Without any direct interaction with people who are passionate about the Troubles, I have only been able to draw unsophisticated conclusions so far. In one of our first lectures we heard two members of React, NW express their views on hope for democracy in the future through voices electrified with dismay for the present conflict. Then on Monday we took tours of sectarian murals in Belfast, one led by a former IRA prisoner and the other led by a former Loyalist prisoner. I actually can feel these extreme experiences trying to shape my study in Northern Ireland. However, I’m beginning to feel that the program doesn’t address the neutrality that I find in my personal travels around Derry. Sectarianism was definitely more obvious during our day in Belfast but since we have been stationed in Derry, it hasn’t been too hard for me to find examples of apathetic people or even peace-loving neutrals.
The Hands Across the Divide statue rests next to the old bridge that crosses over the River Foyle. It represents the two communities, Protestant and Catholic, reaching out over the river the walls. The hands aren’t exactly touching, which I think reflects the current state of affairs. You can imagine these two large stone figures embracing in the future, but at present, they are simply hesitantly extending their hands. I have seen this unconfirmed peace since I arrived in Northern Ireland. On the one hand, the Bucknell in Northern Ireland program introduced us to separate worlds consisting of Protestant or Catholic and the idea that neutrality does not exist, while my personal experience shows me that some people don’t care as much and don’t bother with sectarianism in their everyday life.
Research says that only a very small percentage of people in Northern Ireland associate themselves with neither religion. The statistics I’ve encountered suggest that at some point I will run into someone with classically one-sided views. To the contrary, the only times I’ve experienced any type of almost extreme views is during our already set up lectures. I know that the Nerve Center is a hub for gathering people from all views, and maybe this is contributing to my shielded view. One of the goals of the Nerve Center is to bring together Protestants and Catholics and help them forget their differences, I guess by skirting their ingrained tensions. I think this might contribute to my disconnect with the Troubles. While I am not encountering the dramatic experiences I expected, I think that what I’m seeing are valid observations.
I’m just now discovering that I can only blame myself for not finding stories of the conflict. I’m not reaching out and asking questions that will cut deep into the heart of the Troubles. At home, in Pittsford and in Lewisburg, I obsess over the peace I find in nature. I’ve noticed that I am continuing to revere nature before all else here as well (e.g. my reaction to Tory Island). Northern Ireland is the perfect place to see peace in nature, but its scenery does not mirror the cultural landscape by any means. I made this connection at Grianan, a summit from which you can see rolling hills and bodies of water in any direction, otherwise known as my personal paradise.
From now on I need to extract the psychological conflict that resides in an externally undisturbed countryside. I felt myself starting to do this a little bit when we visited the Craigan, a cemetery in one of the biggest Catholic housing projects. After episodes like that when Brendan could barely navigate to this famous landmark, I've given up on probing him for history on the Troubles. We were in a most spiritual place that holds so much history, but all I could do was appreciate "what meets the eye." I wanted to know personal stories and histories of the cemetery. Overall, Tuesday's shoot made me aware of the fact that I need to be more autonomous in my quests for knowledge on the Troubles. I can't rely on the contacts created for me by the program. In summary: so far I have only personally encountered middle-of-the-road views of the Troubles, but I know so much more exists out there. Right now I pledge to mimic Derry's famous statue: actively seek a wider spectrum of views and people's involvement in a continuously transforming peace process.
