“The Source Family” a documentary by Boing Boing pal Jodi Wille and Maria Demopoulos, tells the story of Father Yod and his Source Family, a radical, utopian social experiment that emerged from the Los Angeles freak scene in the 1970s. You can download it on Amazon or iTunes, and it’s a terrific film.
Isis Aquarian, one of the Source Family members featured in that documentary, sat down with Boing Boing at her home on the island of Oahu to share a special artifact from the Source Family treasure chest. It is the “Birth Rope,” a handmade rope on to which were tied the names of each child born into the flower child cult—including Isis’ own daughter Saturna.
In our video above, Isis references a mugshot of her. It was taken by Hawaii police when she was arrested for not turning over a fellow Source Family member’s body to authorities when he died. The group believed in natural ceremonies for both births and deaths. That police photograph is below.
Video and stills in this post of Isis and the birth rope at her home were shot by, and told to, me. I had a beautiful time visiting her and other Source family “children” in Hawaii earlier this year.
The Source Family had a rock band, and you can listen to their funky love jams here.
More on the Source Family documentary here. This Boing Boing video clip is not part of the documentary. Subscribe to our YouTube channel here.
Photo: Xeni Jardin, 2013.
Photo: Xeni Jardin, 2013.
Photo: Xeni Jardin, 2013.
Photo: Xeni Jardin, 2013.
Photo: Xeni Jardin, 2013.
Photo: Mugshot of Isis Aquarian, from her archives.
Photo: Xeni Jardin, 2013.