November 30 2016: Remembrance of the Lost Species Day

November 30th is remembrance of the lost species day, which is an interesting part of a culture that sees non human life as kin, rather than as objects for use. The day was initiated by Persephone Pearl, an artist and activist from Bristol in 2011. Never having heard of the day, but glad it exists, I organised a remembrance event in Falmouth, Cornwall this past November.

We started with a physical meditation, sensing how our skeletal structure and breath are shared with countless life forms besides ourselves. We then listened to the sound of extinct birds and saw images of extinct animals. We then lit some candles in silence. After that we started writing and drawing individual responses. We went round, listening and observing what each felt like sharing.