Sarah Robertson
I don't think one can truly understand communitas until they have experienced it for themselves. I would say that I have experienced my own version of communitas. At dance class there is a bond and acceptance that isn't like anything else I have experienced with other people. When we dance we are able to express our true selves, which some of us hide from the real world. None of us care about where you came from or your situation right now; we only care about being able to fully express ourselves with each other through our dancing. I think because of this we truly accept and respect each other for who we are and form a tight bond. I think this is my version of communitas.
I hope one day to go on a pilgrimage and be able to experience communitas from a different perspective. In Tuners' book on page 4 he says that "a pilgrimage is to a sacred site or holy shrine located at some distance away form the pilgrim's place of residence and daily labor." I think that because a pilgrimage is a long distance from home you get the opportunity to forget where you came from for a little while. Because you get to forget where you came from you get a chance to rebuild yourself and form communitas with other pilgrims. Because everyone is there to forget the past or for a chance to start new, no one is going to judge you on your past or even ask about it; they will only focus on the present and then you can form a bond with these people. This raw bond that you get to form with people turns into communitas because you all have a common goal and are all just trying to enjoy life.
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