‘Talking dictionaries’ among the tools used by researchers to document languages and record Indigenous environmental knowledge
Joe Natuman, who lives in Vanuatu’s Tafea province, is respected for his knowledge of how weather and natural forces impact agriculture in the Pacific island nation.Joe Natuman, who lives in Vanuatu’s Tafea province, is respected for his knowledge of how weather and natural forces impact agriculture in the Pacific island nation.oe Natuman watches for falling leaves and new shoots on trees as a sign it’s time to garden.
Like his forefathers, Natuman is a tupunus, meaning he was born into a lineage that is trained to develop an understanding of how natural forces impact agriculture and wellbeing. As a tupunus, Natuman is respected for his knowledge and ability to identify and use hundreds of plant species and special inherited stones to practise “But in Vanuatu, the traditional practice is at risk of fading away. Part of the problem is a loss of local languages and the knowledge that is stored with them.
While some elders had memorised wind lore, he says, many young people had only fragmented knowledge of what he calls “sophisticated tools for survival”. Presley Dovo, senior conservation officer with Vanuatu’s Department of Forests, has been working with Harrison and the other researchers to document and record wind knowledge since 2015. “The winds play a vital role in providing information to the people,” Dovo says.Harrison likens the environmental intelligence of Vanuatu to a flexible instrument, able to detect subtle changes.
“Pacific Island nations can really be seen as a model for Indigenous futures and how Indigenous cultures are going to not only revitalise themselves but make a significant contribution to all of humanity in helping us understand what is happening with the planet.”Back in Tafea, as the day draws to a close, Natuman sits for an interview over a mobile phone with his son, wife and several curious community members watching from behind.– a sacred gathering place for ceremonies and kava drinking.
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