Songaia - Song of the Living Earth
Songaia is a suburban Cohousing Community in Bothell, Washington, a short drive from Seattle. It was begun over 20 years ago as a Cooperative, however, after struggling with the legal structure for several years, it changed into what is today officially a Condominium Association. Songaia consists of approximately 40 people living in 15 houses clustered around a common green space situated on 10.6 acres of forested hillside, organic gardens, orchards, and meadow. There is a large common house which includes cooking, eating and meeting spaces, two guest rooms, and much more. A barn houses greenhouse, food pantries, shop, ceramics room, and storage. Members of Songaia are as involved as they would like to be. They can totally immerse themselves in the community, sharing meals, participating in task forces and study groups, celebrating together, working together, and playing together. There are also those who just live on the property and have minimal participation, working at their jobs in the city and coming home to rest and perhaps share a meal now and then. |
Songaia welcomes visitors. I had come to visit Susie Fox, who runs Fox In the Forest - an outdoor education program for young children. When I arrived for my visit I was welcomed to sleep in one of the guest bedrooms in the basement of the common building, to do my laundry, use the showers, wander the property, and share in all the communal meals.
As I arrived, late and breathless due to a miscommunication which resulted in me sleeping in the YMCA parking lot in my van and then scrambling to find Songaia in time the next morning (what else is new?), Susie was frantically setting up the tools for apple pressing. A busload of preschoolers was due in 10 minutes. I jumped in and tried to make myself useful in the background as the children arrived and the program began. We cut up apples from the orchards into chunks, turning them through an old-fashioned press which separated the juice from the pulp, then bottled it and enjoyed the "fruits" of our labours as we toured the gardens and went to visit the goats. Other Songaians walked through as we worked, sometime joining in like Brad, an older gentleman who enthusiastically inserted himself into the melee, guiding children's hands in turning the press and regaling anyone who would listen with his banter and stories. After we had finished cleaning up for the morning, Susie and I rummaged through the industrial fridges for leftovers, and then sat chatting on the balcony overlooking the gardens. There seemed to be quite a few struggles for Susie in running her brainchild, the most notable of which is the lack of students and parents willing to commit to attending...a common problem with alternative programs, where there are many parents who are seeking different ways of educating their children but few who feel able to commit. It's a leap of faith to start doing things differently. |
After lunch I wandered the trails and gardens for the afternoon, taking photos and enjoying the peace. Even though Songaia is right on the edge of the busy suburbs of Bothell, the property is private and wild - an Eden within the city limits. At Songaia residents have 5 shared meals per week which they can participate in or not. The ill and infirm may request a meal be set aside and delivered to their house. Different task forces do the work of gardening, grocery shopping, and cooking. Responsibilities rotate and are based on interest. One person is head cook for the week, planning all the meals, making a shopping list, and presiding over the kitchen - they might not be head cook again for several months, depending on the number of people in the rotation. I hied myself to the industrial kitchen a few hours before dinner so I could offer my help with the cooking or set up. The two chefs for that day were grateful for some extra hands and the process was a lot of fun. I chopped veggies, stir fried, washed dishes and made salad to feed a crowd. Food is set up buffet-style, and left-overs are up for grabs in the fridge. Friday is the day for the chefs to be creative with whatever is left over from previous meals. After dinner a clean up crew.descends on the kitchen and dining room, and everyone else disappears.
I went down to my bedroom in the basement, followed by Brad who had convinced me to let him trim my hair. Brad, apparently, used to be a hairdresser. A flirtatious but kind-hearted old soul, Brad did a stellar job and my dead ends were vanquished. I had a hot shower (bliss!) and went to bed. The next morning I grabbed breakfast food from the fridge, made myself a coffee, and headed off toward my next stop. |
Songaia CoHousing Community Values - taken from www.songaia.com
Sustainable Lifestyle and Abundance Moving toward a more sustainable lifestyle; we share many of our resources such as childcare and cars. We recycle, repair, reuse, and practice patterns of cooperative living together.
We live out of a sense of abundance and therefore approach community with the understanding that getting enough is more important than "counting beans" to ensure exact equality. Shared Responsibility and Contribution Creativity and engagement emerges in community from the individual passion of members. For community to work well, each of us adds our life to the mix. We choose how and to what degree we contribute and events take place daily that beckon us to be an integral part of community. Lifelong Learning Living together as a interactive, multi-generational community allows and encourages us to continue learning from each other daily. When any of our values become thread-bare, we look for ways of reweaving our practices. |
Welcoming Diversity We respect and celebrate each life within our community and those whose paths brings them to our doors, honoring people for who they are.
Honoring Individual, Family, and Community Life Balancing the many dimensions of our lives is a major challenge. For the continued well-being and growth of the community as a whole, we understand the importance of gathering, the need for solitude and reflection as individuals, and family time. Supporting Spiritual Development Coming from various backgrounds, we have a wide range spiritual beliefs and patterns in our lives (including those who don't adhere to any practice). As a community we try to encourage and assist each other in pursuing our individual paths. Community Outreach We are part of a larger neighborhood and global network, participating as individual, small groups or as community in various ways. |
Songaia was started up by two couples who would be in their eighties today. From what other members of the community told me, one of the reasons Songaia has succeeded is due to these couples' backgrounds in conflict resolution and communication skills and their dedication to mentoring others in community living. One of these founders was Fred Lanphear, who died of ALS in 2012. When Fred was diagnosed with ALS he set out to write a book on the experience of community living (his book, Songaia: An Unfolding Dream, can be purchased at Amazon - click on book cover to the right). ALS did not compromise Fred's life. He invited his 'family' at Songaia to join him on the new journey that ALS was bringing to his life, and he was an integral part of the community till his death. To read Fred's eloquent and interesting musings on life, community, sickness, and purpose, check out his blog here:
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Other communities associated with Songaia:
Life Song Commons is immediately south of Songaia. A large, 4000 sq ft home and a small cottage are on a lush 1.3 acres of land with lawn, fruit trees, grape vines, and berry bushes.
Inspired by Songaia’s values and vibrant culture, a small group of families is joining the larger community. They have purchased an adjacent property and named themselves “New Earth Song.” They plan to design their housing for very high energy efficiency (“Passivhaus” standards), and for aging in place. Although not assured, openings for new members may be possible.
Rite of Passage Journeys, established in 1968, fosters self-discovery, community and connection with the natural world. This not-for-profit organization provides intentional rites of passage experiences and rite of passage education for children through adulthood.
Songburbia: A few years ago a Songaia family found it necessary to move from Songaia to the suburbs a couple of miles away. They rented a house that has become a shared house for folks related to Songaia as well as their family.
Life Song Commons is immediately south of Songaia. A large, 4000 sq ft home and a small cottage are on a lush 1.3 acres of land with lawn, fruit trees, grape vines, and berry bushes.
Inspired by Songaia’s values and vibrant culture, a small group of families is joining the larger community. They have purchased an adjacent property and named themselves “New Earth Song.” They plan to design their housing for very high energy efficiency (“Passivhaus” standards), and for aging in place. Although not assured, openings for new members may be possible.
Rite of Passage Journeys, established in 1968, fosters self-discovery, community and connection with the natural world. This not-for-profit organization provides intentional rites of passage experiences and rite of passage education for children through adulthood.
Songburbia: A few years ago a Songaia family found it necessary to move from Songaia to the suburbs a couple of miles away. They rented a house that has become a shared house for folks related to Songaia as well as their family.