I first read about songlines in Bruce Chatwin’s book The Songlines. They are an ancient way to create maps using a ‘song’ that recounts aspects of the landscape, textures of the earth and things seen along the way. The songline can steer the ‘singer’ in the right direction over long distances.
In a time when advances in technology is making life easier whilst chipping away at our ability to function without electronic crutches, I find myself drawn more and more to the old ways of navigating. I learnt to use a map properly when I was twelve. It’s a skill I treasure now as being able to decode the symbols and contours on a map is like possessing a key that unlocks the great outdoors.
However, I like the idea of taking a step further back in time.
It’s basic but this is my first attempt at an interpretation of a songline – Los Molinos in Fuerteventura.
Jack is co-editor, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to online travel sites and travel magazines. Follow Jack on Google+
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