Elsewhere

In this third and final installment of my dispatches from Mexico, I sat down with Kanga, my guide in Chiapas. From his reflections on a chaotic upbringing in Mexico City, to his transformational education and work with the Zapatista - Kanga is a fascinating human, and it is my honour to bring you this conversation.

Sophie Walters is a linguist, youth worker and anthropologist based out of Chiapas, Mexico. On this episode of Elsewhere, we discuss the history of San Cristóbal de las Casas, indigenous revolution, and the importance of language in maintaining alternative thought.

Known throughout Mexico and beyond as the folk saint of death, Santa Muerte is a complex hybrid of Catholic and Indigenous beliefs. Feared and misunderstood for her connections to organized crime, she is nonetheless worshipped by millions of people around the world, and serves as the primary focus of today’s guest on the Elsewhere Podcast: Dr. Kate Kingsbury, professor of Anthropology at UBC.

Where we last left off, Amir was recounting his experience as a refugee in the hands of Indonesian smugglers - Waiting on a beach in Indonesia, about to depart on an uncertain voyage. You can follow Amir on Twitter @TaghiniaAmir https://twitter.com/TaghiniaAmir

While you're waiting for Part 2 of my conversation with Amir, check out my other project, Pylon Radio! Originally prepared for broadcast on Vancouver CoOp Radio 100.5 FM, this episode contains an important announcement for the future of both my projects...

Escaping Iran at 15 years old, Amir Taghinia has been railing against circumstance his entire life. This week on Elsewhere, we sit down to discuss a life of migration, Iranian identity, and the grim reality that comes with smuggling yourself halfway across the world. You can follow Amir on Twitter @TaghiniaAmir https://twitter.com/TaghiniaAmir

Great news everyone! Earlier this week I sat down with Jimi Cohen to discuss his ongoing water security project, www.wemakeimpact.org/- Jimi’s a seriously rad guy with tons of amazing stories doing important work in Kenya and Uganda. If you enjoyed our conversation today, leave us a review and drop us some stars! Your feedback is always appreciated.

I first met Matthew Jefferson in Montreal, back in 2019. His journey across Canada – a walking distance of 8275 km, started in response to his aunt’s disappearance in 2017, another indigenous woman taken along British Columbia’s infamous highway of tears. Since then, Matthew @forever_becoming has become a central figure in the fight for justice among missing and murdered indigenous women, and a speaker whose story I’m honoured to share on the podcast today.

RRS feed premier of my side project, Pylon Radio! This show is a space for me and occasional guests to play music and share stories. It's much less research heavy, compared to Elsewhere, and something that I've been able to do while working on my university degree. You can find the rest of the Pylon Radio catalogue on my website www.EastVanToElsewhere.com

I recorded this episode in January, which feels like a different world looking back now. I suspect not too much has changed for Rob Wood however, who has been living ‘physically distant’ from mainstream society for the past 45 years. An architect by training, Rob and his wife Laurie have built their home from the ground up, immersed in nature on the remote cliffs of Maurelle island. They generate their own electricity and grow much of their own food. They live the life that so many of us dream about. So, how did they do it? Find out in today's episode.

Haunted by a dictatorial past & rising social inequality, for the past several months Chile has been a nation in conflict. To understand whats going on, we spoke to Chilean refugee and political justice activist Claudio Ekdahl. Having grown up under Chile’s military dictatorship, Claudio understands first-hand the realities of organizing resistance under a hostile state, and the challenges faced by this new popular movement – fighting for economic equality against one of the most well-funded militaries in South America.

This month on Elsewhere we sit down with filmmaker and musician, Javier Badillo. We talk global displacement, punk rock, and his new film ‘Roads Of Ithriyah’. It centres on a Syrian fighter who, during a roadside bomb attack, loses all memory of himself, and of the war he’s fighting.

For this season’s premiere, we had the opportunity to sit down with NDP Granville Candidate Yvonne Hanson. We talk direct action, the Green New Deal, and how her path has led her to run as the youngest MP candidate in Vancouver for the 2019 Election.

Carts of Darkness is a radically honest film that explores the relationship between poverty and extreme sport, disability with invisibility, and humour with some very hard truths about the world we share. We sat down with director Murray Siple to discuss how it all started, and where he’s come since then.

Jeremy Allan has led quite the life, and luckily he’s had the good sense to write much of it down. Leaving Vancouver in ’79 Jeremy soon found work in Indonesia as journalist, covering such major events as the ’98 Suharto Riots and the Bali Bombings. His new book “One Man Air-force” details the life of Bob Freebird, an American pilot who’s exploits smuggling opium and diplomats were instrumental in the fight to free Indonesia from its Dutch colonial masters.

Rayanne’s life has been one of a kind. A series of events early on started her down a path which led to kidnapping, prostitution and an encounter with one of BC’s most notorious serial killers (which in all fairness, is just a small part of her very big story). She now spends her days counselling other survivors of trafficking, and educates people on the issues surrounding youth prostitution. You can find more information on Rayanne’s work and organization at http://www.MoxyGlobal.org

This month’s guest is Aaron Chapman, author of “The Last Gang in Town”. We talk 1970’s gang culture in East Van, how the city has changed since then, and how crime has changed with it.

Raam is someone who walks between two worlds. An activist and musician, his time spent between North America and Iran has been coloured by rebellion and personal tragedy. We talk culture, music and the difficulties surrounding creative expression in one of the most oppressed countries on Earth.

Elena is an anthropologist who specializes in the study of far-right politics. Having just recently completed her dissertation project in Ukraine, we discussed the current Russo-Ukrainian war, the history leading up to it, and where it may go from here.