The Culture of the Communard: a personal reflection

A short version of my essay on living at Black Bear Ranch, one of the original 60's "back to the land" hippie communes, and perhaps the only one which survives on the same terms on which it was founded: radical free. The long version was presented at a conference on reassessing the 60's at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, in June 2007. This shorter version was prepared for the National Writing Project's Resource Development Retreat (RDR) at The Crossings in Austin, Texas, in July 2010. My thanks to the RDR group for their comments and support.

Please note: brief nudity and one unavoidable four-letter word (part of a group's name)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• commune
• bbr
• backtotheland
• hippie
• 60s
• socialjustice
• social
• justice
• feminism

[mtierra]

Thanks Fred, really beautiful in all ways. Simple and true to the spirit. I loved hearing Richard sing again.

[fmindlin]

@mtierra Thanks for your kind words, Michael. I hope we all can continue to nurture that spirit of caring and community as we continue to build a new culture, in very different ways from how we at first imagined we would. Another interesting essay on that era appears in the current Sun Magazine, in the form of an interview with Peter Coyote...

[caitlingilroy]

As a child, I spent every summer in Sawyer's Bar. I was always curious about Black Bear, particularly as my interests veered toward political, but nobody every really told me much about the ranch. I wish I had been able to learn more about it and, perhaps, visit!! Thanks for the interesting essay. Is there a longer version somewhere?

[fmindlin]

@caitlingilroy Thanks for your comment. There is a slightly longer version, but it's not going public anytime soon...This version feels edgy enough....

;>}

Hope you get to visit the Ranch at some point.

Cheers, Fred

[ediejoseph]

This is wonderful.

[fmindlin]

@ediejoseph Thanks for the comment. I'm hoping to get a better resolution version ready in the next few weeks.

[dipmuthafukinset]

ive been looking for places like this. beautiful video! sending good vibes. 

[caitlingilroy]

asdfefwe

[fmindlin]

@spookyah Thanks for the comment. Please post your impressions when you do visit.

Regards, Fred