Ropate is a children’s book illustrator from Fiji. His residency took place in collaboration with the Mental Health Art Space and HUDARA as the host organization in Berlin. During his stay, he explored the impacts of the climate crisis and the need for psychological support, drawing on HUDARA’s research and their work with partner communities.

As an indigenous 'itaukei' artist, Ropate aimed to weave together Western and indigenous sciences to create a unique coloring book for children. The book, The Sun, the Sea, and Me, developed during his residency, tells the story of the climate crisis through the eyes of a little octopus named Rakūi. In a poetic dialogue with the sun and the sea, Rakūi’s self-awareness awakens—along with his consciousness of the challenges facing our environment