Children of the Future

Frederica erinnert sich an die tänzerischen Begegnungen mit Declan und Margrit, Eco-Architektur und Permakultur und an die Geburtsstunde von Gaia International im stürmischen Norwegen

I am almost certain that I must have met Declan many lives ago, and that we are both children of the future (something Declan has confirmed) but this tale will have to limit itself to the tiresome present, since I am a young soul without so much insight into the past and future...
Declan - quite literally - danced into my life and since then we have had a mutual admiration society that only improves in quality!
My connection was through his wonderful partner Margrit, who has been my mentor and great inspiration as a young architecture student. She provided me with a deeper understanding of „Gyn"Ecology, Permaculture and all the important understandings necessary to work with ecology as an architect. So what a revelation it was to meet Declan as well!
I'm not sure exactly when the first meeting was, but I'm sure it was dancing, and since then all meetings are a wonderful dance!
He was certainly there at four Gaia International meetings. As part of the Gaia Group in Norway we felt at that time a bit lonely working with ecological architecture, so we decided to ask all the European architects we knew who worked with ecological architecture to come to Lista in Norway (the most windswept exposed coast) to meet and discuss the possibility of creating a network of architects that could exchange experience. This was around the early 1990s.
A group of maybe fifteen people met, amongst others Declan and Margrit. It was an eventful meeting that started annual meetings that travelled all around Europe, on the basis that we were an exclusive club of friends who got together once a year to exchange the latest information on Eco architecture, planning, technology etc. It was all on a basis of everyone paying their own way, and presenting their latest work.
It were wonderful, cutting edge discussions, presentations, workshops, working on competitions and really creating a deep understanding of the fundamentals of eco-architecture and -planning.
That first meeting was also the scene of some experimental group sociology. Margrit and Declan had recently moved to Lebensgarten Steyerberg, and were newly converted to all sorts of new techniques for conflict resolution, healing etc, and we were some of the first guinea pigs to try some rather unorthodox methods! A lot of tears, drama and discussions later were maybe the foundation of what has proved to be a fantastic network. We also had some workshop where we were supposed to go out into the nature in Lista and „feel the vibes" which as far as I was concerned ended up in a broken toe (Lista has rather wild and rugged vibes...). This immediately got Declan practicing his new found healing power, so my toe got more attention than I think I've had in my whole life! Unfortunately his powers were at that time not fully developed so a plaster from the local hospital was necessary for me to be able to move around. But the attention was wonderful.
My other contact with Declan is through Permaculture, where he has played an important role in getting the Scandinavian permaculture network moving. We invited Max Lindegger to some of the first courses, and also Margrit with her start on the money system.
Gradually we shifted to having more contact with Declan and his wonderful network in Sweden with Marilyn Mehlmann, and the GAP project. That was another wonderful workshop in the mountains of Norway. And so I can go on, workshops in Torino, Lebensgarten, Stockholm...
But the last story is from Tjoeme in Norway where Professor Declan turned up for a workshop on timber frame, straw bale building and clay plastering. Hands on and body covered with clay! And always a smiling grin and laugh, and a big HUG!
To me Declan is one of the wonderfully exotic pioneer plants of the ecological movement. Always positive, always an inspiration, so full of life and joy, and with a deep understanding of what is important in life. So is it any wonder we all love him so much! And here I speak for the Gaia International group, and all of us in Gaia Norway. Happy Birthday Declan, we love you to bits! May you forever live in love!

Freddy (Frederica)