Shifting foodways: biomolecular archaeology and oral traditions in Vanuatu

Australia is strongly committed to supporting neighbouring Pacific nations to develop strategies to create stronger and more resilient communities with increased capacity to prepare from disasters and crisis. However, with rapid climate change, food security is a significant threat for communities within the region. Drawing on the traditional knowledge of local communities in Vanuatu, this project will use cutting-edge biomolecular techniques to identify the food residues in archaeology pottery, providing critical information on how past communities have successfully adapted to threats to food security and achieved sustainability over the last 3,000 years. Through roundtables, public engagement events, and educational material, findings will be shared with local communities, Australian foreign aid policy makers and humanitarian NGOs, helping to inform new understandings of how population