Barbara Ibuai: Introduction to CCZK – Towards an Indigenous-led frontline communities climate partnership framework for Zenadth Kes

Seminar Overview

CCZK is an emerging Indigenous climate NGO, first of its kind in Zenadth Kes / Torres Strait, being established to ensure that frontline communities lead climate solutions that affect them, their lands, waters, and futures. As climate impacts intensify across the islands, CCZK centres direct Traditional Owner cultural authority and lived experience in shaping partnerships, policy, and investment.

We are building a framework that advances a community-driven model grounded in cultural governance, intergenerational knowledge, and self-determination. By centering Indigenous leadership at the core of adaptation, mitigation, and resilience planning, CCZK seeks to build a just and locally defined climate response for Zenadth Kes, one that strengthens sovereignty, safeguards culture, and secures the future for coming generations.

Speaker

Barbara Ibuai is a Saibai Koedal woman of Saibai Island in Zenadth Kes. Raised in her homeland, she carries deep cultural knowledge and is a proud speaker of her endangered mother tongue, Kalaw Kawaw Ya. Her continuing lived connection to her people, land, sea and lore grounds her work.

Her career spans diplomacy, industry and government, having served as an Australian diplomat in the Pacific, Australian marine border protection, as an industrial train driver in the Pilbara and most recently as a project officer in the Environment Program of Zenadth Kes's peak commonwealth agency.  

Now focused on climate advocacy directly from her remote island, Barbara brings together a unique blend of lived cultural and professional expertise, cultural authority and creative practice. She is a writer and poet, and recently served as advisor, co-creative and producer on a feature social impact climate documentary (set for international distribution) and filmed at the request of elders. She is a co-founder of Strait Arrow Films, and founder of Climate Collective Zenadth Kes (CCZK), an Indigenous-led climate initiative advancing frontline community leadership.