Looking for another way of life and curious about these of our fellow people around the world on one hand, rider and traveller on the other, I will be starting in November a horse journey as a way of discovering New Zealand on a local scale.

New Zealand was one of the last lands to be inhabited by us humans, and yet it has been one of the most scarred by humen presence. These last 30 years, the country has started a renewal for the lands, and put in place a lot of mesures to protect local ecosystems, both fauna and flora.

But where fits the New-Zealanders and their way of life?

The trip:

I will be leaving the South of South Island with two horses for 1300 kms for about 6 months to meet with the inhabitants working the land, to get to know their way of life, their vision for theirs lands' future, and what their approach to a sustainable relationship with Nature can be.

The title of this project "Braided Manes, Braided Tales" reminds us that our destinies are linked, braided, dependent on each other. As the journey and encounters will go on, portraits will be made of the people met on the way, with three incentives ni mind:

- what activities are you putting in practice to take care of your lands on a short and long time perspective?

- what do you think of the compatibility of these activities with human presence and needs?

- what would you like to pass on to your children or the next generation regarding land care? what activities are you putting in practice with that aim in mind?

These protraits wilbe included in the travel journal and also in a smaller scale on post cards and pictures send to funders of the project.

Pack-saddle training at Émile BRAGER's farm - France - June 2014:

Imgp6593__2_

What you would be bringing:

You can already follow the project on the blog and on the Facebook page, but by contributing to this project you would be sharing more details of the trip. Depending on the option you choose, you will indeed be receiving news through your mail box as postcards, exclusive pictures (digital or printed), or paintings!

All gifts will be the result of a creative process, and all deeply connected to the experience and people met on the way.

Braided Manes, Braided Tales - Portraits of landcarers in New Zealand