Following their
discovery of an
CARING
COMMUNITIES
In Portugal
T
he goal of human society
must intrinsically be its
sustainability. For me
this implies a holistic society –
currently though, it is anything
but sustainable or holistic.
I feel we’ve got stuck in a rigid
parental mind set where anyone
who dares to imagine they can
change the way things are, albeit
for the better, faces a barrage of
refusals and objections. So often
laws (planning or otherwise)
stifle new design and creative
energy, but it is nature that when
a new baby is about to be born
the waters have to break. We
can no longer be attached to, or
42 Permaculture Magazine
Rui Vasco
Above: dependent on, the old structure
Respecting – it is not in our interest to do so.
natural Society’s values were founded
community, on competition but it is evident
Tamera. that the Earth’s future, and our’s
on it, depends on co-operation
to restore the natural balance.
We therefore need new
approaches to how we live
together in the community, to
create an experimental bridge
between old and new civilis-
ation. This is a bridge founded
Jonathan Evelight
on trust, by which both the
Earth and her children can
flourish and be cared for.
A walk in So when Jenny, Chris and
Tottenique. myself were asked to help
No. 34
abandoned village
in south Portugal,
Jonathan Evelight
and friends report
on their plans to
create an eco-village
community, and
also share their
experience of a
nearby established
eco-community.
our friend, Alycone, move to
a remote part of Portugal we
jumped at the chance. This
story is a glimpse of how two
quite different pieces of the
same jigsaw puzzle are leading
to a new future.
TOTTENIQUE
– A LOST VALLEY
In south west Portugal, not far
from the wild west coast, there
exists a beautiful and tranquil
valley abundant with wildlife,
indigenous trees and plants, rare
butterflies and clear springs.
But as we walk down into this
overgrown, well watered and
www.permaculture.co.uk
fertile valley, we come upon
rammed earth dwellings and
other buildings – most in ruins,
nature melting them back into
the ground. A village in the
middle of Europe all but deserted
by its indigenous people – gone
to the cities, as they have done
the world over. It is clear from a
photo album from the ’70s that
Alycone and Chris found that
some 300 people used to live here.
Now perhaps only 30 remain.
Tottenique is like a lost valley from
a distant land, but it’s actually
only 25 miles inland from the
Algarve in the less well known
Alentejo, the country’s richest
source of grains and produce.
It is here in this otherwise
idyllic spot that we are helping
Alycone set up her new home.
In just two weeks we clear away
brambles, recover the natural
water supply, install solar
powered lighting, get to know
a little of the local countryside
and make friends with its
people and nature. As we clear
the land, its value emerges.
Amongst the brambles which
had run rampant for seven
years, overgrown orchards
emerge with terraces of mature
trees including orange, olive,
pear, apple, fig, nespera, lemon
and peach. Vegetable gardens
which were once deliberately
protected by briar hedges lie
close to springs and the river.
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The rest of the land remains
wild, in the capable hands of
Mother Nature.
The valley is fertile and
unpolluted, which is not the
case everywhere; Portugal is
in danger of becoming a desert
– it has not escaped the peril
of modern monoculture which
strips away the natural trees
and bushes that have protected
soil and wildlife.
In the valley, though, wildlife
abounds. Wild boar, deer,
mongoose, badger and fox are
just a few of the inhabitants
– together with butterflies as big
as your hand and a multitude
of birds, including nightingales
– which flourish in this unique
and beautiful landscape. We
have dedicated the land as a
‘World Peace Garden’
and hope to deter
indiscriminate
hunting here.
CHILDREN IN
PARADISE
The permaculture
designers in our
group are like children in
paradise. There is much space
to grow food. Delicious oranges
are already abundant and cork
oaks can also provide a small but
useful cash crop.
Using traditional materials
and the greenest technology,
we intend to restore the existing
Jonathan Evelight
Above: buildings to provide accom-
Rebuilding at modation for those wishing to
Tottenique. study permaculture design and
forest gardening or to simply
retreat into a beautiful land-
scape. Yoga, meditation, horse
riding, swimming and wildlife
walks will also be on offer in
due course.
At present we are in the
process of buying more land
in the valley in order to protect
it and its creatures from being
taken over by monocultures,
such as eucalyptus plantations,
which destroy these delicate
ecosystems and turn the land into
Jonathan Evelight a desert. Volunteers are being
sought to assist with the project,
in return for bed and board on
a short term basis. Conditions
will be very primitive to begin
Below: with and only permaculture
Developing gardening and building skills are
permaculture being sought at the moment.
gardens at You can build on the land with
Tottenique. far greater flexibility than in coun-
tries like Britain. Whilst others
are recovering the old rammed
earth dwelling, Jenny and I are
going to build a Swedish eco-
timber house and later a round
turf roof earth house.
The Swedish method is easy,
environmentally friendly and
makes energy-efficient, tough
and attractive homes. They are
also low-cost and, at £30,000 or
so, I consider them better value
than even Walter Segal self-build
houses. They are quick to build
to a standard design (or they can
be modified to your own needs)
with everything included – even
the kitchen sink. We plan to live
Jonathan Evelight
in it while building the round
house and then it’s there for
children and guests.
No. 34 Permaculture Magazine 43
 culture amidst do in so many fields. Mulching
the eroded with organic materials, even
landscape that large timber – a technique bor-
urgently needs rowed from Brazil – creates
reforestation new soil. Beans, legumes and
across Portugal. vegetables are sown directly
Founded five into the earth. As an experiment
years ago by to show the increasing fertility
six people from of the soil, a sapling has been
Germany who left to grow seven metres in as
had previously many months.
extensively Now in construction is
researched Tamera’s own Peace Garden
holistic com- that shows how people can

Rui Vasco
munity and co-operate in harmony with
natural ecology, nature. It is considered normal
Tamera now here to go beyond the concept
TAMERA ECO-COMMUNITY All photos on has 70 people living there, some of companion planting to
During our time in Portugal we these facing resident in dwellings, tipis or commune intuitively with the
also had a unique opportunity pages are from mobile homes. The children landscape, trees, plants and
to visit and experience Tamera, Tamera. have their own accommodation, animals. What kind of plants
an established eco-village. a haven all by itself. want to grow here? What skills
We rose with the sun dis- Above: used in the
solving a thick blanket of mist A gathering. landscape in
rising from the lake surround- older times are
ing the little peninsula of white Right: still appropri-
dwellings where we have rented Artistic ate? Non-
a small cottage. We found our inspiration in aggressive trust
way by road to arrive later than the lakeside building seems
intended at Tamera, where the studio. to really work,
community is holding an open but your own
day, to join 60 or more people Below right: associated
already at a gathering. Instantly Workshop feelings have

Rui Vasco
I am listening intently to a talk in progress. first to be
about the bio-energy and deep Relaxation is changed to
ecology of these people as they encouraged! Permaculture principles are learn this way.
interact fully with nature ‘with evident everywhere, not just The vision and impres-
no enemies’. It’s in German but Below left: in growing food, but as people sion of Tamera is of a vibrant
several small groups with trans- A lesson interacting with nature. You community of people learn-
lators indicate an international in trust. won’t see naked earth as you ing to live together in trust
audience. We join in song to end
the morning, with memorable
Rui Vasco

words, “Even though you have

broken your vows a thousand
times, come on, come on, you
are welcome into the garden.”
Tamera is 134 hectares (330
acres) of land that includes
woodland, natural water and hills.
It is evident that the community
is creating structure and new
biodiversity based on perma-
Rui Vasco

44 Permaculture Magazine No. 34 www.permaculture.co.uk

and harmonious co-operation on site, the
with nature. These are people economy is just
inspired to co-create a healing about self-sup-
‘bio-tope’, or model, as part porting from
of a new global culture that is its programme
emerging to restore the earth and by indi-
whilst enabling the realisation vidual trades.
of human potential. When the If a new and
first fully equipped resource better way of
building burnt down a few life is to exist
years ago along with library it must be
and computers, it turned out created. Eco-
not to be a setback but served communities
as a challenge to extend the can be some

Rui Vasco
support, the inspiration and of the new
the participation that Tamera oases in the
received to start over again. midst of tradi-
Now the community has, tional society’s deserts. Putting Above: CONTACTS
for example, a 10 guest room energy into planning and social Inspecting Anyone interested in becoming
chalet with another planned, change can be frustrating and apple trees. involved with the Tottenique
an annual programme of disempowering in countries like project is welcome. Investment
workcamps and workshops Britain. To counterbalance this, is also a possibility to protect
on spirituality Left: more of this beautiful and
and ecology, Relaxation unspoilt valley. Contact:
a summer uni- space. Alycone Black.
versity for over Tel: 077 7470 3459.
300 people, alycone@aum.freewire.co.uk
research activ- Below left:
ities, world Workshop and For information on Swedish
peace work- accommoda- eco-timber house building, contact:
ers’ forums, tion spaces. Jonathan Evelight
and a youth Tel: 01983 533 129
school for rainbow@aum.freewire.co.uk
Rui Vasco

global educa- Below right:

tion. Cohesion
comes through complete parti-
cipation in community life and
through the community’s Forum
or talking circle. Solar energy
and vegetarian food is resourced
Sign: ‘During Tamera – Centre for Humane
we believe it necessary to put the main Ecology, Monte do Cerro,
energy into creating sustainable season, please P-7630 Colos, Portugal.
lifestyles in places less restrictive don’t walk Tel. +351 283 635 306
and more conducive to support- upon the tamera@mail.telepac.pt
ing an ecological future water’. www.tamera.org

For matters concerning planning

Rui Vasco

issues, contact:
Chapter 7 News, The Potato Store,
Flax Drayton Farm, South
Petherton, Somerset TA13 6TE.
Rui Vasco

www.permaculture.co.uk No. 34 Permaculture Magazine 45