The Torres Strait Islands, an autonomous part of Australia, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis, and extreme weather, including storms, sea level rise and erosion, pose a threat. great for the indigenous peoples who inhabited the islands. about 70,000 years.
With the case underway, Mr Molby and his activists have been recognized as human rights leaders for their efforts to draw attention to the plight of their communities.
“I come from Masig Island, in the center of the Torres Strait, between Papua New Guinea and the tip of Queensland.
There’s something powerful about this teardrop-shaped island. There is an aura that draws people to this place that has protected us for thousands of years.
I am connected through this land to the birds, the sky, and the plants around us. I am part of the insects, mammals and sea creatures, and they are part of me.
We have been taught to live as one with nature, to protect and preserve it, in the way that it has been protecting and preserving us, our culture and our traditions.
Yessie Mosby, one of the climate activists known as Torres Strait Eight, by © Mary Harm
Right to protection against climate change
“We have the right to practice and carry on our traditions and culture, and the right to pass on what was handed down to us by our parents, grandparents and ancestors.
We have the right to pass on that ancient knowledge to the next generation.
We’ve been through everything: the first cases of chickenpox, the first common flu – practically wiped us out – and the Second World War. But we survived.
Australia has an obligation to look after all Australians, and we have the right to stay on our Island.
Refugees in our country
Torres Strait Eight comes from different islands but we all have the same passion to protect what is ours, for our future.
Otherwise, we wouldn’t have land to call home. We will be refugees in our own country. My children will have to move, because the government will definitely kick us out of the house.
So we said no. We don’t move. What is here is ours.
© Karl Bouro
Yessie Mosby, one of the climate activists of the Torres Straits Eight, speaking at the Sydney Biennale.
Loved ones swept away
Here on Masig, 30 to 50 meters from the sea, is where the beach is. There are villages along the southeast coast.
You can hear the children’s laughter, while their mother weaves mats. The men would walk out onto the reef in search of food. It is a comfortable life, but a happy and safe life.
Then we began to lose land to the sea, and the remains of our loved ones were washed away.
This affects our mind, body and spirit.
Sea Migration
We used to have a lot of birds on this island.
Like the black and white pelican, the black and white condor, and others.
They don’t nest here anymore, and this is a sign that something is, you know, definitely not right.
We used to have lagoons full of seafood. At low tide, women can easily fish in their lagoons, while their children learn to swim with their older siblings and grandmother babysitting the youngest.
Now. Outside is a desert. The lagoons are gone, full of sand and devoid of life.
© 350 Australia
Masig Island in the Torres Strait
Danger in the abyss
Making a living is getting harder and harder. Masig’s main income is crayfish. Now, all the men have to go further and use more fuel.
It is always dangerous to go further out, and the families of the husbands and sons out there fear for them.
There are many dangerous things in the ocean, but the scariest thing is if the weather changes. You wonder if you’ll make it home in time.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
You can listen to the full audio interview here.
