Balearic Beginnings
The start of a storytelling journey of regeneration within the Balearic Isles.
In the midst of the Mediterranean, where jagged limestone cliffs meet turquoise blue waters, I find myself looking out at a landscape which feels relatively raw and untouched — a rarity in the European continent, except for the most remote of places. This however, is not a remote place. This is the island of Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic islands, residing a couple of hundred kilometres away from the mainland. To the masses, this is simply just another tourist hotspot. Somewhere easily accessible with budget flights that facilitate the transportation of millions of humans on an annual basis. An aviation conveyor belt for holiday-makers, of sorts. The dystopian horrors of industrial tourism that Edward Abbey prophesied have indeed become true.
But the basis of mass tourism is not what defines my perception of this place. The nausea-inducing reality of binge-drinking northern Europeans partying all night is but one facet of the Balearic Isles. When I observe the panorama of my surroundings in the foothills of the Tramuntana mountains, I see glorious limestone formations and ancient holm oak forests — I see an island which despite being colonised and gentrified by wealthy foreigners, and despite the insatiable tourism industry threatening to suck the place dry of all of its resources — still manages to maintain its rural charm: the air echoes with birdsong each morning, cypress trees pierce the deep-blue skies, almond and olive groves are dotted across the agricultural plains, and many families still tend to the land as their ancestors did.
A couple of months ago, I relocated here in pursuit of a purpose which has defined my creative work for the last few years: regeneration. Those foundational years in Portugal opened my eyes to the dysfunction of our current systems, not only within agriculture but within within every facet of human culture. After fluctuating periods of survival within my field of work — feast or famine as they say — it became apparent that it would be a wise choice to go somewhere that allows for greater opportunity and collaboration, beyond the raw and rugged Wild West of Portugal. After much research, it seemed clear that the Balearic Isles have become a hub for regeneration, not only within agriculture but also within the wider container of our complex socio-economic systems. It has a unique set of challenges as well, not only due to mass tourism but also due to housing prices, water scarcity, and many other issues that are echoed throughout other Mediterranean countries and beyond.
The difference here however, is that there are enough people with the financial capacity to make a real impact in reversing the degradation of our environment and our culture. Whether we like it or not, the world which we currently live in has resulted in a select few individuals being able to hold almost all of the cards, so to speak. No one can deny the importance of grassroots movements, but the issue that I discovered in Portugal is that when you are up against huge corporations and hedge funds that can buy up thousands of hectares of land with relative ease, the individuals and families that are attempting to regenerate one hectare of land seem microscopic and insignificant by comparison. It seems clear then that we need to look at larger scale as well as smaller scale efforts. This is not to say that we should delegate all of our self-responsibility and individual power to those who are in a greater position of economic power, but it is necessary to bridge the divide and create constructive dialogue in a way which is desperately needed in our current predicament.
In terms of my place within the Balearic islands, at this moment it is too early to say how this process will express itself. Forever an extranjero, I accept that I will likely never become a local to a place such as this, but at least for the temporal time that I am present here, perhaps I can be of some use to facilitate the regeneration movement that is underway — to bring together like-minded individuals who share this common purpose, and to tell stories in a way which might create some positive shift, however small that may be.
It sounds so interesting that your taking what you learned in Portugal and refining it in a new location with a new culture. I'm interested to hear about any new challenges you face and how you learn from them.
And it's ok to be a bit of an outsider in a new place, there's still opportunities to connect to others with your shared interests.
I do hope that you can do some good in this regard. Surely there are some powerful but concerned people out there.