Birds bring warning of Tropical Cyclone Harold - Solomon Islands

Many Indigenous communities around the world, including in the Solomon Islands, apply local and traditional knowledge in their daily lives, relying on it for activities such as farming, gardening, fishing, travelling, weather forecasting and others. However, traditional knowledge is also often overlooked, with some people relevance in the modern context. However, research has shown (refer References below) that traditional knowledge can continue to play an important role and this includes in forecasting and preparing for extreme weather events.

The Solomon Islands is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. When it comes to cyclones, the country’s Makira Province is one of the most heavily impacted as it sits in the country’s ‘cyclone path’.  

Combining tradition with science

As part of the Disaster READY Solomon Islands program, World Vision has partnered with the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service (SIMS) to establish stronger early warning systems in eight communities in Makira. These early warning systems combine traditional knowledge with the scientific, strengthening the ability of these communities to recognise and prepare for a potential disaster.

Above: Mr Nathan Ngiriapu, Mwanihuki Village Chairman explains the hazards that come with living in a low-lying coastal area. Image, Vatina Devesi, World Vision Solomon Islands.

Mwanihuki (which means ‘many bananas’) is one of the communities involved in the early warning system development. Established in the 1920s at the suggestion of a missionary who encouraged the community to relocate from their previous bushland location, Mwanihuki is located on low-lying land near the coast. There is a stream close by that often floods and the area is prone to earthquakes, tsunamis and cyclones. 

The Mwanihuki community continues to rely on its traditional knowledge to identify potential disasters. This knowledge is drawn from the stars, birds, clouds and other indicators. 

World Vision and SIMS have worked with the community to build awareness and understanding of the scientific explanations for disasters and of the scientific language that can be used in warnings released by SIMS and other organisations. Importantly, traditional knowledge is always highlighted as valuable, and not something to be replaced by science alone. 

The scientific aspects of the program are therefore balanced with a focus on traditional knowledge. Discussing, seeking and sharing traditional knowledge serves as an important reminder to the community that, while there are scientific information and tools available, knowledge passed on from generation to generation is rich with valuable information and practices.

These awareness sessions include focus group discussions and interviews to gather and preserve the community’s knowledge. This knowledge is stored in a Traditional Knowledge Database maintained by SIMS. Through these sessions, knowledge and practices, particularly in relation to weather and climate forecasting, are gathered from the elders. The traditional knowledge used as indicators, or signs, to forecast weather are then captured in an indicator table and entered into the database.

SIMS trained Mwanihuki Village Disaster Risk Committee (VDRC) members on how to monitor these indicators. The monitoring phase is vital for research purposes and for the community to understand if their traditional knowledge indicators remain reliable within a rapidly changing climate context.

Frigate birds provide prior warning of TC Harold

Above: Mwanihuki Village Chairman, Nr Nathan Ngiriapu (right), recounts the increased use of traditional knowledge as a disaster early warning system. Image: Vatina Devesi, World Vision Solomon Islands.

Mwanihuki Village Chairman, Nr Nathan Ngiriapu, reported that the work with World Vision and SIMS through Disaster READY had resulted in the community using traditional knowledge even more than before. He shared the example of the frigate birds and Tropical Cyclone (TC) Harold.

When a group of frigate birds is observed to be flying in a certain direction, it means that strong winds are coming from that direction. For example, if the frigate birds are flying from the north, strong winds are coming from the north. If they fly very low and close to the trees, it means that strong winds will hit very soon.

One week before TC Harold hit Makira in April 2020, the community had observed a group of frigate birds circling high above them. When the community saw this, they knew strong winds were coming. As a result, community members responded by cutting trees and clearing anything that could be dangerous if a cyclone or strong wind hit. By the time SIMS has issued a warning for TC Harold, the community was already prepared and knew that bad weather was approaching.

The early warning systems work in Makira under Disaster READY is focused on ensuring everyone in the communities - women, men, youth and children and people with disabilities – have the knowledge, skills and confidence to meaningfully respond to early warnings and be better prepared for disasters. 

References

Chambers, L. E., Plotz, R. D., Dossis, T., Hiriasia, D. H., Malsale, P., Martin, D. J., ... & Tofaeono, T. I. (2017). A database for traditional knowledge of weather and climate in the P acific. Meteorological Applications, 24(3), 491-502. 

Gyampoh, B.A., Amisah, S., Idinoba,M.,& Nkem,J. (2009). Using traditional nowledge to cope with climate change in rural Ghana. Unasylva, 60 (281/232), 70-74. 

Janif, S., Nunn, P., Geraghty,P.,Aalbersberg,F., Thomas, F.,Camailakeba M. (2016). Value of traditional oral narratives in building climate-change resilience:insights from rural communities in Fiji.Ecology and Society 21, no 2.  

Raygorodetsky, G. (2011). Why traditional knowledge holds the key to climate change. Climate Change, Culture and Religions. 

Vinyeta,K., & Lynn, K.  (2013). Exploring the role of traditional ecological knowledge in climage change intiatives. US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.