Altai shaman Maria Amanchina assists cultural expert Maya Erlenbaeva with mapping sacred sites that exist outside protected areas in an attempt to enhance their protection. Photo courtesy of Chistopher McLeod & Sacred Land Film Project.

Perched on the boundaries of Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and Russia these border lands have long been  of limits to foreigners. Anyone venturing into them will need not only be assured of fair package of visas, guides and translators but also the appropriate means of transport. Traveling on horseback Arita Baaijens and Wayne Paulson will track around the Altai from June till October 2013.

Although Arita was educated as a natural scientists in the Netherlands her reasons to learn more about Altai are of a different nature.

“After 20 years of traveling the Sudanese deserts by Camel, I suddenly lost my drive for it. In an attempt to regain my ability to be driven by passion I set out to find another quest and was drawn to Altai, the place where according to some, Shambala or paradise on earth is to be found” sais Arita.

Shambala is regarded a myth by many but a reality by others who believe that only enlightened beings will truly find it. The remote and isolated Altai mountains have long ben cloaked in mysteries of the spirit and soul.  Known as the birthplace of shamanism, the Altai embodies not merely a physical landscape but a also a mythical and foremost spiritual landscape that is said to hold the well-being of life on earth in its balance.

Marked by places of power or sacred natural sites, the spiritual landscape of Altai can be interpreted and navigated by those who come through the tradition. The Sacred Natural Sites Initiative will support several local custodians and spiritual practitioners to join Arita and Wayne on their travels and help them see and learn from the sacred places that will mark their trail.

We often hear that we travel to far and distance places to finally discover a truth or a piece of mind that can only be found within ourselves. Over the next half year or so we will hear from Arita herself about what she learned from the natural and sacred dimensions of this enchanted landscape. With her she is carrying a poem which is helping her to come prepared:

Even before you leave for the sacred

location, communicate with Spirit. This is

part of the process. Long before you get to

the actual location, ask yourself why you

are going, what it is you want to talk to

Spirit about.

“Make the connection, do your

requests. You are asking for permission to

access the sacred site. The moment you do

that, communication has been established.

“Then watch. Look out for everything

around you, watch, listen, look and be

aware of your environment. Everything

now has a meaning, a significance related

to your visit and the reason why you are

going. Savour it.

“That is a key element for going into

these sites: You are opening up to the

flow. This is not to be rushed. It is up to

you to let your body, your mind, and your

heart be peaceful so you may welcome the

information that is coming through.

Anonymous.

SACRED NATURAL SITES:

“An ancient Asian philosophy and practice with fundamental significance to protected areas”.

Deadline for submission:  15^th June, 2013

Introduction:

IUCN WCPA Japan, the Biodiversity Network Japan and the Sacred Natural Sites Initiative in collaboration with the IUCN WCPA Specialist group on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas invite abstracts focused on the modern significance of sacred natural sites and the practice and operation of protected areas with reference, where appropriate, to an Asian Philosophy of Protected Areas.

In addition to description and analysis of the culture and tradition of sacred natural sites and their position in protected areas, authors can also outline challenges faced in the efforts to maintain culture and tradition in the face of strong modernising forces.

Mongolia’s Bogd Khan protected Area is associated with the life of Ghengis Khan and has been a national protected sacred natural site since 1778. It is now part of the extensive Khan Khentii Mountain Protected Area. After many years of communist suppression, ceremonies have been revived led my local Buddhist lamas. The ceremonies honour the deities of the mountains and petition against drought and heavy snow. Here the group that performs the ritual at the most sacred part of the mountain, the top, returns led by monks. Third person from the left is Mr. J. Boldbaatar, Director, Khan Khentii Special protected Area and on his right the first modern day park ranger (see case study in the IUCN UNESCO Guidelines). Photo: Robert Wild.

Guiding Questions:

1. To what extent do Sacred Natural Sites form the backbone of many protected areas in Asia, e.g. their cultural, spiritual and philosophical underpinnings?
2. What is the modern relevance of Ancestral Sacred Natural Sites to Protected Areas and how can this be better recognised and the traditional guardians be engaged?
3. How can we improve management effectiveness, governance and equity of Sacred Natural Sites within and outside government protected areas in Asia?

Sources of reference:

1. The Best Practice Guideline No16: Sacred Natural Sites – Guidelines for Protected Area Managers,
2. The WCC-2012-Rec-147 Sacred natural sites – support for custodian protocols and customary laws in the face of global threats and challenges.

Organisation:

Under Theme 3 on Culture, Tradition and Protected Areas this 2.5 Hour session will include 6 presentations and discussion with some 60 to a 100 participants.

Submission of abstracts:

Abstracts and author bios of 150 words each should be submited following the application form. It should be send to info@asia-parks.org with cc to info@sacrednaturalsites.org

Objectives: 

1. Bring together guardians, conservation practitioners, protected area specialists and others in the recognition, conservation and management of sacred natural sites,
2. Understand their biocultural conservation relevance today as ancient commons and ancestral protected areas,
3. Review recent conservation initiatives for their development into online case studies with special reference to the review and testing of the IUCN-UNESCO Guidelines,

Outcomes:

1. Develop short online presentation of the case studies presented in this session following a simple format. Click here to see examples of online presentations and download the case study template.
2. Identification of case study sites for implementing and testing of the IUCN UNESCO Guidelines, BPG16 on Sacred Natural Sites,
3. Bring some of the case studies and lessons learned to the World Parks Congress in 2014.

Side event and field trip:

The organisers are currently exploring the opportunity of an additional side event for protected area managers, scientists and guardians as well as a Sacred Natural Sites related field trip.

Funding:

Limited financial support is available to assist 3 indigenous Guardians and/or Protected Area experts from Asian Developing countries with their travel costs kindly provided by Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund. We are especially interested in supporting Guardians that are managing their own Sacred Natural Sites in the context of a State Protected Area or an Indigenous and Community Conserved Area (ICCA). Experience with the IUCN UNESCO Guidelines on Sacred Natural Sites would be welcome. For support funding please contact info@sacrednaturalsites.org.

The village of Tafi Atome is located within the Hohoe District of the Volta Region of Ghana. Residents and is surrounded by a sacred grove of approximately 28 ha. The grove fits into the IUCN protected area Category IV, a habitat and/or species management area. The area is protected by a 2006 Hohoe District bylaw for its main value as habitat for sacred mona monkeys (Cercopithecus mona mona).

The village of Tafi Atome is located within the Hohoe District of the Volta Region of Ghana. Residents and is surrounded by a sacred grove of approximately 28 ha.

According to residents, approximately 200 years ago, the ancestors of the residents of the Tafi Atome area are said to have migrated from Assini in central Ghana to the Hohoe District. They brought with them an idol or fetish that was placed in the sacred forest in Tafi Atome, in order to keep it safe and cool. The forest was immediately considered sacred and therefore protected.

In the 1980s, a local Christian leader brought opposing views to traditional law, which led to the deterioration of spiritual connections with the fetish forest and erosion of traditional protection. Residents cut down economically viable trees, particularly around the sacred grove, until an environmental organization helped re-affirm protection of the grove in the 1990s. There is ongoing pressure from local residents to clear the forests for farmland and to cut trees.  There is also tourism pressure to feed the mona monkeys.

Read more about how tourism promotion at Tafi Atome helped curb threats to their sacred forest.

Traditional Maya elder Don Miguel Castro from the community of Buena Vista Sacjabja is being interviewed and filmed by his fellow community members as part of the training on participatory video making. Source: Lorna Slade.

The training involved 19 members from the communities of Buena Vista and Rij Juyub, in the municipality of San Andres Sajcabaja, and 2 from the community of Chupol in the Chichicastenango municipality.   Four members from San Andres Sajcabaja completed the entire training, while 2 members from Chupol completed the technical aspects of the training in preparation for carrying out their own participatory video training at a later date.

The primary video focused on the value and conservation challenges of local mountain forests for the population as a whole, and on their spiritual importance for the Mayan people in particular.  The second shorter video documented the ceremony carried out at the local important natural sacred site of Chusaqrib’al on the 13^th April.  The videos were planned and filmed by the participants themselves.

Forest in the area is under continued pressure for agricultural land and timber as communities cook extensively on firewood. Many areas of forest have also suffered from fires, particularly during the dry season whilst other areas are being threatened by mining.

Even though it is sometimes a fight, we must not give up.  Thanks to Oxlajuj Ajpop we are starting to organise ourselves and are talking about these issues.’ Don Miguel Castro traditional Maya elder from San Andres Sacjabja.

Village elders and custodians were interviewed and opinions and recommendations sought as part of the film-making.  The training exercise culminated in participatory editing and showing to community members.  The films are in the local language of Quiché and will soon be subtitled in both Spanish and English.

During the participatry video training the villagers of San Andres Sacjabja prepare the story board for their film. Source: Sophie Conin.

The importance of mountain forest cover for protection of springs and provision of water to local inhabitants is stressed during the main film, emphasizing the need for water in all aspects of daily life. Lorna Slade participatory video trainer.

Recommendations have been given by villagers for actions needed to conserve remaining forests and sacred natural sites with a great emphasis on awareness raising and community organization.  The application of local and national laws relevant to forest and sacred site protection is key to this and has been discussed by the villagers as part of the film and the participatory process that lead up to it.

Thanks goes out to all the villagers, Oxlajuj Ajpop and PV trainers Lorna Slade and Sophie Conin.  A screening, including the local authorities, has already been scheduled in the village for May 26th.

Located in the administrative center of Bandjoun, Tchuep-Poumougne is a scared area of hight spiritual value. In the past the area of its infuence covered the whole of Pete Quarter. Because of urbanisation its surrounding ecological values have drastically declined and only the core of the sanctuary remains. Photo; Sébastien Luc Kamga-Kamdem (2008).

In the Bandjoun territory in the West of Cameroon lie various sites perceived as sacred by the local people. They are the core remnants of sites that were historically a lot more extensive representing the identity of tribes and communities in the region such as family shrines and community gathering places. The shared function of most sites is worship of the gods. Even though the ecology of these sacred natural sites has received little attention to date, they are known to harbour animals and plants which have largely disappeared from the surrounding areas.

Traditional leaders stated that the survival of sacred areas is not threatened because these areas are strongly linked with the community identity and thus well taken care off. Nevertheless, they worry about the strength of the cultural fabric that has upheld sacred natural sites. Changing attitude of young people who are becoming increasingly materialistic cause them to disobey toboos and show lest respect for ancestral beliefs. Today, many people use sacred areas without informing their custodian, indicating the erosion of cultural norms. More key threats have been identified, yet most are under debate among the local people themselves.

Over the centuries, the Bandjoun people have developed an ancestral management system of sacred natural sites. The location of natural and semi-natural sacred sites is identified by the initiated spiritual leaders (MkamSi). While most have been long-established, the location of a sacred area is not immutable and  can be changed for reasons like road construction or socio-political reorientation. Generally, each sacred area comes under the responsibility of a custodian called Nongtchuép. He is responsible for making offerings and sacrifices, for which he can also mandate a representative. The initiated elders are universal custodians. They have the right to work in all worship sites.

The greatest progress supporting the conservation of sacred areas would be their legal recognition, increased public awareness, reduced negative changes in land use and a better recognition of their socio-cultural and ecological importance. To achieve all of the above will require involvement of stakeholders at local, national and international levels. Read more.

The first meeting focused on the role of cultural, spiritual and sacred values in sustainable forest management. The meeting, organised by Oxlajuj Ajpop, the Sacred Natural Sites Initiative (SNSI) and supported by Natural Justice served to capacitate participants from three indigenous communities on the development of Biocultural Community Protocols as a tool to help protect their sacred natural sites and forests.

“Sacred sites are places of ceremony, central to peoples spirituality. It therefore didn’t take long for them to be termed the heart of ICCAs” Grazia Borrini Feyerabend, Global Coordinator of the ICCA Consortium.

From Little things big things grow. This is true, even for the majestic forests of Totonicapan. Here at the tree nursery community members explain how local seed selections helps with growing trees that are just right for their forest. Source: Bas Verschuuren, 2013.

The second meeting was the first regional meeting of the ICCA Consortium that was co-organized by Oxlajuj Ajpop, Ut’z Che, the Global Diversity Foundation and SNSI. A range of presentations on indigenous and community conserved areas from the region showed a richness of experiences in traditional, use and conservation and governance of ecosystems:

-      The indigenous territory of the Xpujil in Mexico,

-      The importance of sacred natural sites in Guatemala,

-      The marine community reserve Tarcoles in Costa Rica,

-      The Indigenous territory of the Kuna in Panama,

-      The law and the Mayagna in Nicaragua,

-      Indigenous territories in El Salvador.

Although most ICCAs in Central America are understood under different and often local or regional names the participant agreed that a common plan and strategy should be shaped in order to preserve these unique and biodiverse territories.

Almost all of the presentations made reference to sacred sites being sources of spiritual well-being located in indigenous and local communities’ territories. After a sturdy climb, the participants of the first meeting experienced a local sacred natural enclosed by vast community managed forests and located on top of mountain overlooking Totonicapan. Later the tragic news arrived that the sacred natural sited and its surrounding forests had been allocated to families to harvest and farm as they see fit.

The faith of this sacred natural site is one of many examples of threats that face ICCAs and SNS. Because these places are often not recognised sufficiently my municipal planners and administrators they often get lost when legal title of community ownership is taken away. In addition, unbridled forestry, mining, urbanisation and infrastructural development scored high on the list of threats across the region. Other threats were noted to creep up more slowly such as state education and religious conversion that systematically do away with people’s indigenous knowledge and worldviews.

The earth from above! At 2700 meters the ceremonial centre of a sacred natural site offers impressive views of Totonicapan. In the foreground to the right you can see the impact of the allotment of community forest to local residents that prefer to cut trees for timber and agriculture. Before the end of the meeting the participants learned that community governance is not always well respected, allotments had recently been handed out that include the sacred natural site form which this image was taken. Source: Bas Verschuuren, 2013.

Despite the challenges participants from both workshops were energised and motivated to counteract the forces against them and their territories. Supported by a decent quantity of lawyers the meetings allowed the participants not only to get an outlook on international environmental and human rights law but also to get detailed information on cases and jurisprudence from the region. Much of this had direct relevance to the problems the communities face and especially the Biocultural Community Protocols were seen as good first step to start structuring the communities’ traditional knowledge, use, values and assets within a framework of local, national and international law.

The Biocultural Community Protocols are not a panacea for solving all the problems a community has. They are however mentioned in international law and when initiated and developed by local communities they can be an important tool for strengthening the community from the inside and negotiating their interests with outsiders. Eli Makagon, International Environmental Lawyer with Natural Justice.

Oxlajuj Ajpop supports the communities to gain control over their sacred forests and helps them find ways for their management and co-management through dialogue and building bridges between the communities, the government and other stakeholders. Felipe Gomez, Mayan healer and spiritual leader with Oxlajuj Ajpop.

Ceremony held at the sacred natural site; “Chu Sqrib’al” located on top of the mountain which also hosts the communities “Rij Juyub’ y Buena Vista” part of the municipality “San Andres Sajcabaja” in the “Quiché” district. The sacred natural sites is of great spiritual and historic significance to the Maya as it is also mentioned in the “Popul Vuh”, one of the Mayas ancient spiritual scriptures. Source: Bas Verschuuren, 2012.

The project is supported by Hoja Verde, a Swiss Foundation promoting education and innovation for sustainable forestry whilst improving living conditions of local people. Within the project, Oxlajuj Ajpop and the SNSI are teaming up with several other partners  organisations such as the COMPAS Network,  the ICCA Consortium and Natural Justice. The later is also supporting the work on community protocols that is part of the focus of the project’s inception workshop to be held in Totonicapan, Guatemala, March 18-21. Read more bout the project, view earlier related news items, and watch videos on the dedicated project page.

The workshop will serve to bring the representatives of the three Quiche communities together for a visioning and planning exercise on the projects rather ambitious objectives. The project will develop over the course of one and a half years and aims to gain experience that wil last into the future. Together with Oxlajuj Ajpop and its partners the communities will develop:

-      community protocols for the safekeeping of their sacred places and forests

-      their own community action plans for forest and NRM management

-      forest value indicators for forest stakeholders,

-      dialogues about their forest values with forest related stakeholders,

-      education materials on forests and NRM for schools,

-      participatory videos for sharing with other communities and forest stakeholders

The community representatives will receive help from several national and international experts who have gained experience with developing community protocols and community conservation planning in various places in the world. Taking the community protocols as a starting point for the project is therefore a strategic choice. As the communities become aware of their rights and develop a common vision it is hoped that this will also be reflected in the NRM planning and the selection of cultural and spiritual forest value indicators to be developed for other forest stakeholders. In Guatemala forests are frequently used for ceremony, prayer and healing and are in cases regarded as sacred or holy. There is some recognition of cultural values in the sustainable forestry sector for example by the ITTOs, but this needs to be expanded.

One specific focus of the work is to elicit and promote community based indicators for the cultural, sacred and spiritual importance of forests through a series of dialogues ranging form the local to the national level. Bas Verschuuren, Coordinator for the Sacred Natural Sites Initiative.

Near Totonicapan several sacred natural sites are found in the community managed forests. The largest share of forests has been under community governance for over 300 years. Although pressures on the forest has gradually been increasing. In the photo, on the hill in the background you can see a privately owned forest on the left and the community forests, including important sacred natural sites, on the right. Source: Bas Verschuuren, 2012.

Read more bout the project, view earlier related news items, and watch videos on the dedicated project page.

Neyshabur is a township in North East Iran. A large part of it is located in a vast plain surrounded by hills and mountains. There are different sacred natural sites in the township, ranging from sacred trees and sacred springs to a sacred boulder and sacred gardens. The area houses several endemic plant and animal species. It also contains protected eco-tourism destinations such as waterfalls, springs, rivers and eye catching geographical features like mountain summits.

Qadamgah Garden in Neyshabur township at Khorasan Razavi province in Iran attrackts many pilgrims that follow the footsteps of the 8th Imam of Shiites, a male spiritual leader thought to be a descendant of Muhammed, divinely appointed to guide humans. The word Qadamgah means footprint and refers to this narration. Source: Maryam Kabiri Hendi, 2011.

Local people respect natural features as they are rooted in their religious belief. Qadamgah in Neyshabur for instance, is a Persian garden where nature has been imbued with spiritual values. It contains a mansion, trees, pools and streams. One of the walls of the mansion contains a black stone on which two footprints have been carved. People believe these prints belong to the 8th Imam of Shiites, a male spiritual leader thought to be a descendant of Muhammed, divinely appointed to guide humans. The word Qadamgah means footprint and refers to this narration.

Although there is formal management strategy, local people still conserve lesser-known sacred sites. Values of such sites are taught to the younger generations and religious ceremonies and practices are performed communally, as they have been for centuries. This way, the next generation learns to protect them.

The Iran legislation has no mention of sacred natural sites so far. Some sacred natural sites have been officially conserved because they are located in protected areas or in a national monument. Others have been specifically registered as national natural monuments. The Cultural Heritage and the department of the environment authority have a say in the protection of national natural monument. They advocate mainly for rare flora and fauna or remarkable land formations, landscapes or even ancient trees. They are then brought under protection by designating a suitable perimeter.

If sacred natural sites they are to survive, current measures need to be supported by legal protection. For this purpose, taking an integrated approach based on joint criteria and policies in the fields of nature and culture can play a key role in the conservation of sacred natural sites. Kabiri Hendi (2011) identified such criteria for the conservation of sacred natural sites in the township of Neyshabur, read more.

Work over the past year and a half has included a biological survey of 10 sacred forests in 6 villages of the southern region of Zanzibar Island, a social survey of their guardians and communities, the holding of a stakeholders planning workshop for 43 people drawn from different stakeholders and the development of management plans for two of the sacred forests.  Also accomplished has been the making of two community films and the collection of Swahili language oral histories in both film and written transcripts. English translations have been also made.

Guardianship of the Sacred Groves from Sacred Natural Sites on Vimeo.

Stakeholder workshop guided by forest guardians: On the 14th December 2012, the key organisations came together to review these activities and reflect on what the next steps might look like.  Importantly the guardians of the forests themselves guide this process and they have been actively involved in the programme and planning for the future.  One participant Musa Hassan Mwambe, Guardian of the Marembwe Sacred Forest, located in Makanduchi village said; “We guardians are pleased with the collaboration and would like to meet with more guardians and discuss forming a network or perhaps an association”.   Other activities during the week were meetings, focus group discussions and field visits.  The workshop included the forest guardians, key government departments, supporting civil society organisations, while in the villages important discussions were held with other guardians, local community members and tourism operators.

Challenges of Sacred Groves from Sacred Natural Sites on Vimeo.

20,000 years of human use: Socially the forests are often linked to the historic establishment of particular villages, or related to the origins of particular families and the ancestors are respected by visits to the groves to hold prayers and make offerings. In some cases annual gatherings include ‘ngoma’ which are dances with specific drum rhythms. Often the sacred site itself is a limestone cave frequently with a spring, well or pool, formed within ancient raised coral reef rock.  Recent archeological evidence has shown a much older human connection with evidence of occupation as long ago as 20,000 years.

Technically known as a ‘karst system’ the caves can go for miles and much of the island is riddled with such systems often supporting important water lens.  The water provides fresh water for dry season community use and in some cases have become the main village water supply.   Kast caves have their own specialist wildlife and are home to bats and unique cave creatures that have yet to be explored.  Thus while the cave or geological feature is usually the cultural focus and forest provides the ‘clothing’ offering cool and shady conditions.  Within local protocols it is prohibited to cut trees or hunt animals in the groves and so they have been, at least until recently, a safe haven for wildlife.

Rich in wildlife: Biological survey work that has confirmed that the forests are far richer in biodiversity than the surrounding forest and agricultural lands, much of which is becoming increasingly degraded.  They provide refuges for local animals such as the endemic Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkey and two species of Elephant Shrew.  They are also rich in plants with the 10 forests that together total less that 10 hectares in extent support over 70 plant species, many of which are becoming increasingly rare.  10 species have been noted that cannot be identified locally.  Given that Zanzibar is part of one of the most important global hotspots for nature the biological riches of the forests may not be so surprising.

What is perhaps more surprising that despite their importance the sacred forests have remained hidden and often over looked.  The do not figure widely in conservation or other government policies and the forests are easy to miss.  Villagers tend not to talk about them much, even amongst themselves, and new residents can live right next to them for years without knowing their significance.  Given Zanzibar’s tourist boom the island has a large number of new residents from many places in the world who are unfamiliar with this aspect of Zanzibar culture and life.

“We guardians are pleased with the collaboration and would like to meet with more guardians to discuss forming a network or perhaps an association” Musa Hassan Mwambe, Guardian of Marembwe Sacred Forest, Makanduchi village, southern, Zanzibar.

Biodiversity hotspot under threat: Places of high animal and plant variety are also termed ‘hotspots’ because they are critically threatened.  Zanzibar is no different and rapid economic development, tourism expansion population growth has put significant demands on the social and ecological systems.  Cultural changes mean that some, particularly the younger generations, are losing interest in culture and religion, demand for land for tourism development has dramatically risen, while the need for construction materials has developed into a hunger!  This hunger combined with the real poverty of many rural inhabitants has left most of the areas forests no more than a low scrub.  This has meant that attention has turned to sacred forests for timber, poles and firewood and the taboos that have stood the test of time are breaking down, large trees are being felled and poles from them sold to Zanzibar town.  Hundreds if not thousands of years of history are being extinguished for a few Tanzanian shillings to no meaningful gain in comparison to the diverse cultural and biological riches that are being lost.  Often the cutting is being carried out by the youth of the same families whose elders despair at their loss of control and the changing culture around them.

Sacred Groves starting to count:  Now, however, is perhaps the time is ripe for a better understood of the ‘Misitu ya Jadi’ and them start to count.  In fact starting to count them has been the first step.  This work has been led by the local non-government organisation ZAZOSO the Zanzibar Zoological Society.  A team of ZAZOSO biologists and foresters has been working with the site guardians to map and record the locations, boundaries, social values and biology of the 10 sites.  It is important that the guardians not only give their permission for this but guide the process so that the local regulations and norms are followed.  All the data will be returned to the guardians in a form that is useful to them and they guide how it can be stored and used.

Community Films:  Another Zanzibar non-government organisation Mwambao Community Coastal Network (http://www.mwambao.or.tz) has taken a lead on the social development component training guardians and other community members in film making.  This has used a specific technique call ‘Participatory Video (PV)’ that means in around 10 days 12 community members can plan and film two community videos – an impressive feat for those that in most cases have never held a video camera before.  See also news item: http://sacrednaturalsites.org/resources/news/page/4/

Strategy Workshop:  The key workshop recommendations are as follows:

• The guardians to meet and considering forming a network to communicate together and take coordinated measures to safeguard their sites,
• To continue listing and survey work to better understand the sacred forests,
• To develop an awareness and communications programme at both village and national level especially working with the youth and policy makers,
• To develop a sacred forest conservation strategy,
• Take steps to reverse the shrinking of the forests by promoting forest restoration at their edges.
• Improve policy and legal measures to protect sacred forests.

The Zanzibar Forest Department has been providing oversight and support to the activities, as has the Tourism Department and the Department of Archives – in recognition of the historic and cultural values.  Technical advice and fund raising has been provided by the Sacred Natural Sites Initiative a member of the IUCN Specialist Group on the Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas.  The work has been funded by the Christensen Fund, (USA) the New England Biolabs Foundation, (USA) and Terralingua (USA and Canada).

For more information contact info@sacrednaturalsites.org

The Nyldy-Ata Gorge is situated in the rocky area in the Echkilüü Mountain gorge of Ozgorush village, Talas province, in the North of Kyrgyzstan. The entire gorge is connected to a complex of twenty-two sacred sites. Photo: Cholponai Usubalieva-Gryshchuk.

The Nyldy-Ata gorge is situated in the rocky area in the Echkilüü Mountain gorge of Ozgorush village, Talas province, in the North of Kyrgyzstan. The entire gorge is connected to a complex of twenty-two sacred sites. The water emerges from a cone-shape hollow in a big flat stone and streams through a waterfall eastwards where it ultimately leaves the valley. Below the waterfall is a cave in the mountain with sacred water dripping from the wall also called ‘the court’ by local custodians. There are sitting mats and cookware and three hearths suitable for big cauldrons for pilgrims and custodians.

Kyrgyz people look at themselves in unity with the universe and the surrounding nature. Sky, plants and water are the building blocks of nature. For traditional practitioners it is not possible to see a person distinct from nature. When connected with nature a person can be healed by it. There are different opinions about the use of a sacred site’s healing potential. According to some visitors “it is helpful when you come to the site with will and belief”. If there is a close connection between a person and the place, then results are often positive. Thus, people who feel the connection and understand it have common visions on how to protect the sacred site. Key ideas are raising public awareness, getting legal recognition and keeping the place clean and nourished.

One of the priorities of Aigine is to develop legal protection for sacred sites. According to the experts and carriers of traditional knowledge, central issues are the rules regulating behavior in the sacred sites of Kyrgyzstan, and the recognition of their cultural and ecological significance. Since the outset, Aigine has been seeking to form a balanced team representing all stakeholders to develop these laws. The majority of sacred sites in the country are unique in their beauty and the cleanliness of the environment. There is great potential to turn such zones into sites of popular rest and spiritual tourism. 

Aigine Cultural Research Center, which leads conservation and promotion of the Nyldy-Ata gorge, collaborates with international organizations with expertise and interest in cultural and biological diversity, religion, spirituality, folklore and education, but also with students from Talas State University and with local custodians.Read more.