Our transition into the New Year is usually a time of reflection and renewal. The December solstice co-incided with a rare conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter, reminding us of our place in the unfolding universe. The Northern Hemisphere starts to move toward longer days; we in the Southern Hemisphere move into the second half of summer and gradually shortening days till our own Winter Solstice. 2020 has certainly been a year like no other, with planetary tipping points being reached all over. So the transition to 2021 has come with the sober realization that things are not going just miraculously disappear. The COVID-19 pandemic will roll on for some time to come, the cracks in society that it has revealed for all to see will continue to test us, the feeding frenzy on the last wild places gains momentum with every passing day.

In the midst of political, social and economic upheaval around the world, there are also glimpses of hope amid the gleams of a new, re-discovered world of beauty, creativity and connection to Earth. These tendrils of be-coming are found in the renewal of localised food systems, more powerful calls to protect our waterways and oceans, citizens’ demands for a just energy transition, and a resurgence of community spirit emerging from the economic devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the term ubuntu is understood as relationships between people, the perhaps lesser known term ukama speaks to the relationships we share with all creatures and ecosystems on Earth. The spirit of ukama has never been more needed, particularly in our food systems. Much of our work showcased in this month’s edition looks at farmers who practice their craft with the Earth with love, reverence and a respect for the natural systems that sustain all life. Mycelium Media Colab focuses on those stories that reach beyond conservation and even sustainability to showcase regenerative practices that map the road to a better and more beautiful future.

We are very excited to share our first Mycelium newsletter, with some of what we’ve been up to, along with news from our network of collaborators and the wider web of sustainability and regeneration. Mycelium Media Colab has been in existence for just over 2 years now, and whilst 2020 has certainly turned out a lot different than we were expecting, it has seen our co-operative go from strength to strength. Members have been kept busy with both Mycelium projects and other world-changing work in our personal capacities, with organisations like SANOcean, Environmental Humanities South (UCT), Kos Gangsters, Human Rights Media Trust, Soil for Life, and Activate!  A very exciting development has been that Kia Johnson is the new anchor presenter for SABC2’s flagship environmental show 50/50, and Mycelium have produced three stories for the current season, two of which were during Level 4 lockdown. It’s clear that planetary limits are being reached in all corners of the world, but encouraging to be part of the thin green and brown line that is working on regenerative solutions.