Image and Pilgrimage - Peter Ikeda

Today in class we watched a video on Mount Katahdin and the climb up to it. Redick's video showed four hikers reach the top of the mountain and as they got to the top another group of hikers, who had reached the peak before them, welcomed them with hoots and hollers. Redick pointed out the feeling of communitas as complete strangers welcomed each other and celebrated the long awaited arrival at the top of Mount Katahdin. This reminded me of Turner's writings in his book Image and Pilgrimage on communitas. Turner writes that communitas is "a relational quality of full unmediated communication, even communion, between definite and determinate identities, which arises spontaneously in all kinds of groups, situations and circumstances" (250). Communitas is unique because it breaks down the social norms and expectations of people, allowing them to be completely open with people they'd never normally communicate with. I really got to thinking about this idea of interaction between people and it makes me wonder why it only when people are in such circumstances as climbing mountains or going on intense spiritual quests that they are able to overcome the boundaries culture puts around humanity. Why is it that we all "get along" and associate with everyone despite our varying differences? I mean I understand that the principle behind communitas is that one really has no attached identity during their pilgrimage or other spiritual quest which is it easier for one to commune with whoever is around them. But in the grand scheme of things isn't life merely a huge pilgrimage/spiritual journey where we are constantly in a state of growth and change, also known as liminality? If this is the case it makes sense that we should as people, be able to form a communitas with all those around us instead of succumb to the cultural norms society throws at us, dividing us into communities.