Talks & Presentations

BORNEO FUNDRAISER SEPTEMBER 2019

Thank you to Mana Earthly Paradise, Ubud, for hosting the BORNEO fundraiser September 26, 2019.  The money raised on the night has gone to the haze shelter, mask supply and medicine. The support of our Dayak brothers and sisters and the team on the ground at @RanuWelum is really appreciated. 

 

From Emmanuela Shinta – Founder of Ranu Welum Foundation, Palankaraya, Central Kalimantan

Sept 28 2019

“Everyday we receive 25 -50 people at the shelter. These kids are so vulnerable as they have been exposed to the toxic air without any health protection. Babies 2 weeks old – 9 months old and toddlers were taken by the mothers to the shelter so they might get clean air.

At the shelter, we provide them not only with clean air but also medicine (by doctor), mask, vitamin, milk, snacks. There are toys and dolls so kids would not be bored while their parents get treatment. We have a medical doctor stand by from 8am-9pm at the shelter and volunteers to help, and also engage and play with them. 

We will continue this haze relief effort till the end of October. This shelter is invented and funded by Big Red Button. Thank you to everyone who has donated for the logistics. Support to cover the next relief effort is still urgently needed”.

 

Special thanks to Tomohiro and Aska Hamakawa of Mana Earthly Paradise.

FUNDRAISING FILM NIGHT IN UBUD AT MANA EARTHLY PARADISE THURSDAY SEPT 26 TH

We will be showing two films on Thursday night 
 
WHEN WOMAN FIGHT  about the personal journey of Shinta a young Dayak activist as she tries to bring world attention to the fires that have engulfed her home for almost all her life in Central Kalimantan 
And Long Saan , a film I produced about the beauty of Dayak culture and the connection with their ancient forests of North Borneo.
 

 
 
You  will also be able to relax and  listen to the beautiful sounds of the Sape , traditional musical instrument from Kalimantan , as Suy will play for us, starting at 6.30 pm .
 
In the background , you can see some of my photography from the past 8 years travelling to Kalimantan.
 
Then, after the first film we will have a discussion about the dreadful fires from experts from the field including David Gaveau, please profile below, and Suzy from Borneo Nature Foundation who are trying to prevent the fires from entering and destroying the Sebangau National Park, which has the largest population of wild Orang-utans in the world.
 

THE SPEAKERS

Dr. David Gaveau
An associate scientist at the Centre for International Forestry Research. He is a remote sensing specialist, and environmental scientist interested in the intersection of spatial-temporal data, the environment, the climate and policy. He specializes in the use of satellites and field investigations to study the human footprint on Earth’s land surface. He examines the impacts of fires, agricultural expansion and infrastructure developments on Indonesian and Malaysian forests by producing annual analyses and time lapse animations of Earth’s changing land surface with satellite imagery. With his team, David develops user-friendly web maps to increase transparency and corporate accountability of plantation and consumer goods companies. Borneo and Papua Atlas is a part of his vision to build a living, breathing atlas of Indonesia with deep historical coverage of the entire country. He also collaborates with Indonesian and international scientists to quantify atmospheric carbon emissions, air quality degradation, biodiversity loss and virus outbreaks that result from deforestation, and to evaluate the impacts of conservation interventions and agricultural development policies on tropical forests.David has published >60 peer-reviewed scientific articles (h-index=32). He has extensive knowledge of the environmental policies and practices of several Southeast Asian countries. He has a mix of field experience, research networks and collaborative partnerships with local, regional and international non-governmental organizations in Southeast Asia, the US and Europe.
 
Suzanne Turnock
Development Manager for Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF). She leads the communication outreach and partnership development to engage more people in the fight to protect some of the most important areas of tropical rainforest and to safeguard the wildlife, environment and indigenous culture on Borneo. Suzanne has been working in Kalimantan for the past 5 years and experiences first-hand the environmental degradation that pushes Indonesia’s orangutans and other wildlife to the brink of extinction. Suzanne has recently arrived in Bali from Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, one of the worst affected regions by the fires and haze. There, she regularly joins the local community firefighting teams, battling on the frontline to protect wildlife, environment and people, to document their work and to assess and secure the support that is needed on the ground.

Indigenous Preservation activist, international travel photographer and cultural tour photographer David Metcalf is available for presentations, talks, panel discussions and lectures.

The World | Canguu Club | Green School Presenter | Mediator, Ubud Writers Festival

Travel Photographer & Cultural Tour Operator


David Metcalf, is an indigenous preservation activist, international travel photographer and tour operator and is a native New Zealander who has lived in Indonesia for 11 years. Within which time he has travelled extensively and intimately across many of its islands whilst operating and tutoring on travel photography and cultural tours. He has traversed the globe to many remote destinations with international travel groups with a particular focus on Asia and the US. Living in Ubud, David originally owned Taksu Photo Gallery in central Ubud until mid 2018, a space that celebrated indigenous preservation through creative photography inviting in the outside world to his inner world of Bali on-elling day photography and travel cultural tours.

Cultural Preservation

 A passionate man, with a philanthropic sense of purpose, David has strong connections with indigenous cultures and their environments around the world, particularly Borneo in Indonesia. An activist for most of his adult life, in 2018 he organised an Indigenous celebration in Ubud involving 180 Indigenous people from 8 different countries launching Bali’s first Indigenous Film Festival with tickets now live for the 2019 event available here. These events are a testament to his mission to endorse the importance of cultural preservation.

 He has extensive geographical knowledge of Indonesia in particular and its varying and diverse traditional arts and cultures, his 35 years of being a travel photographer exposing and involving him in many significant traditional indigenous cultural ceremonies. The basis of which has cultivated many unique and intimate relationships with indigenous leaders, tribes and communities. As a speaker, it is the spirit of what links him to these peoples and communities that makes him genuinely engaging and personal. His love of travel and the preservation of cultures, coupled with the adventures shared alongside his travel writer wife Stephanie Brooks offer rich and deep insights. Visually stunning, his photography captures the hearts, lifestyles and landscapes of his subjects.

 His talks traverse environmental activism, and his devotion and energy towards creating communication platforms for human empowerment. Having supported Indigenous cultural projects in Borneo he has leveraged everything within his capabilities to educate and promote the heritage of his beloved Kalimantan and the island he calls home, Bali. Learn more about the organisations David promotes and supports here.

 David’s portfolio of speaking includes ‘Lunchtime Talks’ at Paradiso, Ubud where the world that is Bali is featured as a destination for travellers who never leave. It is an opportunity for sharing in community with highlight speakers recalling many vivid memories in the creation of personal histories. As a contributor at The World, Canggu Club, as a Green School presenter, and mediator at Ubud Writers Festival his spirit glides alongside those of which he speaks, his key messages of preservation and the importance for everyone to act and contribute for change at any and every level leaves a humble yet solid impression on the consciousness of any listener. His angle is about celebrating the beauty and wisdom of what has come before us to uplift and motivate the change the world and indigenous societies are so desperately crying out for.

If you would like to have David’s candid and heartfelt presence at your event, fundraiser, conference or event please contact us here.