Former envoy calls for heritage mapping before iron sands project

Cultural heritage mapping must be included in the assessment of the proposed Sigatoka Iron Sands Project to protect Nadroga’s ancestral sites and indigenous identity, a former diplomat has warned.

Former Fijian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Naipote Katonitabua said the proposed mining activities around the Sigatoka River mouth could affect culturally significant areas, ancestral connections and traditions preserved by indigenous communities for generations.

Speaking during the environmental impact assessment (EIA) public consultation for the proposed Special Prospecting Licence (SPL) 1495 – Kulukulu Sands, Sigatoka Iron Sands Project by Magma Mines Pte Ltd, at Kulukulu Public Primary School in Nadroga last Saturday, Mr Katonitabua questioned whether the project's social impact assessment adequately recognised the cultural significance of the surrounding areas.

He said the assessment needed to go beyond environmental and economic considerations and properly identify sites of cultural and ancestral importance to the iTaukei people.

“One of the things that I am not seeing in the social impact framework is whether you try to gather this cultural significance around these areas because, as an iTaukei, we pay more attention to the fact that we keep that cultural heritage for our future generation, and that’s our identity,” he said.

Mr Katonitabua highlighted the cultural connections of the Nadrukuboto clan to the Sigatoka River mouth, including ancestral associations with the Turaga Tui Cakau and his descendants.

“We have our ancestral villages, the yavus there, that we cannot give easily to any investor. You need to dig deep and get that important information before you touch into these cultural and heritage site,” he said.