Hummingbirds of the Education of the Future
The Hummingbird Movement
Created in 2007 under the impetus of Pierre Rabhi, Cyril Dion and a few close friends, Hummingbirds mobilises for the construction of an ecological and human society. At the heart of the movement is personal change, in the belief that the transformation of society is totally dependent on human change. Colibris’ mission is to inspire, connect and support citizens and groups who choose a different way of life!
Together, Hummingbirds are designing a society where nature and people, interdependent and creative, are the centre of every decision. The movement is based on this philosophy: everyone can do his/her part to build this just and sustainable society.
The legend
Hummingbirds takes its name from a Native American legend.
One day, the legend goes, a terrible fire broke out in a forest – a huge woodlands was suddenly engulfed by a raging wild fire. Frightened, all the animals fled their homes and ran out of the forest. As they came to the edge of a stream they stopped to watch the fire and they were feeling very discouraged and powerless. They were all bemoaning the destruction of their homes. Every one of them thought there was nothing they could do about the fire, except for one little hummingbird.
This particular hummingbird decided it would do something.
It swooped into the stream and picked up a few drops of water and went into the forest and put them on the fire. Then it went back to the stream and did it again, and it kept going back, again and again and again.
All the other animals watched in disbelief; some tried to discourage the hummingbird with comments like, “Don’t bother, it is too much, you are too little, your wings will burn, your beak is too tiny, it’s only a drop, you can’t put out this fire.”
And as the animals stood around disparaging the little bird’s efforts, the bird noticed how hopeless and forlorn they looked.
After a while, the armadillo, annoyed by this ridiculous agitation, said to him: “Hummingbird! Are you crazy? You won’t put out the fire with these drops of water! “
And the hummingbird replied, “I know that, but I am doing my part.”