Walking the Land

Walking the Land Amazonia

*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WTL Amazonia is now prioritizing relieving food scarcity that is the direct result of the global pandemic.*

The Kuntanawa are based in Acre, Brazil near the border with Peru. Their history goes back thousands of years. The Kuntanawa have walked the Amazon forest since the dawn of humanity. The deep relation the Kuntanawa culture formed with the forest, its rivers, trees, plants, animals and birds resulted in a harmonious culture enjoying the abundance of the forest and celebrating the many dimensions of life in song, dance and stories honoring their ancestors. A strong bond with nature increased the resilience of the forest and the balance between animals and people and humans were a crucial link in the evolving socio-biodiversity of the area, its seasons, and the incredible wealth of foods and medicine. Five interlinked projects will reconstruct and regenerate this cultural bond between the people and their land and foster refreshed, healthy balance between people and nature. The five projects are summarized by the Kuntanawa:

• Regenerating our habitat: We will revive our rivers and forests and the many animal species that once were abundant. This includes planting a million trees to reforest the banks of our local river.

• Restoring food security: It is our intention to create food forests and introduce permaculture for food security. We will harvest the abundance of the forests to trade fruits, medical products and products of well-being. 

• Reconstruction indigenous health care: We will restore and further develop health care the Indigenous way, with a health center focusing on traditional medicine and healing. 

• Setting up education: Based in part on our language, ancient knowledge and modern science, we will create education for a sustainable future based on a deep partnership with nature to increase the beauty and resilience of our lands and study the many yet unknown secrets the plants and other life of the forest has to offer for the well being of humans. 

• Guarding the forest. The Kuntanawa will regain their autonomy and their sacred guardianship of the forest and recover both nature and its people from the ecocide and genocide inflicted upon them. 

Project costs

The total project costs are budgeted at $550,000 USD in a three-year project to simultaneously implement the five elements. We are more than happy to provide more details and send descriptions of parts or the whole of the project, which can be supported separately. As the Kuntanawa cannot be reached easily and there is a language barrier, please contact CCC’s Walking the Land liaison, Moshe Givental. More information can be found at the Kuntanawa’s website: www.kuntanawa.org.

Walking the Land Africa

Walking the Land Africa gathers all organizations participating in the Walking the Land umbrella initiative. It includes the Network for Ecovillage Emergence and Development in the Sahel (REDES); Senegal, Future in Our Hands, Sierra Leone; Women Solidarity, Namibia; The ReSCOPE Regional Network Programme in Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Uganda; and Sustainable Development Solutions SUDESO, Malawi.

Although the countries are spread over large distances and the special foci of the organizations involved differ, there are common elements which this initiative addresses:

• Introduction of regenerative agriculture practices, improving soil fertility and carbon storage, productivity, ecosystem health, and local climate

• Establishing sanitary solutions in the settlements solving societal issues, e.g., women’s security and water pollution, at the same time producing energy and fertilizer with biogas digesters

• Complementing local energy production with biogas digesters by basic solar energy supplies

• Set-up of nutrition and health programs, with focus on water security, diversification of crops and food, thus improving mothers’ and children’s health

• Improving air quality both in-door and out-door through new agricultural practices, cooking techniques and energy supply

• Enabling grassroot entrepreneurship through savings and credit groups.

You can learn more about Walking The Land Africa on their Facebook Page.

To learn more about REDES in Senegal, visit their website or follow them on Facebook.

Detailed descriptions of the proposals are available on request. To donate or become involved with Walking The Land Africa, contact CCC’s Walking the Land liaison, Moshe Givental.

Walking the Land projects in Oceana protect indigenous communities in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia from pollutants, promote regenerative agriculture, maintain cultural integrity and heritage and transmit it to youth, and network communities to transfer resources and support health and housing. Currently Climate Change & Consciousness supports these projects in Oceana:

Parihaka: Parihaka was the original site of non-violent resistance to colonialism on Aotearoa New Zealand. It is now a fully inhabited and expanding community with sustainable gardens. Protecting the purity of the water at Parihaka is a major project as it is near cattle ranches. TeAkau Wharehoka and other representatives from Parihaka attended the Climate Change & Consciousness 2019 conference to present proposals to build sustainable housing and continue educational outreach about traditional Maori culture to youth. Donations to support Parihaka’s water resources and youth are welcome in any amount.

 Aunty Pat Ansell Dodds: Aunty Pat coordinates a Grandmothers group to maintain and transmit Australian aboriginal culture to youth. She says, “When our youth are valued and cared for they can truly become our next leaders in the new world that is upon us.” This is a model she intends to develop throughout Australia. Aunty Pat is an artist and educator with decades of experience as an educational leader. Donations in any amount are welcome.