Taku Pakasoa is a Tuvaluan expression of belonging, unity and collective strength. It provides the cultural foundation for the Taku Pakasoa Declaration and captures its central message: that the climate crisis can only be addressed by nations joining together in shared purpose and action.

Origin and meaning in Tuvalu

In Tuvaluan, taku means “my”. Pakasoa draws together the words pā, referring to a single pearl-shell fishing lure, and kasoa, meaning to tie around or stitch together. Each lure is distinctive, reflecting the knowledge and craftsmanship of its maker. On its own a single pā is not a pakasoa. The pakasoa is created when individual lures are bound together as one.

Beyond its origins in fishing, the pakasoa is a powerful cultural symbol of authority, power and duty. Traditionally worn by Tuvalu’s paramount chiefs, it represents the responsibility to lead and serve the community with purpose. This tradition has carried into modern governance through its bestowal upon the Governor-General. Today, its bestowal upon Tuvalu’s first female Governor-General marks a historic shift in the traditional leadership landscape, opening new pathways toward inclusivity, gender equality, and progressive governance while honouring time-honoured heritage.

Connection to the Taku Pakasoa Declaration

In the context of the Declaration, Taku Pakasoa serves as a living metaphor: it represents individual pā coming together, combined and stitched. Each nation is like an individual pa, distinct in its identity, culture and voice, yet bound to others by a shared ocean, common challenges, mutual responsibility and a unified future. It is an expression of belonging, unity and collective strength.

For Pacific countries, this message carries particular urgency. Climate change threatens lands, livelihoods, cultures and the ocean upon which Pacific communities depend. The Declaration therefore serves as a call for collective action, through the central theme of “strength in unity”. The Declaration calls on all parties to join with us to advance global climate action and implementation to secure a better future for generations to come.