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Perceptions of disaster temporalities in two Indigenous societies from the Southwest Pacific

Jackson, Guy LU orcid (2021) In International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 57.
Abstract
Disasters are typically conceptualised as extreme events that disrupt the “normal” functioning of a society. Dominant framings imply temporal boundedness and nature as primarily responsible for environmental disasters. Yet, many critical investigations into the root causes of disasters have taken aim at their eventfulness and naturalness through convincing analysis of the historical construction of vulnerability. Relatively underexplored, however, is the examination of the lived experiences and perceptions of disaster temporalities, which are mediated through culture and institutions. This paper explores the perceptions of disaster temporalities within two Indigenous societies in the Southwest Pacific: the Bedamuni of Western Province,... (More)
Disasters are typically conceptualised as extreme events that disrupt the “normal” functioning of a society. Dominant framings imply temporal boundedness and nature as primarily responsible for environmental disasters. Yet, many critical investigations into the root causes of disasters have taken aim at their eventfulness and naturalness through convincing analysis of the historical construction of vulnerability. Relatively underexplored, however, is the examination of the lived experiences and perceptions of disaster temporalities, which are mediated through culture and institutions. This paper explores the perceptions of disaster temporalities within two Indigenous societies in the Southwest Pacific: the Bedamuni of Western Province, Papua New Guinea and Emae Island, Vanuatu. Additionally, disaster management actors’ perceptions are explored within Vanuatu. Based on two separate research projects utilising ethnographic methods to understand disaster vulnerability, the findings suggest different perceptions of disaster temporalities. The Bedamuni have historically normalised periods of food insecurity, and even though hazards are of great concern they were, and to some extent still are, considered a cyclical feature of life caused by spirits and human conjuration. They also tied major recent disasters to their eschatological beliefs, which pre-date introduced Christian teachings. Emae islanders, with far longer sustained contact with Western societies (including aid and development activities), appear to now experience and perceive large-scale disasters (e.g., cyclone Pam) as abnormal, natural, and discrete events that are tied to climate change. Both cultures understand many aspects of their disaster vulnerability but are more likely to focus on response, similar to disaster management actors in Vanuatu. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Disaster temporality, Ontology, Religion, Vulnerability, Indigenous, Pacific Islands
in
International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
volume
57
article number
102221
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85103975829
ISSN
2212-4209
DOI
10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102221
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e105f52a-4e10-4f40-a298-f837594f9624
date added to LUP
2021-04-12 07:09:50
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:14:11
@article{e105f52a-4e10-4f40-a298-f837594f9624,
  abstract     = {{Disasters are typically conceptualised as extreme events that disrupt the “normal” functioning of a society. Dominant framings imply temporal boundedness and nature as primarily responsible for environmental disasters. Yet, many critical investigations into the root causes of disasters have taken aim at their eventfulness and naturalness through convincing analysis of the historical construction of vulnerability. Relatively underexplored, however, is the examination of the lived experiences and perceptions of disaster temporalities, which are mediated through culture and institutions. This paper explores the perceptions of disaster temporalities within two Indigenous societies in the Southwest Pacific: the Bedamuni of Western Province, Papua New Guinea and Emae Island, Vanuatu. Additionally, disaster management actors’ perceptions are explored within Vanuatu. Based on two separate research projects utilising ethnographic methods to understand disaster vulnerability, the findings suggest different perceptions of disaster temporalities. The Bedamuni have historically normalised periods of food insecurity, and even though hazards are of great concern they were, and to some extent still are, considered a cyclical feature of life caused by spirits and human conjuration. They also tied major recent disasters to their eschatological beliefs, which pre-date introduced Christian teachings. Emae islanders, with far longer sustained contact with Western societies (including aid and development activities), appear to now experience and perceive large-scale disasters (e.g., cyclone Pam) as abnormal, natural, and discrete events that are tied to climate change. Both cultures understand many aspects of their disaster vulnerability but are more likely to focus on response, similar to disaster management actors in Vanuatu.}},
  author       = {{Jackson, Guy}},
  issn         = {{2212-4209}},
  keywords     = {{Disaster temporality; Ontology; Religion; Vulnerability; Indigenous; Pacific Islands}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction}},
  title        = {{Perceptions of disaster temporalities in two Indigenous societies from the Southwest Pacific}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102221}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102221}},
  volume       = {{57}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}