MRED 2001 Development

Mountain Research and Development Vol 20 No 1 Feb 2000: 4–9

Robert Rhoades Integrating Local Voices and Visions Into the Global Mountain Agenda 4

As the 21st century begins, mountain schol- “International Year of Mountains.” Today, the ars and development specialists can con- professional international mountain circuits, gratulate themselves for having finally both the scholarly and development kinds, FIGURE 1 In one of the world’s brought mountain issues to a global level of are buzzing with conferencing, e-confer- most challenging and fragile awareness. Through the efforts of a small encing, report writing and publishing, public environments, indigenous communities in the Andes are number of dedicated individuals and institu- awareness raising, and a host of other activ- continuing a long tradition of tions, the neglected mountain ecosystems ities that could convince us that conditions potato cultivation. Sharing and native peoples of the world were finally have never been better for the mountain indigenous knowledge of and experience with such forms of given official recognition at the 1992 Rio cause. While we should all applaud this cultivation is an important Earth Summit through Chapter 13 of Agenda much-needed progress at the political level, component of mountain-to- mountain initiatives. (Photo by 21 and again in 1998 by the UN General some very important unfinished business AGRUCO, Bolivia) Assembly, which declared 2002 as the remains on the mountain agenda.

Sowin’ on the mountain, reapin’ in the valley You’re gonna reap just what you sow

Look what their greed has done to our mountains You’re gonna reap just what you sow

Stripping on the mountain, polluting of the valley You’re gonna reap just what you sow

Help your friends, they’re gonna need you And someday you’ll need them too*

*Selected verses from “Sowin’ on the Mountain,” a traditional Appalachian mountain hymn adapted by Guy Carawan and George Tucker (G. and C. Carawan, edi- tors. 1996. Voices from the Mountains. Athens, GA: Uni- versity of Georgia Press). Development

Introduction social and cultural patterns, and marginal- ity that reveal the common struggles and Having won, at least partially, the political solutions of mountain people around the battle at the highest levels of government world, must also be perceived. One can does not mean that mountains and their only marvel at the great ingenuity of inhabitants will be any better off at the mountain peoples in carving out sustain- end of the next century. Our recent suc- able livelihoods in perhaps the most cesses should not deter us from moving demanding environment in the inhabita- on to more demanding, innovative pro- ble world. Their feats of engineering, grams that will make a significant differ- intricate systems of food production, ence in mountain villages and landscapes. genius in architecture, and contributions Political gains must be linked with effec- to religion and the arts are at least the tive practical action at the grassroots level. equivalent of many other wonders of the Otherwise, the self-congratulatory mood world. Time and time again, I have argued circulating among mountain specialists that a cross-mountain perspective can today could vanish quickly. help avoid mistakes through better In this brief essay, I argue that, unless informed policy and more efficient devel- the mountain professional community opment and transfer of technology. devotes a good portion of its energy to One reason I feel so strongly about creating new ways of thinking and acting walking the tightrope between specificity for the direct benefit of mountain people, and generality is my cross-mountain travel- the international glitter of Chapter 13 and ing, which, since the early 1960s, has the UN Year of Mountains may be per- shown me both the uniqueness and uni- ceived as little more than disguised excus- versality of highland living. Today, ie, by es to hold 5-star hotel meetings in attrac- the late 1990s, hundreds of people and tive Alpine resort cities. The time is ripe scores of institutions work among the to break new ground, move out of the mountains of the world, making their liv- well-trodden ruts of modern development ing in activities linked to the inspiration paradigms, and create truly innovative of Chapter 13, Agenda 21. I worry, howev- approaches that directly engage mountain er, that more money and more people peoples themselves. No approach to working for mountains do not necessarily mountains can be said to be integrated mean more creative or effective approach- unless the voices of the mountain people es to addressing mountain issues. themselves are present and heard. Our awareness and our budgets have risen but not necessarily the effectiveness Sustainable mountain of our programs. Many international development: an unfinished job organizations that always had the opportu- nity to work in mountains did not wake up Mountain defenders, whether pure to mountain problems until the promise researchers or specialists in applied devel- of increased funding from Chapter 13 opment, have long complained that the lured them from their apathy. I recently rest of the world does not understand the argued that the post-Rio Chapter 13 gen- unique conditions of mountains and has eration might be advised to think about 5 therefore unsuccessfully tried to force prioritized challenges facing the moun- “flatland” assumptions, programs, and tain professional community: (1) revisit- thinking onto the vertical world of the ing the rich mountain literature of this highlands. As a rather caustic, critical century, (2) understanding mountains voice speaking against the outside “low- comparatively, (3) studying mountain land” mentality and its homogenizing, global change, and (4) creating appropri- one-plan-fits-all vision, I have argued that ate institutions for sustainable mountain we must understand mountain ecosystems futures. Finally, and perhaps most impor- and cultures in their own unique and tantly to me personally, I recommended complex contexts. But “echoes across the (5) that innovative venues be created to mountains,” meaning those striking paral- make mountain people central to the lels in ecology, subsistence, ideology, planning for the future of mountains. Robert Rhoades

This last point, incorporating and what they might offer. This essay argues for heeding the voices of mountain people in such an approach, explores a few exam- programs that affect their lives, is the one ples, and makes suggestions for the future challenge most neglected. We have yet to of a “mountain-to-mountain movement.” attend a post-Rio mountain meeting “to save the mountains” in which true indige- Some small steps forward: the nous mountain people have participated Sustainable Mountain Futures Project (except as folkloric dancers and singers). Especially in countries of the South (for- SANREM-Andes (Sustainable Agriculture merly referred to as “developing tropical and Natural Resource Management– countries”), the voices of mountain peo- Andes) is a mountain project funded by ple are largely silent in the present moun- the US Agency for International Develop- tain movement. Moreover, despite the ment (USAID). Its primary research sites rhetoric about promoting the mountain have been in northwestern Ecuador perspective and the new levels of funding, around a highland–lowland transect along not much is very different in our present the Guayllabamba River, which runs from approaches to mountains. Over the years, the high Andes through midhill areas bureaucratic excuses have been used to onward to the sea. Our original objective argue that bringing mountain people in this “summit to sea” research was to directly into comanagement roles in our understand the principles of environmen- projects is too expensive, culturally and tal sustainability at the landscape scale linguistically difficult, and rather anthro- and design a participatory methodology to pologically romantic. work with local mountain communities in Reversing some professional biases is defining and achieving sustainability. In worth the gamble, however. Indeed, it is recent years, there has been pressure from possible that the best ideas for the future the donors to regionalize or scale up our FIGURE 2 The mountain-to- may come not from professionals, includ- research findings. mountain initiative has allowed ing myself, who try to speak on behalf of While many of our research and for South–South and South–North exchanges to take mountains, but from mountain peoples applied activities are similar to those place, involving researchers, who speak for themselves. At a minimum, found in any participatory sustainable development specialists, and, the scientific and development communi- development project, one component that above all, indigenous communities. (Map by Andreas ties could pause a bit to listen humbly to immediately addresses the scaling up Brodbeck) indigenous mountain people just to see requirement is our mountain-to-mountain initiative. What makes this activity different, as compared with mountain career hopping, is that it is not about traveling or conferencing scientists but about mountain people encountering each other. To date, our mountain-to-mountain initiative is small and poorly funded, but it is clear that the potential payoffs are high. One low-cost connection has been the programmatic link between SANREM’s Andean research and parallel research in the mountains of Bukidnon, the large southern island of the Philippines. Fil- ipino researchers from that project are now working at our Ecuador site. Although no indigenous people from the two areas have exchanged visits, we feel this South–South exchange is very produc- tive. (It may be the first case of Filipino or Southeast Asian nationals conducting in- depth research in the Andes.) Through this activity and other visits of scientists

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7 from Nepal to our site, plans are now also happen to be the parents, grandpar- being developed to arrange for an ents, relatives, and friends of the students. exchange of indigenous mountain peo- The original objective was to teach school ples. We are further linked with a program children in the Rabun Gap High School called HimalAndes, an innovative pro- how to write English while learning about gram for South–South cooperation in their mountain heritage. The Foxfire mountains led by Alejandro Camino and effort has been tremendously successful in Mario Tapia of Peru. Its purpose is to pro- reaching out to the community, in devel- mote cooperation between Andean and oping a novel way for young people to Himalayan people and organizations. establish links with the past, and in keep- HimalAndes in turn is linked to the ing indigenous knowledge—whether efforts of ICIMOD. I also believe that about agriculture, songs, play, or life South–North cooperation in mountains ways—from slipping away. In the Foxfire FIGURE 3 A South–North will be fruitful. In this regard, we have an English and journalism classes, the chil- exchange in the Southern ongoing collaboration in the southern dren first wrote up materials in a maga- Appalachians: Magdalena Fueres, an indigenous leader of Appalachian area with Foxfire Fund of zine (The Foxfire Magazine). Many of these Ecuador’s Cotacachi Indian Rabun County, GA, USA. Actual imple- materials were later published in a series community, with Robert Murray, mentation of a mountain-to-mountain of books. More than 8 million copies of Foxfire Center Conservator, and Mike Bucholz, Resource exchange has thus begun. the Foxfire books have been sold, and a Director of Foxfire Fund. (Photo new volume, Foxfire 11, appeared in 1999. by Robert Rhoades) The mountain-to-mountain During Magdalena’s visit with the Fox- initiative: an example fire community on Black Bear Mountain just above Mountain City, GA, USA, an SANREM’s mountain-to-mountain immediate feeling of kinship was estab- exchange program aims to create oppor- lished between our Andean collaborator tunities for cooperation and true active and the local people. In explaining how exchange between mountain peoples of Foxfire was launched, Robert Murray, the the world. The purpose is for mountain Foxfire Center Conservator who is of people to learn directly from each other, southern Appalachian heritage, wisely car- to share experiences, and to debate ried his conversation right to the moun- approaches, methods, and institutions tain itself. This simple touch made the “... when Foxfire started that have succeeded in one place that Andean visitor feel at home. In his well- in the mid-1960s, the might be transferred to another. known folk tour of Black Bear Mountain, Appalachian hill people Recently, Magdalena Fueres, an Robert fascinated her with a demonstra- were undergoing a ‘peri- indigenous leader of Ecuador’s Cotacachi tion of children’s handmade toys and Indian community, visited the southern rope making; he showed us many hand- od of shame.’ They Appalachian region of northern Georgia, hewn log cabins and demonstrated cures believed their hand-me- USA. This was the first time I witnessed an based on medicinal mountain plants. Mag- down knowledge, hard encounter directly between truly local dalena immediately connected these won through everyday rural mountain peoples of geographically Appalachian skills with her own people experience, had little and culturally distinct regions. The pur- and culture back in the Andes. Compari- value compared to the pose of the visit was to introduce Magdale- son was natural and virtually effortless. na Fueres, who is Vice President of the Even the local legends of the mountains higher status knowledge Union of Campesino Organizations of showed striking similarities. found in America’s Cotacachi (UNORCAC), to the Foxfire As we walked along the winding cities and flatlands.” project. UNORCAC represents more than mountain paths, Robert explained that, 20,000 highland Indians and mestizo when Foxfire started in the mid-1960s, campesinos who live in 43 villages on the the Appalachian hill people were under- eastern slope of the Cotacachi volcano. going a “period of shame.” They believed Magdalena’s people have lived there for their hand-me-down knowledge, hard more than 5000 years. Foxfire is an organ- won through everyday experience, had lit- ization that has worked in Appalachia tle value compared to the higher status since 1966, encouraging local young peo- knowledge found in America’s cities and ple to record for posterity the wisdom of flatlands. To be accepted, they thought the elders in the community. The elders they had to shed their “hillbilly” habits Robert Rhoades

and adopt those of outsiders. Learning Cotacachi as an ancestral home, but had to come from textbooks or other we did not know how to do it. This vis- materials designed and produced by city- it to Foxfire has given us many practi- educated teachers who knew little of or cal ideas on exactly how to record, cared little for Rabun Gap. Highland cul- preserve, and make the community tures had to be replaced by a national cul- feel a part of the project. When I get ture promoted by the mass media. The back, we will begin our own Foxfire. Foxfire effort helped end the period of shame and restored pride to the moun- In further discussing how a program tain people. similar to Foxfire might be implemented Although Magdalena could speak no in Cotacachi, Magdalena was concerned English, she recognized the shared moun- about one point: tain humanity. She told us poignantly that FIGURE 4 Robert Murray, of Southern Appalachian Heritage, her own people today are in the period of We have no educated people; many discusses herbal medicine with shame. The conversation then turned to are illiterate. If we needed someone Magdalena Fueres of Ecuador other commonalities between the two to do more technical work, say with in Rabun County, GA, USA. (Photo by Robert Rhoades) mountain areas. There are similarities in computers, then we would have to get treatment by outsiders (indio and hillbilly a mestizo (mixed race) or blanco are still widely used derogatory terms in (white) from the town. We don’t want both societies), parallels in types of socio- to do that, but we have few choices. economic change (loss of community and expropriation of local resources by distant Her point led to further discussion. companies), loss of culture (disappear- The Foxfire people argued that any basic ance of mountain ways), and intervention skills, such as writing, can be taught while from the outside (teaching methods and instilling pride in mountain ways. Above materials are dictated by the outside all, they encouraged her to start small, world). Listening to my mountain friends, which is what Foxfire did 30 years ago. I realized that the listing of parallels was The main point of local initiatives linking not an academic exercise destined for a culture and education is that the students publication (such as I might write) but and the community feel true ownership. one of deep understanding and empathy The process is not something conceived, on the part of both individuals. controlled, and dictated from the outside The exchange, however, quickly and paid for by foreigners. It is truly moved beyond a mere verbal sharing of indigenous. experiences to making concrete plans. However, everyone agreed that Mag- Magdalena asked many questions that day dalena had a point in stressing the very for the simple reason that she too saw the serious problems facing many mountain value of having a project similar to Foxfire groups, such as illiteracy and few educated among her people in Cotacachi, Ecuador. indigenous people to lead such projects. “The main point of She understood this was not some idea Even for mountain-to-mountain exchange local initiatives linking proposed by a foreign development work- to work, we will need more indigenous culture and education is er but a living in situ model developed by leaders who have a level of education that that the students and mountain people for mountain people. In helps them to speak for mountain people the Andes, as in Appalachia 30 years ago, on a broader basis. In this regard, our Fil- the community feel true a dramatic loss of culture, identity, and ipino mountain colleagues in SANREM ownership.” sense of place is occurring. And these pointed to the fascinating program at developments are all social phenomena Bukidnon State University, Philippines, in accompanied by environmental deteriora- which tribal mountain youth are given tion. Magdalena said later: scholarships and a curriculum based largely on their own cultural traditions We have always had a similar desire to but with new, outside skills as well (math, preserve our ancient knowledge, our writing, engineering). Instead of learning myths and legends, our traditional American literature or lowland Philippine crops and plants, and a sense of iden- history, as in the past, they study their trib- tity among our young people with al legends and laws, along with the science

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9 and laws of the larger society. With some 2. Initiatives already on the ground, such novel thinking, this model can be dupli- as the HimalAndes or SANREM pro- cated at little cost throughout the moun- grams, should be encouraged and used tain regions of the world. At the end of as models for other regions; their program, the students asked to 3. Special gatherings of indigenous peo- FIGURE 5 A South–South return with their degree in hand to work ple should be included as central ele- mountain-to-mountain exchange: indigenous leader with their home communities. ments of the Year of Mountains cele- Magdalena Fueres presents a brations; traditional Andean cereal 4. A global mountain-to-mountain net- known as goosefoot, or quinoa, Further steps for the future to Dr Virginia Nazarea, a work involving rural mountain commu- Filipino researcher, in the The mountain-to-mountain initiative is a nities should be created and be accord- village of La Calera, Canton Cotacachi, Imbabura Province, small step forward. It may not change the ed the status of full and equal member- Ecuador. (Photo by Robert course of history for mountain people. ship in the Mountain Agenda. Rhoades) But if we are going to speak of integra- tion, then we should listen to mountain people and follow their leads in determin- ing development as they wish. We have tried just about every conventional approach there is. Why not this one? Most international professional mountain scientists and planners have witnessed how valuable it is for them or their national counterparts to visit other mountain areas (eg, Himalayan scientists in the Alps). Why not extend this idea to the next logical step and make it possible for mountain people themselves to learn directly from each other? Finally, a few recommendations are in order:

1. All integrated mountain projects funded by bilateral or international agen- cies should include a component of the mountain-to-mountain initiative;

AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Robert Rhoades A special thanks to Dr Virginia Department of Anthropology, University of Georgia, and Africa, spending days and nights with highland peo- Nazarea and Maricel Piniero, fel- Athens, GA, USA. [email protected] ples, recording their views and the changes they are low anthropologists, in making Robert Rhoades is Professor of Anthropology and Pro- undergoing. He enthusiastically became an unofficial and our mountain-to-mountain program Director of SANREM–Andes at the University of self-appointed “broker” between widely scattered moun- gram a success. Also, thanks to Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA. Since the early 1960s, he tain peoples. In the 1970s, he was one of a handful of Mike Bucholz of Foxfire Fund for has visited geographically separate and remote mountain scholars dedicated to carrying on the comparative moun- making the arrangements for regions of South America, North America, Europe, Asia, tain tradition of Alexander Humboldt or Karl Troll. our Andean and other visitors to visit Foxfire.