For generations, people across the world have lived within reach of the planet's most hazardous environments. What can their stories tell us about surviving the disasters of the future?
Dr. Russell Moul
Science Writer
EditedbyMaddy Chapman
A photo of Banda Aceh, Aceh, in Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami. The photo shows the wreckage of various broken buildings, wood and metal debris piled on top of itself over some water. In the distance, one large white building is still standing amongst the destruction. The surrounding sky is grey and moody.
In December 2004, a tsunami struck Indonesia. Although the destruction left thousands dead, there was one Indigenous community that was able to survive with minimal damage due to stories passed down from generation to generation.
This story is well known. On December 26, 2004, an enormous undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia and brought with it a tsunami that devastated the island populations. Around 230,000 people lost their lives in what is still recognized as one of the deadliest disasters of modern history. However, what is not so well known is that some Indonesian communities emerged more or less unscathed from the tragedy. In particular, the Moken, an isolated tribe of sea nomads who inhabit the Andaman Islands, survived the devastation while thousands of others died. What could account for this strange outcome? The answer is simple: stories.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED28 minutes ago
ARTICLE POSTED IN
Culture and Societyculture
volcanic activity,
indigenous people,
flooding,
Indigenous knowledge,
tsunami,
culture,
natural disasters,
vault
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