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Cultural Heritage, Sense of Place and the Impacts of Climate Change in American Samoa
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2022
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Source: Imperiled: The Encyclopedia of Conservation (2022)
[PDF-2.40 MB]
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Journal Title:Imperiled: The Encyclopedia of Conservation
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Description:The people of American Samoa have a strong connection to the land and sea as an inheritance passed on from one generation to the next. The voyaging ancestors of Samoans perfected the skill of navigating by the stars and the ocean, one testament to the connection to the sea. With land, the connection is to a fa’asinomaga (identity), which gives matai (chief) titles their meaning. Without a connection to the fanua (land) and the sami (marine environment), there is no unique identity linked to this special place. In American Samoa, cultural heritage and sense of place are intertwined, creating strong place attachment to the islands and their natural resources. The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa recognizes this connection and prioritizes cultural traditions and values in its approach to resource management and conservation. A recent assessment of sanctuary resources and ecosystem services found that one of the biggest threats to this heritage and sense of place is climate change. Low-lying villages that have been occupied for thousands of years are now threatened by sea level rise. Coral reefs have experienced repeated coral bleaching events, reducing the reefs’ ability to buffer storm waves and provide fish and invertebrates that sustain island families. American Samoa cannot stop climate change, but the Samoan people are working to protect ecosystem resources and make them more resilient to climate change impacts. The major challenge will be to develop strategies that respect cultural heritage and sense of place while mitigating the negative effects of climate change. The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa is an active part of these efforts, balancing traditional practices and scientific approaches to conserve these resources for present and future generations.
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Source:Imperiled: The Encyclopedia of Conservation (2022)
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Rights Information:Accepted Manuscript
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Compliance:Submitted
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