The people, the land and the spirit: SNS guidelines

Source: IUCN Press Release (with assistance from Bas Verschuuren (CVNI), EarthCollective. CVNI was also on-hand to help with organising the event and participating in the SNS launch ceremony with Dhimurru Rangers. Read the related CVNI news post dated 8th October 2008)

Barcelona (ES): New Sacred Natural Sites (SNS) guidelines for Protected Area Managers were launched today by IUCN and UNESCO during the biggest environmental meeting of the year, the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona.

Under the beat of Bilma clap sticks the park rangers of Dhimurru Indigenous Protected Area in Australia started off the evening event that gathered indigenous people from three different continents, IUCN’s and UNESCO’s experts and philathropists.

“These Sacred Natural Sites guidelines are breaking ground for the recognition and management of these places by protected area managers, as well as wider recognition of the importance of cultural and spiritual values in nature conservation” said Nik Lopoukhine, Chair of the World Commission of Protected Areas. “The relationship between people and place is critical to ensuring that sacred places are protected, not only today or tomorrow but forever”.

Using the sacred paintings on the Yidaki, an ancient and symbolic instrument, the Director of Dhimurru Indigenous Protected Area, Australia, Djawa Yunupingu, explained how the Yolngu people of North East Arnhem Land belong to the land and how they are connected to sacred sites, in spirit and through nature.

IUCN’s Director General Julia Marton-Lefèvre received an Yidaki, widely known as didgeridoo as a gift and potent reminder of the importance of Sacred Natural Sites not only to the Aboriginal people of Australia but to countless indigenous peoples and faith communities of all kinds around the world.

“These guidelines and this work on sacred natural sites, is very important she said, and moves us outside our comfort zone which is what we all need to do”.

Sheikh Choongmurunova Chachykei Guardian of the Chynar Terek Mazar (Sacred Natural Site) in Kyrgyzstan, expressed that many different cultures feel the same deeply reverential way about protecting their natural lands. She blessed the gathering wishing everyone long life and good fortune.

The IUCN Protected Area Best Practice Guideline Series No 16 called ‘Sacred Natural Sites: Guidelines for Protected Area Managers’, was developed in conjunction with UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. The series is produced by the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) is considered the global standard for the management of protected areas. Sacred Natural Sites have been incorporated into many modern protected areas, often without consultation of their custodians. Park managers are often at a loss how to manage them properly. While the guidelines are not aimed at the custodians themselves who have been successfully caring for them for generations, it is anticipated that the guidelines will promote respectful cooperation over Sacred Natural Site recognition and management.