Education, Culture, Environment
The Atitia Center, located at the southern end of the UC Berkeley Gump Station in Moorea, French Polynesia, is devoted to community outreach, cultural activities, conservation programs, education and training.
Mission
To document, preserve, and promote the biological and cultural heritage of Polynesia. To build local scientific capacity for conservationand natural resource management. To combine modern science and traditional knowledge in a common pedagogic framework
Objectives
Document and inventory biocultural heritage
1. Describe nature and distribution of biodiversity
2. Assess status and evaluate threats
3. Document cultural traditions and language
Promote and educate
1. Explain the value of biocultural heritage and ways to preserve it
2. Develop educational materials for schools, public, and website
3. Conduct training in conservation practices
Outcomes
Increased public awareness of how human well being and sustainable development depend on the conservation of biocultural heritage and the maintenance of ecosystem services
Preservation of Polynesian traditional knowledge and biological diversity
Enhanced scientific capacity in Polynesian civil society and increased role of science in the local planning process
UC Berkeley and University of Hawaii graduate students together with Te Pu ‘Atiti'a volunteers established a nursery during 2002 (including a donation of plants from the Mayor's office) and land was prepared for planting at the Atitia Center. Orlo Steele (University of Hawaii botanist) leads the garden project along with Te Pu 'Atiti'a experts.
Orlo Steele leading the planting of the botanical garden.
Banana trees
Science and Traditional Knowledge -Building Bridges Berkeley—Te Pu 'Atiti'a Partnership
In April 2002, UCB Vice Chancellor of Research, Beth Burnside, signed a cooperative agreement with the Tahitian association (non-profit ) Te Pu 'Atiti'a to pursue common programs focused on marine and terrestrial biodiversity, cultural traditions, and the relationship between human societies and natural ecosystems. Thus the Atitia Center was created and immediately received strong support from the Mayor's office.
The southern half of the Gump Station property (known as Atitia in Tahitian) is the physical location of the new center. A gift from the Moore Family Foundation to the Gump Station provided essential seed funds: notably for an access road and fare pote'e (traditional meeting house), and to begin a botanical garden surrounded by restored coastal forest.
Le centre culturel TE PÜ ‘ÄTITI’A
Le développement durable et toules ses implications éthiques tel le respect de l’environnement, de la diversité culturelle, ou de l’équité des peuples, sont à la base de réflexions qui contribuent à l’élaboration de politiques efficaces et adaptées en matière de prévention.La culture polynésienne, avec son enracinement dans le monde de la nature, constitue le moyen passionnant de faire participer davantage le public à la science.
Grâce au Centre éducatif et culturel ‘Atiti’a, étudiants et chercheurs ont la possibilité d’échanger des connaissances par l’interaction établie en toute confiance avec les habitants et réciproquement, d’apporter ainsi une contribution scientifique, l’objectif commun étant la protection et la promotion du patrimoine bioculturel.
Par ses programmes éducatifs, dont la construction d’une maison de réunion traditionnelle (fare pote’e), l’aménagement d’un jardin botanique, (plantes médicinales, plantes aromatiques, plantes tinctoriales, plantes à usages artisanaux…), les séminaires et ateliers,le Centre ‘Atiti’a établit dès à présent des ponts entre les scientifiques et les tenants des savoirs traditionnels.