𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲?
𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 [𝐢] 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫[𝐥]𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬
𝐃𝐫. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲 & 𝐄𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐨

Over the past years we have seen the growing recognition of the role played by community-based conservation in stewarding landscapes and sustaining their communities. Yet, the increasing bureaucratisation of this practice and way of living raises the question: is today’s conservation part of the same old story? A story dominated by modernity and coloniality? If so, and following Vanessa Machado de Oliveira, how could we ‘hospice’ it?

The opening act of our podcast series “𝐑𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫[𝐥]𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧”, explores some of these matters through the voices of Dr. Carolyn Finney and Global Diversity Foundation programme coordinator Emily Caruso. Drawing from personal experience, life-long research and work in the field, Carolyn and Emily offer more critical questions than straightforward answers, opening up the grounds to explore how we can step out of the sand-box in which conservation has thus far played to move into an open field that looks radically different.

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𝐑𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫[𝐥]𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 is developed with the support of the Darwin Initiative.

In this episode of Patchwork of Belonging, we immerse ourselves in the practice of interdisciplinary artist William Bock. Will’s work spans cultures, landscapes, and identities, weaving together threads of community, ecology, and tradition. His approach invites us to reflect on the deep connections between people and the environments they inhabit.

At the heart of this episode is Will’s participatory rope-making installation, where natural materials—harvested by his own hands—become tools for collective storytelling. Through this tactile process, participants are guided to engage with the land and its textures, creating moments of shared discovery.

We also share a powerful, unplanned exchange between Will and Ali, a local farmer and environmental activist, captured amidst the rhythm of the workshop. This conversation, flowing across languages, becomes a testament to the strength of creative practice as a bridge between diverse perspectives and experiences.

Join us as we explore how art can hold the threads of belonging, offering us ways to connect across cultural, ecological, and personal landscapes.

About William Bock
William Bock is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the intersections of culture, landscape, and identity. Using photography, painting, sound, performance, and installation, he investigates the connections between people, land, and ecology.
A member of the Wilderness Art Collective, Bock is also a founding member of the award-winning Dig Collective, with projects showcased at Art Safiental Biennale (Switzerland) and PEER Gallery (London). He has produced and curated exhibitions, workshops, and residencies internationally, and previously co-directed the theatre collective Strangeworks, delivering projects for the Barbican and New Walsall Art Gallery.

In this episode, Fayçal and Nessie sat down with four extraordinary women: Moeumu from Samoa, Andrea from Bolivia, Abigail from Guatemala, and Kanto from Madagascar, at the International Socieity for Ethnobiology Congress, in May 2024.

Each woman, leaders in their communities, shared their lived experiences of practicing conservation rooted in community and deep connection to the lands they fight to protect. From the Pacific islands to the Andean highlands, their stories weave a rich tapestry of resilience, cultural heritage, and a shared commitment to safeguarding our planet’s future.Through our conversations, they reflect on their shared and individual journeys—stories of overcoming barriers, sustaining cultural traditions, and creating spaces for belonging. Whether navigating the challenges of resource access, advocating for cultural preservation, or reimagining conservation to center community wisdom, these women demonstrate the power of collective action and actioning localised solutions.

Their work personifies how grass-roots, community conservation is not only about protecting land but is also about nurturing the people, knowledge, and relationships that sustain it and have done so for millennia.As fellows of the Conservation & Communities Fellowship (CCF), these women are part of a transformative initiative that uplifts grassroots leaders from the Global South. Through skills development, leadership growth, and access to global funding networks, the fellowship helps address systemic inequalities in conservation. Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities currently receive less than 1% of climate funding globally, and African organizations receive just 5–10% of private philanthropic funding for the continent. The CCF is closing these gaps, providing a platform for leaders like Moeumu, Andrea, Abigail, and Kanto to thrive and amplify their work on the world stage.

Tune in for an intimate and inspiring dialogue that highlights the stories of courage and unwavering dedication of these grassroots conservationists—and discover how their sense of belonging shapes their vision for a healthier, more equitable planet.

Join us as we embark on a rich journey into the heart of Tharakan culture with Simon Mitambo, an Earth Jurisprudence Practitioner, member of our Global Environments Network (GEN) and co-founder of the Society for Alternative Learning and Transformation (SALT). Simon, a proud Tharakan man and ancestral wisdom expert, has dedicated his life to restoring the cultural and ecological resilience of his community.

In this episode, recorded at the Bantu Mountain Lodge during the Global Tapestry of Alternatives General Assembly, Simon takes us through the remarkable landscape of his ancestral land, nestled in the foothills of Mount Kenya. His community of Tharaka, with its rich red soil and abundance, continues to flourish through the revival of cultural practices, eco-cultural mapping, and deep-rooted community dialogues.

Simon describes how his community’s knowledge of local medicinal plants and traditional practices sustained them through the challenges of COVID-19. In the podcast, you'll also hear the warm and unforgettable welcome we received from Simon's community, in the form of exciting songs and dances & a nourishing millet porridge served in carved calabashes.

Simon’s voice brings to life the resilience, wisdom, and generosity that are foundational to Tharakan culture. His dedication to nurturing these practices is an inspiring testament to the power of ancestral knowledge. Tune in for an episode that weaves together stories of land stewardship, cultural memory, and the undeniable force of community.

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Links to the different organisations mentioned in the episode:

• https://viacampesina.org/en/
• https://gaiafoundation.org/kenya-decolonisation-climate-change-and-earth-jurisprudence/
• https://globaltapestryofalternatives.org/

Tune into this week’s episode as we dive into the heart of seed sovereignty and indigenous resilience with Talaa, also known as Milka Chepkorir Kuto. Talaa and her sisters, based near Kitale in Kenya, are working on an inspiring project to revive native seed varieties and establish community-driven plant nurseries—a beautiful act of resistance against the corporate grip on Kenya’s seed market.

Milka’s home, surrounded by lush palms and papayas, feels like a sanctuary. But the reality she shares is far from idyllic: over 80% of Kenya’s maize seeds come from the Kenyan Seed Company, a major GM player that has overtaken traditional farming practices. In our conversation, Talaa reflects on this struggle and the impact of what activist Leonida Odongo calls a “new colonization” through agricultural control and technology. Talaa’s words, grounded in her community’s fight for seed sovereignty, underscore a powerful truth: reclaiming indigenous practices is an act of defiance and hope.

As you listen, you’ll meet Milka’s sisters and hear their voices as they share their vision for a sustainable, resilient future. This episode is a testament to the power of community, sisterhood, and the deep roots of cultural identity in the face of adversity. Tune in for an uplifting journey into food sovereignty and the enduring spirit of indigenous knowledge.

Watch the Enligh-subtitled version with a visual creation by Kevin Le Dortz here: https://youtu.be/Q3oSc4naCsU

In this powerful inaugural episode of our new series "The Patchwork of Belonging", we journey through Morocco’s Al Haouz region, where communities are still grappling with the devastating impacts of the 2023 earthquake that struck the region, cause unfathomable damage. This catastrophe has left a once-marginalized region even more exposed to vulnerability.

Life in the Orchards offers a moving glimpse into the lives of those processing unimaginable loss. Through heartfelt testimonies, this episode captures the deep connection people hold with their ancestral lands—a bond that remains unbroken despite losing homes, livestock, crops, and even loved ones. It is a story of resilience and love for a land that has given so much and taken so much in return.

Join us as we listen to these voices, bearing witness to the intimate, layered and complex relationship between people and the landscapes they inhabit, one that transcends the material and delves into the spiritual and cultural roots of place.

Join us for a captivating conversation with Mihir Shirman, a passionate researcher and advocate delving into the intersections of fear, polarization, and social movements. With his expertise in topics such as race, anti-racism, activism, and political subjectivity, Mihir sheds light on the profound impact of fear in our society.

In this exciting podcast, Mihir shares his research work conducted in St. Louis, specifically documenting the Ferguson uprising. Interspersed throughout are immersive soundscapes from the streets, capturing the raw energy of the uprising - the echoes of people screaming, shouting, and demanding justice.. With a critical lens rooted in medical anthropology, environmentalism, and economic anthropology, Mihir unravels the complex relationship between fear and the polarization of communities.

Through insightful analysis, Mihir unveils the ways fear shapes social movements and influences political dynamics. By exploring the transformative potential of addressing fear and polarization, he provides valuable perspectives on fostering empathy, understanding, and unity in the face of societal challenges.

Immerse yourself in a captivating journey of healing and transformation with our newly enhanced podcast. Building upon the profound exploration of fear, we now present an expanded edition that incorporates soothing healing sounds, ambient music, therapeutic guided meditations, and other flowing forms of energetic sounds and music.

In this unique edition, we delve deeper into the mysteries of fear and its profound impact on our bodies and minds. Through insightful conversations with remarkable individuals who are conquering their own fears, we uncover intimate insights and practical strategies for overcoming fear. Embark on a transformative journey guided by the wisdom of Karen Larbi, a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion; Nessie Reid, a farmer and co-director of the Global Diversity Foundation; and Sulaiman R. Khan, a visionary and active disability rights advocate.

Discover how fear, when harnessed, can serve as a catalyst for personal growth, unity, and the empowerment of ourselves and others. As we navigate these conversations, we skillfully integrate healing sounds, ambient music, and therapeutic elements to create a seamless tapestry of uplifting and nourishing experiences. Allow the gentle guidance of our expert hosts, led by Simran Rawan, Communication & Membership Coordinator at Global Diversity Foundation, to lead you on an enlightening exploration of fear and its transformative potential.

Tune in to this enhanced edition of our podcast and let the healing sounds and soothing music envelop you on this profound journey.