Recent Screenings

The Territories of Life toolkit is being shared freely with thousands of communities around the world whose territories are central to their way of being. Below are some of the recent screenings.

Marsabit, Northern Kenya

In partnership with The Waso Trustland Project and Kivulini Trust, LifeMosaic launched 'Territories of Life' in Marsabit and Isiolo counties in Northern Kenya.

43 participants attended the 3-day training with representatives from 29 different NGO's, CBO's, women's and cultural groups, youth groups and forest associations, all facing threats to their cultures and territories. (Tribal groups represented included Turkana, Boran, Gabra, Konso, Waayyuu, Burji, Rendille, Sakuya, Sidama and El-molo.) Throughout the training LifeMosaic used a variety techniques to explore the question - 'How can we deepen our ability to defend our cultures and territories?' Each area of discussion was complimented with a screening from the 'Territories of Life' video series and deepened through practical, participatory exercises to bring the topics into the local context.

Arusha, Tanzania

In partnership with Ngorongoro NGO network (NGOnet) and Tanzania Pastoralist Community Forum (TPFC) we facilitated a training in Arusha, Tanzania to around 40 indigenous human rights and grassroots organisation representing 8 different tribes. At least 74 different Tanzanian indigenous organisations have received 'Territories of Life' copies in Tanzania, many of whom are using the resources in their current programmes.

Loliondo, Northern Tanzania

Screenings were held in the Maasai territory of Loliondo in the villages of Ololosokwan and Piyaya, where filming took place for the 'Territories of Life' series. Both communities are directly impacted by the current land grab by UAE elite hunting company OBC.

Enguserosambu, Northern Tanzania

A workshop took place in Enguserosambu Village, a 7,000 hectare forest where the community are struggling for community management and ownership rights.

Barrancas, Colombia

We collaborated with CINEP to bring the Territories of Life toolkit to communities affected by the Cerrejon coal mine in La Guajira, Northern Colombia in May 2016. CINEP have 40 years of experience in Colombia, and work for a more equitable and just society, using popular education for the promotion of comprehensive and sustainable development. The workshops in La Guajira focussed on how to strengthen the communities’ defence of their territory, as part of CINEP’s wider strategy of popular education in the region.

Guambia, Colombia

We have worked closely with the Misak people in the development of our most recent resources, in particular in the sharing of their Plan de Vida development model. An integral part of our distribution strategy is to bring the films we make back to the communities where we filmed, so we jumped at the opportunity when invited by the current leadership to show the films in the Misak University in May 2016. The toolkit was greatly appreciated by both university students, and the current leadership, who will use the videos in their primary, secondary and higher education systems.

Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico

In February 2016, LifeMosaic facilitated two workshops with Yaqui and Rarámuri communities in Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico. The workshops used the videos from Territories of Life to look into the question ‘How can the defence of territory be strengthened’. We worked with the Marabunta Filmadora in Sonora and Siné-Comunarr in Chihuahua to organise and put on the workshops, our first in Mexico.

“I liked the videos that were shown because through them we realised that many people are fighting for their territorial rights all over the world. This strengthens and brings us together as indigenous peoples.” Participant, Chihuahua workshops

Villa de Leyva, Colombia

Screenings were held at the “Conocimiento Indígena y Tradicional” conference for indigenous leaders from across Latin America held in Villa de Leyva, Colombia.

Cameroon

The video 'Company Tactics' was screened at a gathering of 40 NGOs, activists and community leaders on the tactics and strategies used by oil palm companies in their attempts to secure community lands in Mundemba, Cameroon. This screening was led by the local NGOs SEFE and CED.

Paris - COP 21

Several screenings during COP21 at the IP Round House and the Point Ephemere (Dec 2015) were held.

Bern, Switzerland.

A screening and discussion on 'Long term self determined indigenous development' was hosted by LifeMosiac along with Misak leaders Liliana Pechene Muelas & Jeremias Ullune Tunabala at the 'From Rhetoric to Action: Scaling Up Community and Indigenous Peoples' Land and Resource Rights’ conference in Bern, Switzerland.

Film festivals and universities

LifeMosaic facilitated screenings, Q&A and discussions on Indigenous peoples leadership, struggles and self determination at several film festivals and universities including the Oxford Human Rights Festival and the Oxford University Anthropological Society and Document Human Rights Film Festival, Glasgow.

Papua, Indonesia

Territories of Life Videos were screened in Sorong in August 2015 with participants from Papua and West Papua (including Merauke, Yahukimo, Jayapura, Nabire, Kabupaten Sorong, Raja Ampat, South Sorong, and the city of Sorong). Those present realised that in each territory they were experiencing a similar threat to their territories and land rights. They decided to continue to build local awareness using the films and to develop strategies together, as well as facilitating in their local communities in order to obtain their rights.

Pater Felix in Sorong: Territories of Life and Dibalik Kertas were screened in 8 communities affected by a Korindo plantation to unify their views. The response was strong, they were affected by what they saw, and inspired.

North Sumatra, Indonesia

Roadshows and screenings have been held in villages in 6 districts in North Sumatra. Some screenings were for women's groups. After the discussions, the women developed plans to create strong women's groups focussing on land issues and discussed how to work in unity with the men to defend their land rights. There was also a screening held in the University of Medan for students and lecturers.

Aceh, Indonesia

This roadshow opened with a workshop in Banda Aceh and travelled throughout the region of Aceh holding screenings in several villages. Films were also shown in a cinema situation to allow for a full range of participants to attend. Some examples include:

Kemukiman Kinco, Kec. Pante Ceureumen, West Aceh: Awareness raised about land rights, particularly about the relative merits of different rights, with a distinct preference for collective rights to territory.
Gampong Karen, Mukim Tungkop, Pidie, Aceh: Discussion centred on rights to land, territory and natural resources in the Mukim, with awareness raised about the presence of the HTI on their lands, which if implemented would result in communities losing their rights and being displaced.
Kemukiman Panga Pasi, Kec Panga, Aceh Jaya: Screening of the video Company Tactics, Land Rights and Land Grabs led to a reflection about how the oil palm company PT Boswa has operated in the communities in Aceh Jaya, what it’s impacts had been, how the company grabbed land, and what communities have done to challenge them.

Secoya, Ecuador

Territories of Life Videos were screened with the Secoya community in Ecuador in August 2015, coinciding with their annual cultural gathering. The Secoya have faced threats to their territories for decades from both oil extraction and oil palm plantations. The films were well received and will be used over the coming months in workshops with Secoya, Siona, Cofan and Huaorani communities in the nearby area.

North Sumatra, Indonesia

As one of the filming locations for Territory of Life, the village of Penunggu was a location for a screening and discussion. The theme of the workshop was "Indigenous People's Economic Downturn as Result of Unfair Development". Participants from the event said that it was a moment of reflection as well as for visioning their communities' sovereign, independent, and dignified futures.

Sipituhuta, Dolok Sanggul, North Sumatra: After the screening of Plan de Vida (Life Plan) there was a strong awareness that during 6 years of struggle the community had not focused on planning in their ancestral territory, and had focused entirely on defending the land. The video gave inspiration and a way forward for both planning and defending their territory.

Jambi, Indonesia

In the district of Merangin, the Territories of Life project started with a workshop for facilitators and continued with a roadshow of screenings held in 10 villages. In this areas villagers reflected on their land rights situation, critiquing the community concession scheme (HutanDesa). Their conversations about land rights were deepened and they were inspired to map their territory and plan the sustainable management of their territory in their own way.

Tanjung Benuang, Merangin, Indonesia: Screenings led to a realisation that in their village the participation of women in consensus-making decisions is far less than in the areas where the videos are made.
Tanjung Dalam, Merangin, Indonesia: That communities have the ability to manage forests and forest products, but that they need support for licensing, initial investments, planning, and access to markets.
Tanjung Alam, Merangin, Indonesia: The community gained awareness that traditional dress, medicine, tools, culture, communal work and banquets were common riches of all communities whose lives are bound to the forests.
Tanjung Mudo, Merangin, Indonesia: The community gained awareness that women need to be more actively included in defending their ancestral territory.

West Kalimantan, Indonesia

The roadshow in Ketapang was also preceded by facilitators workshop. Conducted in Labai Hilir, Merawa, Balai Semandang, Paoh Concong, and Batu Daya, villagers enthusiastically watched the videos, and were inspired to start identifying resources in their territory, develop a popular education centre, and revive their customary structures.