The hippie sub culture is really a culture in itself for there is no main culture from which it became a sub culture.You could have called a stone age man from New Guinea a hippie, if you had stumbled asross one of these highly decorated peacoks in the sixties as I did. Why earings, bones through the nose, plenty of beaded necklaces and a coloured face like you would not believe. The term hippie probably is an extension of the word ‘hip’ for it was daring and quite hip to turn from formalism to this free way of life. In America it arose largely as a result of a disciplined army approach to government during the Eisenhower years and a general reaction among the young to this. Also the advent of rock and roll at this same time nearing the end of the fifties, plus the experimenting with psychedelic music added to the free flowing approach of this culture. Flower power, the Haight Ashbury movement of San Francisco and the message soon spread around the world. There were protests against the Vietnam war everywhere as the central message of peace was the warcry.

The trade marks seemed to be, one grew their hair long and in the case of males a beard usually accompanied this look. You dressed in bright clothes of paisley or psychedelic colours of the rainbow and usually smoked dope to chill out. Hippie communes grew up and the hippies lived through bartering.To practice this culture fully one probably needed some sort of government unemployment benefit to survive, unless you belonged to one of the hippie bands and were able to show some profit for your efforts. Many of these gentle bands were ripped offf by unscrupulous money hungry managers. It was a time of good vibes and the Mamas and Papas sang ‘Monday Monday’ and Fleetwood Mac put out some groovy music.

There are still hippies around today and you usually see them in artistically decorated campervans travelling around Australia. Some even stay at Nimbin, our well known commune in Australia. To be hip or a hippie you just realize your individuality in a fairly straight western society. You will be ostrasized for your daring to be different but take no notice, these judges are envious. They don’t have the courage to break from the caging system and do the same. There is only one chance in this life to be who you want to be.The latest reality television shows showing how hippies can become ten years younger in ten days do it by taking away all the character they have built up and return them to squaresville. It’s a tragedy they are so blinkered in their vision of things, these metrosexuals who make the shows. Long live Hippies!