internationalism versus nationalism or how the elephant story changed my perspective
If you listen to the points of view of others it is possible that you will be open to changing your own point of view; particularly if you hold a strong view. This happened to me recently when confronted with the issue of flags. Flags are generally not a problem for me as long as they are displayed in an international or functional context. International schools tend to display flags from their students' home countries, or have flag images beside the photo of each teacher on staff. This is either representational of the cultural composition of the school or to show that they have an internationalist perspective. 'International Day' celebrations are a prime example of the use of flags to promote internationalism.
I have never been one for waving my home country's flag because I am not imbued with patriotic fervour. If people want to wave their county's flag at sporting events then that is their prerogative.  But for me too many atrocities, acts of war or imperialism have taken place under a county's flag. So when students participating in an art project on self expression that Roman and I were conducting, began drawing flags on their artwork, I was concerned.  When one student did their country's  flag another did theirs, so that a number of works seemed to be taking on a nationalistic flavour.  At the same time a group of boys also started to print their football team's anagrams. In previous undertakings of this particular project we had not encountered this. While students depicted similar things of importance to them, they did so in more generalised terms, such as a soccer ball or symbolic colours of their country.  After discussing this with teachers and the students we came to understand that what we had interpreted as nationalism was for many of them an expression of their homesickness.
At the time I was reading 'Freedom in Exile' the autobiography of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, so was in tune to the feelings of being denied your homeland. Not that these children were in the position of Tibetans; exiles and refugees, but because they were children they lived in the countries their parents chose. Some were not happy with their new countries and longed for their home country. Knowing this was the motivation behind the flag pictures evoked feelings of compassion in me rather than disapproval. As for the football clubs and company logos, it opened up discussion on the power of marketing, particularly on young people.
This experience reminded me of a storytelling and health project I worked on many years ago with parents and young children. When a mother slapped her child in the session the health worker and myself were shocked and from that time on included in our housekeeping to the group that this was a place of healing and communication and that physical violence would not be tolerated.Â
Roman and I decided that for future projects on self expression we would set some parameters about advertising and flags, suggesting that students explore different representative ways of depicting what was important to them than drawing flags and anagrams.
I thank the students for challenging my assumptions. Once again I believe they have taught me far more than ever I could teach them.
I am reminded of what I affectionately call The Elephant Story, which I would like to share with you now.
There were once six blind men who desired to see an elephant. Of course this was not possible given their affliction, unless they were given the opportunity to see with their hands. One day an elephant came to their village. The  elephant trainer was approached by them with their request and the trainer agreed to show them the elephant, on the condition that he could do so one at a time.
The first man he brought to the elephant's front leg and guided his hands towards it. Satisfied, the man was led away having seen the elephant. The second one he led to the elephant's trunk, where he proceeded to pat it. Satisfied that he had seen the elephant he made way for the third man who ran his hands along the elephant's tusk. The fourth stood on a stool and touched the elephant's ear. He then left pleased to have seen the elephant and then the fifth came and stood next to the elephant's side. He felt its belly and left so the last man could be brought in. He was led to the elephant's tail that he took in his two hands. When he left he joined the others who were all engaged in a lively discussion. However the talk soon grew argumentative as each man was convinced that his understanding of the elephant was the correct one. Their conversation went somewhat like this;
'The elephant is like the trunk of a tree. Not the trunk but a broad, flat leaf of a tree. More like a wall than any part of a tree. Since when has a wall been smooth and sharp. A python is not sharp at all. I would not call a thin bit of rope a python.'
And so they bickered until the sun had set and the trainer joined them.
He could not help but smile at what had transpired from each man visiting the elephant.
"You are all right and you are all wrong," he announced. "Each of you speaks from your own limited experience of the elephant. But the elephant is more than the sum of all its parts. Who can know all the elephant? We each see it from our own perspective. Does the elephant even know who it is?"
That night when the men went to sleep each dreamt of the elephant ... and the elephant remembered them all.
Source:
World Tales collected by Idries Shah
The Octagon Press London 1991
The Blind Ones and the Matter of the Elephant from the great 13th century mystic of Balkh (now Afghanistan) Mualana Jalaluddin Rumi (1207 -1273)Born in the village of Wakhsh in what is now called Tajikistan.
Photograph by Roman W. Schatz
