Call of the Wild - Katherine Roberts
Maybe it's a post-pandemic desire for escape from my own four walls, but I find myself increasingly drawn to TV series such as Kate Humble's Escape to the Farm, and Ben Fogle's New Lives in the Wild. These series build on the formula of old favourites like Escape to the Country, where home buyers (with normally healthy budgets) seek an idyllic country pile as an antidote to urban living. But they go a step further, in that they feature a whole lifestyle change that ties in with a desire to protect the planet and its wildlife, and the people featured are not always those you would expect.
I was particularly fascinated by a recent New Lives in the Wild episode, where presenter Ben Fogle stays with Lynx, who once lived alone with only Stone Age technology, and is currently setting up a community project to "rewild" humans called Lithica.
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| https://lithica-rewilding-humans.org/ |
The aim of this project seems to be to secure large areas with natural resources where people can first learn the necessary skills, and then start the rewilding process, before venturing off into the wilderness with only Stone Age tools and clothing.
In fiction, this has long been a favourite theme and paves (or rewilds?) the ground for some interesting stories - remember Lord of the Flies, where a group of schoolboys are shipwrecked on a deserted island and have to fend for themselves? Although, in their case, with no preparation and no real choice in the matter.
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| Lord of the Flies by William Golding |
My teen novel Spellfall borrows from the same rewilding theme, but in a fantasy setting with its creation of Earthaven - a parallel world where spells grow on giant trees and herds of unicorns roam freely in the woods. The only problem in this enchanted world is that if you get sick, there is no hospital to heal you... which the heroine Natalie discovers to her cost, when she is poisoned by something that should never have been allowed into Earthaven to begin with.
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| Spellfall |
I imagine a similar problem might exist for the rewilded humans in Lithica - although maybe that's the whole point? In a true wilderness, we'd have survival of the fittest, whether animal or human, with elderly members of the group seen as a part of its survival for their wisdom and experience. Modern medicine with its focus on saving lives no matter what, and the care industry that aims to prolong life for the frail and vulnerable who are no longer able to care for themselves in 'care homes' separated from the younger members of the community, would seem to work against such natural selection. Of course we are a civilised society now, and those who work hard to save lives and care for the vulnerable are amazing people, but the system has its own power. It worries me that someone in great pain with no hope of recovery who wants end their own life still has to travel to Switzerland in order to to do so legally - almost as if our bodies are no longer our own, but belong to the pharmaceutical companies and other organisations who, let's face it, have their own reasons for keeping as many of us as possible alive (but preferably not kicking) for as long as possible. You only have to look at times when the planet fights back, such as the recent global pandemic... survival of the fittest might have reduced the human population considerably and given the planet half a chance of recovery. Except, of course, that initial 'herd immunity' approach was political suicide and therefore had to be changed into 'take tests, wear a mask, stay at home, stay away from other people, get boosted twice... 3 times.. 4 times... well sorry, but maybe herd immunity is the only way after all? It seems our only other choice of saving our home planet for future generations is to take drastic political measures, such as controlling birth rates, actively discouraging travel and other pollution, or - just maybe - actively rewilding ourselves?
Lithica, anyone?
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Katherine Roberts writes fantasy and historical fiction for young readers. Find out more about her work at www.katherineroberts.co.uk
Comments
But I have to point out that there's clear evidence that Stone Age people took great care of their elderly. There are skeletons showing the marks of crippling birth injuries, arthritis and dental damage who had nevertheless survived into old age and had been buried with full Stone Age honours. After all, there would have been valuable knowledge and experience in those ancient 45-year-old heads.
I think it's the other end of the life-cycle we need to control. You have to persuade people that they don't need/want children or grandchildren. Good luck with that!
Spell Fall sounds good. I'll put it on a future list for my grandson, coming up to 10. Anything to move him on from Lego...
Yes, Peter, it reminded me straight away of Ithaca, too! Apparently, though, the name Lithica comes from Neolithic and so on. Thanks for thinking of Spellfall for your grandson - it does have a young hero, too, called Merlin.