Episodes
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How much of what you learned in school about the natural world do you still remember? Do you have a sense of connection to the environment in which you live, such that it forms a part of your identity rather than being merely a distinct entity?
In this episode, Yuvan Aves, an award-winning 26-year-old ecologist, naturalist, nature educator and author from India takes us on a journey of reawakening our connection with the natural world. He strongly believes that the natural world is a deep necessity for every child. And for him, nature and place-based education during the formative years of a child are crucial to creating an identity and sense of belongingness; the absence of which makes a person feel homeless in a spiritual sense. He talks about the age-old interconnectedness of languages and ecologies, practices of knowledge-making in conservation, and the important role that today’s youth play in protecting India’s crucial landscapes and biodiversity.
Episode contributor:
Yuvan Aves, is an award-winning naturalist, author, nature educator, activist and co-founder and Trustee of Palluyir Trust for Nature Education and Research, India
More information at Palluyir Trust: https://palluyirtrust.org
Audio credits:
Episode intro outro music: Love and Inspire: Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
Bountiful by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
Sound Effects:
Birds at Watering Hole, Madumbalai National Park, Mynas, Barbets, Parakeets, Bulbuls, Crickets: BBC SFX Archives (copyright-free)
Heavy Sea Breaking On Promenade: BBC SFX Archives (copyright-free)
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In this episode, we discuss in detail the Kaya sacred forests of Kenya in east Africa. These forests, located in coastal Kenya, have been protected and conserved by the Mijikenda indigenous communities since the 16th century. In the Mijikenda language, 'Kayas' mean 'homestead'. These forests are home to some of Kenya’s rare biodiversity. They are both parts of a global biodiversity hotspot and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, today, they are one of the last remaining sacred forests of the country.
International Institute of Environment and Development (IIED) in collaboration with Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KFRI) and the local indigenous communities are working on a concept called the ‘Biocultural Heritage Territories’ (BCHT) to save the disappearing Kaya Forests and age-old practices and beliefs of the Mijikenda communities.
So, can BCHT save Kenya’s last remaining Kaya sacred forests?
Episode contributors:
Chemuku Wekesa, PhD, Landscape Ecologist, Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KFRI)
Krystyna Swiderska, Principal Researcher (agriculture and biodiversity), Natural Resources, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
Audio credits:
Episode intro outro music: Love and Inspire: Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
African Moon by John Bartmann is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License.
Bountiful by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
Mijikenda welcome song: Recorded by Chemuku Wekesa, PhD, KFRI.
Sound Effects:
Africa, Zaire, Street, Kasigani, Some Traffic--Bike Bells, Car Horns, Footsteps And Distinct Speech: BBC SFX Archives (copyright-free)
Africa, Cameroun, Birds and Insects, Mid Morning, Rainforest: BBC SFX Archives (copyright-free)
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In the 16th century, when hostile tribes threatened the Mijikenda indigenous communities living in southern Somalia, they found refuge in the coastal lowland forests of Kenya. Over the centuries, they started to manage and protect these forests, commonly known as the Kayas, based on their spiritual beliefs and cultural practices. But today, in the wake of modernisation and social transformation, they find it hard to hold on to their traditional beliefs and practices. And unfortunately, they are not alone. They are one of many communities around the globe struggling to keep their knowledge systems alive that have helped them conserve the natural world for centuries. So, in the wake of the disappearing knowledge systems, will the Mijikendas be able to continue to protect the same forests that once protected them?
As we stand in the midst of a climate crisis, do we need to look more consciously at the traditional knowledge and belief systems of local communities alongside science in conservation? Or can science alone help address the climate crisis?
Are Biocultural Heritage Territories the answer? Or is it the art of knowledge-making in conversation that is equally important?
Episode contributors:
Chemuku Wekesa, PhD, Landscape Ecologist, Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KFRI)
Krystyna Swiderska, Principal Researcher (agriculture and biodiversity), Natural Resources, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
Yuvan Aves, ecologist, naturalist, author, nature educator, and co-founder and Trustee of Palluyir Trust for Nature Education and Research, India
Hosted and produced by: Pooja Chowdhary
Links to full episodes:
Can Biocultural Heritage Territories save Kenya’s Kaya sacred forests? https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/2Jdzv1FPIsb
Rediscover your connection with the natural world with Yuvan Aves. https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/uRgizcpUSsb
More information available at:
Towards a Biocultural Heritage Territory in Rabai Cultural Landscape: exploring Mijikenda cultural values and practices for sustainable development:
https://pubs.iied.org/20366g
Biocultural Heritage Territories of IIED:
https://biocultural.iied.org/indigenous-biocultural-territories
Palluyir Trust: https://palluyirtrust.org
Audio credits:
Episode intro outro music: Love and Inspire: Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
African Moon by John Bartmann is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License.
Bountiful by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
Mijikenda welcome song: Recorded by Chemuku Wekesa.
How forests are protected in Kenya | WWF. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6mQdaHbY4U (0:06 -0:30seconds)
Sound Effects:
Seawash, waves, Rising Tide On Rocks: BBC SFX Archives (copyright-free)
Africa, Zaire, Street, Kasigani, Some Traffic--Bike Bells, Car Horns, Footsteps And Distinct Speech: BBC SFX Archives (copyright-free)
Africa, Cameroun, Birds and Insects, Mid Morning, Rainforest: BBC SFX Archives (copyright-free)
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'Whispers of the Earth' is a podcast series that talks stories of traditional belief systems that have shaped our understanding of the natural world.
It aims to explore and ignite discussions on the need to include traditional knowledge systems in conservation practices alongside science. The podcast highlights successful case studies of community-led initiatives connecting people, culture and nature from across the globe.
Music credit:
Love and Inspire: Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
