“The Community Of Resilience”. Review Of The Revolution Of Every Day by Cari Luna.

The cover page of The book and A picture of Cari Luna

Favourite Quote: “These Americans, the way they argue; the way they won’t back down from a fight no matter how wrong they are; the way they then shrug off the fight and move on to the next thing so easily; their distractibility, like children; their pride — their ridiculous, beautiful pride. He can’t say he understands them, even now, but he knows he will never go back to Europe. He knows he will die in New York. ¬ Gerrit page 104

The book examines the lives of five squatters in Thirteen House whose homes and securities are being threatened, which makes them to think about their position in life and what future awaits them after their struggling walls. Along with these big pressures, there are outside pressures, there are threats from within the community that includes betrayal, lust, drug abuse, infertility and violence.

The book also shows community of resilience build by the squatters of Thirteen House; their struggles to keep their community alive. Their fight to right of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. How the squatters are pooling their resources, helping each other, spending their time thinking, making art, knitting, sleeping, making love and sharing the same roof.

Gerrit is a Refugee from Amsterdam who always questions the life styles of the Americans. He was the one who brought Amelia from the streets and made Thirteen House accepted her. He was the one that saved her from the boys on the street and helped her to kick heroin and agreed to stay with her. He loves Amelia but he is losing faith that she can save her as she is withdrawing more from him due to her pregnancy. He still accepted her with the baby when he discovered she was pregnant to another man. Having witnessed a similar situation in housing revolution in Amsterdam, he is confident that a peaceful coexistence can be achieved.

Amelia is the youngest in Thirteen House. Amelia’s life before the squat is was not good. The time she came to Thirteen House she has bruises on her arms and thighs and on her neck. She is doing heroin most of her time. Amelia lost her mom to ruined liver and ruined brain when she was very young. It was Gerrit that saved her from the streets and helped her kick heroin. She does not love Gerrit and she feels obligated to him in a way she resents. When Amelia finds out that she is pregnant to Steve, a married man and a member of the squat, she most decide who she is loving and willing to rely on.

Steve is the leader of Thirteen House. He is married to Anne. He loves Amelia and she is carrying his baby. He is not faithful to his wife, he has betrayed her. Steve believes that the squat is not just home, but an example of what can be achieved when people decide to live for themselves instead of waiting for the government to do things for them. Steve always questions the way things are nowadays and the influence of money in our society.

Anne is married to Steve in Thirteen House. She is a teacher. She always loves her family. She said “A person needs her family, those old comfortable connections. A person needs to be loved, simply and honestly”. She is always weary of her husband’s optimisms, especially as what little comfort she has like the house and family is under threats, she can loss them at any moment. She always questions the revolution they tell themselves they are participating in it. Her courage and convictions are being tested.

The Revolution of Every Day has make me to rethink about what makes a family, what makes a life and the most important what it takes to love. I can relate the book to the lives of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Camps, who are struggling to keep their community alive. How the community is building resilience to external threats. Their fight to the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. How they are pooling their resources to make both ends meet, helping each other, sharing the same problems and standing strong together to fight for their only hope of unity and source of shelter. Despite their differences in nationality, believes and ideologies, they stayed strong together and fought for a common goal.

Baba Mushemi Lawan FNESIF

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