Resilience Is Not Built Against Nature

Major, unforgettable events, including natural disasters, can become forces that reshape the mindset of a community or even an entire nation. Throughout their lives, our ancestors were forced to face countless challenges in the form of natural disasters, pushing them to find ways to survive. It was through these experiences that they came to understand something essential: nature must be “conquered” with compassion. By caring for and preserving it, nature, in turn, will offer its care to humanity.

That awareness, however, can only emerge after individuals or communities move past the initial shock and emotional outpouring that arise from being victims or even mere witnesses. Commenting on disasters is far easier than living through one. For this reason, the public deserves access to education on preparedness and disaster prevention, because, as I have written many times before, prevention is always better than cure. 

Illustration: private collection 

A major disaster at the end of 2025, on November 26, claimed thousands of lives in western Sumatra, Indonesia. As of today, roughly one month later, hundreds remain missing and thousands more have lost their homes due to flash floods that are strongly suspected to be a direct result of excessive forest exploitation in the region. 

The level of destruction in parts of West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and Aceh is severe, almost indistinguishable from the impact of the 2004 Aceh tsunami. Local governments have effectively given up, unable or unwilling to take responsibility for the safety of their people. The central government seeks to preserve its image as a resilient nation. Meanwhile, the victims are left in despair, understandably longing for their lives to return to what they once were.

Finders keepers 

Indigenous beliefs have always accompanied the birth of civilizations across the world, including in Ukraine. Due to political dynamics, Ukrainian Native Faith was once forgotten by later generations who inherited its foundations. A single major event, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, became the starting point for its revival. This belief system is now known as Ridnovira.

The shift in citizenship from Soviet citizens to Ukrainian citizens carried deep meaning for Ukrainian society. As with many other communities that have experienced or are currently experiencing similar transitions, sudden change is often followed by an emotional surge known as euphoria. Yet Ridnovira is not merely a belief system that honors nature through rituals and sacred practices alone.

For its adherents, Indigenous Faith is not simply about identity. The search for identity should end once a person consciously chooses to become part of an entity, whether spiritual or non-spiritual. Honoring nature means openly acknowledging that one is part of it. This, however, is only possible because followers of Ridnovira already possess a firm sense of self. 

A “Happy Ending”

No human being in this world desires instability in life, and no one wishes for disaster. Followers of Indigenous beliefs across the globe, including Ridnovira, understand that stability can only be achieved if it also exists beyond their own circles. This is the core essence of all belief systems that continue to exist today: everything in this world is interconnected and constantly influencing one another, not standing alone or acting solely according to individual free will whenever it pleases.

Friction will always arise, as the thoughts and perspectives of different groups within society, at both regional and global levels, are never identical. Yet forcing everyone to speak with one voice, by whatever means necessary, often leads to greater instability and pushes us further away from the “happy ending” that everyone hopes for. (dswas)

Why Independence Must Be Guided by Conscience

Independence—standing on one’s own feet—is a slogan frequently echoed to motivate society at large to move forward with confidence in building their lives as a nation. This call has recently resurfaced amid rising international political tensions. Ideal independence, of course, truly means starting everything from scratch, crawling up from the bottom through one’s own capabilities toward the summit, as our ancestors across the world once did.

The independence of a formerly colonized nation is often accompanied by emotionally driven narratives whose impacts extend far beyond the moment, shaping the lives of many subsequent generations. As a republic that had only gained independence in 1945, Indonesia experienced a series of political upheavals that led to deteriorating relations with the Netherlands, its former colonial ruler. The climax came with the decision to reclaim economic sovereignty by taking over approximately 700 Dutch-owned companies operating in Indonesia, along with a number of assets belonging to Chinese nationals and other foreign citizens during the period of 1958–1966.

This extreme decision, aimed at securing capital for the development of a newly born republic, did not automatically yield the desired results. Dutch professionals and entrepreneurs promptly left Indonesia after President Sukarno signed regulations legalizing the largest multisector nationalization in history, without any accompanying transfer of knowledge or expertise to the new owners. Global investor confidence declined sharply, forcing Indonesia to print new money on a massive scale to finance various infrastructure and military projects.

President Suharto, as Sukarno’s successor, was confronted with a mountain of debt at the beginning of his leadership—specifically compensation debts that the Indonesian government was obliged to pay as reparations for unilateral nationalization policies enacted in the previous era. After 1965, Indonesia stood on the brink of bankruptcy, leaving Suharto little choice but to accept the advice of economists from the University of California, Berkeley, to overhaul the economic system, including loosening restrictions on foreign currency transactions. What were the consequences?

Illustration: private collection

Why Can Ambition Be Destructive?

Like many indigenous belief systems found across the Earth, one of Indonesia’s native spiritual traditions, Kapribaden, regards the natural environment as an inseparable part of humanity. The movements of animals and plants, water, air, and soil give rise to an awareness that all substances move according to their respective natures. Human beings, however, consist of two unseen dimensions: raga (the physical body) and rasa (inner feeling or conscience). Human actions, driven by bodily desires, often fail to align with rasa.

True to its name—derived from the word pribadi (self or personhood)—Kapribaden emphasizes the cultivation of a personal character in which raga and rasa remain in harmony throughout one’s journey of making a living. Ambition that appears righteous and noble can, in fact, mislead an individual’s path, ultimately sacrificing personal happiness, family well-being, and even the welfare of future generations. Even if one achieves success, relentless pressure may continue to strike, eventually disrupting mental health through chronic stress.

For this reason, believers of Kapribaden may appear, at first glance, to be people without aspirations, as they tend to live simply until the end of their lives. As members of a broader society, they do not base their actions solely on generally accepted rules and norms. The feelings (rasa) of others around them also serve as a guide for their actions, regardless of identity. How Kapribaden adherents are able to perceive this rasa is a subject to be discussed on another occasion.

So as Not to Fall into the Same Pit

Our predecessors could make mistakes—sometimes fatal ones. Harboring resentment toward them for those mistakes is futile, as our anger cannot change what has already occurred. Instead, Kapribaden followers regard them as grandparents who were always willing to do whatever they could for the happiness of their grandchildren.

The two Indonesian leaders mentioned above did what they believed was right in fulfilling their responsibilities as leaders of a nation. The Indonesian people need not worry: all debts related to compensation payments to Dutch owners of nationalized companies were officially declared settled in 2002. Indonesia has closed the dark chapter associated with the nationalization of foreign companies within its territory—except for one remaining issue.

The 1958 regulation that served as the root of economic problems arising from the nationalization of foreign companies is still referenced in the several state-owned enterprises official documents. This regulation should no longer be cited and ought to be declared null and void, as Indonesia has fully settled its compensation obligations to the Dutch entrepreneurs who were harmed by the nationalization policy. (dswas)

The "Fire" We Choose Not to Put Out

The nationalization of foreign assets and or companies operating within a country is a political practice that has existed for decades. History records that it was first carried out by the Soviet Union during the early success of the Bolshevik Revolution under the leadership of Joseph Stalin in 1917–1918. Changes in state structure and political leadership underpinned the transformation of the Russian Empire, which had previously relied on Western European and United States investment, into a communist system. 

This mistake of the past was later acknowledged by Stalin’s successors, including Vladimir Lenin, who offered concessions to several countries harmed by Stalin’s decisions, allowing them to reinvest in the Soviet Union, particularly in the oil and gas sector. This scheme continued for decades, until the Soviet Union eventually declared its willingness to provide compensation for those losses in 1986 and again in 2017, respectively. 

Although Western observers considered the amount of compensation disproportionate to the losses suffered by investors during the Stalin era, the Soviet Union, and Russia as its successor, did not simply walk away from responsibility. This was partly driven by a broader mission to integrate Russia into the global community, as reflected in the policies of Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin, the former president and current president of Russia. 

It is interesting to examine the reactions of countries that suffered losses during the Bolshevik era, including France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, and the United States. Having received compensation from the Soviet Union in 1986 and from Russia in 2017, these countries were also willing to reinvest in Russia afterward. When Russia declared war on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, their initial reaction was not centered on protecting their investments in Russia, even as the shadow of Bolshevism potentially once again threatened their profits.

The “Fire” That Is Passed Down

Fire is a sacred element in many belief systems across the world, including the Indigenous Georgian Faith. Fire symbolizes purity, though it is not conceived as a primordial origin that precedes everything else, like air. In its physical form, fire serves as a mediator that transforms solid matter into ash, returning it to its origin so it can once again nourish the soil. This benefit is only realized when fire can be controlled, much like human emotion. 

Illustration: private collection

This understanding forms the foundation of the Indigenous Georgian Faith and its various rules. As with many other indigenous belief systems, the desire to live in harmony with the surrounding environment inspires a range of guidelines intended to steer people away from reprehensible behavior. From the perspective of the Indigenous Georgian Faith, a person’s actions do not concern only themselves and their own “universe.” Right or wrong, an individual’s actions affect the spiritual standing of subsequent generations, creating a cycle of cause and effect that must be faced from one generation to the next.

This is not a form of punishment. A believer of the Indigenous Georgian Faith can break this cycle of cause and effect by performing certain acts as “compensation” for the mistakes of previous generations. The aim is to ensure that the lingering “fire” of resentment felt by affected parties can be controlled, extinguished, and no longer passed down. Only then can the human life cycle truly move on, especially since challenges continue to arise, regardless of whether we are ready to face them.

Forgiving Is Harder Than Apologizing

The nationalization of foreign assets and or companies may appear to bring financial benefits to the state that carries it out. What is often overlooked is that the financial losses suffered by the affected parties tend to push them to recover those losses by any means available, because companies are not charitable institutions.

This “fire” can take the form of sanctions, tariffs, bans, blockades, embargoes, tax increases, and a range of other measures with similar implications, all essentially aimed at extracting payment from the subjects of those regulations. On the other hand, the party carrying out the nationalization, cast as the “defendant” in this situation, also has the right to change its fate, because every person has the right to enjoy prosperity, as collectively recognized by our predecessors.

From the perspective of the Indigenous Georgian Faith, the generational impact of a mistake does not affect only the perpetrators, but also the victims. How long the perpetrators and their descendants continue to act as perpetrators, and how long the victims and their descendants continue to see themselves as victims, is ultimately a decision in the hands of each of them. (dswas)

The Burden of a Gift

It is often said that giving is better than receiving. But does this mean that we must refuse a gift—especially one that comes to us as the result of what we have done in the past?

As a country blessed with natural endowments as one of the world’s largest oil reserves, Venezuela was among the wealthiest oil-producing nations from the 1970s until the late 1990s. One source notes that Venezuela once recorded gross revenues of up to USD 10 trillion over a two-year period (1973–1975), largely due to oil exports.

As has occurred in many parts of the world, enormous income is often not accompanied by prudent financial management. It is easy to point out corruption as the primary cause of Venezuela’s current economic decline, or to the oil sanctions imposed by the United States since 2019. However, it is worth tracing the country’s historical timeline to gain a clearer understanding of the deeper roots of the problems it faces.

Oil was first discovered in Venezuela in 1922, thanks to the efforts of geologists from Royal Dutch Shell. With growing investments from oil companies in Europe and the United States beginning in the 1930s, Venezuela rose to become the world’s third-largest oil producer, after the United States and the Soviet Union.

Through the 1943 Hydrocarbons Law, Venezuelan authorities required foreign oil companies operating within their territory to allocate half of their oil sales profits to the state treasury. This regulation was a key driver of Venezuela’s rise as an oil-rich nation. The tax revenue was also used as capital to establish a state-owned oil company.

The global recession of the 1980s marked the beginning of the decline of South America’s most prosperous oil state, triggered by a sharp drop in oil prices that severely affected national income. Hugo Chávez’s decision to nationalize several foreign oil companies operating in Venezuela did not lead to economic recovery; instead, it pushed the country deeper into crisis.

More Than Identity

Identity-based sentiment is one of the factors that can strengthen nationalism within a community, which may ultimately lead to the nationalization of foreign-owned assets. Identity cannot be rejected, as it is the first “gift” given by parents and the state to children on the day they are born. A clear identity facilitates administrative processes, yet real life does not always unfold as neatly as the identities held by most people on this planet. 

Illustration: private collection

Despite an awareness of identity, various native faiths in different parts of the world place greater emphasis on the relationship between adherents and the surrounding natural environment—their interactions with it, and the actions required as acknowledgment of nature’s existence itself. Maausk (literally meaning “earth faith”) is one such indigenous belief system in Estonia, founded and practiced according to these principles.

For its adherents, nature itself is sacred: forests, rivers, hills, mountains, and stones have been recognized as sacred sites and have been protected by the government since the Soviet era. Offerings are placed as expressions of gratitude for nature’s abundance, accompanied by the rule that an adherent must not be in a negative psychological state (such as sadness or anger) when visiting a sacred site. This rule, in turn, trains Maausk followers to exercise self-control amid life’s fluctuations.

At certain times, Maausk adherents bring offerings in the form of food they have cooked themselves at home. These dishes are taken to sacred places and offered to ancestors as an expression of respect and affection for those who first opened the land on which people now live, along with the foundations of values and norms they established. Afterward, the food is shared and eaten together, much like a family picnic.

Fate as a “Gift”

The various misfortunes that befall a nation do not occur suddenly; there is always a long process behind them. Regardless of the rhetoric surrounding the nationalization of foreign companies, self-awareness is required to acknowledge that such actions violate international law, whatever the motivations may be. Because we live in a world governed by rules, violations inevitably carry consequences.

History records numerous cases of countries nationalizing the assets of one or more foreign companies operating within their borders—countries that later came to regret the “gift” of life in the form of punishment or remorse. Regulations are not the only guide as to why we should refrain from violating agreements we have made with others. Material losses resulting from unilateral actions will prompt the aggrieved parties to seek compensation through various means, including those that may harm us in the long term, for an indefinite period.

Upholding cultural values and indigenous belief systems is one way we can learn to enhance awareness of our own patterns of thought and psychological states. This awareness is the foundation we need before moving on to the next stage—one that may help us avoid regret arising from our decisions and actions. (dswas)

Measuring Gratitude, Safely

Sport cannot be separated from politics ... and pleasure. Behind the glittering spectacle of global sporting events like the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, there are darker stories that have nothing to do with sport itself, yet end up determining how these tournaments take place. I am not talking about sporting sanctions caused by war, but about the long, winding, and morally gray process through which a country is selected as host of an international sporting event.

Tom Welch, a lawyer, and David Johnson, an economist, were two public officials at the top of the Salt Lake Bid Committee, an organization formed to handle the city’s bid to host the 2002 Winter Olympics. The committee had been “fighting” for the right to host the Olympics since 1986, but was rejected time and again. Being a major city in a developed country, the United States, turned out to be no guarantee of winning the right to host a major sporting event.

After Salt Lake failed once again to secure the 1998 Winter Olympics, Welch grew bitter when the hosting rights went to Nagano, Japan, a country the United States had defeated in World War II. Unlike the FIFA World Cup, hosting the Olympics does not always translate into major revenue from visiting supporters. Even so, the prestige and pride last for years, remembered as a moment when a city brought together nations from around the world in a single sporting event.

Through his connections, Welch and his network learned that the Nagano Olympic Committee had spent tens of millions of dollars on “welcome events” for 62 members of the International Olympic Committee from various countries. The committee was suspected of spending around 14 million dollars on top‑quality sushi dinners, hot spring baths, and geisha entertainment.

Armed with this information, the Salt Lake Olympic Committee increased its own “pre‑Olympic” budget to 16 million dollars. This money was used to give “gifts” to 20 IOC members in the form of cash, gift packages, airline tickets and accommodation, and even tuition fees for their children.

Salt Lake ultimately won the right to host the 2002 Winter Olympics. However, the financial scandal surfaced several months later through investigations by the IOC and the U.S. Department of Justice. In the end, Welch and his colleagues were cleared of all charges, while the 20 IOC members involved were removed from their positions. No legal sanctions were imposed, as the giving and receiving of gifts was deemed not to violate any existing regulations. 

Preservation begins with reverence

Expressions of gratitude can take many forms, and the most important of them is action. Looking at the example above, it would be naïve to deny the impulse to repay pleasant treatment with an equivalent gesture. It is easy to return a good deed when the recipient is another human being. Whether such actions break the law or not depends on the regulations of each country. 

Illustration: private collection

Offerings, also known as ritual sacrifices, are practiced by followers of Lithuania’s indigenous faith, Romuva, as an expression of gratitude to nature for everything they take from it. This includes air, water, wood, animals, plants, and even natural resources such as oil and gas. From the Romuva perspective, gratitude must take a tangible form, as a way to instill humility, commitment, and an ongoing awareness of the need to protect nature and the environment.

Emerging from a sense of disgust with modern civilization in recent times, Romuva has grown into a regional organization officially recognized by the Lithuanian government. Thanks to the openness of its followers, they have found many similarities with Hinduism, particularly in the reverence shown to ancestors and the natural world. Both traditions also view fire as a medium that completes offerings presented as an expression of gratitude to nature.

Throwing food such as grains or butter into a fire means “discarding” something that has been obtained through hard effort, work, farming, cooking, and returning it to nature. From a modern point of view, this is seen as wasteful, throwing away something that could have been enjoyed with one’s family, especially in difficult economic times when frugality is necessary for survival.

In the past, people did not think this way because their lifestyles were far simpler, as were their needs. They did not worry about sacrificing their possessions for something that seemed like “nothing,” because what they offered as a sacrifice today would grow again and be harvested in the future to meet their needs. Today, however, this mindset is considered irrelevant as the cost of living continues to rise and tighten its grip.

The weight of sacrifice

When the Salt Lake Olympic Committee agreed to draw 16 million dollars from the city’s budget to please IOC members, they were pursuing something they believed was worth the risk of tens of millions of dollars. This means the “sacrifice” was only half‑hearted, as the committee members did not use their own personal funds to achieve the status of becoming an Olympic host city.

In the context of Romuva, expressing gratitude to nature is not a futile act, because its followers are able to reflect on the benefits of the act itself. Offerings usually consist of materials that are easily biodegradable, flowers, leaves, incense, fruits, grains, and the like, once burned in fire. The remains are returned to the soil and gradually transform into humus, helping maintain soil fertility even as humans continue to take from it. The results of sacrifice require time and are never instant.

Yet we hesitate to make such sacrifices because “time is money,” and counting the days it takes for a tree to grow is seen as a pointless exercise… (dswas)

Ancient Knowledge as an Approach to Mitigating Natural Disaster Risk

When floods claim human lives and material assets, responsibility is often attributed to heavy rainfall, extreme weather events, climate change, malfunctioning early warning systems, or human negligence. Such questions reflect a broader condition in which human civilization is entering a critical phase, one that tests its capacity to adapt to life shaped by natural forces.

Modern societies are driven by an ambition to surpass previous generations through the advancement of science and technology. This pursuit is grounded in the aspiration to sustain life and elevate collective well-being. These objectives continue to shape contemporary development. Yet despite significant achievements, including space exploration, humanity has not achieved full control over atmospheric and climatic processes. Weather remains a domain largely beyond human mastery. 

Illustration: private collection

In recent decades, the frequency and intensity of weather-related natural disasters have increased, commonly associated with climate change. Public discourse often emphasizes the responsibility of fossil fuel industries in accelerating environmental degradation. While such critiques are important, they are frequently accompanied by limited efforts to educate communities on adaptive strategies for surviving and responding to natural hazards such as floods, landslides, storms, and droughts. As a result, loss of life continues to occur in disasters that are not unprecedented, but rather have been recorded repeatedly throughout human history.

Historical evidence suggests that earlier human societies recognized the limits of their influence over natural phenomena. Instead of attempting to control nature, they developed bodies of knowledge aimed at adaptation and survival within a dynamic environment. One such body of knowledge involved the interpretation of environmental and meteorological signs to anticipate changes in weather patterns. 

Foundations in Indigenous Belief Systems

Ancient knowledge systems, as integral components of cultural traditions, emerged from the interaction between environmental conditions and spiritual awareness embedded in indigenous belief (native belief) systems. Reverence toward natural elements and associated phenomena fostered sustained observation and inquiry among early human communities. This process enabled the development of interpretive frameworks through which nature could be understood and navigated as a means of ensuring survival. 

Across different regions of the world, adherents of indigenous belief systems cultivated ecological knowledge grounded in respect for natural forces. This includes the ancient Eastern Slavic communities, who developed practices that emphasized the sacralization of natural elements within the framework of Slavic Native Faith. These practices were not merely ritualistic, but were accompanied by systematic interpretations of natural signs believed to precede significant environmental events that could threaten communal safety.

In contemporary Poland, where interest in indigenous traditions has experienced renewed growth, modern approaches have emerged to reinterpret the behavior of natural elements, including celestial bodies, atmospheric conditions, water systems, soil, flora, and fauna. These approaches draw upon ancestral knowledge transmitted orally across generations by individuals who engaged in long-term observation and pattern recognition within their environments.

In contrast to modern reliance on meteorological institutions and digital forecasting technologies, premodern weather prediction relied on the synthesis of multiple environmental indicators. For example, specific patterns in animal or plant behavior were interpreted as signals of imminent rainfall. Likewise, the appearance of a halo surrounding a full moon was commonly understood as a precursor to major weather-related events, including floods or storms.

Interdependence and Destructive Reciprocity

Indigenous belief systems generally do not emphasize moral reward in the form of divine compensation. Instead, they are grounded in an understanding of causality and reciprocal relationships. Practices of honoring nature, often expressed through offerings, function as symbolic acknowledgments of humanity’s dependence on natural systems. Such practices serve to reinforce restraint and discourage excessive exploitation.

From this perspective, environmental degradation resulting from unchecked exploitation represents a form of disregard toward nature that ultimately leads to adverse consequences for human societies. The principle of reciprocal interaction between humans and their environment remains applicable despite profound changes in both ecological systems and human civilization.

Nature and human societies continue to exist in a state of mutual dependence, while simultaneously possessing the capacity to undermine one another. Recognizing human agency in contributing to environmental imbalance is therefore essential. Such recognition offers a foundation for reducing collective anxiety and fostering more adaptive, informed responses to natural hazards.

Seeking the Magic of the Ever-Young Old Tree

The 2026 World Cup will be a farewell moment for a lineup of football stars: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luka Modrić, Antoine Griezmann, Manuel Neuer, Robert Lewandowski, Kevin De Bruyne, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Neymar Jr (if he is called up). Some of them have officially announced the end of their international careers, while the rest remain media speculation due to age, now entering their mid-to-late thirties.

Interestingly, the emerging stars now competing for the throne once held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are actually devoted fans of the two GOATs. Erling Haaland and Alejandro Garnacho, for instance, have been Ronaldo fans since childhood until today. Premier League supporters can easily see how Haaland’s demeanor is deeply inspired by Ronaldo’s style: confident on the field and slightly arrogant. Garnacho even imitates CR7’s trademark celebration—including mocking rival supporters.

Lionel Messi is fortunate to be idolized by two young rising talents from Germany and Spain, Jamal Musiala and Lamine Yamal, who are currently under intense media spotlight. Musiala exhibits the traits of a young Messi—humble, yet endlessly showcasing agility and brilliance on the pitch. Meanwhile, Yamal, who currently plays for Messi’s former club, has recently drawn criticism from media and social media users due to behavior considered the complete opposite of the low-profile Messi.

Illustration: private collection

Sacred by Character

In Slavic Native Faith, pine trees are regarded as sacred because their nature serves as a guide to emotional resilience in all circumstances. Pine trees are evergreens—their leaves remain green through all seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Mature pine trees are generally stronger in extreme weather than young ones, which is why followers of this belief consider pine trees a symbol of hope when life is not going well.

However, philosophy alone is not what led a community of Slavic Native Faith practitioners in Baikal, Russia, to sanctify a pine forest in the area. Pine forests play a vital role in ecological sustainability due to their ability to absorb carbon. Older pine trees are known to capture more carbon and release more oxygen. Snow resting on pine needles melts gradually in spring, preventing sudden water flow that could cause flooding. Their roots help store and bind water, and some pine cones can only regenerate when the air temperature rises due to forest fires.

Russian researchers discovered a pine tree on Olkhon Island, Baikal, estimated to be 400 years old. Standing 20 meters tall—with a still-healthy trunk and 90% of its branches still regenerating—the ancient pine tree stands in the middle of a forest revered as sacred by the ancestors of the region. When the sacred forest was later converted into residential land and fish-processing factories, the old pine was preserved and declared a monument by NGOs, academics, and the Russian Federal Forestry Agency.

Forever Young

Reflecting on the story of the sacred pine tree on Olkhon Island, anything we love, respect, and care for sincerely will endure far longer, repaying what we have invested in it. This sacred tree continues to survive and demonstrate its strength despite its age, benefiting the surrounding ecosystem and the lives of the people nearby, until it was ultimately granted monument status.

Who knows what emotions are stirring in the hearts of Ronaldo and Messi now, as they approach what may be their final international tournament. They may continue to play a few more years at club level, although surely not as dazzling as during the peak of their El Clasico rivalry. Yet there are former football stars who have succeeded in new paths far outside the world of football.

Michael Owen, Manchester United’s young talent of the 90s era, found success in racehorse breeding. George Weah—who shone more brightly with AC Milan than with his national team during the same decade—went into politics after retirement and was elected President of Liberia. Meanwhile, Hidetoshi Nakata, one of the first Asian players in elite European clubs, retired early at 29 and made a successful career in the fashion world.

For many reasons, only few former footballers share the same fate. What exactly drives them to keep moving forward, like an old pine tree that continues to grow new branches, is something worth exploring further. (dswas)

Why Did the Water of Life Turn Into the Water of Death?

Aqua vitae, the water of life, was once believed to cure fevers and headaches, kill germs in meat or vegetables, prevent colds, improve digestion, protect the kidneys and liver, help people sleep better, and boost appetite. It was also said to sharpen memory and build courage.

In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, this life-saving water was made by distilling ingredients like rice, wheat, and, of course, grapes. Grapes? Indeed. In the 12th century, alcoholic drinks were not made for people looking to drown their problems in drunkenness. They were created as medicine. True to the name, this was water meant to revive the human body.

Historically, the early technology for producing alcohol came from distillation methods discovered by Greek and Persian alchemists. The technique was first developed to transform raw metals into precious ones, and to create the water of life that was believed to grant eternal existence. When Arab forces conquered Alexandria and Persia, they studied these techniques and expanded them, eventually using them to produce alcohol.

By the 12th century, this technology had spread to Southern Europe. Two universities, one in Salerno (Italy) and one in Montpellier (France), became centers for the study and development of alcohol distillation. However, the alcohol produced there was intended strictly for medical purposes. It was never meant to be consumed recreationally. Its purpose matched the original intention behind alcohol: a disinfectant that kills harmful germs. 

Illustration: private collection

Environmental Damage as a Sign of Spiritual Trouble

The political shifts in parts of Eastern Europe in the early 1990s opened the door for the revival of several native religions and belief systems. Hungary, despite having a leader known for his hardline stance and frequent protests against him, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, still offers enough space for practitioners of Hungarian Indigenous Belief. They are not forbidden from spreading their teachings, nor are they forced to compromise with intolerant groups.

As with most indigenous belief systems around the world, followers of Hungarian Indigenous Belief see nature not as a lifeless object to be exploited. Water, for example, plays an essential role in many rituals, especially those related to healing. When water becomes polluted, they lose the ability to use it to help stimulate the cells in the body so they can grow and recover.

From their perspective, maintaining the balance between humans and nature is not just about offering ritual gifts. It also means actively caring for the environment. This can only happen when a community has a spiritual awareness that goes beyond ritual routines. It requires understanding how deeply connected they are to everything around them: water, air, earth, trees, and fire.

Any act that disturbs the natural balance is seen as harming oneself, no matter what the intention behind it is. Those who damage the environment are considered spiritually lost because they fail to recognize their place within the natural world. That is why practitioners of Hungarian Indigenous Belief regard environmental destruction as a sign that something is spiritually wrong within the individuals or groups involved.

Safety Takes Work

One of the biggest mistakes religious communities often make is believing that their safety is guaranteed simply because they follow the rules of their faith. Blind surrender can be dangerous, because the world does not operate according to the wishes of its inhabitants.

Safety does not appear out of thin air. It is the result of a series of choices made with the intention of sustaining life. And yes, preserving life is complicated and messy, because indulging in pleasure is always easier and far more enjoyable.

Take alcohol, for example. Drinking until you pass out is always simpler than figuring out the right amount that actually benefits your digestion. I am not here to lecture anyone. As someone who has lived through two motorcycle accidents and one street fight while drunk in my twenties, I sincerely hope the best for anyone dealing with similar troubles. (dswas)

Avoiding the Trap of Natural Wealth

Picture a quiet morning deep in Sumatra. Sunlight slips through a canopy that has stood for centuries. The air smells of damp soil and leaves. Then a chainsaw starts, and in a matter of minutes, a single tree worth millions of rupiah hits the ground.

For many people, this is the easiest money they will ever earn. One cubic meter of teak or mahogany can bring in 5 to 7 million rupiah. Hardwoods like merbau can reach 15 million. If you convert it to dollars, that is 300 to 900 USD.

Cut a hundred cubic meters, and you walk away with around 30,000 USD. No factory. No night shifts. No sales pitch. Just a forest, a blade, and the promise of fast wealth.

This is why ancient rainforests are so heavily targeted. Trees that grow slowly in untouched forests become stronger, older, and more beautiful. The grain is richer, the fibers tighter, the trunks wider. Wood from plantations, rushed and uniform, simply does not compare.

But plantations demand commitment. You need land, seedlings, time, and care. Forests ask for nothing. They are ready-made fortune. And that is the problem. The very convenience that draws people in is the same thing that empties the land. When the trees disappear, the money disappears with them. The business collapses not because it was unprofitable, but because it consumed the source it depended on. 

Illustration: private collection

The Ancestors’ Trees

Thousands of kilometers away, in the mountains of Tajikistan, there are trees that have watched generations rise and fall. Mulberries and junipers that have lived longer than recorded history. They stand there because the people who live among them, particularly Folk Tajik Faith believers, believe these trees are sacred. To them, a tree is not timber. It is a home for ancestors, a guardian of the village, a witness to every human joy and misfortune.

Walk through a village on a quiet afternoon and you may see pieces of cloth tied to a branch. Each cloth carries a story. Someone battling illness. Someone grieving. Someone hoping for a change in luck. Outsiders might call it superstition. But for the people who live here, this is a conversation with the world that holds them.

What their ancestors understood long before science put it into textbooks is that these trees do more than stand tall. Their roots grip the mountain soil and keep the land from crumbling. They stop landslides. They hold back mud floods during storms. They protect riverbanks from erosion. They secure the water that families depend on. Mulberry trees even help clean the dusty air that blows through the region.

The rituals may seem spiritual, but the wisdom behind them is practical. Reverence saved forests that would otherwise be gone.

When Belief Becomes Protection

Nature’s wealth is seductive. A forest can look like a pile of money waiting to be claimed. If someone tells you that you can earn tens of thousands of dollars by cutting it down, the temptation is real. Yet money today does not stretch the way it used to. One dollar or a hundred dollars can vanish with the same speed.

Tajikistan faces the same deforestation pressures that hit tropical countries. The government cannot fight it alone, so it turns to the very communities who still hold the old beliefs. Their sense of responsibility comes not from law or policy, but from spirituality. They protect trees not because they are told to, but because they feel bound to them.

Modern life is pulling young people away from these traditions. Still, the guardians from the Folk Tajik Faith keep going. They continue to tend the trees, watch the forests, and protect what they can. They understand something simple: the quick profit from cutting a tree is nothing compared to the quiet disaster that follows after it is gone. (dswas)

True Wealth: Turning Disaster Into Blessing

Good news. The number of wealthy people around the world has increased, reaching three thousand billionaires as of March 2025. The United States leads with nine hundred and two billionaires, most of them concentrated in the information technology sector. China and India follow with five hundred and twelve and two hundred and five billionaires.

Economists and financial experts welcome this development. The rise of wealthy individuals in several countries signals that the global economy is recovering compared to the COVID era of 2020. These billionaires are people who worked relentlessly throughout their lives, distributing their assets across stocks and bonds, and now finally enjoying the results of years of effort.

Yes, being rich is undeniably comfortable. Plenty of money, luxury goods, big houses, fancy cars, overseas vacations. What their lives looked like before they became super wealthy, how hard they worked, and what they sacrificed to reach the peak of their careers is something we can never know for sure. It is like a mountain that looks stunning from afar but appears very different when seen up close.

Beyond the steep cliffs and rocky terrain, the true face of a mountain is far from smooth or as pretty as the photos of Instagrammable tourist spots. Believe it or not, the most valuable part of a mountain is its forests and natural vegetation. Aside from the pride of reaching the summit, there is almost nothing that keeps us lingering there.

Illustration: private collection

Honoring nature is not infidel

Sadly, urban civilization often finds itself treating trees as a threat. Incidents of fallen trees causing casualties and damage happen everywhere. Bad weather, storms, or heavy rain can turn a once trusted protector into a danger when its large trunk collapses and destroys vehicles, buildings, or homes.

Armenian Folk Beliefs regard trees as sacred, (as sacred as springs of water in Hindu). Followers of this belief mark certain trees with strips of cloth to signal their presence to others. As more people tie cloth to a tree, it discourages outsiders from cutting it down.

From a monotheistic theological perspective, this practice is considered misguided because it elevates worldly objects, like trees, to the same level as the Creator. Trees can fall, and none of them defend themselves or demonstrate divine power when humans slash through forests like orcs.

This became evident when Armenia faced social and economic collapse after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in late 1991. Without the cheap gas they once depended on, Armenians burned their furniture to stay warm during harsh winters. When all their furniture was gone, they turned to the forests and began cutting down trees for firewood.

The consequences were predictable. The aftermath of deforestation is the same everywhere in the world. Floods and landslides followed the loss of sacred forests. Countless lives and property were lost, leaving deep and lasting sorrow.

Regret is not enough

Although the country is still relatively young, Armenians quickly realized the mistakes of the past. Reforestation efforts are now widespread in this CSTO member state, carried out by NGOs and diaspora communities educated abroad. Armenians have come to appreciate the wisdom in their ancestors’ teachings about honoring the wilderness.

Restoring the forest is not only seen as environmental conservation. It is also an effort to preserve Armenian cultural heritage as the soul of the nation and the bridge between past, present, and future. For them, restoring forests is not about chasing profit from the tourism industry. Restoring forests means restoring sacred natural sites to rebuild spirituality and reconnect with nature. That is what matters.

Although deforestation and its impacts have not been completely eliminated, the awareness of sacred places is a meaningful step forward. None of this would be possible if Armenians remained trapped in endless regret over past mistakes. (dswas).

Why Gratitude Isn’t Always Simple

Some analysts think the war in Ukraine is heading into its last moments. The United States, one of Ukraine’s biggest donors, has already handed President Volodymyr Zelensky a peace proposal. People who follow politics closely say parts of it lean in Russia’s favor. Donald Trump even told Zelensky to accept the deal or risk losing American support.

From January 2022, about a month before the invasion, to mid 2025, the European Union sent around 167 billion euros in aid to Ukraine. The US sent about 115.4 billion euros in the same period. A good chunk of that isn’t cash but military equipment and financial support. US auditors say the country has allocated around 175 billion dollars to Ukraine, including funds to support US military personnel stationed there.

Even with all that, no one seems completely sure how much money actually reached Ukraine. Corruption scandals around Zelensky’s inner circle have only added to the confusion. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees in Europe and the US are rumored to be heading home, as host countries struggle with their own economic problems and cut back on support.

A little history behind “thank you”

In Russian, спасибо (spasibo) is “thank you.” The word actually comes from an older phrase, spasi bog, which means “may the gods save you.” Spasi means “to save,” and bog means “gods.” The phrase started as part of a prayer from the Native Slavic belief system before it became something people said every day.

Illustration: private collection

The idea behind spasibog is simple. When someone gives you something that helps you or brings joy, you wish something good for them in return. Over time the expression shifted from a prayer to a polite phrase, but the deeper message stayed the same.

In Slavic culture, gratitude isn’t meant to stop at words. You show it through action, including gratitude toward nature and ancestors. One tradition still practiced today is pouring a little beer or vodka before drinking, almost like sharing it with the ancestors. It reminds me of my Balinese friends (most of them were Hindus) in college who did something very similar. Their habit spread fast among our non-Hindu friends because the meaning behind it was beautiful.

Saying thanks in a world like this

Now we’re in a situation where many Ukrainian refugees might be sent home even though they’re not sure what kind of safety or stability waits for them. Before the war, Ukraine already had social assistance programs, though far from perfect by European standards.

Imagine if all the humanitarian aid the government received were used as social support. Life in Ukraine might be much better than it is now. If Russia had never invaded, Ukraine might never have received billions in aid to begin with. It’s strange to think about, but sometimes disaster really does bring unexpected blessings.

Ancient people knew this. They took time to show gratitude because they understood how many forces shape what we receive in life. Modern society doesn’t like this idea because it sounds old fashioned or too full of rules. But ignoring the bigger picture makes it easy to forget one simple truth: money behaves like easy come easy go. What arrives quickly can disappear just as fast. When things feel easy, people forget to plan, manage, and think long term, which is the whole point of aid in the first place. (dswas)

Waiting for a Tree to Grow Over the Remains of the Past

Oleg Salenko was not widely known among football fans until he received the Golden Boot at the 1994 World Cup. When the United States hosted the tournament for the first time, two players from Eastern Europe took home FIFA’s top scorer award. Alongside Salenko was Hristo Stoichkov of Bulgaria. Both scored six goals for their national teams throughout the competition.

Born to a Ukrainian father and a Russian mother, Salenko began his international journey with the Soviet Union U-20 team in 1989. He played in the U-20 World Cup and became the tournament’s top scorer with five goals. Until last year, he remained the only footballer to be top scorer in both junior and senior World Cups. He is also the only Golden Boot winner whose national team failed to pass the group stage.

Salenko appeared in only nine international matches. Eight of them were with Russia in the World Cup, including the iconic Russia vs Cameroon match where he scored five goals in a single game, helping Russia win 6–1. His previous appearance was a friendly for Ukraine against Hungary in 1992, where Ukraine lost 1–3 in its first FIFA-recognized match. Injuries forced Salenko into early retirement at the age of 31.

Roots Pulled Apart

Why did Salenko leave Ukraine to join the Sbornaya, the Russian national team? Much like naturalized players today, Salenko could join either country because he held dual citizenship through his parents. At the time, Russia offered stronger football infrastructure than most post-Soviet countries, including Ukraine. From a career perspective, choosing Russia felt like the path with greater promise.

Long before football infrastructure gaps emerged among former communist states in the late 1990s, Russia, Ukraine, and other Slavic nations like Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, and the Czech Republic shared one cultural root. Their ancestors lived in plains, forests, and wetlands. They were farmers and herders who spent much of their time outdoors. Their lifestyle shaped strong physical resilience passed down through generations. 

Illustration: private collection

That strength made early Slavs unafraid of conflicts that often ended in bloodshed. Their mythology reflects this outlook. Many Slavic tales describe shrubs and wildflowers growing from the blood or bodies of those who died for their beliefs, whether personal principles or collective interests.

Serbian folklore says white peonies turned red from the blood of Serbian soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kosovo. Black peonies grew from the blood of Roma soldiers, while blue peonies came from the blood of fighters of Turkish descent. Bulgarian myths say that lilacs grew from the blood of warriors, which is why the flower is often found near old fortresses or open fields where major battles once took place.

Russian belief holds that fireweed grows from the blood of victims of wrongdoing. A Kuban Cossack legend tells of roses growing from the blood of a young woman who took her own life after being forcibly separated from her lover.

A Past Buried, Then Growing Again

If the blood or body of someone who has died represents something lost and gone forever, then the past is the closest comparison. Everyone has a past. So do ethnic groups, nations, and entire states.

The Slavic ancestors viewed what is gone and will not return as something “beautiful,” like colorful flowers. Our past often feels like that. Beautiful to retell, yet carrying a quiet ache each time the story is remembered. In many stories, loss remains inevitable even when the people in those stories try to preserve what they cherish.

Traditional values, local wisdom, and customs are often dismissed as symbols of a bygone era. People say they should be abandoned because they do not belong in modern life and do not advance human civilization.

But through the context of Slavic ancestors, the past may never return, yet something will always grow from what has decayed. What grows is not only small shrubs or wildflowers but also a tree. One tree can be followed by two, three, ten, or a hundred, depending on how many “remains of the past” lie buried beneath the battleground of civilization. (dswas)

Why Consistency Always Wins

There’s a small proverb whispered across the mountains of the Balkans—simple, almost fragile, yet stubbornly alive through centuries:

“Drop by drop, the stone is pierced.”

(Kap po kap — kamen prodire.)

It was born not in a classroom, nor in a king’s court, but in the quiet, patient eyes of South Slavic indigenous communities—especially the Serbs—who spent their lives watching nature unfold. They understood something most of us forget: that the tiniest things, repeated long enough, can carve their mark into the world.

For them, a drop of water is never just water. It’s a symbol of persistence, a reminder that great change often begins with something small, gentle, and almost invisible. A single drop will only dampen a rock. But after days, months, years—no one can really say when—the stone gives way.

And that tiny hollow in the rock becomes a lesson passed down from grandparents to children, from everyday conversations to comforting a friend whose life feels stuck. Consistency isn't glamorous, but it works. 

Illustration: private collection

The Sacred Power of Water

In the old Indigenous Slavic faith, water is more than a physical element—it is Mokosh, the sacred feminine force of life and movement. Springs and wells were once holy sites because the water they carried embodied purity, patience, and steadfastness.

To the South Slavs, the world was a rhythm. Nature spoke in cycles. Nothing rushed, nothing forced. Progress came the way mountains rose or forests grew: slowly, silently, inevitably.

Their ancestors lived in rugged lands, surrounded by peaks and rivers. Yet even after communism, internal Balkan conflicts, and the NATO bombings that flattened Serbia, the proverb survived. Their wisdom endured where politics did not.

Because some truths are too old—and too honest—to die. 

Meanwhile, in the Lands of the “Angels”

But the story of patience becomes more interesting when we turn our eyes to the nations that once united to punish Serbia during the Balkan wars. Wrapped in the language of “protecting democracy” and “stopping war crimes,” NATO countries stepped onto the stage as heroic angels fighting the “demons” of communism.

These nations—America, Britain, France, Germany, Canada, and many others—grew into rich, powerful democracies. Some even landed on the list of the world’s happiest countries year after year.

But prosperity is not a straight line.

Economies ripple into each other. One country’s rise fuels another’s decline. And the United States, the financial engine behind the Yugoslavia campaign (and many others), eventually found itself running on fumes.

The money ran out.

And when great powers run out of money, they make phone calls.

Recently, the U.S. received massive financial injections from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—deals wrapped in diplomatic phrases like “bilateral cooperation,” though everyone knows the core truth:

“We need a loan.”

And when you need loans, you pay with obedience.

So what was the war for?

To create peace?

To project power?

Or simply to continue borrowing?

How to Face a Power That Confuses and Frightens

Economists love to say debt is normal—part of growth, part of development, part of the modern world. But perhaps this belief is humanity’s greatest collective illusion.

Real prosperity follows the laws of nature. It takes time. It requires rhythm. It demands patience—just like the drops that carve the stone.

Today, we celebrate shortcuts. We worship speed. We call it progress.

Yet the world feels increasingly unstable: collapsing environments, political friction, mental exhaustion, economic panic.

Investors and loans bring money fast. But fast money comes with strings—strings that tighten over time. Countries borrow. Then they must obey. Governments feel the pressure. Policies become erratic. People feel lost.

But ordinary people have one advantage: they can choose how to make sense of the chaos. They can decide which stories to embrace.

In the Balkans, many return to the old teachings. They look to the ancestors who saw the world clearly—who understood that confusion, fear, and pressure are all part of nature’s cycles.

And so, when life feels overwhelming, they remember:

A single drop can carve a mountain—if it just keeps falling.  (dswas)

Hunting Old Recipe For Happiness

Europe, the continent the world calls the happiest, is feeling restless. Not because its economies are faltering, but because more and more people from Asia, Africa, and other corners of Europe are arriving at its borders. They come with hope. They come with fear. They come looking for a life that feels safer than the one they left behind. And since the top spots on the global happiness list almost always belong to Europe, it is hard to blame anyone for trying their luck. Happiness attracts. It always has.

For centuries, Europe built wealth through industry and agriculture. The kind of wealth sturdy enough to survive the rise and fall of generations. Add to that a culture of planning ahead, careful accounting, and governments that cushion daily life with social benefits, and you get a region where money moves, security feels possible, and opportunity looks real. This is the picture that calls people from far away.

But not everyone finds the gleam they imagined. Some newcomers carry their old worlds with them, along with the ache of missing home. They cling to familiar habits, even when those habits confuse the locals. And between these two groups, tension grows in small, invisible ways.

As the number of newcomers rises, many Europeans have started looking inward, searching for something that feels like their own anchor. Some say that the countries of Europe have begun to blend into one another, leaving people unsure of where their identity truly sits. And when identity wavers, people look back. They look to the past. 

Illustration: Slavic Native Faith's symbol, kolovrat

The Most Beautiful “Palace”

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin often praises his nation’s loyalty to traditional values. In many ways, he is right. Around a million people still practice traditional belief systems that honor ancestors not as distant shadows, but as part of the living world. For them, the natural world is alive with meaning. Every stone, every tree, every sudden change in the wind carries a presence.

The rituals and ceremonies of the Slavic Native Faith are ways of saying thank you to those who lived long before the modern world took shape. These early people found the land, learned its patterns, figured out how to survive and build homes that could endure. According to research dating back to Stalin’s era, this belief system shares ancient roots with Hindu traditions, hinting at a past more connected than we usually imagine.

Today, this belief unites communities across Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Estonia. They share the conviction that family is the first place where happiness takes shape. And from that belief flows another: treat others the way you would treat family, and the world becomes a little lighter.

The Weight of Misperception

Among Europe’s many ethnic groups, Slavs have carried a stubborn stigma. Their history with communism and socialism is often used as shorthand for danger or backwardness. While Western Europe shines with wealth and stability, Eastern and Central Europe are too often painted with duller colors: unsafe, untrustworthy, full of troublemakers.

But comfort is fragile. It can vanish without warning. And sometimes discomfort grows not from reality, but from how long we have stayed inside our comfort zone, unprepared for change.

As traditional European belief systems reemerge, including Slavic Native Faith, some observers respond with fear. They point to rising identity, rising pride, and quickly connect it to racism or right-wing extremism. The word “Slavic” becomes a spark that lights their suspicion.

What many of them miss is that these belief systems begin with humility. Slavic people have long recognized that the past cannot be rewritten. Someone was here before them. Something shaped their land, their luck, their language. They do not pretend to know every detail. They accept that much will remain a mystery.

So why do observers care more about the origins of Slavic Native Faith than about the intentions of the people who practice it? Only they know the answer. (dswas)

Why Too Much Can Leave You With Nothing

Brazil’s 2–3 loss to Japan in a friendly match in Tokyo last October shocked football fans everywhere. Japan has been improving lately, sure—but Brazil is a five-time World Cup champion. The defeat only deepened the slump that has followed the Samba squad since their humiliating loss to Germany on home soil in the 2014 World Cup final.

Fans were quick to link Brazil’s decline to the behavior of its football stars, who are known for partying hard whenever they hit peak performance. Neymar Jr., who made the list of the world’s top 10 richest athletes while still a teenager, was reported to have attended around 120 parties during his years in Europe with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. On top of that, he has a weakness for junk food—something no serious athlete should be touching.

And long before Neymar, there was Romario. The Brazilian superstar of the ’90s was also a party addict, especially after Brazil’s 1994 World Cup victory. Romario was the star of the tournament and won the Golden Ball as the best player. The euphoria carried him away—he failed to return to Barcelona, his club at the time, on schedule and skipped training. Johan Cruyff, the coach then, was furious and promptly sold him back to a Brazilian club (Flamengo) just months after his World Cup glory.

Exploring Abundance Without Limits

Besides being home to some of the best footballers on the planet, Brazil is also known for the Amazon rainforest—named the lungs of the Earth and responsible for producing 20% of the planet’s clean oxygen. The Amazon is unmatched in biodiversity, much of which still hasn’t been identified. The Amazon River, the longest in the world, sustains countless communities along its banks.

Even with its UNESCO World Heritage status, the Amazon hasn’t been immune to the ambitions of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. His administration has pushed to initiate oil exploration around the Amazon region. Although the government insists the drilling will occur outside the forest and avoid conservation zones, the decision stunned many. 

Illustration: pexels.com

The shock grew when the government openly stated that the exploration is meant to tap into the country’s natural wealth to generate revenue—revenue they say is needed to fund Brazil’s transition to green energy.

While Lula’s statement appears environmentally conscious, Indigenous communities of the Amazon have been protesting the plan from 2024 until now. These are people whose ancestors have lived in the Amazon for generations, protecting the world’s largest rainforest using wisdom passed down through time. UNESCO’s acknowledgment of the forest’s “sacredness” is, in a way, recognition of their work.

Contrast this with the United States. Even though President Donald Trump loudly dismissed climate change and green energy narratives as a scam, Native American communities have fared relatively better than Indigenous Amazonians.

For example, in June 2025, the U.S. government acknowledged that it had illegally sold Potawatomi tribal conservation land in the 1800s. After two centuries under federal control, the land was finally returned to the tribe’s current generation.

Preventing The Wealth From Vanishing Without a Trace

As of April 2025, Brazil’s state-owned oil giant Petrobras still leads global oil production, surpassing countries like the neighboring United States. So the obvious question is: where did all the money go? How is it that the trillions generated haven’t been enough to support Lula’s green energy transition?

It’s a fair question—especially when Lula claims that drilling near the Amazon is simply to boost national revenue.

Abundance can disappear without a trace if it isn’t managed properly. It’s not unlike Neymar Jr. and Romario, who squandered their talent for short bursts of pleasure. Compare that with the Indigenous communities of the Amazon who, for decades, have chosen to live far from the noise of modern life so they can protect the forest.

Happiness can turn into samsara when it blinds a person—or a nation—from caring for what their ancestors left behind. Abundance can make us lose our grounding, tempting us to chase pleasure for just a little longer. But when the source of that happiness dries up, panic sets in—and people do anything to get it back as fast as possible. (dswas)