Our Atoll Speaks: Ko Talatal Mai to Matou Wenua

Our Atoll Speaks (Ko Talatala Mai T0 Matou Wenua) is a short film meditation on the environmental knowledge of the people of Pukapuka/Nassau, an atoll in the Northern Group of the Cook Islands. This short documentary is a communal film poem from the perspective of her people. Climate change disaster is the biggest threat to our oceans, islands, diversity, and sustainable future. Indigenous climate knowledge and conservation practices developed over thousands of years have something to teach. When we know our environment, we know how to conserve and adapt to it. A communal poem developed from interviews with Pukapukans from 2015-2017 interweaves with stunning images of the translucent seas, frigate birds, spear fishing, and taro patches. This communal poem provides a visual metaphor for indigenous climate knowledge. —gemma cubero del barrio