Transition Edge - Lessons from the Tribe

Published: Thu, 05/05/22

Transition Edge

May 2022 - Year three of the disrupted decade

Lessons from the Tribe

Thank you for being a reader of Transition Edge. Please feel free to forward it to friends who you think might enjoy it too.

I’m Grant Symons. I convene Transition Edge to help us understand how we can transition to a low carbon sustainable world using leading thinking and practices.

This week we take a moment to reflect on life as part of a tribe in New Zealand that began its relationship with the sea hundreds of years ago, when Māori began breath-hold diving in search of food. (Kai moana)

Our intent is to illuminate aspects of the human spirit and condition that might spark some new thoughts for you or your own tribe, and transition.

The tribe that shares a love for the sea

It's one of my tribes. Well over 40 years on and in the sea, our collective friendships, adventures, tragedies and a sense of inner peace have become a constant.

In the beginning the physical and mental challenges of free diving and being at home in a different world are balanced with the enthusiasm and energy of youth. Many of us were either raised in a diving family or started with friends in our teens, in the 60's,70's and 80's. It takes time to become 'at home'.

Over the decades of diving for a job (collecting kai moana or doing research), or competing locally, nationally, and internationally, or simply enjoying a dive off of a local beach on the weekend or after work with some friends - a confidence builds in ones own capability and bonds develop between members of the tribe.

Through these relationships and shared experiences, we enrich our lives and never ending love of the sea. One of our own - Richard Hall - explored this beautifully in a book he released in 2017.

Here are some of the observations and lessons learned along the way.

Getting together - choices

The tribe is really many sub-tribes, small groups or extended families. Whether this split is caused by physical necessity, preference or other circumstances, the choice of whom you spend time with in close quarters - in a boat and in the sea, means that you end up with a small group. Getting together in the first place can be a matter of mutual friendships, opportunity (a trip/expedition) and random events. Clubs were a natural progression (along with friendly rivalries) as a way to get together. Those eager to learn or help out are often referred to, and fostered by, experienced divers.

Staying together AND going your own way

Strong bonds form under pressure. Getting caught in a weather change, losing someone for a short period of time or experiencing an accident or drowning is a life changing experience. Equally the exhilaration shared on a new adventure or prolonged journey, into new territory, builds lifelong bonds. Stories reverberate through the entire tribe network about what each group is planning or has done. Many individuals and subgroups go in their own direction for a while, possibly a long while...only to reconnect at a later date through the natural cycle of events and other communications channels.

Wisdom - In practice

Going to sea and diving the various conditions requires knowledge, experience and wisdom. Much of this can be passed on through stories and explanations, but there is no substitute for the real thing. Theory and plans always give way to what the sea, the wind and the creatures of the sea are doing in real time. Understanding the cycles and patterns within ocean life is an altogether higher level of knowledge and insight that can be a lifelong learning journey. All of the best planning, preparation, equipment, learning, and training can be for nothing if one cannot put it all into practice.

IN THE END
There would be no tribe without the sea and the people. The influencers, thinkers, athletes, characters, story tellers, devotees, competitors, friends and families, all going through their lives, relationships - passing on stories, knowledge and wisdom - just like any other tribe.

What got us together and keeps us together as this tribe, is a love of the sea - we couldn't exist without it.

This weeks quote

"Go to the community and the locations that have set a sparkle in your psyche. That's how you find your Tribe”

― Karl Wiggins

Join us as we create the Real Transition Leaders Tribe - more here.

Grant Symons - The Transition Guy

We value your thoughts and opinions, please reply to this email with any feedback.

Please feel free to share this article.

Not a subscriber yet? Sign up to get future updates delivered to your inbox here

Browse over 60 insightful articles, access your collection here

Lead the Real Transition

A course for those that want to go beyond business as usual – Learn more here