Naviti: 'Encouraging to see fellow islanders breaking down barriers'

A post-RPIL fellowship reflection by John Naviti

Between April and May 2024, some 23 Pacific Islanders participated in the Resilient Pacific Islands Leaders (RPIL) fellowship, hosted by the East-West Center’s Pacific Islands Development Program.¹ Some fellows will share the impact the program has had on them in a series of published essays, slide decks, and talk story transcripts. The views in these pieces are solely of the respective authors/fellows.

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Photo courtesy of John Naviti

John Naviti is a business adviser in Vanuatu for Market Development Facility, and he is also involved in his community as the South Efate Presbytery Youth Finance Committee chairman.

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I come from the beautiful coastal village of Marae, on the humble island of Emae in Vanuatu, but have since birth called Port Vila, the country's capital, my home. Apart from the four years it took me to complete tertiary studies overseas, I have spent all my life here. What motivated me the most to submit an application for RPIL, then, was the opportunity to learn more about the Pacific. Little did I know the fellowship was going to offer me much more than I was hoping to get out of it. I have to confess that while I enthusiastically submitted an application to get in, traveling over 5,000 kilometers to spend four weeks immersing myself in topics I was not too familiar with, among people my introverted self had never met, set me well outside my comfort zone. But without a shadow of doubt, it was all worth it in the end.

Had I chosen not to participate in the program at all, my opportunity cost would have easily been lacking an appreciation of what it means to be a Pacific Islander. It was intriguing to learn how within this “wan solwora” we all call home, there is so much diversity, in the best way possible. I loved hearing fellows talk about their traditions and the “normal” way of life where they are from, and also the special moments where they would have us participate in such traditions from talanoa over a tanoa of kava to learning how to say hi and thank you in each one's dialect to devouring food from all over the Pacific at the multiple potluck dinners organized. Also for someone who did not particularly enjoy history as a high school subject, I learned a great deal about the history of our islands. I appreciated being taken on that educational journey within Imin Center's Koi classroom that would for me connect the dots from the past to help explain and make sense of where we are today. Mostly because of my ignorance, I always thought Vanuatu has had it the worst, being among the most vulnerable countries in the world to natural disasters, aggravated by climate change. But as the first few days unfolded, so did the veils unravel to allow me to learn about colonialism and how it has and still continues to heavily influence our islands and our people. How real these sessions were was evident in how there was no dry eye in the room when a good handful of brave fellows felt comfortable enough to get vulnerable and open up about their people's fight for independence. And I use independence here in every sense of the word — sovereignty, economic, identity and everything in between. I was humbled by the reminder of how ignorant I'd been all this time when each one unreservedly shared with the cohort the unique challenges their respective countries were facing, but was so inspired by each one's determination and drive in selflessly exploring solutions for their homes.

The thing that stood out and stuck with me the most is one of the things that was not on my radar when I was considering applying for the fellowship — inspiration! In awe, I could not help but sit down and draw inspiration from each and every one I spent enough time with, from the professors who delivered lectures and shied away from none of the questions asked, to the fitness instructor who challenged all of us, to the government officials we met, and most importantly, the fellows themselves.

What inspired me the most was seeing islanders thriving in arenas I was previously not used to seeing us in, such as academia. It was encouraging to see fellow islanders breaking down barriers I have personally been daunted by. I was also as challenged as much as I admired the empowered women I was surrounded by in the cohort, the majority of whom were exceptional mothers who made juggling work, family, and everything in between look so easy. I have so much more respect for them. But behind the glowing CVs portrayed in the 22 bios, the same high achievers were humble enough to get vulnerable and share their life stories which I could relate to and be motivated tremendously by. Real testimonies of challenging mindsets, questioning norms and facing opposing power head-on have definitely left their mark on me.

Last but not the least of reminders that my introverted self needed again was the importance and power of networking. Had I not approached and conversed with new people over the course of the fellowship, I would not have learned as much as I did. Had I not agreed to hang out with other fellows doing such things as sharing a meal or a drink to trekking the Diamond Head Trail together, I would not have the now-longer list of lifelong friends I have made. So much value was gained from there being the space for people with like-interests to share ideas, challenge each other, and forge lifelong relationships, which I personally cannot wait to see bear bountiful harvests over time to come.

My gratitude I wish to extend to the following people for ensuring I participated in and made the most of the fellowship:

• I wish to first commend and thank East-West Center's PIDP team for the success of this cohort — the participants were very carefully selected to represent a wide variety of professional fields and walks of life from all corners of the Pacific, and the program made for an incredibly enriching experience.

• My deepest gratitude I wish to also extend to the 22 other fellows whose wholehearted participation over the course of the fellowship, both inside and outside of the classroom, taught me so much, and inspired me immensely; and whose selflessness helped forge lifelong relationships I know I'll continue to remind myself I'm blessed to have for time to come.

• I would like to thank my manager and colleagues for allowing me to participate in the fellowship and also for filling in for me in my absence.

• A big tankiu tumas to all friends and family for all the love and support.

All in all, if there is anything I am taking away with me from this experience, it has got to be the need to remain humble irrespective of your own success. I've come to realize that much growth is fueled by the application of new things learned, and the currency with which to purchase this “fuel” is humility. Be that person that listens to understand, not always to form and present instant responses. Be the inquisitive person who does not pretend to know-it-all and does not fear looking dumb from asking questions. Be the open-minded person who is keen on new experiences. These are crucial ingredients to perseverance. 

If anyone reading this is looking for a sign to participate in similar programs in the future, let this be it!

John

1. This newsletter is not affiliated with the East-West Center or the Pacific Islands Development Program. We’re just a bunch of friends who wanted to share our experiences after participating in the 2024 RPIL fellowship. ✌️