Publications
Illustrations
Chief Roi Mata's Domain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Efate Island in Vanuatu, is depicted through detailed maps illustrating its core area and buffer zone. These visual representations provide a comprehensive spatial understanding of the site's significance, highlighting its ecological and cultural importance. The illustrations, part of the publication 'My Land, My Life,' serve as a critical tool for both academic and general audiences, offering insights into the geographical context of this culturally rich domain.
A Night on the Island: Jean Guiart and Roi Mata on Lelepa
A pivotal ethnographic encounter between Jean Guiart and Lelepa elders in 1958 uncovered critical details about the late sixteenth-century 'court' of Chief Roi Mata, a key figure in Vanuatu's history. Guiart's meticulous field notes from this single evening on Lelepa became foundational for José Garanger's later archaeological surveys (1966-67), which directly informed the nomination and inscription of Chief Roi Mata’s Domain as Vanuatu’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. The study reconstructs this encounter by cross-referencing Guiart’s field journal, interview recollections, and oral histories from participating elders, highlighting its enduring significance for both cultural heritage preservation and archaeological research.
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.
Ecological management in a cultural landscape
A biodiversity survey of Artok, part of Chief Roi Mata’s Domain (CRMD) in Vanuaturevealed the island to be a critical refuge for endangered species, including those listed under IUCN Red List and CITES Appendices. The study identified a low presence of invasive species compared to nearby Efate and documented a potential new subspecies of skink, endemic to Artok. This scientific assessment provided the local ni-Vanuatu community with additional ecological data to strengthen their defense against development pressures and cultural erosion. The research employed a collaborative approach, integrating traditional knowledge with standardized biodiversity surveys, offering a model for holistic ecological management in culturally significant landscapes.
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