Looking at the Sky, Listening to the Sea - Customary Environmental Knowledge in the Pacific and Connections of Atmosphere, Oceans, Species and People

Abstract

The investigation of regional correlations between knowledge of seasonal patterns and indicators, along with closer examination of the monitoring methods used in traditional management systems can determine traditional knowledge viability and role in monitoring shifting patterns of seasonal variation or atmospheric trends. Furthermore, investigation into what the key elements of traditional knowledge are and how are these related to plant and animal lifecycles and overall ecological seasonal cycles provides detailed information which can provide foundational frameworks that assist in providing some detail to an unspecified map for future adaptation and vigilance through generational knowledge exchange and how these elements are integrated into regional frameworks for policy direction in the face of climate change in the Pacific. In undertaking a multi-faceted approach to this study . One of the primary issues when dealing with traditional knowledge systems is acknowledging the holistic nature of information and the value that this perspective or way of knowing holds in current day Natural Resource Management, climate change adaptation and decision making strategies.

Comparing indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander environmental management for practical environmental and cultural resilience returns and benefits. The investigations also attempted to look at the locational range of ecological knowledge and potential similarities in cultural knowledge practices, the examination of the monitoring methods used in environmental observation and the detailing of sustainability, utilisation and application of cultural environmental knowledge as it pertains to knowledge transfer. Seasonal change has a significant role in cultural existence and the means of how people relate and utilise their environment. It is a variable that shows forms of adaptation and resilience that are distinct from western forms of land/sea use and appreciation. The issue of climatic change and seasonal patterns or variations raises questions about Indigenous knowledge and adaptation and gives a voice to the problems and concerns of pacific people, especially in relation to climate change and global population issues. Key research question or hypothesis, This doctorate seeks to advance our understanding of a key issue in resource management in multi-cultural context - what are the most effective strategies for realising the benefits of Indigenous approaches to sustainable resource use in the era of climate change? To fully understand this issue, I aimed to examine the relationship of diverse forms of Indigenous knowledge, to each other and to global western scientific approaches, either in partnered co-management, or distinctively.