“Sometimes I’ve probably walked away from things that intuitively I should have gone towards, but I just didn’t have the confidence. And now I have the confidence to keep creating and doing…”

-Rosie

Our company of elders responded to the question “Where does knowledge live in your body?” in such diverse ways. They spoke of the knowledge in the brain and intellect, the knowledge of the body and its relationship to space, the knowledge of dreams, the knowledge of cultural conditioning, the knowledge of aging and of youth. Many likened knowledge to a sense of confidence and could identify places in their bodies and minds that held the confidence of knowing.

Voices of Debbi, Francine, Rob, Rosie, Annie, Joey, Medford, Christian

Sound by Maria Pugnetti and Molly Steinmark

When asked “What is intuitive knowledge?”, themes of trust and trustworthiness emerged. Our company of interviewees spoke about intuition emerging from a relationship with embodied information, stories that live in our bodies that may not be part of the thinking brain. Many spoke about a kind of moral compass or inner consciousness that guides decision making. Others spoke about spontaneity and impulse, and an openness to the world.

Voices of Bob, Rob, Annie, Debbie, Medford, Christian, Dana

Sound by Maria Pugnetti and Molly Steinmark

“Do I know what I know or do I know what I don’t know?” 

-Joey

This question led to a process of discernment among the interviewees, some holding a more skeptical lens toward gut knowledge, some relying on it. We heard from many about how their cultures and families have taught them what they know, whether through permissions granted, restrictions imposed, or even through childhood memories of sound. But most returned to what they might have been innately born with, what is original to them.

Voices of Joey, Francine, Rosie, Dana, Christian

Sound by Maria Pugnetti and Molly Steinmark

“I always felt like you could scream or sing anything you wanted into the ocean. And only the ocean could hear you” 

–Debi

Our company of elders speaks about the inspiration of place. How the moors of Scotland hold a girl with a tomboy spirit, what lively childhood neighborhoods teach us about belonging, and how the histories contained in a place can shape our behaviors. Sometimes, if we cannot shape to a certain place, it is time to move elsewhere where we feel we fit better. Many have lived in a variety of places, each containing their own teachings. Natural spaces were frequently an important component in how each interviewee talked about their homelands.

Voices of Christian, Debi, Joey, Rosie, Rob, Dana

Sound by Maria Pugnetti

“We were out everyday without supervision, we just went everywhere, on our own, and I think that was so formative. Exploring and just being able to meet whatever came to you and not feel that you couldn’t handle something. And I am really grateful for that.”

 –Annie

When asked what knowledge comes from family we heard about key lessons passed on from parents to children around work ethic, community service and resilience. Also how what we don’t learn from or receive from our parents can be things that shape our sense of knowledge and values. And the richness of song, story-telling and the ability to fix things spinning out into the next generation. We could experience this skillset in real time as interviewees sang to us, told us thrilling stories, and expressed themselves through exquisite hand gestures that spoke to the knowledge passed down through generations.

Voices of Medford, Debi, Bob, Rosie, Rob, Annie, Dana

Sound by Maria Pugnetti and Molly Steinmark

“The more I trusted myself the more I went after the things that I wanted including physical things. And what I found was that I had a lot deeper reserves of energy than I realized.”

 –Dana

Everyone shared some story of thinking their life was going one direction and through some internal or external disruption suddenly changing paths, or carving a new uncharted path. They spoke of leaving careers in economy for motorcycle rides across the country; leaving law school to be a performer; surviving what seemed unsurvivable; and discovering what holds us along the way. It seemed that inevitably most found their way to a path that gave more life. It was never a straight path, we saw many criss-crossing, zig-zagging hand gestures, and astonishment at how they got where they are now.

Bob, Medford, Rob, Christian, Joey, Dana, Rosie

Sound by Maria Pugnetti and Molly Steinmark

Our company of elders share the things that give them life: singing, dancing, being open, trying new things, mothering, taking lovers, experiencing oneness with the universe, being connected with our ancestors… These answers were a wake up call to life and to living.

Voices of Medford, Bob, Francine, Dana, Rob, Rosie

Sound by Maria Pugnetti and Molly Steinmark

“I find that at my stage of life, I have a lot of moral dilemmas.” 

–Francine

Many of our interviewees reflected on how the world is different today from when they were young. They shared what fights they have fought their whole lives for justice and peace, they shared what they want to pass on to the next generation. They are all building new intelligences for this stage of life, such as being discerning about where they put their energy, which relationships are important to them, and how to build and find community as an older person.

Voice of Joey, Debi, Francine, Medford

Sound by Maria Pugnetti

“...it probably behooves us as wild creatures to come together as a pack.” 

– Christian

Wisdoms passed from elders to their younger selves for living the fullest life.

It was an extraordinary experience to listen to these stories and experience the generous spirits of all the folks we interviewed, sing together, giggle a lot, and weep a little. We came away with brimming hearts from the master class in living a full life that we had the privilege to receive. We hope you can feel a sense of this as you experience the sound environments created from this pool of knowledge that lives here in your community in Western Massachusetts. We hope that you take something from these voices with you as you leave. And we hope that, should you have the joy of meeting Rob, Rosie, Joey, Francine, Debi, Annie, Bob, Christian, Dana, or Medford, that you will invite them to share more wonderful stories with you.

Many thanks to Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, Northampton Neighbors, and the Young at Heart Chorus.

Voices of Rob, Rosie, Joey, Francine, Debi, Annie, Bob, Christian, Dana, Medford

Sound by Maria Pugnetti and Molly Steinmark