As part of WP3 of the MaHeWa project — which aims to assess the socio-economic vulnerability of Pacific island societies to marine heatwaves — a class of twenty Year-6 pupils from Marie Havet Primary School in Nouméa, accompanied by their teacher Audrey Mazeron, took part in an original co-research activity in March 2025. This initiative sits at the intersection of three research projects: SOCPacific2R, MaHeWa (WP3), and CLIPSSA, which focuses on small farmers’ adaptation to climate change.
Working in dialogue with WP3 researchers (Catherine Sabinot, Elodie Fache and Annette Breckwoldt), students from the University of New Caledonia (Amandine Aiglehoux, Elijah Tenene, Reine Wadieno), Vanessa Montagnat from the New Caledonia Pedagogical Department, Florian Barthe from the Symbiose association, and their teacher, the schoolchildren developed two drawing prompts. They then presented these prompts to other Year-6 classes, interviewed them after completing the drawings, and collectively refined the instructions. The revised prompts will now be used for drawing workshops in primary schools in La Foa and Thio:
Draw what could happen to fish and corals, to vegetables and fruits, because of climate change.
Draw what fishers and farmers can do to have fewer problems even if the planet continues to warm.
Pupils in La Foa and Thio later tested and adjusted a new drawing prompt focused on reef passes. A few days afterwards, the young co-researchers in Nouméa enthusiastically responded to this prompt by creating their own drawings.
This activity aligns closely with the objectives of WP3, which seeks to understand local practices, values and perceptions related to environmental risks, to analyse “risk cultures,” and to explore how communities — including younger generations — view climate-change impacts and possible adaptation strategies. It also illustrates the project’s commitment to participatory and intergenerational approaches for studying vulnerability and resilience in Pacific island societies.
©2024 MaHeWa
