When a Category 5 hurricane struck the Caribbean Coast, multiple Indigenous communities faced significant destruction. A Miskitu Indigenous leader recounted, “All I could see were fragments of what were once our homes, reduced to tiny pieces of wood.”
Despite the devastation, no human lives were lost due to the community's traditional knowledge and well-managed emergency protocols. The leader explained that their community had unique ways to predict the hurricane's arrival, such as observing unusual fish behavior and the appearance of different colored species.
The Miskitu leaders utilized their traditional knowledge to prepare and protect their people. Women and children were sent to mangroves before the hurricane hit, lying down in canoes secured to mangrove roots. Men stayed behind, tying themselves to palm trees to withstand the winds. These practices enabled them to resist being carried away by the storm.
Reconstruction efforts relied on cultural practices of communal work and values of solidarity and reciprocity. Ethno-engineering allowed for rapid rebuilding using local materials suited for their geographical and cultural contexts.
Indigenous Peoples globally have long been resilient stewards of natural resources, preserving unique cultures despite centuries of displacement. Their spiritual relationship with land has positioned them as primary custodians of biodiversity and carbon stocks. According to Garnett et al. (2018), Indigenous Peoples manage or hold tenure rights to 28 percent of the world’s surface, accounting for about 40 percent of Earth's terrestrial protected areas and ecologically intact landscapes. Within these lands, 80 percent of global biodiversity is found.
A World Bank study gathered experiences from diverse Indigenous cultures across 16 countries and three continents to understand key drivers of resilience. Identified drivers include secure access to lands, Indigenous governance systems, food systems, livelihoods, and economies. The study developed a comprehensive Resilience Framework outlining principles essential for Indigenous resilience against climate shocks.
Although contributing little to climate change, Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately impacted due to their close interdependence with nature and limited access to services. The increasing frequency of climate impacts heightens the urgency for bolstering their resilience.
The Framework aims to inform policies that support or undermine drivers of Indigenous resilience. It aligns with the World Bank's commitment to supporting "Resilient Populations" as part of its Corporate Scorecard outcomes. Additionally, it aligns with the World Bank’s enhanced focus on sustainability goals through its mission statement "on a livable planet."
Indigenous Peoples' longstanding resilience offers valuable lessons in addressing climate change and building resilient societies. The Resilience Framework aims to guide collective action toward a more resilient future for all.