Indigenous Knowledge and Art as Integral Instruments for Disaster Risk Reduction

Indigenous communities’ close relationship with nature makes them well-versed in the knowledge of disaster preparedness. Some of their knowledge manifests in art, carrying wisdom and culture across generations and to others. What can we learn about disaster resilience from Indigenous knowledge and art?

Indigenous Peoples & Crises

Indigenous Peoples are the core caretakers of nature. They have a set of practices and beliefs connected to the land, water, plants, and animals around them. Shared across generations, Indigenous wisdom shapes their identities, cultures, spirituality, and wellbeing.

Their ancient ecological knowledge is based on reciprocity between nature and mankind, thus offering a sustainable outlook on relationships between humans and the environment. Hence, this way of life underlines the vital role of Indigenous Peoples in environmental preservation.

Despite this, around 77% (370 million) of Indigenous Peoples are negatively affected by climate change and extreme weather events. Their close relation with nature positions them at the frontline of the crisis, facing direct consequences of climate hazards. Additionally, Indigenous communities often live in disaster-prone areas, where providing emergency services might be challenging. This adds to the complex vulnerability of Indigenous Peoples in disaster scenarios, as they already face economic hardship, lack of legal protection, and discrimination in many forms.

Indigenous Knowledge and Art

The escalating climate crisis underscores the urgency to strengthen and expand mitigation and adaptation efforts that involve Indigenous Peoples as active participants. One way is to look into existing Indigenous knowledge, including technology, architecture, storytelling, and performative arts or ceremonies, that carry disaster mitigation values.

Art gives humans a visual language that entices us to engage in discussion and offers a platform for advocacy for important issues. We can see the incorporation of local wisdom in architecture in Rumah Gadang, the traditional houses of the Minangkabau people from Sumatra, Indonesia. The underside design of Rumah Gadang consists of supporting vertical poles to elevate the building. This particular feature helps houses withstand earthquakes and prevent floods from entering the house.

An example of disaster mitigation in storytelling is “Inamura no hi”, a story about a large tsunami and how people could escape from it by burning harvested rice sheaves. The story was adopted as reading material for elementary schools in Japan in 2012. Meanwhile, communities in Fiji also use oral narratives to spread information about past catastrophic events. These traditional narratives are told in songs (sere) or dances (meke).

Opportunities & Challenges

The enduring knowledge and practices of Indigenous Peoples in mitigating and adapting to crises can serve as a vital aspect in current disaster management efforts. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 has acknowledged the importance of Indigenous knowledge in disaster resilience, such as through widening the range of insight available for adoption. Additionally, traditional knowledge usually contains strict monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure environmental balance.

However, incorporating Indigenous knowledge into current disaster resilience strategies is not without obstacles. The area-specific characteristic of Indigenous knowledge makes it difficult to adopt on a larger and more heterogeneous scale. Colonialism also contributes to the cynicism against Indigenous knowledge on early warning systems for various hazards. It pushes demand to scientifically prove the knowledge as effective; otherwise, it is deemed unreliable.

Most importantly, participation from diverse Indigenous communities in the policymaking process is imperative. It ensures that they are not left behind and their valuable knowledge is maximized. Adopting local wisdom as a guide to government actions for disaster risk reduction will create meaningful and inclusive progress for all.

Editor: Nazalea Kusuma & Kresentia Madina