Knowledges for Territorial and Landscape Transformation
18 May, Knowledges for Territorial and Landscape Transformation: A dialogue between Indigenous, local and Western sciences with O. Ravaka Andriamihaja et al., STORYTELLING CIRCLE @ Dar Bellarj Foundation, 2 pm – 5 pm *** NB: this session is open to anyone to attend.
Session 1.13. Knowledges for Territorial and Landscape Transformation: A dialogue between Indigenous, local and Western sciences
Convened by G. Gonzales Malca (Wyss Academy for Nature, Switzerland), O. Ravaka Andriamihaja (Centre for Development and Environment – CDE), University of Bern, Switzerland), S.L. Mathez-Stiefel (CDE and Wyss Academy for Nature, Switzerland), A. Vargas Pío (FENAMAD), A. Valdes-Velásquez (Wyss Academy for Nature, Switzerland), E. Urquía Sebastian & Y. Patiachi Tayori
In an era characterised by rapid globalisation, environmental shifts, and cultural changes, there is an urgent need to (re-)establish positive connections with the environment, emphasising the maintenance and celebration of cultural landscapes. This session proposes a dialogue between Indigenous and Western sciences to illuminate transformative pathways towards more just and responsible territorial management. While Indigenous and local communities possess deep connections and knowledge about the natural world, their insights often remain overlooked due to differences in narrative forms. For instance, conservation governance schemes are predominantly shaped by Western paradigms and scientific evidence. Indigenous knowledge, despite its historical ownership and stewardship of territories, is often undervalued. To bridge this gap, we advocate for storytelling and ancestral art as powerful tools to convey Indigenous and local knowledge and enable a dialogue between different knowledge systems. This interactive session invites contribution from Indigenous and local knowledge holders, researchers, and practitioners who work on territory, landscape or biodiversity conservation governance. Using diverse narrative and art formats, such as drawings, images, videos, and songs, the session aims to unlock the richness of Indigenous and local knowledge and to foster a dialogue among knowledge to explore multifaceted stories of vision, hope, resilience, and transformation. The session will result in an understanding of the tools, methodologies, and practices used by different knowledge to improve conservation governance schemes in the respective landscape and territory of the participants.
Contributors:
Sensory Methods towards More-than-verbal Placemaking – A Case Study of Tacit Ecological Knowledge on Floodplain Farming at the Tisza River, Zsófia Szonja Illés, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Hungary.
The Role Of Ancestral Tales In Allocating Space And Resources To Sakalava Communities: Case Studies Of The Andriamisara And Ambalakida Forests, And The Boanamary Mangroves, Anjaratiana Rojo RASAMOELINA, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar.
E uku ia ke kanaka kii laau, he luhi kona i ka hele ana: How Forests and Gathering Practices steady Cultural and Economic Foundations of Hawaii, Katie Kamelamela, Arizona State University, USA.
A personal account on the changing landscape of Nagaland, Preety Sharma, GroundUp Conservation, India.
Re-centering Local & Indigenous Knowledge of Bhutan’s Bio-cultural Landscapes in Conservation Practice, David Matthew Hecht, Gyempo Wangchuk, University of Georgia, USA.
