Off the Map!
by AAA Maya
On a recent trip to London, AAA Maya were privileged to participate in what
was deemed by certain media sources as "the best dance party in history"
(1), and by those less involved "riot frenzy" (2).
It had been advertised as a two day festival of resistance and was partly
organised by Reclaim The Streets (3).
After a carnival like saunter through London and a bit of excitement outside
Downing Street, we arrived to a buzz of anticipation in Trafalgar Square.
The arrival of the sound system (expertly driven in, we might add) signalled
the rush of raw energy nestling in the heart of all those there, blasting
them into a new space.
It is these temporary launch pads that we are interested in. Sound systems
are the rhythmic rocket fuel that aid access into spaces where inspiration
and ideas are born. The government, unknowingly, is assisting in this evolutionary
step. Their denial of basic human social activities has created a current
of resistance. This current is becoming more aware that ideas are masks
that can be adopted for the purpose of adopting more ideas. To stake claim
to an idea is to be trapped by it. Ideas are held in order to find their
opposite, or shadow. Once this is achieved a new space opens allowing new
opportunities, ideas and feelings. The old ideas are not just discarded,
but much like an old treasured record are put to the back of a pile and
played "when the mood fits".
The government's attempt at destroying the rave culture has been responsible
for what is probably the largest illegal party this country has ever seen,
slap bang in the middle of fuckin' London.
But as all astronauts know, launch pads don't have to be big or loud (space
travel is often very quiet).
The setting up of temporary launch pads and the reclaiming of old ones,
such as Stonehenge, is fundamental to our evolution.
Dance in the face of gravity!!!
Notes:
1 Mixmag
2 The Express on Sunday
3 In conjunction with the Liverpool Dockers' march.
orted in the New York Times Dec 15th 1960
