Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind

I just got a new tattoo - my 13th or 14th. All my tattoos have personal meaning to me and some also hold deep political meaning. This tattoo is still in development but the first part of it is an image of Nausicaa a character from the 1984 Miyazaki film, Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind. The film is an eco-feminist tale about a society that is at war with nature, and with other human settlements. In the film, there is a prophecy that a man will become a great leader and stop the war and pollution. (SPOILER) It turns out that the prophet is a girl - Nausicaa - and she ends the war of humans against nature and each other by showing how humans need to restore their relationship to the Earth. She helps people to see that what they thought was bad and harmful in nature was actually working to heal the toxins and pollution that hundreds of years of human war and pollution had caused.

This film is a fantasy/science fiction, made up by the great filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. However, it is a powerful allegory for our society. The first time I saw this film, I was struck by the deep eco-feminist ethics present in it. The second time I watched the film, I was struck at how the main ideas within permaculture permeated the film so beautifully. 

I believe that myths, legends, fables, and religious stories within all cultures and religions operate as powerful stories that teach us important lessons about how to live an ethical life and sometimes lead us to societal change, renewal, and/or restoration. They are not meant to be taken literally. In this sense, Nausicaa has important lessons to teach us about why and how we need to change and who we need to look to as leaders in that change. To me, it is one of the most deeply spiruatal stories I have encountered which is the impetus for getting the tattoo.

Nausicaa teaches that violence and exploitation against other humans and violence against nature are one and the same. We cannot have a peaceful society when we wage war against nature - destroying natural systems and killing biodiversity. We will not have an environmentally regenerate society if we continue to commit acts of violence towards each other - violence ranging from state vs state warfare to violence against oppressed people to violence against animals with whom we share our lives.  Any movement that does not oppose all violence and exploitation is not going to make substantial changes within our society.

In Nausicaa humans are fearful of the giant insects and never step foot in the toxic forests. However, she discovers that the forests are actually working to clean human-caused toxins out of the air, water, and soil. The giant insects defend the functioning of the forests so that the Earth can continue to support life. In our world, the animals and plants labeled as pests are, more often, important elements in restoring natural ecosystems. Many of the most hated weeds, for example, are actually working to repair soil damaged by humans. This is so close to the role of plants and insects in Nausicaa's world and it's obvious that Miysaki has deep and intimate knowledge of ecosystems.  Dandelions, stinging nettle, burdock, thistles, and plantain, are some of the weeds that are immensely helpful in restoring healthy soil and yet we try to eradicate them with highly toxic chemicals. All insects have an important role to play in ecosystem health (although some are more helpful than others perhaps) and yet we also blast them with toxic chemicals and utterly destroy the habitats that allows them to thrive. Not only are we destroying ecosystems and causing a potentially catastrophic mass extinction of species but we are directly harming ourselves: we are also part of nature and those killer chemicals also harm us and destabilize our ability to feed ourselves. 

One of the best aspects of Nausicaa is that although her society is waiting for a male prophet who will be their saviour, they find that their saviour is actually a young women.  We also routinely look to men as the legitamate leaders, especially men that are in positions of power. But, I believe that it is young women who will do much of the leading in the future. They will be fierce and furious because they are continuously underestimated, disrespected, and targets of violence and harassment. Don't get me wrong, I think there is a place for enlightened, pro-feminist men as well but I believe the next generation of activists will be lead by young women - especially young women of colour. 

The main lesson I take from Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind is that humans must restore our relationship to the Earth: we are meant to live co-operatively within nature and to develop societies that are based on co-operation, respect, and reverence. The role of those of us who, like Nausicaa, know that we need to drastically change our society is to do all we can to restore our relationship to Earth - and to each other - and to inspire other people to do the same. This includes opposing war and exploitation against other humans as well. Change is not only possible but it is inevitable and can result in the creation of a much better society in all respects. Our actions, although they seem small, may be the catalyst for the broader change we so urgently need to happen. 

I highly recommend watching this important, even prophetic, film and also reading This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein, which uses meticulous research to make similar points about our society and the urgent need for change. Then I recommend that you act, in some way, to help build a better society for all.