Soft Screams of Nature
Illustration: Didie SW
Wir sind nur Gast auf Erden (We are only guests on this Earth). This is the title of a classic religious song in Germany. The song created by poet Georg Thurmair is usually sung at burial ceremonies. However, there is actually a sense of resistance against the fascist Nazi regime in the song: We are not rulers, but only guests to this Earth.
We are only guests to this Earth! This has also been voiced by Surono, the former chief of the Disaster Mitigation and Volcanology Center. As once reported by young reporter Regina Safitri (2015), Surono, known by the nickname of Mbah Rono, said that Earth had existed since 4.5 billion years ago, while humans had come to Earth only some thousands of years ago. "That means, humans are only guests on Earth." That is why, Mbah Rono added, in the Indonesia Raya national anthem there are the words "live my land, live my country." The land precedes the country, meaning that if the land is taken care of, the country will prosper.