After a nine-year break from international voyages, the Uto ni Yalo and its 15-member crew have embarked on a yet another journey across the Pacific but this time to attend the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM) in Tonga.
Dubbed the “Sautu Voyage,” this journey symbolises Pacific prosperity and unity, retracing ancient routes once traveled by ancestral Pacific leaders and emphasising the importance of traditional knowledge in addressing modern environmental challenges.
The voyage aims to spotlight the need to protect 30 percent of the Pacific Ocean while addressing pressing issues like climate change. It aligns with the PIFLM53 theme, “Transformative Resilient Pasifiki: Build Better Now,” reinforcing the region’s commitment to sustainability and resilience.
Uto ni Yalo trustee Reverend James Bhagwan highlighted the voyage as a response to a regional call for Pacific unity and resilience. “We are embarking on this journey in response to a regional call for Pacific unity and resilience,” Rev. Bhagwan said. “This voyage also provides a unique opportunity to our young seafarers, some of whom are experiencing blue ocean voyaging for the first time, building and strengthening our voyaging community.”
Crew member Lilieta Soakai expressed the crew’s readiness for the 4-day voyage, which spans nearly 800 kilometers. “This voyage represents the unity and solidarity of our region, a message we are proud to deliver to the leaders gathering at PIFLM 53,” Soakai said. “Looking beyond the meeting, this sail is also a chance to reconnect with the ocean, to draw strength from it, and to share the ancient wisdom of our ancestors with the world.”
The Uto ni Yalo crew departed Fiji on Sunday expecting to arrive in Tonga on Wednesday, carrying with them a message of peace, collaboration, and the enduring strength of Pacific traditions.
