[Pil-pc-oceania] Freelance permaculturists???

[RussGrayson]

Hi Penny...

On 7/5/08 11:03 AM, "penny pyett" <pennypyett at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Russ and others,
> 
> What is a freelance permacultuaralist?
It's a collective term for permaculturists not a member of or aligned with
any formal organisation.

Examples would be:

- people using permaculture in their business that I know

- the Friends of the Earth Sydney permablitz crew

- people that have done a PDC or intro course and who retain some practice
of permculture in their lives and homes - I think there are quite a few of
these.

> Are they individuals who oppose group processes, dont want to be part of the
> decision making process for permaculture in their community?

I don't think they are that. I assume that they are either too busy to
participate in a group or have no intrest in collective activity.

> If these people dont want to be collectively involved in the building and
> decision making of the movement then why should we worry so much about them?

I don't think you do because if they are not interested in being part of a
group, then they probably are not so interested in making group decisions.

> Is there something special about these people Im not getting that
> they deserve special exemptions, rights and treatment to others?

Nothing special or deserving of different treatment as such. Some have
contributed to permaculture in different ways, including - in the case of
one that comes to mind - to the teaching or permaculture in this city. You
don't hear much of her anymore, but she was one of Rowe's first students and
was quite active. Then there's another whose garden was frequently visited
by permaculture courses and others.

My point was that permaculture is more than the efforts of those, like you
and me, who are happy being in groups. Into my mind tumbles a question asked
of me by Sue Mossman: "If there's all these people who have done PDCs in
this city, where are they?".
 
> Also, while we're at it, perhaps we could define what an "Elder" is? Is it
> defined on length of involvement in the movement? special knowledge?  someone
> who is really committed to the movement? and what special privileges should
> these people have?

Thee first I heard this term used consistently was in the lead up to APC9.
It was around before that, but for some reason it attained greater currency
at that time.

As for special privineges, I don't think whover the elders are would want
any. The idea is a bit alien to permaculture's egalitarian and democratic
spirit.

Actually identifying them would be difficult, as your list above suggests
Penny. Were they people who have - let's be arbitary here - been around
permaculture for 20 years or more, there are many of those no longer
visible. Like feral goats, they would have to be hunted down to be
identified. 

> Think we need to be careful we're not creating elitist or invisible structures
> here? Dont we?

I think there's an antidote to doing that built into permaculture's DNA.
People become prominent because of what they do, but that doesn't imply
status as such, it simply means that they are visible because of their
actions or roles.

And it also has to do with who is caught in the net cast by your network.
For instance, Peter Cummins, who led a session at APC9, may be less known
through Sydney networks than in those to the north of the state, yet he has
been around permaculture for quite a time and has done important things,
like the Jalanbah project with Robyn (he's a planner by trade). It depends
much on who slips through the holes in the net and who becomes entangled.

...Russ