Categoria: Senza categoria

From the Aboriginal practice of controlled burning to prevent wildfires to Inuit weather forecasting, and the zaï techniques used in some African countries to capture water, the world is rich with diverse, proven Indigenous wisdom.

Faced with a dramatic decline in pirarucu, a fish that is essential to their survival, the Paumari people of Amazonas state took part in a programme to restore the species, combining scientific and traditional knowledge.

For the past thirty years, international regulations have sought to limit the exploitation of Indigenous knowledge by industry so that it does not occur at the expense of local populations.

The traditional medicine of the Dai people, an ethnic minority in southwestern China, is rapidly gaining recognition.

In northeastern Namibia, the Jul’hoansi hunter-gatherers have developed a unique astronomical knowledge, but their precious connection to the lunar cycle is threatened by light pollution.

Reconstruction is, literally, the act of building again something that has been damaged or demolished. But the term covers very different situations depending on the context, extent and origin of the destruction. Above all, it says nothing about what motivates societies to restore or reconstruct certain elements of their built heritage.

As a model for urban renewal, UNESCO’s “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative went well beyond simply reconstructing the built environment. It also strove to revitalize the cultural life of the Iraqi city, devastated after three years of occupation by Daesh.

Following a devastating earthquake in 2011, new constructions in New Zealand’s second-largest city have been built to resist tremors. Innovative construction techniques have since become a hallmark of the post-earthquake era. A burst of creativity, driven by local residents, has also emerged from the collective trauma.

Ugandan architect Jonathan Nsubuga participated in the reconstruction of the Tombs of Buganda Kings after a devastating fire in 2010. The sacred site in central Uganda is built entirely from traditional materials. In addition to the architectural and technological challenges, the immaterial dimension of this site devoted to communication with spirits was a key consideration.