Marine turtles play a major traditional role in the local village community as a totem and provide an environmental marketing tool used by resorts to attract tourists. Turtles are harvested for traditional occasions such as deaths, weddings and church functions.
On the 2nd week of November, the team organized Schools general awareness on turtle conservation highlighting on the theme, protecting our Cultural Icon, Save our Sea Turtle. Participating schools includes Malolo District & Ratu Lalabalavu Secondary school on the 11th, Mana SDA school on the 12th and Namamanuca Primary School on the 13th respectively. Information was shared with the importance of turtles in relation to our traditional knowledge. The 20 minutes presentation highlighted on the traditional uses of turtles in Fiji and other Pacific islands, identification of turtle species, turtle crawls and also marks national recycling with the importance of waste management in relation to turtle conservation.
MES volunteer, Jessie shares legends on Turtle calling in Fiji. Students were delighted to hear such interesting myths and they knew that long before, our ancestor’s value cultural significance of sea turtles. Charts, newspaper articles and photos were also displayed during the programme. The programme consists of PowerPoint presentations, documentary on turtle calling from Nacamaki in Koro, Quizzes and ended up with beach clean up programme. The team showed dramas on Nesting Season best practices and how is waste a major threat to turtle population.
Mr Waqalevu, the head teacher for Malolo District commended on the programme. “The programme is of interest and essence to this generation for them to value the natural resources for the next generation. The programme ended with certificate presentation and refreshments for students and teachers.
MES hopes to get full support from communities, resorts and schools in protecting turtle population this nesting season as well as to continuing reach the conservation of turtle in the Mamanuca region.
