Staying Safe and Salty this Summer
Vibing with your closest mates to your favourite artist under a clear blue summer sky has become a rite of passage for many Kiwi young people. Jules Badger explores the music festival scene and offers some tips for staying safe and salty this summer.
‘Let me tell you why you are here. You’re to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?’ (Matthew 5:13, The Message).
Okay, so I know in today’s vernacular salty means ‘feeling a bit angry or bitter with a mocking or self-deprecating note of sourness’ (Urban Dictionary), but in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls us to be a different kind of salty. But staying salty for Jesus takes intentionality and some forward planning. If you’re planning on heading to the now iconic music festival Rhythm and Vines (R&V) near Gisborne, or Rhythm and Alps (R&A) near Wanaka, getting your hands on tickets, booking accommodation and arranging travel is just the beginning.
Planning for a good time
For the discerning young festival goer who wants to stay salty amidst the chaos, having a safety plan is a no-brainer. In the 20+ years R&V has been operating, many lessons have been learnt. Gisborne faith-based veteran youth worker Meredith Akuhata-Brown has been a R&V volunteer over the years, and she’s supported many unprepared young people who’ve been caught off guard and become part of the concert carnage. Too much sun, not enough water, spiked drinks, lost phones, broken hearts and missing friends—you name it—Meredith’s been there to pick up the pieces. And as she contemplates volunteering at R&V again, the rapid increase in laced drugs (mostly MDMA) is at the forefront of Meredith’s mind.
‘Drugs are prolific at festivals, so as a young person you need to decide beforehand what you are going to do if you are offered drugs—because you will be. As a follower of JC (Jesus Christ) you need to settle this in your mind and spirit first.’
Meredith explains that one of the difficulties is that young people don’t know their own biochemistry or what genetic pre-dispositions they may have that could cause a bad reaction to drugs—including the sneakiest drug of all—alcohol. Added to this, most young people don’t realise how lethal drugs can be when mixed with prescription medications.
‘Young people with existing medical conditions—like depression or anxiety, or those taking Ritalin—well, when crossed with recreational drugs, psychosis can occur. You might be the only one in your friend group who has a bad trip and there’s no one to look after you or advise you to get medical help. Can you rely on your mates?’
Making different choices
While Meredith is all about keeping young people safe when things go bad, she’s convinced that Gen Zers (born between 1997 to 2012) are better critical thinkers than they are sometimes given credit for and loves providing space for young people to consider their why before trying drugs: ‘Why do you want to do this? What’s this about for you? Is it peer pressure? Are you looking for an escape? Are you curious? Have you done your pros and cons and considered the risks and consequences?
‘We know that part of being young is about taking risks—throwing caution to the wind and learning from mistakes. But that’s only one approach. Young people also have the capacity to choose wisdom. Given what I’ve seen, I want young people to understand that if they do this, they need a back-up plan if things go bad, because the fall out could impact them for years to come.’
Meredith explains that most festivals now provide a free drug-testing service, and she urges young people not to take drugs, particularly if they haven’t been tested.
‘I always ask, “Hey, have you had your drugs tested?” And I let them know that if they decide not to use them, they can hand them in. No questions asked. I love being able to ask, “Hey, why don’t you try the first night without drugs and see how you go?” Giving young people choices can be really empowering. And that’s part of why I do this—if there are adults being purposeful and caring in their messaging, then we could have a whole generation who make better choices because they have better information and nonjudgemental support.’
No regrets
For Meredith this is also personal. ‘Alcohol caused so much damage in my family that as a young person I chose not to go there. So, I know that you can enjoy life and have a good time without excessive drinking or doing drugs. I’m proof! My lived experience means I know what life is like on both sides of the fence and I have absolutely no regrets—we all have a choice.’
Meredith suggests that now is the time to start talking about a safety plan with your friends. Make sure you have contact and accommodation numbers physically written down somewhere, other than in your phone which can get lost or stolen.
‘Before you head off to a festival, get your village praying for you. Ask them to be ready if you call at strange hours because you’re feeling out of your depth and need some support. And remember that you are loved by the Most High God! And so are your mates—even the ones who don’t claim to have a faith. This is your chance to be salt and light. You don’t have to be all up in their grill quoting John 3:16, but you can still get amongst it and model what abundant life with JC is like! I’ve lost count of the number of times people have said I gave them strength just by being clear with my own decisions and choices—even now at 54!’
Have a safe and salty summer!
