The Knitting Nanas

Knitting Nannas describes itself as:

“an international disorganisation where people come together to ensure that our land, air and water are preserved for our children and grandchildren. We sit, knit, plot, have a yarn and a cuppa, and bear witness to the war against the greedy, short-sighted corporations that are trying to rape our land and divide our communities.”

The group began in 2012 as the Knitting Nannas Against Gas and Greed (KNAG). A handful of older women joined an anti-coal seam gas (CSG) group in Lismore NSW. They wanted to take action when the Northern Rivers area of NSW was being targeted for CSG mining by Metgasco, but became frustrated by the inaction and indecision of their male colleagues. According to their website:

“The women were further annoyed by being asked to make teas and take minutes. Rather than stay frustrated through inactivity, the women devised their alternative activism as a form of ‘guerrilla surveillance’. Small groups went out into the countryside, parked by roadsides with their knitting, folding chairs, and thermoses to ‘scope out the works’; that is, watching, recording Metgasco truck movements…Initially knitting was a way of productively passing the time, but it soon became a form of environmental activism that older women could engage in.”

The Knitting Nanas all agree to follow the Nanafesto, which states, in part:

“We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land, the many nations and people, their connection to country, and recognise that this always was, and always will be Aboriginal land.

We peacefully and productively protest against the destruction of our land, air, and water by corporations and/or individuals who seek profit and personal gain from the short-sighted and greedy plunder of our natural resources.  We support energy generation from renewable sources, and sustainable use of our other natural resources.  We sit, knit, plot, have a yarn and a cuppa, and bear witness to the war against those who try to rape our land and divide our communities.

We want to leave this land no worse than we found it, for our children and grandchildren.  They deserve to have a future with a clean and healthy environment, natural beauty and biodiversity, (and don’t we have our work cut out for us!)”

Knitting Nanas chapters (called “loops”) are most prevalent in Australia but there are also several in the UK and US. If you’d like to start a loop in your community, contact knnnag@gmail.com.