Beneficio
Beneficio | |
|---|---|
[Squat/illegal camping site] | |
 Beneficio community tent | |
 | |
| Country |  Spain |
| Autonomous community |  Andalusia |
| Province | Granada |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3 km2 (1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 550 m (1,800 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 200 |
| • Density | 67/km2 (170/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Hippies |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Beneficio is often referred to as a permanent Rainbow Gathering. It consists of a plot co-owned by many residents [1] in a river valley, outside of the Alpujarra village of Orgiva in Spain. Within the community, alcohol consumption is prohibited but drugs are widely used.
Inhabitants live largely in various styles of light shelters such as tents, benders and tipis, although some more permanent structures have been built, including straw bale constructions. There is also a number of people living in vehicles along the dirt road that leads up to the Beneficio valley. The settlement is against Spanish law and the Junta has been evicting its inhabitants since spring 2013. Inside Beneficio there are small businesses, including a shop, bakeries, free range eggs, and cheese making. There are shared facilities including a large communal tipi, shared outdoor kitchen, composting toilet, and a sports pitch. Drinking water is provided by a mountain spring, and secondary water is provided by the stream running through the valley.[1]
References
- ^ a b Beneficio Orgiva, Spain. Fellowship for Intentional Communities. 2009.