Sand Martins and Eurocentric colonialism

We are all connected to the natural world. Without food and water and shelter to raise our families we cannot exist. We all share the same simple humanity and the same evolutionary history. The same reliance on essential supplies is true of these Sand Martins flying low over an Orkney field.

Sand Martins - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

They need food and water and shelter to raise their families.

Sand Martins - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The RSPB website says, about Sand Martins:

“During the past 50 years the European population has crashed on two occasions as a result of drought in the birds’ African wintering grounds.”

That’s clearly a nonsense. There is no ‘European population’ of Sand Martins. There are just Sand Martins. They migrate from Africa to Europe and back again. Should we say that there is an African population of Sand Martins which has European wintering grounds? It’s a classic example of Eurocentric colonialism.

If you’re confused about why I say ‘European wintering grounds’ it’s because Sand Martins are in Europe when it’s winter in the south of Africa.

Sand Martins - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

There are plenty of Orkney insects to keep them busy here over the fields in their miraculous, precarious existence. They’ll soon be following the insects to feast south of the Equator.

Sand Martins - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

I wish them well in their African summer.

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