Blog & News

The partners of Pawanka Fund have been doing inspiring work in promoting, protecting and enhancing traditional knowledge as integral to indigenous peoples’ culture, ways of life and innovations. Each partner has a story to tell. The Pawanka Calendar 2019 illustrates some of the work of its partners and indigenous wisdom and thoughts to draw inspirations …

The 2019 Pawanka Calendar brings monthly indigenous images of inspiration Leer más »

The opening ceremony had village chiefs, local  authorities, forestry  officers,  and  community  leaders in attendance. The highest  clan  “Rai  Oan” or Son of  the  Land led the ritual, assisted  by  “Uma  Dato” or House  of  the  Leader who implements  the customary law, and  “Lia  Na’in” or Owner of  the  Words who, as a judicial  body, …

Tara Bandu, a Tradition of Sustainability Leer más »

The spirits of indigenous peoples’ forebears who nurtured their lands for many generations in the three regions of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia  must be delighted that their descendants have shown determination in safeguarding the traditional territories or wilayah adat.  With its consistent advocacy for customary land rights, Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia  (Indigenous …

Mapping the Ancestors’ Legacy Leer más »

If one were to google the indigenous group Dura, an interesting but alarming fact about them is the near extinction of their language. In fact, the Dura language is spoken by a few, or nearly none at all. Being a marginalized group in Nepal, the Duras not only have to contend with this threat to …

Managing Community Resources for the Future Leer más »

Gather indigenous youth with the fervour to learn and re-acquaint themselves to their indigenous roots, then let them listen to the words of wisdom of their elders. Give them the opportunity to travel and encounter fellow indigenous youth of other cultures and countries, and let them immerse in the issues and concerns of indigenous communities. …

Passing on the Torch Leer más »

Salante Leburkash, the Chairwoman of Merilosho Cultural Manyatta has lived through many droughts in her village in the vast North Kenyan pastoralist territory. In fact, this climatic disaster had wreaked havoc on planned activities in the community. But she and her village mates were determined to push through with the project. She rued, however, that …

Samburu Women Trust Their Future Leer más »

There is a great wave of concern for the future of the indigenous peoples of Marshall Islands in the vast Pacific waters because of their vulnerability to the impacts of climate  change and global warming. The inhabitants in the atolls have seen rising sea levels, inundation, severe weather patterns that cause extended drought and threaten …

Marshallese Face up to Changing Times Leer más »

After three years, it has indeed been a long journey. This was the same impression the indigenous youth who came from various nooks of the archipelago had when they first arrived in Bogor, West Java to take part in a series of trainings.     The intense energy and inspiration to revive indigenous culture that translates …

Indonesia’s Indigenous Youth Trace Their Ancestors’ Path Leer más »

Check out the highlights of the Indigenous Women Exchange Program joined by indigenous women’s organization from Guatemala, Thailand and Kenya. “As indigenous women, we have something unique that connects us around the world.”  “Women and indigenous peoples take care of resources and Mother Earth.”  These and more in this indigenous women empowerment from focusing on …

Indigenous Women Exchange Program Guatemala. 2018 Leer más »

Guiding Committee Meeting Managua, Nicaragua 8-10 February 2018 AGREEMENTS AND CONCLUSIONS a)      Successes, challenges and lessons learned in Pawanka’s first three years. There has been the transition from being an initiative to becoming a fund with its own identity.  Pawanka is a unique process that is changing the way to manage a fund through reciprocity alliances …

Guiding Committee Meeting Agreements and Conclusions Leer más »