The The conclusion of One Land could not have come at a more poignant time in our lives. The messages that emerges from this short “experiment” illustrate what is lacking in the world today and the importance we place on things that are fragile and dispensable. And the need to reignite our relationships with people, even within our own family, and our natural survival skills is reflected directly into the events of HAITI.
The families of ONE LAND have been fortunate enough to experience the real importance of relationships when there is no distractive influences such as televisions, phones, ipods, stereos, nightclubs, the need to go to a work place. These things can be taken away from you in an instant as clearly illustrated in the HAITI disaster. Then what? The significance of relationships with others and your survival skills becomes paramount. In times of disaster, your usefulness will be determined by what you are able to bring to the table in terms of survival. If you take a second to really reflect on this and its implications I am sure many of you will be reaching for a gardening or first aid book. Your flash car, your diamond encrusted cell phone, your Armani suites, your degree in Marketing, will mean absolutely …. NOTHING.
Do you think HAITIAN people would be in such turmoil if they had natural survival skills?? It is sad that they are reliant on the investitures of government and services that are clearly inadequate to serve their needs. Let me just say, we would be no better off in the same circumstances. The closest major hospital to me is an hours drive away. Without modern transport this journey would be near impossible if I had to carry my four year old who might have a broken leg and a fever. What about you? Where would you go for medical treatment if a disaster happened in an hours time? And are you even sure that this facility will be able to serve your needs once you get there??
ONE LAND demonstrates the skills required to survive when services and infrastructure fail. The need for each other and the bartering of skills to trade with are going to become key to your survival. My advice. Everyone should experience a ONE LAND situation for a week to see what it is you lack to survive in a world where you may no longer be able to communicate with the other side of the globe at the touch of a finger. Go bush. Rough it. Skin colour, culture and wealth will mean very little in times of devastation. We like to hide in our little houses and pretend we don’t need anyone because hey..we’ve got SKY! It’s not true. We need each other. ONE LAND and the HAITI DISASTER bring us this message. Let’s listen.