Pago Pago, American Samoa — Sierra M. Fata, a passionate youth leader and board member of Finafinau, represented both the nonprofit organization and American Samoa at the “Lungs of the Earth” Global Healing Launch, that took place June 1–2 at the Elem Nation Traditional Roundhouse in Clear Lake, California.

Her invitation comes in recognition of her steadfast work in environmental advocacy, cultural stewardship, and youth empowerment through her role with Finafinau and her mentorship under the organization’s founder, Dr. Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka. This honor reflects not only Sierra’s leadership but also Finafinau’s growing voice in regional and global movements that center Indigenous values in environmental restoration and ocean protection.

A SACRED GATHERING FOR GLOBAL HEALING

The “Lungs of the Earth” event is a powerful convergence of Indigenous wisdom, traditional ceremony, and spiritual healing, uniting leaders from across Turtle Island and the Pacific. Anchored by the Elem Pomo people of Clear Lake and the Pacific’s Tagata Moana, the event featured the unveiling of a 35-foot whale sculpture carved from a 1,500-year-old redwood log and ten sacred healing poles made from yellow cedar trees that survived the 1945 Port Chicago explosion.

This ceremonial launch included:

• Pomo-led dances and prayers for spiritual healing,
• A traditional Polynesian ava Ceremony honoring tribal elders,
• Talking circles led by elders, youth, scientists, and community leaders,
• And the collaborative blessing of a traditional Pomo headdress, symbolizing intergenerational wisdom and cross-cultural solidarity.

Representatives included Jon Larson, Tonu Shane, Kahu Dennis Kauahi, Galumalemana Kahu Kalani Souza, Kumu Ramsey Taum, and Dr. Failautusi Avegalio from Hawai‘i and Samoa. Their presence underscores the deep kinship between Pacific Islander communities and Native American nations, unified by their shared guardianship of the Earth.

Youth leaders of the Moana after the official Kava ceremony for the global healing project, all stand together to encourage more youth ambassadors to continue to elevate their voices towards environmental resilience [courtesy photo] 

REMEMBERING OUR ROOTS IN THE FACE OF DEEP-SEA MINING

This gathering took place amid growing global concern over deep-sea mining, particularly following a recent U.S. executive order that bypasses the United Nations’ International Seabed Authority to fast-track mining permits.

As Indigenous communities raise alarm over the irreversible harm this practice may inflict on marine ecosystems and planetary oxygen cycles, the connection between Clear Lake and the Pacific Ocean has never been more vital.

Clear Lake, now recognized as one of the most polluted lakes in the world due to past surface mining, serves as a microcosm of what could happen to the world’s oceans. As such, this event not only honors traditional ecological knowledge but also serves as a living lesson on the cost of environmental negligence and the urgency of protecting our sacred waters and lands.

Finafinau, founded in 2017 and formally established in 2022, is the only local nonprofit in American Samoa with active school chapters that blend environmental education with youth leadership. With a motto of “Save our Ocean, Protect our Land, Empower our People,” the organization cultivates the next generation of environmental stewards through programs rooted in cultural identity and climate justice.

“Accepting this honorary invitation is one big step towards fighting to protect our ocean and our land, and to represent my community alongside my indigenous brothers and sisters and learning from our Polynesian elders will only add to this fiery passion to protect what is ours” Sierra shared after the conclusion of the official project launch. 

Sierra’s participation is a reflection of the hope and healing that can emerge when young leaders are given a platform to honor their heritage, advocate for their environment, and walk boldly in both ancestral wisdom and global awareness.