Community: a dynamic set of relationships in which a synergic, self-regulating, whole is created out of the combination of individual parts into a cohesive, identifiable, unified form.
On January 7, I had my first class in Sustainability and Community Relations at Royal Roads University. Little did I know that this class was going to change the way I looked at communities and how important they really are to a healthy, positive and fulfilling life.
I grew up in rural Alberta just outside the small town of Rocky Mountain House in a community called Arbutus (not the Vancouver Island Arbutus!) It had a typical prairie Alberta community hall, baseball diamond and spruce trees around the perimeter. What I enjoyed most was the hockey rink (Dad and I flooded it every winter). I remember going to the hall for Christmas and Halloween parties, sporting events, and even family reunions. The experiences I had will never be forgotten, and I owe it all to the community I grew up in.
But enough about me, let’s get back to what I learned in class! One of the most interesting things I took from class was the meaning of the word community. The word "community" has old roots, going back to the Indo-European base mei, meaning "change" or "exchange." Apparently this joined with another root, kom, meaning "with," to produce an Indo-European word kommein: shared by all. My professor also noted that the word “munis” means gifts or services. I think its great knowing what a word means before actually studying it further.
An exercise in class involved asking the class what community meant to each person. Some of the words that were said included: safe, participation, intergenerational, respect, belonging, identity, trust, purpose, commitment, values, skills, and developing young people. The first word I thought of was sharing because you can’t have a community without sharing place, stories, traditions, skills, funds, etc.
Another concept covered in class was “rightful place”. This refers to a claim/ownership/right to the land or area at which a group of people are living. It’s a wishy-washy kind of concept that is difficult for me to understand because I don’t really believe someone can “own” something. How do you define where and what this is? I guess you could say that one feels a “rightful place” after living in an area for a long period of time. After you’ve lived in an area, there is a feeling of caring and protection for that place. This is where sustainability comes into play. A First Nation lady once said:
“When are you white folks going to start living here like you planned on staying?”
As North Americans, most of us are living as if we’re not staying. We are lacking the respect for the environment our great ancestors once had. We are also losing the social clubs and organizations that once thrived just a few decades ago. By building great communities that are sustainably aware, we can preserve the community and the environment.
“The essence of community, its very heart and soul, is the non-monetary exchange of value; things we do and share because we care for others and for the good of the place… It arises from a deep, intuitive, often subconscious understanding that self-interest is inseparably connected with community interest.” -Dee Hock
References: http://books.google.ca/books?id=-27m10R_LlMC&lpg=PP1&dq=coming%20home%20community%20creativity%20and%20consciousness&pg=PA31#v=onepage&q=&f=false
