In partnership with the Archdiocese of Suva in Fiji, the Tagi Production presented Our home is on fire! Act now!, a climate change advocacy show that featured a 300-member choir, local artists, cultural dances, and stories about the impacts of climate change.
The project is an initiative of Archbishop Peter Loy Chong, who is also the executive producer of the show, in collaboration with Caritas Fiji to support the Archbishop’s vision for “a socially and ecologically transformed Oceania” and calls on the world to act now while also calling on the Oceania Island Nations to life their cries so that the world can hear the suffering, hoping for an ecological conversion.
Presented on 23 June 2023 at the Laucala Bay Fmf Gymnasium in Suva, the show included students from Marist Brothers High School, Saint Joseph Secondary School, Saint Anne’s Primary School, and the Lomary Secondary School who all joined the choir. It is hoped that the Tagi production will travel and perform in various places including Australia.
From an article in the Fiji Sun by Laiseana Nasiga, Archbishop Loy Chong said that “the use of symbolic and artistic language has the power to touch people’s hearts, touch people’s imagination in a stronger and more effective way than the technological language of climate change. These voices are not often heard or are even neglected in discussions about climate change in high levels like the UN.”
“The children represented this vulnerable language that will be used to communicate to the world our vulnerability, not our resilience. Because if we tell the whole world that we are resilient, it will shift the focus to resilience rather than talking about the causes of climate change. Carbon emission is the main driver for climate change.. and we must stop coal mining and carbon emission.”
Some comments from the audience:
“Beautifully interwoven cultural approach to send this critical message across … especially to those in power.” Vunibobo Savirio
“You speak on behalf of your people our islands and the threats climate change has brought upon your home. We stand together with you Kiribati and together we raise our tagi for the world to hear.”Mosese P Natuilagilagi