Paige West, John Aini
This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.Conservation practices in the twenty-first century are facing a critical reckoning as global biodiversity loss, climate disruption, and social inequalities expose the limitations of exclusionary, top-down approaches. Nowhere is this more evident than in Indigenous territories, where external conservation priorities often clash with local lifeways. In this research article we describe the work of Ailan Awareness (AA), an Indigenous non-governmental organization (NGO) in New Ireland, Papua New Guinea; it challenges conventional conservation models by centering on Indigenous sovereignty, biocultural diversity, and spiritual obligations. Through initiatives such as the revitalization of Vala (a practice rooted in ecological and spiritual obligation) and the Ranguva Solwara Skul (Saltwater School, a school that teaches at the nexus of Indigenous and Western science), AA fosters community-driven conservation grounded in relational sovereignty. Drawing on our long-term collaboration, this research argues that AA’s model represents a radical reimagining of conservation as cultural resurgence. By prioritizing local governance, cultural continuity, and the reactivation of ancestral responsibilities, AA’s initiatives counteract the colonial legacies embedded in mainstream conservation practices. Our work contributes to ongoing debates in conservation biology, political ecology, and Indigenous studies, advocating for practices that honor cultural sovereignty and foster sustainable, community-driven environmental care.