Social Evaluation Study for the Milne Bay Community-Based Coastal and Marine Conservation Program png/99/G41 Jeff Kinch April 2001 unops contract for Services Ref
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Housing Housing in the Zone 1 has changed over the period of colonial contact. Originally houses were of curved roof structure with simple doorways and little ventilation. One colonial officer reports for Brooker (CBMMCA 3) that: . . . housing is not of a high standard. However thatching material is scarce and the islanders have to carry it by canoe for long distances from the larger island of other Sub-Divisions. In most cases, houses were adequate considering that half the peoples’ time is spent on canoes, or in uninhabited island shelters in search of seafood and shell (Territory of Papua New Guinea. 1956: 2). In all CBMMCAs most residential houses are now of a European pitch roof style and are made from local materials. Ware (CBMMCA 3) is the exception, with 46 houses with iron roofs and numerous others constructed of 'European' materials. Most bush materials are sourced either from home or other islands or traded in from more heavily forested areas. Coconut palm fronds are usually cut from senile trees and used for bearers and rafters. Sago palm leaves are used for the roof and walls and are traded in from Misima or islands to the east, particularly Sudest for the Deboyne Islands (CBMMCA 2) and Brooker (CBMMCA 3). The Engineers (CBMMCA 2) and Ware (CBMMCA 3) trade these materials from Basilaki. Black or betel palm used for flooring is also traded. Nails are now commonly used in construction, which is usually a group enterprise. A separate house for cooking may be built next to the residence, though fireboxes are also commonly found inside households, though women do prefer to cook out of doors. Together with the impact of cyclones and the tropical climate, houses generally need to be replaced every 5 to10 years with some minor repairs on the walls and roof during that time. Faunal Use: Animal Husbandry and Hunting and Collecting Domesticated Animals: Pigs and Chickens Pigs are the main domesticated animals kept by the people in all CBMMCAs. They eventually end up in feasts or as exchange for other valuables like shell money, axes and canoes. The numbers of pigs at any one time will fluctuate during the year depending on the needs and demands of mortuary and feasting obligations. Pigs are usually fed on coconuts and leftovers from meals. Pigs are a serious threat to gardens requiring people to build large fences. The price of pigs varies depending on size and where they come from. This price may vary from 50 to 700 kina. Chickens are also husbanded and retail between 5 to 10 kina each. Birds and Other Wild AnimalsBush fowl (megapodes) are found on most islands in Zone 1, and the nests are seasonaly raided for eggs. Pigeons are common, including the Imperial pigeons (Ducula spp.) and the Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica). These are tramp species preferring smaller islets and atolls. They are a popular food source for people in CBMMCA 3 and they are commonly harvested in the months of November to January as they are nesting on the outer islands. People will catch them as fledglings and later raise them in coops until they are big enough to eat. People also harvest tern (Sterna spp.) eggs. These terns lay their eggs on the rubbly shoreline, their speckled shell blending in with the broken coral, and seaweed. Zoologically the islands in Zone 1 are very depauperate in terrestrial fauna. The non-avian vertebrate fauna consists of geckos, skinks, snakes, possum, sugar gliders, goanna and bats (cf NSR, 1987; Pernetta, 1986, Zeigler, 1982; Hill, 1965, Bonaccorso, 1998). The only mammal that is consumed in most CBMMCAs is the locally found possum. These are usually caught more in the months of July to September as people are spending more time in the bush preparing and harvesting gardens. At Anagusa (CBMMCA 3) bats are hunted in limestone caves on surrounding islands. Subsistence Fishing CBMMCA 1 In the Nuakata Fisheries survey conducted in 2000, 76 households out of 100 were surveyed. Eleven percent of households surveyed said they went fishing every day with a total of 96% saying they had gone fishing in the last three days (Kelokelo and Kinch, 2000). Twenty-five percent went fishing on reefs outside the village, and 63% fished at Daiwali and Bwelama, the two offshore islands to the east. Of this fish, 61% was eaten while 38% was sold to markets at East Cape and Alotau. October to March is the main time for fishing due to the calm weather with 85% fishing at this time (see also Mallet, 1996). The main methods of fishing are diving, trolling and handlining. Nuakata people also use a method called wodam where burning coconut fronds are used to attract fish which are then speared by sharpened black palm splints tied onto a wooden handle with cane rope (Kelokelo, 2000). Seventy percent of all households surveyed at Nuakata said they ate fish at least three times per week (Kelokelo and Kinch, 2000) with the consumption of clams, trochus, spider and cone shells also contributing to the diet. Turtle does not appear to be a major food item with only 7% claiming to have caught green turtles, and no one had eaten dugong. Fishermen in this CBMMCA are concerned over decreasing fishing yields and most inshore reefs are now regarded as depleted. Reasons cited include more divers/fishermen compared to 10 years ago, the use of nylon fishing nets and Taiwan style fishing. Concepts proposed for protection of resources are closed seasons, banning of certain methods, no jagging and no forked spears for sardines and trevally species, and a low tide closure for women. Also several people believe that diving for marine resources should stop for awhile to allow them to rebuild. This shows that communities are thinking about decresaing catches and possible effects. CBMMCA 2 On Tubetube in 1980, people fished regularly 3 to 4 times a week, and fish was eaten on most days (MacIntyre 1983a). Whereas in earlier days, subsistence fishing techniques required the mobilisation of groupings larger than households, by 1980 fishing had become mainly a household activity. In the Deboyne Islands, Panaeati people have access to rich fishing potential in the Deboyne Lagoon, and outside the reef. It appeared to Berde (1974) that marine resource use had been more important in the past (pre-1950s) than in 1970-71. He saw the decline in marine resource use as due to contemporary pressures by the local government council to restrict people to other scheduled activities (fishing was said to be mainly limited to Saturdays). Before the 1950s when the mission was most significant, it encouraged large group fishing expeditions outside as well as inside the reef, especially on Saturdays (since fishing on Sundays was prohibited; Berde 1974). During this period, trading in fish to Misima was said to be more important. However, by the 1970s, people were fishing only on Saturdays as a result of local government council scheduling, and Berde estimated that the average household was eating fish less than twice a week during most of the year. By the 1970s, Panaeati were still using a range of fishing techniques, for example, large nets when tides were lowest (June-August), smaller nets, hooks, spears, and ‘poison’. It also appeared that older techniques were declining. There were only three large fishing nets left on the island, and only one young man was actively learning how to make such nets. Berde thought that group communal fishing was likely to disappear. Fishing throught this area and the Milne Bay Province in general has become a family/clan orientated activity for the pursuit of cash, especially as other sources of marine resources are more valuable. CBMMCA 3 Fishing methods commonly used are gleaning, hand lining, net fishing and spear fishing. Reef fish are caught by spearing and by hook and line fishing. Gleaning is most commonly done by women along the foreshore or reef flats. No stupefacients are used by Brooker people, unlike other parts of the District such as Misima, Panaeati and Sudest (see Kolkolo, 1998). Table 41: Types of Fishing Techniques used at Brooker (CBCMMA 3) (Source: Kinch, 1999)
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