Happiness and wellbeing are feelings strongly related to local cultures and traditions. Each society has its own vison connected on these two fundamental concepts. During Indigenous Terra Madre 2015, there will be a focus discussion on this theme from an Indigenous perspective. Indigenous Peoples have developed their particular perception of happiness and wellbeing, which does not correspond to the dominant ideology leaded by the western knowledge. Among Indigenous societies, there is a vital connection between happiness, wellbeing, local agrobiodiversity, traditional knowledge and sense of community.
The Indigenous Partnership has recognised the importance of revitalise and support the Indigenous pathway to wellbeing, through the promotion of a participatory research project focused on this concept. As a main part of this study, local workshops to collect stories on local indigenous perceptions have been held in three different Indigenous communities. The workshops have been conducted using a participatory methodology called digital storytelling, which is a technique that combines photographs with audio and which don’t need particular technical abilities. It is also a cultural appropriate communication way, due to the main role that storytelling plays among Indigenous Peoples.
Two workshops were held in July and December 2014 with the Khasi-Pnar and the Khasi- Lygngam communities, in North East India. A third workshop took place in February 2015 among the Boran, Turkana and Gabbra communities of pastoralist indigenous groups, from the around Isiolo area, Northern Kenya. The study will be presented during Indigenous Terra Madre 2015. Sources: Workshops reports