One of the few things I like about the movie “Pocahontas” is the main song “Colors of the Wind”. It’s so much more than a beautiful song to serenade your empty furniture to. Upon further reflection, it contains lessons on how to treat and respect one another, and most especially, the earth. Lessons that we are somehow yet to learn in the 24 years since its release.
“You think you own whatever land you land on, the earth is just a dead thing you can claim, but I know every rock and tree and creature
has a life, has a spirit, has a name”
In the opening verse, Pocahontas establishes her familiarity and connection with her environment. According to how we’re taught to classify living and non-living things, rocks don’t have life. However, every single thing on this earth has a purpose- at least that’s what Pocahontas and I believe. Rocks in a ditch help filter water before it is absorbed into the ground or drains. Rainstorms benefit plant growth and replenish water lost due to evaporation. Marshes hold run-off water from oceans and rivers to reduce the impact of flooding. These things may be deemed as having no importance, but they are vital in creating a balance in the world.
“If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew, you never knew”
There are so many experiences outside ours that we can learn from- all of which are valid. Everyone has something special to offer and a unique perspective they see situations with. We need to be open to sharing and listening and maybe our problems will be solved quicker.
“Come roll in all the riches all around you and for once, never wonder what they’re worth”
This one is a bit dicey. I believe the Earth is the source to fulfilling our wants and needs. We would be doing a disservice by not fully exploring its potential benefits. However, my issue with “exploring the worth” of things on the earth is how we do it. We utilize processes that destroy the earth, and what is the purpose of these riches if there’s no earth (environment) to allow you enjoy them?
“And we are all connected to each other, in a circle, in a hoop that never ends”
As much as we are each the center of our own respective universe, our actions and decisions affect others. The food chain and balance within our ecosystems depend on a symbiotic between all living things on this planet. The food we eat, urbanization patterns, transportation and production processes are major contributors to Global Warming and loss of forests. As human beings, we need to be more conscious of how our choices are directly and indirectly affecting other species and their habitats.
“You can own the Earth and still, all you’ll own is Earth until- You can paint with all the colors of the wind”
Essentially, you may have enough money or power to buy and control pieces of this earth, but until you truly know, understand and respect all that the Earth is, you can’t fully benefit from all that it has to offer.
One of the key arguments for sustainable practices is so that future generations can live on a functional, habitable earth. With all the environmental chaos currently ongoing, it’s important that younger generations understand the benefits of natural systems. It is also important that they are properly educated on how to address and reverse these issues. Movies, TV shows and music, that cut across multiple age groups, can be an influential tool to achieve this and “Colors of the Wind” is a great example.