Maasai Rise to Defend Ancestral Land ft. Joseph Oleshangay

Maasai communities have acted as the ancestral guardians of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa for centuries. Today, they are under attack as the Tanzanian government wages a brutal campaign to forcibly evict them from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) to boost tourism revenues. Despite mounting pressures to force them from their homes, Maasai have recently waged a historic protest mobilization in defense of their rights to land and life.

On today's episode we speak with Joseph Oleshangay, a Maasai human rights lawyer on the frontlines of this struggle. Based in Arusha and working with the Legal and Human Rights Centre, Joseph was the recipient of the 2023 Weimar Human Rights Prize for his ongoing efforts to protect the rights of the Maasai people in Ngorongoro and Loliondo. As one of the leading voices working to protect Maasai land rights, he has faced retaliation and surveillance from the Tanzanian government. We are extremely grateful to have him as our guest today and recognize his courage for continuing to speak out on behalf of impacted Maasai communities. 

Tune in to learn more about the crippling livelihood restrictions these Indigenous communities face as the government prioritizes the interests of safari tourists over their well being. We also discuss the complicity of international conservation NGOs and donor governments and how listeners can support their struggle. 

Learn more: https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/country/tanzania