Language and Culture

Deidre Jantjies is an Indigenous South African Film producer. Her animated web series called Stories van die wind (Stories of the wind), was recently screened at The Wairoa Maori Indigenous Film Festival in New Zealand. Deidre tells us about using animation to tell our own stories.

Produced by Shaldon Ferris (Khoisan)
Interviewee Deidre Jantjies (Outeniqua)
Image: Screenshot from 'Stories van die wind"
Music: "Anania2" by the Baba Project, used with permission.
"Burn your village to the ground", by a Tribe called Red, used with permission.

Indigenous storytelling production company Wapanatahk Media has reached a television development deal with Anthony Johnson and Dr. James Makokis, a Two-Spirit Indigenous couple and winners of season 7 of The Amazing Race Canada.

The factual series will follow Johnson and Makokis as they pursue their mission to educate the masses about Indigenous cultural teachings, helping Canadians embark on their own transformational journeys and welcoming them into Nizhoni Acres, the couple's dream property, which they are currently renovating using the prize money from Amazing Race.

Patrick Hunter is a Two-Spirit Ojibway artist from the community of Red Lake, in North Western Ontario. He paints in the Woodland style and has created his own company called Patrick Hunter Art & Design.
Produced by Sarah Hume (Cultural Survival Intern)
Edited by Shaldon Ferris (Khoisan)
Interviewee: Patrick Hunter (Ojibway)
Image: Patrich Hunter courtesy of patrickhunter.ca/
Music: "Lights in the forest" by Yarina, used with permission.

Fred Nez-Keams is a Navajo Musician and Flute Maker. In this Interview, Veronica Valente learns all about Fred's journey.
Produced by Veronica Valente (Cultural Survival Intern)
Edited by Shaldon Ferris (Khoisan)
Interviewee: Fred Nez-Keams (Navajo)
Music: "Lights in the Forest" by Yarina, used with permission
Image: Screenshot of Fred Nez-Keams with a flute.

South Africa has been branded as “the Rainbow Nation” because of the diversity of its citizens. The country boasts a very liberal constitution and eleven official languages, which however do not include Indigenous languages. What is becoming more and more apparent lately is the exclusion of the Khoi and San languages especially from school curricula, radio, and television. IYX Radio is a new internet radio station that hopes to change the narrative.
Producer: Shaldon Ferris (Khoisan)
Interviewee: Sharri Cannel (San)

Should traditional knowledge be taught in English or is it better to teach it in indigenous languages?
In this program we focus our attention on Northern Kenya and we talk to Dr. Isack Hussein, who is currently involved in a program that facilitates inter-generational transmission of indigenous knowledge among the pastoralists of Northern Kenya.
Produced by Shaldon Ferris
Interviewee: Dr. Isack Hussein
Image: Dr. Isack Hussein
Music: "Anania2" by The Baba Project, used with permission
"Burn your village to the ground" by A Tribe called Red, used with permission.

UNESCO calls on radio stations to celebrate World Radio Day's 10th anniversary and the more than 110 years of radio. Cultural Survival's Indigenous Rights Radio supported the Khwe people from the Okavango region in starting Khwedam Radio – a radio station that will assist the Khwe and !Xun speaking San Peoples  to be able to communicate better with each other in remote regions of Namibia.

We interview Wilhelmina Van Dyk who coordinated the Khoikhoi language gathering in South Africa. This event put the Khoekhoegowab language in the spotlight and left attendees with basic vocabulary of the language after a few days.

Produced by : Shaldon Ferris
Interviewee: Wilhemina Van Wyk
Music: "Burn your village to the ground", by A Tribe Called Red - used with permission.
"Avantgarde" by Tyso, used with permission

The Koena Art Institute celebrates creativity, openness, tolerance, and generosity. We aim to be inclusive where diverse cultural, artistic, social, and political positions are welcome. Committed to sharing the most thought-provoking modern, fine and contemporary art, and hope you will join us in exploring the art, ideas, and issues of our time.

Humanity NPC travelled to the home of Rooibos Tea in Wuperthal, South Africa, to talk to the Indigenous people there about the origins of the tea, and how it had been in their families for generations. This podcast also discusses the benefit sharing agreement, which promises that a benefit of the sales of the tea will go to the Indigenous Khoi and San people of the region and what it means to the people of Wuperthal.
Produced by Humanity NPC
Music by Collin Fredericks
Funded by OXFAM South Africa
Image by Tristen Taylor