Twelve Tribes near Navarrenx

[billmclaughlin]

As I was approaching Navarrenx on October 9, 2013, hiking solo, a white van came slowly towards me and stopped. The driver was a man of 50+ years and beside him sat a girl about 15 years old. I recall taking in just a few details at first glance: his bushy white bread and her very simple attire, a rather plain blue blouse covered by an equally plain gray sweater, rather like some modern nuns' habits. She sat stiffly, arms at her sides.

As I stood at the passenger window, he started a casual conversation mainly about how much pilgrim traffic there was, had I seen many other hikers today, alone or in groups, their countries of origin. Finding I was American, he switched into English, which he spoke well. The conversation seemed a bit odd. He stopped to chat about who else was coming along the road? It was the sort of thing we all talk about while hiking, but I wasn't sure why a driver would initiate this conversation. Then he mentioned that "we" have a farm nearby and sell in the local market. "Our community," he said, "is just about a kilometer away. We have a bed for you if you like."

I declined politely with a little white lie, saying I had planned a rendezvous with some other hikers in Navarrenx, so I couldn't change my plans. He expressed regret, and then he and the girl rummaged through some papers and found an English-language pamphlet to give me so I could read about their community. It's called the Twelve Tribes. I think they are fairly characterized as a cult, the subject of some controversy in a number of countries, most recently in Germany: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/06/germany-twelve-tribes-sect-raided_n_3880122.html

Thinking back, I'm not sure at what point in the conversation I felt something was amiss. The conversation itself seemed a bit forced, the young woman's reserve almost unnatural. I don't in the least regret declining their invitation.

 

[mikevasey]

Hi I stayed at the place they have on the Norte just outside of San Sebastian for 2 nights.

I received genuine Hospitality of them, they allowed me to come and go as I pleased and they did not try to give me any long/short sermons or try to find out about my life. Some of them can be a bit wooden, I put that down to not wanting to appear to be too informal with an outsider. They drive around a lot delivering breads and they do look out for pilgrims maybe because they do believe they can make converts of them or they just want to help them on their way, I do not know them that well to make a decision either way.

The beards are worn usually by married men.

They really helped me out- Bruce Springstein was playing in San Sebastian and there was no other accommodation to be had. While their lifestyle is not for me that would not put me off staying there again

Mike