Sunday 12 April 2020 /21 Days Lock Down Reflection
Inherit
An open letter all indigenous people, rightful inheritors of the earth:
“Dear defenders of all things sacred, guardians of the forests and the savannahs, sovereign caretakers of the earth. Those who hold in high regard the whispers of the trees, those who value the cycle of the waters, those who understand the purpose of all living things.
If we were to heed your ancient wisdom we would recognise that we have reached a great cosmic threshold. Many of us do not perceive the unfolding evolutionary leap. This time, is an important time, for us to consider our purification and our renewal. If only we would heed the call of our great Grandfather, but we have forgotten the instructions for how to live on earth. We have reached a crossroads of great problems, the door of great possibility revealed.
For generations your lineage has been treated with contempt. Your heritage has been plundered, your land has been fleeced. The ‘civilized’ world has washed its hands in the blood of your forefathers.
Forgetting that we are only here for a few winters, we have lost the understanding that all things are spiritual, all things connect, from every life form to every unfolding story.
We can no longer drink freely from any river, we can no longer breathe in sovereign air. The atmosphere of the Mother has become contaminated.
You have showed us that we have a common destiny with the tree, but no tree can grow by itself, connected to it are untold communities, from its leaves to its roots. You have taught us that as with light, nothing ever ends, everything has its cycle, as is the great cycle of Life. Why do we cling so dearly to that which is not real? The things we clutch so tightly falls through our fingers like the desert sand.
Your message has been, ‘responsibility to life for the generations’, but our leaders have lost their way. In a world focused on progress, we have become more absorbed by human liberties, we have become less concerned with taking responsibility for our home.
You have taught us that the earth unfolds through natural law. The natural law has no mercy. It is not personal, it is the sacred law of life. If we are to cross over at this time, we must work with One mind to challenge the values of the future. If we do not, we face the tyranny of wicked men until we can walk through this realm no longer.
Is there time enough to follow the way of peace? Time enough to respect the seed, to honour the Mother, to give heed to balance? Is there time enough to seek the answers to the right virtuous questions? Time enough to brush aside the veil and see clearly our brothers and our sisters?
The inheritance of the blue planet is guarded for those who have walked lightly upon her. May the Great Spirit protect you, guide you and keep you safe.”
Signed: Concerned inhabitant of the Earth
Ever since a child I have always had the desire to explore the Amazon basin. I count myself extremely fortunate to have had a brief opportunity to do so in my lifetime. During the course of my journey my desire was to make whatever contact I could with the indigenous people of this region. This was a bit of a naïve concept on my part. For one, the jungle is immense, words cannot describe its magnitude and depth, one simply cannot venture these parts without an experienced guide. Besides this, the tribes at the forefront of the struggle in protecting the Amazon and their culture, for the most part do not wish to make contact with the outside world, and rightly so.
For many, the Amazon is considered the lungs of the earth. 2019 saw a rapid increase in devastating fires throughout the region. This, as a direct result of government rolling back legislation to environmental protection, giving loggers and farmers additional motivation to launch their devastating onslaught. As the clearings emerge, more and more cattle and soya farms take root …just like a virus. All this so that we (in the developed world) might enjoy the luxury of a hamburger.
Please also read Boats of Brazil – A contemporary series dedicated to the boats of Brazil, large and small. From the shorelines of Rio to the embankments of the Amazon River.