WorldWild Podcast
Episode 4 2nd March 2019
Land, Heritage and Freedom with Alastair McIntosh
'The more disconnected we become, the more we cause disconnection' says author and land-reform activist Alastair McIntosh. Listening to Alastair is the experience of having an elder guide you through history; of land and our relationship with it. From his involvement with the indigenous peoples of Papua New Guinea in the 1970s and 1980s, to the setting up of a pioneering land-trust on the Isle of Eigg in Scotland, Alastair's strong belief that through love of land we can awaken our consciousness is evidenced throughout.
The calling of our time is to reground ourselves in a deep respect for the land we inhabit. To understand our place in the grand scale of things; an understanding of human ecology. Listen as Alastair and Miles go deep into land issues, love, spiritual practice, pilgrimage, and facing the challenges of our time…
'A person belongs inasmuch as they are willing to cherish and be cherished by this place and its peoples'
- Alastair McIntosh, episode 4
About Alastair McIntosh
Growing up in Scotland Alastair McIntosh would often embark on adventures in the wilds with friends. These endeavours would lead to new challenges; to new discoveries. It was all 'good for the practice' so they said. It is his work on Scottish land reform, especially on Eigg, an island off the west coast of Scotland, that gained widespread acclaim and recognition. He published Soil and Soul: People Versus Corporate Power in 2001, which detailed the reclaiming of land by the residents of Eigg through community ownership and the battles to protect the Isle of Harris from major extractivism. Weaving together theology, mythology, ecology, history, politics, and poetics; Alastair continues to write about land issues, global warming, and the spiritual aspects of our relations to the soil.
Further reading
> Find more from Alastair at his website here.
> Mentioned on this episode: Duncan Campbell speaking about the Lewis revivals.
About the show
We offer a series of conversations to tap into the wildness within ourselves and to uncover what is possible when we do. It is our hope that through the WorldWild Podcast we can contribute to the revitalisation of wild food culture and conversation around the world.
Through people who know their landscapes intimately, we gather the threads to weave a rich tapestry. Piece by piece the vision of a wilder world comes into view. The wild embrace of nature welcomes us back and offers us a seat at the table. A feast, no less!
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