“Most people don't know where Kiribati is. I want people to know more about us, so I use weightlifting, and my dancing, to show the world.”
Katoatau explains why he danced after his Olympic lifts at Rio 2016 — as a deliberate strategy to draw global media attention to Kiribati and the climate threats it faces.
— David Katoatau, Kiribati
Source: David Katoatau, quoted by Reuters, reported in Uproxx, "An Olympic Weightlifter Is Dancing Up A Storm For Climate Change" (2016)
More Proverbs from Kiribati
Do not follow the first breeze.
A caution against acting on a first impulse; wait and think before reacting.
Our culture and knowledge are our identity.
A people's customs and accumulated knowledge are what define who they are.
Respecting the guiding hand brings spiritual protection.
Honouring the guidance of elders and those who lead safeguards wellbeing.
The maintenance of wellbeing comes from just and fair decision-making.
A community stays healthy and at peace when its leaders decide matters justly and fairly.
The person is sacred.
Every individual carries an inherent dignity and worth that must be respected and protected.
Health, peace, and prosperity.
Kiribati's national motto, borne on the Coat of Arms, expressing the nation's guiding aspiration for its people.