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EEIU Nairobi Reports & Letters

Lecture, 21 July 2005 (submitted by Chapter Chair Douglas Arege)

Traditional natural resources management methodology draws most of its experience from ecological conservationists. Conservationists have a very crystal clear view of the present and future of bio-diversity. For them, it is currently under threat from shifting cultivators and reckless commercial exploitation. In the linear prism of fundamentalist ecologists, conservation of the biosphere is an end in itself. Yet, the question is, how readily does the notion that, human agents could or should make themselves responsible for saving the biosphere, travel across cultural boundaries?

Although conservation management practices are highly dynamic and pragmatic, indigenous and traditional cultures generally view this knowledge as emanating from a spiritual base. All the creation is taken to be sacred. Thus secular as well as sacred phenomena are considered inseparable. Spirituality among these people is the highest form of consciousness. Spiritual consciousness, then, is the highest form of awareness. In this sense, a dimension of traditional knowledge is not localized. It is actually knowledge of the universal expressed in the local. Thus, knowledge of the environment is contingent not only upon the relationship between humans and nature, but also between the visible world and invisible spiritual world, the world of the ancestors and gods.

Indigenous peoples typically perceive themselves as guardians and stewards of nature. Harmony and equilibrium among components of the universe are central concepts in most of their cosmologies. Agriculture, for example, can provide balance for well being through relations not only among people, but also between nature and the deities. This way the blessing of a new field, for example, represents not mere spectacle but an elaborate and inseparable part of life where the highest value is harmony the earth. This inevitably is an aspect of local environmental cosmology.

Local ecological knowledge embraces information about location, movement and other factors explaining spatial patterns and temporal dynamics in the ecosystem including the sequences of events, cycles and trends. Direct links with the land are fundamental and obligations to maintain those connections form the core of individual and group identity. Nowhere is this more apparent than the dreaming places of the Tiwi of Australia. To them, their land is theirs only because they came in spirit from that land, and so did their ancestors of the same land. Their land is their foundation.

The Cherokee of America, similarly see knowledge of nature itself as being an integral part of the earth. To them a dam does not only flood the land, but also destroys the medicines and the knowledge of the medicines associated with the land. They intone ' if we were to make our offering at a new place, the spiritual beings there would not know us.... We would not know the land and the land would not know us... we would not know the sacred places. If we were to go on top of an unfamiliar mountain we would not know the life forms that dwell there'. The same is true of the Wadigo of Kenya. Their healers confer with the plant spirits in order to heal. Successful healers must, above all, learn to listen to the plants talk.

For many groups, these communications come from the transformative powers of altered states. Most successful healers obtain their powers from visitations and visions. They are not taught in the formal ways as we do to our westernized doctors. Their knowledge of the cosmos and nature is thus inspired.

A very different concept of innovation is to be found in many indigenous knowledge systems. The source of originality is not internalized as the genius of one individual. The natural world, the community and the individual are all integrally involved in knowledge creation and dissemination. Individuals are, therefore, subject to external and independent forces. They are also constrained by the need to act with respect for the natural world and posterity. The community grounds and informs the individual. The process of knowing is experimental, what one learns depends on individual preparation, abilities and experiences. As one Mdigo elder puts it ' you don't have to ask questions as you grow up, you watch and listen, and wait, and the answer will come to you and when it does, its yours then.'

Such an approach to innovation and learning requires receptivity, reciprocity and responsibility to the natural and human world in which one is situated. This is clearly evident in the Andean practice of conversing with the natural world when they strive to increase the diversity of their cultivated varieties by testing new varieties. The cultivator does this by asking the new seed to get accustomed to his or her hand. It is accepted for the seed that does not accustom itself to him or her to move away.

Among the communities living inside or next to forests, there are layers of relationships between and among models of the forest as a universe, especially in regard to therapeutic plants. Psychoactive plants are used to dissolve boundaries between self and the outside world for the healers and rainmakers. These plants enable the constant redefinition of the cosmic scenery in which social relations with kin and neighbours are renegotiated on a person's behalf in terms of relationships between humans and the forest. Thus, rules of access to the forest are strictly observed and they are accompanied by appropriate sanctions in case of breach.

Different modes of preparation of medicinal plants reflect the level of association sought with the mother spirits. Knowledge of potencies and effects reflects an understanding of the influence of location, harvesting, as well as insights from personal experimentation. Nevertheless, the knowledge conferred by psychoactive plants features as the source of inspiration.

A Kakamega bullfighter told me, '...in the days before the coming of the white man, the land was vast and beautiful and rich in abundant resources. We talked to rocks and the rivers and streams. We talked to the trees, the plants, the herbs and all nature's creations. Indeed some animals were our relatives and we did not kill them, just like we don't kill our kinsmen. They understood our language; we too understood theirs. Sometimes they talked to us in dreams and visions. At times they revealed important events or even visited us on our quests into the forest and onto hilltops. Truly, trees were related to us. They were a very special part of the Great Spirit. They made our land look very beautiful, just like God intended. The wanton cutting of trees is offensive to our ancestors and the Great Spirit. Greed for trees is not good for the relation between humans and the spirits, and our ancestors who bequeathed us this good land full of trees'. Indeed, many of the most exciting ogre tales in Kakamega concern the big tree, which beckoned the hapless man, woman, little boy or girl and rescued them from the jaws of the ogre.

These links between life, land and society are the sacred balance. Thus, knowledge about nature and resources is an integral part of the earth. Science, with its quantum mechanics, can never address the universe as a whole. And it certainly can never describe the holism of knowledge and belief. However, it would be misleading to assume that modern industrial culture has been entirely devoid of cosmology. Western science itself grew out of reflections upon nature in order to describe humanity. Yet this science seems to have forgotten its historical holistic roots. It has increasingly shifted its focus, becoming anthropocentric, mechanistic and dualistic. All theses are ideals, which subsume an underlying quest for unlimited progress for humanity. These themes have fuelled the systematic obliteration and erosion of biological and ecological systems and of course together with the local linguistic and cultural systems.

Thus, when the dominant paradigm of change is technological transfer or the constant influx of ideas, there is danger that values cultivated over eons and embedded in indigenous cultures may be obliterated. In the view of some scholars, this is tantamount to the destruction of a society.

When perceived from indigenous knowledge point, culture, then, is an area of conscious planning. It very well becomes another mode of intervention in our social and economic interactions with the physical environment. And here society is people in communication. Conversely, communication is the sharing of cultural experience. In all societies, the most effective and prevalent form of sharing common cultural symbols is through language. In the process of sharing cultural symbols a society is producing culture and using language to celebrate its own existence.

Update, 24 January 2005 (from Secretary-General Anyanga George)

Environmentally yours,
Anyanga George,
SEC-GEN.

Report, 13 September 2004 (from Chair Douglas Arege)

The Director commended the students and urged them to participate in more activities that lead to positive recognition and responsibility at the university, and offered to recommend the Members to the Vice Chancellor for their good example. On behalf of EEIU, the Chair promised more activities and closer co-operation with the Student Welfare Authority.

(Report compiled by Gilbert Ariemo, Coordinator, EEIU Nairobi)

Report, 9 July 2004 (from Chair Douglas Arege)

1. Tree Planting

Members of EEIU Nairobi, comprised mainly of young environmentalists from the University of Nairobi, carried out a tree planting exercise to commemorate World Environment Day, 6th June 2004. The exercise was carried out around the student hostels and was supervised by an invited guest from a local environmental organization — Green Belt Movement, Kenya. During this exercise around 100 seedlings were planted. The exercise was jointly co-hosted by the University of Nairobi's Student Welfare Authority (SWA).

2. Environmental clean-up exercise

After tree planting, there was a general clean-up around the hostels. This mainly involved slashing and collection of garbage / garbage disposal. Afterwards, the climax of the day's activities were the speeches of our invited guests from the Green Belt movement and UNEP. Their speeches mainly dwelt on educating members on the need to conserve the environment in line with our motto "ETHICS FOR HUMANITY".

CONCLUSION

In attendance were officials from the SWA led by Director Dr. Oyieke and unit manager Dr. Wafula, Mr. Mburu of the Green Belt Movement, Miss Mbeyu of UNEP, the Dean of Students, Student Leaders, and official Members of EEIU Nairobi Chapter led by the Chair Douglas Arege. The event had coverage from the local print and electronic media. The event's success was due to the cooperation and generous assistance from SWA, GMB and UNEP. Members who also volunteered hours of service did us proud. We look forward to spreading the environmental conservation fire to all campuses and universities to nurture and create young leadership in environment conservation. EEIU TEAM — NAIROBI CHAPTER

Courtesy: George Anyanga, Secretary General. and Gilbert Ariemo, Coordinator.
Report compiled by Anyanga George, Sec. General, EEIU Nairobi Chapter.

Report, 03 March 2004 (Chair Douglas Arege)

Warm greetings from the Nairobi chapter, which is doing well though we have been out of touch for some time due to an impasse between our lecturers and the Government. But things are now a bit normal over here.

Chapter interim officials have been meeting to deliberate on the way forward and the activities to be carried out this year. We are currently organising/preparing on how we can celebrate World Environment Day (theme: 'seas and oceans wanted dead or alive') on 5 June. We may soon send our program for advice and input.

Letter, 8 December 2003

From: Douglas Arege, Chair EEIU Nairobi
To: Mary Batson, EEIU Coordinator, Headquarters, Germany

I write to say hello and give you some information on our Chapter.

I'm happy to inform you that membership and interest in EEIU is growing. We have been meeting (though informally) and have agreed to work swiftly to get programs up and running as early as next year. I wish to inform you that we have constraints that hinder easy working and coordination. I request for your office to assist us with logistics to set up a coordinating office and provide us with some equipment to make work easier (i.e. we might need to communicate with other groups offically but we do not have letterheads and official EEIU kits).

I also wish to inform you that we have been having discussions with members of our university faculty and I am happy to inform you that Mr. Ondicho (lecturer) has agreed to be our patron. We hope that with the assistance you can accord us we will be able to start making lasting impressions on our communities.

I will be able in my next communication to give you our new vibrant team. Thanks again for the support you accord us. Looking forward to hear from you.

May I take this early opportuntiy to wish you Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.

Yours faithfully,

Douglas M. Arege

-----

Response, 16 December 2003

Dear Douglas,

Many thanks for your email and holiday greetings of the 8th. I'm happy to hear of the growing interest and developments in the Nairobi Chapter - congratulations! It sounds as if you are already making 'lasting impressions on your community'.

Concerning EEIU letterhead and activity kits, at this point the Union does not have such materials available, although an electronic letterhead form is under construction. My current intention is to have this available for downloading. Once this is completed we will post an Alert to the listserv.

Excellent news that Mr. Ondicho has joined your team as patron. Please pass along my greetings and welcome to the world of EEIU!

Happy Holidays,

Mary Batson

Letter, 27 July 2003

From: Douglas Arege, Chair EEIU Nairobi, and Gilbert Ariemo, Secretary EEIU Nairobi
To: Mary Batson, EEIU Coordinator, Headquarters, Germany

Dear Mary Batson,

I hereby write thanking you for your continued commitment and attention. We appreciate most heartily your gesture. I am quite happy to report that I have managed to introduce the eco-ethics international vision to friends and I am steadily attracting membership. I hope we can make a strong impact here. When I accessed your website I found quite insightful information which sharpened my interest.

So far 27 students have expressed interest. We had a brief meeting in which I introduced myself as the Chair and explained why it was so (for the purposes of democracy and fairness). I welcomed the new members and sought to explain a little bit about eco-ethics. We agreed to elect an office (awaiting further instructions and advice from).

We look forward to having a strong Chapter which will set precedent on various ethical issues that affect our ecosystem.

Douglas Arege, Chair

Gilbert Ariemo, Secretary

This page was last updated on 24 August 2005.