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European Ethnology

narrating the anthropocene

We'll be sharing stories of our everyday lives in the Anthropocene with you here...

Botanical illustration of Sargassum with the caption: “Sargassum: Drifter of the Seas and Master of Transformation.”
Sargassum, the drifter of the seas, lounges in the water, offering shelter and enabling life of countless marine creatures. Sargassum is a brown algae that floats freely in the open ocean in vast quantities. It forms massive mats that serve as vital habitats.
Sargassum floats beneath the ocean surface, sunbeams piercing through the water. A turtle and a fish glide among the algae.
In the sea, Sargassum provides refuge, shade, and food – offering protection from predators and a foothold for microorganisms and smaller marine animals. Sea turtles also are known to seek shelter here – especially during their early years in the ocean.
Sargassum washed up on the beach, gradually darkening as it decomposes. The composting process is clearly visible.
Sargassum is a master of transformation; once it reaches the shore, it begins to rot and turns into dry, tangled mounds. This has been happening in the Caribbean since 2011. What serves as a protective haven in the ocean now becomes a serious threat on shore, further worsening the already fragile living conditions for sea turtles.
Three large frigatebirds are circling in the sky.
Massive accumulations of Sargassum block sea turtles’ access to the beach, making it difficult for adults to reach their nesting sites. For hatchlings, the thick layers of rotting algae can become insurmountable obstacles, leaving them to dry out in the sun or exposed to predators. Volunteers help clear away the seaweed to ensure that newly hatched turtles can safely reach the ocean. Raccoons and birds, however, are less helpful.
On the beach, people are raking Sargassum into piles. They transport it with a wheelbarrow. A baby turtle watches the scene from a distance.
Tourists often expect pristine beaches – dreaming of powder-white sand. And while it might seem that both humans and turtles would benefit from spotless shores, biologists point out something surprising: for turtles to one day find their way back to their natal beach to nest, they must encounter at least some Sargassum. Not such a simple situation after all!
A hand is holding a baby turtle. There is a large amount of Sargassum on the beach. Two people are walking in the background.
In Akumal, care for sea turtles is entangled with the demands of tourism and ongoing ecological transformation. As in many other coastal regions, human desires, environmental change, and animal survival intersect in complex ways.
A baby turtle peeks out from the Sargassum.
The questions of who cares for whom, what needs tending, and how caring should take place are not merely practical concerns. They reflect a deeper, global issue: How do we shape our shared lives in a world undergoing rapid change?

The Daisy: Cover picture with a partridge chick in the centre
The Daisy
The picture shows a handwritten text on an asphalt pattern.
Globally, 2023 is considered to be the hottest year in the last 125,000 years. A new record for the global average temperature is measured in July. In summer, at temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius, asphalt concrete heats up to 60 degrees Celsius. This is where the story of Daisy begins.
The illustration shows an upwards view. A large hand reaches for us. The person bending over us is recognisable in the background. A handwritten text is inscribed on his blue top.
Found on the asphalt of a car park: almost motionless...
The collage shows a nest made of paper towl with the chick in the centre. The nest is decorated with a colourfully drawn wreath. The rest of the picture is black. There is a handwritten text in the bottom right-hand corner.
... a grey partridge chick
An abstractly drawn, grassy landscape can be seen on a dark background. In the centre is an adult partridge. The chicks are only indicated by two white and one purple splashes of colour. The handwritten text is in the upper left-hand corner.
Perhaps it fell out of the line of chicks while they were looking for food.
The picture is split: two thirds is composed of an asphalt surface. The following is written in red in the upper part of the picture: "The grey partridge is on the Red List. Populations have declined by 94% since 1980 (according to the German Wildlife Foundation)." In the second half of the asphalt photo, vertical and horizontal white lines are complemented by the following handwritten note: "Modern agriculture reduces the food supply and the breeding and hiding places for partridges." The last third has a drawing in the background that looks like grass. It has a top layer of text that reads: "As ground breeders, they need well structured areas and a variety of insects."
The grey partridge is on the Red List. Since 1980, populations have declined by 94% (according to the German Wildlife Foundation). Modern agriculture reduces the food supply and the breeding and hiding places for partridges.   As ground breeders, they need well structured areas and a variety of insects.
The drawing shows a close-up of a hand against a blue background with a partridge chick sitting on it. There is a handwritten text at the bottom of the picture.
The chick wins its fight for survival and is henceforth called "Daisy".
The drawing shows a dark orange corner sofa with lots of cushions. The background is grey with a handwritten text in white above the sofa. A partridge sits on the sofa in front of a white cushion. A purple-coloured glow emanates from it.
... and appropriates part of the human home. It defends the sofa as its habitat.
The drawing shows a close-up of a foot which a partridge chick is sitting on. There is a handwritten text at the bottom of the picture.
It follows its human at every turn.
The drawing is divided vertically into three parts. The background is completely black. A jagged pattern of white lines can be seen on the far left. In the centre of the drawing is a purple partridge stretching out one leg. On the right-hand side is a handwritten text.
Trust and closeness grow. They both learn from each other. For example, that the frequently outstretched leg is not a sign of injury, but of deep relaxation.
A purple partridge is drawn in the side profile on a black background. A handwritten text is written on the right-hand side.
It is the love story of unlikely couple The love for life leads to the saving of this bird and its new life within these four walls.
In the foreground, the drawing shows the portrait of a partridge. The background is divided vertically into two parts: On the left-hand side is a photograph of half-mown grass. On the right-hand side is a photo of an upper corner of a room with white walls. A handwritten text can be seen on the surface of the larger wall.
It is the love story of unlikely couple The love for life leads to the saving of this bird and its new life within these four walls.
The background of the picture shows harvested grain fields with only dried stalks left standing. In the centre of the picture is a handwritten text. A dark orange corner sofa is drawn underneath.
Many lives that need a lively togetherness more than ever!

Idea and sponsorship Michaela Fenske; co-operation: Susanne Dinkl; drawings Sandra Eckardt