Using Participatory Action Research to Share Knowledge of the Local Environment and Climate Change: Case Study of Erub Island, Torres Strait
Reading seasons and environments has been a long-held practice for Torres Strait Islanders through their close relationships with their islands and seas. This research project worked with elders on Erub (Darnley) Island, in the eastern group of islands in the Torres...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, The University of Queensland
2011-12-01
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| Series: | The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ajie.atsis.uq.edu.au/ajie/article/view/589 |
| _version_ | 1797966062357053440 |
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| author | Karen Elizabeth McNamara John Patrick McNamara |
| author_facet | Karen Elizabeth McNamara John Patrick McNamara |
| author_sort | Karen Elizabeth McNamara |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Reading seasons and environments has been a long-held
practice for Torres Strait Islanders through their close
relationships with their islands and seas. This research
project worked with elders on Erub (Darnley) Island, in the
eastern group of islands in the Torres Strait, to document
and synthesise their knowledge of seasonal patterns and
indicators, and climate change. This knowledge varied from
details on the migration and nesting patterns of the main
totem birds, to the movement of the Tagai star
constellation, to the onset of wind patterns indicating
certain planting or fishing cycles. The importance of
documenting and transferring such knowledge is that it
continues the task of generating interest among the younger
generation to ‘read’ their landscape, which is especially
pertinent given the projected impacts of climate change.
The ability of islanders to identify indicators and ‘read’
their country is an important tool in monitoring and
adapting to environmental change, as well as maintaining
culture, livelihoods and environment. This article outlines
this knowledge, and documents the process of utilising this
knowledge to develop a seasonal calendar, which was also
transposed into a larger mural at the local primary school.
The school children were involved in assembling the mural,
and its contents will now form part of the teaching
curriculum. It is hoped that by documenting and sharing
such knowledge, younger generations can see its value, for
instance in monitoring the impacts of environmental change,
and in turn it will be valued by them.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:09:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5f2de62175946349f365d5c94e31216 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2049-7784 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:09:53Z |
| publishDate | 2011-12-01 |
| publisher | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, The University of Queensland |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5f2de62175946349f365d5c94e312162023-01-03T02:31:40ZengAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, The University of QueenslandThe Australian Journal of Indigenous Education2049-77842011-12-0140110.1375/ajie.40.30Using Participatory Action Research to Share Knowledge of the Local Environment and Climate Change: Case Study of Erub Island, Torres StraitKaren Elizabeth McNamaraJohn Patrick McNamara Reading seasons and environments has been a long-held practice for Torres Strait Islanders through their close relationships with their islands and seas. This research project worked with elders on Erub (Darnley) Island, in the eastern group of islands in the Torres Strait, to document and synthesise their knowledge of seasonal patterns and indicators, and climate change. This knowledge varied from details on the migration and nesting patterns of the main totem birds, to the movement of the Tagai star constellation, to the onset of wind patterns indicating certain planting or fishing cycles. The importance of documenting and transferring such knowledge is that it continues the task of generating interest among the younger generation to ‘read’ their landscape, which is especially pertinent given the projected impacts of climate change. The ability of islanders to identify indicators and ‘read’ their country is an important tool in monitoring and adapting to environmental change, as well as maintaining culture, livelihoods and environment. This article outlines this knowledge, and documents the process of utilising this knowledge to develop a seasonal calendar, which was also transposed into a larger mural at the local primary school. The school children were involved in assembling the mural, and its contents will now form part of the teaching curriculum. It is hoped that by documenting and sharing such knowledge, younger generations can see its value, for instance in monitoring the impacts of environmental change, and in turn it will be valued by them. https://ajie.atsis.uq.edu.au/ajie/article/view/589climate changelocal knowledgeseasonal calendarTorres Strait |
| spellingShingle | Karen Elizabeth McNamara John Patrick McNamara Using Participatory Action Research to Share Knowledge of the Local Environment and Climate Change: Case Study of Erub Island, Torres Strait The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education climate change local knowledge seasonal calendar Torres Strait |
| title | Using Participatory Action Research to Share Knowledge of the Local Environment and Climate Change: Case Study of Erub Island, Torres Strait |
| title_full | Using Participatory Action Research to Share Knowledge of the Local Environment and Climate Change: Case Study of Erub Island, Torres Strait |
| title_fullStr | Using Participatory Action Research to Share Knowledge of the Local Environment and Climate Change: Case Study of Erub Island, Torres Strait |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Participatory Action Research to Share Knowledge of the Local Environment and Climate Change: Case Study of Erub Island, Torres Strait |
| title_short | Using Participatory Action Research to Share Knowledge of the Local Environment and Climate Change: Case Study of Erub Island, Torres Strait |
| title_sort | using participatory action research to share knowledge of the local environment and climate change case study of erub island torres strait |
| topic | climate change local knowledge seasonal calendar Torres Strait |
| url | https://ajie.atsis.uq.edu.au/ajie/article/view/589 |
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