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Marula Ubuntu
| Open Poetry #47 |
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Marula Ubuntu |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa 
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MARULA UBUNTU 19 February 2011 Felicitations to the Themba people of unspoilt Ngwanase - and the Mozambiquans and the Swazis who join them to dance, sing and celebrate once in each February country for these festivals of umtayi – harvesting with joy, marula fruits and brewing traditional beer - and in so rejoicing, linking hearts and nations, and, with integrity, luring tourists here and to the nearby elephant park half-owned by the community and thus seeding the dream of alleviating poverty; for this is how it is done - revive a primitive ritual of intrinsic values of humanity to strengthen, empower and honour a civilized, cutting-edged future. Owl |
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| © Copyright 2011 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Diana...I envy you this amazing place where you live that it is so different, yet the same. A rich weave is in the tapestry. You honor it well. |
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Lori Grosser Rhoden Member Patricius
since 2009-10-10
Posts 10202Fair to middlin' of nowhere |
Owl, I'm with Martie on this one! Lori |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
My dear friend, Martie, I am very honoured that you think that I honour the wonderful place in which I live so well. I try, but I feel that there is so much more to say and so very much more to do. And you are SO right about the fact that there is a rich weave in the tapestry. I envy me too – smiles - or rather, I know how blessed and privileged I am to live in this wonderful place! I adore my humble home (so in need of repair) and indigenous forest garden (currently so in need of care), suburb of Yellowwood Park (and it’s name), city, province, country and continent with an abundant passion. Can one be luckier than that? Owl |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you, Lori. I missed your reply. I think you must have replied, while I was replying. Thank you for your masterpiece, Heirs to the Throne, which I have just read and responded to - a magnificent piece of work. Owl |
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ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
Very nice indeed Diana. One might say we've come a long way but we lost a lot during the journey. I am somewhat of a realist and definitely NOT a pessimist so I like to look at the wide picture. I think this poem is right on and reminds me of James Michner's 'Centennial' which was made into a TV series and came to the same conclusions you have in this lovely warm piece where closeness to the land and human values came first, family and otherwise. Your story here fits the area you write of and Michner's fits the North American culture. Both meaning the same thing. Back to the land and the values nature has used to make the cycles complete. In America there's only 30% of the watersheds left that existed a half century ago. Man has filled them in and destroyed nature's filters thus creating more pollution. A very enjoyable read. Eric oxymoron....Rap Music |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you for your detailed and enthusiastic response, Eric. You know, there are so many things that can be MADE right, if enough, preferably all, people would simply think. If one takes computers as they are today as an example, they are so complex, that it is not possible for any one person to know everything about them – not even Bill Gates and the like. The most knowledgeable people on computers are mostly specialists, or if their knowledge is general, it is less detailed than that of the specialists. YET, we have computers in their complexity – why? – because people like Bill Gates and the like, have brought together the knowledge of the specialists. Using this analogy, if we could do this in all spheres – whether one calls them problems, challenges or spheres – political, municipal, medical, economic, psychological, poverty alleviation, educational, abuse of all kinds, aggression, crime, selfishness, conflict, philosophical, spiritual, community spirit – these for a start - each with the appropriate level of depth for the particular circumstances – in the words of Louis Armstrong, “What a Wonderful World” this would be. It is so much simpler than it seems. If each person would take responsibility for him/herself, as regards listening, considering, learning, acquiring both knowledge and wisdom, debate and negotiation would be so much more fruitful. The reality is that none of this would ever be perfect, but if each person aimed at 100% and on average each person achieved 45%, the result can ONLY be a great deal better than things are now. I have various simple little philosophies – like for example, my Philosophy of Keeping (well, in this country), Left. If everyone, whether people walking in supermarket aisles, or people driving on the road, kept left (or in the relevant countries, right), in theory, nobody would be in anyone’s way (or have related vehicular accidents), and in practice, there would be a lot fewer cases of people being in anyone’s way (or having related vehicular accidents). It is just so easy to keep left in a supermarket aisle, yet so many people don’t. By implication, how many other “rules of the road” or other courtesy codes or laws do those people disobey? If they didn’t, it would make such a huge difference to so many people’s days/moods/situations/futures. The point I am trying to make is that even if the reason for keeping left is not altruistic, but even selfish, the benefits are great – and it is SO easy to do. I just don't understand why/how people can't/don't see that! I will stop rambling now, before I write a book! Owl |
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ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
I enjoyed your speculation Diana. The problem has always been co-operation and unity of purpose and that has to start from government level down through the masses. It's a big problem to address. Corruption among politicians and government officials is common. A report by European Union (EU) commissioner Anita Gradin in 1998 revealed that the cost of corruption within the EU during 1997 was estimated at 1.4 billion dollars. This involved everything from having parking tickets dismissed to fraudulently receiving agricultural or other EU subsidies. Large-scale money laundering and the smuggling of weapons and narcotics had been allowed, and EU employees had been bribed by criminal organizations to keep silent. The entire EU Commission resigned in 1999. However, it is not only those at the highest levels of society who cheat. A report from the EU Commission regarding illegal workers revealed that up to 16 percent of the EU’s gross national product consists of income from businesses that are not registered and that do not pay taxes. In Russia illegal income is reported to be up to 50 percent of the total. Furthermore, in the United States, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners stated that American companies lose well over 400 billion dollars annually because of employees stealing money or property from them. The Internet has been used by many pedophiles who seek to lure children and minors into illegal sex activities. Concern about child pornography on the Internet has been increasing, according to a spokesman in Sweden for Save the Children. In Norway in 1997, this organization received 1,883 tips about child pornography Web sites on the Internet. The next year the number of such tips skyrocketed to almost 5,000. Much of the material is produced in countries where governments or local authorities cannot control this despicable activity. The rebuilding of moral fiber is needed and it has to start at home yet the family unit is weakening more and more all the time. I really like your ideas Diana but putting them into practise is a challenge for a collective that I'm not so sure can be created. However, I appreciate your very intelligent and positive ideas. You certainly have a lot going for you. Eric oxymoron....Rap Music |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
I agree with you 100%, Eric about everything you said. I have also always said, that the beginning of the problem is and the beginning of fixing what can be fixed, should be, done in the home. If parents taught their children values, morals, self-discipline and what love really is, and taught them by example, a vast number of problems would be alleviated. I understand too, how practical, yet impractical my ideas are, based on the fickleness of human nature. The more I learn about people, the more I adore, appreciate and admire animals. I bond with them so easily and am never disappointed by them. However, I find so often, on saying exactly that, that I am surprised by meeting up with human earth angels (not just our Earth Angel, Linda) and find I have to eat my words - which I am delighted and humbled to do on those occasions. Owl |
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Spiros Zafiris Senior Member
since 2002-10-20
Posts 982Canada |
..Owl..>>this is a spectacular tribute; i read it earlier; should read it again, as soon as i do a posting or two..>>spiros |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you, Spiros. I am glad you feel that way. I live on a spectacular continent, in a spectacular country, and in a spectacular province - and one of these three festivals is in the northernmost corner of KwaZulu-Natal, the province in which I live, Durban being the city in which I live. Thank you very much for reading and re-reading my poem and enjoying it so much. Owl |
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