Written by Shanelle Ribeiro, NSCF Hub
In her book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, Robin Kimmerer aptly notes that the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, as we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.
This was also the message that wove through the passionate poetry performances by members of our community at the Forum.
Sanelisiwe Miya (KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium) offered the poem What if it’s just Nature? by Julie Sheldon, recited by herself and colleagues. Moving from one speaker to the next with each stanza brought the feeling home of a collective call to action, to care for nature, self and community.
Siphamandla Mcelei’s(SAIAB) striking poem uNolwandle (written and performed by him in isiXhosa), illustrates how saving the ocean saves us too . Siphamandla explains that the Nguni language usually adds the prefix “No” in a word to give it an attractive feminine characteristic. In this poem, the poet portrays the Ocean (Lwandle) as a lovely young lady Nolwandle. In the first stanza, he describes how people enjoy to see her, and everyone needs her. In the second stanza, the poet praises her healing power and how she feeds the people with food, knowledge, and joy. In the third stanza, the poet describes how her face looks like the sky or perhaps the blue sky looks at her face? In the last section, the poet comforts the young lady that in all the trouble she faces, there are people who want to take good care of her.
Ntombi Tshali’s (SAIAB) poem Our Precious Pressure implores us and our collections facilities to rise, to protect the treasures that we hold for future generations, to protect our very own nature.
These performances left me with a feeling that the Forum was home …sharing together, receiving together, and having a safe space to be vulnerable together, a place to celebrate those who are brave, and hold and nurture those of us who are going through difficult times.
Thank you to these poets who bravely and vulnerably stood up, opening the way for others to feel safe and share their stories.
‘’It is an intertwining of science, spirit, and story—old stories and new ones that can be medicine for our broken relationship with earth, a pharmacopoeia of healing stories that allow us to imagine a different relationship, in which people and land are good medicine for each other.’’
Robin Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass