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National Geographic’s Explorer-in-Residence to Speak at Bishop’s University

10 November, 2010

SHERBROOKE, QC—Canadian-born, world renowned anthropologist and ethnobotanist Wade Davis will speak at Bishop’s University as part of the Donald Lecture Series on Wednesday, November 17 at 7:00 pm in Bandeen Hall.

Davis is the National Geographic Society’s Explorer-in-Residence and is an award-winning writer, photographer and film-maker. His work studying indigenous communities has taken him from the Amazon to Tibet, from the Arctic to Africa, from Australia to Mongolia, from Polynesia to New Guinea.

Accompanied by photos from his travels, Davis will present his most recent book, The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World, examining the juxtaposition of our technologically advancing world and the decline of the “ethnosphere,” the many cultures, religions and ways of life around the globe that are at risk of disappearing.

“It is often easy for us, standing in the midst of western civilization, to overlook the erosion of ancient, indigenous cultures around the globe,” said Michael Goldbloom, Bishop’s University Principal and Vice-Chancellor, “Wade Davis’s compelling work, based on his first-hand experiences living in these remote villages, reminds us of the wisdom and traditions that are increasingly at risk of being lost forever.”

Davis has degrees in anthropology, biology and a Ph.D. in ethnobotany, all from Harvard University. He is the author of 13 books and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and an Honorary Member and Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. In 2009 he received the Gold Medal from the RCGS for his contributions to the fields of anthropology and his work in raising public concern about the plight of indigenous peoples throughout the world.

This lecture is free and open to the public.

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