I savour the moment when I can drop an old favourite, seldom-used word into a conversation and my friends pause for that precious millisecond to think about it? I was thinking of the word ‘Bohemian’ not ‘dipsomaniac’ or ‘barbigerous’, or calling Aunt Martha a ‘mugwump’. Bohemian has a nice ring to it.
At one time or another I think most of us eschewed the Bohemian lifestyle. Originally the word was applied to the people of Bohemia who had a tendency to wander around Europe, living as gypsies, doing as they pleased without much regard for local laws or customs. In the last century and even into the 19th century, we North Americans changed the meaning a little since we were not quite the gypsy type, preferring to settle in one area for long periods of time. However there arose a ‘Bohemian’ culture, mostly of artists or would-be artists, that existed in the larger urban areas.
These were young people, just trying to find their way or hone their skills with a brush, a word or some musical notes. They often worked cheaply to have part-time jobs so they would have hours to dedicate to their dream. They behaved unconventionally, had unorthodox viewpoints and invariably disagreed with the ruling government. This they expressed through the frugal lifestyle, professing in ‘free love’, drinking cheap wine and wearing clothing that had seen better days. Sound familiar? I somehow missed the ‘free love’ part of the lifestyle but did know the frugality part of the dream.
The Bohemian lifestyle was attractive to many, even the rich who formed their own aristocratic version called ‘high bohemia’. Just as I was getting into the Bohemian trend, the hippies came along and subverted the whole idea with ty-dyed clothes, peace-sign tee shirts and weed.
This reminiscence was inspired on November 9 while on a walk along the waterfront when I spotted a flock of Bohemian waxwings feeding on some wild berries. This beautiful bird received its moniker from its behaviour of wandering around the countryside (looking for food), being very sociable and wearing its bright colours. Their behavior can also be a little Bohemian when they ingest too many slightly fermented berries. That may have been the case when the fellow in the photograph seemed to want to land on my hat.
I sent a copy of the photo to a bird-watching friend in Florida and she was quite excited to see it – the Bohemian waxwing does not wander that far south. Which stirred my imagination and I wondered if we were missing something in our tourism brochures. Along with all the hiking trails we have in the area, we also have a complimentary selection of beautiful birds in the summer.
We may not have as many birds as Point Pelee during the spring and fall migrations but we can offer some solitude along our trails and perhaps an opportunity to view a variety of birds and wildlife that is not found in urban areas or Europe and the Southern States. Perhaps a few enticing photographs of some of our local birds on our accommodation brochures would be that little extra tug to draw tourists (and bird watchers) back to our area.
Maybe we should have a billboard sign on the outskirts of the City proclaiming “Welcome Bohemians!”
