The Raouché:
Also known as: Pigeon Rock
Location: Beirut, Lebanon.
A well known tourist attraction and historical site.
A representation of my culture and my ancestor’s homeland.
Williams’ bedrock of democracy (from Terry Tempest Williams’ Homework):
“Each of these places, home work is required.
Participation of the public.
To make sure all is not lost.
While we progress.” (Williams, 19)
AKA a civil duty.
The Raouché is a rock formation that was created from an earthquake. It is a must-see whenever one visits Lebanon. It makes for great photos and scenery. It is located off the shore, in front of 5-star hotels and restaurants. The area is also known to be heavily populated by Muslim woman that read fortunes for money. It is to be expected that one will be approached multiple times for palm readings. Many unattended children also populate the area begging for money. Pigeon Rock, along with the demographic, is a staple for that area of Lebanon and would be a shame to no longer be have available. But, due to the salt water, polluted area of water, and amount of human traffic, the rock has started to erode. Having nice things requires upkeep. Being a public landmark, people assume they hold no responsibility of their actions/littering and the upkeep of said rock. That is not the case. Humans should be conscious of their human foot print and how it effects the world around them. Landmarks are things we hope to share with generations to come and unfortunately, no one realizes that their care of things matters. That could be: throwing one’s trash in a can, tending to areas that are heavily trafficked, and/or keeping bodies of water clean. This would save land, landmarks, and wildlife.
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Kingsolver suggests that we need wildness.
I COMPLETELY AGREE.
Humans are a species. They are wild and have gotten more and more domesticated throughout the years.
“Caveman” to 2020… big difference.. no?
Yet, we will always have that urge to be “FREE”.
To crave the outdoors and be one with our mother .. EARTH.
I do believe that we use, “one with our ROOTS”, for a reason.
Because:
We should be grounded.
We should be one with the world around us.
We should be our own trees/life source.
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City Dwellers *NOT EXCLUDED*
The universe is beating around you.
Do you know what artery is beating at any given time in your heart?
No but you’re just sure it’s beating (happy to hear).
Same with the world around us.
We are all in this world and a part of it’s system.
You may live in a more clogged part of an artery but it is an artery, nonetheless.
Ground yourself, even in the concrete, and grow.
Flourish.
And make sure the world around you is a little better, a little cleaner, and a little more unique.
Whether because you’re in it or because you are “watering” your surroundings.
There is no job too small. And neither are you. YOUR fingerprint is always unique and so are you.
Always leave a fingerprint on this earth and try to make it your thumb.. KEEP IT GREEN 😉
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From the comfort of my throne (my bed),
Princess Joelle
Hey Joelle
I have never heard of Raouché prior to reading your blog. While reading I felt as though I was there within the busy street with children running around me while trying to politely refuse a palm reading. I agree with you that often times landmarks are viewed as being eternal pieces of our world that could never be destroyed, however in all reality these landmarks are constantly in danger due to our negligence. Within Williams’ reading he describes the deep ties the Navajo elders and children alike felt towards the land due to their practice of oral tradition, “the stories they told animated the country, made the landscape palpable and the people accountable to the health of the land” (Williams 4). Personally, I believe the love for ones land comes from a connection to our roots without this it is easy to simple see the earth as our property. As I read I began to wondered how often the individuals working/ begging for money near Raouché actually spoke of its history or gazed at its beauty? A reason for the lack of connection felt between us and nature can be found within Bell Hooks essay “Touching the Earth” in which the author describes the negative affects of industrial capitalism, “it altered the communal practices that were so central to survival… folks wanted… limited access to the spheres of economic power” (Hooks 366). From reading your description it seems as though the citizens living within this particular region of Lebanon have fallen victim to this economic need in order to survive rather than turning to their ancestral roots which provided a “space to grow food, to commune with nature, or to mediate the starkness of poverty.” I was also wondering what this rock formation means to you, especially after listening to your explanation in class of how growing up Lebanese within the U.S. could feel quit isolating at times.
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