Posted on 05/21/2003 11:30:36 AM PDT by MikalM
STRATHAM - Hardly predawn, but early for a Sunday morning, a group of approximately 50 people gather at the Stratham Hill Park parking lot. Within the hour most will take part in a unique international spelling bee, one that has gained its reputation for scripting out peace messages with naked bodies, rather than for any aptitude in orthography.
There are a few dog walkers and a couple of park workers about. None appear to pay attention to the largely female group. Though many of these women will choose to remain anonymous, their hope is that people will soon pay them a lot of note, or at least heed their message.
After a few instructions and announcements by organizer Dr. Melanie Hernand, of Exeter, the women climb the steep, rocky path to the top of the hill, where they’ll disrobe and lay in the grass to form the word, "UNITY."
Like scores of anti-war protests held internationally, this one is organized under the umbrella of Baring Witness. A 45-year-old woman who formed the first assembly in 2002, in Marin County, Calif., organized the group.
To date, most gatherings were women using their bodies to spell out simple messages, such as "No War," "No Bush" or to form a peace sign. The events have been staged on beaches, wooded areas and snow-covered hillsides.
Fortunately for this crew, the sun gave one of its recently rare appearances Sunday. Hernand decided to organize a local action after reading about the spelling bees on the Baring Witness Web site, www.baringwitness.org.
"I was deeply moved by the artistic expression and the beauty of the movement … and the numbers coming together across the world."
The international events have included groups of men and women, as well as all-male groups. Hernand went with the traditional design.
"It was the idea that women tend to stand for different values than our patriarchal culture does. It’s really women that are going to come forth with values like compassion, love and peace, because those things are so much a part of our natural expression as women."
After pausing to clarify that men may also demonstrate these qualities, she continues.
"The original one was done with just women. It’s part of the artistic expression that I found so beautiful. … So, I just chose to go with that."
As for choosing to take action sans clothing, "If you’re talking about peace or unity, there’s a (vulnerability) and nakedness in those principles. … There’s a symbology in being naked, lying down and making these statements publicly in all of our vulnerability."
Six weeks ago, she started contacting friends personally and via e-mail, inviting them to take part in the local action and asked they invite friends. Two weeks ago, she announced the location and time.
Sunday, leaving male "sentries" at the bottom with cellular phones to warn of intruders, women from Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont and Massachusetts headed up the hill.
A photographer and videographer, who would document the event, took their positions in the fire tower. Once at the top, organizers begin assigning letters.
Women, many appearing nervous, joke with one another. Voices seem to rise an octave, and laughter is more frequent. A few start to take off top layers. They all shed their shoes. Finally, as the letters are being formed, things start warming up.
The sun is being cooperative, and the women’s support of one another takes effect; the comfort level is on the rise. Some pick dandelions and hand them to each other. Soon women are decorating their hair or just holding the yellow blossoms.
One woman calls out, "We want to know what font this is in!" Another gets the crowd laughing by asking if they can do this every morning.
One group, all in their 40s and 50s, discuss changing attitudes toward bodies as they hold theirs still in the grass.
"I remember when you didn’t let your bra strap show," says one.
"Now they’re a fashion statement," says another.
Finally staged, they quickly shed their clothes, which ready assistants pick up and bag.
After a quick adjustment to the letters, the shooting begins. Baring Witness’s Web site declares "exposure of the vulnerable human flesh we all share (creates) a powerful statement against the naked aggression of our country’s policies."
Those talking at the Stratham event agree, though most came with their own slant to the mission.
Sandra Woodworth, of North Hampton, saw her participation as an effort to create "balance between negativity, causing positive unifying energy rather than division."
Sandy Sullivan, 27, of Somerville Mass., says she sees stripping away clothing as a way to hopefully shock people into thinking about the individuals who pay the price for war.
"War is about someone’s body on the ground. It’s not ‘get Saddam Hussein,’ it’s a child or mother who have lost their lives."
Gayle Gorfinkle, of Braintree, Mass., came as a way to celebrate her 60th birthday.
"I thought, ‘What better way to celebrate my birthday than in my birthday suit celebrating peace and unity?’"
Melissa Potter, a massage therapist from Lee, says she believes in the power of unity. She stands with other women for peace.
Her mother, Donna Williamson, joins her, initially as a supporter.
"I’ve never been naked except in the shower," she quips. "I had no intent ‘til last night. I got in the shower and said, ‘Better shave my legs. I have a feeling I’ll be naked tomorrow.’
"I have four grandsons. I want peace for the next 100 years."
Just before the shot is completed, Lindsey Piper, of Londonderry, quips to the folk forming the Y, "This is the breast day of my life."
They’re all united in laughter. When it’s over, surprisingly, only one woman dashes to her clothes. Many, who only 30 minutes ago clung to their dress, casually finish conversations, then take their time getting to their clothes.
"What brings culture and people to war … is the inability to appreciate each other’s differences," says Hernand. "Unity is a statement about coming together and appreciating differences. … It’s why we used ‘unity’ in an anti-war statement. Unity creates less war and more peace in our world."
I had to scroll back and look again...we'll just have to take the wacko's word for it that that's a female, because you sure can't prove it by the picture.
I normally don't comment on a person's looks--good or bad--but for these psychobabblic rangerettes I think appropriate to express the 'naked truth.'
Here's a whole bunch of them:
Check out the girl front and center at Trinidad, CA.
I wish I hadn't. Are you sure that isn't a beached whale?
It looks like a couple of the women brought their young daughters. Isn't that special, posting a nude picture of your daughter on the internet.
Two of them, to be precise. And one of them has quite a healthy chest.
I wonder where they ever got that silly idea. Or what they think these "different values" are.
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