Cave Clan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cave Clan is a primarily Australian group dedicated to urban exploration.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Cave Clan was founded on January 26 (Australia Day), 1986 by three Melbourne teenagers, Woody, Dougo and Sloth. [1] The trio had started exploring together during the summer of 1985-1986.
Alf Sadlier, a worker for the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW), is often cited as an inspiration to the Cave Clan's founders. During construction on Melbourne’s drains in the 1940s and 50s, would leave his name and the date in tar paint before the last section of tunnel was put in place. After Sadlier was mentioned in an article in Melbourne’s The Herald Sun [2] his sister wrote to the Cave Clan explaining that her brother was in fact a "builder of drains" and not an explorer.
In the 1980s, the Cave Clan started leaving stickers or decals on sections of tunnels in order to meet other explorers. By the 1990s the Cave Clan used these markers, as well as a postal office box, for communication. The Cave Clan later established a web-site.
Formed in 2005, the Virginian branch of the Cave Clan is the first official North American branch[citation needed].
[edit] Cave Clan activities
Cave Clan members explore natural or artificial tunnels and caves, along with rooftops and abandoned buildings. [3][4]
The Cave Clan published its newsletter "Il Draino", a photocopied zine, which was in publication between 1989 and 2004[citation needed]. It was published in Melbourne, Australia for a total of 75 issues, with later issues having print runs nearing 400 copies. The name "Il Draino" was a pun on the Melbourne based Italian newspaper, Il Globo. Il Draino was characterised by humour and irreverence. It features photographs taken in underground formations and expo descriptions.
[edit] Safety Issues
The golden rule of the Cave Clan is, "When it rains, no drains!" [5] The organization does not advocate going into drains when it is raining, exploring alone, or removing a manhole from beneath if the above location is unknown.
[edit] Graffiti
The Cave Clan officially distances itself from graffiti, despite the historical practice of tagging. Drain tagging is discouraged, especially in historically significant areas. There are clear examples, however, of the Cave Clan members using graffiti. [6][7] The group also accepts leaving details of an expedition in a plain section of the drain, tunnel or cavity to mark the place and time. They also put up stickers, mostly above ground for promotional purposes.
[edit] Controversy
As with urban exploration-related topics, by entering into locations or drains without permission, the Cave Clan knowingly trespasses; some groups have been known to break and enter[citation needed].
[edit] References
- ^ Cave Clan. StreetStories (2004). Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
- ^ "Tunnel Culture". Herald Sun.
- ^ About the Cave Clan and What We Do (2007). Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
- ^ About the Cave Clan (2007). Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
- ^ Safety (2007). Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
- ^ Heathcote, Christopher. "Discovering Graffiti", Art Monthly Australia, 2000-09-00. Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
- ^ Richardson, Owen. "Stencil Graffiti Capital: Melbourne", The Age, 2006-02-11. Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
