Bana Yarralji Bubu Inc. reporting on climate change in far north Queensland
In far north Queensland, CSIRO co-researchers from Bana Yarralji Bubu Incorporated, a group of Kuku Nyungkal people, are noticing that food and animals are disappearing from Nyungkal country (near Cooktown). They are gathering information and observations of these changes to be included in a new set of linked cultural and biophysical indicators.
"Our country is transforming – food is disappearing and with it some species of native animals," says Marilyn Wallace, Executive Officer of Bana Yarralji Bubu Inc.
Changes in weather patterns means changes in where and when you will find animals and flowering or seeding plants. Noticing these changes will give us a greater understanding of our environment and make it possible to respond to climate change to reduce the impacts on certain communities.
"We are very keen to combine science with traditional knowledge and lore to assess, monitor, measure, and if necessary develop strategies to intervene and mitigate threats to 'bubu' (country) caused by climate change," Marilyn says.
Traditional knowledge and scientific knowledge working together may result in new knowledge that can be used to look after the country.
Bana Yarralji Bubu Inc. is working with CSIRO and other research organisations to report on the culturally significant changes occurring in Nyungkal country.
Kuku Nyungkal rangers work in the area to look after Nyungkal country. They bring Aboriginal lore to the future care, protection and presentation of World Heritage-listed wet tropical forests, waterfalls, rivers and seas. They will collect information against their indicators for the Wet Tropics World Heritage area that will monitor environmental change.
Marilyn Wallace from Bana Yarralji Bubu Inc. has been involved in making a film that has recently been screened in Copenhagen as part of the Indigenous Voices on Climate Change film festival. This film talks about environmental changes and issues seen by the Kuku Nyungkal people and you can see some of it by following the links below.
by Beth Askham
