Resistance to mining extractivism in and with metaphysical spaces in the Sanga area (DRC)

In response to the challenges of the Anthropocene, the West is currently focusing its ecological transition on the development of renewable energies and new technologies. However, this transition – framed from a modern perspective – requires a large quantity of minerals, particularly from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Locally, this transition exacerbates the effects of the Anthropocene, leading to protests and resistance from local communities. The literature on resistance to mining extractivism has largely focused on resistance from a modern/Western perspective (demonstrations, blockades, trials, etc.) – neglecting other forms of resistance and other types of actors. While the ontological turn in anthropology has emphasized the need to overcome the traditional dichotomy between ‘nature’ and ‘culture’, to break with modern colonial legacies by questioning our anthropocentrism and thus, to consider non-humans (such as animals, plants, etc.), this case study in the Sanga area highlights the fact that considering visible resistances and actors alone is insufficient. Indeed, struggles can be invisible and unfold in what Amer Meziane (2023) terms ‘metaphysical spaces’ – notably through magic and alliances with the bakishi (supernatural beings) and/or with ancestors. More specifically, drawing on semi-directed interviews and observations, this paper explores these visible and invisible spaces (such as dreams) and emphasizes the intricate web of relationships between humans and non-humans (especially bakishi and ancestors), as well as between past and present – that constitutes the Sanga area.