SEVEN ocean-going cameos will sail from French Polynesia to Hawaii to protest against noise pollution in the Pacific Ocean.
New Zealand actor Rawiri Paratene, a whale protection advocate and star of the
internationally-acclaimed film, Whale
Rider, joined the launch of the fifth canoe to be built, Uto ni Yalo, and called on the Pacific
to protect marine life.
Mr. Paratene arrived in the country on Friday on a two-day
visit to witness the launch by the Fiji Islands Voyaging Society, World Wide Fund for Nature and Fiji Arts
Club.
I have been shooting for a movie inNew Zealand and
I am glad that I was able to fit this in. He said the idea to have seven
canoes to sail toHawaii
was formed after he saw many whales and dolphins stranded because of ships that
sail our ocean. Mr. Paratene said Uto Ni
Yalo would be part of the film, Cry
from the Deep, that he was working on.
There are a lot of things that we want to achieve with the
movements we are trying to creat, he said.
The film looks at the issue of ocean noise pollution.
Mr. Paratene said he discovered some time ago that navies
from Pacific Islands
gathered at Hawaii,
resulting in many whales and dolphins getting injured.
He said our ancestors respected the ocean and relied on it
for food.
We have already got the Cook Islands, New Zealand, American Samoa,
andFrench Polynesia with the boats, he said.
The seven boats will set sail from French
Polynesia in April next year.
The Fiji Times is a media
partner of the South Pacific Pageant.
