Mission Accomplished!

info@conservationmusic.org

Conservation Music is on a mission to produce and promote musical media that educates listeners and viewers in conservation and sustainability, with an emphasis on rural developing communities, and to serve as a platform for similar efforts. Currently, the organization primarily collaborates with musicians throughout Southern Africa, catalyzing songs in local genres and local languages regarding local conservation issues in countries like Lesotho, Botswana, Angola, and more.

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

After years of soul-searching and months in the African wilderness with the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, musician and geographer Alex Paullin combined his foremost passions and founded Conservation Music, a non-profit aiming to foster a global culture of sustainability using music as the messenger. Throughout his life, he aims to expand the Conservation Music movement globally, in hopes that his lifetime will see and hear songs of conservation being sung throughout the world.

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – The Mountain

Mar 8, 2019 | Blog

We’re Back!

We have missed you! Here is where we’ve been and who we’ve worked with…we can’t wait to share the finished results with you soon! If you would like to contribute to Conservation Music‘s (CM) Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount, or make a single donation via the button in the top right of our website.

“Samalilani” from Lusaka Goes Viral

Samalilani video is on National TV after the news daily in Zambia
Artists have attended frequent radio interviews and are preparing for 2 different TV programs
Song is on daily rotation on multiple radio stations
Online it has gathered hundreds of thousands of views, reactions, and comments
It has successfully spurred a national conversation on Climate Change

During the month of November, the CM movement joined forces with some of Lusaka’s foremost artists to create a truly special song and music video. From the start of the month, a team of talented vocalists and songwriters such as Shaps Mutambo, Theresa N’gambi, and the ever-popular James Sakala came together as a powerhouse of talent for the Earth. With the help of local producer and beatmaker Mr. Champs, these artists created an impactful and moving song that uses poignant storytelling to tackle local environmental issues such as tree cutting, charcoal burning, and water management, along with humanity’s neglect of such problems. Soon enough, the legendary singer Maureen Lilanda lent her voice and profound lyrics, as she sang of a past time of fellowship and regard for the earth. Shortly after, Zambia’s smash hit Pompi, the African Eagle, jumped in on the bridge with a heightened call to action, taking to the streets and rooftops, megaphone in hand, to awaken our Zambian brothers and sisters. The track, entitled Samalilani, is the culmination of multiple award-winning Zambian artists and the Conservation Music movement, coming together for the greater good, and is a prime example of what can be accomplished when people from all over the world put their heads together to create music for change in Zambia.

Lilongwe, Malawi

After wrapping up a fruitful eco-production in Lusaka, Zambia, the CM crew headed to the landlocked paradise, Lilongwe, Malawi. Despite its renowned beauty, the country is heavily impacted by climate change, causing pressing issues such as a drying lake that is overfished, frequent burning, rising temperatures, littering, and pollution. To highlight these points, we brought on Faith Mussa Official, KIM, Sangie Angel, KBG – Nyalimuzik & Suffix. The music flowed while being inspired by the surrounding Lilongwe Wildlife Trust.

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

After departing from Malawi, CM headed to Tanzania, where the final three months of Expedition #K2K would be completed. Our first stop was Dar Es Salaam, where we worked with Shubert Mwarabu, Lucky Stone, Nana Paul, One The Incredible, Shubert Mwarabu, and Beka Flavour, Geline Gee Fuko. Big thanks to Wanene Studios for helping bring our eco-song “Mazingira” to life.

Zanzibar, Tanzania

With just two months left, CM headed to the island of Zanzibar to tell the tale of an island as a microcosm for our planet. Throughout the month, we worked closely with the super talented Siti and the Band. While bringing another eco-production to life, CM also connected with Stone Town Records, The Flipflopi Expedition, Sauti za Busara, UN Environment, and many others on the island! Lastly, we would like to thank the super talented Shamsi Music from Nairobi for the onstage CM shout out at Sauti za Busara. Can’t wait to work with these guys in Kenya!

What’s Next? Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Here’s what is happening in the coming weeks as we wrap up the 13-month Expedition #K2K with a series of extremely special initiatives that you have made possible with us…

The stage is set for our 13th and final production all across the Kilimanjaro region, featuring underground rappers from Arusha town, members of Chagga and Maasai communities, and a special guest to be announced after the 16th! We will be covering topics like glacial melting due to climate change and soil abuse, littering, and deforestation.
Tomorrow we embark for the UN Environment Assembly, one of the biggest environmental summits in the world. We have been invited to speak up at dialogues, perform at an event, display our music videos, and represent our cause at a booth in the Sustainable Innovation Expo. Our delegation is composed of founder Alex Paullin, board member Mac Thayer, and CM Lesotho co-founder Reekelitsoe Molapo.
At the end of our final production, Conservation Music will complete our sea-to-summit expedition at Africa’s highest point… Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro. From drying coast to melting glacier.

None of this would be possible without your support… please stay tuned into our social channels Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Linkedin and if you are able, consider making a donation to help us complete Expedition #K2K, empower our new local chapters, finish our productions, and make it to the next step of our journey as we deepen our impact with dozens of incredible people in Africa and beyond.

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Lusaka, Zambia

Jan 6, 2019 | Blog

Conservation Music Calls for Change in Zambia

At the start of November, Conservation Music (CM) landed in Lusaka, Zambia, to continue Expedition #K2K. On the trek over from Harare, Zimbabwe, we stopped in Kafue, a small town outside of Lusaka, to spend time at the Amos Youth Centre (AYC) for several days. We were linked here through Director Julie-Anne, whom we met while in Livingstone in August, to learn about her work and educate the students about CM’s mission. Before we left for Lusaka, we met with our good friend and talented singer, Shaps Mutambo, who would be helping us with this month’s eco-song and connecting us with local artists to work with. Together, we created an impactful and moving song that uses poignant storytelling to tackle local environmental issues such as tree cutting, charcoal burning, and water management, along with humanity’s neglect of such problems. Global Platform Zambia (GPZ), a hub for social, health, and environmentally-based organizations, also welcomed our arrival and provided us with dorms for the entire stay. Throughout the month, our plans were set to produce the new eco-song “Samalilani”, film it’s music video, and attend a local conference where Alex would present CM’s mission while networking for potential collaborations in Lusaka. Tune into more of CM’s stories and videos on National Geographic’s OpenExplorer platform. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

Amos Youth Centre

Our visit to Kafue was short, but we had a memorable time thanks to our friend Julie-Anne, who runs the AYC. She invited our crew to run a miniature workshop with the students, where we showed CM videos and then created a simple eco-song. It was a delight to see their excitement and engagement, while they questioned and discovered all aspects of the CM mission. Brighton was moved to share how he is “encouraged because, on our way, most of us end up in a situation of giving up. You know, life is a journey and then we face a lot of things and there are so many challenges that we face in life. But looking at you, I was asking myself questions: How is it possible that these people, they started this. And, now you’re working and I can tell that it is not easy. That conservation to prevent climate change, that I really appreciate. I’ve learned a lot from you.” This micro-workshop was a great success and we can’t wait to hold more in schools along our journeys.

CM Connects with Local Musicians to Create Eco-song “Samalilani”

After just a few hours of meeting with Shaps Mutambo, he introduced us to music producer Mr. Champs, singer/songwriters James Sakala and Theresa N’gambi. With this group of musicians, we held our first meeting, including a proper introduction of CM and discussion on the type of song that we desired for this month. Theresa gave us a head start by presenting one of her own songs, a composition already themed around the environment. Our first meeting was extremely productive as we set a melody, rhythm, chorus and track title.

With the eco-song moving along nicely, we met with a group of young locals who had contacted CM last year with desires to start a local CM chapter. We invited them to join our second artist meeting, where they were brought up to speed on the project and shadowed the production work. A lot was learned through the immersive experience as we recorded first runs of Theresa and James’s guitar parts, while Mr. Champs composed a modern beat to match the folky, down-tempo acoustic guitars. Next, our field crew headed over to Tyme Lyne Entertainments (TLE) to begin the tracking process. Thanks to James, we connected with Nyno, the producer and sound engineer at TLE. The studio was spacious and ambient, fully decked out with vocal and drum booths. We began with Theresa on guitar and then recorded a few surprise contributions from Chanda on guitar, Elvie on bass, and Brian on drums. During the following studio sessions, we recorded the remaining parts from Theresa, James, and Shaps. Soon enough, we made our way back to Kafue to record the children at the AYC. The group sang along to the chorus to create a climatic finale filled with many local voices.

To build out the song a bit more, we met with locally renowned artists, Maureen Lilanda and Pompi. Maureen listened in on a session and returned home to develop lyrics in her own time. Later, we met at her home and recorded her bits with our mobile studio set-up. We fleshed out the track out a bit more by recording Pompi’s additions. Luckily, GPZ provided us with a studio space, which typically is used as a radio studio. Pompi contributed a powerful call to action for humanity to take the issue of climate change seriously. As we wrapped up recording, we tracked “Samalilani” and began spreading it to the masses.

With “Samalilani” airing on ZNBC national network, Maureen Lilanda continued to spread the song’s message and CM’s mission during an interview with Zambia’s NationLifestyle newspaper. “CLIMATE change is real hence the need to promote behavioral change in terms of how we use nature and its connection to Climate change, says Zambian veteran songbird Maureen Lilanda. The music artist said she has been featured in a music video on conservation aimed at educating people on the importance of conservation of natural resources into the impact of climate change. She revealed that the concept of the song “Samalilani” was written originally by Theresa Ng’ambi with support by an organisation called Conservation Music that are on a mission to warn mankind on issues of climate change. “So they invited me to be part of the project. I’m also just featured in the song, the project is called Conservation Music.” She explained. Maureen Lupo Lilanda is a household name in Zambia. She is an afro-jazz singer and songwriter with over twenty-five years in the music industry. She has also named international recognition especially in Europe and Asia. To my fans may God bless you all with good health and long lives, so that you may continue to support me. That’s the reason I still exist. I thank them for the love they have and continue to give me. As long as they’re there, I’ll be here,” she concluded (Noel Iyombwa, NationLifestyle).

The track, entitled “Samalilani”, is the culmination of multiple award-winning Zambian artists and the Conservation Music movement, coming together for the greater good, and is a prime example of what can be accomplished when people from all over the world put their heads together to create music for change in Zambia.

CM Shoots for the “Samalilani” Music Video

While our eco-song “Samalilani” continued to make an impact in Zambia, the field crew geared up for location shooting. We connected with Mr. Chipamoonga, a local Kafue elder, who allowed CM to use his land for the first location shoot. Here, we filmed the chorus with Theresa, James, Maureen, and Shaps walking together by a beautiful stream. Mr. Chipamoonga also graced us with a poetry reading, which we laid over the intro. Soon enough, Maureen lent her voice and profound lyrics, as she sang of a past time of fellowship and regard for the earth. We continued the location shoots as Pompi jumped in on the bridge with a heightened call to action, taking to the streets and rooftops, megaphone in hand, to awaken our Zambian brothers and sisters. Then we filmed Theresa’s verse in front of a large stack of charcoal, to highlight the harmful effects of charcoal burning. The crew wrapped up the location shooting at the AYC with all of the children chanting the chorus behind Shaps. The footage that we filmed throughout this eco-production is extremely powerful, matching the energy of the song.

CM’s Final Week in Lusaka

As the crew finalized the eco-production, we attended a local conference alongside Self Help Africa, where Alex presented CM’s mission and discussed potential collaborations with several organizations in Lusaka.

Next, we headed to Kafue National Park, which was a long, beautiful drive out into the bush, far away from civilization. We stayed at McBride’s Camp and were warmly welcomed by the park owners, Charlotte and Chris. Charlotte was warm and accommodating, while Chris was witty and very knowledgeable about the local animal and plant life. Our campsite was settled on the Kafue river, which we shared with pods of hippos, crocodiles, and many species of birds. At night, we were greeted by a small, cat-like mammal known as a genet. We were informed that despite its cat-like appearance, it is actually in the mongoose family, which is noted by its long, slender frame and tail. The field crew captured amazing wildlife footage and enjoyed time spent in the park. With just a few nights left, we headed back to the town to say goodbye to all of our new friends and prepare for the next phase of Expedition #K2K.

Our plans were set to move on to Lilongwe, Malawi, and the crew is excited for what is to come. Tune into more of CM’s stories and videos on National Geographic’s OpenExplorer platform. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Mambanje, Zimbabwe

Oct 21, 2018 | Blog

Conservation Music Galvanizes Mambanje, Zimbabwe to Support Conservation

In early September, Conservation Music (CM) headed to the Mambanje village of Zimbabwe for the next leg of Expedition #K2K. We were invited by the African Bush Camps Foundation (ABCF) to build awareness and conversation within the community by focusing on deforestation, poaching, and ABCF’s Mobile Cattle Boma Initiative throughout the creation of this month’s eco-educational music production, “Hayilondo Teni Nyika Yedu” meaning “Let’s Conserve Our Nature.” As the project developed, we integrated the musical talent of several local villagers and students from the primary school’s marimba band. Check out more of CM’s stories and videos on National Geographic’s OpenExplorer platform. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

The immersion into the small, isolated community of Mambanje was a sure change from our previous month spent in Livingstone, Zambia. Our travels in between took us over the iconic Victoria Falls bridge, into forests of Baobabs and through the gateway town of Dete, leading us to Mambanje and the Main Camp of Hwange National Park. Without stores, petrol stations or grocers in sight, we settled into the small community of which we called home for the next month. We were housed in teachers’ cottages at the Mambanje Primary School, allowing the crew to rest off the journey and prepare for the next day’s village council meeting.

The following morning the community welcomed CM as we introduced the movement and detailed our specific plans in the village. Many intrigued musicians connected with us, stimulating the process of finding collaborators for this month’s eco-educational music production. We first linked with a local singer named Tatenda, who also goes by Tormeta. He then introduced us to his grandfather, Machaingwe, who hadn’t picked up a stringed instrument in years, yet was able to surprise the crew with his highly skilled talent once we handed him a guitar. The engagement we were seeing already was extremely positive and free-flowing, all good signs for this month’s production.

That afternoon, the village Lion Guardian Polite showed us the mobile bomas, which are movable shelter systems used to prevent cattle hunting by lions and hinder the ensuing human-wildlife conflict. The mobile bomas hide cattle from being in plain sight of predators, while also reflecting moonlight to discourage the predators’ approach. Since the animals are kept inside the bomas, their concentrated presence benefits the land by breaking up compacted soil and fertilizing it with their urine and feces while restricting grazing to one area at a time. The bomas are systematically relocated throughout the land, leaving behind fertile plots while tending to new ones. After Polite showed us the bomas, he lead us to a nearby kraal, a traditional wooden shelter system. These are unfortunately more transparent and accessible to predators. Without local grocers, the community relies heavily on their livestock and local food sources, making these shelter systems a very important life aspect. Unfortunately, cattle attacks from large predators lead to reactions of poaching, which is an issue that we are trying to highlight and further develop solutions to. Learn more about the importance and effectiveness of ABCF’s Mobile Cattle Boma Initiative.

Connecting with Mambanje’s Primary School

Before heading back to the village to write the song, we headed to Main Camp Primary School in Hwange National Park to visit the student marimba band. To our surprise, the five youths in the band had already started composing a rhythm and melody, which we used to form the skeleton of our eco-song. The Marimba band played their parts individually, allowing us to record pieces to bring back to the village to compose further. Before heading back, we gave a short presentation to explain the CM movement and the power that music has to help change the world.

Developing an Eco-educational Song with Local Musicians

Back in Mambanje, we started piecing together the song’s structure with Machaingwe on guitar and bass, then conducted a series of meetings where we further composed the lyrics with Tormeta. Local teacher Rebecca helped us with lyrical translations so that Tormeta could hit every major theme of the song, allowing him to develop very memorable and relatable lyrics. In no time, we had tracked the rhythm, lead, bass guitars, a Zim dancehall riff, and drums played by Polite’s wife Zanele. The song was naturally developing into a high-energy, locally styled composition.

As we moved into the recording phases of the production, we worked with Machaingwe on both the guitar and bass pieces. Despite his 20-year absence from stringed instruments, writing and recording with him was a breeze. Tormeta joined his efforts as they collaboratively worked out the keyboard recordings for the Zim dancehall bridge. Zim dancehall is a popular local style of music that utilizes upbeat percussive elements and synthesized leads, with heavily auto-tuned vocals. With the music flowing, it was finally time to record Tormeta’s vocals. A local family graciously shared their homestead with us, so that we could record in a quiet setting. The peaceful experience was followed up with sharing some tea and bread.

Over the next few days, we continued to meet with other community members, who contributed backing vocals to the track. A few students added vocals for the chorus and an exciting dance performance, which we filmed for the music video. We prepared for the next coming days, which were set to be full of location video shoots throughout the village and surrounding areas.

Filming Location Shoots to Highlight Local Environmental Issues & Solutions

We kicked off the location shoots with Tormeta by heading to a nearby dried river bed within a heavily deforested area. We continued to film Tormeta’s parts in front of a few riverside gardens, which we included to highlight the illegal practice and how it leads to soil erosion. As we moved along, we captured more shots in the nearby mobile bomas. A few exciting final additions to the video were filmed during our visit to Hwange National Park, where we were able to shoot amazing footage of elephants, giraffes, baboons, kudu, wildebeests, and lions. Our focus for the day was on obtaining footage of lions, which we were graced with towards the end of our time in the park. On the way out we came across a pride of about fourteen lions lounging in the middle of the road. This wildlife footage is an essential aspect to our music video as key points in the lyrics pertain to pressing human-wildlife issues. We ended the location shoots on a high note and headed back to the village to wrap up our project so that we could screen it to the community prior to leaving.

Community Screening & Educational Discussions

With the song and video finalized, we held a community event consisting of several live performances of the song, integrated community discussions on the topics, and a debut screening of the music video. The crowd continued to expand throughout the night, as the music lured in members of the community and created a platform for conversation on conservation, health, and other sustainable development priorities. We were extremely pleased with the turnout and interaction from the villagers as they asked questions, learned, danced, and sang along.

Instead of leaving on the scheduled departure, we surprised the community by staying for an additional day. This impulsive decision led to a few amazing developments, as we recorded several more musical contributions from community drummers and a mbira player. Our additional time in the village also granted incredibly empowering interviews with Polite, Machaingwe, and Tormeta. The month spent in this village, and amongst these beautiful people, was a success as we brought together people from all over the world to learn, discuss, and take action on our shared environmental problems.

After our extended stay, we departed from the village and headed to the city of Maun in Botswana to visit with old friends and take part in the Okavango Delta Music Festival. Our time in Maun is set to be a week long, before heading off to start leg eight of Expedition #K2K in Harare, Zimbabwe with the one and only Oliver Mtukudzi.

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

Field Notes: Expediton #K2K – Okavango Delta, Botswana

Jul 31, 2018 | Blog

CM Highlights Transboundary Water Issues in the Okavango

Following a thriving month in Pretoria, South Africa, Conservation Music (CM) headed to Botswana to combat transboundary water issues in the Okavango Delta for Expedition #K2K. We gathered artists from Gaborone and then headed to Maun, where we set off in mekoro (traditional canoes) for a four day wilderness expedition. This deep immersion into the local environment and culture made for a great month of eco-production and education. Take a look at Episode 9 of CM’s Webseries: On The Beating Path, which shares highlights from our field work, allowing you to trek with us throughout the entire experience! Check out more of CM’s stories and videos on National Geographic’s OpenExplorer platform. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

Redefining Music as an Educational Tool with Local Artists

In Gaborone, we linked up with our new friend Stan who hosted us for the first week. He commonly hosts backpackers and travelers alike, yet his hospitality served great purpose for CM, as it allowed us to ground into the community and establish a core group of local musicians for the eco-song collaboration. First, we met with Tomeletso Sereetsi, a big name in the local scene who revolutionized the four-string sound by incorporating unique jazz chords. Then Tom recommended Gaone Rantlhoiwa, a local female singer with an unbelievable voice and wide array of styles. With our two main artists on board, we moved smoothly into the composition phase. The production crew sounded the melodies and rhythms, while Tom and Gaone wrote the lyrics. Inspired by the Okavango Delta’s transboundary water issues, the lyrics naturally called to bordering countries to preserve the delta’s diverse presence of life.

“I believe music is a really powerful tool. It’s the one thing I know that really unites people. It makes it easier for people to be receptive to messages because we all don’t like great talkers, so people talk all the time but people don’t listen… With music it’s really great because people are bound to listen and bound to enjoy the message. So it’s a tool that really should be used for community mobilization and community education. I think we should be doing more and more of that; using the power of the arts to bring people around issues and talk about them. I’ve seen this happen even in my own music…people are more likely to discuss issues that are taboo when the issues are in a song. It can be a beautiful ice-breaker! Artists have this artistic license and they can say stuff that most people don’t usually say and listeners can then talk about it because it is in the context of a song. They don’t realize they are talking about issues, they think they are just discussing a song. So I think music is a really powerful vehicle that we should be using more than we are actually doing right now.” ~Tomeletso Sereetsi | Gaborone, Botswana

As we moved forward into tracking, Tom linked us with Leroy Nyoni, an amazing sound engineer at Village Sound Studios. Leroy not only helped us with recording the song, but also added a back beat with incredible drumming. Field crew members Jake Taylor and Chris Volosevich, rounded it out with a few of their own bass and electric guitar phases. As the crew finalized tracking, CM Founder Alex Paullin flew to Canada to participate in a Summit Series entitled “Cultivating the Globally Sustainable Self” for a few days, where he discussed environmental sustainability with academics and practitioners from around the world.

With Alex back in the field, and production progressing, we geared up for the ten hour drive north to Maun, a city just outside the Okavango Delta. Upon arrival we settled into the Old Bridge Backpackers lodging, where we met with Matthew Merritt, CM’s Outreach Manager from the United States. Matthew spent two years in Lesotho with the Peace Corps, and now recruits for the Peace Corps, while volunteering for CM by inspiring stakeholders, sponsors, and partners to join the movement. Integrated into his six week backpacking trip through Southern Africa, Matt hopped aboard CM’s field crew for a few weeks to help with this month’s project. His experience in the field greatly benefited CM, and is one that he will carry back to the states. Connect with us to learn how to become a remote volunteer for CM.

Poling Into the Delta’s Wilderness

Early the following morning, we loaded into safari vehicles, linked with our guides, and headed towards the delta for four days of video shooting, cultural exchange, and nature immersion. After a two hour drive, we arrived at the launch station and transferred into mekoro, which are traditional canoes that we used to travel to each campsite. With production gear, instruments, an off-grid solar studio, volunteers, and artists in tow, we loaded seven mekoro and set off for our journey. As we weaved through the narrow waterways, we encountered herds of elephants, hippos, giraffes, zebras, hornbills and many other bird species. After long days of poling deep into the bush, we set up camp, recorded delta-inspired vocals, and filmed location shoots for the music video. At night we filmed more vocals by the fire, which was intentionally built large to keep the animals away as we slept. We shared delicious food, stories, and various improv jam sessions with the guitar, ukulele, and djembe. Tom and Gaone even had the chance to debut their song in Setswana, a Bantu language closely related to Sesotho, to an audience of local guides who then provided feedback and stimulated further discussions on the future of the delta waterways. It is such a reward when the educational ability of music can be seen first hand.

Field Recap from Matthew Merritt:

“The conversations held around the fire following the song were groundbreaking. It was then that we discovered that while the guides and polers had spent their whole lives on the delta, they were unaware that the water originated in Angola. It wasn’t until they heard the song that they asked questions about where the water came from and what was happening to cause the waters to lower. This was the reason we were here; to bring environmental education to rural communities in need. It was iconic and something I will never forget.”

With each rising sun, we set out by foot on guided safaris to explore the area and seek out wildlife. We encountered mixed herds of giraffes, zebras, antelope, ostriches, and elephants. The elephants made for the most memorable experiences as we witnessed a herd of over fifty travelling together, as well as unknowingly trekking into the wrong territory and getting false charged by one from the side. Luckily, everyone walked away safely with a humbling reminder of nature’s power. We followed up with supplementary filming, including shots for Gaone’s location shoot and a few ad-libs from Tom. On the last day we set out for one last shoot to wrap up filming before heading back to Maun.

CM’s Lesotho Chapter Lands a Grant

Earlier this year, our first local chapter Conservation Music Lesotho was built by local volunteers. Led by four women, the chapter landed its first grant this month, which will directly support local screenings of CM content to further educate students and rural citizens around the country. This is a landmark achievement for both the local chapter and the CM movement at large. Each step further proves that our scalable vision for a global network of self-sustaining chapters and implemented partners is viable. We are very proud of our local chapter and excited to see what the future holds!

Spreading Awareness

We landed back at the Old Bridge Backpackers lodging and connected with our good friends Helene Forward and Stiger Sola Molefi. Helene is a multi-talented artist, who also owns the Old Bridge Backpackers. Stiger has been performing in and around Botswana for decades and it’s always an honor to spend time with him. Together, we composed and recorded the song’s finishing touches, as Helene added flute and fiddle and Stiger closed out the track with his four-string guitar. With the month coming to a close, Helene allowed us to perform at the Old Bridge Backpackers, where we were able to share our message and collect some gas money for the road to Zambia. The performance was a beautiful memory to end on as we jammed with Helene and other new friends beneath a fig tree on the Thamalakane River. This month was packed with fulfilling work, intense wilderness expeditions, and countless memories. After we said our goodbyes, we hit the road for Livingstone, Zambia, where we were set to take on leg six of Expedition #K2K. Stay tuned for more stories!

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term field work, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

After years of soul-searching and months in the African wilderness with the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, musician and geographer Alex Paullin combined his foremost passions and founded Conservation Music, a non-profit aiming to foster a global culture of sustainability using music as the messenger. Throughout his life he aims to expand the Conservation Music movement globally, in hopes that his lifetime will see and hear songs of conservation being sung throughout the world.

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malawi Archives – Conservation Music

Posted on April 14, 2019 by admin

Summit reached, gratitude, and new beginnings… please read!

Apr 14, 2019 | Blog

Mission Accomplished!

Here is a list of just a few things we have accomplished this year with your help:

- 45,000+ photos taken
- 20,000+ hours worked by 20+ volunteers
- 400 days on the road
- 260 hours of footage
- 150+ supporting individuals and groups
- 30 new artists/groups
- 25 organizational partnerships
- 22 Interviews
- 20+ new volunteers from 13+ countries
- 13 songs and 13 music videos
- 12 terabytes of digital media
- 9 countries impacted
- 4 local chapters: Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania
- 4 international conferences – CGSS, EEASA, OYW, UNEA
- 3 school visits
- 2 community workshops
- 1 hit song in Zambia, “Samalilani” comes on TV daily
- 1 article on nationalgeographic.com
- 1 article with Thomson Reuters Foundation, pending publication

Gratitude

Stay Current with CM & Donate

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – The Mountain

Mar 8, 2019 | Blog

We’re Back!

“Samalilani” from Lusaka Goes Viral

Samalilani video is on National TV after the news daily in Zambia
Artists have attended frequent radio interviews and are preparing for 2 different TV programs
Song is on daily rotation on multiple radio stations
Online it has gathered hundreds of thousands of views, reactions, and comments
It has successfully spurred a national conversation on Climate Change

Lilongwe, Malawi

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Zanzibar, Tanzania

What’s Next? Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Here’s what is happening in the coming weeks as we wrap up the 13-month Expedition #K2K with a series of extremely special initiatives that you have made possible with us…

The stage is set for our 13th and final production all across the Kilimanjaro region, featuring underground rappers from Arusha town, members of Chagga and Maasai communities, and a special guest to be announced after the 16th! We will be covering topics like glacial melting due to climate change and soil abuse, littering, and deforestation.
Tomorrow we embark for the UN Environment Assembly, one of the biggest environmental summits in the world. We have been invited to speak up at dialogues, perform at an event, display our music videos, and represent our cause at a booth in the Sustainable Innovation Expo. Our delegation is composed of founder Alex Paullin, board member Mac Thayer, and CM Lesotho co-founder Reekelitsoe Molapo.
At the end of our final production, Conservation Music will complete our sea-to-summit expedition at Africa’s highest point… Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro. From drying coast to melting glacier.

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

music Archives – Conservation Music

Posted on April 14, 2019 by admin

Summit reached, gratitude, and new beginnings… please read!

Apr 14, 2019 | Blog

Mission Accomplished!

Here is a list of just a few things we have accomplished this year with your help:

- 45,000+ photos taken
- 20,000+ hours worked by 20+ volunteers
- 400 days on the road
- 260 hours of footage
- 150+ supporting individuals and groups
- 30 new artists/groups
- 25 organizational partnerships
- 22 Interviews
- 20+ new volunteers from 13+ countries
- 13 songs and 13 music videos
- 12 terabytes of digital media
- 9 countries impacted
- 4 local chapters: Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania
- 4 international conferences – CGSS, EEASA, OYW, UNEA
- 3 school visits
- 2 community workshops
- 1 hit song in Zambia, “Samalilani” comes on TV daily
- 1 article on nationalgeographic.com
- 1 article with Thomson Reuters Foundation, pending publication

Gratitude

Stay Current with CM & Donate

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – The Mountain

Mar 8, 2019 | Blog

We’re Back!

“Samalilani” from Lusaka Goes Viral

Samalilani video is on National TV after the news daily in Zambia
Artists have attended frequent radio interviews and are preparing for 2 different TV programs
Song is on daily rotation on multiple radio stations
Online it has gathered hundreds of thousands of views, reactions, and comments
It has successfully spurred a national conversation on Climate Change

Lilongwe, Malawi

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Zanzibar, Tanzania

What’s Next? Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Here’s what is happening in the coming weeks as we wrap up the 13-month Expedition #K2K with a series of extremely special initiatives that you have made possible with us…

The stage is set for our 13th and final production all across the Kilimanjaro region, featuring underground rappers from Arusha town, members of Chagga and Maasai communities, and a special guest to be announced after the 16th! We will be covering topics like glacial melting due to climate change and soil abuse, littering, and deforestation.
Tomorrow we embark for the UN Environment Assembly, one of the biggest environmental summits in the world. We have been invited to speak up at dialogues, perform at an event, display our music videos, and represent our cause at a booth in the Sustainable Innovation Expo. Our delegation is composed of founder Alex Paullin, board member Mac Thayer, and CM Lesotho co-founder Reekelitsoe Molapo.
At the end of our final production, Conservation Music will complete our sea-to-summit expedition at Africa’s highest point… Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro. From drying coast to melting glacier.

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Lusaka, Zambia

Jan 6, 2019 | Blog

Conservation Music Calls for Change in Zambia

Amos Youth Centre

CM Connects with Local Musicians to Create Eco-song “Samalilani”

CM Shoots for the “Samalilani” Music Video

CM’s Final Week in Lusaka

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Mambanje, Zimbabwe

Oct 21, 2018 | Blog

Conservation Music Galvanizes Mambanje, Zimbabwe to Support Conservation

Connecting with Mambanje’s Primary School

Developing an Eco-educational Song with Local Musicians

Filming Location Shoots to Highlight Local Environmental Issues & Solutions

Community Screening & Educational Discussions

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

Field Notes: Expediton #K2K – Okavango Delta, Botswana

Jul 31, 2018 | Blog

CM Highlights Transboundary Water Issues in the Okavango

Redefining Music as an Educational Tool with Local Artists

“I believe music is a really powerful tool. It’s the one thing I know that really unites people. It makes it easier for people to be receptive to messages because we all don’t like great talkers, so people talk all the time but people don’t listen… With music it’s really great because people are bound to listen and bound to enjoy the message. So it’s a tool that really should be used for community mobilization and community education. I think we should be doing more and more of that; using the power of the arts to bring people around issues and talk about them. I’ve seen this happen even in my own music…people are more likely to discuss issues that are taboo when the issues are in a song. It can be a beautiful ice-breaker! Artists have this artistic license and they can say stuff that most people don’t usually say and listeners can then talk about it because it is in the context of a song. They don’t realize they are talking about issues, they think they are just discussing a song. So I think music is a really powerful vehicle that we should be using more than we are actually doing right now.” ~Tomeletso Sereetsi | Gaborone, Botswana

Poling Into the Delta’s Wilderness

Field Recap from Matthew Merritt:

“The conversations held around the fire following the song were groundbreaking. It was then that we discovered that while the guides and polers had spent their whole lives on the delta, they were unaware that the water originated in Angola. It wasn’t until they heard the song that they asked questions about where the water came from and what was happening to cause the waters to lower. This was the reason we were here; to bring environmental education to rural communities in need. It was iconic and something I will never forget.”

CM’s Lesotho Chapter Lands a Grant

Spreading Awareness

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term field work, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

After years of soul-searching and months in the African wilderness with the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, musician and geographer Alex Paullin combined his foremost passions and founded Conservation Music, a non-profit aiming to foster a global culture of sustainability using music as the messenger. Throughout his life he aims to expand the Conservation Music movement globally, in hopes that his lifetime will see and hear songs of conservation being sung throughout the world.

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Country Archives – Conservation Music

Posted on February 27, 2019 by admin

Malawi

Feb 27, 2019

Malawi

Overview

Malawi is a landlocked country in Southern Africa popularly known as the ‘Warm heart of Africa’ because of the warmth and friendliness of its people. Malawi is defined by its topography of highlands split by the Great Rift Valley and enormous Lake Malawi, it is bordered by Zambia to the Northwest, Tanzania to the Northeast and Mozambique to the South, Southwest and Southeast. Malawi is 118,484 Km² in size and home to 17,563,749 people. The economy of Malawi is driven predominantly by the agricultural sector that accounts for one third of the GDP and nearly 80 percent of employment.

Arts and Humanities

The Malawi people are of Bantu origin and comprise of many different ethnic groups. These include Chewa, Nyanja, Yao, Tumbuka, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde. The official languages are Chichewa and English, however, so many other tribal languages and dialects are prevalent. Malawi shares many musical traditions with its African neighbors of Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique. In Malawi, music is an undisputed part of everyday life. Songs break out spontaneously at home while women are going about their chores, in the gardens, at celebrations, and even at funerals. Malawians have long been travelers and migrant workers, and as a result, their music has spread across the African continent and blended with other music forms. Most of the cultural activities in Malawi involve music and use of natural resources

Environmental Conditions

Malawi is endowed with a diversified natural resource base, which includes some of the most fertile soils for agricultural use in Southern Africa, 4,953 native or naturalized plant species, 700 endemic Cichlid species and contains 15% of world’s freshwater fish. However, the natural resource base is subjected to increasing pressure primarily due to agricultural expansion and household energy needs. Tobacco has been Malawi’s largest source of income and has also contributed to declining environmental condition due to curing of tobacco. There is alarming degradation of the environment causing significant loss of soil fertility, soil erosion, serious deforestation, water depletion, pollution and loss of biodiversity. These problems are exacerbated by the high population growth and low level of environmental awareness, which contribute considerably to the vicious cycle of poverty and are compounded by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Leadership

Peter Mutharika is the fifth president of Malawi and the fourth democratically elected. The President of Malawi is both head of state and head of government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. There is a cabinet of Malawi that is appointed by the President of Malawi. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The government of Malawi has been a multi-party democracy since 1994.

Media Profile

The radio is the most popular medium for information and entertainment. There are several radio and TV stations that Malawians tune to and these include the state owned Malawi Broadcasting Station and several other private stations. The media is regulated by Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority. There has been an increase in the usage of internet that most music is downloaded from https://www.malawi-music.com

OUR MISSION

To build a global network of musicians and youth volunteers to deliver environmental education through the catalytic power of music.

OUR VISION

A global community that stewards the Earth, in which the memorable, emotional, and unifying power of music contributes to the balance between humankind, nature, and society.

← Okavango O Moxa Expedition K2K →

Lesotho

Mar 17, 2017

Lesotho

Overview

Often called “The Kingdom in the Sky,” or, “The Roof of Africa,” Lesotho is a landlocked country completely encased by South Africa. This mountainous kingdom is comprised primarily of highland plateaus, causing many villages to be isolated–reachable only by light aircraft, horseback, or on foot. The Kingdom of Lesotho has a population of 2.2 million people.

Arts and Humanities

The people of Lesotho speak primarily Sesotho and English. The Sesotho language has an extensive written body of literature as it was one of the earliest African languages to emerge in written form. Thus, music, dance and literature are often combined in traditional Sotho performances. These cultural productions often weave the retelling of ancient folktales with chanting, singing, clapping and high-kicking dances. Stringed instruments, whistles, rattles and drums are just some of the instruments that grace traditional Sotho performances.

Environmental Conditions

Lesotho is a developing country. Thus, the survival of its people is heavily reliant on its natural resources. The highlands that comprise most of Lesotho are environmentally harsh. As such, the lowlands of this alpine country have very limited agricultural space. Lesotho is heavily dependent on South Africa. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (“LHWP”) was fully initiated in the 1990s. The primary purpose of LHWP is to transfer water to South Africa. Although proceeds from this project account for 75% of Lesotho’s budget, as a result of recent droughts, the country has seen its crops wither as its water is transported to South Africa. Due to uncontrolled grazing and rushing surface water, much of Lesotho has been stripped of its natural grass cover. Desertification, soil erosion and soil exhaustion are major problems in Lesotho. Additionally, unlike in South Africa, the game and wildlife indigenous to Lesotho is sparse.

Leadership

Lesotho’s head of state is King Letsie III, but the monarch has no executive or legislative powers. The prime minister of Lesotho is Pakalitha Mosisili I. Mr. Mosisili’s Democratic Congress formed Lesotho’s second consecutive coalition government.

Media Profile

Lesotho’s most popular entertainment medium is radio. Residents of Lesotho can receive domestic stations as well as TV and radio broadcasts from South Africa. Radio Lesotho is the kingdom’s only national station. However, commercial and private radio broadcasts are on air as well. Media freedom is generally respected in Lesotho and private press is allowed to voice opposition views. Of the 2.2 million residents of Lesotho, there were less than 84,000 internet users by December of 2011.

Our Lesotho Portfolio

OUR MISSION

To build a global network of musicians and youth volunteers to deliver environmental education through the catalytic power of music.

OUR VISION

A global community that stewards the Earth, in which the memorable, emotional, and unifying power of music contributes to the balance between humankind, nature, and society.

Okavango O Moxa →

Botswana

Mar 17, 2017

Botswana

Overview

With a population of two million people, the Republic of Botswana is positioned in the center of Southern Africa. It is situated in a sand-filled basin consisting of plains and gently sloping hills that rise into the highlands of its neighboring countries. Botswana is lush with animal life and is home to more than 800 different species of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Before its independence from British control in 1966, Botswana was one of the most undeveloped, poverty-stricken states in the world. However, since gaining independence, the peace and prosperity of this republic has greatly increased. Botswana is now internationally renowned as one of the most peaceful, stable democratic states in Africa.

Arts and Humanities

Currently, Tswana is Botswana’s dominant ethnic identity. Although English is the official language of Botswana, Setswana is widely spoken in the republic. The culture of Botswana is a mixture of Tswana and English heritage. Traditional music in Botswana is largely based around stringed instruments. Though interest in traditional music and dance declined in popularity during Botswana’s colonial period, it revived after the republic gained independence. This can especially be seen in music on the radio.

Environmental Conditions

Botswana’s climate is marked by months of dry weather. The rainy season is limited to sporadic downpours in December through March. Botswana suffers from cyclic droughts which occur every two decades and frequently last up to six years. As such, very little soil is suitable for cultivation, harvests are often destroyed and livestock frequently die of starvation. Due to drought, the population of Botswana is entirely dependent on groundwater. Although the use of groundwater eases the effects of drought, it has greatly harmed Botswana’s land. Drilling in order to retrieve groundwater is commonplace. Such drilling leads to harmful erosion and desertification. Out of all Southern Africa, Botswana is one of the countries most severely affected by desertification in the Kalahari Region.

Leadership

Botswana’s government is a multi-party democracy. The republic has very little corruption and has a good record of defending human rights. Botswana’s current president is Sereetsi Khama Ian Khama.

Media Profile

Radio is an important medium in Botswana as the circulation of media is limited outside the urban sectors of the country. Botswana has a tradition of unimpeded, public debate via radio. In fact, the republic’s constitution provides for the freedom of expression–a freedom that is generally respected by the government. Satellite pay TV is available in the republic along with the state-run Botswana Television (BTV). By 2011, there were about 167,000 internet users in Botswana.

Our Botswana Portfolio

OUR MISSION

To build a global network of musicians and youth volunteers to deliver environmental education through the catalytic power of music.

OUR VISION

A global community that stewards the Earth, in which the memorable, emotional, and unifying power of music contributes to the balance between humankind, nature, and society.

Okavango O Moxa →

Zambia

Mar 17, 2017

Overview

The butterfly-shaped country of Zambia is perched on a high plateau in south-central Africa. This country is named after the Zambezi River, which winds through most of the land. Zambia is dissected by swamps, river-valleys and lakes and is etched by the ancient crystalline rocks and that grace its plateaus.

Arts and Humanities

The major languages in Zambia are English (the official language), Bemba, Lozi, Nyanja and Tonga. The arts are a major part of Zambian culture as music, dancing and singing are often connected with security, health and prosperity. Music is used in tribal rituals, celebrations and for entertainment. The most widely used musical instrument in Zambia is the drum. Other popular instruments include, horns, bows, pipes, flutes, bells, rattles, xylophones and the kalimba, also known as the mbira, thumb piano, or African piano.

Environmental Conditions

The temperature of Zambia is generally favorable for human settlement and agriculture. Two-fifths of Zambia is environmentally protected and the country is known for its large variety of mammals. However, wildlife has been depleted in recent times due to human activities outside the parks and poaching within. For example, the Illegal poaching of horns and tusks has virtually eliminated rhinoceros from Zambia and has greatly reduced the number of elephants. As one of Africa’s most industrialized countries, Zambia suffers from air pollution and acid rain. Additionally, inadequate water-treatment facilities pose great health risks to citizens of this country, which has one of the fastest growing populations in the world. Zambia currently has a population of 13 million, two-thirds of which live in poverty.

Leadership

Unlike most of its neighbours, Zambia has remained relatively free of war and upheaval and has a reputation for political stability. In January of 2015, Edgar Lungu became the sixth president of Zambia and gained a new term in August of 2016. President Lungu’s greatest challenge has been Zambia’s poverty and a slowing economy.

Media Profile

Radio is Zambia’s main source of information. State-run radio and television dominate the media sector in Zambia in terms of availability. However, private television and radio stations have grown in number and popularity in recent years. In fact, according to BBC, there are currently “scores of local radio stations” in Zambia. By 2014, Zambia had 2.3 million internet users.

Our Zambia Portfolio

OUR MISSION

To build a global network of musicians and youth volunteers to deliver environmental education through the catalytic power of music.

OUR VISION

A global community that stewards the Earth, in which the memorable, emotional, and unifying power of music contributes to the balance between humankind, nature, and society.

Okavango O Moxa →

Angola

Mar 17, 2017

Angola

Overview

Angola is a large, southwestern land with a population of 24.3 million people. This vast country is home to a wide variety of landscapes–boasting semi-desert shores, rugged southern highlands, bustling northern cities and a thinly populated rainforest interior. Although Angola is one of the major producers of oil in Africa, it still bears the scars of a 27-year civil war that devastated the country after its independence.

Arts and Humanities

The official language of Angola is Portuguese, but many Angolans speak Bantu languages along with Umbundu, Kimbundu and Kikongo. Angolan culture is a mixture of Portuguese and African traditions and music has a central role in Angolan life. The drum is often highlighted in Angolan music. Other noteworthy instruments are the mpungu, a trumpet, and the hungu and mbulumbumba, types of gourd resonated with a musical bow. Sadly, the civil unrest and resulting poverty that has ravaged Angola has provided little opportunities for musical professionals. In fact, the Ministry of Culture has had tight-fisted control over Angola’s production of commercial music since the country’s independence. However, despite these barriers, the informal sectors of musical expression have blossomed and flourished in Angola. Contemporary Angolan music weaves traditional African sounds with influences from Brazil, Cuba, the Caribbean and the United States.

Environmental Conditions

Angola is home to many species of fauna customarily found in Africa’s savanna lands, such as lions, elephants, and zebras, along with a rich variety of birds and reptiles. Until the late 1800s, portions of northern Angola were blanketed by a lush rainforest. However, much of this rainforest has been drastically diminished by logging, agriculture and subsequent desertification. The country’s climate has a considerable dry season and its land is frequently afflicted by droughts, particularly in the south. As such, Two-thirds of Angola is now covered by savanna (scattered trees and grasslands) and deep deposits of infertile sands. Its biodiversity has been gravely threatened. Additionally, because of Angola’s inadequate infrastructure and swelling population, food and potable water are scarce, particularly in rural areas.

Leadership

Angola has suffered a long history of political unrest. After Portuguese colonial masters withdrew from Angola in 1975, rival independence movements fought for power up until 2002. Decades-long separatist conflicts still simmer in Angola. Abuses against civilians have been alleged by human rights groups. Jose Eduardo dos Santos has been in power in Angola since 1979. President dos Santos has a strict control over all aspects of political life in Angola.

Media Profile

The internet has become the primary medium for expression in Angola and in 2014, there were 4.3 million internet users. However, In 2015, President dos Santos called for stricter regulation of social media to crack down on political activism and dissent. Radio is now the most influential form of media outside the capital of Angola, but, the state controls all media nationwide. The state-run Radio Nacional de Angola (“RNA”) is the only radio station that offers programs in indigenous languages. Although RNA is the only broadcaster that has almost national coverage, private stations operate in cities and the Angolan constitution provides for the freedom of expression.

Our Angola Portfolio

Coming soon… “Natureza” by Banda Progresso, brought to you by the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project.

OUR MISSION

To build a global network of musicians and youth volunteers to deliver environmental education through the catalytic power of music.

OUR VISION

A global community that stewards the Earth, in which the memorable, emotional, and unifying power of music contributes to the balance between humankind, nature, and society.

Okavango O Moxa →

« Older Entries

#zambia Archives – Conservation Music

Posted on January 6, 2019 by admin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Lusaka, Zambia

Jan 6, 2019 | Blog

Conservation Music Calls for Change in Zambia

Amos Youth Centre

CM Connects with Local Musicians to Create Eco-song “Samalilani”

CM Shoots for the “Samalilani” Music Video

CM’s Final Week in Lusaka

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

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Field Notes: Conservation Music Teams Up with GreenPop in Zambia!

Jul 24, 2017 | Blog

On The Road to Zambia

After wrapping up an amazing, yet enduring week at the Bushfire Festival, the Conservation Music (CM) crew geared up for their next adventure to Livingstone, Zambia. Greenpop, an environmental non-governmental organization (NGO) based out of Cape Town, South Africa, invited CM to contribute to this year’s Zambia Festival of Action. Alex Paullin, CM’s founder, was eager to accept this invitation, as his experience in 2016 was extremely memorable. The entire CM crew believes strongly in Greenpop’s mission and is excited to contribute to their efforts.

On June 18, 2017, the CM crew met up with Greenpop in Johannesburg to prepare for the journey to Livingstone. As Alex prepped his motorbike for the hefty journey, the rest of the crew shoved their gear into Greenpop’s Overlander. There wasn’t much space to work with, as Greenpop had all of their volunteer’s luggage and gear packed in already, but the crew remained extremely grateful for the ride. They spent all day on the road, and spent the night at the beautiful and quaint Tibane Lodge in Mokopane, South Africa.

On day two of the journey, with refreshed crews and hundreds of miles still ahead, Alex attempted to kickstart his bike, but having sat alone for four months prior to this journey, it decided to not cooperate. After several failed attempts at getting it started, he told everyone to hit the road while he stayed behind to work on the bike a bit more. The Overlander continued on through South Africa, weaving through the tall grassy plains and providing unforgettable views of elephants, giraffes, and other wildlife.

Eventually they made their way into Botswana, but not before one of the Overlander’s tires blew out. Setbacks are becoming a commonality on the road, yet the intensity of embracing each situation remains new. Although, high with jovial spirits, the crew of volunteers quickly rebounded and got the Overlander back on the road in enough time to complete their travels to the lodging area. As the evening hours set in, the crew still awaited Alex’s arrival, as his motorbike wouldn’t start, forcing him to leave it locked up at the lodge and hitch a ride with a straggling Greenpop vehicle. Alex did end up arriving later that evening, and everyone was able to get another successful nights sleep.

With the sun rising, the crews rose up again to complete the final leg of the journey into Zambia. Aside from driving for several hours, the main part of their day was spent loading and riding the Kazungula Ferry, which is the only current mode of transportation across the 1,300-ft wide Zambezi River. Watching the robust Overlander board the ship was quite a sight, honestly a little worrisome. After a successful crossing, the vehicles spent the next hour and half trudging down primitive dirt roads and then finally arrived at Greenpop’s campsite in Livingstone.

Week 1: Setting Up the Festival

In just one week, the first set of participants were expected to show up, and aside from a couple dozen volunteer tents the campsite was pretty much undeveloped. Everyone spent their days cleaning the grounds, setting up tents, and building site features, such as the perimeter fence made from reeds. With all of the shuffling around and necessary site work, the CM workload began to take a backseat, and both Alex and Chris could feel the resulting pressures. To avoid a heavy decline in CM’s productivity, they accepted every opportunity to hitch a ride into town so that they could hunt down a quality Wi-Fi connection. Most of their work consisted of finalizing the mix for the first #CrowdStudio track and completing a rough cut of its music video. The plan was to debut it later that week during movie night at the campsite.

Weeks 2-3: Greenpop Welcomes Their First Round of Participants

As the volunteers wrapped up the festival preparations, the first round of participants piled in. Greenpop dedicated the first two weeks towards working with high school students that are inspired by environmental activism and adventure. The volunteers and participants worked together by planting trees, growing food forests, building with eco-methods, setting up recycling systems, brightening up schools with eco murals, attending sustainability workshops, celebrating with live music, and much more.

The CM crew capped off the week with a debut of the Bushfire Festival #CrowdStudio music video during Friday’s movie night. It was still a rough draft, but the entire audience wholeheartedly responded with support and positivity. Over the next three weeks, they would continue to add finishing touches, as well as begin the Greenpop #CrowdStudio sessions. The energy and flavor that participants brought to the #CrowdStudio sessions during the first two weeks created a platform for yet another unique track. Just a few weeks ago, when the crew developed the #CrowdStudio concept, they had no clue that it would lead to this.

Week 4: The Second Round of Participants Arrive

It was a bittersweet end to the first phase of the festival, as the first group of participants had to say their goodbyes while the second group began to arrive. Greenpop devoted the final week towards working with participants of all ages. In the past, they have used this time to work with university students opting for an alternative school break, study groups searching for an opportunity of field work, families who strive for adventure, and pretty much any individual looking to get active within the environmental field.

Building off the musical platform that the first round of participants created for the #CrowdStudio track, Alex and Chris developed it further by working with the new arrival of festival participants. Everyone seemed to share the same vision, as the track naturally moved in an amazing direction. The endless effort, energy, and talent put forth by all of the participants was truly special, and made for such a great final week.

After the past few weeks of consistent hard work, the CM crew got the chance to escape for a relaxing outing to Victoria Falls, one of Earth’s greatest wonders. It exceeded any expectations they could of had, as they soaked in all of its thunderous glory. The river gently made it’s way over the edge of the falls and crashed down along the rocky trenches, creating a beautiful rainbow mist in the air. Alex and Chris, incapable of fully taking a break from work, took advantage of the opportunity in front of them and captured magical footage for the music video. It was an unforgettable experience that they cannot wait to share with the world.

Mosi Oa Tunya, or Victoria Falls. Zimbabwe is pictured bottom center, Zambia bottom right.

With only a few days remaining in Zambia, the crew continued to record a few extra pieces for the #CrowdStudio track, including the crucial contributions of Flying Bantu, an afro-fusion band from Zimbabwe. They travelled out to meet up with CM and assist with the recording and arranging processes of the song. Their talent and insight was greatly appreciated, and certainly added some Zimbabwean spice to the track!

In their downtime, Alex and Chris ventured into town, where they met a local djembe designer named Javani. He shared his talent with the crew by graciously reheading one of their drums. The process was more intense than they had expected, as a local butcher slaughtered and skinned a goat right in front of them. As brutal as this might sound, it is a cultural tradition to use goat skin for the heading of a djembe, while it also feeds around 20 villagers. After Javani finished up the drum, the crew invited him and his drumming troupe back to the Greenpop campsite to conduct a drum workshop for the participants. One of the most beautiful aspects of field work is accepting the unexpected and seeing where it goes!

As the week finally came to a close, everyone worked hard to disassemble tents and clear any impact that they had made on the Greepop’s plot of land. Emotions swayed as the volunteers and participants knew their time together would be over soon. The CM and Greenpop crews really enjoyed their time spent together, while also sharing the beautiful experience with all of the participants.

What’s Ahead for CM?

The next morning CM set out on the road again, with a few stops prior to arriving in Johannesburg. Alex was dropped off to repair his motorbike, while Chris escorted all of CM’s gear to the lodge in Johannesburg. The crew is going to enjoy some downtime as they await the arrival of another CM field crew member, Bryan Murphy. Bryan has been volunteering his time at CM through professional photography, and everyone is excited to see the intensity that he will bring to the field.

Stay tuned for CM’s next adventures!

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation
of Conservation Music

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

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info@conservationmusic.org

After years of soul-searching and months in the African wilderness with the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, musician and geographer Alex Paullin combined his foremost passions and founded Conservation Music, a non-profit aiming to foster a global culture of sustainability using music as the messenger. Throughout his life he aims to expand the Conservation Music movement globally, in hopes that his lifetime will see and hear songs of conservation being sung throughout the world.

CMP Month In Review : August 2016

Aug 31, 2016 | Blog

Featured Photo by Thalefang Charles for Cross Okavango Delta Expedition.

Okavango, Okavango, Okavango… The Conservation Music Project glided into August aboard a mokoro, a week after launching from its birthplace of Seronga with the Cross Okavango Delta Expedition (CODE) on July 25th. It was a scramble to reset and repack in Johannesburg after arriving from Zambia July 21^st! (The Zambia project, Tushange Isamu, was done alongside Greenpop, a Cape Town-based environmental education and tree planting group. More on that in another post!)

The Creative Crossing

CODE 2016 marked the first official “Creative Crossing” of the Okavango Delta, in hopes of supplementing research efforts to understand and conserve the place with poetic and musical messages to bring more Batswana (people of Botswana) on board, as well as to inspire a global audience. As many of you know, the Conservation Music movement was crystalized in Angola, en route to the Delta, aboard a mokoro in 2015 with Dr. Steve Boyes’ Okavango Wilderness Project (OWP). At the time of this writing, the OWP crew is pulling their boats through the deep, muddy wilderness as the water that carried our crossing continues to drop during theirs. You can follow along with live updates at www.intotheokavango.org.

The CODE 2016 crossing was quite special… a group of 15 Batswana was joined by just a single foreign member, Conservation Music founder Alex. In general, the Delta is visited and run by either foreigners or white Botswana nationals, and one intention of CODE is to inspire more Batswana to visit and invest in this incredible national heritage site. Needless to say, it was an honor to be made the exception and join the team of creative celebrities, media professionals, and polers from Botswana to produce a song and music video throughout the two-week crossing.

Video still shot by Alex Paullin.

The song is entitled, “Okavango Oa Moxa,” which means “Okavango You Are Beautiful” in seYei, the mother tongue of famous four-string guitarist Stiger Sola, who was born into the lineage of the baYei, also known as the “Watshara,” or “The River People.” This tribe is said to have been the first to break into the Delta long ago, bringing 6-meter long wooden mekoro (mokoros) to enter the deep, wild paradise that the land-based KhoiSan bushmen in the region left alone.

Indeed, Stiger Sola himself was born inside that very wilderness… his aunt assisting his young mother to deliver him on an island, as his uncle waited aboard the mokoro, long ngashe pole in hand. They were still far from the village of Sharobe, the place where he was meant to be delivered, which would soon become his home. Thus a legend of Botswana was born in the heart of the same inspiration that our expedition was seeking…. We brought him back into the wild with a guitar.

Photo by Thalefang Charles for Cross Okavango Delta Expedition.

The other musical celebrity on board was HT Tautona, a Maun-born rapper who grew up on the cattle post but made his claim to fame in Gaborone, Botswana’s capitol. For HT this trip was like returning home, but finally seeing the Delta he grew on the edge of the right way… by mokoro, in the depth of its wilderness. His lyrics describe the overflow of emotions upon returning to this place “like a pen without ink” and being filled with inspiration to write. HT was a major team player and was easy to find helping in the kitchen.

Photo by Thalefang Charles for Cross Okavango Delta Expedition.

Last but not least, as a surprise addition to the music team, multi-talented poet Leshie Lovesong spoke up during a fireside brainstorming jam session with a poem she had written, which now serves as a deeply emotional opening to the song. Once she was brought aboard the music team, she also lent her voice to the chorus, responding to Stiger’s calls of “Okavango, Okavango, Okavango” with Stiger’s own declarations to his mother, the Delta, of her lovable, everlasting, beautiful nature, and her role in his existence as “a way of life.” Leshie’s own way of life took quite a shock in the wilderness… prior the expedition she had never even been camping.

Photo by Thalefang Charles for Cross Okavango Delta Expedition.

Conservation Music is extremely excited to be part of Botswana’s 50^th anniversary celebrations. As we speak, the new song “Okavango O Moxa” is being registered with the Copyright Society of Botswana (COSBOTS) so that the artists involved can earn their royalties and protect their rights when this song hits the radio in September. The music video shot in the Delta is soon to follow, and will we broadcast on Botswana Television (BTV) and on Youtube and Vimeo. The song and video will also be made available on iTunes and Google Play soon!
Overall the Cross Okavango song project has been a resounding success. The tune is set to be a hit, the video will be made up of some incredible moments with people and wildlife out in the deep wilderness, and new opportunities are coming up rapidly as this project gains attention. We cannot wait to release this song and video, and hopefully do it all over again next year.

What’s Next On the Horizon?

In the meantime, lots of other things are happening too! For example:

Conservation Music Presents Sotho Sounds @ Rocking the Daisies

For instance, Conservation Music is preparing to bring our old friends the Sotho Sounds from Lesotho down to Cape Town for the massive Rocking the Daisies* music festival! The festival runs from the 7^th-9^th of October, and we’ll be rocking the Hemp Stage in the Green Village area on Saturday from 2-2:45pm. The Sotho Sounds are a group of rural musicians with enormous heart and talent, and we are extremely excited to give them the chance to perform for such an audience, and hopefully to sell some of their handcrafted merchandise!

FYI, preceding the festival opportunity, we are discussing a collaboration in Lesotho with an American celebrity musician. More on that soon!

Photo by Jacob Crawfurd of Crawfurd Media.

Zambian Tree Song “Tushange Isamu” Release with Greenpop

Quite close to the release date for “Okavango O Moxa” in Botswana, we look forward to releasing the tree planting song and music video recorded in Livingstone, Zambia alongside Greenpop. In July, the song was composed and performed by the Mosi Oa Tunya band, alongside members of the Golden Leaf band as well as Conservation Music’s own Alex Paullin. September is Arbor Month, so this release is very relevant!

Photo by Lee-Ann Olwege.

Return to Angola with The Okavango Wilderness Project

Conservation Music looks forward to returning to Angola in October, following Rocking the Daisies festival in Cape Town. The Okavango Wilderness Project (OWP) is bringing several research teams to survey the Angolan catchments of the Okavango watershed. We are grateful for their continued enthusiasm regarding the power of music to foster conservation ethics in the minds of the people living in the region, where decades of aggression have scarred both the people and the landscape. The beauty and importance of the landscape there are something to be proud of, and we look forward to encouraging that pride alongside OWP and National Geographic.

Video still shot by Alex Paullin.

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Mambanje, Zimbabwe – Conservation Music

Posted on October 21, 2018 by admin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Mambanje, Zimbabwe

Oct 21, 2018

Conservation Music Galvanizes Mambanje, Zimbabwe to Support Conservation

Connecting with Mambanje’s Primary School

Developing an Eco-educational Song with Local Musicians

Filming Location Shoots to Highlight Local Environmental Issues & Solutions

Community Screening & Educational Discussions

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

African Bush Camps Foundation Archives – Conservation Music

Posted on October 21, 2018 by admin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Mambanje, Zimbabwe

Oct 21, 2018 | Blog

Conservation Music Galvanizes Mambanje, Zimbabwe to Support Conservation

Connecting with Mambanje’s Primary School

Developing an Eco-educational Song with Local Musicians

Filming Location Shoots to Highlight Local Environmental Issues & Solutions

Community Screening & Educational Discussions

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

maun Archives – Conservation Music

Posted on October 21, 2018 by admin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Mambanje, Zimbabwe

Oct 21, 2018 | Blog

Conservation Music Galvanizes Mambanje, Zimbabwe to Support Conservation

Connecting with Mambanje’s Primary School

Developing an Eco-educational Song with Local Musicians

Filming Location Shoots to Highlight Local Environmental Issues & Solutions

Community Screening & Educational Discussions

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

Field Notes: Expediton #K2K – Okavango Delta, Botswana

Jul 31, 2018 | Blog

CM Highlights Transboundary Water Issues in the Okavango

Redefining Music as an Educational Tool with Local Artists

“I believe music is a really powerful tool. It’s the one thing I know that really unites people. It makes it easier for people to be receptive to messages because we all don’t like great talkers, so people talk all the time but people don’t listen… With music it’s really great because people are bound to listen and bound to enjoy the message. So it’s a tool that really should be used for community mobilization and community education. I think we should be doing more and more of that; using the power of the arts to bring people around issues and talk about them. I’ve seen this happen even in my own music…people are more likely to discuss issues that are taboo when the issues are in a song. It can be a beautiful ice-breaker! Artists have this artistic license and they can say stuff that most people don’t usually say and listeners can then talk about it because it is in the context of a song. They don’t realize they are talking about issues, they think they are just discussing a song. So I think music is a really powerful vehicle that we should be using more than we are actually doing right now.” ~Tomeletso Sereetsi | Gaborone, Botswana

Poling Into the Delta’s Wilderness

Field Recap from Matthew Merritt:

“The conversations held around the fire following the song were groundbreaking. It was then that we discovered that while the guides and polers had spent their whole lives on the delta, they were unaware that the water originated in Angola. It wasn’t until they heard the song that they asked questions about where the water came from and what was happening to cause the waters to lower. This was the reason we were here; to bring environmental education to rural communities in need. It was iconic and something I will never forget.”

CM’s Lesotho Chapter Lands a Grant

Spreading Awareness

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term field work, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

After years of soul-searching and months in the African wilderness with the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, musician and geographer Alex Paullin combined his foremost passions and founded Conservation Music, a non-profit aiming to foster a global culture of sustainability using music as the messenger. Throughout his life he aims to expand the Conservation Music movement globally, in hopes that his lifetime will see and hear songs of conservation being sung throughout the world.

Zimbabwe Archives – Conservation Music

Posted on October 21, 2018 by admin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Mambanje, Zimbabwe

Oct 21, 2018 | Blog

Conservation Music Galvanizes Mambanje, Zimbabwe to Support Conservation

Connecting with Mambanje’s Primary School

Developing an Eco-educational Song with Local Musicians

Filming Location Shoots to Highlight Local Environmental Issues & Solutions

Community Screening & Educational Discussions

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin

info@conservationmusic.org

Hwange National Park Archives – Conservation Music

Posted on October 21, 2018 by admin

Field Notes: Expedition #K2K – Mambanje, Zimbabwe

Oct 21, 2018 | Blog

Conservation Music Galvanizes Mambanje, Zimbabwe to Support Conservation

Connecting with Mambanje’s Primary School

Developing an Eco-educational Song with Local Musicians

Filming Location Shoots to Highlight Local Environmental Issues & Solutions

Community Screening & Educational Discussions

Get Involved & Donate

Expedition #K2K is our third iteration of long-term fieldwork, and it is by far the most exciting. To learn more about CM, and to stay connected throughout the mission, please subscribe to our Newsletter below, check out our blog on National Geographic, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For live updates from the field, be sure to check out our page on National Geographic’s newest digital journalism platform, OpenExplorer. If you would like to contribute to Expedition #K2K, please visit our Patreon page, where you can schedule monthly donations of any amount.

This post was written by Charles Ross for Conservation Music.

About Conservation Music

Our Musical Nonprofit For Conservation

info@conservationmusic.org

About the Editor

Alex Paullin