A Letter On Hands and Clay

Published: Thu, 11/28/24

Updated: Thu, 11/28/24

A Letter On Hands and Clay

When I run my fingers over the bumps and curves of an earthen wall I think of the many hands that shaped it, each leaving their own signature—here a meandering ridge, there a scooped hollow like the curve of a shell. When you create a cob wall, you massage yourself into it—your skin, sweat, and breath all entering the clay and staying inside the creation itself long after you leave it behind.

In this way, Dancing Rabbit is like an earthen building. It is alive with the imprints of hands, shaped by countless people who are not just dreamers, but doers. Every structure, every painting on the wall, every grove of trees, has a story behind it that you will learn if you ask the right person on the right peaceful afternoon.

Many hands making light work - photos by Danielle, Emeshe, and an unknown Rabbit of the past

Building this ever-evolving, experimental home was, and is, not a labor for one person. It is a multigenerational collaboration in the truest sense of the word. The bright and ambitious founders laid the cornerstone in muddy, inhospitable soil, and then worked with the first generation of interns, volunteers, and residents to stack the straw bale walls. The next generations continued their work until there was a roof, a stove, a cat napping on the sofa, and children playing outside. Now I, like all relative newcomers here, am moving into a house with many completed rooms. A space that does not need to be raised from nothing, but maintained and hopefully improved with loving work, not just for myself but for future generations.

Emeshe with Brownie Crumb, photo by Graham

As I near my one-year anniversary of being the co-director of our nonprofit, I feel myself stepping into being one of the caretakers of this house, full of hope that I don’t nick or dent it as I carry in my own furniture. I feel humbled by the amount of collaboration and cooperation this project inspires far beyond the boundaries of this village. We are built by many hands, not just those of people who live here, but by an invisible extended network of friends and allies who support the dream we are fostering here; a tangible living/learning community for all who are envisioning a more interconnected and sustainable world.

So truly, to all those who contribute to this place in any way, thank you.

In community,

Emeshe

Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, 1 Dancing Rabbit Lane, Rutledge, MO 63563, USA

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