Decolonising stories- New animations illuminate revival of Indigenous African communities and culture

We are delighted to announce the release of three new animations produced by Gaia and other founding members of the African Earth Jurisprudence Collective- SALT in Kenya, AFRICE in Uganda, and EarthLore in Zimbabwe and South Africa – and animator Tim Hawkins.

The animations explore the revival of land, water, seed and Earth-centred cultures by Indigenous and traditional communities in Uganda, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

For several years, the African Earth Jurisprudence Collective has been accompanying these communities on a journey towards revival, using holistic methodologies learnt from Indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon, including community dialogues and eco-cultural mapping.

Told in the words of Earth Jurisprudence Practitioners Simon Mitambo, Method Gundidza and Dennis Tabaro, each animation follows the communities’ story of rejuvenation through a central symbol of revival – bees in Kenya, millet in Zimbabwe and sacred natural sites in Uganda.

These decolonising stories demonstrate the immense value of Indigenous knowledge and practices in navigating the multiple ecological and social crises of our times.

They are a testament to the fact that alternatives to the dominant industrial growth economy already exist. That the damages and losses suffered since colonisation can be healed. That by working with other species in our home territories, we can reweave the fabric of life.

We invite you to watch and share the animations and accompanying interactive stories here:

Bikita, Zimbabwe

Method Gundidza narrates the story of how communities in Bikita, Zimbabwe, have catalysed a transformation in their food and farming system, as well as in their relationship with wild places and sacred natural sites, by reviving indigenous varieties of millet, their most sacred crop.

Tharaka, Kenya

Simon Mitambo shares the story of how the Tharakan People are turning the tide on a recent history of cultural and ecological loss in their ancestral lands by reviving their traditions, including bee-keeping, traditional dress and the ecological governance of their territory.

Buliisa, Uganda

Dennis Tabaro shares his own story of transformation, from accountant to Earth Jurisprudence Practitioner, as well as how the Indigenous Bagungu People in Buliisa, Uganda, are restoring their sacred natural sites, respect for custodians and clan governance systems in the shadow of oil extraction.