"It is Said"

Imagine a world where humans live in complete harmony with the Earth. Has such a profound stewardship ever existed? After examining the writings and ancient behaviors of indigenous cultures, the answer is a resounding yes! Yet, we have moved far from the subtle understandings that were once a part of every day life. This artwork and accompanying text was created by Jay Jocham in concern for the environmental direction humans are taking our planet.

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A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford

to let alone.                      -HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Can we relearn the lessons of stewardship from those who came before us? Clearly, we have the ability, but, presently, we lack the will. Just as endangered creatures like the Humpback Whale make remarkable comebacks from the brink of extinction, there are hundreds of species that disappear quietly without any apparent regard for their beauty or worth. The father of modern-day conservationists, Aldo Leopold wrote, “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” Our “civilized” world needs to regain the vision to coexist with the natural world. That would mean adopting an older and wiser, more profound way of thinking.

Art by Jay Jocham

[looseanimals-blog]

Our Mother, the Earth, weaves for us a bright garment with the white light of morning and the red light of evening. The fringes are the falling rain and the border is the standing rainbow.

Our Mother, weaves us a garment of brightness so that we may walk fittingly where the birds sing.                --Based on Pueblo Song

Native American artwork suggests a large spiritual universe that gives meaning to ordinary life. One of the great Navajo arts is blanket making. The Navajo believe that human beings should not dominate the earth, they must achieve balance by living in harmony with their surroundings. The desert tortoise lives in extreme conditions in southwest North America. The number of desert tortoises has decreased by as much as 90% due primarily to human activity.

Art by Jay Jocham

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"Earth is our mother Eagle is our cousin Tree, he is pumping our blood. As we appear separate, We are all one." --BASED ON ABORIGINAL BELIEF Aborigines are the original people of Australia and have lived there for thousands of years. Known as the oldest belief system on the planet, Dreamtime is a simple concept that explains the cohesion of all living things. Aborigines see all things as a part of them and have learned to use the earth’s bountiful gifts without depleting them. Aboriginal painting is alive with creatures. The act of painting animals ensures that the creatures will always be available for the people. Art by Jay Jocham

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We all travel together on this world like water flowing in one direction. --Hawaiian Proverb Hawaiians are spiritual people and consider themselves as the Kahu o ka’aina (stewards of the land). They believe in the preserving balance with a healthy earth. The Hawaiian alii wore beautiful capes and headdresses woven with thousands of tiny feathers. It was the job of the skillful and highly-respected bird-cathcher to lure birds in by imitating their song, capturing their prey unharmed, separating them from a few precious feathers, and then setting them free. Most desired were the red and yellow feathers from the mamo, a honeycreeper which fed on the nectar of the lobelia. The intoduction of invasive species in Hawaii has been disastrous. Snakes and domestic animals have preyed heavily on the original plants and birds that have never before known a preditor. The mamo has not been seen in 100 years.

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White crane dancing slow

great wings lift gently skyward 

and float back to earth.

A lovely young girl

an answer to a prayer

bears a priceless gift.

Weaver’s gentle touch

changes her feathers to silk

outshining the moon.

Price of unmasking 

the child again becomes crane, 

flying to heaven.

-Haiku based on Japanese folk tale “The Crane Wife”

In ancient Japanese legends, the crane is a symbol of peace and longevity. The Japanese express the grace and beauty of the crane in poetry, song, and art. According to another legend, a wish would be granted to any person who folded a thousand paper cranes. The Red-crowned Crane (sometimes called Japanese Crane) was considered extinct before a surviving population of 24 birds was found in 1923. It has now become a symbol in Japan of environmental protection.

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"When we are in the forest and hear the sounds, like the hornbill and the monkeys, when we hear them eating fruit, these sounds make us happy.

We are always happy, for there is clear water, and the forest is always a delight to us. And here, even when it rains and it is cold, we are still happy."

--LEJENG KUSIN, PENAN

The Penan are dependent on the Borneo rainforest for every aspect of their lives. They follow animals that live on the fruits of the trees of the rainforest. The trees depend on the animals to disperse their seeds. The Penan do not cut down the trees or kill too many animals, for to destroy one would mean the decline of the other. The world’s largest butterfly, the Birdwing Butterfly, also depends on the undisturbed fruits of the rainforest; and in return, serve as pollinators and herbivores influencing plant evolution.

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The forests are alive. The knowledge is saved for you who have lost the understanding.    -BASED ON THE STATEMENTS OF A KAYAPO ELDER

To many forest dwelling peoples, the rain forest is a sacred place. Over centuries, they have acquired valuable knowledge which allows them to live in harmony with their environment. The brightly colored skin of a Poison-Arrow Frog signals to others that its coat is deadly poisonous. One small frog can supply enough toxin for 50 blowgun darts or poison-tipped arrows. A hunter will rub his darts on the skin of a frog to transfer the toxic secretions to weapons which will be used to gather birds and animals for food. Afterwards the frog can be released into the jungle where it can create new poison.

Art by Jay Jocham

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"Life is the flash of a firefly in the night. 

It is the breath of the buffalo in the wintertime. 

It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset."  

-BASED ON THE WRITINGS OF CROWFOOT

The estimated population of Bison americanusnumbered over 8 million animals in 1870. After 30 years of relentless hunting by newcomers to the West, the bison were reduced to fewer than 500 animals before the herd was protected. Prior to the devastating loss of those herds, many tribes followed game over the Great Plains, living as nomads and sleeping in movable lodges. These Native Americans lived simply and depended upon the bison for their very life. Never has a human culture been intertwined so deeply with a single animal. The near-elimination of the bison herds forever changed the Plains culture. 

Art by Jay Jocham

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There is only one great thing. The only thing: To live to see the Great day that dawns, and the Light that fills the world.  - BASED ON INUIT SONG

The Inuit endure many hardships while living upon a cold land at the top of the world. Animals are crucial to their survival since they provide materials to make boats, tools and clothing; oil for heat and cooking; and food to eat. The Inuit are also skilled artists who decorate their belongings with intricate carvings. The Inuit believe that every living thing has a spirit, or inua; and so their carvings honor real animals whose spirits have helped their people survive.

Art by Jay Jocham

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"The Earth is Mother of all living things. Since all beings have the same mother, we are all brothers and sisters."  - BASED ON BUDDHIST TEACHINGS

Buddhism is based on living a peaceful and meaningful life. Buddhists believe that protecting life is harmonious because the earth sustains each and every living thing. Between the long-continued demand for powdered rhino horn and the steady clearing of land, the Indian rhinoceros has declined heavily in numbers. Currently, most Indian rhinos exist only in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries.

Art by Jay Jocham

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"Every part of the earth is sacred,

every singing bird, humming insect,

and shining pine needle.

We are a part of the Earth and it is part of us." - BASED ON THE WRITINGS OF CHIEF SEATTLE

A Douglas fir tree can grow as high as a 30-story building and live for more than 1,000 years. The Haida depended on the giant trees for their houses, canoes, and their elaborately carved poles called totems. Such totems portrayed animals that represented family history or clan from which families believed they were decended. The Marbled Murrelet also depends on ancient trees for their survival. Nesting in the tallest firs far from their ocean home, the secretive murrelet was only recently discovered as a seasonal forest dweller. A multitude of animals and plants are linked to old growth forests. As these forests disappear, so does the wildlife that give old forests their richness.

Art by Jay Jocham

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"Graceful rare crane

leaping, struting and prancing,

feathers glowing white.

Teaching people to dance with the sun,

and always, with the dragonflies."  - BASED ON NATIVE AMERICAN SONG

The north country abounds in wildlife, and the Menominee People provided for themselves from the forests with little harm to the land that surrounded them. A sophisticated native culture of story and dance, the Menominee have preserved their heritage and their land for many generations. Whooping Cranes are one of the rarest birds on earth. Once dwindling to just 16 birds, they presently number 300 birds in the wild. Whooping Cranes face each other, spread their wings wide and turn in a slow circular display. One native story tells how cranes first taught people to dance. When the Menominee dance, they become closer to the power of the natural world and to their beloved cranes, which are now returning to the wetlands of Wisconsin.

Art by Jay Jocham

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"Cutting down trees and killing animals as you please,

will surely cut short your own life."  - BASED ON A MAYAN ADAGE

One of the most spectular birds in the world, the Resplendent Quetzal was considered sacred by the Maya. Its plumes, plucked from live birds, were worn by high nobility, and anyone who harmed the regal bird faced severe punishment. The Quetzal lives at high elevations in the Central American cloud forests. Since fragile interrelationships exist between plants and animals of the rainforest, any disturbance in the ecological cycle can leave long-lasting consequences.

Even today, no one knows how many Quetzal live in the rainforest.

Art by Jay Jocham