Traditional Indigenous Ecological Knowledge to Enhance Community-Based Disaster Resilience: Taiwan Mountain Area

Abstract

The Sendai and Hyogo Frameworks emphasize integrating modern science with Indigenous knowledge, a bottom-up community-based disaster management approach. However, a top-down disaster management mechanism and a lack of awareness about Indigenous knowledge are part of the current reality in Taiwan. This study chose the great Cinsbu, an Atayal community in Taiwan, as a case study area, using interviews to explore traditional ecological knowledge in Indigenous people’s daily lives. The study also applies a bottom-up, community-based approach through workshops. This study’s goals are to apply Indigenous knowledge to improve community disaster planning and to work with communities to assist them in utilizing their (Indigenous) knowledge and resources. As a key to achieving disaster resilience, the study highlights three approaches based on traditional ecological knowledge: the natural environment, agriculture production, and social capital. The natural environment approach integrates modern science and traditional ecological knowledge through community risk mapping. The agriculture production approach conserves seeds and stores food using traditional methods, such as pickling and storing in traditional barns. The social capital approach establishes a disaster management organization based on social networking. Finally, the community develops hazard preparedness and disaster response measures based on traditional ecological knowledge. These measures can be integrated with existing disaster management to form a specific mechanism for Indigenous communities.