Animal Farm: We are all human

This farm; this community was born seven years ago to two parents: social justice an sustainable community. The children of these were socially concious human beings searching, in their idealism, a better world, a world that came from and returned to its natural home; the planet. A world that respected the rights of indigenous people, their land, way of life, community and resources. These children, this hybrid community saw and sees itself as guardians of the earth on which they live, as well as of their adopted way of life.
In my days here I have heard much of the theory of this place: a communal space for all and anyone. A place where we respect, communicate and protect both the earth and eachother. Capitalism and neoliberalism and fascism (yes, we are talking about a backlash to Piinochet) have all perverted what should be the true relationship between humans and the earth and a true appreciation of existance (this, it has been stressed, includes the acceptance embrace of the reality that is death).
Inevitably though, this idea of "community" requires the existence of people, the children of a marriage of ideologies. And of course it requires their interaction. Without naming names I should like to say, or rather it pains me to admit, that when all these people come together supposedly for a common cause, some insist on seizing the spotlight while others don´t mind working backstage like dogs. Some refuse to work and live in a fantasy world where they talk about ideas but never light the fire in the morning, let alone gather wood. Some complain, some insist on being right every moment and clam up if called out... In short, a battle of egos in a place where we should least expect it! Indeed when the man who won´t work leaves, everyone laughs at his expense and the tourists who come on new years are not allowed to participate in our new years lamb roast, and when they do are resented by some people...
Don´t get me wrong, one on one these people are fantastic, they have it figured out: politically, ecologically, environmentally, socially. Some are social activists with an interest in politics, society and the environment while others are intellectuals (anthropologists, sociologists...) who have become involved in a movement they believe in. At times we sat around the fire and read poetry by Nicanor Parra and Pablo Neruda. My friend Eric (one of the founders of Trafkura) stood up (it was just he and I in the dark Ruka, rain poured on the tin roof and the warm fire kept us sain inside the mud/wood walls) and recited a poem which I thought was beautiful...I thought he had written it but it turns out it was written by Neruda the Nobel Laureate!!!

All these problems that I have just ennumerated I should like to point out revolve around my own conception. In other words, in a community setting like this I am well aware that I cannot leave myself out of the equation. I am just as guilty for working hard and not complaining and keeping my misgivings about people´s actions to myself.
Unfortunately I have reached another conclusion which does not surprise me, which I think I knew all along anyway. And that is that the collapse of great ideas, or the weakness of ideological structures is not the thought or structure of its fruit but the flaws of its creators, its builders, thinkers; in short it is the folly of the human being itself rather than his/her ideas. The structure collapses not because of the weakness of the beams or the poor building, but because we maltreat it, play with fire and never fix the leaks, until one day our community and our ideologies burst into flames or drown in the inundation of their own egos!


Change of topic...
The day after New Years we all went up to Icalma, a small town on a lake in the mountains (about 40km of dirt road from the nearest paved road). We met with a Mapuche (Mapu means of the land, che means people) family on the lake. The pace is different, we shared another fire lamb roast with them (when they have, they share) and we rather controversially kicked some people off the beach (they had outboard motors - the argument according to almost all should have been that the motors damage the environment - the air the water the soundwaves... - but somebody started off with "this is a private beach" and that incited some hard feelings on the Mapuche side because they felt that this was not the right way to approach the problem. Indeed this was not a private beach and that is exactly what they are fighting - they see themselves as guardians of the land not owners, they don´t want to own just live in peace.) Unfortunately, despite these people´s apparent close connection with nature and their own spirituality they drink excessively.
Finally, we went for a drive and along the way we stopped off at some relatives of some of the Mapuche folks. We were greeted with kisses, hugs, "sit down please, have a beer...". And while we were supposed to be back by 2pm we did not get back until well after 2:30. Gaston (the Mapuche who was with us) looked absolutely relaxed and kept chatting and hugging and kissing his family members while some of us stood their trying to be patient. I was told though, that this is absolutely normal!

Anyway turns out everyone was leaving Trafkura yesterday: Gonzalo and Carola and their kids Isadora and Emilio, Kate, Ricardo, Francisco and Francisca, Eric, Ivan and Metina. I had planned to go anyway so I got a ride with Ivan and Metina into Temuco and from their I took a bus to Puerto Varas. I arrived in the pouring rain at 11pm at this quirky french-run hostel and I am now relaxing and waiting for my farm clothes to be washed and dried.
anyway thats all from here
until next time!