Uncovering the Clutter Many of us dream of forming effective permaculture groups, communities and even eco-villages. Tui is a very special permaculture village in New Zealand, established in the early 1980s. Here in Part Two, Robina McCurdy describes the 'invisible structures' that underpin the community and how members have created key ways of resolving conflicts . Tui has a steady stream of visitors, coming to experience community life for a short period of time.
Most people are primarily interested in the social aspects of community living.
Of all the questions asked, by far the most common are around issues of human relationships within a close living context. As a reflection of 'Western' society today, people are most concerned about individual versus communal rights, freedoms and responsibilities, also communication, conflict resolution, decision-making and leadership. Behind these concerns is the fear of losing one's individuality within the group, coupled with the realisation that group interaction and involve-ment is important for personal wellbeing. These issues are at the forefront of our lives at Tui. We have worked continually on them over the years, both philosophically and in experimenting with appropriate structures and guidelines to facilitate quality relating.