THE HEART OF DIKA TRIBE
In the mist-shrouded highlands of Simbu Province in Papua New Guinea, where the Bismarck Range rises like ancient guardians, our community in Emai has always been woven into the fabric of the land. The Dika Forest, named after our tribe, is nurture and passed down through generations.
The Dika people have long lived in deep harmony with the land. Our society which is rich with many clans and vibrant traditions, once thrived amid vast with ancient forest. These forests were more than just trees, they were the very foundation of our existence.
The indigenous plants of our homeland held sacred and practical significance. They provided essential habitat for wildlife, sustained our daily lives and anchored our cultural practices. For generations, leaves from these native species healed wounds, flavored our feasts, and used for cultural practices. Traditional ceremonies, gatherings, and obligations all depended on these plants, weaving them into the fabric of our identity. Without them, our songs, dances, stories, and ways of honoring ancestors and supporting of our daily living would lose their meaning. The forest was our lifeblood, sustaining both body and spirit.
We once had forests that covered vast areas of the Dika tribe. The Dika tribe is located in Suai LLG of Sinasina-Yongomugl District, consists of many clans with a rich culture. We depend entirely on the forest ecosystem for our survival. Indigenous plant species are a vital aspect of life for the Dinga tribe.
These indigenous plants are essential for providing habitat. Our traditional cultural practices depend entirely on indigenous plant species. These plants hold significant value for our cultural obligations and practices. Vital useful elements carried in the leaves of native plants are used for healing wounds, seasoning feasts, and utilized for other traditional cultural practices knowledge that has been passed down through generations.
Traditional ceremonies and gatherings depend on these native plants, which work in harmony to sustain the livelihood of the Dinga people. Over recent years, however, this vital ecosystem faced devastating threats. The intensifying effects of climate change brought prolonged heat, prolonged dry spells, and raging wildfires that swept through our once-virgin forests. Trees perished, indigenous plants vanished, and the lush canopy gave way to barren grasslands. The soil, once fertile, became degraded and lifeless. Our people watched helplessly as the heart of our culture faded, threatening not just the land, but our very way of being. A society without its native plants’ risks becoming a people without culture, without roots, without hope for the generations yet to come.
Yet, in the midst of this loss, a powerful source of renewal emerged. With generous support from Climates micro-grant, the Dika community has begun the journey of restoration. These grants have empowered us to replant native species, revive degraded areas, and breathe life back into the land. Seedlings now rise where ashes once lay, green shoots promise shade and healing once more.
Micro-climate grants have made a bigger difference. They really help to restore our native plant habitats, reviving everything. The grants have truly supported Dika Suna to preserve the community’s remaining forests so that our native plant species can survive and be adaptable in the face of climate effects. This help revive our culture and give hope to future generations. The forests are slowly returning, bringing with them the revival of our traditional knowledge and practices.
This support has done more than restore trees, it has restored hope. It has given our people the chance to survive, to thrive, and to pass on our heritage. The remaining forests are now better protected, ensuring that our indigenous plants can endure and flourish. Our culture, so deeply intertwined with these plants, has a renewed chance to survive and inspire future generations.
The grant from climates funds enabled us to reforest 100 hectares of degraded land with native species, from sturdy hardwoods to medicinal herbs. Families from Emai village, planted thousands of seedlings, turning barren patches into thriving groves. This not only restored biodiversity but empowered our people, women led nursery programs, youth learned eco-skills for jobs, and we saw our honey yields rebound, boosting local economies and protecting half-vanished species and fostering pride in our heritage.
Future funding could amplify this resilience, perhaps by expanding to eco-tourism trails in the Dika forests, where visitors trek through restored habitats and learn from our stories, generating income while conserving more land. We could build model conservation parks with training centers, uniting all six local governments in Simbu as a blueprint for PNG building a smarter climate resilience park.
What sets funders like climates apart from other bigger funders is their trust in Indigenous-led solutions support our traditional wisdom, focusing on climate resilience approaches that honor our Pacific way of life, unlike larger funds that prioritize global metrics over local voices.
We, the Dika community of Suai, extend our deepest, heartfelt gratitude to the Climates micro-grant providers and their partners. Your generosity has made a profound difference, not only in healing our land, but in strengthening our spirit and securing a brighter future. Thank you for believing in us, for standing with indigenous peoples, and for turning climate action into real, tangible hope.
Through your support, we are proving that even after great loss, regeneration is possible. Our forest is coming back, our culture is enduring, and our children will inherit a world where tradition and nature walk hand in hand once more. Together, we are building a better, greener, and more connected world.
With sincere thanks and enduring hope,
The Dika (Dinga) Community