The History of Permaculture in Croatia / The Way Our Memory Works

Speaker: Marija Heffer-Lauc

Friday 10 June 2005

Format: Power point presentation

Summary

This lecture gave a brief history of how permaculture has developed in Croatia, starting with a late night TV programme in 1991. This was followed by a presentation of how memory works and ways we can aid ourselves and our students to remember things.

Key Points

In Grave Danger of Falling Food was shown on Croatian TV in 1991.
In 1994, whilst working at the University of Bielefield, Marija got to meet Declan Kennedy
In 1995, Declan gave 15 lectures around Croatia, travelling around on bus
In 1996, 97, and 98 Patrick Whitefield and Tony Anderson delivered Permaculture Design course in Zagreb and Motovun.
At this point the translated ‘Introduction to Permaculture’ had sold out, there were over 200 Permaculture members in Croatia, with Marija and team producing 4 permaculture information leaflets
Many Permaculture books were being translated in Croatian (by Marija’s sister), Permaculture in a Nutshell, How to make a Forest Garden, The Permaculture Way……
A negative aspect to this was that there were many intellectuals on PC, but no real gardeners, predominantly based in Zagreb. Agronomists were afraid to study Permaculture seriously as it was “too alternative” and many people were still not ready for PC.
Key Permaculture doers in Croatia: Darko Petanjek, Ladislav Galeta and Armano Jerovic.
Our memory is stored within many different parts of our brain. Up to half the brain could be removed and we would still be able to remember.
We have 3 sorts of memory; short term, working memory and long term. Our memories usually start from two, when the pathways and channels have been developed.
Sleep is a time when short-term memories are erased.
Techniques for improving memory generally: grouping numbers doubles the quantity we can remember (eg phone numbers), separate and order instructions (remember the kite example), actors remember lines by associating them with emotions.
Absent mindedness occurs when our attention is divided. A good tip is to our students (or ourselves) ‘this is important, don’t forget this’. Kids give you answers they think you want to hear, not the truth.
When something bad has happened to you or you are severely stressed, repetition and depression work together (i.e. going over it again and again) and serotonin in the brain gets lower and lower. The best method for recovery is to stop the brain through meditation, yoga or tantra.

[Scribe: Julie]