Migritude

Bayo Akomolafe (Ph.D.), rooted with the Yoruba people in a more-than-human world, is the father to Alethea and Kyah, the grateful life-partner to Ije, son and brother. A widely celebrated international speaker, posthumanist thinker, poet, teacher, public intellectual, essayist, and author of two books, ‘These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity's Search for Home’ (North Atlantic Books) and ‘We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak’, Bayo Akomolafe is the Visionary Founder of The Emergence Network and host of the online postactivist course, ‘We Will dance with Mountains’.

Episode Highlights

  • Exploring the concept of the "more than human world" and our place within it
  • Bayo reflects on his upbringing in a dualistic world and the journey towards non-dual thinking
  • The urgency of our times and how our responses can perpetuate deeper crises
  • The importance of rethinking our relationships with each other and the world amidst modern challenges
  • Sneaking through the “cracks” as a metaphor for exploring new perceptions and experiences
  • Cracks as opportunities for transformation rather than mere solutions to problems
  • The tension between solutions and cracks, emphasizing the need for experimental approaches
  • The modern Western extraction and commercialization of indigenous plant medicines
  • Bayo shares thoughts on cultural appropriation versus genuine engagement with earth medicines
  • The haunting presence of stolen artifacts in museums and their restless energy as a decolonization narrative
  • Understanding how we are shaped by the tools we use
  • The interplay between free will and determinism, questioning our agency in a complex world
  • The idea of co-emergence as a bridge between free will and determinism in understanding creativity
  • Rewilding as an invitation to challenge domesticated perceptions and reconnect with the world
  • “Staying with trouble” as an essential practice in embracing chaos and uncertainty
  • Failure as a socially constructed concept influenced by cultural narratives
  • Embracing creativity through playfulness, allowing art to emerge without rigid expectations
  • Parenting a neurodivergent child as a profound learning experience in embracing chaos
  • Bayo reflects on his son's unique perspective, encouraging a politics of the seemingly useless
  • Closing thoughts on the beauty of embracing uncertainty

Bayo Akomolafe’s Links

  • Website: www.bayoakomolafe.net
  • Website: www.emergencenetwork.org
  • Website: www.dancingwithmountains.com
  • Facebook: Bayo Akomolafe

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

  • Book: Migritude by Shailja Patel
  • Article: Are ghosts haunting the British Museum?

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