PREVIOUS EVENTS

Our leaders curated Epupa Knowledge Fair, a building stone towards knowledge equity

The Inaugural Namibian Indigenous Knowledge Fair was held in April 2021, with approximately 100 participants–Bringing together indigenous community members from different conservancies, academics, funders, NGOs and government officials. The event was hosted by the Epupa community, and co-organised with the Namibia University of Science and Technology. 

Research findings around the topic of co-designed conservation technologies to improve ecosystem management were widely shared. The three-day event consisted of numerous workshops on digitalisation ethnobotany, and wildlife activity reporting, workshops on intestine reading, drone wildlife surveillance, and livelihood, amongst community narratives, speeches, discussions and dialogues.

The tangible impact of our conference can be observed in the Participatory Design Conference in Sibu, Malaysia, 11-16 August 2024. 

““In the past week or few weeks that I was here, the most important part is that I felt the spirit. The spirit of the people that were present here. I could feel the positivity of the people that are engaging together because they are all striving for something that we all want to benefit [from] – not only as people but as the environment with people coming from different fields of education trying to find answers. That is something that I felt, the closeness, the humbleness of the people.”
-Elder Herman Many Guns, Southern Alberta, Canada

“There are so many different ideas that we can learn from each other. Not only in terms of technology but the approaches for us. This is a research-based conference but what really grounded me is that each of our community groups from our different tribes, from our different countries provided a platform and the foundation for some really in-depth conversations.”
-Whakatōhea Iwi (Daniel Paruru) Aotearoa, Maori, New Zealand

“We gained new experiences, shared stories, ideas, and were able to learn about each other’s customs and cultures. Although I don’t speak much, deep down, I was very moved and inspired by the incredible experiences from all of you great people. You all are such an inspiration in my life. Hopefully, one day you can all come to my village.”
-Diana Azlyn, Long Lamai, Malaysia

“For me, I have been able to see and understand that all of these different interchanges with different cultures reinforces our strength. What I’ve noticed is that we have commonalities, and even though people are trying different things, the common thing is that everybody has this motivation, this understanding in the importance to strengthen their own cultures and to find ways to keep this knowledge alive.”
-Shakira, Ecuador

“I am very grateful to be invited and be together in this great event. I am really inspired by what I have learned through the shared knowledge and experiences, especially how community knowledge can be transformed into technology, etc.”
-Garen Jengan, Long Lamai, Malaysia

The union of cultures is a testament of how we can strengthen our prayers

Tree planting ceremony with Don Rafael and Ntate Mabena.


“It’s quite a long time that I have wanted to meet my brothers and sisters globally,” said Ntate Mabena during a ceremony that wove together a prayer matrix from the Xhosa, Swati, Zulu, Basotho, Shona, Hebrew, pagan English and Wixaritari traditions.

“When we were watching the Western-made films, you were always being defeated by the cowboys. The movie-watchers were always saying, ‘I wish these people can win.’ I want to share my tears of joy that you are now here.”

Two Wixaritari shamans from Mexico, brought out by Angela Prusa of Namibia and the Sesiyakhula Njalo NPO healers of Mamelodi, led by Gogo Zandi, had come together on this to drum and dance and pray for the healing of the land. They were received in the “school of excellence” of Ntate Mabena–A learning institution and museum focused on indigenous African healing. The type of intercultural sharing to shape ideas, people and culture to propel us forward towards the repair of the mother earth. 

Read the full article to learn more