MIT student prints AI polymer masks to restore paintings in hours https://arstechni.ca/FsaG #conservationtechnology #culturalpreservation #AIimagegenerators #polymertechnology #digitalarttools #machinelearning #artrestoration #computervision #imagesynthesis #Science #museums #MIT #AI

A tiny church in Denmark celebrates community and coziness within 12 walls — one for each apostle

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The latest addition to the Copenhagen skyline is a tall, 12-sided wooden building proudly bearing…
#Denmark #Danmark #DK #Europe #Europa #EU #122927480 #article #Culturalpreservation #denmark #EvangelicalChristianity #Funeralsandmemorialservices #generalnews #Lutheranism #Religión #WorldNews
https://www.europesays.com/2170965/

This weekend, I witnessed the Ekpo masquerade for the first time — a sacred tradition among the Ibibio, Annang, and Efik peoples of southeastern Nigeria.

Rooted in African Traditional Religion, Ekpo once served as spiritual connection, moral guide, and community protector.

#Ekpo #Ibibio #AfricanTradition #CulturalPreservation #Community #OralHistory #DecolonizeKnowledge #FediCulture

Read “EKPO MASQURADE“ by LIFE'S MOMENTS AND EVENTS on Medium: https://medium.com/open-microphone/ekpo-masqurade-2f873e0bab80?sk=e7cb89b1509bab024cf7fa258ac3eac3

The final #APCAW presentation is Thursday, July 12th. #Penobscot #basketmaker and founding director of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance, #TheresaSecord will be the guest speaker.

APCAW was kind enough to provide me with a link to last week's video and a PDF guide from the conference. I will be looking through the guide and will post about some of the key points at a later date.

Even though the conference is free, pre-registration is required.

To register:
https://maineaudubon.org/events/everything-ash-webinar-series-june12/

Link to June 5th presentation video (including the bit I missed with #RichardSilliboy):
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/n63rnkAomz4AitHdAfBRC1hbSMCS2fuFUrQ7HU2UfP5gmrJiXoLREHE5UePF9EWU.TQktDNJCVGQMJjfu

#EmeraldAshBorer #AshTrees #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #NativeAmericanBasketry #Sustainability #IndigenousStewardship #CulturalPreservation #InvasiveSpecies #EAG #PreservingNature #Biodiversity #TEK #TIK #TraditionalIndigenousKnowledge #Basketry #PreservingTheSacred #PreservingTheForest #WabanakiConfederacy
#Wabanakik #WabanakiAlliance #MaineFirstNations #MaineWoods #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledgeStewards

Some highlights from the #APCAW conference on #AshTrees and #EmeraldAshBorer

#JohnDaigle mentioned chemical treatment on selected trees combined with biological control releases. May not need to keep using chemical treatments if the bio-control takes hold.

EricTopper: "Pheromones could draw EAB away from places which would fall under the bio-control umbrella."
John replied that it has not been tested, as far as he knows.

John Daigle: "The goal ultimately is to co-exist. Get brown ash to evolve to be more resistant, possibly by cross-breeding with other ash trees. That is being done with Manchurian ash and is having success."

Ella MacDonald: "Brown ash used for Wabanaki basket making. Green ash not as suitable for basket making.
We might breed brown with green ash - green ash might be more resistant to EAB. Possibly white ash with brown? However, there us no federal store of black or brown ash seeds. Seed collecting of those two are important. Folks can collect it themselves, after positively identifying the species."

FMI about #SeedCollecting from #APCAW / #UMaine

#Ash Protection Collaboration Across #Waponahkik

Seed Collection and Ash Regeneration

Includes:
- Collecting Ash Seed
- Seed Collection Map and Reporting Tool
- Processing and Storing Ash Seed
- Growing Ash From Seed

https://umaine.edu/apcaw/seed-collection-and-ash-regeneration/

#SolarPunkSunday #Biodiversity #Rewilding #PreserveTheSacred #Maine
#EAB #EmeraldAshBorer
#AshTrees #InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki
#ProtectTheForests
#MaineNews #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry #ProtectTheSacred #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #NativeAmericanBasketry #Sustainability #IndigenousStewardship #CulturalPreservation #InvasiveSpecies #EAB #PreservingNature #TEK #TIK #TraditionalIndigenousKnowledge #Basketry #PreservingTheSacred #PreservingTheForest #WabanakiConfederacy
#WabanakiAlliance

I posted the whole article because of the paywall. I listened to #EllenMacDonald at the #APCAW conference on #EmeraldAshBorer earlier this week. She and #JohnDaigle of #UMaine were facilitating the workshop. This article contains a lot of the same information I learned at the workshop! Seed banks + teaming up with the Wabanaki peoples - modern technology meets traditional knowledge!

Native seeds preserved, protected to counter surging invasives

Calling all home gardeners and eco enthusiasts! Lend a hand this spring: Assist Wabanaki tribes and scientists fighting to save ash trees or partner up with statewide neighbors through local seed banks.

March 17, 2025

"The sun radiated overhead as Tyler Everett surveyed the green hills of the Mi’kmaq Nation in Presque Isle.

"Ash trees, mainly brown ash, are cultural keystone species for Wabanaki communities and wetland ecosystems in the Northeast. However, they’re under threat due to the spread of the emerald ash borer.

"This collective of forest caretakers works together to raise awareness of ash trees’ significance and the efforts, such as seed banking, to conserve them. It continues the work the Brown Ash Taskforce set forth 20 years ago after tribal members detected early signs of the invasive pest.

" 'Emerald ash borer was discovered by basket makers who noticed the trees, whose bark they relied on, looked very unhealthy,' Everett said. 'Our work today still centers around our tribal partners who first sounded the alarm.'

"#APCAW resembles a national movement, the #IndigenousSeedKeepersNetwork, cultivating solidarity within the matrix of regional grassroots seed #sovereignty projects — collecting, growing and sharing #HeirloomSeeds to promote cultural diversity.

"Here’s a look at some of the seed lending and preservation happening here in the Maine, from brown ash to Wabanaki flint corn.

" 'It may be no Doomsday Vault (also known as Svalbard Global Seed Vault),' said Emily Baisden, seed center director at #WildSeedProject. "But we’re doing some great work.'

"So, what’s a seed bank? Picture a temperature-controlled vault with billions of period-sized seeds in foil packets.

"Through storage, the goal is to preserve genetic diversity for future use, protect rare species and develop new crop varieties. Not only do seed banks play a role in food security, but also, at their best, they can restore plant communities after natural disasters like droughts or fires and provide valuable insight on how best to combat environmental stress.

"#SeedBanks operate at the community, national or global level — such as the #PetalmaSeedBank in California, which preserves the region’s agricultural diversity, or the #SvalbardGlobalSeedVault, the global backup for all other seed banks.

"In the far reaches of the Nordic island of Spitsbergen, the aforementioned 'Doomsday Vault' provides the world’s genebank, kept safe in case some catastrophe threatens the planet’s crops. If seed banks are a computer’s filing system, where documents are stored, Svalbard is the external hard drive.

"Enter Maine’s Wild Seed Project, an APCAW partner organization. The group hand collects and distributes 3 million seeds representing over 100 species of Northeast native plants yearly.

" 'Long-term seed banking requires #cryopreservation, akin to flash freezing,' Baisden said. 'It allows seeds to last for decades, if not longer. … We try not to store seeds for more than four years at Wild Seed. We dry them, place them in jars and label them by location. The newest are sold, and the older ones are used in our Seeds for Teachers program.'

"Baisden acknowledged the correlation between landscape management and biodiversity. When native plants disappear, likely through urbanization, the insects that depend on and coevolve with them also decline, as do the animals that rely on those insects (like birds).

" 'Most seeds sold in garden centers are propagated through clonal reproduction,' Baisden said. 'This minimizes genetic diversity, and as we know, #biodiversity is crucial for communal stability.'

"For a long time, the horticulture industry pushed to introduce non-native species that lacked natural predators and could quickly reproduce. Later, when forests were clear-cut in the 1900s, trees like the brown ash fell to the wayside, and non-native vegetation crept in.

" 'Maine, so far, is the only state with non-quarantine habitats free from emerald ash borer,' Baisden said. 'Studying these helps us plan ahead and learn. We hope that by working with #BasketMakers, foresters and scientists, we can store or distribute emerald ash borer–resistant seeds.”

Management shaped by Indigenous wisdom

"The spread of emerald ash borer has already caused 99% brown ash tree mortality in parts of Turtle Island, a small island between Mount Desert Island and Schoodic Point.

"As a group committed to science-informed strategies that align with Wabanaki priorities, APCAW has been collecting seeds (viable for up to eight years) from 46 healthy ash trees to store in a refrigerator at the University of Maine in Orono.

"As Everett noted, Indigenous people have long used brown ash as the primary material for #basketry, valuing its soft, splinty texture as ideal for weaving. The brown ash tree is also part of one of the #Abenaki origin stories.

" 'Brown ash was the root from which all #Wabanaki people emerged,' Everett said.

"The species’ decline evokes deep emotion. Recognizing this, Indigenous communities are at the forefront of APCAW outreach and land-management strategies.

"Program registration links are first shared with tribal partners, and they are often invited to co-facilitate or lead the event discussions. Occasionally, exclusive gatherings are held to allow basket weavers to connect in a more intimate setting.

" 'My job is to engage in a dialogue with our tribal partners and address any reactions they have,' Everett said. 'There’s a strong sense of responsibility to save brown ash, but opinions vary. Some hesitate about allowing the seeds to be stored outside the community.'

"Everett is currently drafting a document to serve as a resource for the #HoultonBand of #Maliseet Indians, #Mikmaq, #Passamaquoddy and #PenobscotNations. By spring 2026, he hopes to publish a public report acknowledging the priorities of Maine’s #Wabanaki people.

"#EllaMcDonald, a colleague of Everett, has centered her master’s thesis on the effectiveness of APCAW’s outreach efforts in inspiring action that benefits both the Wabanaki people and their native forests’ ecosystems.

" 'Out west, we’ve already seen devastating mortality rates of brown ash,' McDonald said. 'It’s just a matter of time before our situation escalates.'

"The group is focused on a project that will test the resistance of native trees to the emerald ash borer next fall in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service. This involves working with private #landowners, who will be asked to grow ash seeds and monitor their growth over time to assess their survival capacity.

"McDonald encouraged readers to get involved. The UMaine website will soon feature a map with priority areas for seed collection and locations where kits with all the necessary materials can be picked up. Those curious can contact ella.mcdonald@maine.edu or sign up for the newsletter to receive updates on upcoming events.

" 'We are witnessing an unprecedented change,' McDonald said. 'What inspires me is to see groups across sectors working together to prepare. So many people genuinely care about our environment. … Together we can make a difference.'

Get involved

"Wild Seed Project held its first online seed-sowing demonstration in November 2021. Now, it offers a range of in-person programs and community events. Courtesy of Wild Seed Project

"There are a few options to join the movement.

"Locals can donate resources to area seed banks, like the Wild Seed Project, or research projects, like APCAW.

"Or harness the power of the dollar and purchase #NativeSeeds for a #rewilding project or #AbenakiFlintCorn, a product that honors seed keepers of the past and pays royalties to APCAW.

"To get involved through volunteerism, the Wild Seed Project actively seeks #SeedStewards to collect, clean, process and package seeds.

" 'The nonprofit is also building a first-of-its-kind Native Seed Center at Cape Elizabeth Land Trust’s Turkey Hill Farm, where plants will grow among natural seed banks, along the woodland edge and throughout the farmstead meadow. To donate, visit wildseedproject.com/the-native-seed-center.

Source [paywall]:
https://www.pressherald.com/2025/03/17/native-seeds-preserved-protected-to-counter-surging-invasives/

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #NativeAmericanBasketry #Sustainability #IndigenousStewardship #CulturalPreservation #InvasiveSpecies #EAB #PreservingNature #Biodiversity #PreservingTheSacred #PreservingTheForest

So, I attended a Zoom conference on saving #Maine's #AshTrees from the #EmeraldAshBorer. Unfortunately, I missed the presentation by #RichardSilliboy (who got knocked out of the meeting by a thunderstorm), but I did find this film with him in it!

They Carry Us With Them: Richard Silliboy

by Jeremy Seifert

"This film, part of our feature multimedia story 'They Carry Us With Them: The Great Tree Migration', profiles Richard Silliboy, a tribal elder and vice chief of the #AroostookBand of #Mikmaqs, and a #BlackAsh #basketmaker. As he weaves a potato basket at his home in Littleton, Maine, Richard contemplates the arrival of the emerald ash borer and the tenuous future of this ancient art."

https://emergencemagazine.org/film/richard-silliboy/

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #NativeAmericanBasketry #Sustainability #IndigenousStewardship #CulturalPreservation #InvasiveSpecies #EAG #PreservingNature #Biodiversity #TEK #TIK #TraditionalIndigenousKnowledge s #Basketry #PreservingTheSacred #PreservingTheForest #WabanakiConfederacy
#Wabanakik #WabanakiAlliance #MaineFirstNations #MaineWoods #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledgeSteward

So, I attended part of the #APCAW conference tonight. Lots of good information about #EAB, and traditional use of #Ash. And that not all ash trees are good for basketry! I'll be posting what I learned (as well as other resources) later this week...

#WabanakiCulture #CulturalPreservation #Maine #MaineForestService #AshTree
#AshTrees #APCAW
#InvasiveSpecies #ProtectTheForests
#SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture
#WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition
#Forestry #ProtectTheSacred #Wabanakik

Today, June 5, 2025. Webinar: Everything #Ash Webinar Series: APCAW panel – Cultural importance of Ash, multicultural response to #EAB

Everything Ash Webinar Series: How & Why We Should Respond to the #EmeraldAshBorer Crisis

"During May and June, #MaineAudubon and partners will host a four-part series of evening webinars, each of which will focus on a specific aspect of the looming EAB crisis. Leaders from government, research, and cultural organizations will educate and inspire us about ash trees and what can be done to conserve them. The webinars will take place at 6 pm on select Thursdays.

"APCAW panel—Cultural importance of Ash, multicultural response to EAB

"A panel of #Wabanaki and non-Wabanaki researchers at the Ash Protection Collaboration Across #Waponahkik lab will share and discuss the benefits of a blended, multicultural approach to protecting our ash, as well as how people can get involved to support this work."

FMI and to register:
https://maineaudubon.org/events/everything-ash-webinar-series-june5/

#CulturalPreservation #Maine #MFS #EAB #EmeraldAshBorer #AshTree #AshTrees #APCAW #InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki #ProtectTheForests #MaineNews #Maine #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry #ProtectTheSacred

Photographed at Khoo Kongsi temple in Penang, this mural captures a child's playful reach, a grandfather’s calm gaze, and the steady presence of a buffalo—painting harmony in motion.

https://johnunwinphotography.blog/2025/05/27/legacy-and-learning-a-penang-temple-mural/

#KhooKongsi #Penang #Confucian #InkPainting #HeritageArt #AsianCulture #FamilyWisdom #CulturalPreservation #Photography #ContemplativeScenes #Legacy #Harmony #RicohGRIII #Malaysia

Q’eswachaka: The Last Inca Rope Bridge
Made entirely of braided grass, the Q’eswachaka Bridge is the last surviving Inca rope bridge handwoven every year by local communities using ancestral techniques.
Source: https://xplormachupicchu.com/
#Qeswachaka #IncaEngineering #LivingHeritage #Peru #CulturalPreservation #IndigenousKnowledge #Andes

The Revival of Indigenous Languages: Why It Matters for Cultural Preservation

Languages hold culture! Discover the revival of indigenous languages and why it matters for cultural preservation with 10 insights. Join the movement! #RevivalOfIndigenousLanguages #CulturalPreservation #LinguisticDiversity

https://dunapress.com/revival-of-indigenous-languages/

Laura Coates Raises Concerns Over ‘Missing African American Exhibits’ At Smithsonian https://shinemycrown.com/laura-coates-raises-concerns-over-missing-african-american-exhibits-at-smithsonian/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #BlackHistory #AfricanAmericanExhibits #Smithsonian #CulturalPreservation #LauraCoates

The school uses a range of resources, including half a dozen hand-printed picture books created by Western Carolina University students.

These books cover everything from Cherokee myths to local ecosystems.

#CulturalPreservation #IndigenousEducation

Qeswachaka is an ancient Incan bridge located in the southern part of Peru. Made entirely of grass and still used by local communities, this bridge represents the ingenuity of the Incas. Every year, a traditional ceremony is held to renew the bridge, preserving a piece of Andean heritage. A must-visit for history and culture enthusiasts!
Source:https://xplormachupicchu.com/
#Qeswachaka #IncanBridge #PeruvianHeritage #AndeanCulture #PeruTravel #AncientTraditions #CulturalPreservation

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, Pledges to Rebuild Historic Palace and Empower Youth https://www.rainsmediaradio.com/2025/04/alaafin-of-oyo-oba-abimbola-akeem.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon Follow, Like & Share #AlaafinOfOyo #OyoPalace #YouthEmpowerment #CulturalPreservation #YorubaHeritage

Icons of Change Awards 2025
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: Reduced Inequalities
Indigenous Empowerment Advocate of the Year
Alvin Sahagun

#SDG10 #ReducedInequalities #IndigenousEmpowerment #CulturalPreservation #Entrepreneurship #SustainableDevelopment #Leadership

Icons of Change Awards 2025
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: Reduced Inequalities

Camille Madriñal
Founder
Katutubo’t Lokal

#SDG10 #ReducedInequalities #CommunityEmpowerment #CulturalPreservation #CamilleMadriñal #EmpoweringCommunities #InclusiveGrowth

Sivan temple near Villupuram stands in disrepair, a sorrowful sight. Let’s rally philanthropists and heritage lovers to restore this sacred space to its former glory! #SaveOurTemples #CulturalPreservation