99. Monsters & Medicines: A Conversation with Bayo Akomolafe

Bayo Akomolafe (Ph.D.), rooted with the Yoruba people in a more-than-human world, is the father to Alethea and Kyah, the grateful life-partner to Ije, son and brother. A widely celebrated international speaker, posthumanist thinker, poet, teacher, public intellectual, essayist, and author of two books, ‘These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity's Search for Home’ (North Atlantic Books) and ‘We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak’, Bayo Akomolafe is the Visionary Founder of The Emergence Network and host of the online postactivist course, ‘We Will dance with Mountains’. Episode HighlightsExploring the concept of the "more than human world" and our place within it  Bayo reflects on his upbringing in a dualistic world and the journey towards non-dual thinking  The urgency of our times and how our responses can perpetuate deeper crises  The importance of rethinking our relationships with each other and the world amidst modern challenges  Sneaking through the “cracks” as a metaphor for exploring new perceptions and experiences  Cracks as opportunities for transformation rather than mere solutions to problems  The tension between solutions and cracks, emphasizing the need for experimental approaches  The modern Western extraction and commercialization of indigenous plant medicines  Bayo shares thoughts on cultural appropriation versus genuine engagement with earth medicines  The haunting presence of stolen artifacts in museums and their restless energy as a decolonization narrative  Understanding how we are shaped by the tools we useThe interplay between free will and determinism, questioning our agency in a complex world  The idea of co-emergence as a bridge between free will and determinism in understanding creativity  Rewilding as an invitation to challenge domesticated perceptions and reconnect with the world  “Staying with trouble” as an essential practice in embracing chaos and uncertainty  Failure as a socially constructed concept influenced by cultural narratives  Embracing creativity through playfulness, allowing art to emerge without rigid expectations  Parenting a neurodivergent child as a profound learning experience in embracing chaos  Bayo reflects on his son's unique perspective, encouraging a politics of the seemingly useless  Closing thoughts on the beauty of embracing uncertainty  Bayo Akomolafe’s LinksWebsite: www.bayoakomolafe.netWebsite: www.emergencenetwork.orgWebsite: www.dancingwithmountains.comFacebook: Bayo Akomolafe Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBook: Migritude by Shailja Patel  Article: Are ghosts haunting the British Museum?