Disaster as Opportunity? Cyclone Pam and the Transmission of Cultural Heritage

Cyclone Pam (2015) exposed both risks and opportunities for cultural heritage transmission at Chief Roi Mata’s Domain (CRMD), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vanuatu. The study reveals that while disasters often threaten tangible and intangible heritage, they can also catalyze its redefinition and renewal. By analyzing the disaster's impact through a 'disaster biography' framework, researchers found that repetitive natural hazards reshape cultural practices and heritage narratives, blending destruction with creative adaptation. This approach shifts focus from loss to opportunity, demonstrating how post-disaster cultural reworkings can preserve or transform heritage in dynamic ways.

Ballard, C., Wilson, M., Nojima, Y., Matanik, R., & Shing, R. (2019). Disaster as Opportunity? Cyclone Pam and the Transmission of Cultural Heritage. Anthropological Forum, 30(1-2), 91–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00664677.2019.1647825