One of the great financial opportunities in America is reengineering the flows of money in places—and finding ways of creating liquidity between places without going through centralized financial institutions.

This kind of change can only happen where there are strong local networks and cultural consensus—where financial intimacy can happen. How do we create and nurture such connection? How do we reconnect to the history and traditions of our place together? Indeed, to find our history is to find our power.

Here is one idea that looks terrific. It’s called Questing. In Questing: A Guide to Creating Community Treasure Hunts by Delia Clark and Steven Glazer (University Press of New England, 2004), the authors introduce this practice as follows:

“This book is about a place-based education model called “Questing.” Questing is creating and exchanging treasure hunts in order to collect and share your community’s distinct natural and cultural heritage, your special places and stories. Each Quest is a specific treasure hunt focused on a particular community story, environment, or character…. Questing is local and organic; it is authentic and interdisiplinary; it is personal, collaborative, and intergenerational.”

When I put together an Economics Curriculum for high school students with a focus on understanding the place in which we live, I did not know about Questing. It would certainly be something to add:

“Economics 101,” a curriculum by Catherine Austin Fitts, in From the Suburbs, March 18, 2005

When you tap into the history of your place, you tap into the power to manifest a new future for your place.

Special thanks to Delia Clark and Steven Glazer for this terrific book.