I'm starting a nomadic tribe, intended to both demonstrate alternatives to mainstream society and promote the widespread sharing of information on tribalism, biocentric ideas, and the threat of society. I'm looking for good people interested in a somewhat minimalist tribe to travel nationaly or globaly, supporting each other through non-mainstream paths like art and music, and working to spread some of the messages that a modern destructive society needs so desperately to hear. I'd like to create a truly tribal experience, and I think that there's a lot of fun to be had and good things to be accomplished. Knowledge of tribalism, life sciences, and social problems a plus, but not neccesary, there's plenty for all of us to learn. No hard drugs, alchoholism, sexism, racism, or negative lifestyles/behaviors please. Knowledge of tribalism, life sciences, and social problems a plus, but not neccesary, there's plenty for all of us to learn. Like to explore a new path together? I'd love to hear from you. James
now wanderingkames, i was gonna make a silly remark like jim_w, but are you really serious? Just a question out of respect.
the "new tribe" already exists..globaly and has for 35 years if you seek it you shall find it we are everywhere
your dream may turn out sour. everybodies ideal society would be like that. it is true that even governments would prefer no war, even if some make money out of it. sadly eutopias do not survive in this unfair world.
Yes, not just nomads but many tribal hunter-gathers including nomads fight between tribes as a part of life. I don't see this as a bad thing though. A small level of violence is an awesome part of the human lifestyle. In the tribal hunter-gatherer lifestyle it is expressed as raids, attacks, and vengeance parties, bringing occasional violence and death but never amounting to ethnocide (the killing of an ethnic group) which is entirely an invention of societal oppression. Violence between tribes also serves to maintain cultural borders that otherwise might be dissolved. This helps maintain tribal identity and prevents the loss of diversity that keeps people able to adapt to present and changing environmental circumstances.
Wanderingjames has a point guys. I do suggest though, James, that you ask people in person and demonstrate that it is possible. To be honest with you I do not see too much feedback online. Things tend to be more abstract on the net.. Not by much, but just enough for people to usually not leap off their butts, pack their bags and attempt to rekindle the tribe lifestyle... Speaking of that lifestyle, I do not think humanity is prepared for that anymore. It's not that we can't do it, but it's the fact that we don't want to ditch our houses and live -in- a ditch. We don't want to go back into the forests and onto the plains. There isn't too much left of them anyway... And there's a billion of us. Definitely too much to squeeze in there. We need to look at the past, tribalism, in order to get an idea on how to make the future work - because they way we are traveling now is leading us to destruction. Slowly and surely. Once enough pieces of a temple built on a bad foundation have begun to shake and crumble, the walls and ceiling come crashing down at an alarming rate. We should heed the small "cracks" and "breaks" as a warning sign: This way isn't going to work. We must change. So, if that is the intent of this nomadic tribe: not to present an old way of life (that may work in small groups but not with billions of people) for us, but to show humanity that there is not just one way to live (our way), and to invite people to explore the possibilities - then, by all means, go ahead!
Actually, the abandonment of society is not only feasible, but very much realistic. Interestingly, it's happened before. Archaeological records show that there was a highly advanced agricultural civilization in the American southwest, who built cities and irrigated farmland much like modern society, and these people eventually gave up and simply abandoned their civilization to return to better ways. This may have been caused by crime, civil unrest, economic failure, the simple dislike of the lifestyle, or many other factors. These people came to the conclusion that the way they were living wasn't working for them, so they just abandoned it. As was mentioned, the population explosion that resulted from the building of society is at a level now that hunting and gathering could not support. However, an ecocentric society seeking to end agricultural dependance and return to the hunting and gathering lifestyle could easily reduce their population. Also, I doubt that the majority of the masses of society are as enamored with their huts, slums, tenements, apartments, or houses as the above message suggests.
As you know, Quinn states it takes a new vision. New minds with a new vision. Not old minds with new programs. We can't live exactly the way we used to, but we can learn from it. The people of the abandoned civilizations left because it didn't work. We stuck it out for longer, but now there hardly is any 'wilderness' to return to. At least, not for such a large population as ours. With the billions of people we have now, we can learn the tribal way and model after it, because it is most naturally our disposition to live by. (Once the clutches of our society come loose, that is.) So I agree with you, but you have to convince people there is another way. So yes, make that tribe. Show people. Have you head "Beyond Civilization"? Quinn makes a fascinating proposal, having to do with people already living a more 'tribal' lifestyle, right under our noses.
i messaged the australia site for people interested in starting a kibbutz (sort of like a commune but based on people doing some work collectively and reaping the benfits) in sydney and didn't really get much of a reply-it was hard enough trying to get much response from people to more or less do everything they did already just in a slightly different way, the travelling thing.. well. but nevertheless its an interesting idea.
I can't believe there was a lot of initial negativity to this topic. I believe a nomadic tribe would be a great idea - this is after all what gypsey's are to a certain extent as already pointed out! In Mongolia, there are still groups that operate like their grandfathers did. These traditionally move 2-6 times a year according to location, local resources, preference, and to a certain extent lifestyle. In Iraq, you may have heard of the nomadic Bedowin tribes. I believe there are tribes in Siberia, and of course the rainforests of the America's, and Africa. There are no doubt other traditional tribes all around the world still practicing the old methods - the Ray Maers survival programmes often document many of them, several of which are nomadic or in the very least not with a permanent location of their home. Clearly then, it is still possible for tribes to operate in the world. From reading this thread however, I wonder if you mean a tribe in a westernised country - since ultimatly these are the sorts of people you want to direct your message too. There is no reason this couldn't work, though hunter/gathering becomes more difficult and if you are going to operate in developed countries it may be better to make use of the host countries resources, systems and services to make a more efficient use of your time. I want to setup a sort of tribe/commune myself, though with different aims to yours. For me though, the nomadic element will probably come about from being moved on by the authorities.
I have mixed views, If i could follow such a path i would. On the other hand i have come to realise that no matter how good a society (of any type) it can never solve the problems. Sure it may save the perticular problems of our current society but the new problems will swell untill they are about the same size as our current problems and there will be a new generation of people trying to break away like you want to. So no matter what you do it will always seem the same in the minds of the people, its just part of the human condition. This does however lead to a very bleak view of the world. I choose to ignore it because if you don't beleive you can do some good you won't do anything and your life will be nothing.
On the contrary, tribal lifestyle has worked in acceptable equilibrium within its communities and the rest of nature for thousands upon thousands of years before, during, and in all likelihood after our civilization. The very basis of its way of life appears to be, according to Daniel Quinn, developed from our ancestoral species living in groups. Tribal life is something we developed naturally. It's our disposition. Since nature favors balance, it is logical to think what we have evolved over the course of time in balance. That's why, when the tallest sky scrapers and the most developed of cities has been abandoned, ruined and collapsed, the Bushmen of Africa will be doing what they have been doing long before the first brick of civilization had been laid down.
