Outline of Presentation: Background to Wan Smolbag Theatre (WSB) Background to Vanua-Tai Resource monitors Why conserve Turtles? Why Communities? Cultural significance of turtles – conservation of turtles and preservation of local traditions Friday, October 02, Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

Friday, October 02, Introduction to WSB WSB was established in 1989 as a Community Theatre group and a registered NGO in Vanuatu. 20 years after - a large and vibrant civil society organization in Vanuatu with programmes on Education, Environment, Health, Youth and governance issues. Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

WSB addresses issues through : Friday, October 02, DRAMA  Creative way of information dissemination  Entertaining  Informative  Educational Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

Friday, October 02, VIDEO DVDs DVDs TV programmes TV programmes Video shows Video shows Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

...RADIO Friday, October 02,  Radio series  Radio spots  Talk-back shows Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

...IEC MATERIALS Friday, October 02,  Books  comics  Posters  Audio CDs Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

Friday, October 02, Vanua-Tai Resource Monitors Established in 1995 as a Turtle Conservation Network known as ‘Turtle Monitors’ The Network is community-based – monitors are local villagers 2001-Roles of the turtle monitors have expanded to cover the conservation and management of other marine and terrestrial species A nation-wide network with membership of around 400 resource monitors Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

Activities Friday, October 02, Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

Activities… 9 Friday, October 02, 2015Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

Why conserve turtles, Why communities, and Cultural aspects in Vanuatu Friday, October 02, 2015Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu10 Prepared by George Petro for the Community Workshop.

Friday, October 02, 2015Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu11 Why Communities?

Regional campaign to save turtles Turtles have existed in the world about 150 million years ago – Existence. Shrinking turtle population – Extinction. Food source – protein Income generation Cultural significance Friday, October 02, 2015Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu12

WSB being a community-based NGO Communities : - have turtle nesting beaches - have turtle foraging sites - eat turtle meat and eggs - cultural links with turtles Friday, October 02, 2015Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu13

Community Bottom – Up Approach Community: Small – easy to work with Specific audience Resource owners Resource users Community ownership Conservation outcomes impacting other communities National Island/Province Community /Area Friday, October 02, 2015 Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu14

Cultural Significance - Conservation of turtles = Preservation of local traditions Friday, October 02, 2015Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu15

Friday, October 02, 2015Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu16 Turtle Traditions from Vanuatu Maewo Island Plant a ‘small garden’ for turtles to prevent your root crops from resembling turtle eggs when you consume turtle meat/eggs. Ambrym Island It is forbidden for a certain tribe on the island to eat turtle meat/eggs as the turtle is their totem. Doing so will cause their body parts to resemble those of the turtle. Maskelyne Island Turtle meat is supposed to be eaten with the ‘new yam’ during the new yam feast. Efate Island It is forbidden to attend to your yam garden after eating turtle meat/eggs. Your garden will produce small yams resembling turtle eggs, if this is not followed. Tanna Island There is a turtle tribe living inland on the island that another tribe on coast has to present its chief with a turtle to exchange it for root crops from the inland tribe. Aneityum Island The turtle sympolises the the pig. In custom ceremonies turtles are caught by the turtle tribe and presented to the chief.

??? what if… i) …the turtle pop. is not conserved? ii) …the use of turtles in our communities is not managed? Depleted turtle population Turtle Extinction Local traditions die out Loss of cultural significance/identity Friday, October 02, 2015Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu17

Imposing turtle tabus for a period of time (10 yrs – north Efate) Use of quota system (Maskelynes) Use alternative source of meat for new yam feasts (Maskelynes) Turtles to be harvested only for special occasions (whole network) Observe national Fisheries regulations on turtles - Turtle Moratorium (Whole network) Friday, October 02, 2015Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu18