The Big Five of Knowledge: A Transdisciplinary Safari Game in Johannesburg South Africa
- Eda Tibet
- Sep 7, 2025
- 3 min read
A Role Play on Transdisciplinarity inspired from the National Kruger Park
Amanda Mokoena and I (Eda Elif Tibet) first crossed paths at the EASA Conference in Barcelona (2024) and now a second time at the TC ESG 2025 Conference "Navigating Sustainability Transformations Towards Justice and Equity in Johannesburg South Africa", during its winter school just a week earlier. As we brainstormed ideas for our upcoming workshop, a Transformation Lab Bonding Knowledge Systems :Recognising Pluriversality in Transdisciplinary Science, Arts and Policy we began to imagine how our session could go beyond conventional formats.
Rather than limiting participants to a single framework or perspective, we wanted to create a space where multiple knowledge systems could meet, interact, and inspire one another. The question guiding us was simple yet powerful: how can we invite people to think, feel, and learn across boundaries in a way that is both meaningful and enjoyable?
Our answer took shape as a playful, creative method designed to unlock curiosity, honor ancestral wisdom, and spark new ways of seeing. By weaving together storytelling, dialogue, and experiential activities, we envisioned a lab that would not only challenge assumptions but also leave participants with a sense of connection, both to each other and to the diverse worlds of knowledge they carry within.
We had around 30 participants and the discussion opened with scientists reflecting on shared principles banding together, recognizing ancestral stories, and drawing from past experiences. A strong sense of voice and participation emerged, setting the stage for a dialogue on mining, land, and sacredness.
OUTCOMES:
1)A key theme revolved around the question: to whom is land sacred?
While conversations often center on people’s connections to land, this group expanded the scope to include animals. Protecting land as a uniting goal became central, even amid contrasting views and values about economic benefits versus biodiversity, community, and cultural heritage.
The workshop participants whom became a community representing the big 5 (elephants, rhinos, leopards, lions, buffalos and rinos) emphasized the importance of telling and passing on their own stories, recognizing power dynamics, and including youth voices.
Transformation was discussed not as a rupture but as a continuity that weaves past, present, and future, while integrating new elements.
Initial resistance to mining was strong some stakeholders wanted outright rejection. Yet, over time, the dialogue shifted toward imagining regenerative approaches rather than extractive ones. The question became: how can mining, if inevitable, consolidate stories and shape a collective vision for the future?
2)Storytelling emerged as a crucial strategy
Participants envisioned creating dialogue spaces where community members, animals (as symbolic voices), and even mining representatives could engage not only through scientific data but also through narrative, creative expression, and advocacy. This co-created knowledge space would amplify diverse voices and generate new solutions.
The long-term vision centered on protecting indigenous knowledge, culture, and identity while preparing communities for future challenges in conservation and mining. The conversation revealed that safeguarding heritage and weaving it into future transformations is key to resilience and sustainability.
PRESENTATIONS:
Right after the T-Lab Amanda Mokoena (PhD Candidate at the University of Amsterdam) and Devi Bühler (Senior Researcher at ZHAW School of Life Sciences and Facility Management) delivered two inspiring presentations regarding their work on Indigenous Knowledges and working with communities through participatory methods.
GALLERY:
ROLE PLAY CARDS:
Downloads for an Open Source Toolkit:
Acknowledgements:
We thank the Wyss Academy for Nature at the University of Bern, to Swiss National Science Foundation and the Early Age Faculty Grant for Conference Attendances of the University of Bern for sponsoring and supporting the attendance to the conference.
Blog Post, Role Play Cards Design, Videos and Photography by Dr.Eda Elif Tibet.
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