Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches Reverend James Bhagwan is calling for stronger recognition of indigenous knowledge in environmental protection, saying Pacific worldviews must be central to policy-making.
Reverend Bhagwan says Pacific cultures view people and nature as one interconnected system, rather than separate entities.
He says concepts such as Vanua reflect the relationship between land, ocean, and ecosystems, which he describes as a “sacred household of life.”
He adds humanity cannot separate itself from creation, warning that environmental damage ultimately harms people themselves.
“And is not just a resource. Ocean is not just territory. Forest, rivers, reefs, soil, plants, all of this belong within one sacred household of life. And we cannot divorce ourselves from creation because we are a part of it.”
He says environmental guardianship should take priority over stewardship, arguing that stewardship can sometimes imply managing nature from a distance.
Director of Environment Senimili Baleicakau says the new environmental policy instruments were developed through broad consultation across government, traditional knowledge holders, communities, development partners, academia, civil society, and the private sector.
Rev. Bhagwan says such policies help translate indigenous knowledge systems and what he describes as “ancient intelligence” into national frameworks and legal responsibility.
