Participatory Video Workshop gives Voice to Indigenous People's Concerns at the United Nations

From www.undp.org June 1, 2006

“We have been fighting a lot of myths that we are extinct or that we don’t exist and I hope that by using this medium of video that I can show more people that we are in fact not extinct, we’re here and we want our voices heard” Keisha Josephs, representing the indigenous people of St Lucia.

“We as indigenous people have to remember not to forget that we cannot be making our decisions through the bank because that’s sure destruction” Tiokasin Ghosthorse, of the Sioux People in South Dakota, USA.

The United Nations Secretariat for the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and over 100 indigenous delegates, agency and NGO staff were treated to an unusual side event on 25th May in the main assembly hall of the United Nations headquarters, New York. It was the screening of a video message made by 15 indigenous delegates using the camera for the very first time, which aired some of their hopes, as well as the challenges and frustrations they faced at the fifth annual United Nations Permanent Forum On Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).

Insight, UK/France-based pioneers of Participatory Video (PV) were invited to co-host the side event with Civil Societies Division, GEF Small Grants Programme and HURIST Division (Human Rights) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for the launch of a new publication 'Insights into Participatory Video – A Handbook for the field' written by Insight directors Nick and Chris Lunch.

The aim of the event was to raise awareness of the potential of Participatory Video in supporting indigenous communities to communicate their needs directly to decision makers, to share learning and create networks of support among themselves in their struggle to have their rights recognized by their governments. GEF Small Grants Programme Director Delfin Galapin spoke of the need for funding agencies to accept video proposals from communities that were largely illiterate. Through supporting this innovative approach they hope to “contaminate” other donors with the participatory ethos and encourage actively reaching out to marginalized groups such as indigenous people and making resources more available to them.

Whilst Insight director, Nick Lunch introduced the basic principles and ethos of Participatory Video (PV) over fifty delegates representing indigenous communities worldwide registered their interest in collaborating with Insight to develop PV projects together, and many free copies of the handbook were distributed.

Then followed the 15-minute screening of the highlights from 6 short films made in just 3 days of video workshops held in the UN corridors and café. The Chair, Mr Thierno Kane, Director of Civil Society Organizations Division –who co-financed the handbook, invited 3 of the indigenous delegates that had participated in the workshops to introduce their film in their own words:

“I really value this training by Insight. With video as a tool we now have something visual and concrete to support the facts. This will help change the perceptions about my community –as seeing and hearing is more effective than just reading in a newspaper.” Christiana Saiti Louwa, Delegate representing the Elmolo people, Kenya.

“Video can be used to bring communities together who face similar challenges and bring them face to face with decision makers” Jare Ajayi of Nigeria.

The video caused quite a stir, with spontaneous applause and cheers erupting from the audience at several points. Other delegates responded enthusiastically to the raw and honest portrayal of participants’ experiences at the UN; the struggles and frustrations as well as the positive elements. It showed an effective and inclusive way of enabling delegates to deliver clear messages from the heart, without the stress of performing at a conference, and on their own terms:

“(Here at the UN) it is like they are speaking to lawyers and sometimes you wonder whether they make the language difficult so that we don’t understand what happens in there.

They print thousands and thousands of papers and they want us to carry them home. Instead of giving us the resources to do some projects at home they rather make a lot of paper which I think is often just left here on the tables.” Mary, Masai Leader, Kenya.

“We need to get away from the type of linear, hierarchical, rational thinking processes and get back to our own indigenous thinking processes which are primarily very holistic, very egalitarian, very inclusive.” Tiokasin Ghosthorse

The screening illustrated the potential for video to act as a medium for sharing stories and struggles with others but also as a way to hold the UN system to account, improve listening processes and help generate a healthy feedback loop.

A Masai leader, Mary, shared with us her own reasons for making a film: “this is the fifth time I have represented my people at the forum and each time when I sit on the plane home I am worried that, for all my efforts, I have so little to show my people what has been going on here. Now I can feel excited and proud to show them the video I created and help them understand the challenges we face”.

Further information on PV and Insight can be found on the web site: www.insightshare.org

For a DVD of the films made at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues contact nlunch@insightshare.org