How to overcome the mourning for the climatic crisis (and to make community). Word of a thirteen year old from Kenya

There is a plaque in Kenya where the date of birth and that of death are indicated as dawn and sunset. It is that of Stephen Aliguides in a natural reserve in Laikipia. Her son Simon, who is eighteen today, is cleaning her from weeds. He turns to the camera, he says that three years have passed since his father’s death: “Now there is no more pain, Now there is only joy».

It is the beginning of Searching for amania documentary of Nicole Gormley And Debra Aroko presented in Milan at African cinema festival, Asia and Latin America. A sort of investigation conducted by Simon himself, then thirteen -year -old, on who killed his father. The boy soon realizes that his single story has a much wider frame: that of drought devastating the country And that saves only the territory where Ali works, managed by a white family.

«We are talking about climate change in a very cold way. They are only facts and numbers », Debra Aroko tells me, who grew up in Nairobi, at the end of the Milanese projection. «The only thing that came to mind thinking was the dissolution of the glaciers, but in Africa we don’t have it, therefore It was difficult to worry about it».

At the beginning, in fact, Gormley’s project was to collect the testimonies of children who observed the climatic crisis in different areas of the world. Then, one of the producers had found himself in the Simon school. And its story has become the center of everything: the crew has followed it for years, and several of the filming are made directly by him, grass journalist. «We were very sure who were the good and bad guys in the film we wanted to do. But for Simon it was different. He just wanted to know what happened that day. And while he understood more and more, We also found ourselves re -evaluating our thoughtsour prejudices ».

There Laikipia Nature Conservationwhere Simon’s father worked, was founded by Kuki Gallmannan environmentalist of Italian origin, naturalized Kenyota, author of the novel I dreamed of Africa. Over the years, Gallmann and then his daughter Sveva have committed themselves to maintaining the biodiversity of the area: The reserve is a protected area for the United Nations. At the same time, the demarcation line between the area managed by the Gallman family and the surrounding area is merciless: on the one hand a luxuriant green, on the other a brown expanse, burned by the sun. In recent years, the shepherds of the neighboring areas have increased that they trespass in the reserveoften armed, to graze their cattle. Kuki herself was hit in 2017 by two bullets. Also for the troupe there were difficult moments, in addition to Covid: there were areas of active conflict, in which they had to make sure they remain safe.

The film, however, goes to investigate the tensions between the groups that live in Laikipia, without demonizing the shepherds. HaronSimon’s best friend, He is the son of shepherds: The camera follows him in the middle of his family, where the father tells the difficulties they encounter in taking care of their animals. «One thing we have not included in the film is that Samburu have a very close connection with their animals»Explains Aroko. “There was a scene in which Haron asks Simon if he wants to talk to the elephants to find out who killed his father. They believe there is a spiritual connection with them ».

A scene from the movie

After the screening of the film, a person in the public asked Aroko because white people are not hunted from the earthand it does not leave everything to the population. Since the film was completed, it is explained in the credits, there have been attempts to integrate between the local community and the reserves, but not yet enough. Gallman’s is only one in fact of the conservans: in the film it is said that about 50 percent of the territory belongs to thirty people. Aroko responds diplomatically: not all reserves belong to whites, and in any case they are all legal properties. Later, he explains to me: «It’s my personal vision, but I don’t want to live in a world where things are segregatedor people removed because they don’t understand culture ». The problem, for her, is the ignorance of those who arrive and do not care to learn something on the place where it is located.

«I think the intention behind the reserves is altruistic, the problem is how they are made. Once the local communities were ignored and fenced out, “he explains. «The reserves are based on the philanthropy, which is easier to obtain from the most developed states: I don’t see why we should cut them. They should all learn to work together, break down those fences, and find a balance. They need that land to survive, and they are theirs ancestral land. And those who manage reserves can build this respect, create jobs for the community, but above all give the local population the opportunity to exercise a checkbe put in a command position ». Environmental and human sustainability are weaving together.

It is precisely the need to take their own fate in handafter all, to move Simon. His personal mourning is intertwined with the collective environmental crisis on several levels: «We are all in mourning, because We cry the world we once knew once», Observes Aroko. «The loss that Simon lives also reflects the sense of impotence That we feel about how individually, we cannot change. But as a community, we can ». Supported by the troupe, Simon found more than he was looking for: his story came out of Laikipia’s borders, he had the opportunity to meet his favorite journalists, and to go to the United States to speak in schools, to the United Nations. «Today she is very high, she has a girlfriend, travels around the world alone. It was splendid to see him grow ».

Simon and Haron, in a scene from the film

Searching for amani He won the prize for the best documentary at the RAINDANCE Film Festival and was awarded at the Tribeca Festival. For Aroko, it was important that the public saw motivated and aware African people of their potential: even in addition to the documentary. The film is also part of an awareness campaign, Impact: from the site, schools can apply to receive materials to be discussed in class, on the effect of climate change in Kenya, on the balance between conflict and conservationto preserve both nature and the community.

Amanethis word that returns, in Swahili it means “peace»: Simon’s search is that of a culprit, but also of an answer that calm the inner chaos of too many questions. And a possibility for a population to collaborate. The troupe that made the documentary is not made up of activists, they are people who make films. Aroko is keen to underline that Very little is enough to “act”for each: what she does, is to bring this story around the world. I ask you what is the meaning, for her, of amane: “A place where people see other people … as people”.