Uncle Paul Kabai from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait remembers his home as “a land of plenty”.
But now due to the impacts of climate change, he says the rising sea levels have taken away his cultural responsibility to pass on knowledge to the next generation.
“The seasons have changed. When I was younger I could go hunting with my uncles for dugong and turtle in the month of September but now it is different – the climate pattern has been changed,” he told COP27 in Egypt.
“We could catch barramundi, crabs in the swamp and we had a special garden place where we could go by boat and by canoes. Our parents taught us how to grow taro and other vegetables there for our families … but now it’s gone.
"When I go there it’s been destroyed by the storm."
Uncle Paul is now 54, and isn't able to teach his children the lessons he learnt.
Now I’m 54 years old, how can I teach my kids to plant taro because the ground is all wet … now my kids are all missing [out on] what we used to do because of climate change.Paul Kabai
He recalls the “100 to 150 metre” stretch of sand out to sea that he would play football on with his family.
Now, that stretch has been swallowed by the sea.
“It is very hard to explain this and to talk about it with our next generation," he said.
"Will they survive or relocate? We don’t know. With water rising, will we still be on Saibai? We don’t know.”
Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul point proudly to the Torres Strait at COP27. Credit: Bianka Csenki
Uncle Paul and Uncle Pabai Pabai, who accompanied him to the United Nation's climate summit, have been fighting the Australian government for quite some time for their lack of action on climate change.
In October 2021 they filed a “Australian Climate Case” against the government with support from Grata Fund, Phi Finney McDonald and the Urgenda Foundation.
In Uncle Pabai’s powerful address to world leaders and advocates at COP27, he stressed the importance of their voices in the survival of Torres Strait communities.
“I’m a Boigu man, who I am is connected to my island, my ancestors who let me rest there," he said.
"If Boigu is taken from me I have nothing left behind, I won’t be able to say I’m Boigu man.
"My identity will be gone."
The fight isn't over for the Uncles.
"Don’t take me away from here because this is my land" said Uncle Pabai.
"I want my kids and my grandkids and the future generation to know this is my dad’s land, my dad’s community and how he identified himself to us.”
Uncle Paul from Saibai in the Torres Strait addressing COP27. Credit: Bianka Csenki
In the presence of world leaders, Uncle Pabai urged to Australian government to do more.
“The Australian government has the power and control,” he said.
“They know what’s happening and they aren’t taking action.
"That’s why I’m bringing our climate case here to say you [Australia government] have the duty of care to protect us, our culture, our families and our Country."
He called upon the prime minister and world leaders to help the islands.
“I say to them the time of politics must stop. You must take action urgently to protect us from climate change, if you don’t, we will lose everything," he said.
“We are all in the same boat, we are all seeing the same things. We’ll fight to protect our community from climate change.”
