Towards a Mega-Pacific Islands Education Curriculum for Climate Adaptation Blending Traditional Knowledge in Modern Curriculum

Abstract

In 2005, the Pacific Islands Forum leaders endorsed the Pacific Islands Framework Environment Programme to ensure resilient capacity building for Pacific Island communities through education (Hay in Assessment of implementation of the Pacific islands framework for action on climate change. SPREP. Apia, Samoa 2009). In 2006, Ministers of Education from Pacific Islands Forum countries adopted the Pacific Framework for Education for Sustainable Development “to empower Pacific peoples through all forms of locally relevant and culturally appropriate education and learning to make decisions and take actions to meet current and future social, cultural, environmental and economic needs and aspirations” (UNESCO in Pacific education for sustainable development framework. Apia, Samoa 2006, p. 11). The Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management (Joint outcome statement from the 4th session of the Pacific platform for disaster risk management & Pacific regional water and sanitation consultations 2012) recognized the need for integrating climate change into education. Despite increasing focus on including climate change and adaptation education in mainstream curricula, an analysis of available literature reveals a wide gap between the inclusion and actual implementation. This study reviews past and current climate adaptation curricula for junior- and senior- level students in the Pacific Islands Region. The purpose of this appraisal is to invite relevant governmental institutions, international organizations, and researchers to develop a sound Pacific-wide climate adaptation curriculum. The paper advocates incorporating traditional knowledge as a pedagogical medium and as customized thematic content for each island into the design and implementation of the Pacific Islands climate adaptation curriculum. Although the paper does not propose or endorse a particular curriculum, it provides a general outline and critiques past and current endeavours in climate change education in this region, as well as potential challenges and solutions.

The Devil at Lonburas

There was once a devil (named Ias) who lived in a cave outside

Lonburas Village. Every day he came to the village when

food (lap-lap) was being prepared and consumed huge

amounts, including the tables on which it was served. The villagers

decided to rid themselves of the devil, so questioned

him to try to discover what scared him. Ias revealed his fear to be

saltwater, so the villagers went down to the bay and collected

saltwater in a special kastom leaf, brought it back to the

Kastom Man in Lonburas, who poured it into a hole in a black

palm tree. The Kastom Man sang a song that made the saltwater

rise up inside the tree and urge the ocean to come and

join it. When the song ended the villagers heard the sound of

a wave rushing towards them and felt a strong wind. Alarmed, the

devil awoke and asked the villagers what the noise

was. The villagers joined their Kastom Man singing the song

again and again until the saltwater reached Lonburas. The

devil climbed a banyan tree in fear, but the Kastom Man sang

the song one last time, and then the ocean swallowed the

devil. Then the villagers retrieved the devil from the ocean, cut him, and retrieved all the

tables he had swallowed.

(A traditional Pacific Island story narrated by a friend in Palau; found also in text in Walshe and Nunn 2012).