Reunions
30 years ago, my stepfather, Gary, my mother, Bee, and my father, Jake, and I all lived (in various combinations) on a commune called (with some subtlety) THE LAND. It has been a bookmark in all of our personal histories--more so of my parents, of course, who have memories that are steeped with such misty-eyed nostalgia, that the moment you heard the words, "When we were living on THE LAND..." you could swear there was the smell of reefer and incense in the air, and a dim soundtrack of Joni Mitchell singing: "And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden..."
On Sunday, during my weekly conversation with my parental units, Pam and Gary, Gary said rather excitedly, "I just filled your e-mail box." With what, I wanted to know. It turns out that through the easy access of the internet and e-mail, a reunion chain has been spawned for the far flung members of The Land. Gary included me on the correspondence. I thought, "Oh how cool." Some people I have only made up memories of through the various purple haze stories I have heard through the years, and others, who I remember very clearly from my childhood. It seemed to me a very interesting cultural example--where are all these people now?
I go off line 4 days a week--partly because I don't have easy internet access outside the office, but I also FEEL better when I am not constantly logging on, checking on things, and scanning the interactive TV that is the internet. I am used to a small collection of e-mails awaiting my response, but was not prepared for the NINETY-SIX forwarded e-mails from this little reunion chain that could! GEEZ LOUISE! Retired hippies can e-mail, people!
I haven't had time to read through everything, but from what I have read, it's been interesting to see where people have scattered to since 1977. Some are documentary filmmakers, some are editors, some went to prison, some are dead, some are in Canada, some are grandparents. I am very curious to see what happened to the other kids that were affiliated. I guess I'll have to wade through the FIFTY or SO remaining e-mails. One thing that seems evident just from the limited reading I did, is that no matter how diverse the paths of these people are, all of them have been through it, all of them are still making their lives by hand--something that drew them all to The Land in the first place.
Reunions are weird things--they can either be welcomed events filled with connection and recognition or they can be prickly, inasive, painful things. Either way, they are filled with stories. I can't wait to hear them all.
On Sunday, during my weekly conversation with my parental units, Pam and Gary, Gary said rather excitedly, "I just filled your e-mail box." With what, I wanted to know. It turns out that through the easy access of the internet and e-mail, a reunion chain has been spawned for the far flung members of The Land. Gary included me on the correspondence. I thought, "Oh how cool." Some people I have only made up memories of through the various purple haze stories I have heard through the years, and others, who I remember very clearly from my childhood. It seemed to me a very interesting cultural example--where are all these people now?
I go off line 4 days a week--partly because I don't have easy internet access outside the office, but I also FEEL better when I am not constantly logging on, checking on things, and scanning the interactive TV that is the internet. I am used to a small collection of e-mails awaiting my response, but was not prepared for the NINETY-SIX forwarded e-mails from this little reunion chain that could! GEEZ LOUISE! Retired hippies can e-mail, people!
I haven't had time to read through everything, but from what I have read, it's been interesting to see where people have scattered to since 1977. Some are documentary filmmakers, some are editors, some went to prison, some are dead, some are in Canada, some are grandparents. I am very curious to see what happened to the other kids that were affiliated. I guess I'll have to wade through the FIFTY or SO remaining e-mails. One thing that seems evident just from the limited reading I did, is that no matter how diverse the paths of these people are, all of them have been through it, all of them are still making their lives by hand--something that drew them all to The Land in the first place.
Reunions are weird things--they can either be welcomed events filled with connection and recognition or they can be prickly, inasive, painful things. Either way, they are filled with stories. I can't wait to hear them all.
posted by Summer Pierre at
11:28 AM
3 Comments:
Wow, what a story! I can't wait to hear more ... seriously.
I didn't know you lived on a commune. I was born in a commune in Berkeley called "the Big Rock Candy Mountain." That's where my name comes from, it means mountain. Of course, I was only six months old when the commune broke up, but those people all still keep in touch. My sister remembers it a little bit. I'm curious as to what eventually broke up The Land. My mom says it's always the same thing: housework. Usually it's the women getting sick of doing all of it. This holds up in other, less idealogical communal living situations I've lived in. Even with all boys, it's all about who ends up doing the housework. And paying the bills.
The end of The Land was a complicated affair--mostly it was because the city of Palo Alto hated freeloaders in the Stanford Hills and there were court battles to shut it down on grounds of sanitation issues. I think there were also, more personal issues at work (like male-female relations). Some of the members moved to another communal spot up on Pagemill called Struggle Mountian, which was started by David Harrison and Joan Baez--it still exists today. I have heard of Big Rock Candy Mountain and didn't know YOU were a member, Tano!
Hey, I've had a postcard to send you for THREE MONTHS (I am such a procrastinator)--shoot me an e-mail and give me your address!
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