‘Bαhçές Rationale’ by Manos Vrachimis
The bαhçές, or garden, has evolved from a monotonous level terrain to support the youth in exploring the histories of Cyprus. The amount of time that they spend in the classroom is arguably perceived differently, depending on whether they enjoy or dislike the subject. In the latter case, they may feel trapped inside a confused state and could relax by exploring outside. By entering the garden, one could appreciate the calmness, release the tension and therefore effectively disentangle the material that they encounter. This verdurous area that surrounds the house allows visitors to explore around with no restrictions and observe the variety of seedlings together with fully grown fruit trees. The hard work that was necessary to develop this formerly plain and dull-looking turf has finally paid off.
Yuval Noah Harari mentioned in his book Homo Deus: “The precious lawn was often the setting for important celebrations and social events, and at all other times was strictly off-limits. [..] Humans thereby came to identify lawns with political power, social status and economic wealth. [..] Yet when the Industrial Revolution broadened the middle class [..], millions of families could suddenly afford a home turf“'. That is to say, not only powerful and rich people can hold a piece of land without growing crops, but a huge proportion of the current population can behave alike, without having to starve. Is this the proper approach though?
A well groomed lawn could indicate prestige, yet it is only for the image.The limitation to walk on the grass represents a person being knowledgeable about history, though only at a superficial level. This is because they are not actuated to search for many (if any) additional elements, as engaging with the past is often discouraged. It could be suggested that we underestimate the breadth of history by keeping it on the surface instead of exploring prosperity through in depth study and evaluation.
If every house in a neighbourhood had a similar outlined garden, when the conversation circled around its preservation, the community could have only said this many things. A lot of social groups consist of individuals who insist on supporting historical events along the same unchangeable lines, for quite some time, without revisiting it extensively. In order to preserve their identity, the interaction between in-members strengthens their views. Often, they unknowingly disregard the big picture, maintaining fragmentary parts of history, which in turn distorts the actual facts. That said, in the case of having more variation in the approach, people could perhaps tend to engage in a different way of thinking (both in internal monologue and dialogue), and for all one knows, eventually acting upon it. In essence, even a slight, yet firm change in the usual situation could be laying the groundwork for the potential influence on their outlook. When a person cultivates multiple plants, they promote the evolution of both themselves and of others. Even a modest garden is able to support the coexistence of various life forms by turning soil and its minerals into one of life’s most precious gifts.
Pointing to Yuval Noah Harari’s book again: “[..] you might want to think twice about having a lawn in the front yard. You are of course still free to do it. But you are also free to shake off the cultural cargo bequeathed to you [..]’’. The author argues that the main motive of studying history is to give way to the possibility of being partially detached from the past. That is, envisioning a reality where we are not entirely guided by an invariable mindset, but rather, we are capable of progression by bringing into play a diversified perspective.
By having over a wide range of experts from various disciplines, bαhcές urges the visitors to develop some key characteristics. More specifically, conserve the trees by making sure that the soil around them is not compacted. This would hinder the flow of water and oxygen towards the roots. Accordingly, bαhcές advocates that the invitees should not be overwhelmed by the information collected during the webinars, but rather patiently grow familiar with the subjects just like the seed works its way around when the conditions are favourable. Furthermore, we hope that the visitors improve their ability to recognise bad pruning, such as an excessive shifting towards one side or a tree not having enough access to sunlight due to another tree being in the way. In other words, we discourage bias and promote open-mindedness, as well as awareness not to overshadow or omit important historical facts.
This is an opportunity for the people to break the cycle and a chance to amend their path by questioning the course of events that preceded. With the proper tools, they are the ones that can identify the deficiencies and fill in the gaps. Consequently, we propose that along with the capability of growing a lawn, they were also given the privilege to determine whether that land area is more valuable than they initially thought.
We are inviting somebody over, offering them a beverage. They are able to relax, enjoy the gentle breeze, and we can freely discuss the topics that they find appealing. This interaction dilutes the pressure of the assessment, thereupon focus is directed purely on gathering knowledge.To put it concisely, we wish to steer the concerned and the curious towards a less conventional passage of information acquisition which encourages critical thinking through determination, objectivity and attentiveness.
Written by Manos Vrachimis
