Re: Food for the body and the mind.

[Larry London <london@metalab.unc.edu>]

> >Traditional Aboriginal Australian diet involved bingeing on seasonal bugs, a
> >very notable example being the big fat woolly bogong moth, which migrate in
> >millions into the high country to breed once a year, at a very handy time in
> >terms of winter fat needs for the locals, who would put on pounds and
> >pounds, late winter, banqueting on bogong barbecue. But these were part of a
> >very sophisticated and selective and poison-aware, medicine-aware
> >traditional diet.
> 
> not only that, my bushtucker literature stated about this moth that even
> the abos go through their times of vomiting every year for a day or two
> until the system gets used to this diet again... 

<buick> To the tune "Begin the Beguine", "Begone the Bogong"; if possible
I'd go for tofu & rice if I were an aborigine. Seriously though, its
interesting that their pattern of hunting, gathering, foraging and
grazing within the yearly seasonal changes within their territorial
range has made it convenient (necessary?) to use those moths as a 
primary source of food. Wonder what alternatives their might be
and why they didn't cultivate and preserve crops for use during 
growing season and out of season. Do they eat meat? Fascinating people.
The American Indians and some settlers and homesteaders are the closest
match in the USA. Maybe some of us permaculturists already use some of
these low-tech survival skills.

Happy Forth of July to all of you.

Anyone ever had any thoughts about starting regional (bioregional)
networks of PC Corps volunteers? Maybe this could become a function of the
Permaculture Institute. As if they don't already have enough to do.

Think of all the aging and inactive heavy earth-moving equipment
around the world sitting idle with operators out of work or having changed
jobs but retaining their skills. Machine and welding shops with spare
time to design and fabricate special purpose implements for this
equipment. Nurseries to produce seeds,  seedlings and perennials.
Welders, foundry men and blacksmiths to design and fabricate special
purpose hand tools based on traditional, indigeneous designs from
various countries in varying climates.

Its all about producing the designs and building, nurturing and
maintaining the systems. Soil types, climates and native ecosystems
vary tremendously but methods for constructing massive permaculture
systems around the world could become standardized.

LL

> 
> *
> 
> georg
> ******
> 
> follow your heart -
> it's the only way to heaven on earth.....
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