Down the Rabbit Hole

6-20-12

One of the biggest recommendations that I received from various people about what to do in Copenhagen involved visiting the area known as Christiania. This area was formed by squatters in the 1970s, who moved into abandoned army barracks. Formed as a Hippie commune, the neighborhood gained semi-autonomous status that gives it a unique identity and somewhat lax laws. One of the students at the Ingrid Jespersen school advised several members of our group to visit Christiania. When asked why he recommended it, the boy said, "It's very Danish." Several members of our group visited the community earlier in the week, and they found it a pretty interesting place.

On our way into Christiania

The three dots are a symbol for the neighborhood. They represent the three "i's" in Christiania.

I would describe my mood as excited about seeing the area, and I promised myself to be nonjudgmental and open-minded during my visit. But as soon as I entered the neighborhood, my mood immediately shifted to unease. I felt uncomfortable, anxious, and very quiet. I expected artsy, quirky, unique. Instead, it just seemed run down. Since Copenhagen is very urbanized, I expected Christiania to fit that mold. The neighborhood was much less organized, though. For example, you expect urban green spaces to be well planned-out, with parks and sidewalks, maybe fountains or public art. The "green spaces" in Christiania were overgrown, with dirt paths worn over the years, and random people doing random things. Many of the structures and yards reminded me of what I've seen in developing nations like Mexico and Jamaica. And the people seemed a little worn as well. I thought many of them looked haggard. We were there to engage the culture, to observe, to strike up conversations. I just didn't know how to react, and that's why I stayed quiet during most of our visit. Not silent, but I didn't take the lead at any point. I spent most of the day confidently leading myself and others through the city, but in Christiania I felt lost.

The main part of the community is "pusher street," named for the drug trade along this road. While this situation is in no way legal in Denmark, for the most part it is permitted. Photographs are strictly prohibited in this area. What one would see is tables and stands selling various types of pot and hash, and a wide variety of individuals milling about (some to buy, some to look). In this area of the city, it is as appropriate to walk around smoking pot as it would be to drink a beer on any other street. Maybe it was on purpose, or maybe it relates more to my own naivete, but I did not actually see any drugs being sold or consumed. I did, however, see a lot of people that looked like tourists. There were also more people who seemed like they had nothing to do during the middle of the day than anywhere else I had been in a long time.

We found out many interesting facts about Christiania. There are seven communities within the neighborhood, and each works as a direct democracy. When an issue is raised, everyone in that community comes together to address the problem. If the group is not unanimous, then no decision is reached and the issue is dropped. When one member dies, the community decides who will "inherit" the house. Many of the residents work outside of Christiania. One question that wasn't answered was in regards to taxation. Is the community paying the same taxes as everyone else? Do they have the same energy and water restrictions? How far does there autonomy go? The government tried to reign in the community a few years ago, but the effort was largely unsuccessful.

In the end, it was good that I visited Christiania. It showed me a very different side to Copenhagen and reminded me that one culture can have many unique facets. Throughout the week, I have struggled with what I am calling the "permissiveness" of the Danish culture. Nowhere was that theme more prominently displayed than in this neighborhood. Plus, sometimes the sketchier areas of a city are worth visiting just for the shock factor. It's like seeing the French Quarter in New Orleans.

We saw this poster at several places in Christiania. It says: "no weapons, no hard drugs, no violence, no private cars, no biker colours, no bulletproof clothing, no sale of fireworks, no use of thunderflashes, no stolen goods."

Adios, Christiania

I bought this book before I left Denmark. Hopefully, it will provide some more insight.