Darwin Day celebration: Voyage on the Beagle or Hippie Trail?

Darwin Day at Dorset Humanists took an unexpected turn this year. An anthropologist from Bournemouth University, who was scheduled talk about hominin evolution, had to pull out at short notice. And so Plan B was implemented – a modern tale of youthful travel and discovery.

1830s Voyage on the Beagle

At the age of 22, Charles Darwin embarked on a journey that would forever alter the course of scientific thought. On December 27, 1831, he set sail from Plymouth, England, aboard HMS Beagle, a ten-gun brig under the command of Captain Robert FitzRoy. The voyage, initially planned for two years, extended to nearly five, concluding on October 2, 1836. ​Throughout the expedition, Darwin meticulously documented his observations, collecting an extensive array of specimens and filling notebooks with insights on geology, flora, and fauna. These experiences laid the foundation for his ground-breaking work on evolution and natural selection. ​Despite the challenges of prolonged seasickness, Darwin's resilience and curiosity propelled him to explore diverse landscapes and ecosystems. His triumphant return to England marked the beginning of a new era in our understanding of the natural world, with his findings challenging existing paradigms and inspiring future generations of scientists.

Hippie Days – Roger in Israel 1973

1970s Hippie Trail

Plan B at Dorset Humanists focused on a more recent journey of discovery. Roger Eede, a member of Dorset Humanists, was interviewed by David Warden after the Darwin celebration lunch. Roger was born in 1953 in Lyndhurst in the New Forest, England. At the age of 18 he set off on his travels, first to Athens and then on to Israel to spend a year on a kibbutz. This was in 1973 where he witnessed the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War. He subsequently hitchhiked to the South of France, where he blagged his way into a job as a crew member on a luxury yacht owned by British comedian Norman Wisdom. Returning to England, he described himself as a “guitar playing hippie” and decided to go on the “Hippie Trail”. The Hippie Trail was an overland journey popular among members of the counterculture movement from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s. Travellers embarked on this route seeking spiritual enlightenment, adventure, and an escape from Western societal norms. It extended through countries such as Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. Common destinations included Istanbul, Tehran, Kabul, Peshawar, Lahore, Delhi, Varanasi, Goa, and Kathmandu. Travellers often journeyed by hitchhiking. The Hippie Trail largely came to an end in the late 1970s due to geopolitical changes, notably the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the same year, which made the route unsafe for Western travellers. Roger made it to Afghanistan and Kashmir. After a nasty bout of Delhi belly without medical treatment, he flew back to England. He’d been keeping a journal of his travels but sadly decided to pulp it to avoid being questioned about the use of substances such as hashish (a concentrated form of cannabis) while abroad. Unlike Darwin, Roger's youthful journeys did not result in any world-shattering scientific discoveries but eventually he settled back into life in Bournemouth, England, as a lifelong green activist and pioneer member of the Ecology Party (now the Green Party), and today he still chairs the local chapter.

Dorset Humanists celebrate Darwin Day every year with a feast prepared by volunteers

A selection of curries and shepherd's pie

Darwin Day at Dorset Humanists is always well attended with around fifty people attending the festivities. This year featured a delicious two-course meal prepared by volunteers.

Humanistically Speaking would very much like to feature other groups' Darwin Day events, and other gatherings, so do please send us your write up reports along with photos.