14. Participatory mapping for intergenerational learning and resilience in Ethiopia

Abstract

Several authors report an increase in the gap between elders and the new generation (Bates 2009, Batibo 2009, Belay et al. 2005, Maffi and Woodley 2010, Zent 2009,). They cite forces of globalization, urbanization, formal education, modernity, climate change, forest and land degradation, deforestation and religion as reasons. Many are trying various projects to try to connect the two (Batibo 2009). By bringing elders and youth together in participatory mapping activities, ample opportunity is provided for the youth to learn about their biocultural landscape and for elders to pass on their historical and cultural understanding while getting the opportunity to learn from youth about new ideas or ways of doing things. Due to mainly formal education, which forces children to study other cultures and spend much of their time in schools, children do not get sufficient chance to interact with the knowledge holders in their community (particularly as their traditional games and rituals also disappear) and this contributes to an erosion of cultures, and adaptive capacity (although it does expose them to other forms of knowledge and technologies which also have adaptive value potential). Achieving a broader ‘knowledge exposure’ environment for youth is important in contexts of social-ecological degradation, as a wide range of cultural knowledge and practices may be called for in times of crisis for adaptation or resilience (Berkes et al. 2000).