O le ala ile pule o le tautua.
The pathway to leadership is through service.
(Samoan proverb)
Samoa © John Martin
Sue Taei Ocean Fellowship
For Indigenous Pacific women
Pacific Women are crucial in developing effective, sustainable and long-term solutions for their communities, cultures and environments. However, societal norms, the intergenerational effects of colonisation, a lack of educational resources and respect for cultural knowledge within western spaces prevent Pacific Women voices from being heard and supported. These struggles make it significantly more difficult for Pacific Women to navigate western spaces that were not traditionally built for them. The Sue Taei Ocean Fellowship empowers Indigenous Pacific women in pursuing professional and educational opportunities in creating sustainable solutions through ocean conservation.
“Sue always gave voice to the communities and partners … she understood the importance of including people in the effort to protect ocean ecosystems.”
— The Big Ocean Family
© Conservation International photo by Schannel van Dijken
Suzanne Miller Taei dedicated her life and career to the belief that Indigenous guardianship is essential to securing and protecting the people, lands, ocean and cultures of the Pacific. She believed that supporting, mentoring and advocating for young and emerging leaders in the Pacific will bring about impactful and collaborative solutions. This Fellowship honours her dedication to the Pacific and continues her commitment to creating a network of strong Pacific women to lead conservation efforts and to be role models for this and future generations. (Learn more about Sue).
This fellowship programme focuses on Indigenous women because Indigenous women are the bearers and transmitters of traditional knowledge for their families and communities. They are also the ones who ensure community and family cohesion, particularly in the face of adversity. Yet, Indigenous women often do not have the same access to opportunities for higher education, professional development opportunities, or access to capital to help them establish organisations or businesses necessary to solve crises or bring a needed product to market that can maintain livelihoods while protecting nature and heritage. Their work and contributions are rarely recognised. This is further compounded by the fact that globally, contributions by Indigenous women are rarely mentioned in studies related to resource management or addressing the impacts of climate change.
Through this fellowship programme, we aim to recognise what Sue deeply understood, the need to elevate the valuable role of Indigenous women in conservation and community, and develop a cohort of Indigenous women from the Pacific who will lead conservation efforts in their communities and become role models for their peers and younger generations.
