The average garden size for Brooker and Panawidiwidi is 375 metres squared, while on Panapatpat it is 230 metres squared. The small size of gardens on Panapatpat is due to the nature of the island. The estimated area under production for Brooker people for 1999-2000 was 43635 metres squared with an expected yield of approximately 94 tonnes (see Kinch, 1999).
On Brooker gardens are made by a single household or divided into sections for different members of the family. Clearing and burning is usually performed by the male head of the family unit with the help of male relatives to break the soil and mark out the land for planting, a job which can be completed in one day by about 10 to 20 individuals. Garden sites are normally cleared and burnt between the months of July and October, depending on the prevailing weather conditions. Logs from the clearing are used for fencing or for rudimentary terracing. Following burning, the gardens are cleared of any remaining branches in preparation for planting. At this stage the garden will be divided up into sections and men will prepare yam-planting holes. The man’s wife and female relatives then plant the crop and maintain the garden. Time is flexible and as the sole activity of the woman, gardens will be harvested in stages depending on demand and yam size. In some cases the top of the yam will be cut off and replanted for next year. The yams are sorted into two groups into food and seed yams and placed in yam houses located in or near the garden. Selection depends often on the type and size of the yam, the number of adventitious roots or the length of the stolon. Generally one third to a half of the harvest will be set aside for seed. After harvesting gardens will be replanted with yams and tapioca. Gardens from the previous year remain active in supplying vegetable foods. There is little weeding of these older gardens.
Recommendation:
14. Incorporate land use surveys into the MBP since land availability for subsistence productivity is one of the most important future constraint to sustainable livelihoods. Investigate the impact of the introduced African snail and other exotic species.
Plant use
People within the CBMMCAs utilise a wide variety of plants in everyday activities. A list is provided below. As vegetation types are very similar across all CBMMCAs, the information is likely to be valid for most areas.
Table 40: Plant Use on Brooker (CBMMCA 3) (Source: PhD Field Notes)
Misiman Name
|
Species Name
|
Use
|
Aipapakena
|
Unidentified
|
Used for outrigger platform
|
Atat
|
Unidentified
|
Used as twine, obtained from Motorina
|
Bulesi
| |
Used to start fires
|
Ebal
| |
Used as caulking
|
Egialgial
|
Unidentified
|
Used for digging sticks, bark chewed as betelnut substitute
|
Gagabu
|
Unidentified
|
Used for roasting sago in feasts
|
Ganawan
| Cordia subcordata |
Used for fishing reels, rudders and houseposts
|
Hela
| Terminalia arenicola |
Used for prau boards
|
Kakamaa
|
Unidentified
|
Used in canoe hull construction
|
Liawa
|
Pandanus spp.
|
Used for baskets, nets and mats
|
Lehe (betel nut)
| Areca catechu |
Used for flooring
|
Logabola
|
Unidentified
|
Used for housing, from Panaeati
|
Malawai
|
Unidentified
|
Used for canoe sides/planks
|
Mwaneni
| Ficus trachypison |
Used as sandpaper and for scouring pots
|
Saube
|
Unidentified
|
Used for axehandles and for outrigger supports
|
Taniyala
| |
Used in Yogowau (first born) ceremony
|
Towalu (black palm)
|
Unidentified
|
Used for flooring and spearguns
|
Vihowan
|
Unidentified
|
Used for outrigger, from Basilaki, Duau and Suau
|
Wakai (bread fruit)
| Artocarpus communis |
Used for outrigger
| |