Uto (common name: breadfruit; scientific name: artocarpus altilis)\u000b\u000b\n\nsignificance/indicators of uto: Bears more than three fruits in a branch.\n\nIn a breadfruit tree which often bears more that three fruits in a branch which also been found to significantly enhance the ability to understand and interpret warning information. The usage of traditional knowledge leads to practical strategies that are accepted by local cultures and are therefore more likely to be sustained. The incorporation of traditional knowledge into warning systems has been recommended to increase perceptions of reliability and hopefully thus increasing responses.\n

Draunivudi (common name: plantain; scientific name: musa app)\n\n\u000b\u000bsignificance/indicators of draunivudi: Young shoot is bent before it flowers.\u000b\u000b\n\nThe young shoot of the vudi or plaintain is bent before it flowers, this type of knowledge is often overlooked and undervalued as not being ‘scientific’, but rather inaccessible and different or difficult to deal with. However, natural warning signs are understood locally by people who may feel alienated from the scientific system, and give good lead times for preparation. \n\n

The two-year preliminary survey started in 2015 with the participation of the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga. Each partner selected two or three local institutes with stored ICH recordings. Considering time and resources, we decided that each partner institutes would identify and include at least 300 data materials and information about their location, storage conditions, and contents.\n\nThanks to our partners’ efforts and cooperation, we now have better understanding of the available ICH materials. This report is based on the five submitted survey reports. It contains basic metadata of the target materials, types of recordings, current storage conditions, frequency of usage, and other information. While this report does not cover all dormant data in the Pacific, we hope it can serve as a first step in activating dormant ICH data.

Recently, in early September, Hurricane Ida struck the Caribbean, and the Southern and Northeastern states of the U.S. caused catastrophic flooding, even the death of the people. Even Australian Bushfires, Cyclone Amphan hit Bangladesh and India, Volcano eruption in the Philippines in 2020 scratched the people all over the world. Mother nature makes human beings humble; however, we get the power from nature to overcome hardships at the same time. This volume mainly introduces traditional knowledge and oral traditions by focusing on who, what, and how with the Pacific Islands, Japan, India, and Thailand cases.