It is never too early to invest for the future. Every New Zealander is different with unique financial needs, but if you have KiwiSaver and/or a bank account, you are by definition an investor already. Deciding on what investments to make does not need to be complicated - MoneyHub has created this guide to point out the many steps you can take to grow your savings while keeping it safe. We also identify some red flags to protect your savings from 'bad' investments.
After you understand the basics of investing, we outline the most common types of investments New Zealanders make, including shares, managed funds and property.
Warning - This guide is informational only - MoneyHub does not offer any investment advice, guidance or any opinion on investment options.
Investing is best defined by billionaire investor Warren Buffett who defines it as "the process of laying out money now to receive more money in the future." Ultimately, people make investments intending to end up with more money than they contributed. For example, buying a house for $500,000 and selling it later for $1,000,000 is just as valid an investment as buying shares in Xero for $1.00 and selling them for $40.00. For most people, investing is really about having your money work for you over time without worrying about it.
Most of us work long and hard at our job, whether for a company or our own business, saving a portion of our hard-earned money and putting it aside. If done correctly, our investment grows over time. As our money works for us, working less becomes an option as our savings build up. For example, if you reach 60 and have $500,000 in savings, a 5% annual return is the same as a $25,000 income - this can make a huge difference if you want to spend your time on other things.
Investing money means the same money cannot be spent on things that make us happy, such as holidays, new clothes and eating out. However, balancing spending with saving is not as hard as it sounds – you just need to work out what you can afford and stick to it. In the long term, your investments will hopefully grow in value giving you more financial freedom and the ability to have more money in the future without necessarily working.
Investing is primarily a means to a happier life in the future. Our investment calculator outlines how making regular monthly contributes can build up your nest egg in no time at all.
Investing has a degree of risk, and the old saying of 'high risk, high reward' generally applies to the investment market. To avoid investments that don't deliver what you expected, you'll need to start by deciding what you want to achieve with the money you set aside. Once decided, you will have an investment strategy you can use to make the most appropriate choices.
Successful investors have two things in common – they are clear and realistic about what they want to achieve, and they research where their money goes and make sure they understand how it works. Anyone who blindly hands over money to something that 'sounds like a winner' without doing their research, is risking their money.
Before choosing an investment, it is essential to know what the different types of investment options are. Once you have an idea about the choices available, you can decide which ones are right for your investing goals.
Bank deposits and term deposits – this is where you invest a sum of money with your bank and earn interest (the return) for a fixed period. For example, a bank offering '4.99% p.a. for 12 months' (meaning that the bank a return of 4.99% per year on your money) is an example of a term deposit, whereas an offer of '2.00% on balances above $500' is an example of a bank deposit (the bank pays you interest on money you keep in your account above $500, for example). Interest can be paid monthly, quarterly or annually.
Bonds – this is where you loan your money to a company who provides you with a fixed return which is usually (but not always) higher than what a typical bank offers. For example, you can buy bonds in companies you know like Spark, Air New Zealand and Fletcher Building who may offer a return of 5.50% p.a. for two years (meaning every year the company pays you 5.50% of your investment balance).
Property – buying houses is a longstanding New Zealand favourite. The process is simple; you buy a property with two goals in mind – renting it to pay the mortgage and/or provide an income and anticipating an increase of value over the time you own it. Most investor mortgages now require 35% or 40% of the price of the house upfront, but not always, and the rates of returns differ depending on the property type and location.
Shares – when you buy a share, you buy a piece of a company – the more you buy, the more of the company you own. Investors buy shares believing the price will go up in time and/or that the dividend (cash return on the share) is attractive. Shares are not without their risks – the price can go up and down every day, and in a given week your investment may fall in value, but you don't make (or lose) any actual money until you sell your shares.
KiwiSaver – KiwiSaver is the government-run retirement saving scheme. It operates to allow you and your employer to contribute to an investment with the aim of building a 'nest egg' (sum of money) for your retirement. Read our KiwiSaver Guide to know more.
Peer to Peer investments – this is a recently launched type of investment where you lend to a platform, such as Harmoney, Lending Crowd or Squirrel Money, who lends your money directly to borrowers. The idea is that you get a higher return than that offered by banks while the platform carefully assesses whether borrowers can repay before lending out your money.
Finance Companies – these are private companies and they work by lending your money to borrowers usually in the form of short-term loans. Finance companies pay you a return on your money – for example 9.00% p.a. with a minimum investment of 2 years. Once the two years is up, you can reinvest the money or withdraw it. Finance companies were in the news a lot during the 2008 financial crisis due to many of them going bankrupt because of borrowers not repaying their loans.
Managed funds – these investments come in many forms. The basics are the same – you buy 'units' in a fund, which is made up of many underlying investments. For example, a managed fund may be comprised of 1,000 shares, and so your investment is spread over these shares. The overall performance of the managed fund (i.e. the gain) depends on the performance of all of the investments that comprise your fund. Managed funds usually charge annual fees to operate, which can range from 0.10% to 5.00% of the value of your investment. There may also be entry and exit fees so for these reasons managed funds often form part of a long-term investment strategy.
A business or venture – this could be a startup or buying into an existing operation. This type of investment could be passive (i.e. you don't need to do anything) or active (i.e. you work in the business). Whatever the nature, this is usually an investment with high risk. For this reason, understanding all of the details about the business before you invest is really important – businesses can become money vacuums, and you may be required to invest more than you originally planned to keep it going in the short term.
Other investments - we haven't mentioned investments such as cryptocurrency (i.e. Bitcoin), gold and precious metals, futures and similar platform trading – we believe these are best avoided by the average New Zealander looking to invest in their future.
To make the right investments that suit your needs, you'll need to do two things. Firstly, asking the right questions to understand the investment will let you determine if the investment is for you. Secondly, you'll need to follow basic investing principles to allocate your money appropriately among the investments you make.
To get the best possible returns on your investment, it is vital to understand the investment. We outline some questions you can ask.
How is my money being invested?
Understanding how your money will be used is essential. For example, if you are investing into a managed fund, your money will be used to buy a portion of the fund – if the fund's investments perform well, the value of your investment will increase. If you are investing in the share market, your money is buying a share in a company – the better the company does in the future, the more likely the value of your share will increase.
How well has the investment performed compared to similar investments over the last 3-10 years?
Every investment should have graphs or tables to make a comparison. If it doesn't, that could be a red flag about the seriousness of the investment. If you are investing in something that pays a fixed return, such as a bond, peer-to-peer loan or finance company, there should be data about the most recent returns.
The benefits will usually be an expected rate of return, the potential for an increase in value and low or zero fees. The risks could include losing all of your money – for example, if you invest in a company and it goes bankrupt, you'll lose all of your money. Likewise with a finance company – if it makes the wrong investments with your money, what you get back may be less than what you put in. Every investment has some level of risk – knowing the risks upfront lets you make a better decision.
What are the fees and how are they charged?
Exit fees (money you pay to cash in the investment and take your money elsewhere).
Is there is a ready market if I need to exit the investment?
This is a significant consideration as being able to get your money out is as important as the return you'll get. Investments like shares, managed funds and bonds can usually be sold relatively quickly, but if you buy a house and the market is flat, selling it might take some time.
With every investment, understand its key features, fees, commissions, benefits and risks. It doesn't cost you anything to ask the company behind the investment any question you're unsure about.
Having asked the right questions about the investment, our selection of tips below are designed to protect the money you invest and have it work hard for you in the long term.
Unless you are investing in a cash deposit or bond, you won't know the returns on most investments in advance, and there is a possibility that the investment will not meet your return expectations. Each investment type has its own risks – for example, shares and managed funds have 'market risk' – the risk that the value of your investment will be affected by overall share market movements. To minimise risk while giving yourself decent returns, it's essential to find the right mix of investments, which we outline next.
You will probably get a lower return on your savings if you put everything in the bank rather than invest it in shares, managed funds and/or property. Finding the right mix depends on personal choice and avoid any investments that make you uncomfortable. For example, if you don't like shares, don't invest in them. If you want to be able to see and touch your investment physically, a property could be more suitable. If you want to know your investment is safe and accessible at any time, bank deposits and term investments are likely to achieve that.
The best investors have money in lots of different things, such as cash, bonds, shares, managed funds and even property. By owning several investments rather than just one, a fall in the value of one investment won't affect your total return in the long term.
Every market rises and falls, take the New Zealand property market or the share market for example. Staying in the markets through different market cycles is essential – if you panic and sell everything when a market falls, your overall returns will be lower than if you stay in the market for the long term.
This follows the 'eggs in one basket' rule. People who have a terrible time have usually exposed themselves to one investment which has invariably turned sour. Diversification is the key.
This is often overlooked, but it's essential to know. Investing works best when you understand the basics. For example, if you invest $10,000 and it makes a 10% return in the first year, your investment is now worth $11,000 and you have earned $1,000. If during the next year it makes another 10% return, you earn $1,100. You earn $100 more in the second year because of compound interest – interest earned is re-invested into the original investment and interest is earned on that new amount, so you are earning 'interest on the interest'. This accelerates your investment returns.
The purpose of your investing activity drives your investing goals in the short-term (1–3 years), medium-term (4–9 years) and long-term (10+ years). If your goal is to save for your retirement as you are under 40, this is likely to be a long-term goal. You'll need to work out how much you want to retire with before budgeting what to set aside every week or month.
Investing is a big industry, and New Zealand is not short investment options. To begin with, every bank offers investment options such as managed funds, term investments and KiwiSaver funds. Beyond banks, many financial institutions provide investment options – these include share market investment platforms such as ASB Securities and First Direct; Managed Funds platforms such as Sharesies, InvestNow and Simplicity are numerous. There are also longstanding schemes like Bonus Bonds which continues to be popular. The residential property market (i.e. buying a house to rent it out) is a new nationwide favourite as well.
Many investments loudly proclaim their past returns – you'll see lines like "12.50% average annual return for the last five years", but this is not a guarantee of future results. If you are looking at the marketing materials that show previous wins, understand this does not mean you will earn this. It may be less, it may be more.
It may be tempting to save up a nice round number of dollars to invest, but you will save more if you make regular, small contributions. Many investment platforms don't require you to invest a large amount, so even a $10 contribution will help you in the long term. The only thing you'll need is the discipline to invest consistently regardless of market conditions - knowing a dollar invested can become two dollars for your future will help develop a habit of regular investing.
Your relationship with money is personal, and what investments are best for you is unique. We are fans of Sorted.org.nz's investor profile tool which asks nine questions to determine if you are low-risk investor ("defensive" or "conservative") or a high-risk investor ("growth" or "aggressive"), or somewhere in the middle ("balanced"). While your investor type may change over time, determining your profile before you invest will let you make the best decisions.
We've borrowed the definitions from Sorted below to help you understand what investor type you may be.
The old saying 'if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is' could well be the most important consideration when it comes to choosing an investment.
Ponzi Schemes – Wellingtonians were badly caught out by the recent Ross Asset Management scam, losing hundreds of millions of dollars. Ponzi schemes have one thing in common – the investment returns are ALWAYS positive and ultimately fictitious and fraudulent.
Banned Company Directors and Bankrupts – if you have heard about an investment opportunity promising great returns that is not marketed by respected institutions, at the bare minimum get details about who is behind it. Usually, such schemes are fronted by banned directors or bankrupts – you can check their names to see if they are indeed either here and here.
Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and Cryptocurrency – In late 2017, the New Zealand government's financial markets authority stopped New Zealand's first ICO from going any further based on some fishy claims by its promoter. Find out more on the risks of investing in blockchain technology projects.
Investment seminars – Dubious characters all over the country host investment seminars which promise to make everyone rich beyond their wildest dreams. If the seminar is selling a specific product, the reality is that hefty fees will be required upfront and almost certainly you'll be ripped off. The most popular approach is to ask yourself, 'do I need to pay a lot of money to have access to the knowledge?' – if the answer is yes, be wary.
Investment and trading software – like investment seminars, this usually includes schemes like FX trading and futures trading among others. The Australian Government's guide to avoiding being ripped off is an excellent resource.
The financial advisor environment in New Zealand is somewhat misunderstood, so we've prepared a summary below to walk you through what a financial advisor is, who uses them and how they are paid, along with some tips of what to ask them should you decide to meet with one.
Our guide to Financial Advisors outlines all you need to know about their role in your investing.


Where are the green jobs going?
From what industries are the green/sustainable jobs emerging? Are there educational programs in place to meet the potential demand?
I'm interested in a more meaningful angle to my line of work by pursuing something in the field of green/sustainable design. Given the relatively recent spike in environmental awareness, is it possible to predict now what industries will be looking for folks with an emphasis in this knowledge/experience? Furthermore, are specific universities ramping up programs to address the potential demand?
I might be casting too wide a net with this question so if it needs to be boiled down to something specific: where are the green jobs going?
Hybrid vehicle sales, engineering and mechanics.
And seriously ... oil companies. All those oil companies will simply not just up and die tomorrow. They'll change their tunes, likely representing massive expenditures in order to make the transitions.
Architecture and related sub-fields. Within these fields not only the use of sustainable materials to create the building but creating the building in such a way that it uses less energy overall.
I know that the Architecture program at the University of Oregon places an emphasis on sustainable design. I imagine this focus extends to other areas of study within UofO as well.
One answer for the second question (which you may be familiar with as someone in SF) - the Presidio School, offering an MBA in Sustainable Management. I heard of it through TreeHugger (some of the contributors are graduates).
Sustainability is everywhere. With that in mind, jobs in sustainability are everywhere.
Seriously. There are the obvious ones - solar panels and wind turbine makers, green building materials and architects (as well as facilitiies management) as click mentioned, biodiesel or alternative energy producers. Every utility company in the country probably has some sort of interest being generated. Public transit agencies, city planning, hybriud car design and sales. A lot of hospitals are involved in trying to reduce their impact. Tech companies like AMD and Sun (who just turned me down for an internship in their CSR department) have an interest. Supply chain management is another area - when WalMart makes it a criteria, everyone has to respond.
And then there's the possibility and opportunity to consult to regular businesses or governments that don't know they're interested. Firms can save a lot of money by learning new energy-efficient technologies and you can make the case without mentioning the environment once - which is good, because to some environmentalism is still a bad word.
I think it's the wrong idea to ask where the green jobs are going. I think the way to go is figure out what interests you, and see how greening might apply. But, for another take on it, you can also check out green-specific job boards such as Treehugger Jobs, GreenBiz, and SustainableBusiness.
Just please don't take any of those jobs away from me.
chicago has an org that runs regular meetings on sustainability/business (green drinks by foresight design intiative). You might want to look for something similar in your area.
Check out my previous question, which is related. I'm going back to school for an MSc in Environmental Management and I'll learn to do Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Auditing, etc. Then I'll look for a job on this site, among other places. That site lists graduate degrees you can do as well. It's UK based.
Um... everything? From Walmart execs (check out their new initiatives) to any sort of manufacturing to "how to detoxify your house!" personal services, there are green jobs emerging across the board. What are you interested in? One specific idea -- I've heard home solar system design & installation is pretty booming right now.


Met Vicky and the Chew Factory gang at a local fair while they were promoting their products and I bought a bag for "June" my golden retriever. June simply loved the Apple and Oats and the Sweet Potato treats that were given as samples. I have since ordered the Banana Flax Crisps and will certainly be coming back. Five Stars to you guys.


text:
ORDER LATE 7 DAYS
ADT®-Monitored Home Security in Westville
PLUS, get $850 in Security Equipment including:
Digital Keypad and Motion Sensor
Wireless Key-chain Remote With Panic Button
*With $99 installation with purchase of 36/24 mo. monitoring contract. Termination fee applies. New customers only. See offer details below.
*With $99 installation with purchase of 36/24 mo. monitoring contract.
Termination fee applies. New customers only. See offer details below.
Westville, Call (844) 898-8900
xxTrustedFormCertUrl
ADT Security Authorized Dealer for Westville, New Jersey
Let Safe Streets & ADT Security Monitoring help protect your home in Westville, New Jersey from burglaries, flooding, fire, home invasions, and other catastrophes
Your Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Burglary in Westville, New Jersey
No one likes thinking about potentially becoming a victim of crime or another crime statistic. Get alarm monitoring services in New Jersey, but every single day in the US a break-in happens every 4 seconds. It's easy to say "it won't happen to me" but 2.2 million families fall victim of burglaries each year in the US. Don't let your home in Westville become part of those statistics of crime in your city. Check out some crime statistics we have gathered for potential crime in your city. Installing a new home security system and along with monitoring from ADT your home could be protected and your family safer.
Westville 2020 Annual Crimes and ADT crime map data
Population Violent crime Murder Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault Property Crime Burglary Larceny-theft Motor vehicle theft
4,121 5 0 0 2 3 118 22 84 12
Data from https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ucr
Westville is a borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,288,[8][9][10] reflecting a decline of 212 (-4.7%) from the 4,500 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 73 (-1.6%) from the 4,573 counted in the 1990 Census.[19] The Borough of Westville is known as "The Gateway to South Jersey!"[20]Westville was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1914, from portions of Deptford Township and West Deptford Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 28, 1914. The borough was reincorporated on March 8, 1924.[21][22]
Legislation had been passed in 1900 to create Westville, but it had to have a majority vote in favor of the new municipality in both Deptford and West Deptford.[23] The borough was named for Thomas West, who built a home in the area in 1775 that still stands.[24][25][26]According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.38 square miles (3.58 km2), including 1.02 square miles (2.65 km2) of land and 0.36 square miles (0.93 km2) of water (25.94%).[2]Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Newbold, South Westville and Westville Manor.[27]
information provided by wikipedia.org
Westville, New Jersey Home Security
We have a big house and we have never lived in the area, so we don't know what to expect. We were trying to get cable and they said that they have a partnership with SafeStreets USA. We got them through the cable company and everything has been great. I like the system and I haven't had any problems. The installer knew a lot about the product,
Sullivan W. Original review from SafeStreets.com Bernville, PA November 25, 2018

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Return To MWDG Home Page
Million Women Drummers Gathering Global Initiative
PO Box 97 Saugerties, New York 12477 * info@millionwomendrummers.com
To cultivate a "new mindful model" for a sustainable future of Drums and the Trees they are made from through education, information, consciousness raising and Tree planting with live music. To build diverse community networks of local "MWDG Branches" that will engage all those who care about the future of wooden musical instruments and environmental sustainability. To preserve and sustain our drums, wooden instruments and our musical traditions for future generations.
Statement and Purpose
To honor Women's Drumming in celebrations worldwide. Affirming that as women drummers we hold sacred our relationship to Trees and Drums. Inspiring and motivating women's leadership with the cultivation of community projects and events that combine drumming and Tree planting.
To inspiring and initiating new women's drumming mythologies and traditions while preserving our ancestor's lineage. Supporting, strengthening and sustaining our local and global women's drumming traditions, the instruments we build and the music we create.
Increase community awareness and sensitivity regarding how Trees are used for making our instruments through education, local and global creative collaborations and partnerships. Exploring creative options in green sustainable technologies for making quality drums and other wooden musical instruments.
Create sustainable community partnerships. Networking with local and international drum and dance groups, environmental organizations, youth and elder programs, businesses, healthcare and wellness centers and with artists and musicians.
The Million Women Drummers Gathering Global Initiative envisioned and initiated by Ubaka Hill in 2007 with advice, guidance and support from the MWDG Advisory Council and community members who care about the future of Trees and Wooden Musical Instruments.
"Yes, Drummers Care About The Future Of Trees"
A Vision of Ubaka Hill ~ Winter Solstice, December 21, 2010
It Is Our Time ~It Is Our Turn ~ It's Our Legacy
The Million Women Drummers Global Initiative is a call to the heart of women drummers, all drummers worldwide for conscious action, appreciation and celebration. Women drummers worldwide know and feel the significance of our sacred integral relationship and alignment with the rhythm, pulse and cycles of life. We are on a continuum of women's drumming traditions and practices and each of us are at the front of a long line of our women's drumming lineage. We are the current custodians and authors of our legacies, traditions, legends and mythologies. The preservation of our lineage includes honoring our elders, teachers, mentors, pioneers and visionaries, and documenting and archiving our knowledge of drumming, our instruments and our cultural and musical developments. Tradition and mythologies are alive in the people and adjust through changes of time to meet the needs of the current people and the environment of their time. We are awakening, remembering and illuminating our intrinsic nature of tending and befriending our Earth kin, each other and ourselves. It is our turn to give birth to new traditions, to self authorize, to co-create, to determine and direct the present and future purpose of women's drumming from the sacred to the secular ~ according to us!
We are the visionaries, the wise women drummers, the medicine women and the midwives of our time, which is now. We are the current women drummers, blending the past with authentic new traditions and mythologies according to us. We are the Ancestors who women drummers of the future will seek for guidance, information and direction, as we have done with our own ancestor's trail. We are "drumming out the rhythms of our ancestor's feet".
~The Heart of The Matter ~
We are women who love to drum and who love Earth's Trees. Drums in many cultures are considered the heartbeat of the Mother, the Divine Mother Goddess, Mother of Nature, the Womb, Inner World, Divine Feminine Principals, and often times referred to as "she". Women's relationship to music, song, dance rituals and celebrations with drums and other handcrafted instruments are interwoven with the natural environment. There is an instinctual knowing, intelligence and understanding of these inter-relationships, thus informing beliefs, rituals, traditions and mythologies. In the past there was also a context, for example, a reason to drum or dance a certain song. The context was the culture's experience of the environment and the needs of the people to acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate the nourishment, gifts and blessings of the natural and supernatural worlds. However, in many societies and cultures women were not allowed to continue to drum, to create and interact with the empowering rhythms and resonant frequencies for healing, transformation, and well being of their kin. There are women though who have never stopped drumming during these times, who have maintained a living women's drumming, dance and song, sacred and secular tradition and who are living in our current time.
Women are the highest percentage of participants in most drumming workshops, attending and participating as serious students of the drum and its music. There is a greater presence of women drummers for girls to witness, experience and model. They will know that they can choose to drum no matter their age, economic class, education or ethnicity. Women and girls are drumming as they are, with all that they are. We now have all women professional and non-professional drum and dance performance groups, drum teachers, drum circles and facilitators, workshops, retreats and international teaching tours for women drummers led by women drummers, women owned retail businesses, authors, crafters, and career professionals; all responding to the upsurge of drumming interest because of the needs of individuals for connection, expansion, community and cultural enrichment. Many are drumming for recreation, transformation, and to just feel better one day at a time. There is an increase in research of the bio-chemical implications and the healing properties of drumming. There are books, videos and CDs about how to drum. There is a particular interest in women's drumming by graduate students, scholars and women's mystery schools. We now have the music of women drummers on CDs, DVDs, interviews and in academic papers.
As a result of this upsurge, there has also been great a boost over the past 10-15 years in drum making and manufacturing businesses throughout North America and globally. This means that women's money has increased economic gain for many manufacturing companies of drums, percussion instruments and accessories that are not woman-created or woman owned, but profit the most from woman and girl/child consumers. This is happening simultaneously wherever women are drumming in the world.
~ Drums Are Our Earth's Trees ~
Ancient peoples frequently represented the Tree as the female personification of Nature, who under various names and different attributes embodied the concepts of life, fecundity, and of universal restoration. Trees have always held a sacred and important place in many of the world's mythologies, religions and in goddess traditions and cultures. Trees also have many folkloric and literary associations, and as a symbol have different interpretations in different cultures and at different times. The Tree is also known as the Tree of the Universe, Tree of Life, the Tree of Knowledge and the World Tree. The World Tree that embodies the concept of the Universe is in most traditional cultures. For example, World Trees are a prevalent motif occurring in the mythical cosmologies of the pre-Columbian cultures. Shamans and medicine people experience the Tree as a pathway to other worlds.
Some of the many references to trees are "wood of life", the food of the people, the Goddess herself, and the elixir of life. Allat, is one of the three Goddesses in ancient Saudi Arabia. The valley of Wajj was considered sacred to her where Trees were not allowed to be cut. There is the Yggdrasil of the Norse Mythology, the Christmas Tree that is derived from Germanic mythology, the Tree of Knowledge of Judaism and Christianity, the Bodhi Tree in Buddhism, the Tree of Life, the Tree Goddess of Egypt, the Stretching Tree of Hawaii, and Celtic Runes. The massive Oak Tree is sacred to the Celtic/Irish tradition. In many cultures, Trees are said to be the homes of Ancestor Spirits, Sprites and Fairies. Haitians have a special spirit of the Tree and forests - Gran Bois who is always called to a ceremony to give his approval when new drums are made or being 'coucher'. The Vedas make mention of the Tree whose foot is the earth, and whose summit is heaven. Recently the movie Avatar, gave mainstream culture a giant Willow-like Tree that is of extreme spiritual significance and importance to the survival of the indigenous people and life on their fictional planet. The power of communicating and of renewing life has also been attributed to Trees. Medicine women, wild crafters and herbalists have maintained knowledge and wisdom of the medicine and teachings of the Tree and Plant nations. Trees contribute their very essence to create shelter, furniture and hundreds of useful objects that enhance our lives.
~ A Global Drum Call To Conscious Action ~
Most folkloric drums and percussion instruments in the world today are still made of wood. We are sometimes disconnected from the fact that this wood is and was a living Tree. Some instruments are made with more than one Tree as in slated drums versus one single Tree trunk. The increase of hand drummers over the past 20 years has also increased the amount of living Trees being cut to make drums for commercial profit. This includes all the wooden drums and instruments that are played by professionals and drum circle drummers alike. Some sacred traditions of tree selection have been lost due to the immediate need of poor and impoverished ethnic villages and communities. Some of our Earth's Trees are registered as endangered; some forests and woods are over harvested and landscapes are sprayed with toxic chemicals or destroyed by careless or intentional fires. Uganda has recently banned the cutting of their endangered Trees that have been used to make their royal drums for generations.
The Trees most used for making drums and instruments are hard woods such as Maple, Ash, Oak, Rosewood, Teak, Mahogany, Walnut and Cherry. There are a number of indigenous Trees used to make drums and other musical instruments from Central and South America, Siberia, Alaska, Europe, Asia, the South Pacific and Africa. In West Africa, the Lenke Tree, considered rare, is the preferred Tree of master djembe drummers. Thousands of ethnic drums and other wooden instruments have and are still entering the US and western countries from sacred forests, farm lands and old growth woodlands, which represent millions of cut living Trees.
We have become more aware of the importance of Trees in regard to the health of our natural environment and of our mind/body environment. Living with living Trees, we breathe better, feel better, and we live better with all creations. We see increased campaigns for environmental awareness and businesses going "green". There are many local, national and global campaigns that include replacing the Earth's Trees as a direct response to deteriorating and unhealthy environments. The first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize is Wangari Maathai because she inspired her villagers to plant over 3,000 Trees in her home country of Kenya in direct response to devastating commercial deforestation. In addition, a recent study in Oregon explores the sociological relationship between Trees and neighborhood crime. According to the findings, streets lined with big Trees are likely to see lower crime rates. San Francisco, CA is also studying the relationship between Trees and social behaviors in inner city neighborhoods.
People who drum are benefiting from the cut Trees that have become drums. Drumming is now included in school programs, hospitals and geriatric care, team building and mental, emotional health and physical mobility therapies because of the positive benefits that rhythmic drumming has on brain wave activity. Because of all the benefits we all receive from Trees; drummers, crafters, manufacturers, corporations and musicians have a direct responsibility to the sustainability of Earth's Trees by appreciating, nurturing and replacing them to insure a future with living Trees.
One Drum ~ One Tree
One drummer who has one drum can plant one Tree! The Million Women Drummers Gathering Global Initiative is a conscious call to heal the heart of our nations with a resonant balm of Love, and to replenish the Earth's Trees. This is a call to take responsible action for co-creating a healthy reciprocal balance with nature. We are gathering together to make ready the ground of the women drummers and the path of all drummers from the sacred to the secular, cultivating and reconnecting with our intrinsic nature in alignment with a new paradigm of expanded conscious awareness. The best reasons to plant one Tree are simple- to express our gratitude for Earth's Trees and to actively participate in the sustainability of our natural environment,, to create drums for the future of our women's drumming traditions worldwide.
The Earth's Trees and animals are gifts to us. The drum is the sound of the power of a single woman's voice joined in a unified voice for balance, equality, healing, transformation and peace, in the name of love of all our relations and our future. Wherever we are in the world of rhythm, our sacred synergistic pulse of life is the heart connection to all humanity, to our Beloved Planet Earth and her Sacred Trees, now and deep into the future.
It Is Our Time ~ It Is Our Turn ~ This Is Our Legacy
Ubaka Hill ~ New York
© 10/31/2010 ~ Uploaded to Website on 12/21/2010
Return To Million Women Drummers Gathering Home Page
Million Women Drummers Gathering Global Initiative © 2010 - 2018


text:
Danser ist der Familienname folgender Personen:

 Benedictus Hubertus Danser (1891–1943),  niederländischer Botaniker
 Simon de Danser (1579–1611), niederländischer Kaperfahrer und Korsar

und der Name eines Unternehmens:
 Danser Group, europäische Binnenreederei-Gruppe

sowie der Titel einer französischen Zeitschrift über Tanz
 Danser (Zeitschrift)

Siehe auch:
 Danzer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia