Page 91 - CelebrationsSpring2020

One of the many reasons we love to visit Walt Disney story of an attraction and in the story of our own lives. If we,
World is the idea of being transported away from the real world and into a land of imagination, magic, and dreams. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, that means bringing us back in touch with nature...to find that calming equilibrium within us. We feel a satisfying composure as we enter the gates of this stunning park and begin navigating the walkways toward the Tree of Life. We pass under a cooling canopy of trees and through a network of branch shadows. The light chatter of birds and the rhythmic thumping of bongo drums serenade us. A waterfall’s rush echoes amongst the rock formations, and a breeze rustles the palms. Slowly, we become one with our surroundings. Our hearts are content. We are where we are meant to be.
In the Asia section of Animal Kingdom, the fictional continent of Anandapur provides the setting for a journey that not only delights our senses, but also awakens us to the pressing need for conservation and the preservation of our natural environment. As we enter Asia, we find ourselves surrounded by nearly two thousand animals native to Asian countries, as well as beautiful rock formations, rivers, soil, palm trees, tea plants, and dense jungle foliage. The Imagineers strived to create an overall feeling of the southern climes of the world’s largest continent, rather than focusing on the styles and cultures of a specific nation.
But as you can see throughout Walt Disney World, particularly at the Animal Kingdom, storytelling involves not just fantasy; it can also shed light on real-life lessons...in this case, the beauty of the natural world and our obligation to preserve it. In other words, Disney’s Animal Kingdom strikes a perfect balance between daydream and duty.
As we approach the boarding pagoda at Kali River Rapids, we realize that this whitewater rafting adventure on the Chakranadi River will not serve simply as entertainment, or as a refreshing douse on a blazing July day. We actually have work to do. Manisha Gurung, the founder and manager of Kali River Rapids Expeditions, announces her dilemma and challenges us with a task: “All around Anandapur, logging companies in search of tropical hardwood have bitten deep into the jungle. When this happens, the traditional life of village and forest is destroyed forever. I created this river-rafting enterprise to demonstrate there are non- destructive ways to bring revenue to the village. Because the more people like you care, the better chance our jungle has of surviving.” As Walt Disney World’s Guests, we become protagonists who battle obstacles and make choices in the
as humans, do not use our power wisely, then we will place our ecosystem at risk. Doing so also means compromising the air that we humans breathe, the water we drink, the shelter we live under, and the climate whose consistency we rely on. Kali River Rapids serves as an active reminder of the core values that should make up humanity. But as the river takes us on our journey, and we give ourselves over to its current, we begin to comprehend that these core values of humanity are not just abstract ideals. These core values are intertwined with the core physical elements that make up the world: The Five Elements, to be exact.
The Tibetan Flags
The ancient Greeks believed that four pure elements – earth, water, air, and fire – came together in varying combinations to form the essence of existence. Scientist Empedocles (495-435 BC) proposed that these elements provided “the fourfold root of all things.” Aristotle then added to this theory a century later by including the Fifth Element, “aether,” to encompass the sky and stars. It was believed that each of these building blocks of life possessed its own consciousness and spirit, and equally contributed to the creation of minerals, plants, animals, and human beings. The blending of these elements established balance and harmony amongst us and the habitat in which we lived. The Greeks also thought that these elements represented the varying qualities of a person’s temperament. We might see this notion in our horoscopes, as each of the four original elements rules a set of Zodiac signs. (If you were born a Sagittarius, for example, you are associated with Fire; you may consider yourself to be passionate and easily “ignited” over issues that are important to you.) If we look closely, we discover the relationships between the human and the natural, the astrological and the earthly, and the scientific and the spiritual in the Kali River Rapids attraction. Where can we find these dynamics, exactly? What feature can we identify as representative of these relationships? The Tibetan prayer flags, for sure.
The story of Kali River Rapids (and the role that we play in it) is stitched and dyed into the fabric of the Tibetan prayer flags found throughout the area. You might note these flags draping over the pathways to Expedition Everest as you trek through Anandapur. Or, as you step into your raft at the boarding pagoda, you might happen to glance upward, your sixth sense having caught the ripple of a green-hued square.
Photo © Tim Foster
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