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Seven Trees and Convivial Life in Endelevu

by Sjoerd Kluiving
Recently, seven trees were standing in front of a house in Endelevu (Swahili for sustainability). Life was good and well balanced for all animal and plant life. Even the birds, butterflies and bats really enjoyed all the green leaves, had great dinners and parties with lots of other animals, while the plants and trees were nodding and waving their branches to each other.

In fact the singing bird, named Rica, who was clearly most often heard, was having a birthday party today for all family and friends at the oldest tree. Rica, clearly a shining star with multi-colored feathers, was well prepared. Nice flower decorations and small leaves and branches were turned into party snacks. So when the party was ongoing and everyone had a great time, a dark cloud appeared in the sky. It darkened the sun so that the lights were low and animal party guests and even the old tree were shivering from fear. Rica suddenly stopped singing.  

A man in black clothes pro-claimed from a pamphlet that he was staging on the tree: “this tree and the six others around it will be completely beheaded, cut down and will end up in the shredder, because they are standing in the way of the house and are disturbing ongoing human life! The downwarping of all seven trees will start tomorrow, as soon as it becomes light.” But why so? ‘ were weeping  the trees and the birds, the butterflies and the bats? “You can appeal at the high court of Endelevu if you think your rights have been violated”’ was the last thing the man in black clothes said while he quickly ran away hiding in the house. The sun was setting and darkness fell over the seven trees and all life within it. 

All the animals and plants came together that night and had a lively chat about the bad habits of the inhabitants as apparent guardians of Endelevu. How many years had they witnessed the mowing and cutting of trees, the killing of their relatives, without prior warning? They even had multiple agreements with the inhabitants of the house to respect each other. But the latest proclamation fitted in a long-term destructive attitude of the guardians of Endelevu against their Nature, they had in common, despite the promises they made in earlier agreements. The meeting lasted until far after midnight when all birds, butterflies and bats and all the other animals disappeared between the receding and waving goodbye. Even Rica, who had almost forgotten that she had a birthday party, went to sleep with a relaxing smile on her beautiful feathered face. 

When the morning appeared and the first, faint beams of indirect sunlight faded the dark night colors away, it appeared that the man in black had returned with a group of six men who were holding up three chain saws that could be used remotely. While the first group started to put the chain saw in the first tree, an enormous sound emerged, while all seven men were blinded by a wave of branches, leaves as well as birds, butterflies and bats. The seven men stood back and looked before them in astonishment, while all their friends, beloved ones and children came standing next to them. The birds, who have been making noise before were silent, the butterflies were now joyfully making a colored spectrum in the morning light and the bats were hanging invisibly now in the deepest part of trees, as well as below the roof gutter of the house. The trees, plants and flowers were blooming in diversity and bending and hanging over the house. The environment looked very stable, integrated and happy as it was forever. Rica, the multi-colored singing bird, sang the last famous words: ‘To all animals, plants and trees and humans that are living in Endelevu: we are driven towards collaboration, interconnectedness, and interdependency as we try supplement our desire to fulfill our endless possibilities through conviviality’. 

Sjoerd Kluiving is an associate professor in geoarchaeology and Anthropocene studies at VU Amsterdam and First Distinguished Fellow of the Anthropocene. He studies the deep history of landscapes, human-nature relations and transitions into a sustainable society. 

How many years had they witnessed the mowing and cutting of trees, the killing of their relatives, without prior warning?

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