LAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OUR LAND OUR LIFE Definition: Indigenous Peoples: Sovereignty and Key Role of Beliefs All of these Elements UNENCLOSED Languages

LAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLESLAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLESOUR LAND OUR LIFEOUR LAND OUR LIFE

Definition: Indigenous Peoples:Definition: Indigenous Peoples:Sovereignty and Key Role of BeliefsSovereignty and Key Role of Beliefs

All of these Elements UNENCLOSEDAll of these Elements UNENCLOSED

Languages

Cultures

Communities

Work/Food

Land

Beliefs/Education

LAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLESLAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLESOUR LAND OUR LIFEOUR LAND OUR LIFE

Land is Life:Land is Life:

Land is life for a people who are dependent on subsistence Land is life for a people who are dependent on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods and whose identity, kinship agriculture for their livelihoods and whose identity, kinship structure, language, ancestral beings and spiritual self is to a structure, language, ancestral beings and spiritual self is to a large degree founded on land. large degree founded on land.

As the first Minister for Lands in Vanuatu, Sethy Regenvanu, As the first Minister for Lands in Vanuatu, Sethy Regenvanu, stated famouslystated famously; ;

– Land to ni-Vanuatu is what a mother is to a baby. It is with land Land to ni-Vanuatu is what a mother is to a baby. It is with land that he defines his identity and it is with land that he maintains his that he defines his identity and it is with land that he maintains his spiritual strength. spiritual strength.

– Land under the traditional tenure provides more than what a Land under the traditional tenure provides more than what a mother gives us in life.mother gives us in life.

LAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLESLAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLESOUR LAND, OUR LIFEOUR LAND, OUR LIFE

• Land is spiritualLand is spiritual

• Cement and create relationshipsCement and create relationships

• Binds families, clans and tribes togetherBinds families, clans and tribes together

• Get everything that the need in lifeGet everything that the need in life

• It is the people’s whole beingIt is the people’s whole being

• Land is inclusive, it is our land vs my landLand is inclusive, it is our land vs my land

• Land is the biggest employer in Melanesia and provide security from Land is the biggest employer in Melanesia and provide security from hunger and homelessness.hunger and homelessness.

• Land our only safety netLand our only safety net

De-customization And monetization of Land De-customization And monetization of Land in Vanuatu and Melanesiain Vanuatu and Melanesia

• Land in Vanuatu and Melanesia initially had Land in Vanuatu and Melanesia initially had started to have momentary value added when:started to have momentary value added when:

Traders came to set up Traders came to set up plantationsplantations

Missionaries, churchesMissionaries, churches

EducationEducation

Modern developmentModern development

Financial institutions and Financial institutions and companiescompanies


• Customary land tenure in Vanuatu and Melanesia is a ‘obstacle to Customary land tenure in Vanuatu and Melanesia is a ‘obstacle to Development’ (land registration is the way forward)Development’ (land registration is the way forward)

• ““Ausaid and NZaid have agreed to to provide assistance to the country’s Ausaid and NZaid have agreed to to provide assistance to the country’s land sector” to free up land under the customary land tenure for land sector” to free up land under the customary land tenure for development purposesdevelopment purposes

• Assist to ‘establish a Assist to ‘establish a land registryland registry and information' it is taking away the and information' it is taking away the land from the customary tenure land from the customary tenure enclosed it and place its records in the enclosed it and place its records in the officeoffice

• Assist the government to establish and Assist the government to establish and effective effective lease systemlease system and development and development planningplanning

• Provide foreign advisors and Provide foreign advisors and consultants to draw up the country’s consultants to draw up the country’s land road map.land road map.


• Trade Liberalization provide an Trade Liberalization provide an open door to development and open door to development and investorsinvestors

• Promote the neo-liberal economy Promote the neo-liberal economy • fantasyfantasy

• Corrupt land dealings by Corrupt land dealings by individuals and investorsindividuals and investors

• Weak land monitoring system Weak land monitoring system enhances the corrupt dealings to enhances the corrupt dealings to continue unabated.continue unabated.

• Land in Vanuatu and Melanesia is gradually individualized.Land in Vanuatu and Melanesia is gradually individualized.

• Under the adopted laws the land is ENCLOSED and parceled for individualsUnder the adopted laws the land is ENCLOSED and parceled for individuals


• Free- up land for developmentFree- up land for development

• Land registration for development Land registration for development and securityand security

• Land to be under the power of the Land to be under the power of the state and the companiesstate and the companies

• Promote developments that disturbs Promote developments that disturbs traditional economiestraditional economies

LAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLESLAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

GRAON HEMI LAEF BLONG YUMIGRAON HEMI LAEF BLONG YUMIOUR LAND OUR LIFEOUR LAND OUR LIFE

Traditional Economy and Customary land Traditional Economy and Customary land tenuretenure

• Strengthen relationship between families clans and tribesStrengthen relationship between families clans and tribes

• Land dispute resolutions that ensures that everyone has a place to live Land dispute resolutions that ensures that everyone has a place to live (win/win)(win/win)

• More than 80% of Vanuatu(2007 Agriculture census) and 63.9% of More than 80% of Vanuatu(2007 Agriculture census) and 63.9% of population of the Pacific (World Bank 2009) survive on traditional economy population of the Pacific (World Bank 2009) survive on traditional economy (subsistence economy)(subsistence economy)

• Traditional land is the basis for the resilience to the global economyTraditional land is the basis for the resilience to the global economy

• The people have the power and control over their The people have the power and control over their own livesown lives

• everything that is taken from the land is free and everything that is taken from the land is free and the customary tenure is flexiblethe customary tenure is flexible

• Independence and freedom from the monetary Independence and freedom from the monetary systemsystem

Who has the answers? The Who has the answers? The consultants or the peopleconsultants or the people

• Will the Pacific Islanders and their Will the Pacific Islanders and their indigenous peoples become the nest helpless indigenous peoples become the nest helpless victims of corporate victims of globalization?victims of corporate victims of globalization?

• OROR• Will we use our customary power to help Will we use our customary power to help

bring true spirituality, true civilization and bring true spirituality, true civilization and true Development to the world that has true Development to the world that has sovereign powersovereign power

• There are thousands of answers that each There are thousands of answers that each indigenous people can give us right across indigenous people can give us right across the pacific.the pacific.

Vanuatu’s or our AlternativeVanuatu’s or our Alternative

• Customary land tenure and the traditional economy are Customary land tenure and the traditional economy are our our only way forward in Melanesia in particular Vanuatu.(only only way forward in Melanesia in particular Vanuatu.(only resource is land)resource is land)

• Allow for Melanesians to fully participate in and drive the Allow for Melanesians to fully participate in and drive the process and control the outcomesprocess and control the outcomes

• Land is the biggest employer in Melanesia and provide Land is the biggest employer in Melanesia and provide security from hunger and homelessness.security from hunger and homelessness.

• With the fragile island states With the fragile island states environment land reformsenvironment land reforms imposed on us will have adverse consequences.imposed on us will have adverse consequences.

• Tankyu tumas long harim blong yu.Tankyu tumas long harim blong yu.

Documents

LAND AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OUR LAND OUR LIFE Definition: Indigenous Peoples: Sovereignty and Key Role of Beliefs All of these Elements UNENCLOSED Languages