In this debut episode, James takes us on a journey through a lifetime of extraordinary adventures — from his first trip to Kenya where a chance meeting with a Maasai elder sparked a 30-year obsession with vanishing tribal cultures, to sleeping in caves in Tanzania, being used as baboon bait by the Hazda people, and feeding his dinner to a feral cat at a Chinese Air Force base. 

Along the way he reflects on what it means to give a voice to cultures that may not exist much longer, why he taught himself photography to prove his stories were real, and how a pension from the post office set him free to explore the world.

James has visited over 60 countries, documented more than 100 tribal and indigenous cultures, published nearly 1,000 essays, and authored four books. In our Getting to Know You segment he shares his spirit animal, his worst and best meals in the field, what he'd put in a 500-year time capsule, and the one superpower he'd choose to keep exploring as he gets older.

Books by James Michael Dorsey: — The Lagoon: Encounters with the Whales of San Ignacio — Baboons for Lunch and Other Sordid Adventures — Vanishing Tales from Ancient Trails — Tears, Fear and Adventure

Learn more about James and his books at https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/ 

New episodes of Before They Vanish air every 4th Monday at 4pm PST on Big Blend Radio. Subscribe from our favorite platform: https://before-they-vanish.podbean.com/ 

More about Big Blend Radio at https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/ 

Having traveled through 60 countries, Dorsey discusses his work documenting remote cultures, endangered languages, and oral traditions, as well as his experiences studying and interacting with whales in some of the world’s most remote marine environments.

He reflects on the urgency of cultural preservation, noting that when the last speaker of a language is lost, an entire library of knowledge disappears. From encounters with the Hadzabe people of Tanzania to time spent observing cetaceans, this conversation explores storytelling, responsible travel, and the deep connections between humans, wildlife, and place.

🔗 Learn more about James Michael Dorsey, his books, and work: https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/ 

This segment is excerpted from Big Blend Radio's "Taste of Africa" episode (Dec. 2025).

James Michael Dorsey is an award-winning author, explorer, and conservationist who has traveled to over 60 countries documenting vanishing tribal and indigenous cultures. "Before They Vanish" is hosted by Dorsey and produced by Lisa Smith for Big Blend Radio.

Learn more about James and his books at jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com