This proposed study is a follow-on project to a just ended project whose aim was to inventory the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) assets affected by Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani, Chipinge and Buhera districts in Zimbabwe. One of the findings of the ICH project was that there were a number of indigenous early warning indicators which were witnessed in the affected communities just prior to the cyclone, but unfortunately no one took heed, they inadvertently ignored the signals or as the narratives portray, some of them failed to interpret the warning that nature was sending them. The main reason for ignoring the indigenous warnings or signals was lack of understanding of the indigenous early warning indicators. This study therefore proposes to investigate further the indigenous early warning indicators in areas prone to climate-induced natural disasters in Zimbabwe. The areas that will be the study sites for the project, which have been observed to be vulnerable over the years, are Chimanimani, Chipinge and Buhera, which are districts prone to cyclones and Muzarabani, Mbire, and Binga districts, which are prone to droughts. Nature has been reported to send signals or warnings before a disaster strikes as attested in literature on indigenous knowledge and early warning systems in different regions of the world, that is, Howell (2003) on Bangladesh; Oluchiri (2019) on Kenya; UNEP (2007) on Eswatini, Kenya, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, among other examples. There is therefore ample evidence in the literature that there are indigenous early warning indicators which vary across geographical zones. The proposed study seeks to document early warning indicators in the identified areas in Zimbabwe with the aim of providing valuable insights into early warning indicators as well as building capacity by bridging the knowledge gap in the local areas in early warning so that the local communities are able to interpret them and take appropriate action. These localised early warning indicators will be mainstreamed into policy and curricula at primary, secondary and tertiary level. The proposed research will be implemented through four (4) work packages, which are linked to the four (4) objectives outlined in the objectives section. The work packages include; (i) inventorying indigenous early warning indicators in six districts (Buhera, Chimanimani, Chipinge, Mbire, Binga, and Muzarabani) prone to climate-induced natural disasters in Zimbabwe, (ii) development of a learning module, including producing a documentary video, using the identified indigenous early warning indicators for climate-induced natural disasters and facilitate the incorporation of the module into primary, secondary and tertiary curricula in Zimbabwe, (iii) development of a mobile or electronic application to help disseminate and sensitisation of communities on the identified indigenous early warning indicators for climate-induced natural disasters in Zimbabwe, and (iv) facilitation of the incorporation of indigenous early warning indicators for climate-induced natural disasters into the risk reduction framework (SENDAI Framework) used in Zimbabwe. The study will use qualitative enquiry and data collection through gender-separated focus group discussions, key informant interviews with identified knowledgeable members of the community, stakeholder workshops and consultative meetings. All discussions and interviews will be conducted in the local language, recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated to English. Data analysis will employ a thematic analysis. A documentary will be produced.

This proposed study is in response to the urgency grants highlight notice on impacts on cultural heritage resulting from natural disasters and climate change. In March 2019, devastating floods due to Cyclone Idai left Zimbabwe hard hit and devastated in terms of loss to human life and livestock as well as damage to property (UN Report, 2019). About 270,000 people were affected by Cyclone Idai, approximately 339 died, 15,230 displaced and about 349 are still missing to date. The Government of Zimbabwe and its development partners (international and local NGOs) have been on the forefront assisting the affected communities in Manicaland district with humanitarian aid and with relocating and reconstructing affected communities, especially in Chimanimani, Chipinge and Buhera districts. Hence, the urgent need to conduct this study so that it inputs into the post-Cyclone Idai recovery programme being championed by the Government of Zimbabwe and its development partners. Climate change induced disasters, such as Cyclone Idai, pose a severe threat to cultural heritage. Cultural heritage plays an important role as a reflection of cultural, historical, and social values, is valuable to national and community identities, and it links to the past, and ongoing social cohesion. However, the adverse effects of climate change induced natural disasters on cultural heritage tend to be considered primarily in connection with tangible or physical cultural properties, such as buildings, monuments, or archeological sites, and less in connection with Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, indigenous rituals, kinship systems. For example, the two most pronounced Post-cyclone Idai recovery initiatives in the nine affected districts in Manicaland province; the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP) and the Post Cyclone Idai Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project (PCIREP), are mainly focused on livelihoods and infrastructure. ZIRP is focusing on rebuilding community infrastructure and restoring livelihoods through cash transfers, restoring agricultural crops and livestock production. The PCIREP programme is focusing on rebuilding key infrastructure across Zimbabwe, which include transport, electricity, and water and sanitation. None of these programmes are targeted at recovering or restoring the ICH of the affected communities. Intangible heritage faces considerable risks through the scattering of communities such as what happened in the Cyclone Idai hit districts in Zimbabwe where 10,000 houses were destroyed and the families are being relocated to other districts. This type of damage often has a longer-lasting social impact e.g., affect cultural diversity and socio-cultural interactions as families are forced to change their community set up, ways of life, and to compete for resources. There is urgent need to include ICH within the framework of disaster risk management being used in recovering and rebuilding Cyclone Idai affected communities in Manicaland province in Zimbabwe as cultural heritage is often damaged or destroyed in the aftermath of a disaster due to insensitive conservation, recovery, and reconstruction. Hence, this study is of urgency to provide evidence-based information on the intangible cultural heritage of these affected communities that is useful for sustainable resilience, reconstruction and relocation of the affected communities.