by Gabriel Nemogá, Justico Domicó, and Alejandro Molina At the insistence of civil society leaders and organizations, the 2015 peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC, or Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) included a section addressing ethnic issues. Since the agreement’s approval, the government has met enormous internal

by Daniel Kirkpatrick Florence James smiled and said the word again, a little more slowly: “Shle’muxun.” The fifty or so people in the audience quietly rolled the sound across their tongues, trying it out. A helper took a marker and wrote out the word on butcher paper, checked the spelling with Florence, and posted the

by Barbara Dovarch . People mapping is a creative and serious game Local knowledge and everyday experience are needed to play There are no losers or winners, but roles and positions There are no leaders or teachers; everyone is both expert and learner There are no hierarchies, the main rule is respect Every voice can

by Barbara Dovarch   . . . . . . . . . . . This photo gallery is an extension of “People Mapping: Visualizing Sense of Place for Decision Making” by Barbara Dovarch. . Back to Vol. 6, Issue 1 | Read the Table of Contents | Like Our Stories? Please Donate!

by Barbara Dovarch   Planning and resource management in urban and rural development often fail to meaningfully engage local inhabitants. That misses two important aspects: firstly, a narrative of places already exists and is embedded in local knowledge; secondly, people are experts on their own living spaces. In addition, spaces and related processes are socially

Text, photos, and drawings by Saori Ogura . Dawn in the village. As the Milky Way—gwararakurumvi—recedes from a sky of deep navy blue, birds start to fly over the fields, espying millet and sorghum. The sun orb pierces the horizon and moves midheavenward. It’s March 2016, and I am a guest in the traditional chiefdom

by Thor Edmundo Morales At the onset of this decade, members of three ethnic groups gathered in the state of Sonora, northwestern Mexico. Seri (Comcaac), Rarámuri, and Yaqui participants went to the Yaqui village of Vicam to get their first exposure to participatory video (PV), with training provided by the UK-based organization InsightShare. Three facilitators,

by Marie Besses and Martina Luger It’s 7 a.m., still early enough to leave Bluefields with a panga (skiff boat). The captain is watching the sky with a little concern. A gentle breeze is blowing, and it’s important to leave early before the wind stirs up the sea causing large waves. It takes two hours