Savunese culture is
ecologically fitting for such an arid
environment. The traditional clan agreements on
land control and water distribution ensure that
the land is carefully managed and not over
exploited. Their gardens form a well structured
ecology, emulating a tropical forest with diverse
species of trees and shade plants.
Rice
field
Agricultural
production on Savu includes corn, rice, roots,
beans, livestock (meat/milk) and seaweed, which
was introduced by Japanese interests, in the
early 1990s. Pigs, goats and chickens are
commonplace in the villages. Those farmers who
depend on mixed crop gardens or on mung bean
fields are generally better able to manage during
times of poor rain but are seemingly less
successful when the rains are good. Corn, as a
single crop, remains the predominant staple on
Savu, though most farmers try to plant several
different fields to increase their chances of at
least one successful harvest. Cotton is the main
crop on Raijua, where the standard of living is
below that of Rai Hawu. It is used to make traditional textiles.
Corn is planted in late November, December and
harvested from February through to March; rice
and also mung beans are planted later, usually in
January, after soils are well saturated with
rain. In El Niño years,
farmers are frequently misled by initial rains,
which offer promise but then cease. Most farmers
keep some seed reserves if they are forced to
plant a second time during the wet season. Rarely
do farmers have sufficient seed reserves for a
third attempt at planting and by the time such a
third planting seems necessary, there is little
likelihood of success. By mid-March the rains
begin to diminish and it is no longer possible to
plant corn with any expectation of a good
harvest.
Prior to the corn harvest, the poorer segments of
the population survive on ‘reserve
foods’, primarily cassava, dry fish,
dry/smoked meat, pumpkins, some sweet potato,
forest yams and sugar supplies from tapping
lontar palms. The locals spend a good deal of
time climbing palms to collect nectar, to make a
nutritious syrup that can also be made into syrup
and rock sugar.
Collecting
palm nectar
The ubiquitous coconut palm is
harvested for its coconut oil, extracted from the
coconut milk. The coconut and palm timber is used
to build traditional homes, while their fronds
are used for thatched roofing. Trees
(particularly Neem - Azadirachta indica) are a
source of animal fodder as well as fire wood. The
Sugar palm is also a useful tree, while many
species grown under it are manured by chickens,
goats and pigs.
Savunese agriculture demonstrates many aspects of
permaculture design.
However, with increased access to the island
comes the threat of invasive species. Given the
arid nature of the islands, few species present
problems - but when one comes, it invariably
presents serious problems. Recently, a small
sticky shrub with small red flowers has spread
around the islands on arid slopes. It belongs to
the family Euphorbiaceae, originally from Central
America. It presents a problem because animals
that feed on it become sick.
View
from Kota Hawu in Lii Ae (Liae)
A common sight along the pristine coastline are
giant clam shells, used to evaporate seawater for
the salt left behind.
Sun
dried salt production
Water
buffalo
Copyright © 2006 Ina
Tali/Francesca Von Reinhaart.
© raijua.com
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