'When the land is sick, we are sick.' This compendium by the Land Body Ecologies collective explores solastalgia, the psychological distress caused by environmental change for land-dependent and Indigenous communities.
The exploitation of natural resources under colonialism has consistently marginalised and dispossessed communities around the world whose ways of life are based on the land. Environmental changes, from climate change to so-called conservation measures, have forcibly displaced many Indigenous people from their homelands, thereby preventing them from practising their cultures.
Starting from the concept of solastalgia, where land and the human body are sites of simultaneous trauma, the Land Body Ecologies collective present reflections from communities in Uganda, Kenya, Thailand, India and the Arctic. Through creative formats, from recipes and song lyrics to how-to guides, they propose cultural practices as central to the survival, revival and healing of people and place.
Contents
Introduction
How is the land changing?
Community experiences of the land
Culture loss
Rights
How is this health?
Activism and resistance
Credits
‘It is indeed unfortunate that a concept like solastalgia unites people around the world. The lived experience of negative change to one’s loved home environment is now so extensive; it could be said that now, ‘we’ all live in the ‘Age of Solastalgia’.
To re-learn the essence of the human partnership with life, place and land, Stories of Solastalgia serves as a poignant reminder that the cure for solastalgia is the re-unification of human culture with diverse life-places on this amazing Earth. In ‘unity in diversity’ there is profound Indigenous wisdom and you will find it within this book.
Dr Glenn A Albrecht, environmental philosopher, coined the term ‘solastalgia’
‘Some communities already know what it’s like to lose their world. Climate grief –solastalgia – is not an abstract concept about the future. It is here. Now. This is an important and urgent book, giving voice to people who are on the front line of the climate crisis. These essays, photographs, stories and testimonies connect us to generations of land-based communities who are deeply rooted in a sacred relationship between land, bodies and ecology. Their interconnectedness reminds us how to live. It shows us how to reimagine the world, how to honour ancestors and resist a future that erases our connection to the land.
Read this book. You will be informed, you will cry, you will rejoice at the resilience and community spirit that thrives even in the face of grief. You will want to change your life.’
Tessa McWatt, author and Professor of Creative Writing, UAE
‘This book is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary research and the Land Body Ecologies group’s dedication to fostering a deeper understanding of our relationship with the natural world. A must-read for anyone passionate about environmental justice and the healing potential of storytelling.’
Julia Gillard AC, Chair of Wellcome Trust
In an era where climate change discourse often lacks nuance, Stories of Solastalgia is a beacon of inclusivity and depth. This innovative work by Land Body Ecologies weaves diverse narratives of environmental change and offers critical insights into the psychological toll of such transformations on mental health. By centring Indigenous voices and traditional knowledge, this multifaceted book provides critical perspectives on the lived experiences of climate change. Its interdisciplinary approach, blending art, science, and cultural and traditional wisdom, creates a rich tapestry that challenges conventional academic discourse and pushes us to reconsider our relationship with the land.
This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the complex intersections of environmental degradation, cultural loss, and human wellbeing and a call to action for more inclusive and culturally sensitive research in this critical field.
Dr Elaine C Flores, Research Fellow in Planetary Health and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
