Designing with Ancestry and Territory

Thais Mantovani

Partner with or research an indigenous or traditional community to understand their relationship with territory, ancestral knowledge, and sustainable living practices. Study the “story of place” and “story of people” to design a learning experience, product, or service that honors indigenous wisdom and bioeconomy principles. Design begins with understanding — interviewing people, studying territory, and collective knowledge digestion before creating solutions.

6 weeks

Parameters

• Conduct thorough research through interviews (minimum 3–5 people with diverse perspectives)

• Include indigenous, Black community descendants, or traditional knowledge holders if possible

• Study the ancestry of the place: what came before, how people lived, what worked and didn't

• Use biomimicry principles via resources like AskNature

• Engage in collective sense-making with people from different backgrounds

• Focus on regenerative solutions that create more than they take

• Consider local bioeconomy possibilities

Deliverables

• Research documentation: interviews, territory mapping, historical timeline

• “Story of Place and People” narrative report (2000–2500 words)

• Collective digestion session documentation (photos, synthesis, insights)

• Design intervention informed by ancestral knowledge

• Biomimicry inspiration board connecting natural strategies to design solutions

• Presentation honoring knowledge holders and community partners

• Reflection on what was learned from indigenous/traditional knowledge systems
  

Resources

• AskNature.org, The Biomimicry Institute

• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

• Article: “Indigenous Bioeconomy in Brazil”, Taylor & Francis

• Report: “Brazil's Restoration Industry Could Power the Global Bioeconomy”, World Economic Forum

• Article: “Recreating an Amazonian Ancestral Biodesign Technique”, Cambridge Core

• Design in the Borderlands

• Documentary: The Wisdom of Trauma featuring Gabor Maté

• Regenesis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet by George Monbiot

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Listen to this episode of Climify Season 4, episode 14 here.