Blog & news
Explore stories and updates from Pawanka Fund’s work across seven regions of the world: Africa, the Arctic, Asia, Latin America, North America, the Pacific, and Russia. These stories highlight initiatives, experiences, and learning processes shared by partner organizations and communities.
Rising indigenous voices on climate change
A Thematic Report by PAWANKA Fund INTRODUCTION There has been a worldwide surge of environmental activism in preparation for the annual United Nations gathering on climate crisis in December 2019. The climate strike led by Greta Thunburg is gaining more support and attention as youth pour out onto the streets alongside environmental activists and ordinary
From silent and clandestine life to harmony with mother naturee
The year 1932 is forever marked in the memory of El Salvador’s indigenous peoples. Known before as Cuzcatlán, which means «country of medals» or «City Jewelry» because of its beautiful and fertile land with vegetation, hills and volcanoes, El Salvador has seen continuous struggles for land beginning with the expropriation of indigenous territories by conquerors.
Documenting and Promoting Community Understanding and Adaptation to Climate Change in Moyale Sub-County
The Borana pastoralist people of Northern Kenya had been observing how climate change impacts on their communities with the gradual erosion of traditional coping practices. Women used to churn milk to make ghee during the rainy season in preparation for drought. Milk made into yoghurt and preserved lasted for half a year. When drought came,
Strengthening Indigenous Baka Traditional Medicine, Traditional Healing and Health Care Systems
The Baka pygmies in Cameroon, Central Africa have a wealth of knowledge on traditional healing and medicinal plants from their forests. Specific animals are also sources of treatment for particular ailments such as the shells of giant snails for lumbago, or leopard’s bones as aphrodisiac, or the turtle’s egg for haemorrhoids. It is interesting to
Revitalizing spiritual traditional healing and supporting healers in northern Kenya
Bada Self Help Group In Biliqo, Isiolo County in Northern Kenya, sheep was slaughtered one morning to start a ceremony at the Darga or ceremonial site where the main healer called ’Abaye’’ performed a sign of blessings known as ‘’ebb.’’ He was joined by other spiritual healers, from different regions such as in Biliqo, Bulesa,
Key role of indigenous youth in traditional knowledge transmission
Indigenous Peoples Exchange Program: “Key role of Indigenous Youth in traditional knowledge transmission” held in Indonesia last August 2019. The goal: To contribute to the leadership development and empowerment of indigenous youth partners through an inspiring and challenging exchange.
Sustaining Indigenous Knowledge Spells the Survival of Indigenous Peoples
Sustaining Indigenous Knowledge Spells the Survival of Indigenous Peoples A Thematic Report on Intergenerational Transfer of Indigenous Knowledge INTRODUCTION With regard to the intergenerational transmission of indigenous knowledge, Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) stipulates that “indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit
Promotion, Enhancement and Transmission of Indigenous Knowledge and Practices
Among the Kankanaeys in the Cordillera of Northern Philippines, the dap-ay, the indigenous political system which is also a physical structure, is where elders told stories and taught community values every night around the fire to the young males. Old men and male adolescents slept in the dap-ay which served as a boys’ dormitory up
These Indigenous Women Are Reclaiming Stolen Land in the Bay Area
Through a voluntary land tax and donations from land owners, this organization is working to create an alternative land base for Indigenous people in California’s East Bay. By Deonna Anderson On a cool morning in December, Johnella LaRose stands in a 2-acre field in east Oakland, overseeing a group of volunteers preparing a section of