Northern Kenya Indigenous Video Collective: NENO, The Message.
11 videos • 373 views • by InsightShare The Northern Kenya Indigenous Video Collective project was inspired by Nick Lunch’s exploratory visit to Northern Kenya in 2014, where he met with some indigenous communities and local civil society players. Northern Kenya has until recently remain isolated from the rest of the country, but now it is seeing development moving in at a rapid pace. Although the expansion of roads, communications, energy and commercial business brings significant influences, both good and bad, this modernisation is a serious threat to the ancient ways of living and the traditional value systems that a living culture is rooted in. Two years later, a group of 10 people from 4 ethnic communities took part in a participatory video training funded by The Christensen Fund, in association with Kivulini Trust. The results of this initiative were building and testing new filming skills, and the development of the community’s collective vision. The trainees continued to film in their communities with limited resources over the next 18-months, inspiring InsightShare to develop a fresh concept for ethnic groups across the Northern Rangelands of Kenya: a self-directed indigenous media network conformed by sustainable and resourced media hubs. The goal of this project is to connect indigenous communities across Northern Kenya and provide them with skills and resources to document their way of life through participatory video. Each media hub has full editorial control to produce authentic storytelling media, to share information and raise awareness about the pressing issues affecting their identities, territories and rights. This playlist compels 11 participatory videos filmed by the trainees themselves between 2016 and 2019, using video in an attractive way of documenting the day to day life in their communities. These films show events and practices that are important for the community: from cultural festivals to endangered ceremonies. Participatory video allowed the communities to tackle pressing challenges and barriers to find collective solutions, like the drought emergency and the challenges of traditional fishing in Loiyangalani. Despite limitations such as education, literacy, language or technology, the trainees have persevered against all odds to create great material they are proud to own. Another overwhelming experience was to receive a donation of kit from the Mexico Hub for the Konso Team, to continue growing their ability and capacity to edit, make product and communicate. The trainees have started to formalise themselves into a collective they are calling The NENO Network, which means “The Message”. Currently, 4 Hubs positioned in Marsabit, Kalacha, Loiyangalani and Hurri Hills are under construction.