The Forest Foods of Lauru

Kastom Gaden Association (KGA) and TerraCircle Inc., of Australia launched a book called “ Petanigaki ta Siniqu ni Lauru “ or “The Forest Foods of Lauru” today at Sasamuga, Choiseul Province.

The 300-page bilingual (Babatana & English) book was compiled and edited by Tony Jansen and Myknee Qusa Sirikolo with support from AusAID and UNESCO/WWF funds and the local communities of Choiseul.

The late Joini Tutua, co-founder of Kastom Gaden Association wrote the forward, in which he emphasised that for centuries our ancestors used plants from the forest for food. However, the knowledge and skill to prepare such plants for eating are now lost in many parts of Choiseul. Where this happens, we lose an important part of our inheritance and endanger our food security in times of drought, war and famine. It is our strong belief that, if the knowledge and skill is not passed from generation to generation, it will be lost and forgotten. But now, in its written form, it can be preserved for the generations to come.

The book has been written to promote the continued use of the rich knowledge of the forest and the land that has sustained our people for millennia. It was produced by the people of Lauru for the people of Lauru, especially today’s children and our future generations. We hope it will inspire others to strengthen their traditional knowledge of their forest foods, in the hope that they, too, will eat from the forest and look after it so that the land can always provide for them.

Kastom Gaden Association will distribute the books to schools and libraries in Choiseul province, as well as to other libraries and institutions in the country.