On July 5, 2018 Youngsolwara activist, Camari Serau stood silent in front of an empty "Melanesian Provinces of Indonesia" pavilion holding a Morning Star flag. Minutes earlier, artist Jeffry Feeger created a live painting of a West Papuan with a Morning Star banner across his forehead while a band from Papua played on the festival stage and then brought it to the pavilion. From the moment Camari held the flag, people from throughout the wansolwara began approaching to take a photo and stand in solidarity with our West Papua brothers and sisters. Youngsolwara artists Mere Tuilau and Joy Enomoto documented the action and shared the action on social media. The announcer at the festival came on the mic and declared "if you want to show your solidarity with West Papua, go and take a photo with the Morning Star flag at the West Papua Pavilion." After several hours, and hundreds of photos later, representatives of the Indonesian government showed up enraged, but they did not act. The next day, they painted the still empty pavilion the colours of the Indonesian flag, the day after that, when Papua activist Ben Didiomea tried to stand in front of the pavilion with the Morning Star flag, an Indonesian official tried to take it from him. Youngsolwara activist, Mere Tuilau stepped in and stopped the man and shouted " THIS IS MELANESIAN SOIL!" Later that day, Ben was detained and Youngsolwara activist, Maverick Seda was later pulled in for questioning by the Honiara Police. 

Youngsolwara activists in support of West Papuan activists in the Solomon Islands, through art and action reclaimed Melanesian soil for West Papua in the midst of the Melanesian Arts Festival. All involved in this action risked arrest, but they did not back down. #PapuaMerdeka!

Ben Didioema stands for West Papua as representative from Indonesia tries to take his flag in front of the "Melanesian Provinces of Indonesia pavillion" (video post by Immanuel Manfred reposted from original by Mere Tuilau)