I cerify that the contents of this dissertation which are not my own work has been referenced.
Harry Hilliar
Wednesday 24 February 2010
Monday 22 February 2010
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank my parents for their continuous encouragement and support. My study skills tutor, Kathy Flower and communication support worker, Joe Green. Without their support this dissertation would not have been possible. Sally Hall for her inspiration and patience. All of the various groups and individuals interviewed for there co-operation and generosity.
Harry
Harry
Introduction
'Is it possible to find a dwelling, a place within the world, while moving across it?
We are fixated with property claims and the possibility of embedding ourselves and of finding our identity in our surroundings. But if identity itself is fluid, the identity of place as much as that of ourselves, is it not natural to be in a constant state of movement rather than standing still? In a world of global exchange, perhaps we are all of us moving'.
Dean/ Millar 2005:149)
Society draws a circle. Those inside conform, and those at the edge either change or step outside to join those who don’t fit in. From the inside it can be difficult to see those on the outside, often hidden away. Invisible, yet co-existing in the same space.
In this research project I shall attempt to uncover this distinction. To identify those who choose to live outside the constraints of society, to uncover the spaces they identify as their own, and to break down the cultural myths associated with gypsies, travellers and nomadic/alternative lifestyles. Is the dominant ideology of our society shared by such people and to what extent do they consider themselves outside of the circle? The history of various groups hitherto known to wander from space to space. The folklore and traditions of days gone by, long forgotten to many but continued by some.
Travellers have maintained a growing presence among us for years, much is assumed yet little is known about how they live and why they have adopted this lifestyle.
We are fixated with property claims and the possibility of embedding ourselves and of finding our identity in our surroundings. But if identity itself is fluid, the identity of place as much as that of ourselves, is it not natural to be in a constant state of movement rather than standing still? In a world of global exchange, perhaps we are all of us moving'.
Dean/ Millar 2005:149)
Society draws a circle. Those inside conform, and those at the edge either change or step outside to join those who don’t fit in. From the inside it can be difficult to see those on the outside, often hidden away. Invisible, yet co-existing in the same space.
In this research project I shall attempt to uncover this distinction. To identify those who choose to live outside the constraints of society, to uncover the spaces they identify as their own, and to break down the cultural myths associated with gypsies, travellers and nomadic/alternative lifestyles. Is the dominant ideology of our society shared by such people and to what extent do they consider themselves outside of the circle? The history of various groups hitherto known to wander from space to space. The folklore and traditions of days gone by, long forgotten to many but continued by some.
Travellers have maintained a growing presence among us for years, much is assumed yet little is known about how they live and why they have adopted this lifestyle.
Migration
Human migration is movement (physical or psychological) by humans from one district to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. (www.wikipedia.com)
Why do people migrate - there are a number of different reasons why people migrate from one place to another. The need to escape from persecution through war and ethnic cleansing, extreme poverty and hunger, slavery and displacement or financial gain.
Migrant Mother 1936, Dorothea Lange
"Nipomo, Calif. March 1936.
Migrant agricultural worker's family.
Seven hungry children and their mother,aged 32. The father is a native Californian."
Click on link below to read the article by Dorothea Lange about her encounter with the migrant mother.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/migrantmother.htm
Net migration rates for 2008: positive (blue), negative (orange), stable (green), and no data (gray)
BBC News Article -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/world/04/migration/html/migration_boom.stm
Over the past 15 years, the number of people crossing borders in search of a better life has been rising steadily. At the start of the 21st Century, one in every 35 people is an international migrant. If they all lived in the same place, it would be the world's fifth-largest country.
Many people migrate as a way of life moving from place to place to seek out work during different seasons. They enjoyu this way of life and in many ways it is not dissimilar to that of nomadic cultures.
Why do people migrate - there are a number of different reasons why people migrate from one place to another. The need to escape from persecution through war and ethnic cleansing, extreme poverty and hunger, slavery and displacement or financial gain.
Migrant Mother 1936, Dorothea Lange
"Nipomo, Calif. March 1936.
Migrant agricultural worker's family.
Seven hungry children and their mother,aged 32. The father is a native Californian."
Click on link below to read the article by Dorothea Lange about her encounter with the migrant mother.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/migrantmother.htm
Net migration rates for 2008: positive (blue), negative (orange), stable (green), and no data (gray)
BBC News Article -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/world/04/migration/html/migration_boom.stm
Over the past 15 years, the number of people crossing borders in search of a better life has been rising steadily. At the start of the 21st Century, one in every 35 people is an international migrant. If they all lived in the same place, it would be the world's fifth-largest country.
Many people migrate as a way of life moving from place to place to seek out work during different seasons. They enjoyu this way of life and in many ways it is not dissimilar to that of nomadic cultures.
Folklore & Tradition - Relation Between People and Place
Another element concerning place and the relation between a physical space and its inhabitants is the culture and tradition that develop within an area. This can be based on the geographical and topographical nature of its place and the relation between this nature and those existing within it. Tradition is the amalgamation of routines, much of which consist of a relation between the land and the survival of the people upon it. England's rich history of farming and religion combined with the dependency on the land and the superstition of folklore has produced a wide array of traditions inherently linking the space and the people.
Sir John Benjamin Stone (1836-1914) photographed such folklore and traditions in an attempt to preserve what he considered to be an aspect of our culture that was gradually being forgot ton. These pictures depict age old traditions linked to harvest and superstition that are largely extinct today.
The 'Horn Dance' at Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire - visit to the vicarage, September 1899
Farm Workers at Perry Barr, circa 1990
The 'Kern Bride'
Historically gypsies and travellers would move from place to place in accordance with such traditions of harvest in order to work on the land. This benefited both the farms and the travelling communities. Today however many farms have suffered from international trade and large chain supermarkets and the demand for labour is much lower. Travellers therefore are forced to adopt other methods of work in order to survive and maintain their way of life.
Sir John Benjamin Stone (1836-1914) photographed such folklore and traditions in an attempt to preserve what he considered to be an aspect of our culture that was gradually being forgot ton. These pictures depict age old traditions linked to harvest and superstition that are largely extinct today.
The 'Horn Dance' at Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire - visit to the vicarage, September 1899
Farm Workers at Perry Barr, circa 1990
The 'Kern Bride'
Historically gypsies and travellers would move from place to place in accordance with such traditions of harvest in order to work on the land. This benefited both the farms and the travelling communities. Today however many farms have suffered from international trade and large chain supermarkets and the demand for labour is much lower. Travellers therefore are forced to adopt other methods of work in order to survive and maintain their way of life.
Folklore & Tradition - Tar Barrel Rolling
In my attempt to uncover age old traditions as part of our culture I attended the annual tar barrel rolling in Ottery St Mary. This tradition dates back to the 17th Century and occurs every bonfire night to commemorate Guy Fawkes and burn the spirits of evil. It consists of setting alight wooden barrels containing tar, wood scrapings and paraffin. Once alight the barrels are carried through the streets of the town on the backs of the local men, who pass the barrel between them until it burns out. The event attracts thousands of people each year who fill the streets and square of the town creating a thick crowd that then have to avoid the burning barrels as they dart through the streets. This adrenaline filled event is reminiscent of Spanish bull running due to the collective fear and excitement of the crowd. When partaking in this event the herd like behaviour of the crowd seemed of another time, one that belonged far back in the zeitgeist of history resurrected each year.
The final barrel upon being dropped and becoming mass of embers and smoke is surrounded by the local barrel men who lock arms and sing songs. The smog covered faces and clothing of each man lit only by the red glow of the embers and surrounded by the noise of the crowd connoted some old age ceremony. The men look almost satanic in this moment, separate from the outside world. The hoards of cameras and tourists surrounding them become indifferent to the event. It is in this space that the tradition really lives on.
The final barrel upon being dropped and becoming mass of embers and smoke is surrounded by the local barrel men who lock arms and sing songs. The smog covered faces and clothing of each man lit only by the red glow of the embers and surrounded by the noise of the crowd connoted some old age ceremony. The men look almost satanic in this moment, separate from the outside world. The hoards of cameras and tourists surrounding them become indifferent to the event. It is in this space that the tradition really lives on.
Nomadism
"Nomadism is more than just traveling from A to B. It is everything about Travellers. I live in a house and have done so for a long time but that doesn't make me a settled person. Many country people, who call themselves "settled", may in fact travel more than some Travellers, but this does not make them nomadic. Nomadism is your whole outlook on life… Just as settled people remain settled when they travel, Travellers remain Travellers even when they are not traveling. Travellers who are not moving can, and do, retain the mindset of a nomad." -- Michael McDonagh
Nomads - what is a nomad
'....a member of a people who have no permanent home but move about according to the seasons'.... wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Nomadic people, also known as nomads, are communities of people that move from one place to another, rather than settling down in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world.
'The politics of place are made manifest through different groups' territorial claims. Often people fight to maintain divided or to dissolve them completely. Others try simply to slip through them undetected.. These are the marks of ideology upon the earth. Some artists reflect and reflect upon these territorial battles; others explore the absurdities that can occur in the demarcation of such places. But what of those who choose to live on the land nomadically, without making a claim on it? ' (Dean/.Millar 2005:133)
Tuareg People
www.africaguide.com/culture/tibes/tuareg
The Tuareg people are predominantly nomadic people of the Sahara desert. Because of their blue robes they are often referred to as the 'Blue men of the desert'. They live in small tribes of between 30 and 100 family members and have animals like goats, cattle, chickens and camels.They are a proud race of people and live mostly in the northern reaches of Mali near Timbuktu and Kidal where they tend to do most of their trading.
Each of the family members plays an important role with the women making milk, butter and clothing etc from the animals and collecting firewood. The men drive the animals and take responsibility for trading. They sell camels and buy millet for bread making.
Drought and government policy has impacted on their way of life and increasingly many are living a more sedentary lifestyle.
Many cultures have been traditionally nomadic, but traditional nomadic behavior is increasingly rare in industrialized countries. http://www.answers.com/
Mongolian Nomads
'The nomad moves, but he is always at the centre of the desert, at the centre of the steppe.' Gaston Bacheland (Dean/Millar 2005:147)
These images were taken of Mongolian Gers and Mongloian people by Mette Tronvoll in 2003. He undertook a documentary expedition over a period of six weeks where he travelled across Mongolia from the Gobi Desert in the south to Khenti region in the north photographing the landscape, the nomads in and outside of their Gers (Yurts) and images of the Gers themselves. The name Ger comes from the turkish word jurte and is a round white tent and is the home of the nomades living on the steppes in Mongolia. The shape and function of this tent has stayed the same.
(Dean/millar 2005:146)
Click on the link below to go to Tronvolls archive page showing his 2005 exhibition of the Nomads of Mongolia in Stockholm.
www.nordenhake.com/php/exhibition.php?id=55&year=2005
Mongolian Yurts
The yurt (mongolian: Ger) is the traditional dwelling of the nomads in Mongolia, as well as in the neighboring countries, over to as far as in Turkey. It is a tent-like structure made from a wooden frame and covered by wool felt. A traditional yurt is very easy to collapse and assemble again, and it can be transported on no more than three animals (horses, camels, yaks). Today it will fit nicely on a small all-terrain vehicle. http://www.mongolyurt.com/
Vietnamese Floating Houses
Central Viet Nam(Mid-1800s - today)
These houses are built on rafts so that the nomadic people who live in the Annam Mountains of central Viet Nam can move about freely from one side of the lake to the other. The houses are built from hardwood trees that grow slowly in the mountains. This hard wood takes a long time to rot, so it's perfect for building a house that sits in the water.
http://www.architectstudio3d.org/AS3d/people_annamese.html
Nomads - what is a nomad
'....a member of a people who have no permanent home but move about according to the seasons'.... wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Nomadic people, also known as nomads, are communities of people that move from one place to another, rather than settling down in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world.
'The politics of place are made manifest through different groups' territorial claims. Often people fight to maintain divided or to dissolve them completely. Others try simply to slip through them undetected.. These are the marks of ideology upon the earth. Some artists reflect and reflect upon these territorial battles; others explore the absurdities that can occur in the demarcation of such places. But what of those who choose to live on the land nomadically, without making a claim on it? ' (Dean/.Millar 2005:133)
Tuareg People
www.africaguide.com/culture/tibes/tuareg
The Tuareg people are predominantly nomadic people of the Sahara desert. Because of their blue robes they are often referred to as the 'Blue men of the desert'. They live in small tribes of between 30 and 100 family members and have animals like goats, cattle, chickens and camels.They are a proud race of people and live mostly in the northern reaches of Mali near Timbuktu and Kidal where they tend to do most of their trading.
Each of the family members plays an important role with the women making milk, butter and clothing etc from the animals and collecting firewood. The men drive the animals and take responsibility for trading. They sell camels and buy millet for bread making.
Drought and government policy has impacted on their way of life and increasingly many are living a more sedentary lifestyle.
Many cultures have been traditionally nomadic, but traditional nomadic behavior is increasingly rare in industrialized countries. http://www.answers.com/
Mongolian Nomads
'The nomad moves, but he is always at the centre of the desert, at the centre of the steppe.' Gaston Bacheland (Dean/Millar 2005:147)
These images were taken of Mongolian Gers and Mongloian people by Mette Tronvoll in 2003. He undertook a documentary expedition over a period of six weeks where he travelled across Mongolia from the Gobi Desert in the south to Khenti region in the north photographing the landscape, the nomads in and outside of their Gers (Yurts) and images of the Gers themselves. The name Ger comes from the turkish word jurte and is a round white tent and is the home of the nomades living on the steppes in Mongolia. The shape and function of this tent has stayed the same.
(Dean/millar 2005:146)
Click on the link below to go to Tronvolls archive page showing his 2005 exhibition of the Nomads of Mongolia in Stockholm.
www.nordenhake.com/php/exhibition.php?id=55&year=2005
Mongolian Yurts
The yurt (mongolian: Ger) is the traditional dwelling of the nomads in Mongolia, as well as in the neighboring countries, over to as far as in Turkey. It is a tent-like structure made from a wooden frame and covered by wool felt. A traditional yurt is very easy to collapse and assemble again, and it can be transported on no more than three animals (horses, camels, yaks). Today it will fit nicely on a small all-terrain vehicle. http://www.mongolyurt.com/
Vietnamese Floating Houses
Central Viet Nam(Mid-1800s - today)
These houses are built on rafts so that the nomadic people who live in the Annam Mountains of central Viet Nam can move about freely from one side of the lake to the other. The houses are built from hardwood trees that grow slowly in the mountains. This hard wood takes a long time to rot, so it's perfect for building a house that sits in the water.
http://www.architectstudio3d.org/AS3d/people_annamese.html
Romani gypsies
I set out to try to find some real Romany Gypsies but this task proved to difficult soI have had to resort to found imagery of this nomadic race of people.
Although the Romani people are often referred to as "Gypsies" (and prefer to be called by their more proper designation, Roma), not all "gypsies" or nomadic peoples are Roma. The Roma are descendants of the ancient warrior classes of Northern India, particularly the Punjab, and they are identifiable by their language, religion, and customs, which can be directly linked to those of the Punjabi in northern India.http://www.romani.org/
Link to photos of gypsies in Romania
http://www.leafpile.com/TravelLog/Romania/Roma/Roma.htm
link to home made video of gypsy camps
http://hubpages.com/hub/Romanian-Gypsies
These lines were written by Queen Victoria in 1836: -
I know too well its truth, from experience, that whenever any poor Gipsies are encamped anywhere and crimes and robberies, etc, occur, it is invariably laid to their account, which is shocking; and if they are always looked upon as vagabonds, how can they become good people? I trust in Heaven that the day may come when I may do something for these poor people.
—
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article6611276.ece
Although the Romani people are often referred to as "Gypsies" (and prefer to be called by their more proper designation, Roma), not all "gypsies" or nomadic peoples are Roma. The Roma are descendants of the ancient warrior classes of Northern India, particularly the Punjab, and they are identifiable by their language, religion, and customs, which can be directly linked to those of the Punjabi in northern India.http://www.romani.org/
Link to photos of gypsies in Romania
http://www.leafpile.com/TravelLog/Romania/Roma/Roma.htm
link to home made video of gypsy camps
http://hubpages.com/hub/Romanian-Gypsies
These lines were written by Queen Victoria in 1836: -
I know too well its truth, from experience, that whenever any poor Gipsies are encamped anywhere and crimes and robberies, etc, occur, it is invariably laid to their account, which is shocking; and if they are always looked upon as vagabonds, how can they become good people? I trust in Heaven that the day may come when I may do something for these poor people.
—
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article6611276.ece
Irish Travellers
There are about 25,000 Irish Travellers in Ireland and 1,300 in Northern Ireland.
Following link will take you to an article about Irish Travellers.
http://www.essortment.com/all/irishtravellers_ryjv.htm
It is estimated there are between 200,000 and 300,000 Gypsy and Irish Travellers in the UK. (English Heritage Online)
I went along to the encampment at laira bridge to ask the travellers if i could interview them and take some photographs. These travellers had cut through a fence and are illegally camped on a site just outside of Plymouth city centre. My interpretor and I walked into the camp and approached a couple of men who immediately demanded my reason for being there, upon explaining my project and asking whether they would mind if I took a few photographs more people arrived. Although not overtly threatening there was an aggressive edge to their behaviour and they became rather hostile and persuasive once they understood my request. They decided we would have to pay £100 in order to take photographs of the site, which we could only haggle down to £50. What became clear was their drive for money, as soon as the prospect of getting some cash became viable we were surrounded and told to go to the cash point immediately and asked to confirm what time we would be coming back in an attempt to secure a deal... Even the children were asking us for our cameras and wallets. It was as if some ideology of gleaning money off every person who stumbles across you is engrained at an early age.
illegal camp of Irish travellers - photographed secretly - Harry Hilliar
The interesting thing for me about this type of travellers is that they live in contradiction to the romantic notion of romani gypsies living off the land and travelling from place to place offering aggricultural labour in return for a piece of land to settle for a while. These travellers all owned brand new expensive cars and caravans, preferred concrete settlements to grass ones and had sought out an inner city dwelling as opposed to a rural one. Instead of opposing the capitalist society and seeking an alternative existance their ideals and behaviour would suggest that they are infact wholesale subscribers to the capitalist machine, driven by the lust for cash. I do not know whether these cars and caravans are the majority of their possessions or whether or not they pay taxes. I continue to try and maintain a objective opinion of each traveller I come across however the danger of calling these type of travellers untrustworthy and dishonest is ever present and exemlified in this short clip below.
Following link will take you to an article about Irish Travellers.
http://www.essortment.com/all/irishtravellers_ryjv.htm
It is estimated there are between 200,000 and 300,000 Gypsy and Irish Travellers in the UK. (English Heritage Online)
I went along to the encampment at laira bridge to ask the travellers if i could interview them and take some photographs. These travellers had cut through a fence and are illegally camped on a site just outside of Plymouth city centre. My interpretor and I walked into the camp and approached a couple of men who immediately demanded my reason for being there, upon explaining my project and asking whether they would mind if I took a few photographs more people arrived. Although not overtly threatening there was an aggressive edge to their behaviour and they became rather hostile and persuasive once they understood my request. They decided we would have to pay £100 in order to take photographs of the site, which we could only haggle down to £50. What became clear was their drive for money, as soon as the prospect of getting some cash became viable we were surrounded and told to go to the cash point immediately and asked to confirm what time we would be coming back in an attempt to secure a deal... Even the children were asking us for our cameras and wallets. It was as if some ideology of gleaning money off every person who stumbles across you is engrained at an early age.
illegal camp of Irish travellers - photographed secretly - Harry Hilliar
The interesting thing for me about this type of travellers is that they live in contradiction to the romantic notion of romani gypsies living off the land and travelling from place to place offering aggricultural labour in return for a piece of land to settle for a while. These travellers all owned brand new expensive cars and caravans, preferred concrete settlements to grass ones and had sought out an inner city dwelling as opposed to a rural one. Instead of opposing the capitalist society and seeking an alternative existance their ideals and behaviour would suggest that they are infact wholesale subscribers to the capitalist machine, driven by the lust for cash. I do not know whether these cars and caravans are the majority of their possessions or whether or not they pay taxes. I continue to try and maintain a objective opinion of each traveller I come across however the danger of calling these type of travellers untrustworthy and dishonest is ever present and exemlified in this short clip below.
Irish Travellers - Media Representations
video clip taken from 'Snatch' highlighting travelers attitude experienced at laira bridge
The following links will take you to This is Plymouth website pages with regrd to other illegal gypsy encampments in Plymouth.
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/environment/Travellers-return-Estover-field/article-1428057-detail/article.html
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Ridge-Road-Gypsy-families-given-months-leave/article-1524288-detail/article.html
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Travellers-set-camp-city/article-1163828-detail/article.html
Image below and article in Sun Newspaper about illegal traveller settlements.
Spreading misery ... huge camp of 1,000 Irish travellers at Crays Hill, Essex
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article104007.ece
THE Sun today launches a campaign to STOP John Prescott giving the green light to illegal gypsy camps across Britain. The Deputy Prime Minister has ordered local councils to go soft on travellers camps and turn a blind eye to the shocking problems they create.But The Sun, on behalf of our ten million readers, is determined to fight him all the way.
Road-side Dwellings
This is a large encampment situated next to a dual carriageway. The small plot of land inhabits over fifty mobile camper vans and buses, there is a tree house and what appears to be communal areas incorporated into the layout of the space. These travellers seem to have set up long term living arrangements with more substantial development visible on the land. The area itself is contained within a large fence which surrounds the enclosure. When taking these photos there was little sign of the people themselves but obvious effort had been made to secure the space from outside interference. There was a definite atmosphere that made me feel that they did not want to be approached and preferred to be left alone.
The gateway into the encampment showed further signs of more permanent dwellings; the district council rubbish bins and post box signify that the inhabitants may have legally acquired land rights and were more integrated into society, contributing to some extent. They considered themselves residents of a private community as opposed to the more nomadic travellers who move from lay by to lay by.
This smaller dwelling, not far from the larger one above is similar with regard to the sense of a more permanent dwelling. The gate and other structures are not easily disassembled. Being roadside there is visible effort to create some privacy, beyond the space there is a railway behind so that the space is effective secluded. The gate and use of foliage allow the actual habitat to be secluded out of sight yet unlike other encampments I have discovered there is a sense of homeliness and pride. There has been a conscious effort to establish a aesthetically pleasing and warm feel to the space; a gate itself is a restrictive barrier, yet the sunshine emblem detracts from these cold connotations creating a binary; 'we like to keep our land private, but we are friendly...'
This next space is much more temporary than the two above. Situated in a large lay by on a main road. It consists of three vans that could easily be moved at any time. Unlike the other spaces there has been no attempt to prevent access to the space although the positioning of the vans seem to connote an encampment which I would feel reserved about intruding upon. There is however no apparent attempt to uphold any privacy or make claim to the land.
In this camp a great effort has been made to create a warm homely feel, this has been achieved with the use of the trestle fence and the gents sign... Although like the sunshine gate these still function to create privacy but the same friendly sentiment is ensured. This space has been inhabited for as long as I can remember but by different people at different times. The play equipment suggest that there are probably young children resident and I would guess that this is a small family dwelling, unoffensive yet designed to be humble and private. Simply the character of the various furnishings in each case (this one and the sunshine gate) make them seem much more open to outsiders and friendly, something which is purely speculative and make not even be so.
This last example is situated down a green lane, a 'no through road' for vehicles. There is a small farm house and outbuildings at the end of the lane and various spaces being adapted for something or other at the beginning of the track. Although within walking distance from the town this area is the most secluded from public roads and pathways of all of these dwellings. The path is used by persons on foot alone as a shortcut from local villages into the town. The space did not have such a friendly feel due to large metal fences and barbed wire; symbollic of 'get out, private...'
This message 'pay ur debts paine' refers to a local man of the town who is accused of owing money, this is the second public notice of the accusation and apart from being oddly placed suggests that the person in question is living nearby but also enforces the cold unfriendly aspect of the place. I did not feel comfortable spending much time here as it seemed I was intruding and would be met with aggression if seen. This is also speculative and may not be the case in reality.
Modes of Travel and Escapism Camper Vans/Tents
Many people like to 'get away from it all' this escapism from the constraints of society comes in many shapes and forms. Some people prefer to simply pack up a car and a tent and head for the hills, whilst others plan road trips in more detail and with a more comfortabe mode of transport.
When I was younger my family and I would often go camping in Cornwall, Wales and France. We would pack up a tent and simply go - this was an idylic way of life and one which I thoroughly enjoyed and I have retained many happy memories from that time. Camping to me was a great adventure because when we were away there were endless things to do and places to explore. Being free from urban constraints and structure was a great joy to me and this freedom of spirit has remained with me.
“The land was ours before we were the land’s” -- Robert Frost
I have progressed from a tent to a VW Transporter which has been converted into a 'camper van'. My dad and I padded out the inside to become a comfortable place to sleep and entertain; I even have a small bar area! My van is always ready for me to 'go' I have a bed in it and a stove plus my surfing gear. If I decide to stay over or go somewhere I have my 'home' with me and have no worry abouyt ever having to find a bed for the night. This freedom has allowed me to travel throughout the UK and Europe whatever the weather and enabled me to retain a spirit of adventure and in some sense nomadism.
My Van - Image taken by Harry Hilliar
This image was taken by Rirkrit Tiravanija
source: Dean, T. & Millar.J., 2005, Place, Thames and Hudson:London.
'When I was nineteen years old I left Thailand and went to Canada. At that point, I left high school thinking that I would go into photojournalism because I enjoyed the idea of being mobile and travelling a lot. I wanted to see everything, and this was a situation that could be put me there. I wasn't ever interested in making a lot of money; I just wanted to get by. But I wanted to see everything.' (Dean/Millar 2005:155)
As said previously there are many ways of 'getting away from it all' and whilst conducting research I came across these interesting images of luxury camper vans.
The following link will take you to an online forum which shows images of a variety of different camper vans with all of the owners having common denominators - the desire to travel in their own van in (relative) comfort and in some cases style and to experience life on the road away from normality of everyday living. The desire to escape to the great outdoors to 'rough it' is an inherent need in some people whilst others will not find it desirable at all. For them sleeping in small cramped spaces, being cold and not having the comforts of home is not an option. However if you are rich enough to own one of the vans in the images below I would hardly say 'it was roughing it'.
forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4520042...
My idea of luxury is one of these vans with a sports car underneath - if I had one of these and money was no object I would like to travel the world and expeirience as many different cultures and traditions as possible whilst still retaining a sense of freedom and adventure.
When I was younger my family and I would often go camping in Cornwall, Wales and France. We would pack up a tent and simply go - this was an idylic way of life and one which I thoroughly enjoyed and I have retained many happy memories from that time. Camping to me was a great adventure because when we were away there were endless things to do and places to explore. Being free from urban constraints and structure was a great joy to me and this freedom of spirit has remained with me.
“The land was ours before we were the land’s” -- Robert Frost
I have progressed from a tent to a VW Transporter which has been converted into a 'camper van'. My dad and I padded out the inside to become a comfortable place to sleep and entertain; I even have a small bar area! My van is always ready for me to 'go' I have a bed in it and a stove plus my surfing gear. If I decide to stay over or go somewhere I have my 'home' with me and have no worry abouyt ever having to find a bed for the night. This freedom has allowed me to travel throughout the UK and Europe whatever the weather and enabled me to retain a spirit of adventure and in some sense nomadism.
My Van - Image taken by Harry Hilliar
This image was taken by Rirkrit Tiravanija
source: Dean, T. & Millar.J., 2005, Place, Thames and Hudson:London.
'When I was nineteen years old I left Thailand and went to Canada. At that point, I left high school thinking that I would go into photojournalism because I enjoyed the idea of being mobile and travelling a lot. I wanted to see everything, and this was a situation that could be put me there. I wasn't ever interested in making a lot of money; I just wanted to get by. But I wanted to see everything.' (Dean/Millar 2005:155)
As said previously there are many ways of 'getting away from it all' and whilst conducting research I came across these interesting images of luxury camper vans.
The following link will take you to an online forum which shows images of a variety of different camper vans with all of the owners having common denominators - the desire to travel in their own van in (relative) comfort and in some cases style and to experience life on the road away from normality of everyday living. The desire to escape to the great outdoors to 'rough it' is an inherent need in some people whilst others will not find it desirable at all. For them sleeping in small cramped spaces, being cold and not having the comforts of home is not an option. However if you are rich enough to own one of the vans in the images below I would hardly say 'it was roughing it'.
forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4520042...
My idea of luxury is one of these vans with a sports car underneath - if I had one of these and money was no object I would like to travel the world and expeirience as many different cultures and traditions as possible whilst still retaining a sense of freedom and adventure.
Alternative Lifestyle/Escapsism
Yurt Village, Sharpham Devon - Photographs by Harry Hilliar
The following images are ones that I took whilst reseaching for this project.
This small community hidden away in the South West consists of five yurts, a wooden shed kitchen and an outside toilet and shower block. The first impressions of this space was the beauty of the location, surrounded by gardens and a large river this space seemed to epitomise the romanticism of outdoor living.
There is one permanent dweller, the other five volunteer for three months before moving on. Free living is provided in exchange for labour which mainly consists of working on the large vegetable garden within the land. This being my first exploration into such living I was anxious about whether they would be accepting of my intrusion into their space. I received a warm welcome and was surprised by the friendly positive atmosphere. The space itself was immaculate and well kept. Through conversing with the inhabitants it became evident that they were not as self sufficient than would have liked to be and were still very much involved with the commodities of modern living.
Most used mobile phones, computers and drove to neighbouring towns to buy food and toiletries. They all seemed to adopt the view of organic self sufficient living as an ideal to strive toward. The main constrain in achieving this I was informed being financial, although able to cultivate their own vegetables and keep chickens, the need for energy, namely solar power, was regarded as a vital step towards self sustainability which they held as vitally important yet were unable to afford the equipment.The irony to this settlement however was that their encampment resided within the grounds of an old manor house, which now serving as a charity and small business granted them the space in return for the vegetables gain from their labour to be cooked in the public restaurant nearby. Although they lived in relative isolation, the means to such lifestyle were enabled by the aristocrats of the past and the arrangement with the modern business today.
Communal living stay and work for keep - then move on - there are hundreds of sites in the UK and thousands wordwide.
http://www.wwoof.org/
In addition to these voluntary schemes there are more commercial holiday FINISH THIS PROSE
Photograph of Yurt at Poundsgate, Dartmoor. - Harry Hilliar
The following images are ones that I took whilst reseaching for this project.
This small community hidden away in the South West consists of five yurts, a wooden shed kitchen and an outside toilet and shower block. The first impressions of this space was the beauty of the location, surrounded by gardens and a large river this space seemed to epitomise the romanticism of outdoor living.
There is one permanent dweller, the other five volunteer for three months before moving on. Free living is provided in exchange for labour which mainly consists of working on the large vegetable garden within the land. This being my first exploration into such living I was anxious about whether they would be accepting of my intrusion into their space. I received a warm welcome and was surprised by the friendly positive atmosphere. The space itself was immaculate and well kept. Through conversing with the inhabitants it became evident that they were not as self sufficient than would have liked to be and were still very much involved with the commodities of modern living.
Most used mobile phones, computers and drove to neighbouring towns to buy food and toiletries. They all seemed to adopt the view of organic self sufficient living as an ideal to strive toward. The main constrain in achieving this I was informed being financial, although able to cultivate their own vegetables and keep chickens, the need for energy, namely solar power, was regarded as a vital step towards self sustainability which they held as vitally important yet were unable to afford the equipment.The irony to this settlement however was that their encampment resided within the grounds of an old manor house, which now serving as a charity and small business granted them the space in return for the vegetables gain from their labour to be cooked in the public restaurant nearby. Although they lived in relative isolation, the means to such lifestyle were enabled by the aristocrats of the past and the arrangement with the modern business today.
Communal living stay and work for keep - then move on - there are hundreds of sites in the UK and thousands wordwide.
http://www.wwoof.org/
In addition to these voluntary schemes there are more commercial holiday FINISH THIS PROSE
Photograph of Yurt at Poundsgate, Dartmoor. - Harry Hilliar
Commercial Yurts
For those people seeking to escape from the mundane way of life and who like the romantic notion of staying in a yurt there are holiday sites they can go to. They can go and stay in Mongolian Yurts and get away from it all without actually having to work for their keep.
Click on the following link to see the authentic Mongolian Yurts and other images of this 'holiday' destination. www.yurtvillage.co.uk/
Get back to nature and stay in one of our six Mongolian Yurts.
'It sounds cliched but we felt that we really did get away from it all"
http://www.yurtcamp.co.uk/facilities.htm
Images from website.
Click on the following link to see the authentic Mongolian Yurts and other images of this 'holiday' destination. www.yurtvillage.co.uk/
Get back to nature and stay in one of our six Mongolian Yurts.
'It sounds cliched but we felt that we really did get away from it all"
http://www.yurtcamp.co.uk/facilities.htm
Images from website.
Tree Houses
Treehouses
This tree house is virtually invisible from any public path or space and exists unknown to most. The owner lives here all year round after building the construction himself. It consists of two levels, a kitchen, and a living/sleeping space. Access is via the ladder and requires some agility and branch negotiation. There is a wood burning fire with chimney and oil lamps for light. Like the nearby yurts this dwelling is only accessible via a long walk with no access for cars. Similarly the structure can be considered temporary as there are no permanent changes to the land made by its construction.
This tree house is virtually invisible from any public path or space and exists unknown to most. The owner lives here all year round after building the construction himself. It consists of two levels, a kitchen, and a living/sleeping space. Access is via the ladder and requires some agility and branch negotiation. There is a wood burning fire with chimney and oil lamps for light. Like the nearby yurts this dwelling is only accessible via a long walk with no access for cars. Similarly the structure can be considered temporary as there are no permanent changes to the land made by its construction.
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