Connections Grant
The IKG, a second stage of funding, builds on a very successful initial study tour made possible through a Connections Grant from SSHRC. Three representatives from the Enguserosambu Forest Trust in Tanzania came to Canada to visit First Nations communities and share experiences of the challenges of maintaining indigenous culture, controlling traditional lands and managing resources alongside continually expanding colonial global economic and cultural systems. The EFT representatives (Samwel Nangiria, Mark Talash and Nalaimuta Makeseni) were joined on the tour by Phil Dearden (UVic), Crystal Tramblay (UVic) and Bruce Downie (Kesho Trust). During the two week tour beginning at UVic, the group visited the T’Sou-ke First Nation and the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation on Vancouver Island before traveling north to Yukon where they visited Selkirk First Nation, Kwanlen Dun First Nation and Carcross/Tagish First Nation. The Maasai delegates also made presentations about their culture and the management of their traditional territory at public meetings at UVic and in Whitehorse.
For a summary of the tour visit: Maasai Study Tour
A video of the tour has also been produced.