Culture

Tag: Culture

Interview with Ungilreng Takawo, Matriarch of Kayangel, Palau

Former Palau Program Manager Joyce Beouch interviews Ungilreng Takawo, Kayangel matriarch about traditional practices and sacred laws. Palau is a matrilineal society in which traditional titles and authority are inherited through the mother. In this interview Kayangel Matriarch Ungilreng Takawo shares her perspective on the principles and practices that uphold the vitality of the Kayangel […]

Written by on December 12, 2017

Tiny Kayangel, Palau: Window on a Restored Future for Planet Earth and Humankind?

Revitalization News covers a cross-cultural inquiry and reflection by Island Conservation Communications Specialist Sara Kaiser into Kayangel’s sustainable ways of life and how Palauan perspectives can inform global conservation efforts in the Anthropocene. By: Sara Kaiser Chances are you haven’t heard of Kayangel. It’s brand new on my radar too, thanks to a new project […]

Written by on December 11, 2017

Legends, Stories, and Lessons from Palau

Former Palau Program Manager Joyce Beouch explains how stories and legends have shaped Palauans’ relationships with nature and how today, what were once deeply-embedded values are at risk of fading away. By: Joyce Kloulechad Beouch There have been a few standout “frequently asked questions,” as one would say, that I have had to answer many […]

Written by on November 29, 2017

Palau: Every Shade of Blue and Green I’ve Ever Seen

Island Restoration Specialist Jason Zito shares his enriching encounters with people and nature while conducting fieldwork in Palau. By: Jason Zito I have a confession: I’m going to try to describe a place to you—try to communicate how I was truly impacted, the vibrancy of the place, the natural beauty, the lessons I learned and […]

Written by on November 16, 2017

Palau: Unlike Any Other Place On Earth

Welcome to Palau, an island nation unlike anywhere else on Earth. By: Sara Kaiser Palau is a biologically and culturally rich nation. The region’s unique wildlife assemblage includes thirteen bird species found nowhere else in the world–one prominent example is the Endangered Micronesian Megapode, found only in Palau and the Marianas islands. Palau itself is […]

Written by on November 14, 2017

Integrating Community and Conservation on Floreana

Floreana Project Facilitator Gloria Salvador shares how Floreana Island residents have found ways to integrate community and conservation and uphold their deepest values in the face of change. By: Gloria Salvador The Galápagos archipelago, also known as the Enchanted Island, received its nickname from the stories wrapped around its natural and human history. Since its […]

Written by on September 5, 2017

Coqui Frog Removed from Kauai

A small frog with loud consequences is discovered on and removed from Kauai, Hawaii. The island of Kauai dodged a small, croaking bullet last month. An invasive Coqui Frog managed to stow away on a car brought over from the Big Island. The State Department of Agriculture and the Kauai Invasive Species Committee removed the […]

Written by on May 19, 2017

Cave Inscriptions Tell the Story of Mona Island’s Past

A paper published in the journal Antiquity outlines the insight into indigenous and European relations, spirituality, and identity gleaned from cave drawings on Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Isla Mona, (Mona Island), a Caribbean island between La Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, is a biodiversity hotspot that is home to rare and endemic species. Island Conservation is […]

Written by on September 22, 2016

Protecting the Kiwi, Maori Culture, and New Zealand’s Ecosystem

Endangered Kiwi chick hatches at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia.  The Kiwi is an important native bird of New Zealand. The feathered yet flightless creature was named by the Maori–the first people to ever live in New Zealand. The Kiwi is integral to Maori culture and considered sacred. It traditionally served as an occasional food […]

Written by on July 1, 2016