AMbush at Occupy COP17. we need peace and love.

AMbush team WayWordSun and Liliana Transplanter activating the Occupy space at COP17 with volunteers from LoveLife and others bringing song and love for plants to this space needing real interventions. With pure love and collaborative energy a heart and peace shaped garden was created. It was pure joy to see the combined energy form this. Thank you to the Occupy Durban team, and the volunteers, interested passer-bys and those who desire positive solutions to the general disrespect we see in these global negotiations. We are powerful. we can do. Lets.

This intervention is symbolic of food production and food security in a changing climate, which has particular importance to Africa. Here we have various indigenous fruit trees- the Kei Apple, the Wild Plum and the Marula. as well as some special local medicines (Aloe arborescens) and Spekboom, known for its ability to absorb high amounts of Carbon from the atmosphere. The heart was filled with tomato seedlings, many of which were just starting to bear fruit. Food for everyone! bringing food production to the city. and the peace sign is filled with Marogo/imifino/Amarinth- an indigenous leafy vegetable. 

Thanda Izihlahla!

we do not believe in waste!

Make useful. 

There is no waste. 

Only in our minds. 

we create uselessness. 

so we can usefulness. 

Everything has value. 
You just to need to believe it. 

to care for the good of all spiritorganisms even when we sleep in consumerist gratifixations.un attach yourself from ego now

rafs and sun in piraks pretoria tshwane waterin the plants . full care and full love there are no thoughts at this moment just a drinking session for the plants ,the plyers is for opening the tap ;the dustbins carry water to and from the plants to the tap .water has been a challenge on this climate train and the use thereof . we have also been challenged by the carbon footprint we carry on this solutions seekin manifestation. of intent to do good with and in relation to the natural. La Continua Naturalia .

From Trash to Treasure.

in pretoria/tshwane where we were blessed with a sangoma susana who took a medicinal plant in exchange for a promise to love and water the garden.

Walking into Nasrec Train Station I knew this stop was gonna rock. We created growing forest in this station.These trees have come on long journeys with the train. and now they live and breathe and create peace within the crowds. We had lots of trees. and lots of tomatoes donated by Peebles Plants. Yay :) planting, drawing, expressing, sharing.

 

The whole family(Ambush, Green Beings, our family in close by areas, COPART, Indalo Yethu, Individual energies) together in the middle of an odd triangular intersection in Diepkloof, Zone, Soweto.  Caught in the middle of AMbushing a  performance space which we founded perfectly formed, just in need of some serious maintenance. But the team was here, full force, and well armed to take on this space.

With the help the lovely Mama in one of the houses in the right view, and her super sweet kids, as well as the guys from the carwash next door, we got many discarded tyres, available water, and a family for the plants.

 

 

 

 

Love Mother Earth. That is all we want.

AMbush the Jozi Skyline

AMbush the City skyline. In Jozi. Twisted Gypsy party on the rooftop.

Mu-isitylo.  Combing all forms of creativity. Mused by plants. Muse-ic.

We are the Creation. We are the Creator. 

Kanana Loxion Klerksdorp.

We were so blessed to meet these performers, community engagers, environmental-art educators from one of the local areas at the train station, and decided it would be perfect to go and plant in eKasi, Kanana. When we arrived we found they were really active people, working in a community art centre in the area. and even better,   On arrival we found the vegetable garden that these guys from Abogasi have made in a shape of a heart! too perfect. 

Supporting, and learning from one another. the perfect space for an AMbush.

 But just outide we decided to clean up the space which had free Asbestos flying around... oh no no no....  

After the AMbush.

Make Beautiful.

S'blomile Nje.

Kealeboge Abogasi. You guys are just wonderful!!! and it was such a blessing to have met you and be able to contribute. You are doing amazing work! and I hope we only gave you energy to continue. You did that for us.

and of course, Kealeboge Me Lefatsi.

allow us to trim ourselves
keep your sharp shiny scissors
hidden in your serving pride
makeaway for the seasons
to ride in with usual ceremony
the vitality of our shedding
lit the light that flows
through us , glows us
grows us ,plus makes us
beauty fully
aware
s'ya bloma
om
QAMATA

 WayWordSun

growing everyhere. everyhow. SiyaBloma

 Planting creative energy of possibility. 

Train station. Klerksdorp.

Thank you for everything that is YES

i thank You God for most this amazing day

i thank You God for most this amazing

day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,

and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth

day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay

great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing

breathing any--lifted from the no

of all nothing--human merely being

doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and

now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e.e. cummings

posing for a klerksdorp local newspaper.
always enjoying a little performative moment. yes yes.

Klerksdorp 1

Planting around the Stasie...

and a bit further from the station

(photo by Dylan McGarry from the COPART team)

And if you interested in what and why we planting these plants here's  a little description...

Imphepho (helichrysum spp)- medicinal and spirtual plant. Cleansing.

Pink Joy (Crassula spp)- pretty pink flower. medicinal.

Vygies (Delospermum spp)- pretty flower. thought to bring good luck.

Sour Fig (Carpobrotus edulis)- edible fruit. pretty flower. medicinal. often used to heal sore throat.



(photo by Dylan McGarry from the COPART team)

Creative Communication

Communication is a concept I am so drawn to.

I have and am seeking how to find ways to communicate and create dialogue amongst eachother. How can we try to gain understanding of the meanings we try to portray.

Art is a powerful method of creating dialogue.

Changing perceptions, preconceptions and behaviour through reflection and reimagining.

We can talk to each other, without our words. They are misleading.

We can listen to each other without our ears. They are not without their own thoughts and ability to rearrange and distort.

Listen without your ears, express without your words.

Create. Naturally.

Si BLOMile Nje

Many of you may not be aware of the term SiBlomile Nje.

If you are, you would understand how wonderfully perfect this phrase is to capture the ways we work within Ambush Gardening Collective.

The term is street taal meaning basically ‘Chilling’

Used like…

NgiBlomile – Im chilled (past tense)

Ngiyabloma- Im chilling (present tense)

Si is the prefix for we… we learning some isiZulu on the way …

This is very important actually since the essence of Ambush is that of cultural exchange, and more emersion and learning from one another actively.

The term is a mixture of Afrikaans (Blom = Flower) and isiZulu (I, We, present or past tense)

So quite naturally this term, commonly used throughout urban SA, describes how we actually are Flowering and growing, and together we can just grow so much more.

Si BLOMile Nje

Cape Town- Worcester- De Aar- Kimberley 3

Photos taken by Elizabeth Fletcher from the COPART team

I AMbush.

re-imagining our urban lived environments.

We can re-create, re-design.

but all of us need to involved in changing our understanding of development.

everything is useful.

your knowlede is useful.

lets bring everything we have and make beautiful, together. Sesonke.

Cape Town-Worcester-De Aar- Kimberley 2

 

Appreciation of the beauty. Humbleness to its greatness. Love for each other. Mother Earth does not know to disrespect. She only gives.

 

AMbush.  Make Beautiful. SiBLOMile Nje.

Cape Town- Worcester- De Aar- Kimberley

 

Experiential learning. 

We started by creating a forest in the one Carridge, which has been since used for showing documentaries, and having educative sessions around Climate Change.  All the plants are indigenous, and were chosen due to their various ecological importance, and cultural uses, and also being suitable to the low-sun conditions in the train. 

This carridge actually breathes. 

It feels completely different to the rest of the train. and if nobody learnt anything then at least they wouldve felt something by the fresher, cooler, wetter, earthier space created in this room.

 One of the team. WayWordSun. As his name indicates, his light really is felt at all levels of this action artwork creative evolution. He AMbush. Cape Town station. beginning.

 

 

All Aboard the Climate Train

So now... after re-blogging those past events we can get to the NOW.

THE CLIMATE TRAIN!!!!!

This has been one of the most amazing opportunities to do some serious Trans-Planting across of diverse and magical country.  If nobody knows about the Climate Train, I would like to give a little introduction to the train, the people, the concept, and the actions.

As part of the COPART team AMbush Gardening Collective, as well as some of the other wonderful creative eco-artists and social change makers are on board spreading messages on Climate Change, and inviting participants to be a part of re-imaging our relationship with the planet and all of Mother Earths gifts she has given us to live. what blessings. more than we can even imagine!

we are working with Indalo Yethu (Our Nature), an environmental agency formed after the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Joburg in 2002 (who knows anything about that ??? ). well... they were pretty much the only thing that came out of that International Summit, the 2nd one after the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 which began the process of trying to come to international agreements on global environmental problems etc (and where Kyoto discussions began).

And now here we are, nearly in 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol made by the UNFCCC, ratified in 2005 (I think it was COP6 I might be mistaken), officially comes to an end. COP17,  is now in South Africa. and will be taken place in Durban at the end of 2011. This is the 2nd last opportunity for any decision for a post-Kyoto treaty. and well... I dont think anyone is too ambitious about what will come out of this conference.  All we can hope is that nations, and particular those in the developing world maintain their integrity and continue to fight for climate justice in the face of this great political and economic gam.

Nobody in Soouth Africa seems to be aware of the gigantic nature of this conference, and many have never even heard of the term Climate Change. I guess i do understand that, but this is not only a 1st world problem (although in the 1st world it is a very important topic of discussion), as actually Africa, and South Africa standing out, will be one the worst hit places in the world due to changing climatic conditions. But... who wants to know about that... well... Im not sure...

Im more interested in learning about solutions. and am trying to learn from people who's daily actions allow them to survive in difficult conditions. Which is why, AMbush tries to bring the plants that we know have ecological relevenance and cultural symbolism, but try to acquire the information from people who have still got the knowledge of how to live differently, more humbly with the surrounding.

I am not totally sure how we can allow people to recognise the value in products, resources, knowledge, life. I am constantly being reminded on the fact that in our society we give so little value to the things we have...

but I feel that positive, interactive, creative, interventions and dialogues can bring some inspiration to seek that information. So here we go.

All aboard the Climate train!

PolleNation . seeding along our way. all the way.

 The start of the day at the Mai Mai day creche at the Mai Mai medicinal plant market downtown Jozi-ville.  Bare ground and walls are going to be transformed over the next few months into a space where these children can play in, provide better nutritional foods, and a cleaner environment for them to grow. SiyaBLOMa!

              Children joining us for the planting experience. Planting is FUN!                                

  Ms Tiakaya making sure the plants are happy in their new homes.

We will keep undating the situation at the creche. Excited for the wonderful creative art-activism.
we are the ones changing our own spaces. 

Nina eThina. Si BLOMile.

Louis Botha AMbush

 

                                                 

                                            

Our First AMbush along Louis Botha. 

we were blessed by being given plants from CMD nursery based in Limbro Park, and took them to a busy intersection close to Hillbrow.
This site really highlighted some of the issues around guerilla gardening in Johannesburg into sight, as well as their solutions. How to get water, who will look after the plants, the seasons and waiting for the rain to come (which is still being highly elusive).

But within this city, where everybody is rushing, struggling and surviving it is that which we need to take hold of and allow people who occupy these spaces to be heard, be listened to, and to be a part of how we can imagine this city.

Things need to change. because at the moment people are speeding past the streets, past each other and past their own lives. How can we allow for people to realise that this reality, may not be reality, and that they can redesign it if they want. How can we start to redesign our city, our perceptions, our reality, and make that accessible to our entire population.

We need to grow together.
We need to be allowed to dream.
allowed to reimagine.
and allowed to take control of our reality.

Si Blomile Nje.

AcquerellaBlu Productions

 Bringing Life Back! (click here to watch video)

This video was the 1st in trying to re-imagine a new relationship we have with the world.
We need drastic changes to our urban environments and creating beautiful, respectful, meaningful urban landscapes for us and everthing other living creature!

well... we all know that Mother Earth will take back whats hers in the end...
we just wanna help her.

check out this video! and start planting and playing around your city!

Si BLOMile Nje

The Beginning starts with LovE

I AMbush

preparation for 1st guerilla gardening to take place

action -activation

come participate.

Its yours. Its ours.

Let create a beautiful, functional and meaningful city.