I'm reading a really great book at the moment called 'Scrapbook of a Taos Hippy'. When we were travelling back from Phoenix to Denver we drove through New Mexico and stopped off for the night in Taos. The next day we walked up into town for our morning coffee and visited this really nice little bookshop. Sarah found this book and said to me, 'You're going to love reading this'. She was so right!
The book is as it says, a scrapbook. Loads of articles and stories about the Taos hippy scene in the late 60s and early 70s. God almighty, it touches my heart when I read it. All the emotions come flooding back. Remembering the time when I realised no way can I embrace the values of western society, and wondering where the hell there was for me to exist in this world. And then it happened - Love and Peace - my get out of jail free card, coming along at just the right time. I didn't need asking twice - I signed up on the spot.
The remnants of the hippy scene in the UK are not as visible as in the States, or at least the parts of the States we visited. Here there are just a few old druggies around the place, but most of the more productive of us have drifted into business, green issues or the media. To be truthful, if I didn't keep banging on about it, you wouldn't know that to this day, I am still utterly committed to the very same ideals I lived by over 40 years ago. In the States things are much more visible - I get the feeling it was a more powerful culture over there.
People take the piss out of old hippies - well fuck them I say, we were so far ahead of the game most people are only just beginning to catch up.
Here are a couple of excerpts from Iris's book.
'We've been learning all we can about conservation, organic farming, natural foods, herbal medicine, handcrafts, building - all that it takes to live simply and in harmony with our beautiful land, our animals, our bodies and our spirits.'
'We don't want to exploit this land, these animals, these brothers and sisters. We don't want to go into business and make money. We want to live and grow, and treat all things with love and respect.'
I'm Eighteen and I Like It
8 months ago
Post about love and peace, and no bugger comments.
ReplyDeleteI think you should go back to knob articles.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDo you know Vicus, I was just thinking the very same thing. Fear not, my next post is entitled 'Zen and the art of shagging women'. That should up the ratings
ReplyDeleteI'd prefer Zen and the art of Boiler maintenance - bloody thing, it's freeeeeeeezing here.
ReplyDeleteMy generation was told never to trust a hippy. Mind you, it was Malcolm McClaren who said that, and I don't think I'd trust him to do my washing up.
ReplyDeleteI tell you what - if you want to get loads of comments, break a limb and post the picture of the injury. You'll be guaranteed to get forty or so comments from people who feel duty bound to say "hope you're well soon!" even though they couldn't care less. It worked for me, and now I'm doing proper posts they've all buggered off again.
Oh Ziggi, what are you thinking - surely shagging warms you up too.
ReplyDeleteBetty, Thank you for your sage advice - I am popping out right now to smash my forearm with an axe. I know you're half bloody Romanian or something bloody weird, but that is the policy of a desperado.
only temporarily whereas a boiler (a working one) keeps going all night.
ReplyDeleteI'd have been a hippy if I'd been allowed. I'm having my youth now, even though he can't go all night ;-)
When I was in highschool, I formed a club called 'The Sunshine Happy Love Club'...we all had names like Dewshine, Sunshine, Moonshine (hahaha!) and wore authentic 60's and 70's garb. It was fabulous, to just let go of what others thought, the carelessness of the way people were towards each other and just let go of materialism and just be ourselves. Sure, we got talked about, but heck, we enjoyed the ability to be able to look at each other, love one another and discuss things that other teens our age were seemingly incapable of doing.
ReplyDeleteAh, the memories.
I stayed in Taos foer aweek in 77 on my way to California.
ReplyDeleteI stayed in the hostel called the abominable snowmansion. Skiied with a prof who had worked with Leary..oh yeah..giggled all week thanks to an intensive herbalization program..did a lot of Tequila shooters..had a fantastic time..I think.
'If God had meant for Texans to ski He would have given them mountains'...my favorite bumper sticker.
Far Out Man! Free your mind and the rest will follow. Right On.
Ziggi and Awa, awwww, if only we'd all been the same age and in the same place, grrrrrrrrrrrrr. Instead I had to grow up with Vicus.
ReplyDeleteHE, god, I almost envy you. I've fallen in love with that place since I've been reading this book.
Did you have to take drugs and grow your hair? Because I couldn't have been a hippy if I'd had to do those.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know what would have become of me if I'd been that much older. I probably would have gone into teaching, would have had a more idealistic outlook, done something for future generations instead of just for myself.
Awa!
ReplyDeleteI wore authentic 60's garb when I was at school too!
Too fucking much, man.
Awa!
ReplyDeleteSorry. Tom tells me I wore that garb because it was the 60s. Sorry if I got you over stimulated.
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