“Winga Is Trying to Get in”: Local Observations of Climate Change in the Tiwi Islands
Abstract There is a growing body of research documenting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities' observations of changes in climate. The accuracy, efficacy, and transferability of this research depends on its motives and methods. In this paper, we report on research to produce a working knowl...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Earth's Future |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EF002808 |
| _version_ | 1797393164376473600 |
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| author | Jon Barnett Teresa Konlechner Elissa Waters Michelle Woody Minnapinni Sergio Jarillo Brian Austral James DeSantis Lesley Head Clinton Rioli Andrew King |
| author_facet | Jon Barnett Teresa Konlechner Elissa Waters Michelle Woody Minnapinni Sergio Jarillo Brian Austral James DeSantis Lesley Head Clinton Rioli Andrew King |
| author_sort | Jon Barnett |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract There is a growing body of research documenting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities' observations of changes in climate. The accuracy, efficacy, and transferability of this research depends on its motives and methods. In this paper, we report on research to produce a working knowledge of changes in climate and its impacts on local biophysical systems in the Tiwi Islands in Northern Australia. Interviews with 52 Tiwi people were combined with diverse forms of aerial data to produce a nuanced understanding of climate change in these remote islands. These data show changes in climate‐sensitive biophysical systems that would otherwise remain undetected by instruments conventionally used for monitoring climate change. These include changes in shorelines, which are causing concerns about damage to buildings that are important for Tiwi well‐being, and changes in the marine environment and wetlands, which are causing concerns about damage to natural heritage. We discuss the implications of these findings, arguing that systematic observations collected by networks of people “on Country” can provide excellent monitoring of climate change impacts, and that Indigenous people's interests in the effects of climate change overlap with those of non‐Indigenous people, as do their rights to support from the State for adaptation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:59:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e0a69d37d681410ba56ec11c0de2ac45 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2328-4277 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:59:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth's Future |
| spelling | doaj.art-e0a69d37d681410ba56ec11c0de2ac452023-12-12T22:51:52ZengWileyEarth's Future2328-42772023-03-01113n/an/a10.1029/2022EF002808“Winga Is Trying to Get in”: Local Observations of Climate Change in the Tiwi IslandsJon Barnett0Teresa Konlechner1Elissa Waters2Michelle Woody Minnapinni3Sergio Jarillo4Brian Austral5James DeSantis6Lesley Head7Clinton Rioli8Andrew King9School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences The University of Melbourne Melbourne VIC AustraliaSchool of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences The University of Melbourne Melbourne VIC AustraliaSchool of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences The University of Melbourne Melbourne VIC AustraliaJilamara Arts and Crafts Association Milikapiti NT AustraliaSchool of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences The University of Melbourne Melbourne VIC AustraliaTiwi Land Rangers Winnellie NT AustraliaTiwi Marine Rangers Winnellie NT AustraliaSchool of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences The University of Melbourne Melbourne VIC AustraliaTiwi Marine Rangers Winnellie NT AustraliaSchool of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences The University of Melbourne Melbourne VIC AustraliaAbstract There is a growing body of research documenting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities' observations of changes in climate. The accuracy, efficacy, and transferability of this research depends on its motives and methods. In this paper, we report on research to produce a working knowledge of changes in climate and its impacts on local biophysical systems in the Tiwi Islands in Northern Australia. Interviews with 52 Tiwi people were combined with diverse forms of aerial data to produce a nuanced understanding of climate change in these remote islands. These data show changes in climate‐sensitive biophysical systems that would otherwise remain undetected by instruments conventionally used for monitoring climate change. These include changes in shorelines, which are causing concerns about damage to buildings that are important for Tiwi well‐being, and changes in the marine environment and wetlands, which are causing concerns about damage to natural heritage. We discuss the implications of these findings, arguing that systematic observations collected by networks of people “on Country” can provide excellent monitoring of climate change impacts, and that Indigenous people's interests in the effects of climate change overlap with those of non‐Indigenous people, as do their rights to support from the State for adaptation.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EF002808coastal erosionIndigenouslocal knowledgemonitoringnative titleperception |
| spellingShingle | Jon Barnett Teresa Konlechner Elissa Waters Michelle Woody Minnapinni Sergio Jarillo Brian Austral James DeSantis Lesley Head Clinton Rioli Andrew King “Winga Is Trying to Get in”: Local Observations of Climate Change in the Tiwi Islands Earth's Future coastal erosion Indigenous local knowledge monitoring native title perception |
| title | “Winga Is Trying to Get in”: Local Observations of Climate Change in the Tiwi Islands |
| title_full | “Winga Is Trying to Get in”: Local Observations of Climate Change in the Tiwi Islands |
| title_fullStr | “Winga Is Trying to Get in”: Local Observations of Climate Change in the Tiwi Islands |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Winga Is Trying to Get in”: Local Observations of Climate Change in the Tiwi Islands |
| title_short | “Winga Is Trying to Get in”: Local Observations of Climate Change in the Tiwi Islands |
| title_sort | winga is trying to get in local observations of climate change in the tiwi islands |
| topic | coastal erosion Indigenous local knowledge monitoring native title perception |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EF002808 |
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