Journal article
“Winga Is Trying to Get in”: Local Observations of Climate Change in the Tiwi Islands
J Barnett, T Konlechner, E Waters, MW Minnapinni, S Jarillo, B Austral, J De Santis, L Head, C Rioli, A King
Earth S Future | Published : 2023
DOI: 10.1029/2022EF002808
Abstract
There is a growing body of research documenting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities' observations of changes in climate. The accuracy, efficacy, and transferability of this research depends on its motives and methods. In this paper, we report on research to produce a working knowledge of changes in climate and its impacts on local biophysical systems in the Tiwi Islands in Northern Australia. Interviews with 52 Tiwi people were combined with diverse forms of aerial data to produce a nuanced understanding of climate change in these remote islands. These data show changes in climate-sensitive biophysical systems that would otherwise remain undetected by instruments conventionally used for..
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Awarded by Australian Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
Acknowledgments We are extremely grateful to all the Tiwi people who shared their observations and time with the research team, including: Pamela Brooks, Virginia Brooks, Kaye Brown, Theresa Burak, Doriana Bush, Jonathon Bush, Michelle Bush, Shannon Cook, Timothy Cooke, Trina Cunningham, Darren Daniels, David Guy, Glen Farmer Illormortini, Alan Kerinauia, Raelene Kerinauia Lampuwatu, Nicholas Miller, Raylene Miller, Wendy Mungatopi Miller, Bernadette Mungatopi, Gerry Mungatopi, Vincent Mungatopi, Regis Pangiraminni, Carol Puruntatameri, Fiona Puruntatameri, Gabriela Puruntatameri, Marius Puruntatameri, Patrick Puruntatameri, Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri, Thomas Edward Puruntatameri, Winifred Puruntatameri, Jeffrey Simon, Dominic Tipiloura, Immaculata Tipiloura, Romolo Tipiloura, Tessie Tipungwuti, Buffy Warlapinni, Alice Williams, Dino Wilson, and Pedro Wonaeamirri. This research was also enabled by the generous support of Steve Anderson, Kate Hadden, Will Heathcote, Bruce Holland, Yvonne Kelly, Dominique Michel, Hannah Raisin, Stephen Swearer, members of the Tiwi Land Council/University of Melbourne Scientific Reference Committee, and the Australian Research Council (Grant FL180100040).