Glossary of Terms
Chapter 5: Review of case study site
5.1 Study area description
5.1.5 Culture and customs
The culture in Tarawa is mostly that of I-Kiribati people who have arrived from the outer islands in search for opportunities of the more urban and modern life, and in particular education for their children (Kirion 1985a). Another attraction of Tarawa is its social context with a lively range of cultural activities that include music, dancing and fishing (Onorio 1985;
Kirion 1985b).
In the old traditional order, there was no sense of national Kiribati unity, but these days most I- Kiribati feel a strong national pride (Talu 1985). Kiribati society is still very much governed by traditional customs, but this is now combined with modern institutions into a unique combination (Talu 1985). The first early contacts with European visitors were Spaniards (in the 1500s) searching for new territories, followed by British (in the 1700s) but these were brief and infrequent with no major impact on I-Kiribati society (Macdonald 1982). Following the early contacts was the much more influential trade (mainly with whalers), colonisation by the British Empire, and arrival of Christian missions (Macdonald 1982).
The impact of Christian missions has fundamentally changed I-Kiribati life (Kirata 1985).
Whilst some traditional beliefs remain, these have largely been replaced and given new
164 meanings, through the belief in a various Christian denomination (Kirata 1985). Traditional spiritual beliefs continue to be practised but less openly amongst families (Kuruppu 2009).
Christian churches provide free education and women’s empowerment, and an increasing level of individualism, but have also been criticised (Kirata 1985; Kuruppu 2009). Criticisms relate in particular to the demands for donations, and the social problems and increasing levels of poverty that this causes (Kuruppu 2009). In fact, Kuruppu (2009) identifies the role of religion in Kiribati as a significant impediment to climate change adaptation and adequate urban water management.
Customs and culture in Kiribati are unique and those who arrived from other places tend to be perceived as odd (Kirion 1985a). In fact, there is a concept in the I-Kiribati language, which is I- Matang that refers to Westerners (Talu 1985; Jones 1997; Asian Development Bank 2004a).
This term is also used to describe ideas that come from a Western perspective, and without consideration of ‘how it works in Kiribati’ (Jones 1997; Asian Development Bank 2004a).
Therefore, a project that is considered I-Matang will have a reduced chance of success, and consequently, collaboration with I-Kiribati people in developments should be seen as critical (Asian Development Bank 2004a).
There are a number of cultural features and customs that need to be considered in water management in Tarawa. Firstly, it must be recognised that administrations only have a short history in Kiribati and are sometimes in conflict with traditional decision making structures and practices (Talu 1985; Jones 1997; Asian Development Bank 2003c). In Kiribati, the family is the traditional core unit, and male elders are representatives for the families in a village (Talu 1985). These male elders meet in the Maneaba which is a traditional building where, among other things, decisions are being made (Talu 1985; Tabokai 1993). Such decisions often involve long discussions and are reached in a relatively democratic manner (Tabokai 1993; Asian Development Bank 2004a). Within the Maneaba, there is certain etiquette and rules and as an outsider coming to Kiribati it is difficult to know how to behave appropriately in these circumstances, especially without speaking the language (Asian Development Bank 2004a). The
165 debate in the Maneaba is not polarised, and the aim of the elaborate decision making process is to reach consensus (Tabokai 1993).
Other cultural aspects also need to be considered such as the fact that old age is respected in I- Kiribati culture, and that the I-Kiribati culture is male dominated (Asian Development Bank 2004a). Women’s roles in I-Kiribati society are however changing, and are increasingly being asked to give advice and take responsibilities outside of their traditional spheres (Tira 1985).
Another view that is encountered is that women are more suitable than men for contributing to long term planning and management of the water supply as their traditional roles require more foresight and careful consideration (Asian Development Bank 2004a).
The context of Tarawa also needs to be considered in terms of the limited amount of employment opportunities and the fact that the majority of the community are still engaged in subsistence activities (Tofiga 1985; Jones 1997). This generally involves fishing, collection of coconuts as well as a small number of other crops, such as swamp taro, breadfruit, pandanus (for their leaves), bananas etc (Tofiga 1985). More recently, new crops have arrived such as limes, tobacco and other exotic introductions (Tofiga 1985). Households often also keep pigs and chicken, and there are a large number of cats and dogs on the Tarawa islands (Jones 1997).
There is also a local custom called bubuti, which is an acceptable way of sharing resources by relatives being able to take possession of material belongings without asking permission (Jones 1997; Asian Development Bank 2004a). This also means that relatives can come to live on your land and can not be refused to do so (Jones 1997). These customs and norms mean that strategies based on money that are typically used in Western developed countries are not always suitable (Asian Development Bank 2004b). On the other hand, financial issues have been identified as a key factor in the conflict over land on the water reserves; in particular in relation to the discrepancy between land lease payments and market land prices (Dray et al. 2006a;
2006b; 2007). This shows that money is indeed an important consideration at least for some;
and this may be a reflection of a move by many families away from traditional subsistence
166 living. The role of money in Tarawa appears to be complicated and contentious where little can be taken for granted.