Arriving on the island by sea. Land ahoy! Shrouded in fog, the northernmost tip of the island appears in the distance. Anew a Terra Incognita. And here it is again. The intense scent of the mastic, a shrub indigenous the Mediterranean coastal region is overwhelming. Piercing my senses. And welcoming.
The places I love are mostly imprinted in my memories by their smells.
In Paris it’s the metro, roasted corn cobs in Teheran, in Namibia the red soil, in Mumbai the curries, the lavender in Provence.
And in Mallorca it’s the mastic.
The consequences of man’s impact on the archipelago’s decimating environment can be experienced first-hand since years: heat and droughts in summer, torrential downpours and earth slides, shores swamped with plastic and plagues of jellyfish, a stressed marine life leave alone the devastating effects of uncontrolled tourism pushing water consumption and pollution to the brink. Mallorca was and is in peril.
By the end of 2020 the world was going into lockdown. and I decided to take a break. Packed Lucie my dog, my camera and yoga mat into the car and drove down South.
During these quiet winter days, I discovered a different Mallorca. A pristine, hale, and almost untouched paradise, where I could smell Mother Earth’s aromas again. It was heaven. One enchantment melted away only to reveal another. Crystal clear waters in Cala Deià with shimmering fish, a recovered Mondragó National Park, clean beaches in Port de Sóller and a resurgent wildlife. I had the wish to reacquaint a nature which seemed almost forgotten.
There were just waves, sand, and my fragrant mastic swaying in the wind.
Just that.
Days that were blissful in their simplicity. From jagged misty mountain heights of the Serra de Tramuntana to the ebb and flow of the encircling sea, the raw, elemental landscape of Mallorca was stunning, and I became aware of the simple magic of the moment, an instinctive recognition of the existence of order, a determined pattern which was curiously comforting.
The flayed island was dreaming. Recovering. Stoic. And reaching to the stars.
And I witnessed that change was happening and a green movement on Mallorca was taking place simultaneously on several fronts. A whole new generation of creatives whose goal it is to preserve and protect their beloved island. Intrigued by my new discoveries GREEN MALLORCA was born and my stay extended from a few weeks to a year to document this rise.
This book provides a platform and gives a voice to inspiring human beings who are tirelessly working to live a life aligned with their true values and the principles of sustainable living. There are many more out there, counting.
We come from stardust.
We are our rivers and forests, our oceans, and waterfalls and we are all intrinsically interconnected to nature.
GREEN MALLORCA is a tribute to the jewel of the Balearic Island and its heartbeat. And to all those who are contributing to keeping it alive and restoring dignity to it for the benefit of the island and our aching planet.
For the scent of the mastic.
For a future we choose.
Patricia Parinejad