The Big green gathering

It was my first time there. Mud aside and the high high fee, it was a top few days of fun and learning for me. From straw bale building to finding out about nanotechnology to dancing and watching movies.

Groovie Movie where there with their solar powered cinema - in fact there were several other cinemas running including the Purple Pixie collective (think that's right) from up north and movies from schnews. Also there were squall and indymedia, corporate watch and a whole host of others. All of the power ran from solar and wind, which for me was an amazing revelation - dancing til the early hours and watching films, finding internet access in a remote field through groovie movie and indymedia / generator x, powered on solar and connecting across the fields with wireless, connecting to the net via the ace psand satellite crew - and streaming radio out the other side - amazing.

Adding in stuff like the bloke with the veg oil powered car display (and of course all the other vehicles there running on same) and it was a real revelation that this renewable energy thing is just so totaly rocking now.

Off the grid? Oh yes. Big respect to all the power providers.

Onwards and upwards...

Did anyone else see the BP banner at the BGG? To the right of the main stage was a stall selling solar panels -- BP are the bigest dealers so the guy had banners up.

Did the organisers know? Did anyone complain? The stall holder was quite clear that he supported BP's programme of selling solar and refused to take the banner's down...

I avoided BGG for this reason- crap reformist liberal green bullshit hippy capitalist shit. i went last year, fuck the fee, this festy sucks big time, never going again.
Free parties- Free Kulture- Free Future
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I went to the BGG, but either side of it I co-created two events which were based on a magic hat system. My interpretation of the term 'magic hat' would be that the event is funded by any and all contributions including but not limited to money. Eveyone makes a donation, whatevr they can afford, and we trust that this will cover costs. But there is also an ethic of co-creation, that everyone is responsible for the event.

Now it is well known that this is a relatively easy system to implement and facilitate for smaller events, but would it be impractical for an event the size of the BGG?

What struck me about the BGG is that it was a gathering of different groups representing different interests, agendas, needs; buyers and sellers' politicos and punters, traders, campaigners, spirits, healers, earth energy workers, permaculturists, low impact consultants, dirty capitalists and all. Not just a reformist rubbish, but a gathering where switched on people compete with others. So lets no write it off altogether; plenty of oppurtunities for healing, learning and networking there.

But I agree we should fight against fee paying events being de rigeur, and fight against the disgraceful propmotion given to big capital cartels. This is as green as shit.

Magic hat has to be the way forward - not quite the same as 'free' parties - there is always a 'cost' and we need to take responsibility for that collectively. Whats desparatly needed is for the magic hat meme to be widespread, so that events like BGG can be a federation of magic hats.

Other than charging a large fee and allowing the BP promoter to spin his capitalist ideology (I also noticed a fairford air tatoo banner sponsoring one marquee- outrageous!)
the major mistake was to have the water switched off at 12 noon sharp on the last day. This created a rush to exit rather than allowing people to flexibility to leave over a more rational time frame.

Flexibility, openness and consideration are not idealisms. They are common sense. Let us hope that the organisers learn and make next years more of the kind of event we would like to see. Lets promote one heart at the centre of any green gathering, and facilitate co-creation and co-responsibility. This is a way to freedom. But lets not forget that freedom isn't an ideology but a state of mind. The trick is to move towards that state being about one mind, one heart, one revolution.

The biggest lesson my daughter learnt at the gathering was how to play Roulette for 20p stakes. In the kids area there was "Placenta Park", where the currency was plastic spoons bought at 20p each.

These could then be gambled by pre-pubescent children on the Roulette table.

I guess she learnt that the house always wins, but its not really the message that I had hoped she would pick up at a Green event

:(

The organisation was bad - there was acres of space for vehicles and two tiny fields full of gorse and thistles and damp rotten smoky firewood for campers. The vehicles created the mud, but noone laid down any viable paths for people on foot. Also last year it was really pretty and spacious, this year was ugly and cramped.

I've been to much better organised free festivals, BGG organisers are capitalist scum, where the fuck do the millions that are made at this festival (that poses as an environmental event) go to ?????

It has to be free or by donation only or its bound to be shit....

Screw these wankers !

... take the time to aquaint yourselves with the ridiculous and restrictive licence imposed by the local authorities, the huge bill/protection racket imposed by the police, the need for the festival to put all the money and resources up front with no guarentee of return (and thus another festival) and the fact that the event both philosophically and politically is a major thorn in the side of those that would seek to destroy all emerging alternative culture by any means neccessary - hence the restrictions etc.

Despite the torrential downpour, the lack of adequate time given to physically prepare, the snooping council health and wealfare nazies dictating, AND the attitude of 'types' who see it only as a means for commercial exploitation - whether it be dodgy soapbar/dope or pointless tat - or an excuse to get absolutely wrecked (well ok I hold my hand up for that one!) - the atmosphere oozed love and peace, the children I went with had an ace 'free' time and the, perhaps over earnest(?), gathering of all the tribes saw out the bad weather and came together dreaming of a beautiful future ...

... it would be churlish to complain ...

... at least the mean fiddler was absent!?!

I went to the Big green last year when I was 13. And yes I no i may be young but I can still have a strong opinion about something.
I would just like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed BGG and found it a wonderful expirience and I recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Great fun!!

Peace out.....Holly xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

hi lol i have been going to the BGG for years, sometimes i pay sometimes i work sometimes i nick in - usually i nick in lol - either way its totally cool - state-hater we all hate the state don't take it out on ppl who try an alternative lifestyle and wanna show others how to do it. u have to start the cycle somewhere.
the BGG give concessions and theres usually a nearby crusty field for ppl like state-hater! (and myself) lol

the bgg is cool and there are always other tiny underground festys that are also cool if u think its too commercial - whats important about the BGG is its message.

peace
x