Pacific Asia: Vanuatu
Vanuatu Trinison Tari1
Environmental education in Vanuatu includes both formal and informal education activities. This report focuses only on informal environmental education in Vanuatu in relation to the establishment of community conservation projects. A lot of it was carried out in terms of conducting community awareness workshops, community consultations and meetings. All of these have positive impacts on people leading to the successful establishment of the community conservation projects.
1. Conservation for Conflict Resolution
Background: The Environment Unit has identified the lowland coastal forests of Big Bay on the island of Espiritu Santo as a potential Conservation Area. An ecological survey by the Environment Unit, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Vanuatu, and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, New Zealand, and the Department of Conservation, New Zealand, was completed in October 1993. The survey also included a sociological component to assess the uses and the value of the forests to the people of Sara and Matantas (who are owners of the land), their aspirations and needs for the future. As a result of this work the landowners asked the Environment Unit to assist them to protect their forest and find ways of generating income as an alternative to logging.
The Environment Unit decided that the best way to apply environmental education in this matter was to run community workshops at Big Bay. Since the area is quite isolated and literacy level is very low, environmental education has to be done properly in a very simple and informal way. A series of workshops were then held in this community basically to raise the level of environment awareness amongst the people.
During the workshop people expressed interest in nut harvesting and ecotourism. Concern was also expressed about the continual expansion of gardening into the area of dark bush. The conservation project is now called ‘Vatthe Conservation Area’. The project is funded by South Pacific Biodiversity Conservation Programme (SPBCP), a section under the South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP).
Objectives and Target Population: The community workshops are targeted towards the landowners and people of the two villages, Sara and Matantas, on
1Environmental Education & Information Officer, Environment Unit, PMB 063, PORT VILA, Vanuatu. Ph: (678) 25302, Fax: (678) 23565 : Email: [email protected] [email protected]. vu
205 Pacific Asia: Vanuatu the island of Espiritu Santo. Sara has an estimated population of about 280 people while Matantas is estimated around 190 people.
The objectives of running the community workshops are: · To enable the people of Sara and Matantas to understand and agree fully on the idea of setting up the Vatthe Conservation Area: · To enable the people to understand the importance of protecting the largest remaining intact, virtually continuous area of forest on alluvial plains in Vanuatu, representing 40% of all remaining forested alluvial plains and are the only area of such forest to extend to the coast of Vanuatu. · To enable the people to understand the need to protect the diversity of landforms and habitats, including part of the Jordan river, Vanuatu's only braided river, a lagoon, alluvial plains, limestone terraces and plateaus · To enable the people understand the importance of protecting the Big Bay forest which contains the most species rich population of native land and freshwater birds in Vanuatu (82%), including five of Vanuatu's six endemic bird species, and the Vanuatu flycatcher, (Neolage banksiana) Vanuatu's only endemic genus. · To enable the people to understand the need to promote scientific study of the Vanuatu's fauna and flora within the forest of Big Bay · To remind the people about the importance of protecting the cultural sites and uses of the forest of Big Bay · To encourage other income generating activities such as eco- tourism, nut harvesting, alley-cropping and subsistence fishing as an alternative to logging.
Description of Activities: With the establishment of Vatthe Conservation Area, several activities are being carried out under this project. Informal environmental education has been a driving tool in getting the project off the ground.
The Environment Unit held a series of workshops in the villages of Sara and Matantas as from March 1994 during the initial stage of the project. Workshop activities included:
· nakamal (traditional meeting house) meetings to raise the level of environmental awareness of the people of Sara and Matantas, and encourage them to protect the forest of Big Bay · individuals and group discussions with village residents, men and women, of village problems and concerns, women's aspirations, and a land dispute between landowning families at Sara and Matantas over a triangle of land in the center of the Vatthe Conservation Area
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· the appointment of the Vatthe Conservation Area Management Committee which consists of representatives from Sara and Matantas. · discussions on other income generating activities such as eco-tourism and nut harvesting as alternatives to logging their forest.
After these local consultation meetings and workshops, it was clearly seen that the level of environment awareness amongst the people have been raised. The landowners and the people of Sara and Matantas agreed with the whole idea of setting up the Vatthe Conservation Area aiming to protect their forest and the resources that are available in it.
The next step being carried out involved training of locals in several aspects. · Training landowners and village residents in business management, and hosting tourists, nut harvesting and processing demonstration · Demonstration of alley-cropping, a sustainable management system of gardening to discourage people from clearing extensive areas of forest for gardening activities · Establishment of tracks and lunch shelters
These training activities have been very useful, as the people of the two villagers have learned a lot from them. It was this training that encouraged these people to get the project started and manage it to the level it is of now.
In summary, informal environmental education has played a very significant role in the whole discussions, planning and establishment of the Vatthe Conservation Area. As a result the main activities that are currently taking place in this conservation area are eco-tourism, nut harvesting and alley- cropping. Subsistence fishing is also a regular activity for the people, in which any surplus catch is sold at the market in Luganville town.
Issues Addressed: Logging activities have already been taking place in some parts of the forests of Big Bay. It is therefore a concern to most of the people of Big Bay, including the Environment Unit. Basically, the idea of setting up the project is to protect the remaining dark bush of Big Bay and the resources in it, and by doing so, alternative income generating activities have to be introduced or encouraged such as eco-tourism, nut harvesting and processing, and subsistence fishing.
Land dispute is also a concern regarding the Vatthe Conservation Area. However, from the consultation workshops and meetings held earlier, the landowners from Sara and Matantas came to realize the importance of protecting their forest for the future generations so they finally agreed to allow for the establishment of the project.
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The Chiefs from Sara and Matantas have come to a compromise by agreeing that a triangle of the disputed land within the conservation area would be a joint ownership between the two villages and neither village would claim ownership of that piece of land in future. The chiefs sealed this agreement by exchanging traditional goods such as mats, pigs, kava and food crops. In Vanuatu traditional societies, this is a very common way of sorting out differences between two parties in any kind of dispute and this ceremony of exchanging gifts really demonstrate the peace agreement sealed between them.
Why chosen as a successful example? The main reason why environmental education carried out in setting up of the Vatthe Conservation Area is chosen as a successful example is because environmental education has played an important role in this regard. The Vatthe Conservation Area was set up as a direct result of the various consultations and environment awareness workshops and meetings carried out by the Environment Unit at Big Bay especially at the initial stage of the project. This has changed peoples’ attitude from destroying their forest to protecting it. It is not an easy job as the majority of the people of Big Bay remains illiterate. However, this project is seen as a major break-through within a community that is left quite isolated for a long time, and the project in one sense brings in light to this area in many ways in terms of ecotourism business, nut harvesting, sustainable fishing and gardening and also encourages or reinforces their ideas and perceptions of the importance of protecting their forest for future generation to enjoy.
Vatthe Conservation Area is now formally established and so far things have been running smoothly. The level of environmental awareness have been raised a lot even though literacy level at Big Bay are low.
Results and Achievement: As a result of conducting the community environment workshops and consultations at Big Bay a number of things have been achieved: · The level of environment awareness of Big Bay resources have been raised amongst the landowners and people of Sara and Matantas. · As a result of the above the landowners and people of Big Bay agreed to have their forest protected for use in future. It is now formally declared as the Vatthe Conservation Area. · The training in business management, tourism activities, nut harvesting and processing have been very useful as the activities involved serve as alternative income-generating activities for the locals · Logging activities within the Vatthe Conservation Area were refused by landowners and people.
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· Training in alley-cropping enables locals to practice better gardening systems · Subsistence fishing allows for an alternative income-generating activity · Schools within Big Bay Area and even around the country regards the Vatthe Conservation Area as a model that can be used for establishment of other conservation areas in the country. · The Vatthe Conservation Area serves as a scientific research area for Vanuatu's flora and fauna. · Once external funding is exhausted the project will have to be self funded in future.
Reflections and Lessons Learned: Big Bay community is located quite far from Luganville town in Santo. The level of literacy in this area is also very low. It was not that easy setting up a conservation area in such an isolated community. People’s attitude cannot be changed overnight from being negative to positive. It needs a lot of commitment, time, effort, patience and self-confidence to work with such community, and eventually you will manage to get people’s attitudes, ideas and perceptions changed from being negative to positive and their environmental knowledge and awareness level will be raised.
Environmental education is an important tool in bringing about these changes. Through the community workshops and consultations, the level of environment awareness amongst the people have been raised quite significantly. This Vatthe Conservation Area project reflects a good working relationship between the landowners (or community people), the government and the funding agency. It demonstrates a conservation model that can be applied in other islands of Vanuatu.
Initially land dispute was a very serious issue with this project as landowners from Sara and Matantas both claimed a piece of area within the conservation area. They later came to a compromise that there would be joint ownership of that piece of land and that neither of them would claim that piece of land in future and that the land would be forever included in the conservation area. This agreement was further sealed by the two communities by having their chiefs exchanging traditional goods to each other as a sign of making that peace agreement over the long disputed piece of land. As a result this piece of land is no longer disputed by these two communities and everybody is living in harmony.
People’s negative attitude has changed from destroying their forest to protecting them. They have come to appreciate, value and protect their beautiful forest as well as animals and birds that live there, including the reefs and marine resources within the conservation area.
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It is a project that will be self-funded in future once funding from a donor agency has ceased, and the project is now preparing itself for its self running in future.
Challenges and Future Prospects: The challenges encountered with this project are: · The fact that literacy levels at Big Bay community are very low and therefore need to be increased in future both by through formal and informal education system, · The difficulties encountered in settling land dispute between two villages, · The ways of overcoming land disputes, · Training of locals with very little education in various development aspects of the project, · Alternative income generating activities to logging the forest such as nut harvesting and eco-tourism have to be achieved to the full in order to satisfy people’s need for cash income.
Environmental education, in terms of community meetings and workshops, has been a very important tool in raising peoples knowledge about the environment. As a result of that, the future of the Vatthe Conservation Area project looks bright and promising. In future this project is to be self-funded once funding from donor agency comes to an end. Landowners and people of Big Bay would like to see the continuation of the project into the future because they have realized the importance of protecting their forest. The Environment Unit will also continue to maintain the close working relationship with the people of Big Bay to enable the sustainability of the project.
Conclusion: Environmental education carried out at Big Bay has had a positive impact on the community. This was carried out in a very informal way in terms of community meetings and workshops. The greatest achievement acquired from these environment education workshops is the final agreement made by Sara and Matantas villagers to set up the Vatthe Conservation Area in order to protect their forest. This peace agreement between the two villages is demonstrated by the performance of a custom ceremony in exchanging gifts to each other.
The setting up of Vatthe as a Conservation area is seen as one of the successful conservation areas in Vanuatu. Environmental education in terms of meetings, workshops and training in different aspects of activities have increased people’s knowledge, capacity and confidence in running the conservation project by themselves. Matantas and Sara landowners have disputed the land but later came to a compromise to have the area protected for the good of their
210 Pacific Asia: Vanuatu people and future generations. Logging was discouraged and other income- generating activities such as eco-tourism and nut harvesting were introduced to the people of Big Bay. The Vatthe Conservation Area will continue to function as a model to use in Vanuatu for any future work particularly by its success in incorporating environmental education into community conservation programs.
For Additional Information, Contact: Vatthe Conservation Area C/oEnvironment Unit PMB 063 PORT VILA Vanuatu
References
Maturi, Suen (1993). Big Bay National Park Proposal and Opportunities for Sustainable Development. Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society, Wellington, New Zealand.
2. Community-Initiated Protected Area
Background: Environmental education has played an important role in the establishment of Loru Protected Area, Khole Wan, Santo Island. The process is very informal, and community consultations, workshops and meetings have been conducted at Khole basically to raise the level of environment awareness of the people or increase their environment knowledge. These community consultations, workshops and meetings had a lot of positive impact in people’s minds and attitudes, leading to the successful establishment of the Loru Protected Area.
However, the idea of establishing Loru Protected Area was initiated by Chief Kaleb Ser and his family in proposing to set a 10 year taboo on harvesting Coconut Crabs (Birgus latro) to enable stocks to recover from over harvesting. Chief Kaleb called a meeting and informed his people of the idea of imposing the taboo. Questions were raised by the people regarding the proposed taboo and Chief Kaleb cleared a lot of things amongst his people.
Several years later in 1993, talks with Roy Hills and others associated with the British based Vanuatu Protected Areas Initiative (VPAI), led to further reaffirmation of the idea of protecting the Loru area completely to encourage the regrowth of forest flora and fauna, and to enable marine resources to recover. Two VPAI members then spent two years with Chief Loru and his community between 1994 and 1995 assisting in terms of advice and community workshops. The Loru Protected Area was formalized in 1995.
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The Loru Protected Area is 220 hectares of land owned by Waraker Ser and family, about an hour walk from Khole village. Loru encompasses a fringing reef, with the outer edge of the reef forming the eastern boundary, raised limestone cliffs that contain bat roosting caves, and monsoon thicket on raised coral terraces above the coast.
Objectives and Target Population: The objectives of involving environmental education (such as meetings and workshops) in Khole communities are: · To support Chief Kaleb Ser's proposal to place a taboo on harvesting coconut crabs in order to recover their population from over-harvesting, · To raise people's awareness about the need to recover the population of marine resources from over-harvesting, · To encourage people to preserve the raised limestone cliffs that contain bat roosting caves, · To encourage family members to use land and forest resource sustainably.
Description of Activities: Until 1993 the Loru Protected Area was open for hunting, gathering wood, nuts and fruits, fishing etc. However, it is some distance from the village and was only used on an occasional basis.
Since then Chief Kaleb Ser and his family have been a clear view of how their lands will be used. Chief Ser, with other chiefs in the Hog Harbour Natawa area placed a taboo on harvesting of coconut crabs. Chief Ser decided to establish the Loru Protected Area following talks with members of VPAI. After the decision was made he informed his family, other villagers and other area leaders in a series of meetings and workshops.
These meetings and workshops have contributed a lot to the establishment of the Protected Area. After the formal declaration of the Protected Area in 1995, with assistance from VPAI, a small library was also established. The library offers general environmental information including basic information about the history, environment and resources that are available within the Protected Area.
All environmental resources except feral pigs are protected within the Loru Protected Area. The Protected Area covers about a third of the Ser family's land. Males of the landholder family coordinate conservation activities and management, with advice from VPAI. Of the remaining land, half is set aside for present or future gardening while the rest is used for coconut and cattle
212 Pacific Asia: Vanuatu plantations. A large part of the gardening area is undisturbed forest that will be logged prior to gardening.
The taboo on harvesting coconut crabs remains in place and applies to all the family's land, including their plantations and gardens.
Issues addressed: The main issues addressed during the meetings and consultation workshops at Khole area are: (1) over-harvesting of coconut crabs, (2) over-harvesting of marine resources and damage to coral reefs, (3) uncontrolled farming and gardening, and (4) forest loss and uncontrolled logging
The above key issues are important factors allowing Chief Ser and his family, including the Khole residents to finally agree to the decision of creating the Protected Area.
Why chosen as a successful example: Loru Protected Area is an example of a community initiated project. The main reason why Loru has been chosen as a successful example is because it also involves a lot of informal environmental education activities which have led to its establishment and success today.
VPAI has been a key player in assisting the Khole communities to realize the importance of protecting the Loru area completely to encourage regrowth of forest flora and fauna, and to enable marine resources to recover. A series of community meetings and workshop were conducted during the initial stages of the project. This has helped the Khole community people to fully understand the concept of conservation of resources. A community environment library, the first of its kind in Vanuatu, was also established within the Protected Area mainly to provide environmental information to the locals as well as visitors.
Results and Achievement: The results of conducting informal environmental education, such as meetings and workshops, at Khole are that: · The Loru Protected Area was finally created and formalized in 1995. · A community environment library was set up within the Loru Protected Area. · Some local materials such as brochures and posters have been produced by VPAI for community awareness purposes.
The achievement that is seen with this project is the initiative taken by the landowners to protect their forest and marine resources which finally led to the formal creation of the Loru Protected Area. Landowners and the community people are proud of this project and they do really feel that they own this particular project.
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Reflection and Lessons Learned: Reflection and lessons learnt in the case of this project would be that it is a bottom-up approach rather than a top-down approach. A community project managed in a bottom-up approach, like the Loru Protected Area, works more successfully this way. It also allows for more participation of the local community in the whole process of building up the project.
Also, informal environmental education has been a significant factor in determining the success of setting up the Protected Area. Only through environmental meetings and workshops did the people of Khole increase their knowledge, ideas and aspirations of the environment and appreciate the idea of protecting the resources at Loru.
Challenges and Future Prospects: With this project, the main challenge associated with the setting up this project was land dispute. However, Chief Kaleb Ser and family are understood to be the rightful land ownership of this Protected Area. They have held talks with other chiefs in the Hog Habour area informing them of the idea of setting up a Protected Area. Everybody was informed and all land dispute matters were sorted out by exchanging gifts such as mats, food crops, pigs and chickens as a sign of peace agreement between the chiefs.
The future of the project looks promising. Already the Ser family and the community people have seen positive impacts of the project. Regrowth of forest fauna and flora, including recovery of marine resources, is now clearly seen within the Protected Area. The project will definitely run into the future for the benefit of the future generations of the Ser family.
Conclusion: A series of community meetings and consultation workshops were conducted at the initial stages of setting up the Loru Protected Area, to increase people's knowledge of the environment and their resources and the importance of protecting them. Brochures and posters were also developed and distributed to the local community. A community environment library was also established within the Protected Area for education purposes. Loru Protected Area is a typical example of a community based conservation project. It is a bottom-up approach that is workable especially with rural communities in Vanuatu because it allows for local community participation and making them feel that they really own the project. The project will continue to run into the future which will then offer a lot of positive feedback to the Ser family including the community people at Khole Area as a whole.
For Additional Information, Contact: Chief Kalep Ser
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Loru Protected area, Khole, Santo C/o Environment Unit PMB 063 PORT VILA Vanuatu
References
Whyte, Jenny et al. (1998). Participatory Resource Management in Vanuatu. Resource Report, FSPI, Port Vila, Vanuatu.
3. Custom Ceremony and Park Demarcation
Background: Uri island is a small low-lying island off north-east Malekula. The reserve area, which is called Narong Marine Park, is located in Uri island. It was reserved as a nursery area in response to concerns about depletion of marine resources, and in particular giant clam shells. It was hoped protection would maintain long term resource supplies. A secondary reason was to have a place which could be used to earn income from tourism.
Environmental education has played a very significant role in making Uri landlowners and islanders fully agreed to be established as a marine park. A series of meetings and training were held with the islanders to increase their environment awareness or knowledge and skills in conservation activities.
Objectives and target population: Uri island has only one village, Selenamboro, with about 90 people. Half the population are children. There are 2 closely related family lines. The Uri islanders are closely related to people on nearby Uripiv island. The mainland village of Potindir accommodates people from both islands in closer proximity to their gardens and plantations.
Environmental education in terms of holding meetings and training within Uri community is aimed at promoting the following objectives: · Encourage the establishment of Narong Marine Park. · Enable people to realize the importance of increasing the population of marine resources, particularly giant clam shells. · Create alternative income generating activities such as eco-tourism within the Park area. · Encourage the people to protect the mangrove ecosystem in Uri island
The target population for the Narong Marine Park is the population of the Uri island.
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Description of Activities: The conservation area is small in relation to the reefs and mangroves of Port Stanley. It is located about 500 meters south of Selenamboro village and extends 250 meters towards Tsung Niviu point and seaward for about one kilometer at its widest point. The area includes mangroves, reefs and sea grasses. Almost all of the area is under water at high tide.
Prior to the marine reserve being established the area was used for fishing and shell fish gathering as all surrounding areas continue to be used today. Mangrove wood was cut occasionally for use as firewood and posts.
Approximately 100 ha of reef and mangrove are totally protected. Initially the area was to be protected for a period of 5 years. The period has been extended each time. When the area was set up the Chief of Uri held a custom ceremony with the community and neighboring chiefs and village leaders to secure their agreement to the protected area. As part of this ceremony namele leaves (Cycad spp.) were used to mark the reserve boundary.
In 1990-1991 a cousin of the landowners (from Uripiv island and working in the Environment Unit) helped the village obtain NZD$5,000 from the Pacific Conservation Trust. This was used to collect and purchase clam shells (Hippopus hippopus) used to restock the area. Seventy clams were placed in the area, of which 63 survived.
Today, as a result of involving environmental education and basic training in Uri island, this has further resulted in the actual establishment of Narong Marine Park. The area now is full of clam shells that can be easily seen from the water surface. Rules have also been made to restrict people from going there unnecessarily. If someone is found breaking the rules he or she will be made to fine.
Issues addressed: Environmental education allows for important issues to be addressed under this project which include: · Population of depleted marine resources needs to be revived. · Mangroves are home breeding ground for fish, crabs and other marine life which people depend on for food. · Mangroves are normally cut for firewood and posts and therefore this practice should be discouraged and these mangroves need to be protected. · Uncontrolled harvesting of clams for sale needs to be discouraged while other income generating activities such as eco-tourism need to be encouraged.
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The above issues allowed the people of Uri Island to agree on the idea of creating a marine park.
Why chosen as a successful example? Although small in size, Narong Marine Park is another successful example of a community initiated project. The environmental meetings and training provided a good foundation of ideas and knowledge which have really encouraged them further to set up the Narong Park
Uri islanders have proved to be good conservationists because the idea of setting up the Park was theirs, with very little influence from outside ideas. At the initial stages of the Project, upon their request, an Environment Officer and a Fisheries Officer visited them occasionally to raise their knowledge on environment conservation through community meetings and at the same time provided them with training on the re-stocking of clams. Today the people are professional in doing the re-stocking themselves.
Now, the Park accommodates a lot of clams that can be easily seen from the water surface. Occasionally, the Park receives tourist who go there mainly to dive and enjoy the beauty under water. These tourists pay an entrance fee to enter the marine park. Uri islanders also sell dead shells and shell artifacts to the tourist. The islanders have realized that eco-tourism is the best alternative source of income unlike the past where they heavily depended on over harvesting and selling of clam shells and other marine products.
Results and Achievement: Environmental education and training have equipped Uri islanders with a wealth of knowledge and ideas in setting up Narong Marine Park. As a result the following things can be seen at Narong Marine Park (1) increase in clam stock, (2) increase in stock of other marine resource, (3) mangrove community is not being disturbed, and (4) income for the community from visitors such as divers.
Reflection and Lessons Learned: Environmental education again has proved to be a very important tool in the successful establishment of protected areas. Narong Marine Park is also an excellent example of community initiated marine conservation project. There is no such thing as land dispute and good cooperation and support from the community are important factors leading to the successful management of this project.
Challenges and Future Prospects: There is currently no management problem or land dispute with this marine park so the future of this project will continue to operate in a successful way. Environment education will still play an important role in expanding people’s environmental knowledge in future.
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Conclusion: Narong Marine Park is another successful example of a community initiated conservation area. The Environment Unit and Fisheries Department assisted in the initial stages of the project especially in holding environmental meetings and training with the Uri community to give them advices and encourages them with the idea of establishing the project. Today Uri islanders have realized that there has been a tremendous increase in the population of clams, fish, shells and other marine species. The numbers of visitors to the park keeps increasing therefore provides them with another source of income.
For Additional Information, Contact: Narong Marine Park Uri Island, Malekula C/- Environment Unit PMB 063 PORT VILA Vanuatu
References
Whyte, Jenny et al. (1998). Participatory Resource Management in Vanuatu. Research Report, FSPI, Port Vila, Vanuatu.
4. Pig Killing Ceremony
Background: After participating in a ceremonial pig killing (a common ceremony to achieve chiefly grading system within the community or Vanuatu societies), a chief in Central Pentecost remains secluded in his nakamal (chief's meeting house) for 10 days. After this period he emerges and ritually cleans himself of blood and paint. The site where he washes becomes a taboo area, from which living resources cannot be harvested until the taboo is lifted. This is known as Tak. Chief Ignatus chose to wash at the Lekavik site to provide opportunity through the taboo to replenish marine resources.
Environmental education then became a supporting instrument in the process. Chief Ignatus called a series of informal meetings and informed the people about his idea of carrying out the custom ceremony and washing himself at Lekavik site to provide an opportunity through taboo for the conservation of their marine resources.
Objectives and Target Population: Environmental education in terms of informal meetings is an important tool in getting messages across to Chief Ignatus's own people including the chiefs from Bwatnapne and Sadar. The objectives of these informal meetings are:
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· To inform the people about Chief Ignatus's custom ceremony in relation to imposing a 3 years taboo period on the marine resources, · To emphasize the importance of protecting their marine resources from over harvesting, · To encourage his people to use their marine resources in a sustainable way.
The taboo is made purposely for the people of Bwatnapne and Sadar. The three year taboo on harvesting living resources in accord with the Tak custom enhances resource populations.
Description of Activities: Before the taboo was created, people of Bwatnapne and Sadar used to gather shellfish, land crabs and flying foxes from that area. Both line and spear fishing methods were used to catch fish.
Before the taboo was created, Chief Ignatus consulted other chiefs and people from the two villages. All local residents then knew a taboo area would be declared after the chief’s ceremony, and cycad leaves clearly marked the area for them.
The chief then participated in the pig killing ceremony, and the area where he washed off blood and paint was declared as a taboo area. The site was established in 1993 and re-opened during the Christmas-New Year period of 1996-97, and then Chief Ignatus had to close it for the second time until Christmas-New Year period of 1999-2000. After that Chief Ignatus closed it again and the taboo is still maintained today. It will open again by 2003. The custom status of the tak area give its importance to the local community.
Issues Addressed: Depletion of marine resources was an issue in this particular case. Unsustainable harvesting of their marine resources has prompted chief Ignatus to consider performing the pig killing ceremony in order to create a three year taboo to allow for resource recovery. Informal meetings held by chief Ignatus with other chiefs and his people helped them to agree to this idea.
Why Chosen as a Successful Example? The consultative meetings held by Chief Ignatus with other chiefs including his own people helped a lot in the creation and respect of the 3 year taboo imposed by the chief. Therefore, Lekavik Tak Tabu Area has been chosen as a successful example because the series of meetings being held had a positive impact.
Also, this traditional pig killing ceremony is a practice that is well known and respected by the local community. These people had for the 3 year taboo on their marine resources.
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Results and Achievement: An obvious achievement here is the agreement reached by other chiefs and the people for imposing of the 3 year taboo on their resources, which is actually a positive outcome of the consultative meetings.
Today, as a result of the 3 year taboo imposed each time there has been a tremendous increase in the population of marine resources.
Reflections and Lessons Learned: Consultative meetings at the village level are a very important aspect of the whole process. In Vanuatu traditional societies, the only successful way of getting messages across to the locals, who are mostly illiterate, is by conducting consultative meetings with them. Important issues have to be explained in very simple language in order for these people to understand them. Sometimes it might take a little bit of time to explain things and you might have to repeat yourself several times. It needs a lot of patience and efforts.
However, traditional ceremonies such as pig killing are very common in Vanuatu society and they are normally done for a purpose, such as to achieve status in the society or for conservation purposes. The advantage here is that people are familiar with these ceremonies and when they are performed at the village level, people have a high respect for them and are normally meaningful to them. Also, the local community still maintain a high respect for its chiefs . For instance, no one in the community has broken the taboo placed each time on the marine resources at the Lekavik site.
Challenges and Future Prospects: The future of this taboo area looks promising as there has never been any record of local people disobeying the taboo each time when it is placed by Chief Ignatus. However, if someone breaks the taboo, he or she will be fined by offering some traditional gifts to Chief Ignatus. Also, further meetings will be held in the community by Chief Ignatus to remind his people and other chiefs about the importance of maintaining the taboo for the recovery of their marine resources.
Conclusion: Lekavik Tak Tabu Area in Central Pentecost presents a classic example of a traditional conservation practice that is associated with a traditional pig killing ceremony. It is a very familiar practice in this island and the taboo when placed by the chief is always respected by the people. Of course environmental education in terms of community consultations have been the driving forces in raising people’s awareness of the whole idea and allowing them to reach a common agreement. As a result the taboo is being set by the chief each time after three years period allowing for the successful recovery of the marine resources for use by the community.
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For Additional Information, Contact: Chief Ignatus Lekavik Tak Tabu Area Central Pentecost C/- Environment Unit PMB 063 PORT VILA Vanuatu References
Whyte, Jenny et al. (1998). Participatory Resource Management in Vanuatu. Research Report, FSPI, Port Vila, Vanuatu.
5. One Little Bag Theater
Background: One Little Bag Theater (hereafter called by its original name Wan Smol Bag Theater in local Bislama language ) is a local drama group and is a non-governmental organization based in the capital, Port Vila. The group began at the end of 1980s and is still existing today. Peter Walker and Jo Dorras who are both British volunteers, started the group and employed local actors and actresses to join them.
Objectives and Target Population: The Wan Smol Bag Theater Group targets the whole population of Vanuatu. The objectives of this theater group are: · To educate and raise awareness on social, health, political and environmental issues amongst the population of Vanuatu, · To create some positive impact in the lives of ni-Vanuatu on issues that are of significance to the people and environment of Vanuatu, · To pass on important information to the grassroots people by means of drama, · To be an information center for the grassroots people.
Description of Activities · Performing dramas on important issues relating to social, health, politics, culture, environment etc. The dramas are performed to local communities, schools, churches, and also during special occasions like Independence Day. · Conducting training workshops on drama in Vanuatu and also in some other Pacific island countries. · Touring the whole country and other South Pacific island countries · Producing a video series on important issues relating to social, health, politics, culture, environment etc.
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· Involvement in other non-formal educational activities such as clean-up campaigns, World Environment Day celebrations, turtle tagging and monitoring on the islands, reef and beach etc.
Issues Addressed: Issues addressed here are related to all aspects of life such as social, health, politics, culture, environment etc. Several video tapes have been produced such as Kasis Road, On the Reef, Pacific Star, Vote Long Pati Ia, It Couldn't Happen Here.
Wan Smol Bag Theater also receives financial support from outside organizations. Sometimes insufficient funding is a constraint so the group can not get to remote places to perform their plays and educate the locals. The government, NGOs and the local communities support the work of this Group because it is entertaining as well as educating the people, so there are no real problems encountered by the group.
Why Chosen as a Successful Example? The reason why it is chosen as a successful example is because Wan Smol Bag Theater is a non-government organization (NGO) with many involvement in non-formal education particularly at the grassroots level. It has a lot of positive impacts on the lives of the people.
Results and Achievement: The results and achievement produced from the work of Wan Smol Bag Theater are: · Generally speaking, local people have become more aware of the issues highlighted in the drama. For instance, the drama and video tapes on mosquitoes have made people realized the importance of not leaving open containers that can hold water which can also attract mosquitoes to breed. They now know that more mosquitoes will result in more malaria. · Another example of the above is the videotape produced on Vanuatu politics particularly on corruption within the government. This has helped Vanuatu people to decide carefully for themselves who to vote for in the coming elections. · The turtle campaign by the Wan Smol Bag Theater group made throughout the country have helped people to respect the turtles and not killing them like they used to do. · The Group has successfully trained and assisted other local theater groups based on other islands. · The Group has also successfully trained and assisted theater groups from other South Pacific island countries. · The Group has produced several video tapes on important issues which are shown throughout the country and the Pacific Islands.
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Reflections and Lessons Learned: Wan Smol Bag Theater is an excellent example of a local drama group that is very active in non-formal education activities. The group has so far contributed a lot in raising awareness of the people on important issues relating to social, health, politics, culture and environment. It is an excellent tool to pass on information to the local people especially the grassroots people with a very low level of literacy.
The performance and progress of the group has also encouraged other local theater groups to form in the provinces. The group holds special workshops regularly at their headquarter in Port Vila in which they invite the provincial based theater groups to participate and talk about issues relating to theater work in order to improve their performances.
Challenges and Future Prospects: The future of Wan Smol Bag Theater is very promising, as they have expanded since they started in terms of number of staff employed, their office size and equipment. The Vanuatu Government has recognized this theater group following the tremendous amount of work they have done in the past few years. And therefore government and donor support towards this organization will continue to remain high in future.
Conclusion: Wan Smol Bag Theater is the only popular and successful theater group in Vanuatu or in the region. It is being recognized by Vanuatu and other Pacific island countries as a high level theater group, having done a lot of awareness on important aspects of life. It has made great impacts on people's lives, turning the negative to positive impacts. This theater group has a great future in Vanuatu and even the Pacific islands, as it will continue to do the good works in non-formal education.
For Additional Information, Contact: Mr Peter Walker Wan Smol Bag Theater P.O.Box 1024 PORT VILA Vanuatu
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