Wonderful conversation. It must have taken something rather special to leave the Amazon, experience the culture shock of San Francisco, learn English to such a high standard and then return uncorrupted to fight for your people and place.
I’ve also wondered about indigeneity in somewhere like the UK. Are there people who have that close relationship to the land? As Rachel says, probably not since
most of the forest was cut down, the land enclosed and appropriated. But I still think that there is a sort of yearning for that care and restoration of what has been lost, which can be seen in the enthusiasm for something like the Rewilding movement.
You might be interested in Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen’s work on Nordic animism, a historian of religion focused on connecting these threads and reclaiming this form of kinship relationality in places like Europe.
An extraordinary man both in his manner and his achievement in bridging the two worlds of his indigenous culture and the politics of the wider commercial world.
There was also an important reality check in the stories he told of some of the forest groups succumbing to the lure of money and promises of development. The indigenous way of life has much for us to learn from while at the same time experiencing many of the same problems we face in the more affluent west. It makes the ceremonies and dreaming rituals less fantastical as they sit alongside the everyday and the very human behaviour of some community members.
As you remarked, Rachel, there is something to value in all cultures which has the possibility of being synthesised into a way of life that values all life and all people of whatever description - not some nirvana but a grounding value that allows us to manage the inevitable behaviour of those who from time to time put their own interests before others.
It beings fond memories of my stay at Kapowi in 2010 with Pachamama Alliance who fund rsised for the lodge and ecotouism in partnership with the Achuar. I'm surprised there was no mention, unless i missed something.
‘Ministry of the Future’ wonderful book. One short chapter focuses on the many groups working on the critical issue of our planet. Globe spanning… Made Obama’s 2020 book list.
Glad to listen to this interview. (Don’t usually do podcasts)
Wonderful conversation. It must have taken something rather special to leave the Amazon, experience the culture shock of San Francisco, learn English to such a high standard and then return uncorrupted to fight for your people and place.
I’ve also wondered about indigeneity in somewhere like the UK. Are there people who have that close relationship to the land? As Rachel says, probably not since
most of the forest was cut down, the land enclosed and appropriated. But I still think that there is a sort of yearning for that care and restoration of what has been lost, which can be seen in the enthusiasm for something like the Rewilding movement.
You might be interested in Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen’s work on Nordic animism, a historian of religion focused on connecting these threads and reclaiming this form of kinship relationality in places like Europe.
Thanks..I’ll take a look
COP30 in Brazil this year should be called COP-CHICO-MENDES. See why in
EARTHABOVEALL.NET
An extraordinary man both in his manner and his achievement in bridging the two worlds of his indigenous culture and the politics of the wider commercial world.
There was also an important reality check in the stories he told of some of the forest groups succumbing to the lure of money and promises of development. The indigenous way of life has much for us to learn from while at the same time experiencing many of the same problems we face in the more affluent west. It makes the ceremonies and dreaming rituals less fantastical as they sit alongside the everyday and the very human behaviour of some community members.
As you remarked, Rachel, there is something to value in all cultures which has the possibility of being synthesised into a way of life that values all life and all people of whatever description - not some nirvana but a grounding value that allows us to manage the inevitable behaviour of those who from time to time put their own interests before others.
Another deeply enriching conversation. Thank you Rachel and Chumpi. Here’s another invigorating conversation listeners may appreciate. https://open.substack.com/pub/ayanaelizabeth/p/investigative-journalism-climate-migrants?r=3vsmn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
It beings fond memories of my stay at Kapowi in 2010 with Pachamama Alliance who fund rsised for the lodge and ecotouism in partnership with the Achuar. I'm surprised there was no mention, unless i missed something.
COP30 this year should be called
COP-CHICO-MENDES as it is in Brazil. See why in EARTHABOVEALL.NET
Please visit EARTHABOVEALL.NET
Many thanks for your comments. Little by little we'll get there. The environment will survive.
EARTHABOVEALL.NET
‘Ministry of the Future’ wonderful book. One short chapter focuses on the many groups working on the critical issue of our planet. Globe spanning… Made Obama’s 2020 book list.
Glad to listen to this interview. (Don’t usually do podcasts)
Damn ugly shit;
“https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/05/19/europe/france-prison-french-guyana-scli-intl”