Page 35 - IB July 2021

Culture Culture

politics classes “radicalised” me in such a way that it just
naturally weaved its way into my music.”
“Our ancestors were forced to adapt to a new way of life
that was unfamiliar to them,” says Kami. “So much of our
culture and traditions that were beautiful were lost.”
“When I talk about decolonising the mind, I’m referring to
the unlearning of certain behaviors or thoughts that are, at its
core, colonial ways of thinking. This could be applied to the
way our Pacific leaders interact with each other.”
“For example, traditional forms of leadership: we start
asking ourselves, how can we steer away from the rigidity of
colonial ways of discussion to reignite a structure of decision Mia with the 350 Fiji team
making that is focused on interconnectedness, maintaining
relationships and respecting each other as Pacific brothers and more before I consider doing music full time.”
sisters? In the end, it’s about challenging how we think and Kami says that one of her most successful music projects
how we do things. How colonised were we and how colonised would be a video she did together with 350 Fiji.
are we going to stay?” “I performed “Mana” as a poem instead of a song and the
Kami’s song “Mana” is a soulful acoustic number which she video was directed by local videographer, Ropate Kama,” says
wrote in 2018 before a trip to San Francisco for the Global Kami. “The video was for the five-year anniversary of the
Climate Action Summit. Paris Agreement and the response to it was amazing! And I
“I remember that year I was learning about the importance loved the way Ropate was able to really portray the vision I
of reclaiming our narratives and telling our stories with our had with the words of the song.”
true, authentic voices,” says Kami. Kami is also the co-coordinator of 350 Fiji, which is the Fiji
“There was this one point where we were learning about branch for 350.org. 350 is an “international movement of or-
how the colonisers were basically dictating how the rest of dinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build
the world was going to see “the colonised peoples” and all I a world of community-led renewable energy for all.”
could think about was how my ancestors were storytellers, 350.org is committed to inspiring climate action and justice
not writers, and so our history was written by white men.” in local communities.
“At that point, all I could think was, ‘Why do we accept “Since I’ve become a part of the team, we’ve been able to
definitions of how our people should be?’, and I thought, host different series of events to inspire the community into
‘man, I have to write a song about this’.” learning how they can do their part in this fight against the
“This song is so deep for me because it comes from a climate crisis,” says Kami.
place of hurt and hope. Hurt from how much of my culture “Last year, we launched a Just Recovery Community fridge
was lost and how little writings there are about my culture where people donate fresh fruits and vegetables for others
before colonisation; but also hope for a future generation that to come and take for free. This particular project was to
reclaims their narratives and decides how they want to define encourage members of the community to practice sustainable
themselves as indigenous and people of the Pacific.” living and to recognise the equal redistribution of resources to
The response to “Mana” was overwhelming. members of the community who need it.”
“This song is almost like an anthem where I’m channeling Kami says that the COVID pandemic dampened her ‘amazing
the mana of my ancestors and letting that strength push me lineup’ of overseas events where she planned to perform her
forward as a woman of the Pacific,” says Kami. “It’s not a music and meet sound engineers to work on an EP; “when the
song that comes from an angry place, it’s a song that I hope borders closed all of that had to be cancelled.”
Pacific people can listen to and feel that our stories can still “I also had a hard time getting gigs because local businesses
be told.” were still trying to pick themselves up again,” says Kami.
Kami’s songs have been played on Fiji and NZ radio stations. “The uncertainty of COVID in the early period was definitely
“Fiji’s local radio station, LegendFM, has been a great the hardest because no one knew what the rest of the year
supporter. They invited me to their show Local Vocal twice was going to look like.”
now, where I’ve had the opportunity to do live versions of my Post-COVID, Kami hopes to go back to Tonga and do her part
songs. Those live versions then get radio play, which I’m still for her country there.
not used to. I’ll be in the car, I’ll turn the radio on and hear “Whether it’s through music or working as a civil servant,”
my voice!” says Kami. “I just hope I can continue to use my music as a
Kami says while gigs are a source of income for her, it isn’t means of sharing my passion for the work I want to do. I also
something she depends on as her main source of income. hope to build my artistry by continuing to build my network
“Right now, I see my music as being a part of my activism and meet people I have been having discussions with over
and a way for me to tell stories, whether it’s about indigenous Zoom!”
sovereignty or climate change or an attractive person I saw in
uni,” says Kami. “I’d like to continue building my artistry a bit editor@islandsbusiness.com

Islands Business, July 2021 35