Trees and Rebirth: Social-ecological Symbols and Rituals in the Resilience of Post-Katrina New Orleans

Abstract

Following from earlier work on 'memorialization mechanisms in disaster resilience·. I rmsit that tree symhols and rituals. and how tree symhols and rituals arc rememhered. reconstituted. and reproduced. represent a cluster of social mecha­ nisms that can he viewed as 'tangihlc evidence of social mechanisms hchind social­ ecological practices that deal with disturhance and maintain system resilience·. I continue to draw upon Bcrkcs and Folkc's argument that some social-ecological systems huild resilience through the experience of disturhancc. hut for this to occur. sufficient memory from hoth ecological and social sources for reorganization must he present. Thus. I argue. the constellation of social-ecological memories. social­ ecological symhols and rituals. and the resulting relationships hetween human actors and other system components. fccdhacks and cycles catalyzed hy these relationships. all contrihutc to system memory. processes involved in 'regeneration and renewal that connect that system's present to its past' and aid in conferring resilience.