sprep-pa
Weeks before Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Harold loomed over the Vanuatu islands in 2020, Indigenous ni-Vanuatu people received nature’s warning call. Locals secured their thatched roofs and baked taro and laplap (a common delicacy) in an underground oven to stock up on food for the harsh weather.
For generations, the ni-Vanuatu relied on terrestrial and marine species like flowering plants, bees and turtles as indicators that forecast upcoming extreme weather events. This traditional knowledge helped communities adapt and prepare for floods, droughts and cyclones, like Harold, which scientists predict will be more frequent in this nation of islands.
