Echo NEWS Thursday October 22 2015 Poetry, geography in ... echo article ian... · KAREN KOTZE W...
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KAREN KOTZE W hen Ian McCallum speaks about home, he intrinsically links geography and human identity. In so doing, the luminary Marina da Gama resident draws attention to Zandvlei – and issues an invitation, a challenge and a reminder. He also offers insights unique to a mind and heart that have worked in unison for years, and he does so with the unaffected beauty of speech for which he is renowned. He speaks about the Western mind’s gradual return to the indige- nous mind, the dire necessity for sto- rytellers and poets, and about one of the greatest maladies of humankind, which cannot be found in his psychi- atry diagnostic manual. During the Muizenberg Festival, Mr McCallum: author, conservation- ist, medical doctor, psychiatrist, ex- Springbok rugby player and poet – was an invited guest of the Zandvlei Trust, which he describes as being a voice for “this incredible body of water”. Water which is ever-present in his daily life, and in his psyche. The topic of his speech was “the geographies of our identity” and here he invited residents of Cape Town to look at Zandvlei differently – not just for what it is, but for what it does and what it represents, and what meaning it offers those who interact with it. He discussed this, and more, with the False Bay Echo from his home. “Psychologically speaking, our nat- ural environment, the geography of our childhoods, are intimately linked to human identity. Who and what would we be without these natural and wild areas – these areas which are home to countless species of birds, amphibians, insects, animals… plants. What does this body of water sud- denly represent in our lives?” he asks. “Human identity is impossible to define outside of our relationships - and who you and I are is heavily dependent on our relationships – not just human to human but to our sur- roundings; the water, sea, animals all contribute towards who we are as individuals, and contribute hugely towards our positive mental health.. who and what would we be without them?” Our task is to fiercely protect the natural spaces, he says. “We have to remain vigilant and the only way we can do that is to focus on our relationships with, and to, our surroundings: not just as an aspect of our lives but, I would like to suggest, as a condition for our lives. This is what it means to see and understand natural phe- nomena, in a different light.” His statement is clear. “If we want to degrade any natural environment – be very careful – you are messing with human identities.” He explains that soli- tude is hugely important to us as a species and these natural places pro- vide a space for self reflection and personal transformation. “By that I mean, when you see yourself differently, you will also see differently all that exists in and around this body of water.” He encourages us to look at the relationships that are held by Zandvlei. “Firstly. there are seven rivers which drain off the mountains, three sepa- rate openings after the rivers have diverged... it opens into the mouth, which opens into the ocean... it becomes a conduit for so many differ- ent species of fish, including fish with spawn in the vlei. And with the species of fish come hundreds of different species of birds, particularly your waders, marine feeders. You have fresh water on one end, salt water on the other – and with that an incredi- bly obvious difference in bird, insect and plant life – a massive variation of evolution right in front of your eyes.” But his call to action comes from a fuller sense within him. One of being alone on the water in a kayak, and being noticed by a single bird gliding by. By the part of him that has formed a relationship with the moun- tain, that he sees no harm in greeting. The part of him which recognises the place of every living thing in what he terms “the fragile web of life”. He says we have been hoodwinked into believing we are superior to all other life forms, which has led us to a lopsided sense of entitlement. “The Western world has moved so far away from the indigenous mind, from eco- logical thinking, that we have become a lonely and impatient species,” he says. He points to a psychiatric diagnos- tic manual on his brimming book- shelf. “There’s one diagnosis which isn’t in there at all – and it’s called homesickness. It must be the most undiagnosed condition in psychiatry. Homesickness is linked to our loss of sense of identity. Ours is a crisis of identity – and the environmental cri- sis we are facing simply has to be equated to the human identity crisis. Who are we in relationship to what is happening in the rest of the environ- ment?” I ask why more of us don’t fiercely protect what is natural, and wild. He thinks, then answers: “We are unable to fully comprehend and more importantly, to deal with, what it means to own up to our own con- tribution to our own suffering,” he says. “We are addicted to our lifestyles – and to one of the greatest tragedies – that of learned helplessness – which is the sense that there is nothing that I can do.” He rages against this. “Every single one of us can do something – even if it is as mundane as recycling – the attitude that some- one else will do it, is infantile. And on another level entirely, why not start with your personal conversations, why NEWS Echo Thursday October 22 2015 5 available at MAIN ROAD, FISH HOEK BUY DIRECT AND SAVE!!! WE MAKE IT OURSELVES WE ACCEPT MOST MAJOR CREDIT CARDS, VISA, MASTER CARD & RCS SALE ENDS 28/10/2015 T’s &C’s APPLY - - FREE PARKING AT ALL STORES TOLL FREE: 0800 0030 47 UTILITY ROBE RRP R1659 R799 White melamine Hanging and top shelf Fully assembled Available in colours & mahogany finish Deep drawer storage on both sides of bed Available in 3 quarter, double, queen and king size Mattress not included HERITAGE 137cm STORAGE BED NEW R2999 RRP R7999 UTILITY 5 DRAW CHEST RRP R999 White melamine Spacious drawers Fully assembled R469 TWINKLE BABY COMPACTUM White supawood and melamine Metal drawer runners Fully assembled RRP R3699 R1799 Email: [email protected] Website: www.furnicraft.co.za TOKAI - SOUTH PALMS 021 701 1682 OTTERY - MEGASTORE ADJACENT TO MAKRO Kuils River closes at 5pm on week days SLEIGH COT 3 in 1 cot / Jnr Bed / Day bed Includes mattress Supawood construction DOLL HOUSE BED RRP R11 999 R4989 All colours available Includes two beds, 2 shelving units and desk unit Supawood construction + solid wood slats All components fully assembled Excludes mattresses R6499 RRP R14999 CRAFTMASTER 6pc MULTIROBE Built in look ceiling height (2.35m) Supawood - deep routered Centre robe all packing Storage top boxes Deep drawers on metal runners Fully assembled R2499 RRP R5799 SLIDE UNDER TOP & BOTTOM BED Bottom bed fitted on wheels Real space saver! Bookcase headboard & mattress optional extra Fully assembled SUPAWOOD DOUBLE BUNK (white) Supawood construction Colours extra Mattresses not included RRP R6699 R1999 not raise the level of your conver- sations to inclusion?” he says. He lauds the role of science in allowing us to measure so many things. He refers to this process as thesis and antithesis. He says the next step is back to the indige- nous mind – to synthesis. But, he says we cannot heed the scientific warnings, because they are too alienating. “This is where we need the voice of the poets, the story- tellers… to tell us yes, come, we can do it, we can make that differ- ence – let’s put this all together again,” he says. It is not all doom and gloom. It couldn’t be, not from someone whose speech is so inherently poetic. “I do believe that there is signif- icant change happening on two levels. One, with stipulations on emissions, pollution and related legislation, and two: on a psycho- logical level with so many people experiencing a growing ecological understanding of an interdepend- ency with the natural environ- ment.” He firmly believes that if the beauty of biology – and by that he means the ecological principles of human biology – are taught across all schools and universities, then people would grow up already acquainted with the knowledge that we are bound to all living things through a common lan- guage of DNA. “Biology needs the help of the poets,” he says. “Poets can take the biological message and put it into a different perspective, so the individual hears that and thinks, ah, this has something to do with me. I think it is mainly through poetry that the challenge to every individual is best heard – the challenge that there is something that you can do about it, as an individual.” In closing? “Never let the phenomena of learned helplessness be what dominates your sense of identity,” he says. ■ Ian McCallum speaks about the link between human identity and geography, in particular, about our connection with Zandvlei. Poetry, geography in our search for identity PICTURE: KAREN KOTZE
Transcript of Echo NEWS Thursday October 22 2015 Poetry, geography in ... echo article ian... · KAREN KOTZE W...
KAREN KOTZE
When Ian McCallum speaksabout home, he intrinsicallylinks geography and human
identity. In so doing, the luminary Marina
da Gama resident draws attention toZandvlei – and issues an invitation, achallenge and a reminder.
He also offers insights unique to amind and heart that have worked inunison for years, and he does so withthe unaffected beauty of speech forwhich he is renowned.
He speaks about the Westernmind’s gradual return to the indige-nous mind, the dire necessity for sto-rytellers and poets, and about one ofthe greatest maladies of humankind,which cannot be found in his psychi-atry diagnostic manual.
During the Muizenberg Festival,Mr McCallum: author, conservation-ist, medical doctor, psychiatrist, ex-Springbok rugby player and poet –was an invited guest of the ZandvleiTrust, which he describes as being avoice for “this incredible body ofwater”.
Water which is ever-present in hisdaily life, and in his psyche.
The topic of his speech was “thegeographies of our identity” and herehe invited residents of Cape Town tolook at Zandvlei differently – not justfor what it is, but for what it does andwhat it represents, and what meaningit offers those who interact with it.
He discussed this, and more, withthe False Bay Echo from his home.
“Psychologically speaking, our nat-ural environment, the geography ofour childhoods, are intimately linkedto human identity. Who and whatwould we be without these naturaland wild areas – these areas which arehome to countless species of birds,amphibians, insects, animals… plants.What does this body of water sud-denly represent in our lives?” he asks.
“Human identity is impossible todefine outside of our relationships -and who you and I are is heavilydependent on our relationships – notjust human to human but to our sur-roundings; the water, sea, animals all contribute towards who we are asindividuals, and contribute hugelytowards our positive mental health..who and what would we be withoutthem?”
Our task is to fiercely protect thenatural spaces, he says.
“We have to remain vigilant andthe only way we can do that is to focuson our relationships with, and to, oursurroundings: not just as an aspect ofour lives but, I would liketo suggest, as a conditionfor our lives. This is whatit means to see andunderstand natural phe-nomena, in a differentlight.”
His statement is clear.“If we want to degradeany natural environment– be very careful – youare messing with humanidentities.”
He explains that soli-tude is hugely importantto us as a species andthese natural places pro-vide a space for selfreflection and personaltransformation. “By that Imean, when you seeyourself differently, youwill also see differently allthat exists in and aroundthis body of water.”
He encourages us tolook at the relationshipsthat are held by Zandvlei.“Firstly. there are sevenrivers which drain off themountains, three sepa-
rate openings after the rivers havediverged... it opens into the mouth,which opens into the ocean... itbecomes a conduit for so many differ-ent species of fish, including fish withspawn in the vlei. And with the speciesof fish come hundreds of differentspecies of birds, particularly yourwaders, marine feeders. You havefresh water on one end, salt water onthe other – and with that an incredi-bly obvious difference in bird, insectand plant life – a massive variation ofevolution right in front of your eyes.”
But his call to action comes froma fuller sense within him. One ofbeing alone on the water in a kayak,and being noticed by a single birdgliding by. By the part of him that hasformed a relationship with the moun-tain, that he sees no harm in greeting.The part of him which recognises theplace of every living thing in what heterms “the fragile web of life”.
He says we have been hoodwinkedinto believing we are superior to allother life forms, which has led us to alopsided sense of entitlement. “TheWestern world has moved so far awayfrom the indigenous mind, from eco-logical thinking, that we have becomea lonely and impatient species,” hesays.
He points to a psychiatric diagnos-tic manual on his brimming book-shelf. “There’s one diagnosis whichisn’t in there at all – and it’s calledhomesickness. It must be the mostundiagnosed condition in psychiatry.Homesickness is linked to our loss ofsense of identity. Ours is a crisis ofidentity – and the environmental cri-sis we are facing simply has to beequated to the human identity crisis.Who are we in relationship to what ishappening in the rest of the environ-ment?”
I ask why more of us don’t fiercelyprotect what is natural, and wild.
He thinks, then answers: “We areunable to fully comprehend andmore importantly, to deal with, whatit means to own up to our own con-tribution to our own suffering,” hesays.
“We are addicted to our lifestyles –and to one of the greatest tragedies –that of learned helplessness – which isthe sense that there is nothing that Ican do.”
He rages against this. “Every single one of us can do
something – even if it is as mundaneas recycling – the attitude that some-one else will do it, is infantile. And onanother level entirely, why not startwith your personal conversations, why
NEWSEcho Thursday October 22 2015 5
available at
MAIN ROAD, FISH HOEK
BUY DIRECT AND SAVE!!!WE MAKE IT OURSELVES BUY DIRECT AND SAVE!!!WE MAKE IT OURSELVES
WE ACCEPT MOST MAJOR CREDIT CARDS, VISA, MASTER CARD & RCS
SALE ENDS 28/10/2015 T’s &C’s APPLY - - FREE PARKING AT ALL STORESTOLL FREE: 0800 0030 47
UTILITY ROBE
RRP R1659R799
White melamine Hanging and top shelfFully assembled
Available in colours & mahogany finishDeep drawer storage on both sides of bedAvailable in 3 quarter, double, queen and king sizeMattress not included
HERITAGE 137cm STORAGE BED
NEW
R2999RRP R7999
UTILITY5 DRAWCHEST
RRP R999
White melamineSpacious drawersFully assembled
R469
TWINKLE BABYCOMPACTUM
White supawood and melamineMetal drawer runnersFully assembled
RRP R3699R1799
Email: [email protected] Website: www.furnicraft.co.za
TOKAI - SOUTH PALMS 021 701 1682
OTTERY - MEGASTORE ADJACENT TO MAKRO
Kuils River closes at 5pm on week days
SLEIGH COT3 in 1 cot / Jnr Bed / Day bedIncludes mattressSupawood construction
DOLL HOUSEBED
RRP R11 999R4989
All colours availableIncludes two beds, 2 shelving units and desk unitSupawood construction + solid wood slatsAll components fully assembledExcludes mattresses
R6499RRP R14999
CRAFTMASTER 6pc MULTIROBE
Built in look ceiling height (2.35m)
Supawood - deep routeredCentre robe all packingStorage top boxesDeep drawers onmetal runnersFully assembled
R2499RRP R5799
SLIDE UNDER TOP& BOTTOM BED
Bottom bed fitted on wheelsReal space saver!Bookcase headboard &mattress optional extraFully assembled
SUPAWOOD DOUBLE BUNK (white)Supawood constructionColours extraMattresses not included
RRP R6699R1999
not raise the level of your conver-sations to inclusion?” he says.
He lauds the role of science inallowing us to measure so manythings. He refers to this process asthesis and antithesis. He says thenext step is back to the indige-nous mind – to synthesis.
But, he says we cannot heedthe scientific warnings, becausethey are too alienating.
“This is where we need thevoice of the poets, the story-tellers… to tell us yes, come, wecan do it, we can make that differ-ence – let’s put this all togetheragain,” he says.
It is not all doom and gloom. Itcouldn’t be, not from someonewhose speech is so inherentlypoetic.
“I do believe that there is signif-icant change happening on twolevels. One, with stipulations onemissions, pollution and relatedlegislation, and two: on a psycho-logical level with so many peopleexperiencing a growing ecologicalunderstanding of an interdepend-ency with the natural environ-ment.”
He firmly believes that if thebeauty of biology – and by that hemeans the ecological principles ofhuman biology – are taught acrossall schools and universities, thenpeople would grow up alreadyacquainted with the knowledgethat we are bound to all livingthings through a common lan-guage of DNA.
“Biology needs the help of the
poets,” he says. “Poets can take thebiological message and put it intoa different perspective, so theindividual hears that and thinks,ah, this has something to do withme. I think it is mainly throughpoetry that the challenge to everyindividual is best heard – the
challenge that there is somethingthat you can do about it, as anindividual.”
In closing? “Never let the phenomena of
learned helplessness be whatdominates your sense of identity,”he says.
■ Ian McCallum speaks about the link between human identity andgeography, in particular, about our connection with Zandvlei.
Poetry, geography in our search for identity
PICTURE:KAREN KOTZE
