Tishiko King, Seed Mob
Wurundjeri and Woi Wurrung Land | Photos by Emma Byrnes
This radiant human, Tishiko King, is on her way to the UN COP26 Climate Talks in Glasgow in her role as Campaigns Director for Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network and representative for Our Islands Our Home. We caught up with Tish before she left for a chat about her journey through life as a marine biologist, climate campaigner, and proud Torres Strait Island woman.
Where do you live?
Naarm//Melbourne.
Happiness is . . .
Being on my traditional island, Masig. Pure. Joy.
Home is . . .
Wherever my heart feels content. I have always been disconnected from my traditional islands and was sent to boarding school at a young age. So for me, home comes in different shapes and forms. One of my younger sisters, Shylicia, and I have had an incredible relationship since she was born. I have played different roles in her life: sister, mother and best friend, and so our shared experiences have been critical key moments in my life. And because of this journey together, wherever she is, always feels home to me. Whenever I am near the ocean, it feels like home.
What has been your greatest lesson in life?
Gosh, I don’t know about everyone else but I have had a few learning experiences in my life.
I’m definitely not perfect and am constantly learning and evolving, but accountability has been an important lesson in life. It comes in different shapes and sizes and in many different contexts, and it is a lesson that has kept me grounded and accountable to my morals and values.
The footprint I want to leave on this earth is . . .
That I was a part of change. That I did all that I could in my life to fight the injustices for First Nations people here and across the world. That I did my best to minimise my carbon footprint by living sustainably, conscious, ethically and zero waste free as possible.
What keeps you up at night?
Haha this is such a good question . . . It’s funny honestly, it’s thinking about why our Government is not transitioning to a more clean, sustainable, renewable and just future for all. We are facing a time which political scholar Michael Klare calls ‘a race for what is left’. Environmental movements, old and new, are standing up to declare a “Climate Emergency”. And now we are all tirelessly campaigning on the issue of climate emergency since the doom of the Morrison Government supporting a gas-led recovery out of this pandemic.
Other than that, just the usual . . . world peace.
You’re not only a climate campaigner, you’re also a marine biologist! Can you tell us a bit about your journey in life and work?
I like the journey I have been on. It hasn’t been the most direct and conformed way to get from A-Z, but the experiences I have gained have been far more educational than if I had gone from high school to uni to work.
After school, I dropped out a year into the degree I was doing and ended up working over at Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island, off Brisbane. I worked in the cafe but whenever I had a day off I would be snorkelling the wrecks, down at the dive shop or down in the dolphin feeding area, where I joined the volunteers crew. This place really grounded me and really highlighted my love for the ocean.
Then in 2009, Cyclone Hamish arrived – pummelling the MV Pacific Adventurer which caused 230 tonnes of oil, 30 tonnes of other fuel, and 31 shipping containers containing 620 tonnes of ammonium nitrate to spill into the Coral Sea, which washed ashore all the way to the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Bribie Island and Moreton Island.
“I knew then and there that I wanted to ensure this never happened again, and that people and industries were held accountable for their damaging actions.”
The spill was declared a State Emergency and was one of the worst environmental disasters Queensland had ever seen. I was a part of the clean-up crew along the eastern side of Moreton Island, and I saw first hand the widespread damage it caused to the coastline and to the marine wildlife.
I knew then and there that I wanted to ensure this never happened again, and that people and industries were held accountable for their damaging actions.
Fast forward the next few years travelling around the world, I found myself back at university doing a cadetship with CSIRO where I had the opportunity to learn from Marine Ecologists Mat Vanderklift, Russ Babcock, David Brewer and Tim Skewes. I was able to conduct research on Ningaloo Reef, which involved shark and turtle tagging, and researching low-lying populations dependent on natural resources and how climate change will affect their food security.
And here we are. Well sort of. Tim Skewes shared some really valuable words and said “Tish if you want to do research, thats amazing. We need you. But firstly, go out, go and explore the world, go work in different industries and if after that you want to come back and do research, it will be here for you when you are ready”... or something like that.
So, I did go and work in the mineral and exploration industry, and am now here in the NGO industry.
I know for systemic changes there needs to be First Nations people leading in those spaces. As a proud Torres Strait Island woman, I have an inherent responsibility to do all that I can to ensure the future for my people.
What helps when things get tough?
Listening to some records and jumping in the ocean.
What was your penny drop moment about climate change?
From a young age I would travel north back to the Torres Straits every year, and I would notice the changes to our island home: how they morphed, how they became smaller. It wasn’t until university that I understood these patterns to be erosion from King Tides driven by climate change.
Back in on the mainland, I grew up in a mining town and saw first hand the impacts of the degradation on Country and the effects it had on the eleven Traditional Owner groups.
Later in life, the oil spill in south-east QLD in 2009 was probably the penny drop, though it wasn't actually until I volunteered at Seed in 2017 that I understood the spiritual connection to country.
I always thought I was weird for feeling so passionate about protecting the environment, but Seed helped connect protecting country is protecting us, our people, our home.
What gives you hope?
Young people today. There is an incredible rising of young voices across the world that are standing up and elevating their voices for social justice and climate justice.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people. Mob and islanders all across this country are rising, standing up and speaking truth. Telling truth. Expressing truth. Sharing truth. Their constant strength, patience and resilience is what motivates me everyday.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people. Mob and islanders all across this country are rising, standing up and speaking truth. Telling truth. Expressing truth. Sharing truth. Their constant strength, patience and resilience is what motivates me everyday.”
Communities like Groundswell. It is so nice to be on this journey with like minded people across different industries.
Why did you join Groundswell?
I joined Groundswell because change needs to happen and we can’t do it alone. We are a part of the oldest continuing culture in the world and have lived in harmony with our lands for thousands of years. Right now climate change is disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, where we are experiencing sea levels rising in the Torres Strait, the loss of sacred Country, diminishing food and water accessibility.
I believe that we all have a responsibility to contribute to solutions to the climate crisis and Groundswell have created a community where we can have these critical conversations across different industries.
