The Melanesian Elders for Conservation NetWork
We, the Elders of Melanesian Tribes, hereby are networking for demonstrating our “Melanesian Way Conservation” we inherited from our ancestors, contributing to our regional & global conservation work
3 Council of Elders
The Three Pillars of Melanesian Way Conservation consists of three groups of elders that become the spirit, demonstration and organisation of the Melanesian peoples.
The Melanesian Story Holders/ Spirit Elders
We encourage story holders or Spirit Elders to tell major stories and themes that are told in Story-House (Nakaman, Haus Tambaran, Kunu, Mbelamu, Pilamo…) in order to restore our identity and our nature as Melanesian peoples, as parts of Nature .
The Melanesian Nature Elders
The lores of nature in Melanesia says “We are, therefore, I am“: (1) Relationships among all communities of beings is the primary rule; (2) Inter-dependence of all individually and collectively; (3) organised according to the Laws and Lores of Nature, where respecting elders as the sign of our surrender to the truth of life and living as human beings.
The Melanesian Culture Elders
Customary laws are codified, legalized and formalized Laws and Lores of Nature, as understood, lived and regarded useful by the clans.
Codified Customary Laws become the Constitution for clans within the tribe to organise modern social, cultural and economic activities within modern modern-state legal framework.
Restore Stories House
Melanesians believe in and treat stories as the core of life. The stories are told in a particular way, at certain time and mostly in told in Stories House (Nakalam, Haus Tambaran, Mbelamu, Pilamo, Honai Laki-Laki, Men’s House…)
We believe that once we restore the “Stories House”, then it will organically pull all other aspects of life that enrich and sustain life will evolve.
Adopt a Hotspot
Families or clans adopt or become responsible for certain areas, plants, animals, objects, scapes, names, stories, events.
By Adopting a Hotspot, we are declaring globally that a network of individuals or groups are friends and therefore custodians of certain hotspots.
Conservation work is not only for Melanesian individuals and groups in isolation, but it becomes globally networked and collective custodianship.
Tribes Own NGO and Business Entity
The Constitution of the Tribe stipules all things about the tribe, therefore, a Clans Confederacy Foundation and a Customary Business Entity are instituted and formally established in order to help protect members of the tribe legally, socially, culturally and economically.
Whereas the Customary Business Entity is established to carry out daily business activities within the tribal customary boundaries and among members of the tribe.
2 Layers of Activities
Map the society and geography, restore the customary laws and institute tribal social, legal and cultural institution with customary economic entity.
The Stories and Storylines:
- Identifying stories across Melanesia.
- Identifying storylines across Melanesia.
- Formulating “One Storyline for Melanesian people and Melanesian region”
The Talks and Walks
- Articulating things learned from stories and storylines.
- Demonstrating of ways of life everyday.
- Setting examples.
“SPIRIT is Here, NATURE is Here, HERE we are! We humbly surrender to this truth and declare:
‘WE ARE MELNAESIA!’ ”
MSN
Trustee and Board Members
of the Melanesian Spirit and Nature Foundation Inc.
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