Atlantis Ecological Community

Atlantis formed in London in 1970 as a self-help therapy centre, moved to an Irish island in 1974 then to the Colombian Andes in 1987, our emphasis shifting to ecology and food self-sufficiency. We ran a “green theatre” in Colombia for many years with the commune children as the main performers. Now grown up, some of the girls of our group are accomplished musicians, composers, artists and dancers. None of the children had any formal schooling whatsoever. They were taught to work on practical farm tasks from an early age, and allowed complete physical (and sexual) freedom, as long as the adults’ space was not intruded upon. Visitors are welcome any time, we appreciate physical help according to your age, strength and preferences, no money involved. And of course a sense of humour, an open mind and a willingness to engage in straight talking helps. A firm rootedness in the physical world is essential. We are not “politically correct” in any way and don’t appreciate modern rules about what one may or may not say, and don’t obey any of them. The commune is in its “autumnal” phase as the many generations of English, Irish and Colombian youngsters we have brought up have gone their ways. The present age range is 39 to 82 years with a steady but small central nucleus of a handful of people; but many visitors passing through. We are thoroughly ’embedded’ in the local community and every single day of our lives, local people are in and out sharing and exchanging produce, services, and some are paid workers but also close friends. Two of us now have local Colombian male partners who also have their own farms nearby but spend time here. Many neighbours are ‘part of the family.’ We are next door to another community, of ethnic Indians, who have their own language but relate easily to us. We’re vegetarian, and revolutionary politically. Our food is organically grown. We don’t use drugs or smoke and stick to alternative medicine wherever possible; our lifestyle on the farm is 100 percent ecological. We reject practically all twentieth-century values. We have at present 35 hectares of forest, meadows, gardens, rivers and streams at around 5,000 ft with a mild climate. We accept hard physical work as part of natural living, but make sure there is time for rest, playing music and other cultural activities. There are 10 books about the commune on www.theguildofwriters.com Atlantis section. Our ‘diaspora’ is now in Edinburgh, Scotland, no members left in Ireland.