Camp Ayandeh Blog

After 4 days of enjoying the trails, fields, and forests of Hemlock Overlook, Day 5 of Camp Ayandeh was the perfect time to start giving back. The trails of the park are lined with logs and mulch, and after so many groups enjoy them repeatedly, they often need replenishing. So our campers set off to give back by carrying logs to line the trails, and shoveling mulch to protect the trail and help promote healthy growth in the surrounding forest.

After another rousing game of 4-square and a healthy lunch to promote our campers' growth as well, the afternoon was spent working on activites related to a method known as "Theatre of the Oppressed," a form of pedagogy that uses games to play and learn together, mixing the notions of discipline (clear rules) and freedom (absolute creativity). These games included, "Columbian Hypnosis," in which campers pair off and must lead each other in silence, each following the other's extended hand. Other games played were: "The Vampire of Strausburg," "The Wooden Sword of Paris," and the exercise known as "Image Theater."

Image Theater has participants act as clay to mold images of oppression that they have personally experienced. One camper at a time arranges and "molds" the participants, making the image change with each camper to express their reaction to the previous image. In this way, campers use theater, movement, and non-verbal expression to examine various oppressions that happen in everyday life.

With the games and the theater of the afternoon, counselor groups were warmed up for their first chance to create and practice for the talent show! Each group will perform a skit, musical performance, or dance for the whole camp on Friday night. From the looks of it, there will be plenty of lezzat for everyone!

After dinner, the campers were split into groups by gender, and with staff and counselors of the same gender, shared in discussions that perhaps they wouldn't want to have in front of the others. The bonding continued around the campfire, where we heard the final chapter of Yusef's tale of Parivash, accompanied by performances on tar and dombak. As the last campfire of Camp Ayandeh, campers were treated to s'mores around the fire, and sing-along songs ranging from "Age ye rooz" to "Lean on Me."