The dynamic duo
Solomoni Biumaiono
Saturday, February 11, 2012
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Teammates...Akuila Cakacaka (left) and Kini Koto or KK at Nabalebale Village in Wailevu, Cakaudrove. Picture: SOLOMONI BIUMAIONO
They spend at least three months in a year away from their wives and kids. Between them they have travelled to more than 200 villages all over Fiji in the last nine years. Their passion for environmental conservation is one thing that stands out for the work they have done so far.
They are Akuila Cakacaka and Kini Koto. They are the dynamic duo of the Wildlife Conservation Society's work in Fiji. To tell their stories separately is not possible because their lines of work are intertwined, just like the environment they are trying to protect.
Akuila hails from Nayau Island in the Lau Group while Kini or KK is from Waiqanake in Rewa. Akuila is a marine biologist and loves to work in the sea while KK's interests lies in the protection of freshwater and wetlands resources. Akuila had spent five years with the University of the South Pacific's Institute of Applied Science before joining WCS as its marine biologist while KK had worked as a field officer for three years with Wetlands International before joining WCS as a project officer.
So working in tandem, the duo visit various provinces, tikina and villages in the Fiji Group with the WCS team talking and trying to convince them about the need to protect their forests, mangroves and reefs overfishing, abuse and farming practices that are destroying their natural resources. KK has been to all the villages in major water catchment areas of the Rewa, Sigatoka, Ba, Navua, Nadi and Dreketi rivers while Akuila's work has seen him visit nearly all the villages in Fiji's maritime provinces.
Apart from conducting research, writing reports, conducting workshops and surveys out in the field, the duo have worked in rural areas and in traditional iTaukei villages where cultural protocol is still strictly observed.
"In our work, especially for us, it is always our aim whenever we go to villages to ensure that the whole WCS team get to stay with the villagers, eat what the villagers eat and interact with them. We find that they are more receptive to us this way. And also we get their approval as they easily understand our work," Akuila says.
"We have found out over the years that if a chief or a person of authority is present during the training workshops, the villagers find it hard to speak freely and we find it hard to get first-hand information from them concerning their qoliqoli (fishing grounds) or how they're using their lands," KK says.
Apart from this, both men and their wives and children have to cope with the amount of time they have to spend away from home. But they say this is one aspect of their work they have to endure.
"Our families are used to it," Akuila says jokingly.
Akuila is the one who conducts majority of the workshops, especially coming from a teaching background as he was a former secondary school teacher. Apart from that, he usually handles the logistics for the WCS team whenever they are about to tour villages.
"This kind of work requires a lot of passion because you will get in touch with all kinds of people with different skill and knowledge levels. So you have to be very particular in how you share your ideas with them so they can fully understand you.
"As for the logistics, I can't complain. It's a real challenge organising our team, especially getting all our materials and literature ready apart from booking transportation, accommodation and all the finer details that come with it," Akuila says.
KK though is their protocol officer, a line of work that also sometimes dictates how the WCS team is received in a Fijian village, considering how the 'itaukei' highly rates a very good oration and believe me, this tau of mine can beautifully ornate an oration."
In sharing their experience, both Akuila and KK are very proud because they're helping their fellow iTaukei to try and preserve their natural environment with its pristine and unspoiled nature.
Akuila has completed his masters degree and is thinking of furthering his education while KK is just about to complete his bachelor of science in biology.
But at the moment, both men are quite happy with the work they're doing, especially in seeing the change to peoples' thinking and also how they are more concerned about their natural environment.