Hello listeners, welcome to the Culture and Climate Nexus.
This episode will summarize the key points of each episode and examine the similarities
and differences between the southern people of South Africa and the Egyptian Nubians of
Northern Africa, hoping to discuss the significance of these insights and their overall implications.
My name is Misimi Owolabi and I'm this podcast's host.
In this podcast, we have delved into experiences of two distinct communities, the San
people and the Egyptian Nubians.
Both communities have faced the challenges posed by climate change.
Yet, their unique cultural context and historical trajectories have influenced their responses.
In episode 1, I reviewed important sources and insights before interviewing two experts.
Insights were divided into three categories, culture, social dynamics, and adaptations.
In episode 2, we focus on the San people with Professor Hitchcock, emphasizing their
historical and cultural significance as hunter-gatherers deeply connected to their environments, painting
a vivid picture of the San people's lifestyle.
However, due to climate change, exacerbated by their past experiences with Western colonialism,
their livelihoods and cultural practices have been disrupted.
Examples of this include their healing dances and nutritional health, which are a decline.
They've also lost land and were forced to relocate.
The San also noticed shifts in their gender dynamics, with women often bearing the
brunt of these environmental impacts because of their limited access to resources and their
societal roles.
The response to climate change, the San have changed their occupational dynamics as well,
particularly in industries such as mining and tourism.
Books and sources highlighted to dive more in depth include "Culture under Threat -- Special
Report on the San Bushmen," "Gender and Climate Change: South Africa Case Study", and "Climate
Change and Occupational Health: A South Africa perspective."
Additionally, we discussed how the San people perceive climate change as consequences based
on their observations of environmental shifts, as well as how resilient they are and contribute
to global efforts to imitate climate change impacts on their communities.
In episode 3, we discussed the Egyptian Nubians and their cultural life and social life with
Professor McCann.
We focused mainly on the Nile as it seems to be a large part of the Egyptian Nubian lifestyle.
It holds immense cultural significance beyond its practicality as a source of water and
livelihood is also deeply intertwined with history, tradition, and spirituality.
Climate change has disrupted the Egyptian Nubian lifestyle and environment by shifting rainfall
patterns, rising sea levels, and water scarcity, leading to significant challenges like displacement,
loss of land, and extreme weather events.
Colonialism also plays a part in their climate crisis because colonial powers exploit natural
resources like denial for their own interests and dams like the Aswan Dam have further exacerbated
the vulnerabilities to climate change.
We also looked into intersectionality of gender dynamics because gender disparities and access
to resources and decision making worsen women's vulnerability to climate change.
To adapt to these changes, the Egyptian Nubians embraced agricultural technology, blending
traditional knowledge with modern practices to preserve cultural heritage to adapt to
a changing environment.
Sources that were highlighted were the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's "Angels of Nile
are Dying," and "How Egypt's Aswan Dam Washed Away Nubian Culture."
When learning about these two communities, I noticed similarities and differences.
Some similarities I observed was how they have a deep cultural connection to their environment,
such as the Kalahari being central for the San people while the Egyptian Nubians considered
Nile to be fundamental to their cultural identity.
Both communities struggle with displacement and loss of land for themselves, and the San
have been forced to settle and restrict their traditional, nomadic lifestyle due to climate-related
changes, while dams on the Nile displace Nubian communities.
Both communities have also implemented adaptation methods to cope with impacts of climate change.
The San have diversified their livelihoods incorporating new practices, like small-scale
agriculture and tourism to supplement hunting and gathering.
Similarly, the Egyptian Nubians have embraced modern agricultural techniques to mitigate
the effects of climate change on their own traditions.
However, I recognize some differences, including the geographical context.
I chose to compare these two communities because they are on opposite sides of the same continent,
so I wanted to see how this impacts their experiences with climate change differently.
The San inhabit a semi-arid region of the Kalahari, where drought and water scarcity
are a primary concern.
In contrast, the Egyptian Nubians reside along the Nile River, where changes in water flow
and flooding patterns impact agricultural practices.
This also shows the difference in their occupational dynamics, as the San traditionally practice
hunter and gathering, while the Egyptian Nubians historically relied on agriculture along the
Nile River, meaning they had to alter their practices differently.
Professor McCann can also speak to this because he studied Nile-reliant communities in southern
Africa.
If you're contrasting it with Aswan, there are no river systems, water comes from small sources,
water for the Aswan, who are hunting and gathering people, and who have existed in the presence
of a major economic power of South Africa, which is the economy is based on mining and
the connection to the world economy.
The Sun are released by the systems of control, so their life is not based on a river.
Of course, it's water, but it's hunting and gathering as neck and neck livelihood, rather
than living next to a river where you can, in fact, draw the water for agriculture and
transport it.
So it was a very, very trans-economic source.
For Nile versus a hunting and gathering society, as to contrast, I think, about what it looks
for.
Yeah, so these communities rely on different resources.
Another difference I have observed is the challenges the Sun have faced with colonialism
in southern Africa, including large land dispossession, while Egyptians grappled with British colonialism
and large-scale infrastructure projects altering Nile River and displacing communities in that
sense.
Professor Hitchcock also discusses how these two communities compare and how this is very
interesting.
First, I'm interested that you're looking at Egyptian Nubians.
I've done some work with Ismailia, but also with populations in Ibrahim with populations
in Sudan, but rather than the Nubians.
It's interesting you've chosen a population in Egypt that affected very much not just
by climate change, but also by the establishment of the dams on the Nile in the 1912 and then
later in the 1960s.
So the Nubians are a really fascinating population, and they've had to diversify their livelihoods,
move up into less productive areas, get access to irrigation and that kind of thing.
So they're a fantastic comparison to the San.
They've had a very different experience, although some of the aun have been displaced
by dams, nothing like what's happened in Nubia.
So in conclusion, I feel that two communities share more similarities than differences in
their relationship to climate change.
I say this because they both have cultural ties to their environment as they provide
resources for survival and influence their way of life.
They also experience displacement and land loss and implement adaptation strategies,
however, they do differ in their geographical context and colonial legacies.
The findings presented in this podcast have significant implications for broader discussions
of climate change.
For example, this podcast recognizes the San people and the Egyptian Nubians' cultural
resilience, valuing their indigenous knowledge in the face of climate change.
This demonstrates the need for incorporating diverse perspectives.
This journey also shows how lingering impacts of colonialism, gender disparities, and occupational
issues can make certain communities more vulnerable to climate change.
Addressing these historical injustices such as land dispossession and exploitation are
crucial steps towards promoting environmental justice and empowering marginalized communities.
Regional context also significantly influence communities, experiences with climate change,
and their ability to adapt.
Whether it's water, scarcity in arid regions, or the increased frequency of extreme weather
events, understanding these localized challenges is essential for crafting effective solutions.
This is why organizations like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, exists.
The IPCC provides policy makers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate
change and its impact on the environment, society, and economies, and potential strategies
for adaptation and mitigation.
Since it's international, it reflects a diverse range of perspectives to ensure that these
reports are balanced and relevant to all countries and regions.
It also helps to coordinate action at international level and address climate change effectively.
By recognizing the interconnectedness of culture, climate, and society, we can work towards
a more inclusive and equitable solution to prompt sustainability for all communities.
Thank you for joining us on the Cultural and Climate Nexus.
This concludes our series, and please remember to keep exploring the intersections of culture
and climate in your lives and communities.