Gateshead • England
this place feels chilly
with the wind rustling in the leaves
layers of movement and sound
changing constantly
like a cathedral
very loud
forests are meant to be without humans
so this is too loud
the feather drifts in the wind
detrius from a flight of fancy now ended
frail snail
shard of bowl
will [we] survive in this place
or be trampled underfoot?
[our] final resting place
the trees and [us], we create
our own symphony together
[we] grew up playing in forests like these
it's technically [our] territory
brown, green, blue and white
feet, some slowly wondering
some eagerly stomping
sticks and stones
fallen from trees
tools for playing
the smell of the river
the voice of the leaves
the beauty of
[our] long-lost home
like sharing with a group of unknown people
as [we] pass by here year after year
[we] see things change
and build connections
with what [we] already know
and what [we] [are] yet to discover
the other way around is much more fun though
[we] may sting at first sight but
once [we] get aquainted
[we’ll] share [our] calming, healing nature
[we were] taken by the wind
metaphorically + physically
that stopped my dance
but allowed the little animal to wander
bumblebees appear
wherever stories of them are told
a chiffchaff sings their own name
always an introduction
are they maybe one in the same
different sides depending on the scenario?
burn something down and
let everybody in the city see the smoke
but we need to obey the rule
we need to care
keep silent and listen just to the wind
and all other sounds that could come
from the place and surroundings
this feeling brings together
we need to help each other grow &
protect ourselves
& order uber eats
and like a bird flying from branch to branch
coming and going when they want
and the wind is there
[who] touches everybody
things make
fresh environment
Authors
A collaborative place-based story from Gateshead Riverside Park, transcribed here as crafted and captured in place during the Memory Studies Association 7th Annual Conference, on Monday 03 July 2023, between 14:00 and 16:00 BST, by Dina Abdelsalam, Molly Anderson, Niki Black, Lotte Dijkstra, Gianluca Fantoni, Kristina Gedgaudaite, Karma Kong, Eva Kwakman, C. Christina Lam, Javier Lizarzaburu, Agnes Malmgren, Timothy Martin, Ana María Rabe, Esther Schoorel, Jeanne-Ange Wagne, Chu Xu, Sharona Zilbershtein, Maria Zirra and the more-than-human beings and vibrant matterings present.
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HERE, NOW
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SO MUCH IS FAMILIAR
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EVEN THE UNFAMILIAR CAN BECOME FAMILIAR
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TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND THIS PLACE, WE...
| HERE, NOW | SO MUCH IS FAMILIAR | EVEN THE UNFAMILIAR CAN BECOME FAMILIAR | TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND THIS PLACE, WE...
For a moment, we allowed ourselves to experience this urban forest place. We investigated the more-than-human connections in and with the urban forest of Gateshead, using our bodies, personal stories, and collaborative place-based explorations. During and after each prompt, we record our responses. This is the urban forest story we uncovered.