The Lightest Tread Podcast Episode 10: Amiththan Sebarajah

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Paul chats to long distance hiker and 'recovering academic' Amiththan Sebarajah to gain his perspective on thru-hiking and discus how he frames that perspective against the complex and nuanced backdrop of his life experience as a first-generation immigrant and person of color. 

As a boy Amiththan survived civil war in Sri Lanka before moving to Canada with his family. His life has followed many varied paths including academia, advocacy, and activism, but the paths he has most passion for are those he can follow across continents, one step at a time.

 Amiththan has thru-hiked many of the world’s most famous long distance trails and offers a nuanced and considered perspective on what it is to thru-hike in the Social-political context of the modern world. 

Listeners can get 15% off at yoursole.com by entering the code JUNEBUG15 at checkout. 

Follow Amiththan on instagram here. 

Timestamps: 

00:00 Intro 

01:08 Pronouncing Amiththan 

03:25 Amiththan's hiking experience 

07:45 South bound or North bound? 

12:06 The stigma of choosing a life in the wild 

16:00 Walking through the Sri Lankan jungle during civil war 

19:25 The trail and wild places are far more than just 'escape' 

22:48 Merry, Pippin and convincing the ents to go to war 

29:00 The added responsibility of thru hiking as a POC 

36:00 Pine Grove Furnace, lightning bugs and a heavy epiphany 

45:00 The effects of natural forces on your state of mind 

56:15 Reciprocity with the land vs. designating areas for sports 

01:05:00 Flow state and connection to the land on trail 

01:12:40 Time alone vs the social dynamic on trail