'Standing in the middle of a scorched savannah in Oltepesi, about 40 miles southwest of Nairobi, Benson K. Letuya, a youth leader from the Maasai community, holds a microphone in the searing sun. He stands next to a zebra, dying of thirst during the devastating drought that hit Kenya in 2009.' This article by MediaGlobal give an overview of our work as part of the Conversations with the Earth partnership since the launch of the programme since 2009.
Our PV methods have demonstrated to be ideal for working with small-scale farmers to enable farmer-to-farmer sharing of innovations and experiences, and connecting those same farming communities with the outside world and key stakeholders including policymakers, industry representatives and NGOs. This article describes some recent examples from our work with farming communities around the world.
The process of collaboratively planning and producing videos can bring people together to record and celebrate cultural food practices, strengthen traditional knowledge of the environment, and build strategies for a sustainable and resilient future. This article describes three recent examples of participatory video projects that aimed to stimulate food sovereignty - from Meghalaya (India), Gamo Highlands (Ethiopia) and Chiang Mai (Thailand).
Fifty members of the Khasi village in Nongtraw, Meghalaya, North West India, made a video with the support of InsightShare and KSO, a local indigenous organizationas part of the project for the Indigenous Partnership for Food Sovereignty and Agrobiodiversity. The video was presented at the Terra Madre meeting in Sweden (June 17th-19th 2011) by the commuity members themselves.
A two month 'skills exchange' saw an InsightShare associate posted to a local Baka NGO (Association Okani) in Cameroon, this summary explains more about the project, plus some links to the films made during the exchange.
The Apus, or sacred mountains are the guardians of the climate and the source of all pure water and thus have the power to protect or devastate communities living on them. The clip was made as part of a campaign to resist evangelical authorities and this video has resulted in local people taking up again traditional practices to nurture Mother Earth.
One Quechua family follows their grandmother and local shaman to the top of the sacred mountain. Ritual, deep respect and love are shown to the local mountain deity in order for us all to enjoy pure water and a beneficial climate for growing crops. Beautiful imagery combines with direct commentary from Angelica, local shaman, showing us the way to perform the rituals to nurture our Mother Earth.
Inuit elders and youth documented how they worked together on building a traditional sealskin kayak using traditional tools - the first traditional Copper Inuit kayak since 1950s. Beautifully shot and full of laughter and traditonal crafts and cooking this video is a fascinating document of a valuable community project.
'Growing Up in Cambridge Bay' charts the experiences and lives of local youth in Cambridge Bay in the Arctic Circle. They document traditional fishing, hunting, Arctic sports, local legends on the origin of death and musical traditions such as throat singing.
