Speaking of Home - The Story of the Mount Elgon Ogiek Peoples

The Ogiek peoples live on the slopes of Mount Elgon in Kenya. This documentary shows the Ogiek's relationship to their homeland and to the world.

As indigenous peoples without official minority status in Kenya, the Ogiek have gone through evictions from their native land for decades. Time after another they have returned to their land to continue living in the forest.

The documentary is the Ogiek's story, in their own words, of their hopes before the 2013 Kenyan elections. It was filmed in Chepkitale, Mt. Elgon in 2012 during a mapping workshop.

Through developing a map of their land, the Ogiek not only strengthen their cultural identity, but can show that the land said to belong to someone else, is rightfully theirs.

Credits: The film has been produced by SHALIN Suomi ry and has been featured at the Helsinki African Film Festival

Traditionally Occupied Lands in Brazil

For several decades, social groups that were once “invisible” in Brazil have formed movements based on collective identities closely tied to natural resources use in specific territories. Their mobilization is a response to illegal land speculation, rural violence, and resource degradation associated with the expansion of agro-business, mining, and other activities that threaten many of the natural resources and collective-use territories upon which these groups have long inhabited. In spite of changes in Brazilian legislation that facilitate the recognition of land use based on collective identities – the Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988 recognizes the rights of quilombolas, indigenous people, and other “traditional” populations – many groups throughout the country continue to struggle to obtain formal recognition of their lands and the resources they depend upon for survival.

Based on more than thirty years of research focusing on social movement mobilization and land issues throughout Brazil, Alfredo Wagner Berno de Almeida’s book Traditionally Occupied Lands in Brazil analyses the relationship between the rise of social movements based on collective identities and the “traditionally occupied lands” that many of these groups are struggling to defend, maintain, and recover.

As a point of departure for understanding resource conflict, this text presents a detailed analysis of the divergence between the official land use and property rights legislation in Brazil and the land use and cultural practices of various social groups struggling to maintain their “traditionally occupied lands” and associated cultural practices. By comparing and contrasting how natural resources are used, owned, and appropriated in Brazil, this book provides a unique vision of the connections between shared identities, social movement formation, land use practices, and natural resource conflict.

Author: Alfredo Wagner Berno de Almeida
ISBN: 978-85-7883-149-3
Publisher: PGSCA-UFAM, Manaus, 2011

Indonesian Government Accepts Ancestral Domain Maps: Making Indigenous Peoples visible within the Nation State

Jakarta, 14 November 2012 – The Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) and Network for Participatory Mapping (JKPP) have officially handed over ancestral domain maps registered with the Ancestral Domain Registration Agency (BRWA) to the Indonesia's Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) and Presidential Delivery Unit for Supervision and Control of Development (UKP4). This is the initial handover done by AMAN and JKPP. As a start, being submitted are 265 maps of ancestral domains covering a total area of 2,402,222 ha.

Ancestral domain maps available in BRWA, of which process facilitated directly by AMAN and JKPP as well as NGOs advocating the archipelago’s indigenous peoples, are prominent information to support One Map Indonesia carried out by the government through UKP4 and BIG. It is a collective movement of all including indigenous peoples, for managerial improvement of Indonesia in order to be a better Country.

“Making Indigenous Peoples visible within the State will help the government in managing a Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), peaceful and equitable State based on the conditions and characteristics of indigenous peoples from across the Archipelago” said National Coordinator of JKPP Mr. Kasmita Widodo.

According the Secretary-General of AMAN Abdon Nababan, the handover aims as representation of indigenous peoples as well as their rights to lands, territories and natural resources in the Republic of Indonesia.

Indonesia has a constitution recognizing indigenous peoples but lacks of administrative law acknowledging the existence of indigenous peoples and their collective rights. Thus, this handover is part of welcoming the legalization of Recognition and Protection the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PPHMA) Bill currently discussed by House of Representatives. Once legalized, the Act will provide recognition, protection, and service to indigenous peoples of the archipelago as citizens of Indonesia.

“AMAN and JKPP want to encourage all development sectors in Indonesia currently managed by Ministries and other Government Institutions to work together under the leadership of the President to ensure national development that significantly able to alleviate land, territories and natural resources disputes that may thwart the development objectives” said Nababan and Widodo.

Further information:
Mr. Mahir Takaka
Deputy III of Secretary General
Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara/AMAN
mtakaka@aman.or.id

Non-edited press release received from JKPP

Recognising and Supporting Territories and Areas Conserved by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities

Recognising and Supporting Territories and Areas Conserved by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities is a new Publication to be released at CBD’s 11th Conference of Parties (Oct 8-19th) in Hyderabad, India

Published by the CBD Secretariat, based on a study undertaken by the ICCA Consortium, coordinated by the Indian NGO Kalpavriksh

Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCAs) contain significant levels of biodiversity and related cultural diversity. This publication provides details of the range, extent and values of such sites, the threats they face, and the efforts being made by governments and civil society at recognizing and supporting them. Drawing lessons from 19 country case studies (covering all continents), and a range of other documentation, it offers lessons on how best to provide recognition to ICCAs.

The knowledge and practices of indigenous peoples and local communities have contributed greatly to conservation of ecosystem, species, and genetic diversity. It is likely that as much of the world’s area as is under officially designated protected areas (about 13%), if not more, is under ICCAs.

In 2010, at the 10th Conference of Parties to the CBD (Nagoya, Japan), governments committed to a Strategic Plan on Biodiversity 2012-20. This included a set of 20 targets (‘Aichi Targets’), covering aspects such as integrating biodiversity into economic development, enhancing the coverage of protected areas and other forms of effective conservation, alleviating poverty and providing secure livelihoods.

This publication shows how ICCAs can help all countries to meet many of these targets, including Target 11 of expanding global protected area coverage to 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine areas. ICCAs can also help meet commitments under other global agreements such as the Millennium Development Goals and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

This publication stresses that, in order to maintain and enhance the values of ICCAs, indigenous peoples and local communities governing them need adequate and appropriate recognition, including:

• Clear rights to territories and natural resources, in both terrestrial and marine areas 
• Recognition of their institutions of collective governance 
• Rights to exclude destructive activities like mining
• Respect of diverse cultures, lifestyles, economic systems 
• Recognition of ICCAs as protected areas or other effective conservation areas 

The publication shows that several countries are moving substantially in these directions. For instance, in Australia, Indigenous Protected Areas make up about 30% of the official protected area estate, while in the Philippines legislation relating to ancestral domain rights is providing backing to indigenous peoples in their efforts to conserve and sustainable manage their territories. However, many countries are still weak in their recognition of indigenous peoples and local communities in general, and of ICCAs in particular. In most, serious threats from extractive industries and large infrastructure projects, imposition of inappropriate land uses, and lack of recognition are the key challenge.

Global cooperation is needed to enable all countries achieve recognition of ICCAs, to enhance their contribution to conservation, livelihood security, and cultural sustenance. The publication provides pointers on how this can be done through legal, administrative, social, financial, advocacy, networking and other forms of recognition and support.

Citation: Kothari, Ashish with Corrigan, Colleen, Jonas, Harry, Neumann, Aurelie, and Shrumm, Holly. (eds). 2012. Recognising and Supporting Territories and Areas Conserved By Indigenous Peoples And Local Communities: Global Overview and National Case Studies. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, ICCA Consortium, Kalpavriksh, and Natural Justice, Montreal, Canada. Technical Series no. 64, 160 pp.

For further details, contact Ashish Kothari.

Participatory 3D Modelling (P3DM): five years after receiving the World Summit Award

In collaboration with national and regional partner organisations, the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation EU-ACP (CTA) is supporting the dissemination and adoption of P3DM practice in ACP countries. The practice is now well established in Africa and the Pacific. Its introduction to the Caribbean  is planned for October 2012 via a partnership with CANARI and the University of the West Indies.

Since 2007 WSA award winning Participatory 3D Modelling P3DM (P3DM) in Fiji, the P3DM practice has been adopted in many parts of the world including Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, East Timor, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, India, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Thailand, Vietnam, and many other countries.

In Kenya, Indigenous Peoples employed the practice to document their biophysical and cultural landscapes, enhance inter-generational knowledge exchange.  They also found it to add value and authority to local knowledge, improve communication with mainstream society, improve spatial planning and address territorial disputes.




In Ethiopia P3DM has been taken up by farmers to plan out community-based land reclamation and sustainable management of resources.



The Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC), a pan-African network, has been spearheading the adoption of P3DM in the continent to improve awareness at policy-making level on the relevance of location-specific knowledge in climate change adaptation processes. As an example, the use of P3DM by pygmies in Gabon allowed them to gain visibility and establish peer-to-peer exchanges with local government institutions.



In 2012 Pastoralist Mbororo People in Chad practiced P3DM to manage spatial conflicts with farming communities.

In Solomon Islands coastal communities benefitted from P3DM to analyse issues related to climate change and identified ways to adapt to it.


UNESCO, IFAD and other development agencies have created resource materials (publications) making specific reference to the method.

In collaboration with IFAD, CTA has developed a training kit http://pgis-tk.cta.int supporting the spread of good practice in generating, managing, analysing and communicating spatial information. The kit includes a module on P3DM.

Making Rangelands Secure - First issue of the Bulletin published

In 2010 the International Land Coalition (ILC) with partners IFAD, IUCN-WISP, Procasur and RECONCILE established a learning initiative for sharing experience and practice in making rangelands secure for local rangeland users. A number of activities have been developed to enable this process. In February 2012 a learning route took place between Nairobi and Arusha, visiting four host communities and/or organisations who shared their own experience of securing rights to their land and resources, in different land tenure and politicial and/or social contexts. Twenty-four participants joined the learning route from around the world, and in particular from East and Horn of Africa. The learning route is being repeated in September 2012, with a large participation from government representatives from Sudan, and in particular Darfur state.

The learning initiative is also working with a number of other partners including Oxfam GB, ILRI, USAID-funded programmes and national governments in the region to further develop and document lessons learnt and influence developing land tenure policies and their implementation. The experiences are being discussed and documented in different forums and through a range of publications. The Making Rangelands Secure Bulletin is one such publication, that provides up-to-date information and news on important and relevant issues, processes and activities taking place in order to better secure rights to rangelands.

Articles provide discussion and information on village land use planning in Tanzania; shared experiences on securing of livestock corridors in West Africa and Sudan; implications of Kenya's Constitution on rangelands; the securing of rights for hunter-gatherers in Tanzania; the development of policy and legislation related to rangelands in Uganda; as well as news from members and partners of the learning initiative.

Palawan - our struggle for nature and culture

The struggle to save Palawan (known as the Philippines’ Last Frontier) is not only about saving trees and rare species. It is also about nourishing the Filipino cultural heritage, so powerfully represented by those indigenous communities that - after escaping Spanish and American colonization (while resisting the new ‘mining imperialism’ now) - continue to represent the 'living roots' from which all Filipinos originate. Therefore, environmental plundering by mining companies is not only a crime against nature but it is also a crime against culture, a sort of genocide that annihilates the most profound roots of the Filipino's history and ultimately plunders the cultural heritage of the whole nation! In this movie, Kawali, the mythical ancestor depicted by Batak narrators emphasises humility and trust towards the supernal beings in charge of animals and plants. On the contrary, the attitude of Kawali’s brother-in-law comes to represent the epitome of inappropriate behaviour, such as the lack of respect towards the mystical keepers of animals and - here specifically - towards the “father of bees”: a relationship that contemporary Batak continues to restore though the lambay ceremony. The sudden switch between the narration of the Batak myth and the threats posed by mining companies serves to introduce the work of ALDAW, a local network of indigenous peoples struggling for the protection of their ancestral land against large-scale corporations.

Trading Bows and Arrows for Laptops: Carbon & Culture

The Surui Cultural Map shows the Surui tribe of the Amazon's vision of their forest, including their territory and traditional history. To create this map, Surui youth interviewed their elders to document and map their ancestral sites, such as the site of first contact with western civilization in 1969, places where the tribes battled with colonists in the 1970s, as well as places of interest, like sightings of jaguars, capybaras and toucans. To preserve their forest and their livelihood, the Surui are entering the Carbon Credit marketplace with software called Open Data Kit to measure carbon and monitor any illegal logging in their forests using Android smartphones.

Mapping Indigenous Lands, Ep 1 - Dave De Vera, Philippines

Dave De Vera, executive director of PAFID is an advocate in rights based approaches and expert in participatory mapping (in particular participatory three dimensional modelling or P3DM). In this short interview Dave discusses the ethical considerations during the "Participatory Mapping and Community Empowerment for Climate Change Adaptation, Planning and Advocacy workshop" held in Solomon Islands on 21-26 May 2012.

Video by TNC, Kat Gawlik

Feedback from a Participatory 3D Modelling exercise representing the Abongo-Mitsogho cultural landscape of the Ikobey Commune and Waka National Park

As part of a region-wide effort aimed at involving local communities in the sustainable management of natural resources in the Congo Basin and at adding value and authority to local and indigenous knowledge and values and at ensuring equitable benefit sharing resulting from co-managed protected areas, the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN), Brainforest, CTA, IPACC, MINAPYGA, Rainforest Foundation UK, and the Wildlife Conservation Society-Gabon (WCS) supported a series of initiatives in the area including the participatory 3D modelling exercise described in this report.


While responding to needs expressed by local communities and by the park administration, the exercise offered the opportunity for training delegates from national and regional organisations based in Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Download the full report of the activity: English | Français

Chorotegas: Dignidad Indígena

El Pueblo Indígena Chorotega del norte de Nicaragua, reclama sus derechos a las tierras ancestrales y reivindican su cultura

Participatory 3D Modelling - Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, Uganda

In 2009 a group of Batwa representatives from Uganda travelled to Ogiek communities in Kenya to learn about their situation and the different advocacy strategies they were using. One of these strategies was the use of Participatory 3-Dimensional Modelling (P3DM), which helped the Ogiek engage Kenyan agencies on their rights to their ancestral territory, the Mau Forest. The Batwa walked away from this visit impressed by the simplicity of the P3DM technique and hopeful of replicating it in their own context.

Two years later in June 2011, the Batwa, with support from the ARCUS Foundation, began their own three-dimensional modelling of their ancestral territory, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.  More than 100 representatives from the Batwa communities surrounding Bwindi, including youth, elders, women and men attended the exercise over a three-week period.

Uganda's first Participatory Three-Dimensional Modelling Project was organised in 2011 in Kisoro by the Batwa, former hunter-gatherers who were evicted from two national parks 20 years ago.

More information:

1. http://goo.gl/2II2K
2. http://goo.gl/SlcKO
3. http://goo.gl/mMDjs
4. http://goo.gl/ZLExK
5. http://goo.gl/J0w7F

The Voice of the Ogiek (video)

In 2006 a little known ethnic group – called the Ogiek - created a three-dimensional map of their ancestral land in Kenya. In the past members of this indigenous community were regarded as second class citizen. Today, their story has gained international recognition. The Kenyan government is increasingly listening to their voice and including them in a dialogue over the future of their community and of the Mau Forest.

This is the story of how the Ogiek found their voice …

For more information on the case visit: http://goo.gl/H5drF

Jinchuan Chinese Investors Face and Angry Crowd of Protesters on Palawan Island (Philippines)

PUERTO PRINCESA, 11 November, 2011 - On 10 November, indigenous peoples and farmers led by people’s organizations such as ALDAW (Ancestral Domain/Land Watch) gathered in Brooke’s Point city proper to protest against the mining plans of the Jinchuan Group Ltd. The company has signed a memorandum of agreement with MacroAsia Corporation for joint investments in Palawan, estimated to reach $1 billion. The agreement was signed during President Benigno Aquino's recent state visit to China.

“While we are struggling to protect our ancestral domain from mining plundering, Pres. “Noynoy” is signing mining contracts with China.  This is all very disappointing and frustrating... in consideration of his previous statements claiming that no more mining enterprises should be allowed to operate in Palawan without the consent of local communities” said a representative of ALDAW (Ancestral Land/Domain Watch).

The 88 million tonnes of nickel ore that MacroAsia Corporation (MAC) aims at extracting lye underground in the middle of the Palawan ancestral domain.  The company intends to mine up to 1 million metric tons nickel ore a year from the untouched and magnificent tropical forest of Brooke’s Point Municipality, one of the best biodiversity hot spots in the country. Most of the extracted minerals will be exported to China.

China is the world's top producer of NPI, a low grade ferro-nickel with high iron content, and relies on imported laterite ores for NPI production. In the first seven months of 2011, the Philippines was China's second-largest supplier of nickel ore  (after Indonesia), used for the production of stainless steel,
Speaking at the “Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel,” last September, Chamber of Mines president Philip Romualdez revealed that at least four mining contracts involving nickel mining projects in Palawan and Zambales were signed during President Aquino’s recent visit to China.

Through these agreements, the Philippine Government aim at bringing in $14 billion in investments within the next five years, sacrificing, in turn, the livelihood of thousands of farmers and indigenous peoples.

On late September, MacroAsia vice-president for Mining Operations Ramon Santos made a public statement saying that he was hoping that NCIP permit would be out by October. However, Indigenous Peoples in Palawan are challenging MacroAsia latest attempt to mislead government officials and the public so it can gain access to mineral resources on indigenous ancestral lands (see previous IC coverage)

In reality, October has been a rather challenging month for MacroAsia, due to the massive consultations carried out by farmers and indigenous communities of Brookes’ Point that have clearly shown how the company has no widespread local consensus, as it allegedly claims to have obtained.  Moreover, the local Palawan communities are now in the process of preparing an Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development Protection Plan (ADSDPP) as required by the National Commission on Indigenous peoples (NCIP)   The plan will pose a challenge to endorsement of a certificate of precondition (CP) to MacroAsia by NCIP, as it will clearly demonstrate how the Palawan indigenous people, since time immemorial, has profitably and sustainably managed their forest.  As of now, this forest represents a source of livelihood and traditional sustenance for the tribes, as well as an indispensable source of potable water and irrigation for the lowland farmers.

While the ADSDPP process is moving forwards, indigenous communities, not only from Brooke’s Point but also from other municipalities, have been able to come up with a joint resolution dated 23 October and calling the Government for a serious implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA law), for the cancellation of mining companies such as MacroAsia and Ipilan Nickel Corporation (INC) which are encroaching on the indigenous ancestral land, and for the non-endorsement of the Certificate of Precondition (CP) by NCIP to such companies.  At the same time, on 31 October legal affidavits signed by genuine indigenous representatives of Brooke’s Point Municipality have been notarized and filed against both LEBACH and MacroAsia companies.

In addition to the partnership between Jinchuan and MacroAsia, also the Oriental Peninsula Resources Group, Inc. (OPRG) has been able to secure investments for three projects involving hydropower, coal, and nickel off-take with Yun Feng, a Chinese company that owns and controls automotive companies and parts suppliers in China. OPRG is an holding firm which has 94% equity in Citynickel, another mining company which is presently devastating tropical forest in Pulot (Municipality of Espanola) and polluting precious waterways such as the Punang, Malanap and Pulot rivers. The local people complain that the mining road is causing their rice-fields to overflow and be filled with a mixture of sand and silt coming from the mining road.

Citinickel, instead, claims to have signed a Memorandum of Agreement, on June 13 2008, in the City of Puerto Princesa City. Allegedly, such memorandum defines the specific rights and obligations of each party in the mining area, including those of the local indigenous Tagbanua and Palawan communities. The accord was an offshoot of the May 27 decision of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples to cancel a compliance certificate it earlier gave to Platinum Group Metals Corporation (PGMC) and re-issue a new one to Citinickel.

Indigenous advocate groups claim that the re-issuance should have been duly re-validated by the indigenous traditional representatives and by their communities’ members. The latter, instead, – until now – have little or no understanding of the company’s long-term plans.

In the Municipality of Brooke’s Point alone, almost 6,600 hectares of land are now being occupied by three major large-scale companies: Celestial Nickel Mining and Exploration Corporation (CNMEC) - currently being operated by Ipilan Nickel Corporation (INC), MacroAsia Corporation and LEBACH.  All these companies have already engaged in exploration work and are waiting for the necessary permits to start full-scale operations.

What you can do

While local indigenous communities in Palawan are now being faced with huge interests and pressures coming from Chinese companies and investors, YOU can also support the local struggle by

Asking the Jinchuan Group ltd (JNMC) to stop their mining business in Palawan

President Wang Yongqian
Jinchuan Group LTD (JNMC)
98, Jinchuan Road
Jinchuan District
Jinchang,  737102
China

E-mails: wyq@jnmc.com
info@jnmc.com
jnmcadmin@jnmc.com
Fax (86-935)-8811612

JNMC US Office
derek.benham@benmet.com
sales@jnmc.us
Fax: 626-964-6336

Address your concerns to NCIP requesting the no-issuance of the Certificate or Preconditions to MacroAsia Corporation:
Email: resource@ncip.gov.ph
Telefax: (63 2) 373-97-65
Please also include in the Cc: oed@pcsd.ph and mearlhilario@yahoo.com (Palawan Council for Sustainable Development - PCSD)

Kindly request President Benigno C. Aquino III (Malacañang Palace, Manila) to stop signing agreements with Chinese and foreign corporations whose operations will destroy precious environments, agricultural lands and indigenous ancestral domains
Email: titonoy@president.gov.ph

Also sign the no-2-mining-in-palawan petition launched by the Save Palawan Movement and the ALDAW Petition to stop the encroachment of mining corporations and oil palm plantations on Palawan ancestral land.

For more information watch ALDAW videos on Vimeo and  Youtube; and see ALDAW's Facebook page.

Contact the ALDAW INDIGENOUS NETWORK (Ancestral Land/Domain Watch) at: aldaw.indigenousnetwork@gmail.com

Mapping for Rights aims to provide easy access to accurate geographical information about the presence, land use and rights of indigenous peoples and other forest dependent communities in the Congo Basin. It is intended to enable forest communities themselves to demonstrate their presence in the forest; decision-makers and the private sector to take account of and recognise this presence; and to assist the international community in designing programmes to secure those rights and ensure that forest communities are equitable beneficiaries of future developments. The key features of the website include:

Interactive Maps. Built on a database of participatory maps (many of which the Rainforest Foundation itself has been involved in producing, this function enables forest communities to demonstrate their presence in the landscape, along with their customary uses and rights over the land. The maps enable all site users to see forest community occupation and forest usage in the context of other claims on the forest, such as logging activities and strictly protected areas. Multimedia content embedded in the maps allows for insights into the culture, livelihoods and concerns of the relevant communities;

Online Interactive Database. Authorized users can access an interactive online community map database. The database serves as a repository for participatory mapping work that has been carried out by various organisations in the region. It enables the maps shown in the Interactive Maps section to be scrutinised in more detail, and used to inform planning and policy processes, decision making and to promote effective collaboration.

Resource Portal.  Providing communities, NGOs, government agencies and others with the tools to facilitate participatory mapping.  Also search for related legal, policy, technical and other resources by theme or by country.

Mapping Winnemem Sacred Sites

Mt. Shasta, California, North America - July 12, 2011

Maps tell stories, and control of the printing press allowed colonial powers to tell their own stories for centuries. A Native American tribe that was literally taken off the map in California’s history books — and is still unrecognized by the U.S. government — is using technology to put themselves back on the map. On June 11 and 12, Eli Moore and Catalina Garzon of Pacific Institute, and Miho Kim of The Data Center, led a mapping workshop with the Winnemem Wintu Tribe to continue a long process of documenting sacred sites in the Winnemem’s traditional cultural territory. On Saturday, mapping terminology and GPS skills were mastered in the Winnemem village near Redding, and on Sunday a dozen young people practiced their new skills while visiting four sacred sites along the McCloud River. We filmed the workshop to include as a scene in our Losing Sacred Ground documentary series.

All over the world, indigenous communities are incorporating mapping into their communication and outreach strategies, as they craft the stories they want to tell to the outside world about their struggles to protect land, culture, language and sacred sites. Mapping now figures into five of our eight stories: in Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, Russia’s Altai Republic, the tar sands of Alberta, Canada, and in northern California. As Winnemem leader Caleen Sisk-Franco says, "We need to create evidence to convince the Forest Service that this is a historic cultural district containing a network of sacred sites that all work together.

Different places teach us different things and have different purposes. But we need them all.

Source: Sacred Land Project

Indigenous Peoples and the Collaborative Stewardship of Nature: Knowledge Binds and Institutional Conflicts

Involving Indigenous peoples and traditional knowledge into natural resource management produces more equitable and successful outcomes. Unfortunately, argue Anne Ross and co-authors, even many “progressive” methods fail to produce truly equal partnerships. This book offers a comprehensive and global overview of the theoretical, methodological, and practical dimensions of co-management.

The authors critically evaluate the range of management options that claim to have integrated Indigenous peoples and knowledge, and then outline an innovative, alternative model of co-management, the Indigenous Stewardship Model.

They provide detailed case studies and concrete details for application in a variety of contexts.

Broad in coverage and uniting robust theoretical insights with applied detail, this book is ideal for scholars and students as well as for professionals in resource management and policy.

Philippines Gov’t cancels deal with Canadian company, and other Palawan updates

ALDAW- May 5, 2011: This week, the Office of the President of Philippines announced that it is cancelling its Financial or Technical Assistance Agreements (FTAAs) for several mining concessions in Palawan.

The FTAAs were originally signed by the authority of the President of the Philippines on April 12, 2010 and registered with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on May 31, 2010 to Narra Nickel Mining & Development Corp., Tesoro Mining and Development Inc., and McArthur Nickel Mining. All three companies are affiliates of Canada's MBMI Resources Inc.

Indigenous Peoples in Palawan, however, aren't quite ready to celebrate the news, as the ALDAW Network observes in a recent statement:

Overview of Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) in Southern Palawan

"These mining corporations have the potential for causing the devastation of precious watersheds, indigenous ancestral territories and productive farm-land in Central/Southern Palawan. Thus, the temptation on our part would be to celebrate this fantastic news right away, and salute Pres. Noynoy for his long-sighted decision. However, past experiences tell as that government announcements of this kind must be read, interpreted and reviewed with extreme caution before assuming that things are really as they appear to look like. So – before 'full-blast' celebration, let’s us wait and see first how the President's 'decision' looks like on paper. Indeed, we hope that, soon, the concerned agency will make a copy of FTAA cancellation publically available."


It also appears that MacroAsia Corporation has "voluntarily given up" its own mining exploration permit in Northern Palawan. Apparently, the company, which holds a concession covering some 4,500 hectares of land, wants to support the government's plans to turn the region into an eco-tourism hub. However, ALDAW's equally reluctant to celebrate this news, as well.

"To us [it] looks a bit 'plastic' and, perhaps, has more to do with MacroAsia’s attempt to distract national and international attention away from its mining claims held in Southern Palawan which overlap with the Mantalingahan Protected area, with valuable watersheds and with the ancestral domain of Palawan indigenous communities," ALDAW continues. "Some of these IPs are extremely vulnerable having limited contact with the outside world." ALDAW's reluctance is understandable. As the network points out, despite the promising announcements, "indigenous people in Palawan continue to be the object of military abuse and derogatory prejudices." 

"In the first instance, it would appear that mining companies are spreading the news that the NPA is supporting anti-mining leaders. For the past two months soldiers in full-combat gear, have entered the ancestral domain of the Palawan in the Municipality of Brookes’ Point. Two weeks ago, several indigenous peoples have also been taken to the police station without due process and have been subject to intense investigation. Is it possible that what mining companies are attempting to achieve in Southern Palawan is the militarization of the area where they intend to extract minerals, thus creating a situation of tension/danger that may force local indigenous inhabitants to vacate the area or to give up any resistance to mining."

The Save Palawan Movement's lofty "No to Mining in Palawan" campaign leaped passed one million signatures, making it one of the largest running anti-mining petitions around. The Save Palawan Movement is a multi-sectoral coalition of concerned environmental, legal religious and other civic groups which launched the "No to Mining in Palawan" campaign on February 3rd, 2011. This was in direct response to the killing of Dr. Gerardo "Doc Gerry" Ortega, a civic leader who championed the protection of Palawan and an outspoken critic of mining operations on the Island. As of now, the petition has gathered a total of 1,047,989 signatures. Ultimately, The Save Palawan Movement and it partners hopes to gather "ten million signatures to deliver a strong message to the Philippine and Palawan governments so that they would finally say no to mining in Palawan and help protect one of the Philippines’ last remaining treasures."

With the recent announcements from the Office of the President of Philippines and MacroAsia Corporation, perhaps that message is already being received.

Sign the petition at http://no2mininginpalawan.com

For more news and updates on indigenous people and mining in Palawan, visit ALDAW's facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/Aldaw.network.palawan.indigenous.advocacy

The Role of participatory cultural mapping in promoting intercultural dialogue: We are not hyenas; a reflection paper

Cultural mapping involves the representation of landscapes in two or three dimensions from the perspectives of indigenous and local peoples. It is potentially an important tool for UNESCO in its efforts to help Member States and civil society to create platforms for intercultural dialogue, and increase awareness of cultural diversity as a resource for peace building, good governance, fighting poverty, adaptation to climate change and maintaining sustainable management and use of natural resources.

Cultural mapping, if applied wisely, can help to reach the objectives set out in the UNESCO “Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity" (2001) and related recent conventions : the “Convention of the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage” (2003) and the “Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions” (2005). Cultural mapping is furthermore relevant to the World Heritage Convention which dates back to 1972, but has undergone major changes since then, expanding the notion of a cultural site and promoting stronger involvement of populations living on the sites.

The aim of this paper entitled "The Role of participatory cultural mapping in promoting intercultural dialogue: We are not hyenas" is to critically consider how cultural mapping can become a good practice of intercultural dialogue and successfully further the aims of the Universal Declaration and the related conventions.

The paper is meant to assist indigenous and local peoples to consider their options and aspirations, to help civil servants and policy makers evaluate how mapping can be a useful tool in cultural policy and inventory work, and for those who are making maps to reflect on their practices.

Source: Nigel Crawhall, 2010, UNESCO

Building critical awareness of cultural mapping: a workshop facilitation guide

This Facilitation Guide is part of UNESCO's efforts to raise awareness of the opportunities and risks of cultural mapping, which is increasingly used in development work, including by UNESCO, Cultural mapping, if applied respectfully, can be an effective tool for exploring the spatial and territorial aspects of a community's cultural resources and for making the link between memory, imagination, land and maps.

The Guide builds on the experience of a pilot workshop entitled "Cultural Mapping and its Possible Uses for Indigenous/Local Communities" organized by the Division for Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue at UNESCO, Paris, from 15 to 16 November 2006. It was held within the framework of the indigenous fellowship programme1 and brought together visiting fellows staff from across UNESCO Sectors and interested members of the public, including anthropologists and human rights activists. The workshop explored the opportunities and risks of cultural mapping in protecting and promoting the rights, cultures and aspirations of indigenous and local communities in the larger context of sustainable development.

This Guide aims to go beyond the circle of people who benefited from the workshop and reach out to others who wish to reflect upon and engage in the practice of cultural mapping both critically and constructively. It addresses two types of audiences: (i) representatives of indigenous/local communities involved in protecting and promoting their rights, cultures and aspirations, and (ii) individuals and groups with responsibility in programming and planning for sustainable development.

UNESCO, CLT.2009/WS/14