11/24和訳--ディープ・エコ サーフィン！

「ママー！海を身体で感じるよ！」・・・ヤニは、大きな波を背中で受けて大興奮した後に、目をつぶってビーチの砂上に寝転がっていました。

気候が暖かくなるにつれ、パチャとヤニと私はより多くの時間を海で過ごすようになりました。この10日間、私たちは早起きしてティムという地元のサーファーの親切なアドバイスを受けながら、学校が始まる前にサーフィンの練習をしたり、サーフィンのことをたくさん学んでいます。

同時に私たちは、海を観察し、海の雰囲気を察することでサバイバルしていくためのスキルを学んでいます。-今日はどこに潮が向かっているか、海の中に放り出されたとき何をすべきか、とかね。私たちは力強い波が襲いかかってくるたびに不安に立ち向かい、その波の下にもぐるか上に乗っかるのか、瞬時に判断を下すのです。

また、私たちよりもとても大きな力の波に巻き込まれたときにどう対応するのかも学びます。私たちは、イルカや海鳥や魚を見て、その純粋な喜びに微笑みました。サメがいるんじゃないかと思ったけど、そのリスクは私たちが車に乗っている時のものよりもはるかに少ないということが分かりました。私たちは、堂々とした海の張りつめた美しさにに謙虚さと畏怖を体験しました。そして、深い尊敬とつながりを感じました。

私たちはサーフィンについてたくさんの本を読んだり、映画を見ています。そして、引き込まれていけばいくほど、サーフィンがスローであることやディープエコロジー文化にいかに完璧に合致フィットしているかってことにより気づかされます。

もちろん、サーフィンには競争もあれば商業的な部分もありますが、そういったことに関わるかどうかは選択できるし、サーフィンは形として残らないけれど、知識の贈り物として子供たちが‘生きるための糧'を得るための経験になります。

家に帰ると、オリーは海の塩を味わうために私たちの体や髪を舐めてくれます。いつか彼を一緒に連れて行かなきゃ！

写真：ある週末のサーフィンのセッションの後に道にできた大きな蛇と、オーリーの背中に乗った彼女のお友達

写真：パチャとヤニがひよこのお世話中

（翻訳：黒住麻理）

Deep Eco-Surfing

Deep Eco-surfing

“Mummy! I can feel the ocean in my body!”…Yani has been lying on the sand at the beach with his eyes closed after catching his first big wave from out ‘the back’ and is feeling ecstatic.

As the weather gets warmer Pacha, Yani and I have all been spending more time in the ocean. For the past 10 days we have been getting up very early to practice and learn more about surfing before school, with help and friendly advice from a local surfer, Tim. At the same time we’ve been learning survival skills as we watch and learn from the moods of the sea – where are the tides going today, what do you do when you get ‘dumped’?

We challenge our fears as the powerful waves loom over us and we make the split second decisions to go under or over or ride it in. We learn to let go when we are being tumbled about by the dumping waves, forces so much great than us. We smile in sheer delight as we see the dolphins, sea birds and fish. We wonder about sharks, but understand that the risk is so much less than that we take when we drive in cars. We experience humility and awe in the intense beauty of the magnificent ocean. We feel deep respect and connection.

And we’ve been reading lots of books and watching movies about surfing…the more immersion, the more realization about how perfectly it fits in to a Slow, deep ecology culture. Yes, there is also competition and commercialism in surfing – but you can choose to be involved in that or not – surfing remains with or without the ‘products’ and it feels like it is a gift of knowledge and experience that the children will have ‘for life’.

Ollie licks our skin and our hair to taste the salt of the sea when we get home…one day it would be lovely to bring him along!

photo: big snake on the road after a surf session and her friend on Ollie on the weekend

Photo: Pacha and Yani are looking after our baby chickens.

11/10和訳：ふぞろいな靴下

今日、ヤニが（すっごく）ふぞろいな靴下を学校に履いていきました。

ヤニがその靴下を選んだ時、私は「友達にからかわれるんじゃないの？」って声をかけました。だって、ふつう男の子は花柄のピンクの靴下は履かないでしょう？

でも、ヤニの反応は、「じゃ、友達にこう言うよ、たまには男の子だって花を付けることあるよ、結婚式の時とかさ」私は言いました。「お似合いよ、ヤニ。あなたはユニークなままでいいし、履きたいものを履いたほうがいいわ」

予想通り、バス停に着くまでに男の子たちは靴下に気付き、ヤニをからかい始めました。
もしかして、ヤニはからかわれたかったのかも？　もしかして、自分がどんなふうに対応するのか、テストしたかったのかも？　もしくは、創造的でユニークでいることへの抗えない本能だったりして？　はたまた、みんなを笑わせて、学校での長くて退屈な時間を打ち破りたかったのかな？

いずれの場合にせよ、私ができることといったら、ヤニの「真の自分らしさ」をサポートし、そして、自分の行動に伴う責任に立ち向かえるよう手助けをすること。ヤニに添うことで、私もとてもワクワクするのです。

もちろん、ふぞろいな靴下は、両足揃った白やグレーの靴下のような学校の制服としては認められていません。その創造的なスタイルから、制服違反として減点されてしまうかもしれない。家にも両足揃ったソックスはたくさんあります。私が子どもの頃は、毎朝揃った靴下を探すのに一苦労でした。片方だけゆるゆるだったり、ちょっとだけスタイルが違っていたり。でも、だいたい色の組み合わせはあっていたんだけどね。
私はこのことにいつもイライラしていたので、自分の子どもには、いつでも両足揃った靴下を用意しようって誓ったの！でも案の定、子どもたちはふぞろいな靴下を選ぶのです！

数日前、大都市・ブリスベンに行ったとき、美術館やアートギャラリーに行ったり、人や大きなビルを観察したり、電車に乗ったりしていたんだけど・・・。ヤニはこの大きな手を見るなり、すぐその下に潜り込んで、写真撮って！って言いました。彼の創造力は大したものだわ！

たぶん、今回の大都市へのお出かけでいちばん面白かったことと言えば、高級店を見て回って値札をじっくり見たことかしら。たとえば、1足1,300ドルもする靴――きっと、ヒールが高すぎて、履き続けたら背骨を傷めてしまいそう！

私たちは、これらを買わないことで得られる自由について話し合いました。（パチャの顔を見ていたら、全部喜んで買いそうな感じだったけどね！）子どもたちと道行く人のファッションや流行を見て、今では、だいたい何を着ても‘オシャレ’になり得ることを学びました。自分に自信を持って着てさえいれば。

サンタクロースが、私たちがいた大きなデパートの通路をうろうろ歩いていて、パチャとヤニにサンタのディスプレイの前でお話しようと言ってきました。彼は寂しかったのでしょう。その日は学校のある日だったからあんまりたくさん子供たちがいなかったから。それに、オーストラリアは鉱山開発のおかげで、地球でいちばん‘リッチ’な国でもあるにも関わらず、買物客もあまりいないのです。人々はお金の使い方にとても注意深くなっている、もしくは、モノを買うことにうんざりしているのかも。

とにかく、私たちはちょっと面白い会話をしました。サンタさんがヤニに、クリスマスに何が欲しいかって聞くと、ヤニは「工場が欲しいな、そしたら子供たちにおもちゃを作ってあげられるから」って言いました。そうしたら、サンタさんは、いつもみたいに両手いっぱいのキャンディをくれる代わりに、トナカイが大好きな人参の種が入った小さなプレゼントをくれたのです。
私みたいな、シンプルな暮らしをしている人間は、買物によって変化を望む広告が溢れていることにとても絶望するのですが、このサンタさんの出来事で、気分がいい1日になったことは言うまでもありません！

きっと、こうやって、パチャとヤニはたくさんの笑顔にあふれ、人と違うってことに挑戦する人生を歩んでいくことでしょう！

【翻訳：黒住麻理】

We wear Odd Socks

We wear odd socks.

Today Yani wore (very) odd socks to school.

When I saw the socks he had chosen I said that kids may tease him because usually boys don’t wear pink socks with flowers on. He said. ‘I’ll just tell them that boys do wear flowers sometimes, like when they have suits on for weddings’. I said, ‘Good on you Yani, you be unique and wear the socks you want to’.

Sure enough, by the time he was at the bus stop the other boys had noticed and were starting to tease him. Maybe he wanted to be teased? Maybe some kind of self-testing to see how he can handle it? Or is it just that irresistible urge to be creative and unique? Or to make people laugh and break the drudgery of a boring day at school? Whatever the case, I think the best I can do is to support Yani’s authentic self and help him with the tools to be able to cope with the responses that might result. I find it fascinating.

Of course, odd socks are not part of the school uniform, which specifies white or grey matching socks. He may get marks off for his class uniform score with his creative styling…

And we do have lots of matching socks at home. When I grew up it was a challenge every morning to find matching socks – one would always be floppy, or a slightly different style – though the colours would usually match. I found this frustrating and vowed to always have matching socks available for my children! And now, sure enough, they choose odd socks!

A couple of days ago we visited the big city of Brisbane, checking out the museums and art galleries, watching people and the big buildings, riding the train…Yani saw this big hands and immediately jumped under it and asked me to take a picture – he has a great imagination!

Perhaps the most interesting part of our visit to the big city was browsing the high-end shops and perusing the price tags; $1300 for a pair of shoes - with heels to high that you would definitely be causing permanent spinal damage if you wore them! We talked about the freedom that we had by not needing to buy all this stuff (though I looked at Pacha’s face and thought she would love to buy all this stuff!). We looked at the fashions and styles and noticed that you could pretty much wear anything and be ‘fashionable’ these days – you just have the confidence in yourself to wear it.

‘Santa Claus’ came wandering down the aisles of the big department store we were in and asked Pacha and Yani to come and talk to him at his display. I guess he was lonely – it was a school day after all so there weren’t many kids around. There weren’t really many shoppers around either…despite Australia being the ‘richest’ country on Earth through the mining boom mostly, people seem to be very cautious about spending money…or maybe they are just sick of buying stuff…

Anyway, we had a great little discussion. Santa asked Yani what he wanted for Christmas and Yani said he wanted a factory so he could make toys to give to children. He gave them a little gift that included carrot seeds to plant (to feed the reindeers), instead of the usual handful of candy. For someone like me, so desperate to see signs of hope for change, this was enough to make my day!

And in the meantime, Pacha and Yani live life to the full with lots of laughter and dare to be different!

10/25和訳：お風呂に入ろう！～非電化工房＠オーストラリア

屋根の上に黒いパイプをとりつけ、すでにあった50リットルの給湯機につなげるだけで、あら不思議、夏の間中 給湯の電気がいらなくなりました。曇りや雨の日に"バックアップ"してくれるのはソーラーパネルです。全部で260ドル(約2万円以下)でした。

写真
１．黒いパイプ (コスト：100ｍのパイプ＆取付け合計178ドル)
２．パイプをまっすぐ伸ばす
３．給湯機につなげる(万が一爆発したとき停止させるための弁も付ける)
４．最大限に太陽光を得るためパイプを平らに巻く
５．それを屋根の上に乗せる
６．完成。わたしたちの屋根に太陽スパイラルが！

次回は、太陽光で温められた湯を保つため（魔法びんのように）、発砲スチロールで給湯器を断熱させるつもりです。

すごくシンプル！パチャが心地よくお風呂に入りました。 （翻訳：田尻可枝）

We're in hot water! - Atelier non-electric.

We put some black pipe on the roof, plumbed it through the existing 50 litre hot water system, and (hey presto), no need for electricity for hot water system over the summer. The system can still be 'boosted' by our solar panel electricity panels if it's a rainy/overcast day. It cost around $260 in total.

Photos:
1. black pipe - (material cost: $178 - for 100m pipe and fittings)
2. straightening it out
3. plumbing it into the hot water system (with valves to be able to shut it off in case of any burst pipe)
4. laying the pipe into a flattened spiral to get maximum sun
5. putting it on the roof
6. finished - we have a sun spiral on the roof!

I'll be insulating the existing hot water system (with roof insulation/styrofoam) next so that it acts like a hot water thermos to store the sun heated water. Pacha just took a lovely hot bath - so simple!

Holiday Fun

Pacha and Yani just finished their school holidays; circus school, surfing, auditioning for a TV show and just hanging out with friends at the beach...what a life!

10/10和訳：家族の平和をとりもどそう

これを読むどのご両親も、私が言わんとする事に心当たりがあるでしょう。それは、あなたのお子さんたちがお互いに喧嘩をしている時の落ち込んだ気持ちです。人前で、またはご家庭で、激しく言い争ったり、お互いの名前を大声で呼び合ったり、暴力をふるい合ったり・・・こんなことは、めったに起きることではないかもしれませんが、そうなった時は、平和的な解決法を見つけたり、自分自身のストレスによって彼らに対して自分を見失わないようにするという、最も難しい課題に直面します。（あぁ、特にあなたが一生を平和と癒しに注いで来た時には。）

ある朝、バス停まで歩いていると、ヤニが胸が悪くなるようなオナラをしながらくすくす笑い、「おっと！」と言いました。私がヤニに「あなたは昨日、凍ったお豆を好んで全部平らげてたでしょ？」と言うと、パチャが歌を歌うような甲高い声でからかいながら言いました。「はは。ヤニは今日一日中クラスでずっとおならばっかりしているおバカさんなんだわ。」私は立ち止まってパチャを見ると、なぜその様な事を言うのか尋ねました。聞いて心に傷が付くと分かっている事を、なぜ彼女は言ったのでしょうか。

パチャはきまりの悪そうにして、このような事をいいました。「えーと、私、学校ではあんな事言えないわ。たぶん、ヤニなら、弟だから、からかっても大丈夫だと思ったからよ。私が他の人からからかわれたら、それに対して何もできないもの。」

私たちは歩きながら、人と人との接し方や学校で誰が誰をからかっているのか、もう少し話を進めました。そしてパチャはヤニに、からかってくる人がいたらどう言い返せばいいかアドバイスをしました。（ヤニが「友達が、僕の息は土みたいな臭いがすると言ったよ」と言うと、パチャが「そしたらあなたは、その友達の息は牛のウンチみたいだと言い返せばいいんだわ」と言いました。そこで私は「違うよ、そんな事言ったら単にもっと良くない状況になるだけよ。その子の息はバラの花びらみたいだと言って、笑わせられるかも知れないのよ」と言いました）

今朝はバス停であるお母さんから、彼女の息子さんが以前親友だった友達からいじめを受けていることについてアドバイスを求められました。私ははっきりと、その友達は自分の周りにある葛藤を他の誰かのせいにすることで、自分のイライラを吐き出しているんだと答えました（特にその誰かは、自分が一緒にいて安心できる人だったりします）。そしておそらく、彼女は自分の息子さんにこの事を説明して、そういった感情はどこから湧いてくるのかよく知る手助けをするのが一番いいのではと言いました。

おそらくこれが、家族があることの大事な目的なのでしょう。世間との関わりをいったん休み、閉じ込められたストレスを吐き出せる安息の地を安全に提供しているという事です。だから、私達も大人としてたまには、傷つけるのは自分を許して次に進んでくれる大好きな人だけに限られる安全な場所で“道を外れる”事が必要なのかもしれません。

私には答えは分かりませんが、好ましく、尊敬できる、優しい振る舞いが最もいい例えなのではと思います。また同じバス停で話した他のお母さんは、パチャが学校でいつもヤニを探していて、手助けしていると教えてくれました（へえっ！）。

約一ヶ月前、友達が子どもを二人連れて家に来ました（思うに４歳と６歳の子でした）。ヤニは午後中ずっと彼らと一緒に遊んで、夜ベッドに入る時にこう言いました。「ママ、あの男の子達はすごく仲がよかったよ。何でも半分こして、喧嘩もしないし。この子たちと遊びたいな、ママ」。
（翻訳：小山邦子）

Striving for family peace...

Striving for family peace...

Every parent who reads this will know what I mean; that sinking feeling when your children are fighting each other. In public, or in private – arguing, calling each other names, even physically harming each other…it may not happen very often, but is among the hardest challenges of all when it does; to find a peaceful resolution and to not ‘lose it’ with them in your own frustration. (My gosh, especially when you’ve dedicated your life to peace and healing!)

On our morning walk to the bus stop Yani giggled as he let out a squicky fart; ‘whoops’, he said. I said; ‘oh-oh - you really loved eating all those frozen peas yesterday didn’t you?’ and then Pacha piped up in a sing-song teasy voice: ‘ha-ha, Yani’s going to fart all day in cla-ass’. I stopped and looked at Pacha and asked where that comment came from; what made her say something she knew would be hurtful?

She looked embarrassed and said something like this; ‘well I can’t say anything like that at school, I guess it feels safe to tease Yani, cos he’s my brother. When I get teased by people I can’t really do anything about it.’

We talked some more as we walked along about the way people treat each other and who teases whom at school. Pacha gave advice to Yani about what he should say back to someone who teases him (Yani: ‘he said my breath smelled like earth’ Pacha: ‘well you should say that his breath smells like cow poo’ and I said, ‘no, that’s only going to make the situation worse, maybe you could make him laugh and say that his breath smells like rose petals’).

This morning a mother at the bus stop asked for advice about her son who was being bullied by someone who used to be his best friend. I said for sure he is just letting out his frustrations, transferring the blame for the conflict around him on someone else (especially someone he feels ‘safe’ with) and maybe it’s best to try to explain this to her son to help him realise where the emotions might be coming from.

Maybe that’s one of the main purposes of families, safely providing a haven for releasing the pent up frustration with the rest of our interactions with the world. I guess that’s why, as adults, we also need to ‘off–load’ from time to time, in a safe place where ongoing harm is limited to the people we love who will forgive us and move on…

I don’t know what the answers are, but good, respectful, kind behaviour is the best example of all. At the same bus-stop morning conversation another mother said that her son said that Pacha is always looking out for and helping Yani at school. (whew!)

And about a month ago I had a visit from a friend who brought along her two sons (4 and 6 years old I think). Yani was playing with them all afternoon and when I put him to sleep he said: ‘Mum, those boys were so nice to each other, they shared everything and they didn’t fight...I like playing with those boys Mummy…’.

Thunder rumbles while the sun shines...

 

 

October 1, 2011

Today the weather reflects my feeling.

There is the sound of thunder in the distance, but the sun is shining and fluffy white clouds scatter the light in constantly changing patterns.

I imagine the courageous people in Wall Street (and Bolivia and Greece and Ecuador and so many, many places in the world) standing up for justice and freedom and the protection of the planet. I visualise the courageous people of Japan seeking and speaking about the truth of the nuclear disaster and calling for change. I see African mothers carrying their children in a desperate search for food.

I can hear thunder, but I take the chance in enjoying the beauty of the moment – the last chance of unbridled joy before running to take cover…Pacha and I chanced the risk of the storm this morning and went riding in the forest together (see photo)…it was the right decision.

It has already been 2 weeks since the Living the Good Life festival in Iluka (photo included is of some recycled fashion parade entrants). It was a beautiful weekend and everything went smoothly, thanks to wonderful people who came in and gave their time, energy and talents to share with the community who participated. Organising the event was exhausting and it takes time to recover, yet being so ‘busy’ was a kind of satisfying distraction. Now the challenge is to convince myself that it was all worthwhile and an effective way to shift minds and hearts to a more happy, healthy and sustainable way of life.

I learnt so much more about the resistance most people have to change and to new ideas. Do you remember the story from last year about the cautious reaction from the PTA (P and C committee) about using banana leaves instead of disposable plates for healthy vegetarian snacks? Well, this year I tried to encourage other Iluka community groups to raise money for their causes by selling this kind of food – but none of them took up the offer. (In the end it we ourselves did it, raising over $600 for the school food gardens by selling healthy vegetarian food.) Recently I heard that the idea of using banana leaves to serve food was one of the reasons why…All we can do is continue, with good heart, with truth and enthusiasm and with love – whatever happens at least we know we are full of good intent.

So now it’s time to reflect, re-energise and refocus on the most effective, sustainable and joyful ways to be of service. It’s time to give some more attention to Pacha and Yani - we’ve been singing, dancing, surfing and playing the guitar together, talking and sharing about the important things in life, engaging and interacting with the beautiful nature around us. One of our chickens (Olivia) has gone ‘clucky’ so we’ve put some fertilised eggs under her and Pacha and Yani (and their friends) can help nurture and observe the full circle of life.

The thunder has passed by for now, we live in the moment and are ready for when it returns another day…

8/22和訳：日本人ボランティア、ミズヨ！

先週、私たちのところにミズヨが訪ねてきました。彼女は、滞在中さまざまなことを手伝ってくれ、私たちに極上の笑顔を残していってくれた、まさに私たちのエンジェルです。

浜辺でのダンスから (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXh48Fhcs-c)流木をつかった看板づくり、ガーデニングからお料理まで、さらにはパチャとヤニの話し相手から遊び相手までも！！ミズヨとの日々は私たちにとってとてもハッピーでラッキーなことでした。

ミズヨと一緒につくった「morinokoe」という看板は、私たちの森の入口に掲げられる予定です。
（翻訳：馬場直子）

Our Angel Mizuyo!

We had a visit from an angel Mizuyo last week, who gave us her patient kind smile as she helped us in everything! From beach dancing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXh48Fhcs-c) to mosaicing, from gardening to cooking, to listening and playing with Pacha and Yani, we were so happy and lucky to have Mizu staying with us! We now have our signboard: 'morinokoe' ready to put on the front gate of our forest paradise...

8/12和訳：いい人生とは？

先週、グローバルに展開されている「いい人生」運動についての記事に出会いました。まさにちょうど、私も地元のアイルーカの町で「いい人生を送ろう」フェスティバルを準備している時でした。なんという偶然！もしかして偶然ではない？現在金融市場がひどくぐらついている状況での「成長後」について記事を読んでいる時に、それに出会ったのです。

そこでは「いい人生」または「スペイン語でいい人生のBuen Vivir」運動は、エクアドルやボリビアの先住民から生まれたと説明がありました。実際1990年代の初期に、熱帯雨林と先住民の権利を守る活動家として私は、エクアドルのキトで開催された、アメリカ大陸「発見」500周年を記念する重要な先住民の集まりに参加しました。

その会議の中で一番強く心に残っている事の一つは、先住民のシャーマンが手にコカコーラの缶を持って、それが象徴する物すべて（単一文化、企業の強い印象付け、開発、依存、無情なグローバリゼーション）を非難し、観衆に向かってその誘惑に立ち向かうようお願いしていた事です。

私はそれ以来何度も、ボルネオの奥深いジャングルを歩いている時にコカコーラの缶を見つけた時や、石油の濃い黒い液体がポンプで汲み出されて化石燃料の中毒に貢献されている一方で、荷台に甘い黒い液体が積まれたトラックがアマゾンの辺境の町コカに向かって行くのを見た時に、彼の熱烈な願いを思い出しました。

その会議から数年後、私はエクアドルのコタカチ郡に自分の家を立てました。そして500年ぶりに先住民初めての市長になったアウキ・ティトゥアニャと一緒に、様々な社会的・環境的運動を行いました。自治や社会的連帯のために闘っている現地のコミュニティーや団体と共に、自分たちにとっての「幸せ」をしっかりと定義づけ、鉱山開発のような無理やり掘り出して破壊を推し進める巨大産業からの圧力に立ち向かうよう活動しました。

さらに、ナマケモノ倶楽部や他のNGOの活躍によって、スローライフや地域経済が国中で急激に発展している日本で、本当の幸福の尺度（GNH）についての議論とともにエクアドルからのメッセージを分かち合いました。

記事によると、「いい人生」の一般的な原理とは以下を含みます。
・全ての物や全ての物との調和やバランス
・相互補完、結束、平等
・母なる地球との調和を保った上での人間共通の幸福やすべての人の基本的な欲求の達成
・母なる地球、そして人間の権利の尊重
・人が所有するものではなく、その人自身の評価
・植民地主義や帝国主義、干渉政策に関するすべての形態の排除
・人と母なる大地の間の平和

「いい人生」あるいは「Buen Vivir」は、単一文化よりも多様性を尊重し、消費主義の掲げる、主として物質の所有を重要視し、そのため多く地位階級を定めてしまう幸福へのアンチテーゼである。
そして今、私はここオーストリア北部NSWの自宅で、明日のヘレナ・ノーバーグ・ホッジ監督「幸福の経済学」の上映会に人々を招待しようとしています。この映画こそ「いい人生」の考え方そのものといっていいでしょう。実は、前回私がこの映画を見たのは、福島原発事故のまっただ中の4月、日本は神奈川県・藤野のブルースバーで、ノートパソコンを持った人の肩越しでした！

このように、同じ思いを持った輪は、ふだんは目にみえませんが、確実につながり続けています。そして、その輪がぶつかったり波紋が生じる時に事象として浮かびあがり、私たちは再認識するのです。私たちが正しい道を歩んでいる。聖なるいのちの輪を癒しているのだと・・・。

【翻訳：小山邦子】

What is a ‘Good Life’?

What is a ‘Good Life’?

Last week I came across an article referencing the global ‘Good Life’ movement, even as I was organising the ‘Living the Good Life’ festival for my local town of Iluka. What a coincidence! Or maybe not?

I came across it while reading an article on ‘post growth’ in the context of the current wildly swinging financial markets.

It explained that the ‘Good Life’ or ‘Buen Vivir’ movement has its origins with the indigenous peoples of Ecuador and Bolivia. In fact, as a rainforest and indigenous rights activist in the early 1990s I joined an important indigenous gathering marking the 500^th anniversary of the ‘discovery’ of the Americas, held in Quito, Ecuador.

One of my strongest memories from this conference was an indigenous shaman holding up a can of coca cola - decrying everything that it represented (monoculture, corporate branding, exploitation, dependence, soulless globalisation) and begging the audience resist its seduction. I remembered his impassioned plea many times since - when I came across a coke can while walking in the deepest Borneo jungle, when I observed a truck laden with the sweet black liquid going into the Amazon frontier town of Coca even as the thick black liquid of oil was being pumped out to service fossil fuel addiction…

Several years after that conference I made my home in the township of Cotacachi in Ecuador, working closely with its first indigenous Mayor in 500 years, Auki Tituana, on social and environmental initiatives. We worked closely with local communities striving for independence and solidarity in defining their own definition of well-being, and to resist the pressure to give up their rights to large extractive and destructive industries like mining.

We shared this message in Japan where, though the activities of the Sloth Club and other NGOs, discourse on the real indicators of happiness (GNH), slow life and local economies were growing quickly throughout that country.

According to the article the general principles of ‘Good Life’ include:

• Harmony and balance of all and with all
• Complementarity, solidarity and equality
• Collective wellbeing and the satisfaction of the basic needs of all in harmony with mother earth
• Respect for the rights of mother earth and for human rights
• Recognition of people for what they are and not for what they own
• Removal of all forms of colonialism, imperialism and interventionism
• Peace between people and with mother earth

‘Good Life’ or ‘Buen Vivir’ values diversity over monoculture and is the antithesis of consumerist well-being which is largely focussed on material possessions that for so many defines status hierarchy.

And now, I sit here in northern NSW, Australia, inviting people to tomorrow’s local showing of the ‘Economics of Happiness’ movie by Helena Norberg-Hodge that is also completely consistent with ‘Good Life’ thinking. The last time I saw this movie it was over the shoulder of an activist with his laptop in a blues bar in the town of Fujino in Japan during the depths of the Fukushima nuclear crisis in April.

That these circles continue to connect, collide and ripple on seems to validate everything; we are on the right path, we are healing the sacred hoop…

8/4和訳：非電化工房＠オーストラリア？

ヤニとわたしは冬の日差しでお豆を煮るため、ソーラークッカーをつくりました。リサイクルの段ボール箱に、アルミホイル、紙とノリ、箱を覆う一枚のガラスで、だいたい20分で手作り。とてもシンプルで、とても簡単で、とても安いです。このソーラークッカーを太陽の下に数時間おいたら、固いインゲンマメがほとんど煮えました。（翻訳：田尻可枝）

Atelier non electric

Yani and I made a solar oven to cook our beans in the winter sun. It took about 20 minutes to make. So very simple, so very easy and so very cheap - a (recycled) cardboard box, some aluminium foil, paper glue and a piece of glass to cover it. We left it in the sun for a few hours and then the hard kidney beans were almost ready.

Organising the Living the Good Life Festival

Slow Mother Blog
July 24th 2011

Despite still being the depth of winter in Australia, the peach blossoms have started blooming and our chickens have started laying; there is Spring energy in the air! We've started planting vegies helped along by the ample supply of horse manure and ash left from our winter bon fires. Our simple lives have received a bit of attention recently in an article published in an Australian magazine - the photos are lovely and I hope the story will encourage readers to look again at the question of 'what is enough'. Here is the link to the article: http://www.slowsmallsimple.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=2

After quite a heavy flu, I feel invigorated and refreshed - the fever seemed to burn through some unresolved emotions...and there is nothing like being ill to remind you how lucky you are when you are healthy! All this fresh energy is going into organising the 'Living the Good Life Festival' for September this year, a way to empower this community to enjoy healthy, happy and sustainable lifestyles. Please feel welcome to come along and be part of the festival - in this most beautiful part of the world.

Media Release

July 14^th, 2011

All invited to celebrate ‘Simple Pleasures’ in Iluka this September.

Organisers are inviting businesses, organisations and individuals to get involved in what is shaping up to be an even bigger and better ‘Living the Good Life’ Festival in Iluka. The event will be held over the weekend of the 17^th and 18^th September, combining a day of information, entertainment and stalls at the sports fields along with a day of celebration and sheer fun at the beach, organised by Iluka boardriders. The Clarence Valley Council has put its support behind the event which will be launched with a bicycle ride from Woombah to Iluka.

According to festival organiser Anja Light:

“This year our theme is ‘simple pleasures’; where the best things in life really are free. Surfing, walking, fishing, singing, kite flying, dancing, bike riding, cooking, drawing, gardening…there are so many simple, inexpensive and gentle ways to live well and nurture a vibrant community. What better place to celebrate this than in beautiful Iluka?”

“At this stage we are calling for interest from groups, businesses and individuals; those who would be interested in a public display to promote their sustainable lifestyle activities; including solar providers, local food producers, organic gardeners and backyard livestock experts. We are also calling on volunteers to assist in organising the event and help out on the day.”

“Last year’s festival was a huge success, attracting thousands of locals and visitors for all the right reasons. Activities were diverse, entertaining and family friendly - providing an opportunity to learn and be inspired. This year we’re looking forward to expanding our scope, working with even more community groups and businesses dedicated to promoting a healthy, happy, sustainable way of life.”

More details available at: www.livingthegoodlifefest.com

Mindfood Magazine Article

"I hope I can empower them to be proud rather than embarrassed that you can enjoy life with things that most people would throw away"
- a featured quote in the latest issue (July/August) of a popular Australian magazine...I wonder what the response will be?
You can see the article here: http://www.slowsmallsimple.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=2

Our non-human family grows...

Photo: Yani gets some ‘help’ with his morning drawing from 'Phoenix', the cockatiel.

Photo: ‘Olivia’, the chicken, thinks it belongs inside the house…Pacha has a soft heart!

Slow Mother Blog

June 28, 2011

Here in Australia the darkest day has passed and the light grows slowly brighter. We shared ‘candlenight’ with our good friends, cooking home-grown pumpkin and chickpea soup on our pot-belly wood stove, singing and playing the guitar, appreciating what we have and praying that everyone in the world finds a way to live in peace and simplicity.

Our family (of 3 humans, one horse, 6 chickens and many trees!) has grown slightly largely since a small tame ‘cockateil’ parrot landed in our garden, allowing Pacha to joyfully pick it up and take it inside. Despite putting up signs around the place asking if anyone has lost the bird, so far no-one has claimed it.

So, we have a new teacher! I didn’t realise just how much love and affection a small bird needs to be happy, snuggling up to our faces for a scratch and a whistling conversation. Phoenix insists on sharing our food (sitting on the edge of dishes to sample our meals), although she is well supplied with healthy millet. She spends many hours each day preening its feathers– even jumping into the dishwashing water for a warm bath. And the rest of the time she needs to be busy, mischievously active! As I write on the computer it chews up paper and threatens to peel off my computer keys…a little distracting.

I find it very hard to confine her in a cage – but outside she would be quickly killed by a bigger bird, so most of the time she sits on my shoulder, nibbling and whistling in my ear - flying around the house when the urge takes her.

We are lucky to be sharing our lives with such a wide range of animals that seem mostly just to ‘come’ to us and it is fascinating to watch the interaction between them and between the wild birds and animals too. It reminds me of the way of life of the Penan of Borneo, one of the last tribes of nomadic hunter-gatherers in the world. In their camps they keep many ‘pets’ - orphaned baby animals from prey they have hunted. They feed and look after these animals until they die from old age; they would never eat an animal they have fed even once, considering it barbaric.

Here in Australia recently the issue of exporting live animals for meat production in Indonesia has captured national attention after a documentary was shown on TV. People are outraged at the cruelty inflicted on these cows and have demanded an end to it. Perhaps this issue will help people ‘make the connection’ between their own consumption of food and where these products actually come from and how they are produced. In today’s industrialised food system; very few cows are treated humanly at any time in their life – and I think most people would find it very hard to actually kill an animal to eat it.

For a million candlenight, for life

Candlenight
By Anja Light
In the darkest night, a flickering light
Of a brother or sister praying for peace
Soft, golden glow, a call for hope,
For a change in the way we live..

Where there’s light, there’s life.
Though it’s darkest before dawn,
It’s our right to survive,
To let life go on…
Chorus:
Unplug the noise, Face the music
Hang up the phone, Be in the moment
Switch it off, See things clearly
Cut the cord to the addictions numbing your soul

They say it can’t be done, Billions as one
Turning off the consumer machine
Here we are today, Leading the way,
Our dreams can set us free

Where there’s light, there’s life.
Though it’s darkest before dawn,
It’s our right to survive,
To let life go on…


Chorus:
Unplug the noise, Face the music
Hang up the phone, Be in the moment
Switch it off, See things clearly
Cut the cord to the addictions killing the Earth…

Candlenight, candlenight…….