Time flies, and I have finished my field placement with the
Blossom Project with ADRA Vanuatu. I learned a lot about the livelihoods
and the situation of Indigenous peoples in the South Pacific.It has been a great experience for me to work in field of
development in a diverse cultural setting.
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| Community Elder carving a traditional boat |
One of the lessons I learned is that relationship building
is the most important element. Relationships built on mutual respect must be at
the foundation of development goals; in fact, I would consider it as the golden
goal. Regardless of the politics and where the money comes from for the
development projects, mutual respect and sincere collaboration is at the core
for sustainable development. I am grateful for the insights I gained in my MDP
Indigenous Evaluation course, because I was able to see the value of humility
as an essential part of intercultural communication and learning.
As I mentioned in the first blog, I spent a lot of time out of working hours weaving myself into the Ni-Vanuatu culture so I could learn more about their values, and understand how they look at and find solutions to different problems. For example, tackling complex issues like domestic violence, it is hard to use the ‘Gender Equality’ framework applied in a Western context, since the cultural context of Vanuatu is quite different. Therefore, imposing foreign values onto the local people could result in more conflict within the community. That is not to say that the serious problem of domestic violence should not be addressed; however, careful consideration of the community values regarding gender roles and expectations must be acknowledged, and included in any plan or strategy. In my observations, I noted that the local staff of the Blossom Project does an excellent job utilizing and building on the capacity of local people and communities. It is important to support and enhance local capacity and move away from reliance on outside sources and expertise.
One excellent example of local cultural values is in their marriage ceremonies, where both men and women play important roles. I attended a wedding ceremony in Vanuatu and observed that a wedding is regarded as two families bonding, and not only the two people. This bond is a valuable social structure that provides a protective system and support network for the two families. During the ceremony, women were honored for their importance to family and community life, and given a place of honor and respect.
As I mentioned in the first blog, I spent a lot of time out of working hours weaving myself into the Ni-Vanuatu culture so I could learn more about their values, and understand how they look at and find solutions to different problems. For example, tackling complex issues like domestic violence, it is hard to use the ‘Gender Equality’ framework applied in a Western context, since the cultural context of Vanuatu is quite different. Therefore, imposing foreign values onto the local people could result in more conflict within the community. That is not to say that the serious problem of domestic violence should not be addressed; however, careful consideration of the community values regarding gender roles and expectations must be acknowledged, and included in any plan or strategy. In my observations, I noted that the local staff of the Blossom Project does an excellent job utilizing and building on the capacity of local people and communities. It is important to support and enhance local capacity and move away from reliance on outside sources and expertise.
One excellent example of local cultural values is in their marriage ceremonies, where both men and women play important roles. I attended a wedding ceremony in Vanuatu and observed that a wedding is regarded as two families bonding, and not only the two people. This bond is a valuable social structure that provides a protective system and support network for the two families. During the ceremony, women were honored for their importance to family and community life, and given a place of honor and respect.
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| Preparing handwoven wedding mats for Bride's family as show of unity and respect between the two families |
Another way to build on local capacity is to support the
community care model for children rather than the orphanage model. In Vanuatu,
there are no orphanages, and no tradition of legal adoption. Instead, members
of the child’s extended family take on the parenting role, and provide the care
and love. Imposing a formalized legal adoption and child welfare system would
not work because it would be resisted by the population. In contrast, the
community care model could be promoted and supported.
Therefore, I would like to end my field placement with the idea
of ‘Accentuating Positive Practices’ in the upcoming project activities. I have
seen many inspiring examples of resilience and strength in the Ni-Vanuatu
community, and I believe that they deserve the right and the opportunity to
practice self-determined development.
I have learned so much, but
there is still more to learn. Again, thank you ADRA Vanuatu, ADRA South Pacific
Office and the MDP program of the University of Winnipeg. It has been a
tremendously meaningful experience.
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| ADRA Vanuatu staff & ADRA South Pacific trainer at Emergency Response Training Workshop, Titima (far right) |
