Dongas road protest group
Encyclopedia
The Dongas Tribe was a collection of UK road protest
ers and travellers in England
originally noted for their occupation of Twyford Down
outside Winchester, Hampshire
. This was a protest against the M3 motorway
extension which destroyed some rich ecological sites, one of the very few habitats of the Chalkhill Blue butterfly and 6 species of rare orchid, and ancient monuments there (SSSI & Scheduled Ancient Monument). The name Dongas comes from the Matabele word for "Gully". This had somehow been given by Winchester locals to the deep drovers' tracks on Twyford Down.
Following "Yellow Wednesday", when hordes of police
and security guards invaded the camp to bulldoze the area, the Dongas Tribe left Twyford Down for Bramdean Common
. Earth First!, who had been heavily involved in the setting up and support of the camp and actions, continued the protests and restarted a camp in Plague Pits Valley.
They constituted about twenty people. Some of the Tribe maintained an involvement in various subsequent road protests (Solsbury Hill
, North Wales
, Newbury bypass
), but gradually morphed into a semi-nomadic "tribe", traveling the South West of England on foot, squatting
various hill-forts and putting on seasonal gatherings in an attempt to reawaken a sense of connectedness with the land. The last of the nomadic Dongas were travelling in Cornwall
until the end of 1999, after which some of them moved to France
to continue their nomadic lifestyle.
Some of the original Dongas (as they became called) of the mid 1990s were musicians who made a living by busking
, sometimes using ancient sounding original folk tunes from Brittany in France. One, at least, has since turned semi-professional musician with a band called Mordekkers. Several of the Dongas can be seen at the Big Green Gathering festival in Somerset, England.
The first child born in Dongas Tribe ways named May Brigit "Donga" Lambert and was born on 1 May 1994. Her mother Rosie Lambert carried on protesting and is still to this day a proud Donga. Most of the people that lived in the Donga Tribe are still out there fighting for their beliefs.
Road protest (UK)
Road protest in the United Kingdom usually occurs as a reaction to a stated intention by the empowered authorities to build a new road, or to modify an existing road. Protests may also be made by those wishing to see new roads built or improvements made to existing roads. Motivations for protests...
ers and travellers in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
originally noted for their occupation of Twyford Down
Twyford Down
Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. The down's summit, known as Deacon Hill, is towards the north-eastern edge of the area which is renowned for its dramatic rolling scenery, ecologically rich grassland and as a...
outside Winchester, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. This was a protest against the M3 motorway
M3 motorway
The M3 motorway runs in England for approximately from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, to Southampton, Hampshire and forms an unsigned section European route E05. It is dual three lanes as far as Junction 8 near Basingstoke and then dual two lane until Junction 9 near Winchester and then dual three...
extension which destroyed some rich ecological sites, one of the very few habitats of the Chalkhill Blue butterfly and 6 species of rare orchid, and ancient monuments there (SSSI & Scheduled Ancient Monument). The name Dongas comes from the Matabele word for "Gully". This had somehow been given by Winchester locals to the deep drovers' tracks on Twyford Down.
Following "Yellow Wednesday", when hordes of police
Policing in the United Kingdom
Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the legal systems of the United Kingdom: England & Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland ....
and security guards invaded the camp to bulldoze the area, the Dongas Tribe left Twyford Down for Bramdean Common
Bramdean Common
Bramdean Common is near Winchester, Hampshire.Bramdean means "the valley where brooms grow" - broom being the gorse bush originally prevalent in the valley that carries a yellow flower. There was a Roman villa near the village, excavated in 1824. The name goes back to 923. It is close to Hinton...
. Earth First!, who had been heavily involved in the setting up and support of the camp and actions, continued the protests and restarted a camp in Plague Pits Valley.
They constituted about twenty people. Some of the Tribe maintained an involvement in various subsequent road protests (Solsbury Hill
Solsbury Hill
Little Solsbury Hill is a small flat-topped hill and the site of an Iron Age hill fort. It is located above the village of Batheaston in Somerset, England. The hill rises to above the River Avon which is just over to the south. It is within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
, North Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Newbury bypass
Newbury bypass
The Newbury bypass, officially known as The Winchester-Preston Trunk Road , is a stretch of dual carriageway road which bypasses the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England...
), but gradually morphed into a semi-nomadic "tribe", traveling the South West of England on foot, squatting
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
various hill-forts and putting on seasonal gatherings in an attempt to reawaken a sense of connectedness with the land. The last of the nomadic Dongas were travelling in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
until the end of 1999, after which some of them moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to continue their nomadic lifestyle.
Some of the original Dongas (as they became called) of the mid 1990s were musicians who made a living by busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
, sometimes using ancient sounding original folk tunes from Brittany in France. One, at least, has since turned semi-professional musician with a band called Mordekkers. Several of the Dongas can be seen at the Big Green Gathering festival in Somerset, England.
The first child born in Dongas Tribe ways named May Brigit "Donga" Lambert and was born on 1 May 1994. Her mother Rosie Lambert carried on protesting and is still to this day a proud Donga. Most of the people that lived in the Donga Tribe are still out there fighting for their beliefs.