Reconnect With Nature for BPOC only

As part of the diaspora, those with mixed heritages, migrants, and/or multicultural people — our sense of belonging and connection to this place can often be complicated. Being in the countryside can also feel like a place that is not for us. This event offers those who identify as Black and/or a Person of Colour (BPOC*) an opportunity to explore how we can heal through community, creativity and the outdoors.

We will use all our senses to observe nature during a 5km walk. We will take our time to identify and learn about the wildlife, plant life and land around us. We will explore cultural connections and histories, deconstructing the colonial capitalist narratives that we are made to believe, and sharing our own knowledges and experiences.

We will walk at a gentle pace because our aim is not the destination, but the journey. Approximately halfway we will make a prolonged stop for a drink, snack and time for a reflection session. During this time we will collectively read poetry from BPOC authors. Creative exercises will be provided for those who wish to write, journal or photograph. Before we continue our walk, there will be the opportunity to share reflections for those who wish to do so.

What will be provided: Creative materials, ID books, one pair of binoculars to share (feel free to bring your own if you have them), poetry and non fiction books for readings, a hot drink and vegan homemade treat. Please let us know if you have any allergies.

What to bring: Please dress for unpredictable weather! Sections of the walk can get muddy, and at times we will be in open areas. Please bring sturdy footwear (which might get wet) as well as warm and waterproof layers. You may wish to bring something to sit on during the creative session, if seating is not available.

Pen and paper will be provided during the creative session, but if you would like to bring any other creative materials or books for reading, please feel free to do so. Please bring plenty of water and any additional food.

Where it will take place: Within a 10 minute walk of Aviemore railway station, which is accessible by train and bus. The walk is predominantly flat with occasional moderate slopes on a mix of earthy and surfaced paths. Details of the route and meeting point will be shared directly with participants closer to the date. The entire event takes place outdoors.

Who is this event for: Any Black Person and/or Person of Colour aged 18+ who wants to learn about nature from a different perspective and to meet like-minded people. No prior knowledge or experience is required. Please let us know if you have any accessibility needs.

Please note these sessions are for BPOC only (see definition below) to offer a level of collective care, healing and safer space that is not widely available. Our spaces are queer, trans, neurodivergent and disability friendly. Participants are expected to adhere to our Safer Spaces Policy.

Attendance to this event is Pay What You Can and spaces are limited. If you would like to attend but travel costs would be a barrier, please get in touch with us for support.

Photography and videos will be taken at this event and shared with the Cairngorms Trust. They may also be used by Decolonising The Outdoors for marketing, publicity, and fundraising for future events, including social media. Attendees will be asked for their consent prior to the start of the walk.

We are grateful to the Cairngorms Trust and the Scottish Government who are supporting this event in partnership with the Cairngorms National Park Authority and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

*BPOC stands for ‘Black people and People of Colour’ and is a self-identifying term. While the term BPOC is used here, there are limitations with this terminology. These sessions aim to address and overcome systemic barriers that people face directly or indirectly based on their ethnic or national identities, race or perceived racial identities, or the colour of their skin as per the Equality Act of 2010. This includes people who identify as Black, brown, people of colour, Global Majority, mixed-race, multiple heritage and/or are from the Global South, and/or are East and Southeast Asian, West Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, Arab, African, African-Caribbean, Caribbean, Latinx, Pacific Islander, Indigenous, or First Nations, and diasporas.

Decolonising The Outdoors is a creative and community project which dismantles narratives of dominating land and extracting nature. Events focus on rebuilding relationships with our natural environment, and imagining anti-imperial and anti-capitalist futures. Decolonising The Outdoors is run by Aileen, a queer Thai-British multidisciplinary artist and facilitator based in Perthshire.

@decolonisingtheoutdoors