A Proposal to Explore the Ecology of Southern Chile Through the Poetry of Pablo Neruda and Their Mutual Role in Local Environmental Action
Introduction
"The southern Andean forest is populated by huge trees set apart from one another; giant larches and mayten trees, as well as tepa and coniferous trees. The rauli trees have an amazing girth. I stopped to measure one. It had the diameter of a horse. The sky overhead can’t be seen. Below, leaves have fallen for centuries, forming a layer of humus the hoofs of the mounts sink down into. We were passing through one of primitive nature’s great cathedrals." -Pablo Neruda
The above passage is an observation made by Pablo Neruda, Chilean poet, in the oldgrowth forest of Southern Chile. It is initially analytical, the words of a researcher studying organisms of a forest ecosystem. It then slips into reflection, of the passage of time and of the cycles of life. Finally, it concludes in reverence, suggesting that the forest is a holy place, a structure to house the spirit.
Pablo Neruda did not relay his ecological observations to the people through scientific data, but primarily through poetry. With his words, he situates humans in the natural world to which we belong. He vividly illustrates our relationship to the planet through poetry. In this manner, I believe that Neruda has a tremendous ability to raise awareness of this connection and of our role in all ecosystemic levels-from those that exist within us, to those that exist because of us, to those that we destroy, to the global ecosystem that is our planet. According to Neruda himself, "Earth, people, and poetry are one and the same entity tied together by mysterious subterranean passages. When the earth blooms, the people breath freedom, the poets sing and show the way."
I, as an environmental scientist, also gather and reflect upon scientific phenomena in hopes of transforming them into a message that will educate the public of its relation to the environment. While I go about this method in a spirited manner, my ultimate hope is to infuse my lifelong projects with the spirit that is found in poetry.
Research Procedure
I plan to travel to Southern Chile, to Neruda’s habitats, and as an international visitor to the Senda Darwin Biological Station on Chiloe Island, to explore the connection between the poetry of Pablo Neruda, scientific observation, and community action. In collaboration with my Spanish professor, a Chilean native and talented poet, and the director of the Senda Darwin Biological Station, I have mapped an itinerary that will facilitate this goal.
I will arrive in Santiago, Chile in late December, during their summer. As suggested by my professor, I will spend my first week visiting Neruda’s homes in Santiago and Isla Negra, now national museums preserved by the Pablo Neruda Foundation. They are primary sources that provide a wealth of ways to understand Neruda’s physical connection to his country. The first house is entangled in vines amidst ancient trees and the second hugs the sea. They offer butterfly and seashell collections, paintings, and overgrown gardens and are situated in the ecosystems that cultivated Neruda’s poignant perception of the natural world. While in these areas, I will also interact with the local people to acquire an understanding of the effect that Pablo Neruda’s poetry has on their lives and their relation to the lands of Chile.
I will spend the remaining two and one-half weeks on Chiloe Island, just off the coast of Southern Chile. I have been invited as an international visitor to the Senda Darwin Biological Station. This organization, formerly known as the Institute of Ecological Research, is the central base for a variety of ecological endeavors in conjunction with the local inhabitants of the island of Chiloe. Their various projects, such as a native botanical garden, programs for smart land use, and an experiential learning program for local children, address issues such as biodiversity, ecological sustainability, indigenous knowledge, and environmental education. I will have the opportunity to observe and possibly engage in these efforts to benefit the ecological systems of the island.
I am particularly interested in studying the ways that Neruda’s native poetry can enrich the ecological education offered to the island inhabitants, especially the youth, in order to promote an understanding of their local ecosystems. In addition to the Senda Darwin outreach project, a supporter of a grassroots forest protection program, Defensores de Bosques Chilenos, has suggested I look into their environmental education program, a deep ecology lesson for kids, in a local Chiloe school.
I will be accompanied by various poetic works of Pablo Neruda. These will include "The Art of Birds", a literary and biological manual for endemic bird species, and "Still Another Day", an anthology of Southern Chileno people and the land around them. I will also carry, among others, "The Heights of Macchu Picchu", a work filled with images of earth, sea, air, seasonal cycles, ecological renewal, and trees, all entwined with the existence of mankind.
Background and Preparation
As mentioned above, I have been collaborating with my former Spanish professor, Ines Dolz-Blackbum, and with the director of Senda Darwin, Juan Armesto. In addition, I have been in contact with the head of the Environmental Science department at Colorado College, Howard Drossman.
I began my Spanish studies this summer, with both original versions and English translations of the poetry of Pablo Neruda. It immediately instilled a vivid image of the Chilean world and enhanced my relation to the local ecosystems-mountains, rivers, and deserts. First and second blocks, I engaged in a Spanish language course with Ines, and continued to explore Neruda’s poetry, which provided a way to surpass the boundaries of an introductory language course. Throughout the months during the class and since it has concluded, I have maintained contact with Ines, who has furnished me with documentaries and poetry related to my theme. I am also participating in the Spanish adjunct, in order to maintain my level of proficiency.
In addition to these Spanish courses, I have substantial academic preparation in environmental science relating to ecology, environmental sustainability, and human connections to the planet, including the following courses: Environmental Ethics, Vertebrate Biology, Energy and the Environment, Earth Systems, Environmental Policy, Analyzing Environmental Impact, and Sustainable Development.
I have conducted independent research in several of these courses, and have participated in an environmental and ecological education program in the Colorado Weminuche Wilderness through a summer program, Southwest Youth Corps. All of these experiences have proven to be invaluable in my academic experience and will contribute to my learning experience in Chile.
Benefits
Primarily, this project will help me realize the connection between spirit, science, and action. I have devoted myself to the environmental movement since elementary school. I have engaged myself in a rigorous academic pursuit to gain the tools necessary to create effective action. I have some grasp of the concept of the global effects of my actions, but I’ve not witnessed any other culture’s way of existing in the world, as I’ve not left North America or ventured beyond the strong influence of U.S. ways of life. This project would allow me to explore a collectively different way of being in the world and would broaden my perspective of environmentalism. I believe that it will stir my creativity—scientific creative and literary.
The connections that I will establish in my research will serve as a valuable network to which I may return in my future for further study.
My endeavor will benefit our Colorado College community as well. As the co-chair of EnAct, the campus environmental action group, I will gain insight and enthusiasm to relay to my group. I also plan to offer a campus-wide presentation of my venture. I have already received many signs of interest from a diverse group of people on campus, and I infer from this that my findings will have widespread appeal and relevance to this community. In addition, I have considered both the Leviathan and the Cipher as literary outlets for my experience and reflections.
Budget
Roundtrip airfare from NYC, NY to Santiago, Chile $562 (as quoted by TACA Airlines)
Roundtrip airfare from Denver to NYC $261 (United Airlines)
Passport Fee $85
Intranational travel in Chile (by bus and ferry) $100
Food (approximately $7 per day for 25 days) $175
Lodging (one-third of time in hostel, two-thirds camping) $100
TOTAL $1183
I am requesting a Venture Grant of $850. The difference will be accounted for by my own funds.