International (UN) Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programe of
Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
Mauritus, 10-14 January 2005
What role for culture in the sustainable development of SIDS?
Panelist 3 Adi Meretui Ratunabuabua, Principal Cultural Development Officer and
Arts Educator, Ministry of Fijian Affairs, Culture and Heritage.
Introduction
Your excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Fiji
Government, the people of Fiji and the pacific island states. I would like to thank UNESCO for
giving me an opportunity to present to the UN conference a pacific perspective on the importance
of the role of culture in the sustainable development of small island developing states. I would
also like to the hosts the government of Mauritius for a well organised conference and for the
warmth and kind hospitality that has been accorded to the delegates in this beautiful island
setting.
I hope to address and makes suggestions for small island developing states to consider, how to
safeguard, enhance and promote small islands tangible and intangible cultural heritage and use it
in a sustainable way to generate long term benefits to local communities .
The focus of my presentation is on the Pacific, with its ocean being the largest mass of water
which covers roughly a third of this planet and has culturally diverse region made up of the
groupings of Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia with a spread of over 1,200 languages.
Diversity of situations for Small island Developing States
At the outset of this paper it must be established that each small island state differs from each
other. But of paramount importance is to need to respect and observe the cultural and spiritual
sensitivity to protocols when approaching the indigenous custodians of the land and the sea in
the small island developing states. The foundation for safeguarding small islands tangible and
intangible cultural heritage MUST begin by base level community awareness raising for the
traditional owners, the speakers of the indigenous languages and custodians of their heritage, in
order to advocate and encourage the revival and protection of heritage in all its forms.
I would like to acknowledge the work done already done by the people of Vanuatu in their
approach to preserving their culture and heritage. But emphasize again that there are different
challenges for other small island developing states for cultures who coexist and live together in
multi ethnic communities and who struggle to justify their own existence and cultures as
custodians in their own ancestral lands.
Challenges
For many small islands developing states the focus has been to keep up and stay ahead of the
development pressures and challenges which have been exerted on them for many years or even
centuries particularly from international, external and national demands and influence. At same
time less emphasis has been placed on the sustainable use of the abundance of the naturally
occurring resources of the land and sea as well as the recognition of the traditional knowledge
holders of the arts and sciences which are often frowned upon and branded as belonging to the
past and not appropriate in ‘Today’s world’.
National consultative approaches
To ensure that the role for culture in sustainable island development and its safeguarding is
understood by all levels of the community, it is imperative that the island communities are
involved through a participatory approach in identifying what is to be protected and who the
traditional owners are through a national consultative approach. For many small island
developing states this has never been a focus or considered seriously as issues concerning our
identity have historically been documented or perceived through the eyes of ‘others’.
In the Pacific context, Fiji is one of the small island developed states to have started a formal
process in mapping our culture and makes reference to a regionally developed model law, which
was formulated in consultation with the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, UNESCO and
Secretariat for the Pacific Community towards the protection of traditional knowledge and
expressions of culture. This arose from the call from the Council of Pacific Arts, bringing in legal
Experts and cultural experts. The model law was then endorsed by the regional Pacific Island
Ministers for Cultures in 2002.
The Model Law was formulated to address the copyright and intellectual property regime which
was unable to give adequate protection to the traditional knowledge and expressions of culture of
Pacific peoples because it focused on individuals rather than on communal rights. The primary
role of the western legal system is to protect economic rather than cultural interests. Protection of
indigenous cultural expressions and traditional knowledge under the Western intellectual property
system therefore becomes problematic. Action needs to be taken through several angles,
contract law, confidentiality agreements, sui generic (of its own kind) legislation and making
the owners of cultural expressions and traditional knowledge aware of their rights. The draft
model law is aimed at finding ways to provide adequate legal protection for the expressions of
culture and traditional knowledge expressed in songs, dances, writing, book production, films, art
and craft and traditional practices that attest to high human values such as respect.
Fiji is now proceeding through a community consultative approach in compiling Inventories for
Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Culture. These inventories, however, are actually
inclusive of all aspects of culture including genetic resources, biodiversity and the mapping of
heritage sites as culture is not so neatly compartmentalized and separated into science and the
arts or tangible and intangible heritage and requires a more holistic coordinated approach that the
communities can relate to.
Information dissemination through ICT’s (information communication technology)
The information that is compiled for the inventory is enhanced through information technology. Fiji
uses the internet to link its researchers out in the field to its headquarters and its main database
for its inventory and is also developing a website for a database of handicrafts for marketing from
each of the provinces in Fiji on receiving prior consent from the traditional owners of the
expressions of culture.
This also gives an opportunity to provide more training and capacity building for ICT use for
women and youth groups for the cultural industries, which could also double up with other project
initiatives such as those currently being used in the region and could be used to share ideas on
issues of common concern at the local level and in the region for example through UNESCO’s
Small islands Voice initiative which is a cross cutting project that gives people a medium in print,
radio, television and other media in promoting the involvement of civil society, including youth, to
share ideas on issues faced in small island contexts regarding environment and waste
management. While in the Solomon Islands, The People First Network (PF net), a wireless rural
networking project, has established a wireless email network based on sustainable community
ownership giving the community access to sharing of ideas and addresses the issues of isolation.
The media and ICT’s can also be used for public awareness raising at all levels incorporating
language sensitivities and ensuring that awareness is done with an integrated approach in the
educational system in the islands to target audiences from pre-nursery school level through to the
policy makers and political leaders of the island states.
Education departments sometimes take longer to formulate and implement policies in a regional
approach. In the meantime other institutions can take an active role in introducing culture
informally into the curriculum. In Fiji’s case, partnerships between the national arts council and
national educational policies need to emphasis and recognise the inclusion of the traditional
artists and custodians and allow them to be encouraged to use their mother tongue for the
language of instruction at tertiary institution level and in the national arts council (ie, the Fiji Arts
Council with Fiji Institute of Technology).
What synergies can be established with sustainable tourism?
There is a need to recognize and protect the values of natural and cultural places while still
helping to meet the needs of visitors, the environment, the business and local community and
also recognize traditional management practices and systems as a method of resource
management in their own right. Integrated polices and implementation should provide for
archeological, environmental and cultural impact assessments for all projects.
What resources and institutional policy frameworks are required?
Should we wait another 10 years to find out what or if there has been any progress towards
implementing the Barbados plus 10 plan of action?
International level
At the International level it is suggested that a more structured and shorter reporting time to
assess progress made could be established through the existing UNESCO culture commission at
the UNESCO biennial general conference. This would bring together and contribute to a more
holistic approach for the combined science and culture commissions.
Regional level
In the Pacific Region, regional action plans for tangible, natural and cultural heritage have been
formulated through recently conducted regional consultative approaches. The plans need funding
and political will to be implemented and fully realized. This would establish a good starting point
for the Barbados plus 10 Action plan for consideration to address the conservation and
environmental needs of the small island developing states.
There is only one site protected under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention for the Pacific (in
the Solomons islands), a region which has been acknowledged as under-represented on the
UNESCO world heritage list. To address this, a draft action plan for natural and cultural heritage
for the world heritage Pacific 2009 programme has been compiled, while the Caribbean also has
formulated its action plan from its periodic reporting to the World Heritage Centre. Both Plans
require funding, human resources and political will to see their enactment.
This would indeed also provide opportunities for the promotion of cultural sites and itineraries
forming part of the slave route. The slave route in the Carribean, Indian and Pacific oceans
require a concerted regional approach for the documentation of cultural sites which could be done
through coordination from the world heritage center such as a Lapita pottery transboundary sites
across the Pacific, with the Indian indenture system and its movement. The movement of the
Solomon islanders and Vanuatu people working on cane fields and other Pacific islands and the
slave route from Africa.
Administrative support at the regional levels
To implement the formulated action plans extra human resources are required which would entail
establishing a joint SIDs office in the UNESCO headquarters culture commission and the World
Heritage center. There is also a need to strengthen the regional field offices with adequate
budgets and staffing to fulfill the call for human resources in the regional headquarters such as in
Apia, Samoa and Kingston, Jamaica. For example, the Apia cluster office could appoint a SIDs
coordinator to work and support the work of the existing cultural advisor, as a focal point for
intangible and tangible heritage. Science and culture sector projects for SID’s would involve
assigning human resources for sub regional project coordinators for Melanesia, Polynesia and
Micronesia,who could also jointly work with the other regional organizations involved in
environmental, social and policy matters for SIDs for a more coordinated approach.
Suggested strategies for the way forward
At national levels
 Formulate policy and programmes to record traditional knowledge and revitalise positive
customary cultural values, traditions and practices.
 Uphold the identity and rights of indigenous peoples in the development processes for
intellectual properties and copyright protection for creative arts.
 Increase community awareness and participation in conservation for natural and cultural
heritage management and protection.
 Foster and strengthen Human Resource Development in the Culture Heritage Sector by
establishing capacity building and formulate HRD plans with clearly defined outputs,
dates and budgets allocations (appendix 1).
 Educational policies need to emphasis and recognise the inclusion of the traditional
artists and custodians and allow them to be encouraged to use their mother tongue for
the language of instruction. development of cultural
 To support the sector legislative frameworks with training coordinated for qualified
experts involved in legislation for intangible and tangible heritage to address the small
island communities’ concerns.
At International levels

Strengthening of existing SID’s resources at the International level ie, at the UNESCO
Paris headquarters with bi annual progress reporting to the UNESCO General Assembly.

Establish SIDS implementation framework and institutional structure by 2005 through
allocation of Budget and Human resources for establishment of a SIDs department in
UNESCO culture commission and World Heritage center.
At Regional levels

Allocate Budget and Human resources for sub regional and sub-sub regional offices to
assist small island developing states to follow through and coordinate and assist with
policies, legislation and implementation of natural and cultural, tangible and intangible,
science and arts heritage projects as identified by the communities.

Allocate Budget and resources to implement the action plan for natural and cultural
heritage for the world heritage Pacific 2009 programme, and the Caribbean action plan
for small island developing states.

Assist in the formulation of regional action plans for countries who have not devised an
action plan and strategies for the implementation for site conservation and management.
Conclusion
The long term benefits for small island developing states choosing to safeguard, enhance and
promote small islands tangible and intangible cultural heritage will not only assist in building
national pride but will also address issues on identity by promoting mutual understanding
between individuals in different community groups towards a peaceful coexistence and will
ensure the continuance of traditional knowledge and practices for self sustainable communities
based on naturally occurring resources and know how for future generations. It will ensure the
conservation of heritage sites is given ownership from the community who are actively involved
participants in the process. Many plans towards culture and sustainable development have been
formulated over the years and what is needed now from the United Nations is to the support
UNESCO and assist in gaining the full support and political will from government policy makers,
with the main drivers being the custodians from the communities
Bibliography
Galla Amar,
Towards a cultural policy for Fiji Islands, Department of Culture, Fiji Islands, 2000
Leeming David, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Strengthening distance education through
wireless rural networking in Solomon islands, 2004
Qereqeretabua M, National Inventory on Traditional Fijian Knowledge and Expressions of
CultureReport, Institute of Fijian Language and culture, 2004
SPC, Pacific Regional Model law for Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Culture,
Noumea,New Caledonia, 2002
SPC, 9th Pacific Festival of Arts Report,Koror, Palau, 2004
SPREP, Action Strategy for Nature Conservation in the Pacific Islands, Apia, Samoa, 2004
SEAPAAVA, Audio Visual Archives Pacific Action Plan, Suva, Fiji Islands, 2001
Taufelungaki, Ana, Language and culture in the Pacific Region: Issues, practices and
alternatives, Pacific islands Forum Secretariat, 2004
Teasdale, Bob, Voices in a Seashell, Education culture and Identity, Institute of Pacific Studies,
USP and UNESCO,1992
Williams, E.B, Information Needs in the Pacific Islands; for library, archive, audiovisual collection
and ICT development in the Pacific Islands, UNESCO 1998
UNESCO, Arts Education in the Pacific Region: Heritage and Creativity, Nadi, Fiji, 2002
UNESCO,World Heritage Pacific region plan 2005-2009. UNESCO,New Zealand
UNESCO,Summary report of the development of the Carribean Action plans, in World Heritage.
Castires, St Lucia (23 to 27 Feb 2004) WHC 04/28.com/16
UNESCO 2004, Small islands voice: voices in a changing world
http://www.culture.gov.fj
http://www.fijiartcouncil.com.fj
http://www.peoplefirst.ner.sb
http://www.pcdf.org.fj
http://www.biodiv.org/programmes/socio-eco/traditional/default.asp
http://www.wwwfpacific.org.fj
http://wwwpacificartseducation.org
http://www.spc.int
http://www.sprep.org.ws
http://www.pireport.org
http://www.seapavaa.org
http://www.whc.unesco.org/archive//2004/index.html
http://www.unesco.org/general
http://www.unesco.org/csi/pub/papers/samoa.htm
http://www.unesco.org/csi/pub/papers2/siv.htm
http://www.ciswisepractices.org
http://www.sivglobal.org
Attach 1.
Human resource development for sector
Fostering and strengthening Human Resource Development in the Culture Heritage Sector is
required to establish Capacity building and formulate HRD plans for the sector with clearly
defined outputs, dates and budgets.
Training needs analysis and data compilation for the culture sector for the following areas.
preservation and dissemination including the statistics on archives, museums,
libraries, audio visual archiving systems.
The custodians passing on the heritage
Traditional custodians
Identification of the recognized traditional custodians.
National promotion through recognition for excellence awards for dance, storytelling,
theatre, architecture, canoeing and navigation, culinary arts, traditional healing and
games.
Contemporary studies and research
Identification of existing scholarship award holders and identification of candidates for
scholarly research leading up to Bachelor of Arts (BA) level (according to national needs)
with majors in:
Language studies/Oral History, Native languages of Pacific, Caribbean, Indian Ocean,
Anthropology, Traditional Knowledge and Science and Arts practices, Journalism,
Cultural Studies, Cultural Arts organisation management, Arts Festival Management.
Visual Communication (Design), Book Publishing, Print Management, Creative Writing,
Archaeology, Natural and Cultural Heritage Conservation, Under water heritage, Botany,
Marine Biology, Paleontology, Fine Arts: Dance, Music, Paintings, Weaving, Sculptors,
Carvings, Multimedia, Print Making, Performing Arts: Drama, Advertising, Architecture,
Building Science, Fashion, Interior, Industrial, Photography, Textile, Computer
Graphics, Animation, Illustration, Electronic Media, Arts Education.
Adi Meretui Ratunabuabua hails from Chiefly clan of Navatulevu, Nadi on the main island of Fiji or
Viti Levu. She is the Principal Cultural Development officer with the Fiji Government Ministry of
Fijian Affairs, Culture and Heritage and Regional development.
She was instrumental in the setting up of a school of the National School of Arts, Culture and
Design at the Fiji at the Fiji Institute of Technology in 2000. She is now works with the
Department of Culture and Heritage the government arm that work at the policy level coordinating
the national agencies involved in both intangible and tangible heritage in Fiji for their promotion
and protection of the heritage working with government and civil society.
Spent her formative years living in Europe as the daughter of a British Army military personnel.
After 22 years away from her homeland she had to relearn and rethink her culture and identity.