RECONNECT WITH STORIES FROM THE HINTERLANDS

Cultural diversity is more than what we see on the surface

Stories, songs, or dance, It is the expression of values, knowledge systems, and relationship with their land. By removing language, culture and its values a community loses a sense of purpose

Our workplaces, schools and spaces of interaction increasingly consist of various cultural, racial, and ethnic groups. Economic globalisation is rapidly accelerating the process of homogeneity and seeding fears of loss of a community’s identity.

Indigenous peoples are among the first to face the direct consequences of climate change, due to their dependence upon, and close relationship, with the environment and its resources. Climate change exacerbates the difficulties already faced by indigenous communities across landscapes including political and economic marginalization, loss of land and resources, human rights violations, discrimination and unemployment.

Cultures and climate are changing. These changes interact with local knowledge and practice.

Rural people utilise external technical ideas and tools, even complex ones, that complement their concepts and experience of change. No single, homogeneous knowledge exists in a locality. Rather there are women’s forms of knowledge and the knowledge of men and elders and the knowledge of young people and children, which are differentiated also by occupation and by ethnicity. In the face of such cultural diversity, and incompetent use of standardised participatory methods yields poor results and may alienate residents.

A diverse environment has multiple benefits for personal development. Outside of becoming accepting and more aware of other cultures, it can help smash previously held stereotypes. Diversity and inclusion breed productivity as the ability to learn and grow from each other is exponentially expanded.

Learning about other cultures helps us understand different perspectives within the world in which we live

It helps dispel negative stereotypes and personal biases about different groups. In addition, cultural diversity helps us recognize and respect “ways of being” that are not necessarily our own. Culture provides important social and economic benefits. With improved learning and health, increased tolerance, and opportunities to come together with others, culture enhances our quality of life and increases overall well-being for both individuals and communities.

You are the part of these stories

Whether it is about food, livestock, forests, water, our consumption makes us a part of their everyday life. And what we choose and what we discard has an impact on their culture. And as a society we need to understand what the communities outside of our sphere are producing for us and at what cost. Sustainable living begins with us by understanding our consumption and where it comes from.