Why Disaster Subcultures Matter: A Tale of Two Communities: How and Why the 2007 Western Solomon Islands Tsunami Disaster Led to Different Outcomes for Two Ghizo Communities
At 07:45 a.m. on 2 April 2007, a tsunami hit Ghizo Island, western Solomon Islands in the south-west Pacific. Thirty-three people died on Ghizo, of whom 31 originated from a relatively small migrant Gilbertese community (transmigrated in the 1950s–1970s from Kiribati), while only two were from the m...
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Geosciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/11/9/387 |
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| author | Kim Hagen Michael G. Petterson David Humphreys Nigel Clark |
| author_facet | Kim Hagen Michael G. Petterson David Humphreys Nigel Clark |
| author_sort | Kim Hagen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | At 07:45 a.m. on 2 April 2007, a tsunami hit Ghizo Island, western Solomon Islands in the south-west Pacific. Thirty-three people died on Ghizo, of whom 31 originated from a relatively small migrant Gilbertese community (transmigrated in the 1950s–1970s from Kiribati), while only two were from the majority Melanesian community. This paper documents an extensive 4-year study that addresses the potential core reasons for this asymmetrical casual impact. Community-participatory social science research was undertaken in two Gilbertese villages and two Melanesian villages. The four villages had similar spatial vulnerabilities due to their coastal location, although they had variable access to the safer higher ground. Gilbertese villages had less diverse ocean-reliant livelihoods, a limited knowledge of hinterland bush resource utilisation, uncertainties regarding land rights, and perceived ethnic discrimination. Melanesian villages had strong <i>wantok</i> and <i>kastom</i> social reciprocity cultures, a diverse set of livelihoods, wider social capital with other Melanesian communities, and greater security regarding land rights. This paper argues that these key factors—linked to the lower status as a migrant community of the Gilbertese, a limited sharing of knowledge between communities, government blind spots and power hierarchies—explain both the disproportionate impacts of the disaster and issues that impact longer-term aid intervention and social cohesion. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:39:11Z |
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| id | doaj.art-f0cdf4731ce341189625ab45fa2d4142 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:39:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-f0cdf4731ce341189625ab45fa2d41422023-11-22T13:16:10ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632021-09-0111938710.3390/geosciences11090387Why Disaster Subcultures Matter: A Tale of Two Communities: How and Why the 2007 Western Solomon Islands Tsunami Disaster Led to Different Outcomes for Two Ghizo CommunitiesKim Hagen0Michael G. Petterson1David Humphreys2Nigel Clark3National Deaf Children’s Society, London EC2A 4LS, UKSchool of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 92006, New ZealandSchool of Social Sciences and Global Studies, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UKLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UKAt 07:45 a.m. on 2 April 2007, a tsunami hit Ghizo Island, western Solomon Islands in the south-west Pacific. Thirty-three people died on Ghizo, of whom 31 originated from a relatively small migrant Gilbertese community (transmigrated in the 1950s–1970s from Kiribati), while only two were from the majority Melanesian community. This paper documents an extensive 4-year study that addresses the potential core reasons for this asymmetrical casual impact. Community-participatory social science research was undertaken in two Gilbertese villages and two Melanesian villages. The four villages had similar spatial vulnerabilities due to their coastal location, although they had variable access to the safer higher ground. Gilbertese villages had less diverse ocean-reliant livelihoods, a limited knowledge of hinterland bush resource utilisation, uncertainties regarding land rights, and perceived ethnic discrimination. Melanesian villages had strong <i>wantok</i> and <i>kastom</i> social reciprocity cultures, a diverse set of livelihoods, wider social capital with other Melanesian communities, and greater security regarding land rights. This paper argues that these key factors—linked to the lower status as a migrant community of the Gilbertese, a limited sharing of knowledge between communities, government blind spots and power hierarchies—explain both the disproportionate impacts of the disaster and issues that impact longer-term aid intervention and social cohesion.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/11/9/387Gilberteseindigenous knowledgeI-Kiribati<i>kastom</i>Solomon Islandstsunami |
| spellingShingle | Kim Hagen Michael G. Petterson David Humphreys Nigel Clark Why Disaster Subcultures Matter: A Tale of Two Communities: How and Why the 2007 Western Solomon Islands Tsunami Disaster Led to Different Outcomes for Two Ghizo Communities Geosciences Gilbertese indigenous knowledge I-Kiribati <i>kastom</i> Solomon Islands tsunami |
| title | Why Disaster Subcultures Matter: A Tale of Two Communities: How and Why the 2007 Western Solomon Islands Tsunami Disaster Led to Different Outcomes for Two Ghizo Communities |
| title_full | Why Disaster Subcultures Matter: A Tale of Two Communities: How and Why the 2007 Western Solomon Islands Tsunami Disaster Led to Different Outcomes for Two Ghizo Communities |
| title_fullStr | Why Disaster Subcultures Matter: A Tale of Two Communities: How and Why the 2007 Western Solomon Islands Tsunami Disaster Led to Different Outcomes for Two Ghizo Communities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why Disaster Subcultures Matter: A Tale of Two Communities: How and Why the 2007 Western Solomon Islands Tsunami Disaster Led to Different Outcomes for Two Ghizo Communities |
| title_short | Why Disaster Subcultures Matter: A Tale of Two Communities: How and Why the 2007 Western Solomon Islands Tsunami Disaster Led to Different Outcomes for Two Ghizo Communities |
| title_sort | why disaster subcultures matter a tale of two communities how and why the 2007 western solomon islands tsunami disaster led to different outcomes for two ghizo communities |
| topic | Gilbertese indigenous knowledge I-Kiribati <i>kastom</i> Solomon Islands tsunami |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/11/9/387 |
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