Lauren Achtemeier Communitas

The idea of communitas found by taking a pilgrimage was applicable to other everyday situations. Communitas has the ability to strip away social stigmas associated with class, lifestyle, or age. People can feel connected in light of a similar goal and need to watch out for each other. In normal circumstances this may not be the case. In my own experience, undergoing labor intensive environmental research in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge during the hottest part of the summer caused team bonding in a way that may not be attainable in other circumstances. But under the common goal of data collection and trying not to pass out of heat exhaustion, a little community formed during the weeks of work. This community extended into the fall, where our common plight against the danger of the swamp allowed people of different types to come together and build friendships from people in different ages and other interests. On a smaller scale, I found it interesting how the man from Quebec and the woman from Paris formed a deep friendship in a short amount of time while hiking to Santiago. The sense of communitas found by trekking through the wilderness without the barriers of society seemed to influence two people from different backgrounds. It is unique how people can form tight bonds with those they just met, which can be closer than that of the people they have known their entire lives.