• CamphillVillages

Camphill Villages as anthroposophical ecovillages

Friday, 10 June 2005

Jan Martin Bang

• Address: Asbjornsen og Moe hus, Solborg 3520, Jevnaker Tel: 32 13 30 58

  Email: seminarsenter@camphill.no

  Web: http://www.camphill.no/

Format: presentation with slides, followed by questions

Overview

The Camphill network comprises of over 100 villages in more than 20 countries. I would like to introduce these villages and show how they have developed all the features that associate with ecovillages

Summary

Since the 1930's 120 Camphill Villages have grown around the world leading to thousands of people living together in community in an ecological way. This workshop explored the parallels between the camphill and permaculture movement and how they can be linked.

Key points

• Born in the Anthroposophical movement in Austria during the 1930's, the phiosophy was carried around the world as people fled the Nazi's.
• The first Camphill Village was setup in Aberdeen Scotland caring with Downe's Syndrome people.
• The Camphill analysis of how people behave when they live together see's three elements:
  1. The arena of Culture, Education and Spirituality requires freedom to be healthy.
  2. The area of Work; where the measure of a societies' attainment being how it cares for its weakest members, its obligation.
  3. Social Rights and Social Laws.
• Compare this with the Capitalist model where freedom in the economic sphere leads to a duality of starving and rich, and compared with the Stalinist stiffling through obligation and limits in the cultural sphere.
• The Camphilll villages offer Downe's adults meaningful lives through being integrated into families, with the rhythms of life, and going to work everyday the other adults in areas such as wood-collecting and cutting, weaving, baking, loom work, home-making, drama, theatre and festivals.
• The villages offer these people meaningful lives in community and the opportunity to travel and live all over the world, and offer an opportunity for volunteers to become a part of these communities in a similar exchange to long-term woofing.