Tackling the Climate Crisis through Tradition: Sabu Raijua Artists and Students Revive Oral Culture

Amid threats of extreme drought and rising sea levels, the people of Sabu Raijua are turning back to their oral traditions to understand and adapt to climate change. Through a festival and art exhibition titled “Bhineka Iklim dalam Tutur: Seni dalam Adaptasi Iklim (Bhineka Iklim dalam Tutur: Art in Climate Adaptation)”, the Sabu Raijua Regency Government, in collaboration with Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), invited local artists and elementary to junior high school students to revive indigenous knowledge and oral arts as a culturally rooted medium for climate campaigns.

The two-day festival, held on 15–16 April 2026 at the Sabu Raijua District Library grounds, attracted hundreds of students and members of the public. The Regent of Sabu Raijua, Krisman Bernard Riwu Kore, reflected on local wisdom as a means to face climate change. “I wondered how people could survive on the harsh Sabu Island, but the truth is, for hundreds of years, the Sabu people have lived and thrived here. It turns out our ancestors had local wisdom to face this climate. During drought, we can rely on plants that survive in dry weather, such as the lontar palm for producing Sabu palm sugar,” he said.

Currently, Sabu Island faces real climate risks, from extreme drought and cyclones to rising sea levels. Raising public awareness to respond to climate change remains a challenge, especially when the issue is often perceived as a distant scientific problem.

When dealing with complex climate crises, solutions cannot rely solely on technical measures. Discussions on adaptation often focus on infrastructure, technology, and funding. Rarely do we touch upon the most influential driver of change: human behavior. YKAN has developed climate adaptation programs that focus on behavior change. These programs aim to address the symptoms of climate change and transform systems to create a resilient, sustainable future.

For this reason, the festival adopted an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) approach. Oral art and culture bridge scientific discourse on climate change with local wisdom, making it easier for communities to understand. Through artistic expression, people can revive adaptive capacities embedded in tradition to face the threat of global warming.

Students and Artists Revive Collective Memory

The two-day festival engaged more than 150 students. On the first day (April 15th), elementary and junior high participants engaged in a storytelling competition that showcased history and folklore. Visitors were also treated to cultural exhibitions that highlighted local wisdom, including the life cycle of lontar palms, which produce Sabu sugar, traditional weaving crafts, and performances of the increasingly rare Ketadu Hab’a traditional music.

Yoel Riwu, Head of Sabu Raijua District Education Office, welcomed the initiative. “Oral culture is not just a story. It is a living library. It stores knowledge of local plants, ways to preserve water sources, human relationships with nature, and values of cooperation and responsibility. Each story contains messages on surviving drought, caring for trees as life sources, using nature without harming it, and living in harmony with the environment,” he explained.

Participants reflected on Sabu’s current climate conditions and expressed their hopes how to face climate change. Giftyne Nicelly Hana Kale Lena, first-place winner in the junior high category from UPTD SMP Negeri 2 Sabu Timur, described the critical state of water availability in her storytelling. “Sabu’s land is known to be dry. Water is more precious than gold. If the rain doesn’t come, the soil cracks and the trees wither,” she said.

A similar level of awareness was shown by Rambu Resa Amelia Uli, winner of the elementary category from UPTD SDN 1 Seba. She viewed seasonal changes with profound wisdom, not as threats but as lessons for humanity. “For us, seasonal changes are not enemies; they are life teachers. As long as humans respect nature, nature will always give life,” Rambu said.

On the second day (16/4), the festival opened with a captivating Ledo Dance by SMPN Sabu Barat students, followed by a Nature Conservation Talkshow titled “Bhineka Iklim dalam Tutur”. The discussion explored how climate change is not only a scientific issue but also a lived experience recorded in Sabu’s collective memory.

The dialogue also highlighted the revival of traditional calendars as natural seasonal and climatic markers. To maintain relevance, modern scientific knowledge was introduced as reinforcement, including understanding climate vulnerability and the creation of community-based disaster preparedness plans.

As the festival’s climax, all participants and visitors joined the Mass Padoa Dance, a signature Sabu circle dance symbolising unity and collective resolve to protect nature.

I Gusti Ngurah Paulus, YKAN Coastal Resilience Specialist, explained that the festival ensures the passing of indigenous knowledge to younger generations. “Tradition and art are keys to connecting Sabu’s local wisdom with modern science, making adaptation strategies stronger and more relevant,” he said.

The “Bhineka Iklim dalam Tutur” festival affirms that in confronting the climate crisis, Sabu Raijua does not start from zero. Collective memory, preserved in traditional calendars, rituals, and oral culture, is a valuable social capital for building long-term climate resilience. Looking ahead, the festival is expected to serve as a platform for collaboration among traditional leaders, the local government, and the wider community. Together, they will develop adaptive and sustainable development plans. Oral culture documentation and local food catalogs produced from the activities will serve as a database to strengthen Sabu Raijua’s long-term socio-ecological resilience.