1. nam-era draft-dodgers.
They loved the locale so
much that many settled
there and started families.
Their children, in turn, were
brought up as free think-
ers, allowed to forge their own
identities as they saw fit. The local
way of life is, for lack a better word,
blissful, and draws likeminded souls
from near and far. For Anson Vogt,
himself a transplant from Chilliwack,
British Columbia, this freedom was
his gateway to the Elvish “meme”, as
he puts it.
But we’re not talking about Santa’s
trusted helpers here. The elves of
Roberts Creek – just like other Elvish
communities from San Francisco
to Bali – are not imaginary, nor do
they ride unicorns. They are humans
who identify with Elvish – not Elvin
– values, and the “Elvish way of life”.
“It’s all over the place,” says Vogt,
who goes by the unusual avatar of
‘Phong’. “There are comic books like
Elfquest that are quite popular with
people who identify themselves with
the mythology, and Tolkien definitely
used elves as a concept.” And it is
imaginings of this kind that distin-
guish these elves from, say, the Kee-
bler Elves (of TV cookie commercial
fame) or Will Ferrell.
The question is: are you born an elf,
or do you become one?
“It’s latent – you just know it’s
there.” In other words,Vogt didn’t
choose to be an elf, as one would
choose to join the Masons or the local
Rotary Club. Rather, the meme chose
him. “Becoming Elvish was not some-
thing that I decided; it’s something I
discovered I already was.”
Yoshi (not his real name), a friend
and collaborator of the Elvish Nation,
explains further. “Elvin, to me, would
be to think that you are genetically an
Elf, that you’re part of a race. They’re
not trying to pretend they’re indig-
enously Elves – they’re just Elvish in
their appearance, and in their atti-
tude. A lot of it comes from Elfquest
– it’s these intergalactic hipster kids
out saving the Universe. Everyone
has a common frame of reference that
they identify with, and that becomes
part of the collective consciousness of
the group.”
He recalls his first encounter with
the elves: “A lot of the kids are super-
creative and tapped-in.” But what
really amazed him was that everyone
who dressed like elves actually looked
Elvish. “…especially their faces. To
me, that’s the supernatural trip of it.
It really amplifies the lifestyle that’s
being practised here.”
Not unlike Christianity, or Star
Trek, the Elvish concept has evolved
to a point where each tribe can tap
into the ‘denomination’ that best suits
them. For instance, one particular
strain refer to themselves as Cosmic
Elves. On a physical level, a Cosmic
I
f leprechauns are Irish and
CHUDS live in the sewers,
then where do elves come
from? Readers of the fantasy
comic series Elfquest – and there
are legions – believe these pointy-
eared protagonists to be the direct
descendants of ageless humanoid
aliens known as the High Ones. The
popular title, now in its 30th year, is a
touchstone for genre buffs. For others,
it’s a way of life.
Elves – a fixture of modern fantasy
– date back thousands of years, and
are believed to be rooted in Norse
mythology. Thought to possess
magical powers, these æthereal pagan
creatures are children of nature, and
in some texts are characterised as
fertility gods. The presence of elves
in Roberts Creek, however, is a fairly
recent phenomenon.
The tiny town of 2,000 people sits
on a pristine patch of paradise in Brit-
ish Columbia on the Strait of Georgia
between Gibsons and Sechelt (about a
90-minute drive northwest of Vancou-
ver). Nearby is Mount Elphinstone,
a hallowed site among the many
artisans and free spirits who call it
home. But there’s more to Roberts
Creek than just beautiful scenery and
local crafts.
Back in the heyday of flower power
and hairy armpits, Roberts Creek was
a haven for hippies, artists, and Viet-
40 FT235
www.forteantimes.com
ABOVE: The film’s
poster does a
nice line in ’70s
grindhouse retro
style.
In a small town in west Canada, a cosseted community
practises integral theory and transcendental meditation. They
are Woodstock’s legacy, the offspring of Sixties counterculture
and psychedelic self-exploration. CHRISTOPHER PARÉ meets the
elves. And no, they don’t all play D&D.
FBI
FORTEAN
BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION
??. Elf Nation

2. Elf tends to dress like a Japanese
anime character: the clothing is
hyper-stylised – iconic – and wouldn’t
look out of place at a happy hardcore
rave, circa 1996. “There is a lot of
fashion-consciousness,” says Vogt,
who sports a shaved head and subtle
Elvish garb. “Looking like some sort
of unique creature is definitely part of
the identity.”
What makes these Elves cosmic
isn’t so much the clothes as their
thinking.Vogt, 24, explains it in terms
of Integral Theory, a holistic school
of thought pioneered by American
writer Ken Wilber. One way to
describe it is as a unified approach
to consciousness that combines body,
mind and spirit. For believers like Al
Gore and Tony Robbins, it’s a tool for
effective team-building and personal
growth. For Vogt and his Cosmic
brethren, it’s a path to enlightenment.
“Buddhism, Christianity, Islam
– they’re all tied to one God.You can
cut it and slice in all these different
ways, but an orange is an orange and
an apple is an apple. It tastes the
same to both of us. There’s just one
taste. That’s the idea.”
A key component of the concept
is a unit of measurement called a
“holon”, a singular unit that is also
part of a larger system. Holons are
considered to be the buildings blocks
of existence. One holon might be one
cell in your body. Zoom out to your
heart and you have a billion cells
(holons) working together to serve a
higher function. The body is a holon,
the Earth is a holon, the Universe is a
holon, and so on. This order, he says, is
something to be respected.
Some holons, however, want nothing
to do with certain other holons. Aaron
Demeester, 31, is a self-professed
Shaman who uses “plant conscious-
ness” (DMT to be exact) to “evolve
himself”. Demeester claims to have once
lived in Roberts Creek, where, he says,
the Elf community is not what it used
to be.
“Although I feel that there are some
very serious shamanic Elvish people
there, I think that a lot of the vibe is ego.
I left the Creek because I felt it was very
cliquey.”
The problem, he suggests, is the prox-
imity to big city posers. “Roberts Creek
has gone though many transformations
over the years. Being so close to the
city, it attracts the subculture. People
come there, and they see these beautiful
artistic people living happy lifestyles,
and they want to have it for themselves.
They feel that if they dress like an elf
they can fit in.”
Was it the annual spring-time colon-
cleansing talking? Possibly. Demeester,
whose “spirit guides” instructed him to
leave home at 14 and told him that they
were his true parents (who had “seeded
him into his birth mother’s womb”),
admits that there is a core group of elves
there who take the life seriously.
When asked to respond,Vogt is empa-
thetic yet firm in his philosophy of one-
ness – even if it leaves a permaculture
farmer like Demeester feeling excluded.
From within his bubble,Vogt professes
to feel a deep love and connectedness
to his community, and says that Roberts
Creek is just one node in a network that
stretches up and down the West Coast.
It is by no means an open community,
he contends, but more like a family.
“There is certainly truth to what he’s
saying: from an outside perspective, it
is protected like a family unit and there
is a necessary cultural æsthetic, artistic
skill and social skill set which naturally
brings one into the family. There are
many dimensions and truths to the
equation and I honour his experience,
but at the same time I have a differ-
ent perspective. Roberts Creek is one
cultural pocket, of which there are many
on the West Coast. From the outside,
unless somebody has specific business
with the elves, the gateways are possibly
un-receptive.”
And like any social animals, Elves
like to party too. There are several
events – mostly up and down the West
Coast – that cater to the Elvish Nation.
These gatherings often take the form of
music festivals, both local (the annual
Shambhala gathering in Nelson, British
Columbia, averages 15,000 people) and
ABOVE: Dale
Rogers (Justin
Meeks) on the
hunt.
BELOW: Directors
Duane Graves and
Justin Meeks hold
up a prop sign on
location in Peggy,
Texas.
“A lot of
the kids are
super-creative
and tapped-
in”
FT235 41
www.forteantimes.com

3. international. Burning Man is a big
one, he adds, and a great way to con-
nect with likeminded individuals.
“This is where many Elvish tribes
meet and co-mingle.”
Not everyone at Burning Man is
Elvish, obviously, but it’s a bona fide
hotspot for sure. “Glastonbury is
another one, as is Shambhala. If the
Grateful Dead were still touring, a
lot of these guys might be there. If
Phish were still touring, they’d be on
tour with them.”
In fact, it was at Burning Man in
Nevada that Vogt met the Roberts
Creek tribe.
“My friend Xavi, one of the cen-
tral Elvish artists, brought me that
year. He said: ‘What? You don’t know
the elves? I thought you lived in
Roberts Creek! That’s where they’re
from.’ It’s all part of the synchronic-
ity. Ultimately, everyone is part of
the same central core of conscious-
ness, and the pieces we share are
what we call our bodies and lives.”
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42 FT235
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“This is where
many Elvish
tribes meet
and mingle”
Unleash the Legolas Within
When clothes and accessories aren’t
enough, there’s always the fantasy
world equivalent of a boob job: ear
pointing. For that authentic Elvish look,
Vancouver-area body-piercer and tattoo
artist Russ Foxx performs a special
procedure called “ear sculpting”.
Get the point?
What’s involved in the procedure, how long
does it take, and how much does it cost?
“Ear sculpting is one of my favourite
types of body art. It’s such a drastic
change to the shape of the ear, yet it
still insinuates that its shape is natural
on some level. The procedure itself is
fairly quick [15–20 minutes or so per
ear], but the aftercare to ensure proper
healing is the most critical part of the
whole process. As far as cost goes, the
fees are totally [variable]. If I think it will
really suit my client and I really want to
do the work, I will likely ask less.”
Who gets this procedure done – a mix
of Star Trek fans and Tolkien buffs?
“The people that would usually be look-
ing for this type of work tend to have
personal connections with or interests
in fairies, pixies, Vulcans, orcs, vam-
pires, or one of many other types of
fantasy beings and creatures. This is a
great way of externalising one’s inner
self.”
Have you ever helped someone to
actualise their inner elf or fairy?
“One client and friend of mine, Scarlet,
has had a serious life-long fascination
with Peter Pan and all things related.
She’s not only had her ears pointed,
but she’s been working on full tattooed
sleeves of scenes from the story.”
What advice would you give to some-
one considering this procedure?
“My best advice is to take lots of time
to research the procedure as well as
the after-effects of having such work
done. Ear sculpting is usually a perma-
nent change, so it should not be taken
lightly. If you are going to take the leap
and have your ears re-shaped, be sure
that is how you want to look for the rest
of your life!”
www.russfox.com.