Sunday, November 17, 2013

Community Resistance

Hi everyone!

So about a week ago, I returned from a wonderful trip to Zabirabad (in Andhra Pradesh, a nearby state) where we stayed with the Deccan Development Society - an amazing NGO. The campus we stayed on was built of stone and bricks, circular in shape with a large open air courtyard in the middle, and it looked very reminiscent of Hogwarts. Our rooms even felt right out of Harry Potter: they housed six people, in three alcoves of two. We ate a lot of millet (a grain that takes much less water/resources to grow than rice) in keeping with the values of DDS - beautiful, but I do find millet rather chalky tasting.

DDS' primary mission is to promote sustainable and ethical agriculture, which they do by facilitating groups of women (called sanghas) that organize and change their villages. We met one group who had created their own seed bank, saving their own seeds from year to year and not purchasing them from companies like Monsanto. They then take the crops from these seeds and distribute them amongst themselves and to the poor of their village, ensuring food security for everyone.

Another group is reclaiming traditional knowledge in the form of medicine - using local plants and herbs as well as traditional methods to tend to people with small ailments. It's amazing to see the medicinal properties of these plants: the neem tree's leaves alone carry so many uses that it's astounding. And there is also a group we met with that is managing their own community radio station, broadcasting educational programs (on topics like traditional medicine, farming, and much more), stories, and traditional songs. Only the government of India is allowed to broadcast news via radio, but these women cover every other area.

I have deeply enjoyed meeting with communities like these women who are peacefully making changes and resisting various oppressions. They inspire me and give me hope for our world.

Each trip, we also go somewhere more 'touristy' to explore the area. This time, we went to Bidar Fort and a temple. Bidar Fort was, like Kangra Fort, beautiful. It had graceful arches, elaborate carved artwork, and a lovely mosque. I really enjoyed wandering around the main fort. We also hiked through some thistles to see the ramparts, which were sturdy and majestic. Then we headed to the temple - to get to it, you had to wade through chest-deep water. There were people all around us on religious pilgrimage, and when we reached the temple we were anointed with turmeric paste.

It was an amazing week, filled with deep conversations not only with the groups we visited but with the other SJPD members.

Peace and love,
Malyn





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