This Friday is the anniversary of the death of Hanabi-Ko, "Fireworks Child"; known to the world as Koko. Like most, her life was a mixture of both delight and pain. She expressed serious thoughts, on mortality and existence for example, as well as petty ones, such as lies or anger. She became infatuated with colleagues, and mourned a beloved pet. Koko was an attentive listener and a good friend. And yes, she was also a gorilla.
I have long been fascinated by the implications of Koko's story. Was she truly conscious? Could she love? Did she have a soul? Was she a glimpse into our past, or a harbinger of our family's expansion? Dr. Penny Patterson, the psychologist who taught and cared for her, once asked Koko, "Do gorillas know things that people don't?" How much wisdom is out there in the wild, awaiting our acceptance of its keepers as our equals?
Koko and her kin are evidence of the falsity of anthropocentrism. We humans are not the apex of creation or evolution. Our Parent has birthed countless sisters and brothers; and not just on one little rock in the universe. Abandon your fear, and open your hearts to this strange and wonderful reality. For as Dr. Patterson declared about gorillas, so it must be said of all created beings, "If there's anything sacred in us, it's in them, too."