Leonie Kanawi

Environment Development Program, Manus Province, Papua New Guinea.

Leonie is a highly regarded filmmaker who has focused on documenting cultural events, traditional customs, and ceremonial rituals over three decades for the Papua New Guinea government and in the News department of a local television station. Through her work with the National Cultural Commission’s Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies, she helps to raise awareness of climate effects and other environment issues through film. Leonie currently serves as General Secretary for the Women’s (pihi) Environment Development Program in Manus Province, Papua New Guinea, and as a Deputy President (pihi representative) of Urban local government in her Ward. (Interviewed by Manuel Mejia, September 2016.)