September 2021 to March 2022 (Elders Weaving in the Woods – Samhain to Equinox)
‘I’m just a visitor to this planet’, began Dean in our opening circle, before he invited us to say what we loved about being in this wood. It was some months since he was last here, working his magic with words, with his medical case with a protective lid so we couldn’t see the what was inside of it, but we knew it included some coloured paper, and some pens.
That’s the wheel barrow bird, said Dean to Roy – that’s the sound it makes, like a squeaky wheel on a barrow. Roy found the WD40 bird song alike. ‘And when the Wheel Barrow bird meets the WD40 bird, you never hear the Wheel Barrow bird again!’
We gave words of what the woods meant to us, Dean wrote them down, I didn’t, except a one. Standing like trees, doing chi Gong in the woods among the trees has strengthened this pose.
Then Bertie said what his father said to him as they stood in a wood: ‘Its your cathedral, boy’.
So Dean found his refrain.
We walked through the still bare wood, snow drops rising from ground of dead leaves, to the hornbeam area where Naomi led us in Chi Gong, an extra long session, filmed by Alex who came with Dean today, to capture some of Deans magic in the woods.
Here we drew – mostly the hornbeam – in charcoal or chatted and nattered.
Returning for tea and scones, we gave a word, or sometimes two or three or four to say the day before taking our leave (or leaf) of the woods, until next week.
Cathedral
Because it’s like being amongst friends
Because I feel more in tune with myself
Because the woods reminds us we are part of something bigger
Because the woods are a sanctuary for solitude and can also bring us together
Because this could be a Cathedral.
Because I like walking and listening
Because the trees have known a long life
Because I saw a Hazel bud flower for the first time yesterday
Because we stand like a tree and look up at the canopy
Because this is my Cathedral.
Because the woods give us an escape from the world
Because I love the giants of trees and the oxygen they give us
Because of the warmth of the people and the warmth of the fire
Because this is a Cathedral.
Because birds are everywhere
Because I love drawing trees
Because we’ve seen the seasons change
Because I am a dog and I like a good stick
Because this is your Cathedral.
Because the trees are not man made
Because the woods feel like they have always been here
Because a community has grown up with these trees
Because you can see the light through the Winter
Because my Dad, William, said it was my Cathedral, boy.
Welcome to our Cathedral.
Gathered by Dean Parkin, Community Poet and Spoken by The Elders’ Tribe, in Kali Woods on 10th February 2022.
Links:
Weaving Centre
About the Weaving Project
KE Consent Form
KE Information for Elders
First Weaving project 2020
Contact
info@kindaeducation.org.uk
rachelkellett@gmail.com
Dates
Sept 30 – Introductions
Oct 7 – Weaving and Dyeing
Oct 14 – Dyeing and conkers
Oct 21 – Dyeing and drawing
Oct 31 Samhain Sunday
Nov 4 Leaf letting go
Nov 11 EARTH
Nov 18 AIR
Nov 25 WATER
Dec 2 FIRE
Dec 9 WOOD (crafting
Dec 16 (Solstice)
Jan 6 Stories – story of an object
Jan 13 Stories – His-Herstory
Jan 20 Stories – Tree Stories
Jan 27 Stories – More Tree Stores
Feb 3 Stories – Pear Tree gathering
Feb 10 Stories – Words with Dean
Feb 17
Feb 24
Mar 7 (Equinox)
GET IN TOUCH
Shona, Kally and Rachel are keen for you to get in touch with us.
07920055888
Kinda Forest School 