‘The future looks empty’: embodied experiences of distress triggered by environmental and climatic changes in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

Environmental and climatic changes have become issues of global concern partly because of their ability to disrupt activities connected to people’s livelihood. Yet, the emotional distress caused by these changes and the factors responsible for place-based attachment, especially in the Global South, have received scant attention to date. Drawing on the theories of ‘solastalgia’—sadness caused by environmental change and the ensuing emotions it evokes—and place-based attachment, this article analysed the embodied experiences of climatic and environmental changes on rural households in KwaMaye, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Primary data was obtained qualitatively. Findings indicate that environmental and climatic changes, which have manifested in the form of increased soil infertility, soil erosion, mole and termite infestations and increased drought conditions, have undermined farmers’ ability to produce food and engage in livestock production effectively. These circumstances evoked frustrations, increased anxiety, sadness, reduced self-value and self-worth as well as helplessness. Nonetheless, place-based attachment is underpinned by kinship bonds and ancestral heritage. These issues have been discussed within the wider theoretical debates revolving around solastalgia and place-based attachment.