Lost water species: Remembering together

I have always felt relaxed near water and while being in the sun surrounded by unfamiliar smiles, water always gave me the sense of happiness. I didn’t care about my hair getting wet as I was laughing and serene.

My name is Saffy and I am currently studying sociology, geography and criminology in college and there are two things I love, dancing and animals; cats have always been by my side through the years. I have been with Global Generation since 2019 and I decided to stay involved since then because it’s really nice to be in a welcoming community and do things that widen my knowledge on the environment and different cultures while doing enjoyable things with my hands! During my time at Global Generation, I have been offered fantastic opportunities. One of my personal favourites is camping. I have camped twice because I loved being away from the chaos in the city, while meeting new friends. For me the Story Garden is truly amazing because it offers a green space within the inner city that has the effect of camping on me. It has provided a safe space where I can relax and it is something to look forward to during the week.  It is amazing how the Story Garden has built an impressive community that cares about the environment and gives beneficial opportunities for young people to contribute to the area. 

I remember during the second lockdown in 2020, we made cards, chutney and jam for some local elderly people at Christmas time and it felt really gratifying to give back, to be connected in a different way to others in need. I have recently become a fellow at Global Generation and it has given me a sense of responsibility. I feel this has been a milestone, going from being a young generator to a fellow. The project I am part of is called Voices of the Water. My personal understanding of this project is about how significant water is throughout our lives and what it means to us as individuals in our own culture and beliefs. I believe water is extremely important as we need it for survival; very often we are so busy that we take it for granted. This will be a great project for me because I want to know more and want to be more aware of water in my life and the life of the planet. 

On Tuesday 25th October, during half term, with other fellows and the younger ambassadors and generators, we gathered in the Story Garden in the oak circle, to immerse ourselves in a sort of an alternative Halloween and contribute to the Day of the Dead celebration taking place in the Story garden a few days later. We decided to create a sculpture using different natural materials to commemorate lost water species and celebrate the beauty of nature. The festival is an annual Mexican celebration and is a time where families gather to honour and remember deceased loved ones and it is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit. We, as fellows, wanted to offer another perspective to it. Abena told an African-Mexican story about someone who did not believe in the Day of the Dead and was proved wrong. The story reminded us that October was also Black History Month. Then we visited the St Pancras Church Yard to collect tree branches fallen on the ground to create a small version of a tree. The tree of Lost voices, the voices of the species gone forever. 

I went to St Pancras as a participant of Voices of the Earth Summer school a couple of years ago. We performed there and heard different stories about the wonderful Hardy Tree. The churchyard has meant something to me since that summer and coming back was like returning to a place of reflection and mindfulness. Collecting branches from a burial ground was also symbolic as what we were creating was a way to connect death with life. Plus, the churchyard is another green space near the Story garden. That day Chaneti cooked an African Mexican-style lunch with enchiladas, refried beans, salsa, guacamole, corn and plantain, it was delicious! After that we started to wrap coloured wool around our branches in inspiration with the colours of the Day of the Dead. It was so calming and relaxing for everyone. A little while later we painted pebbles with colours and patterns inspired by Mexico. It was really enjoyable to look at everyone’s individual pieces they had created and put together into one collective and beautiful piece of artwork! Reflecting on lost water species was eye opening for me how vital it is to look after our species and conserve biodiversity. Through the loss of nature we learn that we need to look after what we got. I believe it is sad how we take advantage of the nature around us and neglect it and we should do much more to conserve our biodiversity. For example, Bees are at risk of extinction largely due to human activities.. But why? If we know that bees play a major role in pollination and growing these plants and flowers that we adore, I don’t see why we do things that can cause a key species to become extinct. Personally, I try to make a difference by doing a range of things; such as, recycling, second hand shopping (it can be really fun) , conserving and not wasting water, minimising my plastic use and even buying organic honey.. In my opinion, even making small changes to your lifestyle can make a huge difference to our impact. 

I hope that the 3000+ visitors who walked through the gate on Saturday 29th October enjoyed our tree of lost voices and stopped for a while to pray for the water species that were once part of our planet. As a Voices of the water fellow, I feel this is part of my role. I would like people to realise there is so much to be discovered and protected and that water connects us all in one way or another. 

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Notes from the Garden