Sunday, March 29, 2015

I took my drum . . .

 'Bring a drum,' they said, 'to help with the protest.' So I dug out my old animal skin, shaman's drum that I made many years ago. In the rainy morning, the drum skin sagged. So I put it in the airing cupboard, and almost left it at home, taking a saucepan and wooden spoon instead. But then the sun came out, and after a little sun bathe the drumskin tightened up and became staunch and all ready to go.
 What got me out on the streets? First it was the fight to save the 500 year old kauri tree that a developer was about to fell (with permission from the Council) in Titirangi. Then it was my rush to 'save' the flame tree when its limbs were being sawn off one by one (as described in my last post). Now it was the threat of deep sea oil drilling around our coastline. In an island nation like ourselves, any oil spill would be devastating.
 We drew the line once, and said no to nuclear power for our nation. Now it feels imperative that we draw the line again.
There were so many children and young people on the march, and their messages were simple, even simplistic.
'Evil', she wrote quickly on the pavement outside the conference centre where the government was meeting with the petroleum companies.
It's easy to blame our leaders and to call names.
 But the issues are more complex than that. How can we oppose the oil economy when we are still so dependent on roads and cars? We are complicit. And dependent. Buddhist activist Joanna Macy, in a recent interview, speaks of this with such clarity.
 This bright bicycle spoke of another way to travel. But it's not for everyone. For me, I've changed to a smaller car and reduced my footprint by walking and taking buses as much as possible. But to get to the bach and reconnect with nature, I need to use petrol. The issues are filled with dilemmas.
What did my drum have to say? First, when it beat in slow unison with hundreds of other drums along the streets and outside the conference centre, it was sounding the beat of the earth. Keep beating your heart with the beat of the mother, said my drum, and you will know what to do.

Then, when I sat down, weary from drumming, and held the drum in my arms while others kept going, I noticed something surprising. My drum was vibrating. It was vibrating with the beat of all the drums around it. I held it amazed, as the vibration went on and on, bringing strange comfort.
These are heavy issues to face, the ones around climate change and what we are doing to the earth. Sometimes I feel alone with issues that are too big to bear. But today, marching with 6,000 others, I was part of a tribe. Together, our hearts were beating. Together our drums were roaring. And together we were resonating, as one heart, one voice, all saying one thing: No more.

10 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Juliet - we are complicit, we are needy of oil, yet it ruins things around us .. yet it gives us humans our freedom ... it also gives tools for hate.

The continents are moving, earth is changing, the skies too ..

I love the feel of your drum and how it caught the atmosphere around it - how very interesting ...

Great post - very thoughtful .. and thought provoking - Hilary

Juliet said...

Hilary, I appreciate your response. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Thank you to you and your little drum for making a noise.

Juliet said...

Thank you Gallivanta. It was quite a noise!

Nadezda said...

I love your drum, Juliet!
It's very important that you participated to the march and people said no and protested.

Juliet said...

Nadezda, the drum makes a good booming sound. It was encouraging to have so many people there. Thank you.

Hotly Spiced said...

I think more and more people are protesting as we become disillusioned with our political leaders. I think in many Western countries, politicians have forgotten they are elected by the people and are there to serve the people. That would surely mean making decisions in the best interests of the people. Good on you for making a stand xx

Juliet said...

Charlie, you are right. We are become disillusioned.
Thank you.

Penny O'Neill said...

Just catching up on post in a busy season right now, Juliet, and appreciate reading of your acts of protest though not the reasons that have caused it. Indeed, we are all responsible in different ways and of different actions (or non-actions).

Just a bit abo, I read an interesting post of another blogging friend in which she considers the sounds or words on pages make. Here I find you with a post whose words evoke the sounds of the drums and the beat of your words. Thank you for taking your part in our world's problems.

Juliet said...

Penny, thank you for pausing in the busyness to listen to the beat of my drum & words.