A new children's book is bringing indigenous knowledge to the heart of global climate education - while preserving a threatened language.
Tualang Honey, developed through the School of Education's 'Voices of the Rainforest' project, tells the story of the Jahai Orang Asli community in Malaysia and their deep connection to the rainforest they call home.
Written by Dr Syafiq Mat Noor, Lecturer in Climate Change Education at the University of Leeds, the book is one of the first published children's texts in the endangered Jahai language, and is part of an effort to rethink climate education.
Dr Mat Noor worked with partners including Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) over several years to develop authentic relationships with indigenous communities, with whom they collaborated for this book. Two people from the communities were employed as research staff.
Our work is about listening to the voices of the people, and what they know about their environment and the habitat they live in.
He explained: "During our visits to Malaysia, we worked hard to build a relationship with the communities. We knew that the book would never happen without doing that. We did activities with them like fishing, going to the forest with them, camping there and really building that trust.
"Our work actually acknowledges what they know, not what we know. It's a bottom-up approach, it's about listening to the voices of the people, and what they know about their environment and the habitat they live in."
Dr Mat Noor liaised with the community as they put together the book, even using WhatsApp to send drafts to the Indigenous leaders.
"It's a long process, but through it we have built a very good relationship with the indigenous community because they've become very close to us and we've become very close to them. They continue to invite us for events like their summer fruit festivals, which is something they are very proud of," he added.
Environmental stewardship
Set in the 130-million-year-old rainforest of Royal Belum State Park, the story follows the Jahai community's sustainable harvesting of honey from the towering Tualang trees – among the tallest in the world and vital habitats for wild bees.
The Jahai recognise the arrival of the honey season through an ecological calendar, developed through careful observation of climatic changes and their effects on flora and fauna. This local knowledge enables them to adapt to weather conditions and seasonal shifts.
The honey is harvested sustainably, and the yield is then shared among members of the village. Through this story, young readers are introduced to principles of environmental stewardship, respect for nature, and the importance of knowledge passed through generations.
Dr Mat Noor explained: "The story highlights traditional values such as caring for the natural environment, sharing sustenance, and honouring knowledge passed down through generations, reflecting the deep connection between the Jahai Orang Asli and the forest that sustains them."
Cultural preservation
Available in English, Malay and Jahai and illustrated by Luqman Mohd Hanapiah, the book is designed for primary school children both within and beyond indigenous communities.
For the Jahai, whose language is primarily oral and rarely taught in formal education, the publication represents an important step in cultural preservation and community pride.
Dr Mat Noor added: "The communities are so proud of this book. It's been written in their own language, and they feel ownership of these books as well. They have put their copies at the community house."
The 'Voices of the Rainforest' project brings together researchers, schools and indigenous communities in Malaysia to co-create climate learning that reflects local knowledge as well as scientific understanding.
Funded by the British Academy, the project aims to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into primary school curriculums, placing indigenous knowledge at the centre of global conversations and recognising that they hold vital insights into climate adaptation developed over generations.
Looking ahead, the team plans to expand the reach of this work by training teachers and sharing resources internationally, including in Malaysia, Uganda and Indonesia. Through these efforts, Tualang Honey and the wider 'Voices of the Rainforest' project are helping to inspire a new generation to value both the science of climate change and the lived knowledge of communities on its frontlines.
