Pacific Islanders have long drawn wisdom from the Earth, the sky and the waves. Research shows the science is behind them
One man mentioned a black-winged storm bird known as “manumanunicagi” that glides above the land only when a cyclone is forming out to sea.
- One man mentioned a black-winged storm bird known as “manumanunicagi” that glides above the land only when a cyclone is forming out to sea.
- As the conversation continued, residents named at least 11 bird species, the odd behaviour of which signalled imminent changes in the weather.
- We reviewed evidence on traditional knowledge in the Pacific for coping with climate change, and found much of it was scientifically plausible.
A proven, robust system
- People have inhabited the Pacific Islands for 3,000 years or more and have experienced many climate-driven challenges to their livelihoods and survival.
- They have coped not by luck but by design – through robust systems of traditional knowledge built by diverse groups of people over time.
- Traditional knowledge in the Pacific explains the causes and manifestations of natural phenomena, and identifies the best ways to respond.
Reading the ocean and sky
- In Vanuatu’s Torres Islands, 13 phrases exist to describe the state of the tide, including anomalies that herald uncommon events.
- Distant storms can drive ocean swells onto coasts long before the winds and rain arrive, changing the usual patterns of waves.
- Winds that blow from the east (matā ‘upolu) indicate the imminent arrival of heavy rain, possibly a tropical cyclone.
- Many Pacific Island communities believe a cloudless, dark blue sky signals the arrival of a tropical cyclone.
The wisdom of animals and plants
- In Tonga, when the frigate bird flies across the land – unusual behaviour for an ocean species – it signals a tropical cyclone is developing.
- Another study, which included data on frigate birds in the Pacific, found seabirds appeared to circumvent cyclones, probably by sensing wind strength and direction.
- Traditional knowledge about insect behaviour in the Pacific Islands is also used to predict wet weather.
- Across the Pacific, common signs of impending wet weather are found in the behaviours of some plants.
- This can be explained scientifically by a process in which plant leaves close to protect their reproductive organs from extreme weather.
Planning for a warmer future
- This is true of the Pacific Islands, where in some places, traditional knowledge is all but forgotten.
- As climate change impacts worsen, optimal planning for island peoples should combine both approaches.
Patrick D. Nunn receives funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) via the Australia Pacific Climate Partnership (APCP), the Australian Research Council, and the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research. Roselyn Kumar receives funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) via the Australia Pacific Climate Partnership (APCP)