Natasha Perry-Love
For the Nature Folk children’s school My name is Natasha Perry-Love. I am from the year 1999. In 1999, the extent of climate change’s damage has become irreversible in some regions. I was born to Nature Folk; a people of peace and love that are highly spiritually connected with nature. Since learning about climate change and the Nature Folk who have come before me, I realized that we have the power to literally change the earth. I have connected with my ancestors through rituals and told them about my idea to reverse climate change and set the earth back to a healthier time. They told me that in order to get the most success and maintain it, non-Nature Folk would have to work with us to maintain the earth’s health. They said that there have been non-Nature Folk that have always been harming the earth whether they knew it or not. Therefore, moving forward, they would’ve needed to put their habits and dislikes against Nature Folk to the side. The ones that didn’t seek refuge with us or work with us would be living in a world that was unchanged because they weren’t changed themselves or willing to change. The Nature Folk are all over the globe and are completely integrated, though it took years to get here because of our appearance. We range widely in size, are darker in complexion, and large heads and facial features. Though integrated, we moved in silence in terms of our spiritual abilities. I have discovered from my research that the damages of climate change have been accumulating for over 100 years prior to my existence. The last year that I believe the earth could go back to in order to reverse the damage would be 1800 because that was right before the industrial revolution really took off around the world. After the industrial revolution, the earth began to get sick because of the pollution going into the air, ground, and water from factories and new technologies. Now in 1999, about 200 years later, the earth is near death in some area of the world. If this wasn’t
handled with care then, there could’ve been no earth tomorrow. Nature Folk have obliged with societies rules for too long. My guiding thoughts for this were how the Nature Folk are treated by non-Nature Folk in 1999 vs 1800 and the earth’s health before and after the technology was activated. I got answers by speaking with my ancestors the same way I had always been doing and also speaking with the Nature Folk around me. A question I wanted to explore was how scientists were working to aid climate change and what they would do if the earth clocked out. As part of the Nature Folk, the Earth provided all the tools I needed. I needed to mix of leaves from the Amazon, black soil from Zimbabwe, twine from New York State, and crystals from North Carolina: amethyst, rose quartz, and iron pyrite. I also needed to find an artifact from the year 1800, that was of significance to Nature Folk, to focus the healing energies of the technology. To find that item from 1800 took exploring different thrift and antique shops. All of these elements were combined in a Nature Folk ancestral ritual. After the materials were combined, I needed to travel to Jamaica to implement the spiritual technology. The tip of the northwest part of Jamaica, Negril, is closest to one of the deepest parts of the ocean, the Cayman trench. That area is believed to be the connection portal of earth’s health and has the most life. Therefore, the technology was placed in that part of the ocean. The technology, once immersed in the ocean, released its healing properties, reversing earth’s health back to the year 1800. The funding that I got for this proposal went to all of the traveling I did and the research I conducted along my journey. After the technology was implemented, I continued to analyze the effects it had on the earth and its people. I also reached out to the Nature Folk children’s school to get them to use my research as a resource to teach our kids. They need to know this information. They need to know about their people as well as the world around them and beyond them.
The spiritual technology elements
Leaves from the amazon were significant because the amazon produces about 10% of the world’s oxygen. Leaves from there were able to aid the earth’s healing in giving it the air and life needed to heal.
Black soil from Zimbabwe has cleansing properties and has the ability to irrigate crops such as sugar cane. This element was able to further clean the earth of the toxins that have been put in and on it.
Twine from New York city was important because the technology had elements from around the world because climate change effects the whole earth. The twine was a way to bind all the elements of the technology together.
The amethyst crystal was significant to use to make the spiritual technology because of its abilities to alleviate sadness, grief, stress and strain. It also has the ability to activate spiritual awareness which all has healing properties that the earth benefited from.
The rose quartz crystal was important to incorporate because of its ability to attract and keep love. The intangible aspect that keeps people and life tied is love and the earth needed some love to heal after feeling neglected for so long.
The iron pyrite crystal was significant to the spiritual technology because of its ability to derail any negative energy or physical harm that may come. After healing the earth needed protection as well. That is why this was an important crystal to include; to ensure that the earth wouldn’t be attracted and brought down again.
The artifact from the year 1800 was key because it focused the healing and protective energy to tell the earth to go back to a better time, 1800. The significance of this item, a spices box, is that this was used by many Nature Folk that cooked for many people. Nature Folk ancestors told me that they used this and spice boxes that looked similar, so it bought the element needed from 1800 and the connection to the Nature Folk as well.
Mood board- The Nature Folk
Interviews October 5, 2006. After the proposal was accepted. Mama King, 99 years old. She is the one everyone goes to for advice and is loved by everyone. Me: What was your first reaction to my plan on reversing the Earth’s damage? Mama King: “She really is sent”. I knew that you were being guided so I was happy to see yuh walk in yuh path and bigging up your people all the way. Me: Thank you Mama. Do you feel a difference, positive or negative, in energy on the island now that we are allowing non-Nature Folk to take refuge with us? Mama King: I do baby. Our ancestors have always told us they were trouble but some of us Nature Folk held on to hope that they all weren’t that bad. Our people have come together more, the island as a whole is much happier, and we truly are free. The Earth said so baby. Me: How would you describe the spirituality and ancestral connection that Nature Folk have? Mama King: That’s a great question baby. I would describe it as one which would be guided. Without our ancestors we don’t exist. They are the reason we are here and play key roles in how we carry ourselves and the rituals we do. Me: I understand. Can you describe the rituals that Nature Folk conduct?
Mama King: Child this is a lot of detail yuh a ask me for. *she chuckles to herself* Our rituals are sacred and powerful. They allow us to release negativity and loose bonds as a way to make room for positivity and strong bonds. Me: Thank you for doing this interview Mama, I’ll come by again later to say hello. Yim and Yam are 5-year-old twins. They attend Nature Folk children’s school. Me: Hello YY. Yim: Hi Tashi. Yam: Hi Tash Tash. Me: I want to ask y’all a few questions. How did y’all feel about school before they accepted my idea? Yam: It was okay. I liked outside time and reading and learning about the land. Yim: Yeah. I liked reading in class about our older people. Me: Do y’all think that my plan made school even better? Yim: I don’t know. Maybe because it’s new cool and cool stuff that we are learning but maybe not. Yam: Yeah, I don’t know either but I do like the school better now. I think the teachers and us look more happy. Me: Thank you YY. I’ll leave y’all to play now.
Fieldnotes Negril, Jamaica. October 6, 2003. 5pm. I’m sitting on top of a log under a big tree for shade. It’s pretty warm outside, but not too warm. I feel the breeze slowly blowing against my skin, moving my hair past my eyes. Hair keeps getting in my eyes. I hear Yim and yam, 5-year-old twins, skipping rocks and making jokes. The birds are chirping extra loud today. Maybe it’s because of the nice weather. I smell food being prepared. Smells like fish with rice and peas. Mama king said I can notice the smell of coconut from a mile away. She’s been in the kitchen for a few minutes and she’s already singing her tunes. “You are my queen, majestyyy.” She’s such a beautiful singer. She is the backbone of the Nature Folks values and beliefs. I’ve been feeling a slight tension on the island ever since the Nature Folk activated their spiritual technology. Some of them didn’t want to help non-Nature Folk. They didn’t think the Nature Folk should have reversed the damage in a way that would also benefit the non-Nature Folk. I should go ask Mama king about this tension and have her tell me what she thinks. Yeah, I'll go do that now. I walked towards the house, about 100 feet away. She was frying fish and singing with the biggest smile. I asked her if she could answer me why I feel a tension on the island. Her response was, “Child. Nature Folk be a stubborn group alright? Talk all day but nah wan fi listen. Yuh understand me? I want what is best for our people and others, if they give us credit for the work we’ve done and maintain the Earth’s health. That’s all. I believe some Nature Folk just feel like the non-Nature Folk aren’t going to keep the Earth healthy and don’t trust them. We got to have some faith in humanity right baby?” I said yes with a chuckle and walked out to let her finish up. I walked back out to the same log I was sitting on
before. The birds are either getting tired or moved further away because I don’t hear them as much anymore. I appreciate Mama King for giving me that insight. I haven’t thought about the tension in those ways before. I think the Nature Folk should have a large dinner to talk through anything their feelings towards one another for the decision and the feelings they have towards non-Nature Folk as well. I don’t know how well that would go based off what Mama King said but it might show them how silly they’re being by feeling ill towards each other and not talking it out. It is also silly because Nature Folk are a people of love and peace and human connection so not communication or expressing emotions and feelings contradict that. I can tell it’s getting late because Yim and Yam just stopped playing to head home. The sun is starting to go down so I should get going as well. Taking these field notes today has helped me to feel more connected with the island and everything going on around me. I paid closer attention to detail and was able to be one with nature. I felt a little like a stalker by just waiting a watching; writing down every and anything. However, it was overall quite peaceful and eye opening. I wouldn’t have questioned the tension or asked Mama King about the tension if I hadn’t taken time out of the day to take some field notes. I’ll comeback out tomorrow to interview people asking if they feel a tension and if they do, I'll ask what they think it’s from. Field notes will be very interesting tomorrow.
Spirituality and ecology The spirituality of my world and my people, the Nature Folk, is very strong. They are deeply connected to their past, their ancestors, nature, and the energies of living things as a whole. They believe in asking for guidance from guardian angels and doing rituals that engage their beings with those that came before them. They do believe in a higher power or energy source though they do not refer to this as God. It’s more of a common feeling of being protected and guided through life. This energy is talked about highly and is common belief among all of the Nature Folk. They do not use the term God because they think is a whitewashed term to mean “guiding energy.� The main thing they do is fire sacrificial practices. Once every few days, when the sun goes down, the Nature Folk gather around in a circle shape. They burn wood in the middle of the circle they have formed. To connect with their ancestors, the ones making a sacrifice that day will bring something that belonged to one of their ancestors as a way to inform them that the circle is open. They do not sacrifice living things but memories and things that no longer serve them. For example, if someone they interact with, mainly non-Nature Folk, gives them an item then betrays their trust, they will sacrifice that item to the fire as a symbol of letting go of the tie they had to that person. The sacrifice can also be something such as a feeling towards something that no longer serves them that they write down and burn. This is a way to release that negative energy and allow positive energy in. They are big on acceptance, selfreflection, and leaning on each other and energies to answer to their needs and questions. Whenever unsure of something, they let it be known to an elder and also reach out to ancestors. This is the way that they have functioned for years and plan on individually building a stronger
relationship with this guiding energy throughout their lifetimes. They believe that no being dies. The vessel that they are inhabiting does, however they continue to live on earth through memory and in the universe assisting with guiding their loved ones. Nature Folk, though integrated all over the world, reside mainly in Negril. The ecology here is ideal for their lifestyle and sacrifices. The land is fertile, the air is warm, and the weather isn’t very unpredictable like it is many other places. Negril is also on the boarder of the Cayman trench which is an important part of the ocean to the Nature Folk.
Conclusion The process to create this project was a rough one because I wasn’t ever sure if what I was doing was correct. I had many ideas but wasn’t sure how to make them flow properly. Even now that the project is done, I still don’t feel like it’s complete because I know that there’s still so much more I could think about and come up with. I am happy, though, that I completed this and learned about world building because it is never something that I’ve really thought about exploring. I am grateful that I got to go through the stress I did to come up with these results. I want to use this project as a starting point to do more world building exercises and projects. I learned that the world that I built is an alternate universe to the one that we are in now. I also learned that I’m quite interested in the concepts that can be explored through worldbuilding. I want to leave everyone with this; we are all already worldbuilders even if we aren't always aware of it.
Bibliography with annotations Godfrey, Phoebe, and Denise Torres. Systemic Crises of Global Climate Change: Intersections of Race, Class and Gender. Routledge, 2018. This book explores climate change in sections: chaos, air, earth, fir, and water. By using a mix of illustrations, quotes and research, the author has made a compelling compilation of arguments and views in relation to climate change. My project had a heavy focus on climate change and reversing its effects. This book was useful because it not only discussed climate change in ways I hadn’t seen but it also provided me with opposing view such as a quote that reads “[T]he old people laugh when they hear talk about the ‘desecration’ of the Earth. Because humankind, they know, is nothing in comparison to the earth. Blast it open, dig it up, or cook it with nuclear explosions: The Earth remains. Human desecrate only themselves. The Earth is inviolate.” (Leslie Marmon Silko (Laguna), 1989, p. 124.)
Shohet, Merav. “Everyday Sacrifice and Language Socialization in Vietnam: The Power of a Respect Particle.” 17 May 2013, anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aman.12004. This article provides insight into the rituals and practices that Vietnamese people practice. It provides pictures, real time analysis, and interviews to express the relationship that they as a people have with their ancestors. The article described the way that they prepare for rituals as well. “As
adults continued to enter the house to light incense for the ancestor and lend a hand in completing preparations for the feast they would soon consume, many stopped at the edge of the room where the elders were chatting, folded their right hand on their left one, curtsied slightly with their legs, and, like Mẹ Ngọc, greeted the elders with the appropriate kinship term (chào ông, bác, chú, or cậu) before making their way further into the house.” There is a hierarchy here that is similar to the Nature Folk where the elders and ancestors are viewed quite highly. This contributed to my project by giving me insight into how people in this world hold rituals and ceremonies that connect them with their ancestors and elders and show respect to them as well.
Hough, Walter. 1926. "Fire as an agent in human culture." Bulletin of the United States National Museum. i–xiv, 1-270, 4 figs, 41 pls. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.03629236.139.i This book covers fire in relation to human nature and history. It discusses the significance that fire has in human evolution and the way that it beats the other elements like air and water. It lists the history of fire and man to be: 1. man fireless, hypothetical stage 2. Man adopts fire 3. Man develops fire and himself 4. Man invents the firestick 5. Man inherits the earth. Though I don’t agree with all of the points and views from this book, it is a valuable source. This source was significant to my project because of the importance and necessity that fire is to the Nature Folk. They conduct their sacrifices with fire and see it as a very powerful and cleansing element.
Bellegarde-Smith, Patrick. Fragments of Bone Neo-African Religions in a New World. University of Illinois Press, 2005.
This book, in part, discusses religious beliefs and practices specifically in Ghana and Jamaica in the Akan communities. It explores the differences the group have in the two different countries but also the strong similarities. A similarity that is pointed out if the belief in ghosts or spirits. In Jamaica referred to as duppies and in Ghana referred to as mmoatia. Duppies can be menacing but can also be ancestors or loved ones that have passed on. Akan communities have a strong connection to their past loved ones and their ancestors. This is related to the Nature Folk because they too have a strong connection to their ancestors and use them to connect in ritual and practice like the Akan communities do.
Vannini, Phillip. Material Culture and Technology in Everyday Life: Ethnographic Approaches. Peter Lang, 2009. This book discusses tangible items that define or enhance culture. It includes a definition of material culture or modern material culture being a way to rediscover the significance of objects in terms of the role they play in economic exchange and cultural role. The book also draws together the commonalities between material culture studies and technology studies such as their strong effects on specific groups of people and history. This stood out to me because technology and objects can define a people or culture or at least have significance on it. With the Nature Folk and my world that tangible object was the spiritual technology that reversed climate change’s damage. The object defined the next steps not just for the culture of Nature Folk but for the culture of humans in genral. Without having implemented the technology, the earth would have continued to fall apart which in turn would mean humans doing so as well.