F. L. (Rick) Bein, Department of Geography, Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202. E-mail: rbein@iupui.edu.

Reconnecting with Tribal Elders Remembering Environmental Traditions and Lore in Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea village children must divorce themselves from tribal life when they pursue the ³western² educational process. Those that reach the University have missed much of the informal education they would have obtained in the village. University Students at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology are sent back to their villages to interview tribal elders about traditional environmental knowledge and interactions. Tribal elders welcome their prodigal sons with an environmental emersion and a refresher in tribal lore.

Keywords: indigenous environmental knowledge, elder lore, Papua New Guinea