A database for traditional knowledge of weather and climate in the <scp>P</scp>acific

Chambers, Lynda E.; Plotz, Roan; Dossis, Tom; Hiriasia, David; Malsale, Philip; Martín, David; Mitiepo, Rossy; Tahera, Khadiza; Tofaeono, Tile

doi:10.1002/met.1648

Cited by 25 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Higher levels of participation will increase the ability for diverse contributions while also increasing the power of shared observations. Heterogeneity of communities in terms of participation, status, and family groups also means that it is essential that participating harvesters be able to establish how widely they want their knowledge shared, since some pieces of knowledge are strictly confidential to family groups or clans, whereas others are openly shared within and outside of the community (Pulsifer et al 2012;Chambers et al 2017). Setting clear protocols about which observations and pieces of knowledge may be shared and with whom is crucial, and more work is warranted to design appropriate data management systems.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“We monitor by living here”: community-driven actualization of a social-ecological monitoring program based in the knowledge of Indigenous harvesters

Thompson

Reece

Robinson

et al. 2019

FACETS

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Researchers and government agencies are increasingly embracing Indigenous knowledge to inform ecological monitoring. However, there are few detailed accounts of designing monitoring methods based in Indigenous knowledge to meet Indigenous objectives. This research details the design of a program initiated by the Gitga’at First Nation to document the knowledge and observations of their harvesters as a contemporary monitoring initiative. We, Gitga’at and academic researchers, first conducted informal interviews with knowledge holders to gauge interest and to establish community objectives. We then convened community meetings and workshops to design methods to document harvesters’ knowledge and observations. We tested and revised these methods (a post-harvest season interview guide, and a logbook to be completed by harvesters) over the course of two harvest seasons. Semi-structured interviews were more successful than the logbooks in meeting multiple community monitoring objectives. However, we were encouraged by younger participants’ suggestions to develop a digital app based on the logbook to encourage future participation. Our work can serve as a guide to other Indigenous peoples and collaborators who wish to leverage the knowledge of their land and (or) sea users, and the methods we develop are available to adapt to other cultural, social-ecological, and political contexts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“We monitor by living here”: community-driven actualization of a social-ecological monitoring program based in the knowledge of Indigenous harvesters

Thompson

Reece

Robinson

et al. 2019

FACETS

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“…In Vanuatu, for example the communities were recommended by the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, the national institution responsible for the preservation, protection and promotion of the various aspects of culture within Vanuatu. A standardised interview form was developed and used by members of the NMS and their in-country partners, including representatives from the cultural centres (Chambers et al 2017). Interviews were conducted from 2012 to 2017, with the form first trialled on Tanna Island, Vanuatu in 2012.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Obtaining a better understanding on the usage and sources of weather and climate forecasts by Pacific Island communities was part of a wider project in the Pacific aiming to increase resilience to natural hazards (Chand et al 2014;Chambers et al 2017;Malsale et al 2018). This included the documentation of methods of traditional knowledge (TK) forecasting specifically related to weather and climate; determining how geographically widespread this knowledge was applied; if these forecasts had been impacted by environmental change (climate or land-use); development of ways to incorporate TK forecasts into routine NMS forecast products and producing improved climate communication products for local communities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Traditional or contemporary weather and climate forecasts: reaching Pacific communities

et al. 2019

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In most countries, weather and seasonal climate forecasts are available through national meteorological services (NMSs). However, uptake of NMS forecasts in remote Pacific communities can be limited, particularly those relating to expected impacts. To address this, NMSs need a clearer understanding of the types of information local communities currently use and how this information is received, to enable them to modify their products and their delivery to better meet community needs. Structured community interviews across four Pacific countries (Niue, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu) were undertaken by NMSs and their incountry partners. These interviews highlighted that remote communities mainly relied on weather and climate forecasts based on traditional knowledge (TK) alone or in combination with contemporary (NMS) forecasts. Many who had access to both forecasts systems indicated that they only sourced contemporary forecasts in the lead up to and during extreme events, particularly cyclones, to assist their decision-making. Recent extreme events in the Pacific have shown that self-reliant communities, with knowledge of traditional ways of forecasting, and responding to climate extremes, experience several benefits including reduced social-economic disruption and lower than expected death rates, particularly when combined with contemporary warnings. Therefore, there is a need to better understand the role of local traditional knowledge-based forecasts and for NMSs to work towards improving the content and communication of their forecasts to enable communities to take advantage of all available forecast information. For effective risk reduction, warnings and responses should therefore complement contemporary forecasts, rather than replace, TK-based forecasts.

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“…Understanding these aspects enables the NMSs to adapt their products and communications to better meet the needs of their communities (Chambers et al 2019). For several communities in the Pacific, uptake of contemporary products from the NMSs, particularly those on the seasonal time-scale, is limited, with individuals preferring traditional or indigenous methods of weather and climate forecasting (Chambers et al 2017(Chambers et al , 2019VMGD 2012). The Pacific NMSs are aware of this and recognize the value in incorporating traditional knowledge (TK) into their climate forecasts and communication products (e.g., Chambers et al 2019;VMGD 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Climate Resilience in the Pacific

Chambers

Plotz

Lui

et al. 2020

The Palgrave Handbook of Climate Resilient Societies

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National meteorological services (NMSs) are mandated to provide relevant and timely meteorological information to communities, including forecasts and warnings of conditions that are likely to endanger life, property, or the environment. However, in rural or remote areas, particularly in developing countries, traditional weather forecasting may be preferred over contemporary methods. Across the Pacific, NMSs are working with traditional knowledge (TK) experts to build community resilience to extreme events. Using five Pacific countries as examples, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu, we demonstrate how a participatory approach can be used to preserve and promote the continued use of TK of weather and climate and illustrate the entire process for collecting and incorporating this knowledge into NMSs products and services. Critical components we identified included: understanding legal and governance requirements; developing sustainable partnerships; guidelines and processes for collection and documentation of TK; secure and respectful storage of TK; developing monitoring networks; and improving weather and climate communication using TK. The Pacific TK projects were indigenous run, built on in-country partnerships between the NMSs and other organizations and government departments, and considered global, regional, and national legal and policy constraints around the collection of TK and protection of intellectual property. Community members participated in setting the project goals and in determining how the TK was collected, stored, and used. This approach allowed the NMSs to create products and communications that were tailored to meet community needs, while also benefiting wider audiences through their use in the media and the education sector.

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A database for traditional knowledge of weather and climate in the Pacific

Cited by 25 publications

References 15 publications

“We monitor by living here”: community-driven actualization of a social-ecological monitoring program based in the knowledge of Indigenous harvesters

“We monitor by living here”: community-driven actualization of a social-ecological monitoring program based in the knowledge of Indigenous harvesters

Traditional or contemporary weather and climate forecasts: reaching Pacific communities

Enhancing Climate Resilience in the Pacific

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