Kiribati Heritages

Ami bai n revision. Kam konaa n tii wareware ao n mamataku, ao kam bon konaa n kaewea ami notes ae kam taku  ba e kakawaki. Nakoim ngkoe ae bon akea am notes, mmmm!! tao kona bon kaewea ni kabane, ke kanga?

Definition for and Types of ‘Cultural Heritage’ Cultural Heritage refers to the ways of living in a community learnt and passed on from generation to generation. There are two types; tangible cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage. Tangible Cultural Heritage refers to things about our culture which we can touch.

Examples of Tangible Cultural Heritage 

Intangible Cultural Heritage 

Canoe making, Local Dance, Cultural sites, Monuments , Local mwaneaba,  String making,  Dancing mat, Artefacts, Shrines, Local Choir, Visual Art 

An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) refers to the knowledge and skills a person has about his/her culture hence cannot be touched but can be shown in the behavior or performance of a person or a group of people.

Examples of Intangible Cultural Heritage song, music, dance, drama, skills, food, crafts and festivals.

Threats to Cultural Heritage 

Kiribati Traditional Knowledge and Skills which are dying out 

1. Craftmanship – e.g. canoe making, fishing gears – te riena, te wai karaun, te karao uu, traditional costumes for local dancing, raranga kie.

2. Knowledge and practice concerning nature and the Universe

3. Traditional Navigation Skills (Rabakau I aon te borau)

4. Culinary Arts – Food Preservation (Rabakau n te kuuka n amwarake ni Kiribati aika a teimaan ao aika a aki buakaka).

5. Local Fishing Art (Akawa)

6. Toddy cutting

7. Traditional cultivation methods

8. Traditional healing system such as herbal 

medicine

9. Local marine and terrestrial conservation 

methods 

• Ethno-biological knowledge – Butin te ika ma taia n aron te Tanimainiku ao te itibong I aantari 

bon tain ikarii, aua, te maebo ao onauti ni buti, etc 

• Te rabakau n te tabutabu I aon uruakan bangota ao kanakin ika aika a tabuaki nakon ara katei

Possible Ways to Preserve 

1. Integration of traditional knowledge and skills into subject curriculum.

2. Awareness raising on the positive contribution of such knowledge and skills towards achieving sustainable development and mitigating the effects of climate change.

3. For cultural experts to conduct training on traditional knowledge and skills that are vital in building resilience against climate change.

4. Collection and documentation of local knowledge and skills across Kiribati with payment made to local experts so they will be willing to share their expertise.

5. Cultural landmarks to be protected and safeguarded and only be opened for special cases such as for visitors or education purposes.

6. Government to develop a policy for safeguarding practices to help preserve cultural sites/landmarks.

Traditional Skills and Knowledge 

Local Planting of Coconut Trees 

Materials needed; 

• 3x3x3ft2 hole or bigger 

• rubbish (any available kind) 

• match or lighter 

• coconut husks (no nut-ewanin) 

• coconut husks (with nuts but flesh / copra taken out or booua) 

• surface / blackish soil (tanon etan te mwanono / tanoroo) 

• 2nd layer soil / brown soil (tano buraaun) 

• 3rd layer soil / White soil (tano maii / mainaina) 

• decomposed coconut trunk (mkamka ni kannii)