Elijah Manis

Hailing from the islands of Masig and Poruma in the Torres Strait, Elijah is a young islander who is passionate about social justice issues and the effects of climate change on the Torres Strait. His dream is to ensure that the elders can rest in peace on their island home without fear of it being swallowed by the oceans. He also wants to ensure that in another 10,000 years his people can still practice their cultural dance, tradition and language on the shores of the islands where they were originally established.

Elijah says it took one Torres Strait Islander man, Eddie Mabo, to lead the change for Australia by overturning terra nullius and that he will Get Up! Stand Up! and Show Up! to save the islands.

He hopes his forefathers will guide him and that, together with his Elders, he can use the power of the sacred saying “The land and sea is yours, it is now your turn to look after it” to heal country.