[Photo: Nature Fiji/WEBSITE]

For Lusia Dokanivalu, what began as a volunteer opportunity became a chance to connect her university studies with conservation work in the field.

She joined the Nanai programme last year after completing her studies at USP.

Dokanivalu and other conservation volunteers are now helping document this traditional ecological knowledge while learning directly from the elders who hold it.

“It was a very interesting experience for me, especially because I had just completed my studies at USP and we were taught about Nanai in one of our units.”

The Nanai is an insect that emerges periodically- making field research important in understanding the species and the traditional knowledge surrounding it.

Dokanivalu was part of a team collecting traditional ecological knowledge from community elders.

“It was very eye-opening and just a good experience listening to the elders of the knowledge that they hold about Nanai.”

The experience also highlighted how much traditional knowledge remains unknown to the wider public.

“It is very interesting that not much of the people really know about the true story of Nanai.”

The team also carried out night surveys when the Nanai emerged.

She highlights that seeing the species in its natural environment provided a different perspective from what she had learned in the classroom.

Going out to the field and doing night surveys when Nanai emerged and actually witnessing the images of Nanai, it was a very eye-opening and learning experience for me.

She says the experience has strengthened her understanding of the importance of combining scientific work with traditional ecological knowledge.

It is knowledge that communities have carried for generations and conservation efforts are now helping document and share it.

It is also about listening to communities and ensuring traditional knowledge continues to be valued and preserved.