I know this title sounds a little crazy. What do you mean go back to the land? Do you not remember what happened to us on “the land”. We fought to get off the land and now you want to go back? You must be crazy. But just hear me out.
Ownership
Land is crucial for the transfer of wealth from generation to generation. Without it we can't build communities, businesses and most importantly food. Have you ever thought what type of situation we’d be in if the grocery store shut down or God forbid we were in some type of war that depleted our food system in the US? We talk about revolution and real change yet we don't own anything. For the most part we don't own enough business, we don't own enough schools and we don't own enough food. That’s why we must go back. It's a crucial piece of community and nation building that for most of us we currently have little to no power over.
Spirituality
There is such a power when it comes to us being active in the earth. I think history has shown us that we are a naturally spiritual people, and our connection to the land has to be apart of that. I love seeing our people get more involved in yoga, meditation and other holistic practices. Experiencing the earth is apart of that. Breathing in the land is super important for our overall well being on this earth. Especially the more distracts there are. I can’t tell you how beautiful it is to see the transformation in my 2nd grader students when I take them outside in the garden to explore. They really open up and become a lot more focused and engaged. It's almost like they're completely different people. Like an awaking of sorts.
Healing
Food is medicine, and always has been. It's only recently we've been given advancements in science based medicine used to heal us. Which by the way, most modern medicines are inspired in some way by the natural medicines of the earth. Most common diseases and health issues can be treated thru the power of plants in our diet. Not only that, I think we are still healing from from the traumas of slavery. Sometimes in healing you have to confront the thing that traumatizes you in the first place.Yes the land was used as a way to oppress us, but that doesn't mean it still has to. There's power in knowing that this country was built on the backs of our ancestors thru the land. That's where this nations wealth truly came from.
What I do know is that we can't continue to let other people write our narrative for us. If you want to be a gardener be a gardener. If you want to control your own health control you own health. And if you want to grow your own food, grow your own food.
