ThehippiesubculturewasoriginallyayouthmovementthatbeganintheUnitedStatesduringthemid-1960sandspreadaroundtheworld.Thewordhippiederivesfromhipster,andwasinitiallyusedtodescribepeoplewhocreatedtheirowncommunities,listenedtopsychedelicrock,embracedthesexualrevolution,anduseddrugssuchascannabisandLSDtoexplorealternativestatesofconsciousness.
OnJanuary1967,theHumanBe-InatGoldenGateParkinSanFranciscopopularizedhippieculture,leadingtothelegendarySummerofLoveontheWestCoastoftheUnitedStates,andthe1969WoodstockFestivalontheEastCoast.HippiesinMexico,knownasjipitecas,formedLaOndaChicanaandgatheredatAvándaro,whileinNewZealand,nomadichousetruckerspracticedalternativelifestylesandpromotedsustainableenergyatNambassa.IntheUnitedKingdom,mobile"peaceconvoys"ofNewagetravellersmadesummerpilgrimagestofreemusicfestivalsatStonehenge.InAustraliahippiesgatheredatNimbinforthe1973AquariusFestivalandtheannualCannabisLawReformRallyorMardiGrass.InChile,"FestivalPiedraRoja"washeldin1970(followingWoodstock'ssuccess),andwasthemajorhippieeventinthatcountry.
Hippiefashionsandvalueshadamajoreffectonculture,influencingpopularmusic,television,film,literature,andthearts.Sincethe1960s,manyaspectsofhippieculturehavebeenassimilatedbymainstreamsociety.Thereligiousandculturaldiversityespousedbythehippieshasgainedwidespreadacceptance,andEasternphilosophyandspiritualconceptshavereachedawideaudience.Thehippielegacycanbeobservedincontemporarycultureinmyriadforms—fromhealthfood,tomusicfestivals,tocontemporarysexualmores,andeventothecyberspacerevolution.
Duringtheearly1960snovelistKenKeseyandTheMerryPranksterslivedcommunallyinCalifornia.MembersincludedBeatGenerationheroNealCassady,KenBabbs,CarolynAdams(akaMountainGirl),WavyGravy,PaulKrassner,StewartBrand,DelClose,PaulFoster,GeorgeWalker,SandyLehmann-Hauptandothers.TheirearlyescapadesweredocumentedinTomWolfe'sbookTheElectricKool-AidAcidTest.WithCassadyatthewheelofaschoolbusnamedFurthur,theMerryPranksterstraveledacrosstheUnitedStatestocelebratethepublicationofKesey'snovelSometimesaGreatNotionandtovisitthe1964World'sFairinNewYorkCity.TheMerryPranksterswereknownforusingmarijuana,amphetamines,andLSD,andduringtheirjourneythey"turnedon"manypeopletothesedrugs.TheMerryPrankstersfilmedandaudiotapedtheirbustrips,creatinganimmersivemultimediaexperiencethatwouldlaterbepresentedtothepublicintheformoffestivalsandconcerts.GratefulDeadwroteasongabouttheMerryPranksters'bustripscalled"That'sItForTheOtherOne".[26]
DuringthisperiodCambridge,Massachusetts,GreenwichVillageinNewYorkCity,andBerkeley,California,anchoredtheAmericanfolkmusiccircuit.Berkeley'stwocoffeehouses,theCabaleCreameryandtheJabberwock,sponsoredperformancesbyfolkmusicartistsinabeatsetting.[27]InApril1963,ChandlerA.LaughlinIII,co-founderoftheCabaleCreamery,[28]establishedakindoftribal,familyidentityamongapproximatelyfiftypeoplewhoattendedatraditional,all-nightNativeAmericanpeyoteceremonyinaruralsetting.ThisceremonycombinedapsychedelicexperiencewithtraditionalNativeAmericanspiritualvalues;thesepeoplewentontosponsorauniquegenreofmusicalexpressionandperformanceattheRedDogSaloonintheisolated,old-timeminingtownofVirginiaCity,Nevada.[29]
Inthesummerof1965,Laughlinrecruitedmuchoftheoriginaltalentthatledtoauniqueamalgamoftraditionalfolkmusicandthedevelopingpsychedelicrockscene.[29]Heandhiscohortscreatedwhatbecameknownas"TheRedDogExperience",featuringpreviouslyunknownmusicalacts—BigBrotherandtheHoldingCompany,JeffersonAirplane,QuicksilverMessengerService,TheCharlatans,TheGratefulDeadandothers—whoplayedinthecompletelyrefurbished,intimatesettingofVirginiaCity'sRedDogSaloon.Therewasnocleardelineationbetween"performers"and"audience"in"TheRedDogExperience",duringwhichmusic,psychedelicexperimentation,auniquesenseofpersonalstyleandBillHam'sfirstprimitivelightshowscombinedtocreateanewsenseofcommunity.[30]LaughlinandGeorgeHunteroftheCharlatansweretrue"proto-hippies",withtheirlonghair,bootsandoutrageousclothingofnineteenth-centuryAmerican(andNativeAmerican)heritage.[29]LSDmanufacturerOwsleyStanleylivedinBerkeleyduring1965andprovidedmuchoftheLSDthatbecameaseminalpartofthe"RedDogExperience",theearlyevolutionofpsychedelicrockandbuddinghippieculture.AttheRedDogSaloon,TheCharlatanswerethefirstpsychedelicrockbandtoplaylive(albeitunintentionally)loadedonLSD.[31]
WhentheyreturnedtoSanFrancisco,RedDogparticipantsLuriaCastell,EllenHarmanandAltonKelleycreatedacollectivecalled"TheFamilyDog."[29]ModeledontheirRedDogexperiences,onOctober16,1965,theFamilyDoghosted"ATributetoDr.Strange"atLongshoreman'sHall.[32]Attendedbyapproximately1,000oftheBayArea'soriginal"hippies",thiswasSanFrancisco'sfirstpsychedelicrockperformance,costumeddanceandlightshow,featuringJeffersonAirplane,TheGreatSocietyandTheMarbles.Twoothereventsfollowedbeforeyear'send,oneatCaliforniaHallandoneattheMatrix.[29]AfterthefirstthreeFamilyDogevents,amuchlargerpsychedeliceventoccurredatSanFrancisco'sLongshoreman'sHall.Called"TheTripsFestival",ittookplaceonJanuary21–January23,1966,andwasorganizedbyStewartBrand,KenKesey,OwsleyStanleyandothers.Tenthousandpeopleattendedthissold-outevent,withathousandmoreturnedawayeachnight.[33]OnSaturdayJanuary22,theGratefulDeadandBigBrotherandtheHoldingCompanycameonstage,and6,000peoplearrivedtoimbibepunchspikedwithLSDandtowitnessoneofthefirstfullydevelopedlightshowsoftheera.[34]
Itisnothingnew.Wehaveaprivaterevolutiongoingon.Arevolutionofindividualityanddiversitythatcanonlybeprivate.Uponbecomingagroupmovement,sucharevolutionendsupwithimitatorsratherthanparticipants...Itisessentiallyastrivingforrealizationofone'srelationshiptolifeandotherpeople...
—BobStubbs,"UnicornPhilosophy"[35]
ByFebruary1966,theFamilyDogbecameFamilyDogProductionsunderorganizerChetHelms,promotinghappeningsattheAvalonBallroomandtheFillmoreAuditoriumininitialcooperationwithBillGraham.TheAvalonBallroom,theFillmoreAuditoriumandothervenuesprovidedsettingswhereparticipantscouldpartakeofthefullpsychedelicmusicexperience.BillHam,whohadpioneeredtheoriginalRedDoglightshows,perfectedhisartofliquidlightprojection,whichcombinedlightshowsandfilmprojectionandbecamesynonymouswiththeSanFranciscoballroomexperience.[29][36]ThesenseofstyleandcostumethatbeganattheRedDogSaloonflourishedwhenSanFrancisco'sFoxTheaterwentoutofbusinessandhippiesboughtupitscostumestock,revelinginthefreedomtodressupforweeklymusicalperformancesattheirfavoriteballrooms.AsSanFranciscoChroniclemusiccolumnistRalphJ.Gleasonputit,"Theydancedallnightlong,orgiastic,spontaneousandcompletelyfreeform."[29]
SomeoftheearliestSanFranciscohippieswereformerstudentsatSanFranciscoStateCollege[37]whobecameintriguedbythedevelopingpsychedelichippiemusicscene.[29]Thesestudentsjoinedthebandstheyloved,livingcommunallyinthelarge,inexpensiveVictorianapartmentsintheHaight-Ashbury.[38]YoungAmericansaroundthecountrybeganmovingtoSanFrancisco,andbyJune1966,around15,000hippieshadmovedintotheHaight.[39]TheCharlatans,JeffersonAirplane,BigBrotherandtheHoldingCompany,andtheGratefulDeadallmovedtoSanFrancisco'sHaight-Ashburyneighborhoodduringthisperiod.ActivitycenteredaroundtheDiggers,aguerrillastreettheatregroupthatcombinedspontaneousstreettheatre,anarchisticaction,andarthappeningsintheiragendatocreatea"freecity".Bylate1966,theDiggersopenedfreestoreswhichsimplygaveawaytheirstock,providedfreefood,distributedfreedrugs,gaveawaymoney,organizedfreemusicconcerts,andperformedworksofpoliticalart.[40]
OnOctober6,1966,thestateofCaliforniadeclaredLSDacontrolledsubstance,whichmadethedrugillegal.[41]Inresponsetothecriminalizationofpsychedelics,SanFranciscohippiesstagedagatheringintheGoldenGateParkpanhandle,calledtheLovePageantRally,[41]attractinganestimated700–800people.[42]AsexplainedbyAllanCohen,co-founderoftheSanFranciscoOracle,thepurposeoftherallywastwofold:todrawattentiontothefactthatLSDhadjustbeenmadeillegal—andtodemonstratethatpeoplewhousedLSDwerenotcriminals,norweretheymentallyill.TheGratefulDeadplayed,andsomesourcesclaimthatLSDwasconsumedattherally.AccordingtoCohen,thosewhotookLSD"werenotguiltyofusingillegalsubstances...Wewerecelebratingtranscendentalconsciousness,thebeautyoftheuniverse,thebeautyofbeing."[43]
SummerofLove(1967)
Homemadetie-dyedt-shirtsaddedapsychedelicflavortohippiedress
OnJanuary14,1967,theoutdoorHumanBe-InorganizedbyMichaelBowen[44]helpedtopopularisehippiecultureacrosstheUnitedStates,with20,000hippiesgatheringinSanFrancisco'sGoldenGatePark.OnMarch26,LouReed,EdieSedgwickand10,000hippiescametogetherinManhattanfortheCentralParkBe-InonEasterSunday.[45]TheMontereyPopFestivalfromJune16toJune18introducedtherockmusicofthecounterculturetoawideaudienceandmarkedthestartofthe"SummerofLove."[46]ScottMcKenzie'srenditionofJohnPhillips'song,"SanFrancisco",becameahitintheUnitedStatesandEurope.Thelyrics,"Ifyou'regoingtoSanFrancisco,besuretowearsomeflowersinyourhair",inspiredthousandsofyoungpeoplefromallovertheworldtotraveltoSanFrancisco,sometimeswearingflowersintheirhairanddistributingflowerstopassersby,earningthemthename,"FlowerChildren."BandsliketheGratefulDead,BigBrotherandtheHoldingCompany(withJanisJoplin),andJeffersonAirplanecontinuedtoliveintheHaight,butbytheendofthesummer,theincessantmediacoverageledtheDiggerstodeclarethe"death"ofthehippiewithaparade.[47][48]AccordingtothelatepoetSusan'Stormi'Chambless,thehippiesburiedaneffigyofahippieinthePanhandletodemonstratetheendofhis/herreign.
Regardingthisperiodofhistory,theJuly7,1967,Timemagazinefeaturedacoverstoryentitled,"TheHippies:ThePhilosophyofaSubculture."Thearticledescribedtheguidelinesofthehippiecode:"Doyourownthing,whereveryouhavetodoitandwheneveryouwant.Dropout.Leavesocietyasyouhaveknownit.Leaveitutterly.Blowthemindofeverystraightpersonyoucanreach.Turnthemon,ifnottodrugs,thentobeauty,love,honesty,fun."[49]Itisestimatedthataround100,000peopletraveledtoSanFranciscointhesummerof1967.Themediawasrightbehindthem,castingaspotlightontheHaight-Ashburydistrictandpopularizingthe"hippie"label.Withthisincreasedattention,hippiesfoundsupportfortheiridealsofloveandpeacebutwerealsocriticizedfortheiranti-work,pro-drug,andpermissiveethos.
Bytheendofthesummer,theHaight-Ashburyscenehaddeteriorated.Theneighborhoodcouldnotaccommodatetheinfluxofcrowds(mostlynaiveyoungsters)withnoplacetolive.Manytooktolivingonthestreet,panhandlinganddrug-dealing.Therewereproblemswithmalnourishment,disease,anddrugaddiction.Crimeandviolenceskyrocketed.Bytheendof1967,manyofthehippiesandmusicianswhoinitiatedtheSummerofLovehadmovedon.Misgivingsaboutthehippieculture,particularlywithregardtodrugabuseandlenientmorality,fueledthemoralpanicsofthelate1960s.[50]
Revolution(1967–1970)
Hippiesrelaxingatthe1969WoodstockFestival
InApril1969,thebuildingofPeople'sParkinBerkeley,Californiareceivedinternationalattention.TheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeleyhaddemolishedallthebuildingsona2.8-acre(11,000m2)parcelnearcampus,intendingtousethelandtobuildplayingfieldsandaparkinglot.Afteralongdelay,duringwhichthesitebecameadangerouseyesore,thousandsofordinaryBerkeleycitizens,merchants,students,andhippiestookmattersintotheirownhands,plantingtrees,shrubs,flowersandgrasstoconvertthelandintoapark.AmajorconfrontationensuedonMay15,1969,whenGovernorRonaldReaganorderedtheparkdestroyed,whichledtoatwo-weekoccupationofthecityofBerkeleybytheUnitedStatesNationalGuard.[51]FlowerpowercameintoitsownduringthisoccupationashippiesengagedinactsofcivildisobediencetoplantflowersinemptylotsalloverBerkeleyundertheslogan"LetAThousandParksBloom".
InAugust1969,theWoodstockMusicandArtFairtookplaceinBethel,NewYork,whichformany,exemplifiedthebestofhippiecounterculture.Over500,000peoplearrived[52]tohearthemostnotablemusiciansandbandsoftheera,amongthemRichieHavens,JoanBaez,JanisJoplin,TheGratefulDead,CreedenceClearwaterRevival,Crosby,Stills,Nash&Young,CarlosSantana,TheWho,JeffersonAirplane,andJimiHendrix.WavyGravy'sHogFarmprovidedsecurityandattendedtopracticalneeds,andthehippieidealsofloveandhumanfellowshipseemedtohavegainedreal-worldexpression.
InDecember1969,asimilareventtookplaceinAltamont,California,about30miles(45km)eastofSanFrancisco.Initiallybilledas"WoodstockWest",itsofficialnamewasTheAltamontFreeConcert.About300,000peoplegatheredtohearTheRollingStones;Crosby,Stills,NashandYoung;JeffersonAirplaneandotherbands.TheHellsAngelsprovidedsecuritythatprovedfarlessbenevolentthanthesecurityprovidedattheWoodstockevent:18-year-oldMeredithHunterwasstabbedandkilledduringTheRollingStones'performance.[53]
Aftershocks(1970-present)
AttheRainbowWorldGathering2004inCostaRica
Bythe1970s,the1960szeitgeistthathadspawnedhippiecultureseemedtobeonthewane.[54][55]TheeventsatAltamontshockedmanyAmericans,includingthosewhohadstronglyidentifiedwithhippieculture.AnothershockcameintheformoftheSharonTateandLenoandRosemaryLaBiancamurderscommittedinAugust1969byCharlesMansonandhis"family"offollowers.Nevertheless,theturbulentpoliticalatmospherethatfeaturedthebombingofCambodiaandshootingsbyNationalGuardsmenatJacksonStateUniversityandKentStateUniversitystillbroughtpeopletogether.TheseshootingsinspiredtheMay1970songbyQuicksilverMessengerService"WhatAboutMe?",wheretheysang,"Youkeepaddingtomynumbersasyoushootmypeopledown",aswellasNeilYoung's"Ohio",recordedbyCrosby,Stills,NashandYoung.
MuchofhippiestylehadbeenintegratedintomainstreamAmericansocietybytheearly1970s.[56][57][58]Largerockconcertsthatoriginatedwiththe1967MontereyPopFestivalandthe1968IsleofWightFestivalbecamethenorm.Inthemid-1970s,withtheendofthedraftandtheVietnamWar,arenewalofpatrioticsentimentassociatedwiththeapproachoftheUnitedStatesBicentennialandtheemergenceofpunkinLondonandNewYork,themainstreammedialostinterestinthehippiecounterculture.Acidrockgavewaytoheavymetal,disco,andpunkrock.
Startinginthelate1960s,hippiesbegantocomeunderattackbyworkingclassskinheads.[59][60][61]Hippieswerealsovilifiedandsometimesattackedbypunks,revivalistmods,greasers,footballcasuals,Teddyboysandmembersofotheryouthsubculturesofthe1970sand1980s.Hippieidealshadamarkedinfluenceonanarcho-punkandsomepost-punkyouthsubcultures,especiallyduringthesecondsummeroflove.
Whilemanyhippiesmadealong-termcommitmenttothelifestyle,someyoungerpeoplearguethathippies"soldout"duringthe1980sandbecamepartofthematerialist,consumerculture.[62][63]Althoughnotasvisibleasitoncewas,hippieculturehasneverdiedoutcompletely:hippiesandneo-hippiescanstillbefoundoncollegecampuses,oncommunes,andatgatheringsandfestivals.Manyembracethehippievaluesofpeace,love,andcommunity,andhippiesmaystillbefoundinbohemianenclavesaroundtheworld.[13]
Ethosandcharacteristics
Hippiessoughttofreethemselvesfromsocietalrestrictions,choosetheirownway,andfindnewmeaninginlife.Oneexpressionofhippieindependencefromsocietalnormswasfoundintheirstandardofdressandgrooming,whichmadehippiesinstantlyrecognizabletooneanother,andservedasavisualsymboloftheirrespectforindividualrights.Throughtheirappearance,hippiesdeclaredtheirwillingnesstoquestionauthority,anddistancedthemselvesfromthe"straight"and"square"(i.e.,conformist)segmentsofsociety.[64]
Atthesametime,manythoughtfulhippiesdistancedthemselvesfromtheveryideathatthewayapersondressescouldbeareliablesignalofwhohewas,especiallyafteroutrightcriminals,likeCharlesManson,begantoadopthippiepersonas,andalsoafterplainclothespolicemenstartedto"dresslikehippies"inordertoharasslegitimatemembersofthecounter-culture.FrankZappaadmonishedhisaudiencethat"weallwearauniform":theSanFranciscoclown/hippieWavyGravysaidin1987thathecouldstillseefellow-feelingintheeyesofMarketStreetbusinessmanwho'ddressedconventionallytosurvive.
A1967VWKombibusdecoratedwithhand-painting
Asinthebeatmovementprecedingthem,andthepunkmovementthatfollowedsoonafter,hippiesymbolsandiconographywerepurposelyborrowedfromeither"low"or"primitive"cultures,withhippiefashionreflectingadisorderly,oftenvagrantstyle.[65]Aswithotheradolescent,whitemiddle-classmovements,deviantbehaviorofthehippiesinvolvedchallengingtheprevailinggenderdifferencesoftheirtime:bothmenandwomeninthehippiemovementworejeansandmaintainedlonghair,[66]andbothgendersworesandalsorwentbarefoot.[39]Menoftenworebeards,[67]whilewomenworelittleornomakeup,withmanygoingbraless.[39]Hippiesoftenchosebrightlycoloredclothingandworeunusualstyles,suchasbell-bottompants,vests,tie-dyedgarments,dashikis,peasantblouses,andlong,fullskirts;non-WesterninspiredclothingwithNativeAmerican,Asia,Indian,AfricanandLatinAmericanmotifswerealsopopular.Muchofhippieclothingwasself-madeindefianceofcorporateculture,andhippiesoftenpurchasedtheirclothesfromfleamarketsandsecond-handshops.[68]FavoredaccessoriesforbothmenandwomenincludedNativeAmericanjewelry,headscarves,headbandsandlongbeadednecklaces.[39]Hippiehomes,vehiclesandotherpossessionswereoftendecoratedwithpsychedelicart.
