Abstract
When the Butterflies Would Visit (WTBWV), is the first convening of four Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) ecological artists and scientist, matched with four BIPOC mentees. In partnership with/on the Indigenous Guna territory of Panama, these symbiotic social practice projects center the microplastic crisis, current migration (the only crossing point) issues, and medicinal plant research. An Ethics Couch is included, to protect the project from western colonizing and capitalistic gains—part of the original problem to begin with. WTBWV is research/training towards the next Sites of Passage (SOP), an exchange between Indigenous artists inside the imagined perimeters of the USA. SOP are on the ground initiatives of artistic interchange for the migration of ideas across political and cultural borders. The dialogue centers around conflict, removing the conversation from politicians /media, who often have a different agenda than the people. Imagine a space where fields of research are porous and ancient knowledge is a living library of symbiotic caretaking. This is the practice of Guna Yala, an indigenous province in Panama. However, this knowledge is getting harder to keep—as the youth leave for capitalistic promises of the city. Aimed for the next generation Guna to see the BIPOC mentees/researchers of their age coming to study, instigating pride in the work and devotion to the cause of ecological recovery. This project feeds many birds with one hand: Nourishing generations of Guna with transdisciplinary-conservationist practices, while developing BIPOC and Guna mentees, to build a new cohort of environmental practitioners and culture makers.
Presenters
Tavia La FolletteCurator, Director, Artist and Associate Professor, Graduate (MFA) and Undergraduate (Theatre Studies Interdisciplinary Focus), Towson University, Maryland, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
The Value of Culture and the Demand of Change
KEYWORDS
Culture, Community, Leadership, Mentorship, Ethics, Reciprocity, Care, Ecology, Transdisciplinary
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