
Evolution Of The Ibiza Hippy

Written by Dan Kirwan
As thousands of people, young and old, descend on Pacha on Monday nights, they do so with warm smileson their faces as they pay tribute to the very essence of Flower Power, a movement created by the Hippies in the 1960s. Love, Peace and Freedom was the Hippy mantra fueled by social and political upheaval in Europe and America during the Vietnam War. Iconic images from the Washington Monument and San Francisco Summer of Love rallies in 1967 flashed across worldwide Television screens, influencing a new generation of youth who began questioning conservative society and experimenting with alternative lifestyles.

The one thing the Hippies were very good at was adapting to the environment around them. They were a resourceful bunch who could always find a way to make ends meet or get around an obstacle. They were talented individuals, and while society labelled Hippies as “dropouts”, they believed the mainstream community rejected them. That viewpoint has not changed regarding alternative healing and plant-based medicine. Modern science and pharmaceutical companies have done an excellent job of scaring people away from alternative healing techniques. They are not organised and without a well-oiled and funded PR machine, so their message will always be trumped by scientific facts and studies.
While many will say the hippy spirit in Ibiza is dead, I would somewhat disagree. Indeed, it is less evident than before due to all the wall-to-wall coverage of the entertainment industry and the corporate commercialisation of the island, which is kryptonite to the hippy spirit. It has evolved within a group of people who believe in something different. A way of life that is non-conformist and rooted in universal beliefs. They now understand that to exist and live in the modern world, business and earning an income to survive are vital requirements. Like life, it is all about balance; what you gain on one hand, you lose on another. In recent years, I have had the opportunity to mix and meet with many of them. While some are a little weird and out there, just like their hippy predecessors, others are sharp business operators.
Melchior Arnold, who owns Nagai Restaurant on the Sant Joan road, is a son born of hippy parents on the island. I once asked him if the Hippy movement in Ibiza still exists and, if so, where it can be found. He answered, “Today, it requires organisation and financial support to live a hippy lifestyle, but it can still be found if a person wants to; however, the mindset of those seeking it may not be the same as in the ‘60s.
I admire those people for standing up for their beliefs and showing us that there are alternatives to mainstream science and thinking. They fight to survive, walking a lonely path, believing that travelling alone in the right direction is much better than following the herd in the wrong direction.
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