Vanuatu at Indigenous Terra Madre 2015

The five-member delegation that represented Vanuatu at the Indigenous Terra Madre (ITM) slow food gathering in Meshalaya District of the northeast Indian province of Shillong is now back in the country.

The team was led by Joel Simo, the Coordinator of Vanuatu Indigenous Land Defense Desk at the Vanuatu Kaljeral Senta in Port Vila, and he was accompanied by Edgar Hinge Sr. Edgar Hinge Jr., Lillian Reuben and Beverline Navua.

It was the first time that indigenous peoples of 58 countries in Africa, the Americas, Artic, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Russia and the Pacific, 148 communities and 615 delegates have come together for the festival since its inception.

The ITM was inspired by the Sami people who organized the First Indigenous Terra Madre in Jokmokk, Sweden, from June 17 to 19, 2011. In 2012 and 2014 the Indigenous Terra Madre meetings were held in Turin, Italy, leading to this Second Indigenous Terra Madre gathering.

Through these gatherings, indigenous communities around the world continue to create a platform for the exchange of experiences and ideas for protecting their sustainable local food systems and their food and seed sovereignty.

Edgar Hinge Sr. and his son, Junior were invited to put on sand drawing displays as part of the highlights of the gathering, but Hinge Sr. said that this was not possible due to time constraints.

He added that although the Vanuatu delegation members also did not participate in displaying examples of Vanuatu slow food examples, they were able to learn a lot of things that will assist them when they host the Vanuatu slow food festival on Tanna next year.

The hosts were given credit for being instrumental with ideas of helping the Indigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food Sovereignty to work out the programme of the ITM 2015 sessions.

At the end of the gathering, delegates agreed by consensus to 23 commitment and proposals for action. The following are the first four are: “1. We highlight the fundamental and spiritual connection that people have to soil, and how that relationship is the foundation for the health or ill of our food system; 2. We reiterate that agrobiodiversity that is created and maintained by indigenous peoples and rural communities throughout the world plays an essential part in achieving agroecological production; 3. We reaffirm that traditional knowledge plays an essential part in ensuring that agrobiodiversity and agroecological practices are maintained and made available for current and future generations; 4. We proclaim that Indigenous Peoples have already demonstrated the many ways in which agrobiodiversity can be used to adapt and build resilience. Adaptation to change, especially climate change, requires the use of the diversity present in and around production systems.”

The fifth proposal for action “calls upon Governments and other constitutional bodies to ensure indigenous peoples and local communities that care for and maintain their lands and territories must be allowed to continue to protect, sustainably use, restore and enrich the variety of seeds, breeds, fish, bees and other living organisms they host.

“They must be respected and acknowledged in appropriate ways for their stewardship role and capacity to generate magnificent food for people and cultures. They must be encouraged to nourish and strengthen the languages and traditional knowledge, practices and institutions that evolved with their agrobiodiversity, and they must be secured in the collective governance and management of the relevant land, water and natural resources.

“Finally, we express our appreciation for and solidarity with the Khasi Peoples, and thank them, the Government of Meghalaya, the city of Shillong and the villages of Moosakhia, Khweng, Dombah, Mawhiang, Nongwah, Pyrda, Laitsohpliah, Dewlieh and Nongtraw, and NESFAS for their warm hospitality in welcoming us to their traditional homelands.

“We further express appreciation to Slow Food International, the Indigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food Sovereignty, The Christensen Fund, AgroEcology Fund, Swift Foundation, Bread for the World, Tamalpais Trust, FAO and IFAD for supporting the development of Indigenous Terra Madre 2015.”