“Traditional Knowledge and Wisdom: Themes in the Pacific Islands” is a publication that celebrates and promotes the visibility and vibrancy of Pacific culture, explained the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs permanent secretary Mr Savenaca Kaunisela when launching the publication at the Pearl Pacific Resort on Thursday the 16th April, 2015.
The event coincided with the Pacific Intangible Cultural Heritage Meeting on revitalizing dormant Intangible Cultural Heritage (dance, songs, music, traditional crafts and skills) in the Pacific from the 16 to 17 April, 2015.
The publication marks a milestone and represents the collaborative efforts of Pacific expert practitioners, an idea that was initiated at the fourth sub-regional networking meeting in April of 2013. In introducing the content, the Permanent Secretary acknowledged that it highlights a number of traditional practices and customs including methods for open water navigation, agricultural techniques and stories of communal reconciliation, the very heart of Pacific traditional wisdom and knowledge as transferred through many generations.
He thanked the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia Pacific Region (ICHCAP) Korea, the authors from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Tonga and Vanuatu and various other individuals for allowing the publication to take form. This consultative approach allows people who live and practice their ICH skills to present themselves and their ICH element.
In celebrating this achievement, the Permanent Secretary implored that this must be the first of many similar publications.
This publication will be a source of knowledge to many within the region and around the world, more importantly for researchers who visit us for research materials when Mr. Kaunisela received the book at the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs with his Deputy Secretary, Mr. Saimoni Waibuta on Friday 17 April 2015.
The book which will be kept at the Ministry’s Institute of Language and Culture Library encourages better understanding for our cultural practices reinforcing its relevance and safeguarding it from being lost from our communities.