24th October 2024: The 3rd edition of the Voice of the Erakor Lagoon become memorable for all who made it possible and participated. As a souvenir or inspiration for others communities who love their environment under threat, some extensive information on the event here.
Making again a Demonstration / Petition / Parade / Conference / Music Concert / Arts exhibition with Music and crafts was and ambitious idea. But no more ambitious than what all participants believe:
We will ALL, Community, Business and Government Authorities – sit down together in a CANOE and paddle in the same direction to Save the Erakor Lagoon
The chief of Solwota, Marik Waoute Patrick, chief of Erakor Bridge, Marik Koftau II, Ken White and Viviane Obed, Director of Further Arts, led the organization of the event with Vanuatu Clean’s support.
Eraso, a music band and environmental association of the Erakor Village made the promotion of the event within the Community and broader social media, along with Vanuatu Clean and Green Wave Vanuatu.
Despite of many challenges and struggles – eg. lack of cash– all the organisers and various groups that are part of this movement “The Voice of Erakor Lagoon” never gave up and were committed to make it happen. There were always generous pockets within the community, here and there, to assist, “last minute style” but all made it happen! Children and youth from different groups, spend the days (and night) before painting various banners. From the Bridge to the Village. The Erakor Bilingual School Community participation was incredible. Parents, teachers and children were very conscious of how important was to contribute to encourage distracted citizens and leaders to pay attention to the Erakor Lagoon. Considering the state of the Erakor Lagoons, singout and mobilization is an act of responsible citizenship.
The broader community and some friends from other areas were proud to assist and provided their private vehicles to make it possible the event. The Holliday Inn was the only cash contribution to the event, despite from various letter requesting assistance to various businesses houses.
Unlike in the two previous events, located in a single site, Alliance Francaise and Erakor Bridge, this year had much more groups of the community of Erakor – from the Bridge to the Village – and all surrounded the Capital of Vanuatu by Sea and Land to make an Epic peaceful demonstration. Various stakeholders, business and authorities were invited to join this beautiful community event, namely to be part of the
Conference “Commitment to Save the Erakor Lagoon”, The Canoe…
(Credit Hone and Eraso) This was the initial plan of the Parade. But participants also had to take over the Lagoon with a Maritime Speed Boat starting from Holiday Inn, so we could pick The Bibingo Squad to travel, once again 2 years after, in the Lagoon. Thank you Rowing Club for your assistance!
The Children of the Bibingo were the first ones to be ready for the event. Weeks before, they practiced the Bibingo Theatre Play, during the Teacher’s strike as they decided to create the Bibingo school with the assistance of the Ekoftau Environment and Wellbeing Association. They were the first to arrive, early morning at the Erakor Football field.
Eraso Association were fundamental in promoting awareness of the event within the community of Erakor, ensuring a very comprehensive recording of the event and organising the cheering motivation words along the way of the Demonstration, Parade.
Then,…We had to take over the road with two Mobile Force trucks with the Bilingual School Community, Teachers and Students around the Lagoon and the Capital City of Vanuatu so we could all meet on Tokyo, where some friends of the Community join us till the seafront.
While some were Parading by road, some were by Sea. We were all cheering for our beautiful Lagoon encouraging all to Save it for the Future Generations.
Pswai Top Maritime Speed Boat for navigating Bibingo Squad safely to the other side
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ygD7m3IuwY
Generous Community member 
provided his boat to bring the Chief of Solwota and other Eraso members.
By road or by the Sea, we all eventually met at Tokyo, we the community cheered us and some joined the Parade.
The arrival in Town was a great moment and many People greet us from the Market House to the Ministry of Finance. The Demonstration Parade took over the Faiwa Park and presented the beautiful banners and its messages to the invited guests of the Conference.
Soon we realised that the majority of the invited guests were not with us. The conference “Commitment to Save the Erakor Lagoon” had little commitment from those who have the resources. And the organisers had to change the program into a sequence of introductions, speeches to make clear to all the meaning of “The Voice of the Erakor Lagoon”.
The Special Envoy for Climate Change and Environment was the only representative from the State.
All authorities of the Waste Water Task Force, including 3 Directors from the Minister of Health, were invited. None acknowledged the invitation and didn’t participate. Except for the Special envoy and the UK High Commissioner, all chairs that travelled from the Erakor Nakamal for all.
Toti Lagoon Acoustic Band provided a few meaningful songs with deep messages to the event and assisted the event with their sound system and technical support.
The Bridge Revolution Youth Association were engaged in preparing their products, mangrove seedling and Art: car tyres painted. as flower pots, and banners for the event.
Despite of the general disappointment of having an idea “Community, Business and Government Authorities – sit down together in a Canoe and paddle in the same direction to Save the Erakor Lagoon”
…it turned out to be implemented in a completely different way due to the absence of the authorities, and their lack of efforts and coordination regarding the Restoration of the Erakor Lagoon.
Despite of this unbalanced effort and inequity between accessing resources able to Save the Erakor Lagoon, the Community didn’t lose its motivation. On the spot, and even if the event was just starting – the group Eraso decided to have an idea. The next chapter of “The Voice of the Erakor Lagoon”: Make an awareness of all community around the Lagoon, starting from the Rural area, spread the Petition to all People around the Lagoon starting from the rural area of Erakor. The urban area would be the next. Prime Ministers, Ministers, Businesses and their staff, communities, tourists, private houses, public servants and the hospital, patients,… Great opportunity to visit the hospital as the Christmas period is almost starting.
We all understand that People are Busy, and probably distracted. In urban areas, people tend to lose their connection with Nature. They may be looking the Lagoon, but they are not really seeing it, not felling it, not smelling it…
So, probably we all need to be more assertive. We believe that no one would be against Restoring the Erakor Lagoon. No one would be against to Make the Erakor Lagoons Great Again. Every one would be pleased to see children, tourists, politicians being able to swim on the Erakor Lagoon. Tourists able to practice fishing as entertaining and People as livelihoods. The resorts and restaurants being able to offer coquiage and local fish in their menu. The marine live to be able to prosper and live in a positive relationship with the People of the #1 Happy People in the World…
Yes… We’ve lost all of that in the Lagoon. Which mean that we can all lose it too in the rest of Paradise. But we can have back again in the Lagoon. So, if we Save the Lagoon, We Save the Paradise.
(Thank you VPF Community Policing for joining the People again to Save the Erakor Lagoon)
Once again, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Vanuatu Police Force, Office of the Commissioner, Mobile Force, Maritime, Traffic and Community Police were absolute essential to make this community awareness. They provided authorizations and logistic support on transportation of the participants, escort, by land and sea and, due to the underestimation of the weather conditions of the organizers, provided drinking water to the children and community of Erakor.
All various groups who actively participate have the chance to express their views and contributing in the microphone along with other guests, Engineers Without Border and Safe Water Vanuatu, and Community Policing of Vanuatu Police Force.
Thank you to VBTC and Radio Paradise for the presence during the event and broadcasting its impacts in the local news.
Thank you Lady Mayor and staff of the Port Vila Municipality for agreeing to provide the stage of Fawia Park to the Voice of the Erakor Lagoon and be open to listen and discuss with the Bibingo Squad their worries about the Future of the Erakor Lagoon.
(Lady Mayor receives Bibingo Squad and The Voice of the Erakor Lagoon)
More to come in the in the next chapter of Erakor Lagoon Restoration history… Thank you Toti Lagoon acoustic Band and Eraso to keep hope to Save the beautiful Erakor Lagoon!
Recent Comments