‘oni‘i me‘a fakapolitikalé, ‘oku ‘ikai te ne tukumai ha ngaahi founga ‘e lava ke ne tukuhifo ai e ngaahi fa‘unga fakakaukaú ki he ngaahi founga ngāue ma ‘a e Pasifikí pe ma ‘a e ngaahi tūkunga fakapolitikale kehé.

‘Oku mahu‘inga ke faka‘ilonga‘i mo fakamālō‘ia ‘a e ngaahi lavame‘a ‘a e PCC ‘i hono tali ‘o e feliuliuaki e ‘eá talu hono fokotu‘u ‘i he 1966 pea ke vakai‘i pe fakamātoato oku lelei fēfē ‘a e ngaahi me‘á ni ‘i he‘ene a‘umai ki he ‘aho ní. Kuo lava ‘e he PCC ‘o fokotu’u ha teolosia ki he tokangaekina ‘o natulá pea hokohoko mo hono malanga‘i e mahu‘inga ‘o e ngaahi fatongia fakakalisitiané ‘i hono faka‘apa‘apa‘i mo malu‘i e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá. Kuo toe lava ‘e he PCC ‘o fa‘u e ngaahi talafakahāhā mo e ngaahi fakamatala fekau‘aki mo e fakamātoato ‘o e tukupā ki hono tali fakavavevave ‘o e faingata‘a faka‘ātakai, ko e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ko e palopalema faka‘ekuimenikale, pea mo uiaki ke fakahoko e ngāué. ‘Oku ongo faka‘amanaki lelei ‘a e ngaahi me‘á ni, ka ko e lea leleí mo e taumu‘á ‘oku ‘ikai ke fu‘u ‘i ai hano mahu‘inga kapau ‘oku ‘ikai lava ke fakahoko ha ngāué. ‘Oku fakamo‘oni‘i ‘e me‘á ni ‘i hono talafakahāhā ‘e he PCC ‘a ‘enau Ui mei Moana Ki he Ngāue ‘i he 2017, pea ‘osiange ko iá ‘oku ‘ikai lava ke nau mo‘ui‘aki ‘enau tukupā ke fakahoko e ngāué. ‘Oku ‘ikai te u faka‘ikai‘i ‘a e lelei ‘o e fa‘unga REM: he ‘oku ‘ikai ngata ‘ene tu‘uaki ‘a e ngaahi teolosia ‘o e Pasifikí, ngaahi ‘ulungaanga fakafonuá mo e ngaahi ‘ekonōmiká, ka ‘oku toe fakamahu‘inga‘i mā‘olunga ‘a e ‘ilo fakalotofonuá, poto, mo e ngaahi fakakaukau ki hono tali ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘ea ‘i he Pasifikí. Ka ko hono fakamulitukú, ‘oku fa‘u‘aki ‘a e mei mei me‘a tatau pē: talanoa mo e fono. Talu mei ai, ko e talanoá mo e ngaahi fakatahá ‘oku kei hokohoko atu pē.

‘I tu‘a he ngaahi kautaha ko ‘ení, kaikehe, ‘oku ‘i ai e ngaahi ngāue ‘i he ngaahi siasi fakakoló. Ko e faka‘osi ‘o e ngaahi konga tohi ko ‘ení te ne fakamatala ki he ngāue kuo fakahoko ‘i he fonuá ‘i Tonga, taha e fakatātā ‘oku ne fakamamafa‘i ‘a e mahu‘inga e ngaahi fatongia ‘o e Konifelenisi ‘o e ngaahi Siasi he Pasifikí (PCC) ‘o fakafou ‘i he Kōsilio e ngaahi Siasi ‘i Tongá mo e Fōlomu ‘o e kau Taki Lotu ‘i Tongá pea ko e hā e ngaahi ‘elia ‘o e ngāue ‘oku nau fiema‘u ke fakamamafa kia ai e tokanga. ‘A ia, ko hono fakalahi e ngaahi tokoni fakapa‘angá ki hono kaungā-fa‘u mo fakahoko ha ngaahi ngāue ‘i he lēvolo ‘o e siasi fakakoló. ‘Oku ‘i ai ‘a e fiema‘u ki ha tokanga lahiange ki hono fakafa‘ūtaha mai e ngaahi ma‘u‘angakoloa ‘oku nofo mo e ngaahi siasí mo ngāue‘aki lelei ki hono fakasi‘isi‘i e tukuange ‘o e ngaahi kasa koná. ‘Oku mātu‘aki mahu‘inga hono ngāue‘aki e ngaahi ivimalava tu‘ufonua ki hono tau‘i ‘o e feliuliuaki e ‘eá.

Translated by Rev. Dr. Laiseni Liava’a and Dr. 'Alaimaluloa Toetu'u-Tamihere.

This is the third in a series of four posts. Click here for the first post: A History of Care for God’s Creation within the Church: It’s Time to Walk the Talk! Click here for the second post: Lynn White Jr. and the Origin of Care for God’s Creation in the World Council of Churches. Click here for the fourth post: Churches and Climate Change in Tonga: A Real Measure of the Effectiveness of Pacific Conference of Churches’ Climate Works

Footnotes

[1] T. M. Vaioleti, ‘Talanoa Research Methodology: A developing position on Pacific Research’, Waikato Journal of Education 12 (2006), 21-43.

[2] Timote Masima Vaioleti, ‘Talanoa, Manulua and Founga Ako: Frameworks for Using Enduring Tongan Educational Ideas for Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand’ (PhD Thesis, University of Waikato, 2011), 115.

[3] Cliff Bird, Arnie Saiki, and Meretui Ratunabuabua, Toelalanga ‘o e Fa‘unga Fala Faka‘ātakai: Ki ha Fa‘unga Faka‘ātakai ma ‘a e Fakalakalaká. (Pacific Theological College, 2020) (accessed 21 April 2023).

[4] Steve de Gruchy, “Oikos, God and the Olive Agenda: Theological Reflections on Economics and Environment,” 2007.

[5] Karen E. Charlton et al., ‘Fish, Food Security and Health in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: A Systematic Literature Review’, BMC Public Health 16, 1 (24 March 2016), 285; Jocelyn Linnekin, ‘Consuming Cultures: Tourism and the Commoditization of Cultural Identity in the Island Pacific’, in Tourism, Ethnicity, and the State in Asian and Pacific Societies, ed. Michel Picard and Robert E. Wood, (University of Hawaii Press, 1997), 215–50; ‘Logging Rate Unsustainable in Solomons, Admits Official’, RNZ, 5 June 2019; UNESCO World Heritage Centre, ‘Update on East Rennell Oil Spill, Solomon Islands’, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, (accessed 26 August 2024).

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‘Oku ‘ilo ‘e he kau Kalisitiané ‘a e fatongia ‘o e kau palōfita ‘i he Fuakava Motu‘á pea me he hisitōlia ‘o e Siasí. Na’e ui ‘e he ‘Otua e kau Palōfitá ‘i he ngaahi kuonga/vaa‘i taimi pau ke nau lea ki he ngaahi palopalema kehekehe pe. Na‘e pukepuke ‘e kau Palōfitá ‘a e ngaahi fatongia kehekehe, ‘o kau ai ‘enau hoko ko e kau matāpule ma ‘a e ‘Otuá ‘o fakafou ‘i hono vahevahe ‘o e ngaahi fekau kuo fakamānava‘i, kikite‘i ‘o e ngaahi me‘a ‘i he kaha‘ú, malanga‘i e ngaahi fekau fakalotolahi ‘a e ‘Otuá, kikite, tala ‘o e finangalo ‘a e ‘Otua ki he kakai, ‘o nau hoko foki ko e kau taki fakamōlalé/poto mo e kau fakaanga/fakafepaki/fakalelei ‘o ‘enau ngaahi sōsaietí.^[1] Neongo na‘e ‘iloa e kau Palōfitá ki hono talaki ‘o e ngaahi fekau tala fakatu‘utāmaki mo ha fakaevaha ‘oku tu‘unukumai, na‘a nau ‘ave foki mo e ngaahi fekau fakalotolahi mo e ‘amanaki lelei ki he kakai ‘a e ‘Otuá. ‘Oku ou taukave ko e tokotaha tohi hisitōlia ko ‘Amelika ko Lynn T. White Jr. ko e pālofita ‘o e palopalema faka‘ātakaí ‘i he 1960 tupú. Ko ‘ene fuofua ngāue na’e tupu mei ai ‘a hono tokangaekina e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá ‘i he Kōsilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘o Māmaní (WCC).

Ko e hisitōlia ‘o e tokangaekina ‘o e ‘ātakai ‘i he malumalu ‘o e WCC, ‘oku malava ke ‘ilo hono tupu’anga mei he ngaahi tali kehekehe ki he tohi ‘iloa ‘a White, “Ko e ngaahi Aka Fakahisitōlia ‘o ‘etau ngaahi Palopalema Faka‘ātakai”, ‘i he 1967.^[2] Na‘e pehē ‘e White ko e palopalema faka‘ātakaí na‘e ‘i ai ‘a hono ngaahi aka fakalotu, ‘a ia ‘oku fekau‘aki ia mo e fakakaukau Kalisitiane faka-Uēsite fuoloa ‘oku pehē, ‘oku pulefakaleveleva ‘a e fa‘ahinga e tangatá ki natula. Na‘e kau lahi e tohi ‘a White ki hono fakae‘a ‘a e lahi fau e ngaahi ‘ulungaanga mo e ngaahi fakakaukau faka-Kalisitiane ‘oku ne fakatupunga e maumau ki he ‘ātakaí, mo hono teke ‘a e ngaahi kautaha ‘i loto mo e vaha‘a ‘o e ngaahi siasí ke nau fefa‘uhi mo e tukulaumea ko ‘ení, mo e founga ke nau fakalakalaka ai kimu‘a. ‘I he kongatohi ko ‘ení, te u fakafehokotaki ai ‘a e ngāue faka‘atamai ki he hisitōlia ‘o e feliuliuaki e ‘eá ki he tali ‘a e Kōsilio e ngaahi Siasi ‘o Māmani (WCC) ‘i he kuohilí mo e lolotongá ki he palopalema ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘a e‘eá.

Na‘e fu‘u manakoa ‘a e ngāue ‘a White, ko e ’uhinga lahi pē, ko e lahi fau ‘a e tūkunga na‘e paaki aí: ko e tupulekina ‘o e ngaahi fetu‘utaki fakasaienisi fekau‘aki mo e ngaahi ola ‘o e ngāueta‘efakapotopoto ‘a e fa‘ahinga e tangatá ki he ‘ātakaí, ‘a ia na‘e hoko ‘o fu‘u e‘a ‘i he 1960 tupú, fakataha mo e hokohoko e ngaahi maumau faka‘ātakai lalahi na‘e ‘ikai toe lava ke fakaikai‘i. ‘I ‘Amelika, ke fakatātā‘aki, na‘e ‘i ai ‘a e mafolalahi ‘o e kohutamaki ‘i he Kolomu‘a Niu ‘Ioké mo Losi ‘Enisela, mahua ‘a e lolo lahi ‘i Sanita Pāpulā ‘i Fēpueli 1969, mo e ngaahi vela ‘i he Vaitafe Kuāhoukā ‘i Sune ‘o e ta‘u tatau. Ko e kotoa e ngaahi fakatamaki ko ‘ení na‘a ne tohoaki‘i e tokanga ‘a e kakaí ‘o ‘Amelila ‘o fakafou he ngaahi fakamatala ongoongó, ‘o ne fakatupu ‘a e fakatokanga mo e hoha‘a.^[3]

Tānaki atu ki he ngaahi ‘iveni ko ‘ení, ‘a e hokohoko ‘o e ngaahi tohi ‘iloa na‘e paaki ‘o tohoaki’i e tokanga ‘a e kakai. Ko e tohi ‘a Rachel Carson ‘i he 1962 Silent Spring na‘a ne tukuaki‘i e ngāue‘anga kemikalé ‘i hono tukuatu e fakamatalahala ki he kakaí, fūfū‘i e mo‘oni fekau‘aki mo e nunu‘a fakatu‘utāmaki ‘o e DDT (faito‘okona fakangoue) ki he ‘ātakaí. Na‘e toe tukuaki‘i foki ‘e Carson ‘a e kau ‘ofisiale fakapule‘angá ‘i hono faka‘atā e kemipeini fakamāketi ‘a e ngāue‘anga kemikalé kae ‘ikai ke toe fehu‘ia.^[4] Ko e tohi ‘a Paul Ehrlich The Population Bomb, na‘e fuofua paaki ‘i he 1968 pea na‘a ne fakafehokotaki ai ‘a e ngaahi ‘iveni faka‘ātakai faka‘aufuli mo hono ngāue ta‘efakapotopoto‘aki ‘e he fa‘ahinga e tangata e ‘ātakaí, ‘o tokoni‘i e kakaí ke nau lāu‘ilo ‘a e ngaahi palopalema ko ‘ení ‘oku nau felālāve‘i kotoa pē. Fakatātā‘aki ‘eni, ko e tupu vave ‘o e tokolahi e kakaí ‘oku ne hiki hake ai pē ‘a e ngaahi fiema‘u ki he ngaahi koloa ‘oku fakangatangata, ‘o‘oku fakaiku ai ki he ngaahi tu‘utu‘uni fakavalevale ki he anga hono ngāue‘aki ‘o e ngaahi koloá. Ko e ngaahi ‘iveni faka‘ātakai kuo ne ‘ākilotoa e kakaí, fakataha mo e lelei e fakafetu‘utaki atu ‘o e ngaahi tohi fekau‘aki mo e ‘ātakaí, ‘o ne ue‘i e kakai ‘o ‘Ameliká ke nau uingaki ‘a e liliú.^[5] This spread to other countries as well.

Na‘e hanga ‘e he tohi ‘a White ‘o fakataumai e ‘ulungaanga ta‘efakapotopoto na‘e fakamatala‘i ‘i he ngāue ‘a Carson mo Ehrlich ki he ngaahi talanoa fakatupu ‘o e Lotu faka-Kalisitiané, ‘o hangē ko Senesi 2, ‘a ia ‘oku ne tala ai ko e fa‘ahinga e tangatá ‘a e senitā ‘o e fakatupú, kae tukuhifo ‘a natula ia ki he fatongia ko e poupou pē ki he fa‘ahinga ‘o e tangatá. Fakatatau ki he kau ‘ikolosia tokolahi na‘a nau toki fa‘utohi kimui mai ‘ia White, koe‘uhī ko e fa‘ahinga tui faka-Kalisitiane ko ‘eni, kuo hanga ai ‘e he kau Kalisitiané ‘o ngāue ta‘efakapotopoto‘aki ‘a natula ki he‘enau ngaahi tānakilelei siokita pea maumau lahi kuo ki he ‘ātakaí mo e ngaahi me‘a mo‘ui kehé.^[6] ‘Oku fu‘u fehangahangai ‘aupito ‘eni ia mo e kakai tu‘ufonua tokolahi—‘o kau ai e kau Tongá—mo ‘enau ngaahi tui mo e angafai kimu‘a ‘enau fengāue‘aki mo e kau Kalisitiane misinale mei ‘Iulopé. Na‘e tui e kau Tongá ‘i he fekaukau‘aki mo e taha ‘o e fakatupú, pea ko e fa‘ahinga e tangatá ko e konga pē, kae ‘ikai ko e senitā ia ‘o e fakatupú. Te tau toki hoko atu ki he talanoa ‘o e tali ‘a e ngaahi siasí ‘i Tonga ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘i ha konga tohi ‘amuiange.

Na‘e fokotu‘u ‘e White kuo pau ke toe vakai‘i ‘e he lotu faka-Kalisitiané ‘ene ngaahi makatu‘ungamahu‘ingá mo e ngaahi tuí kae lava ke ma‘u ha ngaahi founga fo‘ou ke mahino ‘a e vāfekau‘aki ‘i he vaha‘a ‘o e fa’ahinga e tangatá mo e ‘ātakaí. ‘Oku kau heni ‘a e fiema‘u ki he lotu faka-Kalisitiané ke liliu ‘a e fa‘ahinga teolosia ‘a ē ‘oku ne tala ‘oku pule fakaleveleva e fa‘ahinga ‘o e tangatá ki natula. Neongo e tukuaki‘i mālohi ‘e White ‘a e Lotu Kalisitiane faka-Uesité ki he ngaahi aka ‘o e palopalema faka‘ātakaí, na‘e ‘ikai hanga ‘e he‘ene pepa ‘o tukuange ‘a e tui faka-Kalisitiané. ‘O hangē ko ‘ene taukavé, “Koe‘uhī ko e kongalahi ‘o e ngaahi aka ‘o hotau faingata‘a‘iá ‘oku fakalotu, ko e faito‘o ki aí kuo pau ke fakalotu ‘a hono uhó.”^[7] Na‘e fokotu‘u mai leva ‘e White ha ngaahi founga ‘e ala ngāue‘aki ‘e he kau Kalisitiané. Fakatātā‘aki eni, ‘oku fiema‘u ke toe vakai‘i ‘e he kau Kalisitiané ‘a e ngaahi makatu‘ungamahu‘ingá mo e ngaahi tui ‘a ē ‘oku ne tokangaekina e ‘ātakaí—hangē ko hono fakatolonga, faka‘apa‘apa‘i mo malu‘i e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá (Sen 2:15; Saam 24:1)—pea fai e langá ‘i he ngaahi tafa‘aki ko iá. Ko e fakatātā ‘e taha, ko e molomolomuiva‘e ‘ia Sanita Falanisisi ‘o ‘Āsisí, tautautefito ki he‘ene tokangaekina ‘a natulá.^[8]

‘I he ta‘u ‘e nimangofulu kuohilí, kuo tokolahi e fa‘ahinga kuo fai ‘enau lau ki he tohi ‘a White, ‘o tatau ‘i hono poupou‘i mo hono fakafepaki‘i ‘a ‘ene taukavé. ‘I he fakamāmanilahí, kuo tataki ‘e he ngaahi laauleá ha ngaahi liliu ‘i he ngaahi fungavaka kehekehe ‘o e ngaahi siasí; neongo kuo fakatahataha e kau ‘Ingilaní/‘Episikopeliané ‘i hono poupoua e tokangaekina ‘o e ‘ataki, ka ko e ngaahi fungavaka kehe ‘o e siasí (e.g. Penitekosi mo e ‘Evalgelio) kuo nau fakafefeka‘i ‘enau fakafepaki ki he tokangakina ‘o e’atakai. ‘Oku ‘i ai foki mo e ngaahi siasi ‘oku ‘ikai te nau tali ‘e kinautolu ‘oku mo‘oni ‘a e feliuliuaki e ‘eá, pea ‘oku toe ‘i ai pē mo e fa’ahinga ‘oku nau toe siofi ‘enau teolosia faka-Kalisitiané mo e ngaahi ‘ulungaanga-tu‘ufonua ‘o e ngaahi feitu‘u ‘oku nau tu‘u aí. Neongo ‘a e tu’u kehekehe ‘a e ngaahi siasí fekau’aki mo e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, ‘oku mahu‘inga ke fakamamafa’i ‘a e hanga ‘e he fekau fakapalōfita ‘a White ‘o ne fakahoko ha liliu mahu‘inga ki he ngaahi siasí mo e anga ‘enau vakai ki he ‘ātakaí, ‘i he ngaahi ta‘u ‘e onongofulu kuohilí.

Ko e ngaahi solova‘anga na‘e fokotu‘u ‘e White ‘i he‘ene ngaahi palōfisaí kuo lahi ‘a hono to’o ko e fakatokanga, pea ko hono fakafelāve‘i ‘o e Kalisitiané mo e ngaahi teolosia faka‘ātakaí kuo tala ‘oku mahu‘inga, ‘o hangē ‘oku ‘asi he founga kuo ngāue‘aki ‘e he Kōsilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘o Māmaní (WCC). Ko e WCC ‘oku fa‘u‘aki ‘a e tokolahi taha ‘o e ngaahi siasi ‘Ofokosi ‘o māmaní (Hahake mo ‘Esia), ‘Afilika ‘Inisitiueti, ‘Ingilani, ‘Āsilia, Papitaiso, ‘Evalngelio, Lutelo, Menonaite, Metotisi, Molāvia, Katolika-Motu‘a, Penitekosi, Lifoomu, ‘Iunaite/‘Iunaitieti mo e ngaahi siasi Tau‘atāina, Kau Tisaipale ‘o Kalaisi mo e Felenite (Kueki). Ko e hisitōlia lōloa ‘o e WCC, talu mei he 1960 tupu ki he ‘ahó ni, ‘a ‘enau tokangaekina ‘a e mo‘ui lelei ‘o e fa‘ahinga e tangatá mo e ‘ātakaí, tautautefito ki he‘ene ngaahi hoha‘a fekau’aki mo e ngaahi tesi me‘atau faka‘ātomí mo hono fakatupulekiná. ‘I he kongalahi ‘o e hisitōlia ‘o e WCC, kuo ne takimu‘a ‘i kaluseti ke teke ke ta’ofi e ngaue’aki e me‘ataú. Ko e tokangaekina ‘ae ‘atakai ‘e he WCC kuo faka‘ai‘ai mo poupou‘i ‘i he ngaahi ta‘ú lahi ‘o fakafou mai ‘i hono kau mēmipa siasi ‘i he kolopé. Kuo hoko ‘a e misiona faka‘eukamenikale, fakamaautotonu fakasōsiale, ngaahi palopalema faka‘ātakaí mo e ngaahi ‘īsiu kehe kuo ne iku ki hono fa‘u ‘o e Konifelenisi ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘i he Pasifikí (PCC), ‘o hoko ko e konga ‘o e WCC pea mo hono ngaahi sino pulé ‘i he kongalotoloto ‘o e 1960 tupú, ‘a ia ko e kaveinga eni ‘o e konga tohi hokó. Pea neongo ‘ene ngaahi talamālie ‘oku ne tokangaekina e ‘ātakaí, te tau toki sio ‘i he konga tohi hokó, ki he tali ‘a e WCC ki he ngaahi paolpalema faka‘ātakaí talu ‘ene kamata mai, ‘oku kei fakangatangata pē ia ki he ngaahi talatalanoa mo e ngaahi fono, ka ‘oku te‘eki ke ‘i ai ha ngaahi ngāue sino ha mai ke tau siomata ‘oku hoko he fonuá.

Translated by Rev. Dr. Laiseni Liava’a and Dr. 'Alaimaluloa Toetu'u-Tamihere

This is the second in a series of four posts. Click here for the first post: A History of Care for God’s Creation within the Church: It’s Time to Walk the Walk! Click here for the third post: The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) and Practical Initiatives Addressing the Climate Crisis. Click here for the fourth post: Churches and Climate Change in Tonga: A Real Measure of the Effectiveness of Pacific Conference of Churches’ Climate Works

Footnotes

¹ Dorothy Emmet, ‘Prophets and Their Societies’, The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 86, 1 (1956), 13–23.

² Lynn T. White, Jr., ‘The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis’, Science 155 (March 1967), 1203-7.

³ Michigan in the World and the Environmental Justice HistoryLab, ‘“Environmental Crisis” in the Late 1960s · Exhibit · Give Earth a Chance: Environmental Activism in Michigan’, Projects of the U-M History Department (accessed 31 July 2024).

⁴ Rachel Carson, Silent Spring (Houghton Mifflin, 1962). For a reflection on its significance, see: Dorothy McLaughlin, ‘Silent Spring Revisited | Fooling With Nature | FRONTLINE | PBS’, n.d. (accessed 31 July 2024).

⁵ Paul Ehrlich, The Population Bomb (Ballantine Books, 1968). Further discussed in “Environmental Crisis” in the Late 1960s · Exhibit · Give Earth a Chance: Environmental Activism in Michigan’.

⁶ Paul Collins, God’s Earth: Religion as if Matter Really Mattered (A Dove Publication, 1995), 87; Peter Harrison, “Having Dominion: Genesis and the Mastery of Nature,” in R. J. Berry, ed, Environmental Stewardship: Critical Perspectives – Past and Present (T & T Clark International, 2006), 21; Thomas Sieger Derr, “Lynn White and his Magical Essay – Religion’s Responsibility for the Ecological Crisis: An Argument Run Amok”; Lisa Sideris, “Environmental Ethics, Ecological Theology and Natural Selection,” in R. J. Berry, ed., Environmental Stewardship: Critical Perspectives – Past and Present (T & T Clark International, 2006), 160, just to name a few.

⁷ White, 1207.

⁸ ibid., 1208.

The post Lynn White Jr. and the Origin of Care for God’s Creation in the World Council of Churches appeared first on He Taonga Tuku Iho.

Kuo tu‘olahi ‘a hono fakamanatu ki he Siasí,^[1] “Ke mou hoko ko e kau ngāue ‘o e folofola, ‘o ‘ikai ko e kau fanongo pē, ‘o mou kākā‘i ‘akimoutolu.”^[2] ‘I he tu‘unga fakamāmanilahí, kuo kau fakataha ‘a e Siasi ’Ingilaní mo e ngaahi siasi ‘Otokosi, Lutelo, Pelesipita, Kueki, Katolika mo e Metotisi, ‘i he ofongi he ngaahi palopalema faka‘atakaí, tautautefito ki he ngaahi nunu’a he uesia ‘o natula mei he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘oku tau fehangahangai mo ia he kuonga ní. Neongo iá, ‘oku fakahā ‘e he ngaahi fakatotolo ko e tokolahi ’o e tali ‘a e ngaahi siasi ko eni ki he palopalema ni ko e talanga pe mo e fono ‘i he ta’u ‘e nimangofulu kuohilí, kae si’isi’i ha ngāue ke fakahoko foki. ‘Oku matu’aki fiema‘u ke fakahoko ‘e he ngaahi siasí ha ngāue fakavavevave he taimí ni—‘oku fakaha eni ‘i he ngaahi talanga kuo fakahoko—pea ko e nunu’a ‘o e ‘ikai ke fakahoko leva ha ngāué ki ai, ‘e matu’aki mahu‘inga ki he Pasifiki. Kuo lahi e ngaahi fakatotolo kuo fakahā ‘a e fepaki tonu ‘a e ngaahi ‘otu motu ‘o e Pasifiki mo e nunu’a ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘ea.^[3] Ko Tonga (‘a ia ‘oku ngāue‘aki ko e fakatātā ‘i he ngaahi konga ka hoko mai) ‘oku fika ua ia ‘i he tu‘u fakamāmanilahi ‘i he tu‘ulavengofuataha ki he nunu‘a ‘o e fakatamaki fakaenatulá mo e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá, ka ko e ngaahi tali ‘a e ngaahi siasi lahi tahá ko e talanga pe mo e fono.^[4]

‘I he ngaahi konga tohi ka hoko maí, te u talanoa ki he hisitōlia ‘o e tokangaekina ‘o e ‘atakaki na’e fakatupu ‘e he ‘Otuá ‘i he loto‘i Siasí ‘o lave ki he va’a kehekehe ‘e tolu faka‘eukuimenikale: 1) Kōsilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘a Māmaní (Fakamāmanilahi), 2) Konifelenisi ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘i he Pasifikí (Fakavahefonua), mo e 3) Kōsilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘i Tongá/Fōlomu ‘o e Kau Takilotu ‘i Tongá (Fakalotofonua). ‘I he konga tohi ‘uluakí, te u talanoa ai ki he mahu‘inga ke fakatokanga’i ‘a e ngaahi nunu’a ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ki he‘etau mo‘uí, mo e fiema‘u ki he ngaahi siasí ke nau fakahoko ha ngāue he vave tahá. Hili leva ia, te u sio ki he tali ‘i he kuohilí mo e lolotongá ni ‘a e Kōsilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘o Māmaní mo e Konifelenisi ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘i he Pasifikí ki he palopalema faka‘atakaí, ‘aki hano fakamamafa‘i ‘a e fatongia fakapalōfita ‘a Lynn White Jr mo e ngaahi founga na‘a ne fakafepaki ‘a e anga tu’uma’u ‘a e ngaahi siasí, ‘o iku ai ki he fakalakalaka ‘o e tokangaekina e ‘ātakai ‘e he siasí mo hono fokotu‘u ‘o e Konifelenisi ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘i he Pasifikí. ‘I he konga tohi hono tolú, te u talanoa ai ki he tali ‘a e Konifelenisi ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘i he Pasifikí ki he feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá. ‘Oku mahu‘inga eni koe‘uhi te ne fakahā ai ‘a e ngaue kuo fakahoko ‘e he ngaahi siasí mo hono ola foki. Faka‘osí, ‘i he konga tohi hono fā, te u fakama’ama’ala ‘a e anga hono tali ‘e he Kōsilio ‘o e ngaahi Siasi ‘i Tongá mo hono kau taki ki he faingata‘a ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá pea mo e ngāue kuo lavá. Te u fakamamafa’i ‘a hono ‘uhinga ‘o eni ‘i he sio ki he fa’unga ‘o e Matakali ‘e Tolu ‘o e Siasi ‘Ingilani ‘i he Pasifiki, pea aofangatuku‘aki ha ngaahi fale’i, ke tokangaekina’aki ‘a e ‘atakai na’e fakatupu ‘e he ‘Otuá.

Ko e ‘Tokangaekina ‘o e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá’ ko e tefito‘i mo‘oni mahu‘inga kuo ne hoko ko e makatu‘unga ‘o e ngaahi kominiuti ‘o e siasi tokolahi, ‘o kau atu foki mo e Siasi ‘Ingilaní mo ‘ene misiona, ‘o laka hake he ta‘u ‘e nimangofulu tupu. ‘I he Pasifikí, ko e siasí ‘oku mātu’aki lahi ‘ene mafai ke ue’i e sio, ‘ulungaanga mo e tali e kakai fekau’aki pea mo e ngaahi palopalema faka‘ātakaí. Ko ia ai, ‘oku mahu‘inga ke fekumi ki ha ngaahi founga ‘e malava ai ke toe fakatupulekina mo longomo‘ui ange ai ‘a e siasí, pea ‘i he‘enau fai pehē, ‘e hoko leva ‘o fakaivia honau ngaahi mēmipá ke nau tokangaekina ‘a e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá. ‘I he lotofale ‘o e Siasi ‘Ingilaní, ko hono tokangaekina ‘o e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá ‘oku mahu‘inga koe‘uhī ko e ngaahi uesia-kovi ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘i he‘etau ngaahi mo‘uí mo e ma‘u‘angamo‘uí, pea koe‘uhí ko e nima‘i Maaka ia ‘o e Taumu‘a-Misiona.^[5] ‘I he Komuniō ‘Ātakai Fehokotaki ‘a e Siasi ‘Ingilaní (ACEN), ‘oku tukupā ‘a e Siasi ‘Ingilaní ke malu‘i, fakatolonga, mo fakafo‘ou ‘a e māmaní. ‘E ‘ikai toe fiema‘u ke toutou fakamamafa‘i ‘a e mahu‘inga ke tau fakahoko ‘a e ngāué ni, ‘o ‘ikai ngata pē foki ko kitautolu ko e kupu ‘i he sino ‘o e māmani, ka ‘oku tau fakafalala foki ‘i hono ‘ātakaí ‘o tau ma’u mo’ui mo lakalakaimonū mei ai. Ko e ‘aho kotoa pē ‘oku tau fakafalala ‘i he ‘ea ‘o e māmaní ke tau mānava, ko ‘ene vaí ke tau inu, ‘ene me‘akai ke tau kai. ‘Oku mātu‘aki mahu‘inga ki he fa‘ahinga ‘o e tangatá ke ne ‘ilo ko e hokohoko atu ‘a ‘etau mo‘uí ‘oku makatu‘unga ‘i he māmaní. Kuo pau ke fakamātoato ‘etau tokanga‘i e fakatupu ‘a e ‘Otuá mo ngāue fakavavevave ki he ngaahi nunu’a ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘eá ‘i he ‘ahó ni.

Translated by Rev. Dr. Laiseni Liava’a and Dr. 'Alaimaluloa Toetu'u-Tamihere.

This is the first in a series of four posts. Click here for the second post: Lynn White Jr. and the Origin of Care for God’s Creation in the World Council of Churches. Click here for the third post: The Pacific Conference of Churches and Practical Initiatives Addressing the Climate Crisis. Click here for the fourth post: Churches and Climate Change in Tonga: A Real Measure of the Effectiveness of Pacific Conference of Churches’ Climate Works

Footnotes

¹ Every time the word ‘Church’ appears with the capital ‘C’ and without a modifier in front, I refer to the whole Christian church, encompassing various denominations.

² James 1:22, The Bible (New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, 2022).

³ R. K. Pachauri and L. A. Meyer, eds, Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2014). Ministry for Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Climate Change and Communications [MEIDECC], Kingdom of Tonga Third National Communication on Climate Change, December 2019, 12; E. H. Havea, ‘Climate Change Education in Tongan secondary schools’ (PhD diss., University of Waikato, 2020); Dhrishna Charan, Kushaal Raj, Ravneel Chand, Lionel Joseph, and Priyatma Singh, ‘At the Frontline of Climate Change: Adaptation, Limitations and Way Forward for the South Pacific Island States’, in Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategies for Coastal Communities, ed. W. Leal Filho, (Springer, Cham: 2018), 69–85.

⁴ Peter Mucke, ed., WorldRiskReport 2020; Focus: Forced Displacement and Migration (Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft And Ruhr University Bochum – Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), 2020), 7. The World Risk Report has been published annually since 2011 by Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft. Since 2017, the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) at the Ruhr University Bochum has been responsible for the scientific management and calculation of the World Risk Index contained in the report. The figures published this summer by the UN Refugee Agency are alarming: almost 80 million people are currently fleeing their homes, and refugees at the EU’s external borders and internally-displaced persons in their own countries continue to die every day.

⁵ The Five Marks of Mission are widely accepted by Anglicans across the globe. These five mission statements offer a practical guide to the holistic nature of mission. The fifth mark of mission states: “To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and re-new the life of the earth”. See ‘Five Marks of Mission’, Anglican Schools of Aotearoa New Zealand & Polynesia (blog) (accessed 29 July 2024), and Anglican Communion Office, ‘Anglican Communion: History’, (accessed 29 July 2024), for further details.

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