Avoid perils of new age colonialism

New Age Colonialism

I enjoyed Kate O’Connel’s letter in the Gazette questioning how you can spot someone with ‘Findhorn Foundation leanings’. I expect it probably is the henna’d hair and floaty clothes, as well as the hugging. Still, I look like that and I have no Findhorn Foundation leanings at all. Not me.

I also thoroughly respect the opposing view expressed by A. Shabbrook, about his distrust of New Age values.

There is something I have come to call New Age Colonialism: New Age culture is pretty much the same wherever it is found - whether in the USA, Germany, England, or other parts of Europe, it is recognisably the same. Planted somewhere, it appears not to notice the indigenous culture. Here in Moray we are part of a hundreds-of-years-old culture which holds a deep understanding of the area; the wildlife, farming, forestry and fishing, with it’s own vernacular architecture, having survived here through thick and thin (a lot of thin), with it’s own historically defined religious faith.

The Scots are quietly, politely and graciously hospitable but do not enjoy being told by incomers, (who often have urban roots) that they know better, are more spiritual, more community minded and more environmentally aware. (As if!) Understandably so, when you consider the history of English high-handedness in Scotland.

Before we speak in our confident foreign voices (and I include my English one), we might ask to learn about where we are, from those who know. Once all groups have shared their different expertise and understood each other’s beliefs, then we can apply for the grant funding together. Until then, I suspect there will be much grumbling.

Jo Darling

Forres

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