An interview with Jonathan Lambert

You’ve been organising various kinds of camps here in Ashlyn Woods for quite a few years now, what’s the ethos that underlies all of them?

JL           Each camp is unique, and I trust that the people who come to each one are just the right people to be at that particular one.  We create a temporary community together.  We make sure everyone is welcomed and feels that they are part of that community.  In that way its different from a festival, where you could go and no one else there would necessarily know you’d been.

What inspired you to get involved in running a men’s camp?

JL           Actually, I had – and still have to some degree – a real resistance to men only events, like lots of blokes I’ve spoken to.  And yet I do have a really good time when I’m there; and I know I’m going to have a really good time.  It’s a challenge to overcome this resistance, but its always an opportunity for my own personal growth to do so.  There is some quality, something difficult to define, from spending few days just with your own gender.  And with our emphasis on creating a safe, community space together, we can drop into a deeper connection with one another.

You’re a man of many creative as well as organisational talents: storyteller, musician, charcoal maker.  What activities will you be offering this year?

JL           I’ll be running my ‘learn the art of storytelling workshop’ again.  That went down well last year.  And I’ll tell a few stories myself.  Although in my storytelling I observe the rule of three, I like to be provocative, a bit ‘out there’, unpredictable.  I love to subvert the expectations.

And you’re a key member of the Manifest house band, the aptly named Bozo Dog and Badger band.  What role does music play in the camp?

JL           Music making is core, whether it’s the Bozo’s playing for a specific activity or people chilling around the camp fire strumming a few good old tunes.  As the house band, James and I like to improvise, and enjoy people moving – and sometimes drawing – to what we create.  And we welcome other musicians joining us in our creations.  A lot of skills sharing goes on too; someone giving an impromptu squeeze box lesson for example.  So as well as grooving to the music, there’ll probably be an opportunity to have a go at something: sing a song or try a drum – if you want to that is!.