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The Woman Who Planted Trees

from A Dark Murmuration of Words by Emily Barker

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    The new album on white vinyl.

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Dark Murmuration of Words via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Pressed on 140g classic black vinyl.

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Dark Murmuration of Words via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    This hardbound book package has 24 pages including lyrics, credits and my notes on each song.

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in gatefold card sleeve with 12-page lyric booklet.

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  • Original artwork
    Poster/Print + Digital Album

    I made a promotional video for the album where I wrote every word used in the lyrics on a single piece of art paper, creating a "murmuration of words". This is the resulting artwork. There's only one!

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  • Test pressing
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Limited edition white label test pressing of the vinyl album in white card sleeve, signed.

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about

“It’s a matter of life and death for this country. The Kenyan forests are facing extinction and it is a man-made problem.” Wangari Maathai

Kenyan activist, Wangari Maathai founded The Green Belt Movement in order to reforest degraded land to provide food and empower women in her community. Since its establishment in 1977, over fifty million trees have been planted in the region, and over thirty thousand women trained in forestry, food processing, beekeeping and other trades that provide an income as well as protect and nurture the environment.

In 2004 Professor Maathai became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize which was awarded for her “contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace". Though she passed away at the age of 71 in 2011, her legacy lives on with seeds and saplings planted years ago now towering as mature trees above the people in the community.

I saw a short documentary about her which included interviews with her daughter, Wanjira Mathai, as she walked through the beautiful forests planted by her mother and friends. In the desperate context of our times, we can look to people such as Wangari Maathai and The Green Belt Movement for inspiration, knowledge and instruction.

lyrics

THE WOMAN WHO PLANTED TREES
(words and music: Emily Barker)

I can tell my age
By the height of trees
By the years they’ve stood
Growing over me

When I was a girl
You planted seeds
And cast your love
Forever over me

When the land was dry
No food to eat
When the soil was sick
And the river weak

You took a spade
Bare hands, bare feet
And sowed your love
Roots down deep

In the cool, dark shade
Leaves sing your name
Wild green tongues glisten in the glade
Your branches warp, my fingers weft
Weave me through this gift you left

From a prison cell
You dreamt of trees
Blood dried black
Upon your cheek

You didn’t know
Around the world
People listened
People learned

Water returned
Soil healed
Hope restored with every yield
Trees grew high
Bones grew strong
Enough for everyone

In the cool, dark shade
Leaves sing your name
Wild green tongues glisten in the glade
Your branches warp, my fingers weft
Weave me through this gift you left

I can tell my age
By the height of trees
By the years they’ve stood
Growing over me

credits

from A Dark Murmuration of Words, released September 4, 2020

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about

Emily Barker UK

Emily Barker is the award-winning songwriter and performer of the theme to BBC TV’s Wallander starring Kenneth Branagh. Her music is an indie blend of influences from alt-country to folk via 60s pop, with comparisons ranging from PJ Harvey to Joni Mitchell. ... more

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