Por Diana Jembuel Morales

(Desde el territorio ancestral Misak —originariamente hijos del agua, la palabra y los sueños— ubicado en los Andes, Colombia, en el departamento de Cauca).

Creativity and craftsmanship are forms of resistance, memory, and collective healing in many Indigenous communities. Traditional art revitalizes ancestral knowledge and strengthens the social fabric, showcasing community knowledge as a tool for transformation in harmony with Mother Earth. In 2024, Cultural Survival supported two projects in Guatemala through our Indigenous Youth Fellowship program, where creativity, craftsmanship, and ancestral revival are acts of resistance and hope.

By Lucas Kasosi (Maasai, CS Intern)

“Our Elders hunted lions to protect our herds. Today, we are hunting for something else, plastic. It doesn’t roar, but it’s killing our way of life.”
— Ipato Kenta, Founder of Tembea Make An Impact

Visit Cultural Survival Bazaar artist Houseofmirs.com to learn how the Indigenous Peoples in Kashmir dream. The “About us” webpage opens with a compelling quote about how “All human beings are also dream beings, (and that) dreaming ties all mankind together.” When the webpage was created in 2023, it reflected a dream to acquaint the world with exquisite handmade textiles from their homelands of the Kashmir Valley—famous for the enchanting, snow-capped Himalayan Mountains, rivers, valleys, flora-filled gardens, and... cashmere.  

By Tia-Alexi Roberts (Narragansett, CS Staff) 
 

By Marius Bloodstaan, Station Manager

By Verónica Aguilar (Mixtec, CS Staff)

On May 22,  the International Day for Biological Diversity, Cultural Survival presents the practice of chaku, or vicuña wool harvesting, in the La Angostura area of ​​Catamarca Province in Argentina. Chaku is an economic and cultural activity that promotes the conservation of nature on Indigenous lands.

By Phoebe Farris (Powhatan-Pamunkey)

By Peter Kitelo, Executive Director Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Project (CIPDP)

By Mabel Negrete, Executive Director of IPD Philly

Por Mariana Karina Patrón Hernández, Guadalupe Blanco Méndez y Melquiades Rosas Blanco

By Onambani Jules, Radio Director

In the lush, forested region of southern Cameroon, the Indigenous Bagyeli and Bakola communities, with a combined population of around 2,500, face growing threats to their ancestral lands and traditional way of life. Scattered across the Ocean department, these communities have long relied on the forest for their livelihoods and cultural identity. However, the encroachment of agribusiness, logging, and development projects has led to widespread deforestation and land grabbing, jeopardizing their existence.