Exodus collective
As you know we are all at our own level of self-awareness as we continue to develop a greater understanding of the world and those who inhabit it. We’ve become corrupt through the teachings we have encountered throughout our lives; some more than others, but the struggle only becomes a struggle when the mind perceives it to be one. ....... Opening lines to this article about the Exodus Collective, born out of Marsh Farm Riots 92 then later 95.
I myself have been part of this collective and still today have a strong connection with 6 of the original 8 members that first squaltted a property in Luton fresh from the recession. Exodus was already formed as a sound system, free party organisation as laws to stop people partying for free grew, we the people and organisers of Exodus Collective continued to use disuesd warehouses and land to hold a free party for all the local young people and anyone else that travelled to party with us.
The idea of a more socialist way of living yet accepting peoples faults as normality really modelled my thinking up to now. Mathew who is better known as Matt-I is in his 60s now, a dear friend that I have known for 30 years, his Rastafarian, Ital ways have been something as a close friend and amongst others he knows shaped a lot of Exodus, along with Glenn Jenkins, who's the spokesperson who has a great degree of knowledge and has researched extensively into economic struggles and the powers that be in different parts of the world, rather like a anthropologist would. Glenn being vocal and peaceful and loving, really could drive the iidea, that as a group of young adults and some older, we working together with our amasssed skills can really deliver an environment where we feel valued and secure, also by delivering and communicating consciously and peacefully with the local community, police and council.
Not without its problems however, we had major problems with the police and councillors, drugs busts, basically a bit of everything and anything to dismantle Exodus and target the residents at the Farm and HAZ (Housing Action Zone) Manor, which was a former nursing home left abandoned by Bedfordshire County Council, so exodus occupied it and turned the space into workshopes for carpentary, glass making, painting, exercise, specifically martial arts, which I was involved in to usingit also as a creche in the day time. We also grew food and cooked communally regularly, yet we had the right to use the facilities we needed for a low amount of weekly rent, not being matched anywhere in the area.
We would hold mainly fortnightly dances meeting at Dallow Road, Luton at midnight, never fully knowing where the dance will be. some will be round the corner on the Woodside Est in a warehouse, very near Lutons car factories, or way outside of Luton in quarry's, chalk pits, or woods and farm land.. even after the dance had finished by lunch time the next day, there was still a crew ready to clean up and leave as little mess as possible.
This was interrupted at times by arrests as Luton Police had reinforcements to stop a dance going ahead so we just bought american army tanks, truck and jeeps. But at times the police succeeded in arresting a few members so we just had a dance via the car sound systems and loud speakers staying outside Luton Police Station until they were released which was the early hours of sunday morning.
Eventually the police started working with us, knowing that the youth were off the street of Luton on a saturday night and even though we were noisy in the convoy, once the dance was in full swing it was way too far to cause a real disturbance to residents.
Even the serving Lord Howland, who owns Whipsnade Zoo was open to parties on his land, Glenn had meetings with him and the son to agree that if the land was accessed then Exodus had a responsibilty to stay away from any animals esp the pheasants, near where we had partied before.
Read the whole article from the opening here: