Outline of Presentation:

1. 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 Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

2. 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, VitiLevu

3. WSB addresses issues through : ...DRAMA • Creative way of information dissemination • Entertaining • Informative • Educational Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, VitiLevu

4. ...VIDEO • DVDs • TV programmes • Video shows Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, VitiLevu

5. ...RADIO • Radio series • Radio spots • Talk-back shows Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, VitiLevu

6. ...IEC MATERIALS • Books • comics • Posters • Audio CDs Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, VitiLevu

7. 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, VitiLevu

8. Activities Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, VitiLevu

9. Activities… Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, VitiLevu

10. COMMUNITY TURTLE MONITORING AND NETWORK DEVELOPMENT IN FIJI Why conserve turtles, Why communities, and Cultural aspects in Vanuatu Prepared by George Petro for the Community Workshop. Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, VitiLevu

11. Why Conserve Turtles? Why Communities? Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

12. Why Turtles? 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 Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

13. Why Communities? WSB being a community-based NGO Communities : - have turtle nesting beaches - have turtle foraging sites - eat turtle meat and eggs - cultural links with turtles Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

14. Community Bottom – Up Approach Community: Small – easy to work with Specific audience Resource owners Resource users Community ownership Conservation outcomes impacting other communities Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

15. Cultural Significance - Conservation of turtles = Preservation of local traditions Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

16. 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. Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

17. ???what if… i) …the turtle pop. is not conserved? ii) …the use of turtles in our communities is not managed? Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu

18. Conservation measures by Vanua-Tai 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) Community Workshop, Nakalou Village, Viti Levu