Description

The Balot NFT offers a radical new model of digital restitution. While museums in the Global North use NFTs to further privatize art, Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise (CATPC) uses the technology to re-collectivize it.

 

By minting an NFT of the Balot sculpture—an important symbol of Pende resistance— CATPC restores its original purpose of protecting people and land from the violence of the plantation system. Each NFT sold helps the community buy back one hectare of stolen land. On this land, CATPC replants the sacred forest and reintroduces biodiversity.

 

How to buy a Balot NFT using crypto currency

The price of one Balot NFT is 0,2 ETH (equivalent to €290 and one hectare of land in Lusanga).The Balot collection comprises 306 NFTs, available on the NFT marketplace OpenSea. To buy one you need an Ethereum-compatible wallet (for example MetaMask), and some Ether (ETH) in your wallet—enough to pay for the NFT and any associated gas fees. 

If you don’t yet have a wallet:

1. Go to ethereum.org → “Get a Wallet”, choose a wallet such as MetaMask and install/download it.
2. When installing the wallet make sure you safely record your password and Secret Recovery Phrase / backup phrase, and never share it with anyone—if it’s lost or disclosed your crypto is at risk.
3. Buy or transfer some ETH into your wallet (e.g., via exchange, crypto service or fiat-on-ramp).

Once your wallet has ETH and is set up:

       4. Open OpenSea, locate the “Balot” collection, connect your wallet, and choose an NFT to purchase following OpenSea’s buying flow.

       5. Confirm the transaction in your wallet when the gas fee prompt appears.