Restoring the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta: Reversing a Century of Colombian Tragedy
Can science and tradition finally help heal the region’s peoples and bring balance to its biodiversity-rich waters and mangrove forests? This article was originally published by The Revelator When I visited the floating palafito fishing village of Nueva...
Traditional Colombian fishers fight for their rights and protection of vital wetlands
Interconnected socio-ecological issues threaten the ecosystems of the Mompós Depression Wetlands and the traditional fishing communities who rely on and safeguard them This article was originally published as a Climate Home News special feature, with support from the...
The Kamëntšá Cosmovision: An Intricate Reciprocal Connection Between Mother Earth and Health
In Episode One of Cosmology & Pandemic, “Colombia: The Body as Territory”, the profound cosmovision of the Kamëntšá, and the interrelated health of their culture and ancestral lands, played a central role. Indigenous Peoples have a well-developed, centuries-long...
Mistrust fuels covid-19 vaccine doubts in Colombia’s Indigenous groups
As covid-19 vaccines begin to arrive in the Andean highlands in Colombia, Maria Pito, a leader of the Nasa people, is reluctant to receive one. “As a nurse, I will be required by the clinic where I work to be vaccinated but if I had the choice, I would not take it and...
Guardians of the Forest: Can Securing Indigenous Land Rights Help Combat Climate Change and Prevent the Next Pandemic?
This article was originally published online and then in print by Terralingua - Langscape Magazine Traditional Indigenous territories are complex, adaptable, and resilient socio-ecological systems that contain the majority of the world’s biocultural diversity. But can...
Colombia’s Dynamic Rivers: Integrated Interpretations and the Rights of Nature
Integrated interpretations of rivers as vital and interconnected living and evolving entities have extensive practical application — from their revered preservation throughout Indigenous territories, to modern adaptations of holistic Indigenous worldviews, to advances...
The Powerful Alliance Between Integrated Science and Traditional Food Systems
By Daniel Henryk Rasolt This article was originally published as a CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystem (WLE) Thrive Blog The longest running successful experiments in sustainable human land use are found within the collectively held lands of...
“This Is An Opportunity to Reconnect with Our Origins”
By Daniel Henryk Rasolt Originally published by The Esperanza Project For generations, a variety of factors have weakened the traditional intergenerational socio-cultural structures of Indigenous people around the world. In our globalized, urbanized and...
Self-Imposed Isolation of Indigenous Communities Due to COVID-19 Reinforces the Need for Clean Off-Grid Energy Sources
By Daniel Henryk Rasolt This story was originally published by Resilience. Strengthening the socio-ecological systems of Indigenous communities is of high priority for achieving global “sustainable development” and environmental goals. For Indigenous people to remain...
Scientists must learn how to interact with Indigenous people
Amazing opportunity for progress lies at the intersection of complex systems science and traditional worldviews. Can we find the humility to embrace it? Daniel Henryk Rasolt This story was originally published by Ensia. Last February, Jesus Rotieroke and I sat...