Cultivating Interdependence between Land and People
This project brought together biologists, systems thinkers and educators with land activists, farmers and conservationists to explore the question of ‘how can people living in Britain today be supported to relearn interdependence with land?’.
This question invited exploration from multiple disciplinary perspectives. From a biological frame, we might ask ‘what is the role of humans as keystone species in landscapes?’; From a cultural and historical perspective, we might ask ‘what does ‘indigeneity’ mean to different communities with different histories of relationship with land?’; From an educational perspective, we are not yet clear about the practicalities of how to ‘relearn’ practices of dwelling in and with land. During this co-produced and interdisciplinary project the researchers explored these and other issues. The project was funded by the Brigstow Institute.
We knew from very early on that this exploration needed to be multifaceted. We needed to find varied ways to ask and answer these questions while holding creativity throughout the process.
Rowan Hyde used the notes taken by the researchers to form the text for the zine, and as inspiration for the poems (below). Combining this with photographs, and the drawings and writing made by participants to capture some of the essence and themes of each workshop.
Sarah Hinds camped for two days at High Leas farm with the intention of slowing down to listen to the farm. She began by walking around with no goal in mind other than to notice what she experienced. As she walked she carried a note book to record words. She wanted to listen to the rhythms of the farm and throughout her walk she noticed the song of the birds. She repeated the songs to herself as she walked around and recorded bird song on her phone. Later she began to copy and simplify the rhythms in singing and on the guitar. The bird song inspired the piece that she wrote as did the experience of rock, earth and history. While at the farm she improvised on the guitar and followed a bass rhythm of open E string which represented the voice of the rocks. A repeated low note felt like it gave a bit of gravitas. This felt like it connected with the feeling that she experienced while walking round the farm of rock and earth and history, she wanted the sound which represented the voice of the rocks to have a bit of gravitas. It needed a repeated low note. The rest of the piece was created based on the experience of walking round the farm, the voice of insects and wind and grass, the heat, the repetition of walking and going up and down hill and the feeling of history of the industrial revolution in the background. This was combined with lyrics based on words from the workshop participants to create a rhythmic poem and song which she performed at the final workshop.
