Though often depicted as the cradle of capitalism, of industrial revolutions, of witch hunts, the European continent is also a land of rich traditions of ecological wisdom, community governance and sustainable practices. These forms of ecological knowledge have existed long before the advent of industrial society and are not merely relics from the past, but living traditions that still offer valuable insights into today’s environmental crisis.
Rediscovering European Spiritual Heritage: Kinship and Belonging in Our Lives | Maria Costan Davara
As the boundaries between human and non-human lives blur, and the climate crisis urges us to recognize our mutual interdependence with the land and non-human beings, what does it mean to care? How can we widen our circle of kin in a post-natural world?
We live in an era defined by the effects of anthropic action on the environment. In this new reality, a different approach to the question of what nature is becomes necessary—one that acknowledges the interconnectedness of all beings, human and non-human, and redefines the terms of our relationship with what constitutes the environment.
Kinship can become a broader relational framework transcending mere consanguinity and embracing the vision of a shared existence, urging a paradigm shift from an anthropocentric worldview to one that celebrates the complexity and richness of an ever-changing world.
As we restore the bond with ancient traditions, we rediscover the foundations for a contemporary ethic of care.
Though often depicted as the cradle of capitalism, of industrial revolutions, of witch hunts, the European continent is also a land of rich traditions of ecological wisdom, community governance and sustainable practices. These forms of ecological knowledge have existed long before the advent of industrial society and are not merely relics from the past, but living traditions that still offer valuable insights into today’s environmental crisis.
In many European traditions, practices reflecting a broader understanding of kinship can be found deeply embedded in community folklore and ecological stewardship all around the continent. These traditions all share a sense of belonging rooted in mutual respect and recognition of our interdependence with the Earth.
In the context of Sámi culture, rooted in the region of Sápmi, in the Northern territories of the Scandinavian peninsula, care has a specific meaning of reciprocity in all relationships. Kinship is thus experienced as a communality with all beings, with land and waters, with the sky and the horizon, with other humans and spiritual entities, with other animals and living organisms. That is the meaning of guelmiehdahke – to be equally part of a system of care, to be already in relations of mutual care.
In Ireland, Lughnasadh, also known as Lammas, is a celebration of harvest and community with pagan origins, named after the god Lugh. Deeply rooted in ancient customs, the festival sees communities gathering to give thanks for the first fruits of the harvest and to honour the cycles of nature by sharing stories and participating in rituals that honour the interconnectedness of all beings. By celebrating the cycles of nature and the importance of nurturing the land, it honours ties of kinship that extend beyond human relationships, revering the Earth and her natural rhythms.
The Celts, an ancient Indo-European tribe, worshipped nature, believing that all non-human entities – like animals, plants, and inanimate objects – possessed a spiritual nature and that humans could establish a relation with them. In Celtic animism, the presence of the supernatural was central, and interwoven with, the natural world, thus revealing a sense of spiritual kinship, an affinity that manifested in ecological interdependence with nature and non-human entities.
The megalithic culture of Europe, is another powerful example of the ancient civilizations’ deep connection to the rhythms of nature and the cosmos. The megaliths were monumental structures believed to be used as burial places, sanctuaries, and sky observatories used to chart the movement of celestial objects. They are not merely architectural feats, rather they manifest a profound understanding of celestial events, agricultural cycles, and communal identity, tracing back to the ancient Indigenous culture of Europe.
Sánehuvvan áhkos
A wordless matriarch
suolggaid heilloda sukkástuolus
gently sways in a rocking chair
gihèá dego áknu.
creaking like an oarlock.
Diehtá maid dahká – juohke sugastemin
She knows what she’s doing – with each stroke
fanas suohèá lagabuidda, lagabuidda …
the boat floats closer, closer ..
Muital juoidá, muhto áhko§ lea váiban
I ask for a story, but she’s weary
suotnjá sengii dego idjasuoldni
and retires like the night mist
mi oktii datge johka.
rising off the river.
Dassalan dola ja èohkánan stullui
I tend to the fire and sit in the chair
fanas liekkista, ipmil
the boat warms me, god
lea vearba.
is a verb.
Poem by Sámi poet Niillas Holmberg,
Translations by Niillas Holmberg and Annikki Herranen-Tabibi
From the Sámi people in the Arctic to Celtic traditions in the British Isles, Indigenous communities in Europe have developed knowledge systems that prioritised a balanced relationship with the environment, based on ancient notions of kinship and belonging to the natural world.
This journey of rediscovery does not require us to look far but invites us to confront the wisdom that has long been present in our landscapes: far from being an exotic, newly-born concept, an ethic of care can be traced among Western traditions, being in fact a vital aspect of European cultural heritage and identity.
By drawing upon the wisdom embedded in these practices, we can restore our bond with ancient traditions and rediscover the foundations for a contemporary ethic of care that is crucial for addressing the ecological challenges we face today and envisioning possible futures.
Redefining kinship in a postnatural context thus means fostering a contemporary ethic of care that, drawing from the ancient Indigenous traditions, acknowledges the agency and intrinsic value of other-than-human beings and serves not only as a way to honour our heritage but also as a means to navigate the ecological crises we face today. By caring for the environment, we also care for our communities.
“Building a caring world thus returns us to where our manifesto began: from acting upon the understanding that as living creatures we exist alongside and in connection with all other human and non-human beings and also remain dependent upon the systems and networks, animate and inanimate, that sustain life across the planet. It is only once we recognise our shared entanglement in conflict—along with its powerful corollary, an awareness of our shared vulnerability and interdependence – that we can begin to develop new caring imaginaries on a global scale”.
From The Care Manifesto: The Politics of Interdependence, The Care Collective
Words by Maria Costan Davara
