A Seed Plot to Revive Nature In Canada the natural state is the forest. Outside the prairie and below the Arctic tundra, trees cover the land. When settlers come they cut the trees, poking a hole in the wilderness. Originally each cleared a field for food and fodder. When civilization fails, the house and buildings become derelict and the field grows up with trees; the forest fills itself in. The equilibrium returns and the land reverts to forest. In Asia the natural state is the village. Generations watch as kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall; life elevates itself from and reverts to the immemorial village. Given the antiquity of the continent, the equilibrium of people in primitive settlements should not surprise. Asia is not the New World, it is the Old, the very old. The village is peopled by the peasant. This term is not pejorative. It arises from the French paysan. This is in turn derived from the French word pays, meaning country. The word peasant ultimately has its origins from the Latin pagan: one who lives in the country. While the English word has not crept far from its classical location -- peasant means one who lives in the country and works on the land -- the Latin term pagan has other associations. As country people were among the last to convert to Christianity in the late Roman Empire and thereafter, pagan came to connote one outside the pale of the Christian religion, one who still worshipped the old polytheistic gods. So peasants people the villages. To be an environmentalist in Asia, it is arguable that it is not the forest or nature absent population that needs to be preserved, it is the structure of the village. A Millennium Afghan team is in the village of Qaraghojla in Northern Afghanistan. Seed is being distributed to help the villagers return to their way of agriculture. A way of life disrupted by 23 years of war. The seed will grow and the village and its people will try to regain equilibrium. James Clark ============================================================== (c) 2002 Millennium Relief & Development Services, vol. 2 no. 5 'Insight' is a publication of MRDS to interpret current events in light of the experience of members of our international network. 'Insight' archives and other information can be found on our website. 'Insight' may be freely copied with this citation. If you wish to be removed from this mailing list, simply reply and request to be removed. Millennium RDS, 5116 Bissonnet #358, Bellaire, TX 77401-4007 Tel: (713)961-5645 Fax: (713)961-5735 www.mrds.org <http://www.mrds.org> insight@mrds.org. ==============================================================