Hipstory

Hipstory refers to gathering related stories based on historical experiences of past gatherings and gathering related stuff. Every year at the Annual Gathering of the Tribes, we share Hipstory with each other in many, many ways.  One of my favorites is the night of July 5th when, starting at dark thirty at the Hipstories, we share stories of gatherings past starting with 1972 and working our way through the years.

Of late, this has been happening at the Granola Funk Theater stage, but in years past I remember it happening at the Spot Tent (the big white tent near Kid Village in Washington 2011).We take turns getting up in front of everyone and sharing our individual story from a past gathering.  I strongly encourage everyone to plan on staying at the gathering through July 6 to enjoy the stories. Some of the storytellers are amazing, some not so great, but each story is a glimpse into a moment of our past - a moment as seen through the eyes of the teller or someone who heard the story from someone else.

I would especially invite my beautiful family in their teens and twenties. You are an amazing wonderful force in this family and I hope you take the time to learn the hipstory and use the wisdom and mistakes of the past to greate a brillant future.

As Georgy Santayana wrote many years ago, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

If you're in the mood know to read some hipstories, click here for a great selection written by some of the earlies (folks who have been gathering since the early 70s).