Humla

5¤h1. Humla

HUMLA is defunct as of 2015. Please see Hackeriet.

Preface

Humla was the project preceeding Hackeriet, using the same space, and having some ideas in common with Hackeriet. Regardless of the differences, Hackeriet has originated by the Humla initiative, that identified its new direction in the hackers ( at the time Hackeriet did not have a space or a name ), and invited them to use and later to take over the space. The name “Humla” regularly reappears as a referral to the main room of Hackeriet, and when relating to older hausmaniacs.

Historical Notes

Humla became a project as early as 2003-4, but got structured into something concrete in 2005. The connection with the hacker culture has always been there: Humla took inspiration from the hacker scene of the late 90 early 2000, that was radically political and interleaved with the anti-globalization movement and the anarchist community. The original Humla members had been involved in hackerspaces in Amsterdam and Milano, and had links with: ASCII / PUSCII (Netherlands), LOA / Reload (Milano), Chainworkers (Milano), Autistici.org and Indymedia.org. Other members added up from the local radical network in Oslo, coming from other experiences like: Adbusters.no, Spis de Rike filmklubb, Rød Ungdom, Radio Nova, Radiorakel. This ethereogeneous group got to grow and prosper an later fractioned into different initiatives that later found a new home and indipendent direction in these projects: Bytopia.no, Motmakt.no, Planka.no, Oslo Queer, Radikalportal.no. And of course, the one and only still using the space, Hackeriet.no

The hacker wing of Humla, what did they do?

The Hausmania net

As early as in 2005, Hausmania did not have a functioning network. Some guys had stretched ethernet cables to everywhere in the building, without having any notion of how a LAN works. Hausmania provided a Nextgentel router, and the cables terminated there. That was it. The first project for the Humla members was about structuring and consolidating this chaos. By picking up computer parts in the trash or accepting hardware from different donators, a Linux router was set up. A mini-tower running a 486 and having 4 physical PCI network interfaces. Shaping of upward bandwidth was made possible using a shell script and tc commands. Support to network users was delivered as best-effort, and highly appreciated by hausmanians. It was at this point that the room in the cellar ( originally a telephone switch central ) was turned into the “server room” for the whole building.

A “free internet cafe”

From 2005 to 2007, Humla was the internet cafe of Hausmania, and had regular opening times every day from 18 to 22. Members of the organization committed to keep the place open every day, 2 of them for every day of the week. Saturdays were a collective meeting day. Limited number of pcs running Debian desktops (Woody) was kept in shape and offered for free for browsing the internet. All of these machines were assembled from computers found in the trash. A printer, coffee, and non alcoholic beverages were sold to the people visiting the space ( mainly hausmanians ). A internet Humla radio ( 24/7 mp3 streaming using darkice / icecast ) was kept online.

This initative faded in 2007 after acknowledging that the only people coming to use the space were from Hausmania, and mostly interested in checking mail, printing documents and having a place to hang out. Forces from the original initative reallocated themselves into the Hausmania net initiative, later baptized as “Linuxbrigaden”, and provided support to the groups using the space.

What about the other groups?

Most other groups used the space as a meeting room and a headquarter for initiatives as seminars and workshops, and parties. One of the must succesful initiative was “Agitatoria”, a long cycle of monthly seminars. Humla members applied for funds at different institutions to invite and pay plane tickets to political activists from abroad, so that they could come and hold a presentation about their projects. Hospitality was provided on a private basis.

The 2007 Trans Hack Meeting

Inspired by the transnational hacker meeting organized in Pula in 2004 a new edition was organized in 2007 in Oslo. Hackers from Italy and the Netherlands converged for a 4 days event. Hausmania provided simple lodging in the “himmelrom” at the top floor.

Link to the invitation on Indymedia UK

Political hackers, WHY?

There were almost no other hackers at the time, and using Linux was a political statement in itself. Not really actually :-)
In Norway you had a quite active demo scene and The Gathering of course. Said that, the hacker community at large was flourishing mostly in connection with radical politics in the rest of Europe, with CCC being probably the most moderate initiative (this fact in itself can give you and idea). There was no place that called itself hackerspace in Oslo in 2005, beside Humla. There were no people calling themselves as “hackers” reclaiming that identity as a positive one, beside people that were politically aware and biased, and used to the practice and think-tank behind: reclaiming space in the city for self development and cultural activities. Like squatters do.

Original Humla Manifesto

• Hausmania * Universal * Mediahacktive * Laboratory of * Antagonism *

H.U.M.L.A. is a political and cultural laboratory aimed at promoting freedom of politics, activism, press, software and all people. We provide resources such as computers with free software and free internet access, info, books, meeting space, creative impulse and panzercoffee. The H.U.M.L.A. collective organizes through flat structures and decentralized networks, reclaiming the right to manifest social change through self\-organization outside of political institutions.
H.U.M.L.A. recognizes a diversity of tactics and approaches for acheiving social change, from passive resistance to confrontational, non\-violent direct action.

H.U.M.L.A. endorses PGA’s Hallmarks:

1. A very clear rejection of capitalism, imperialism and feudalism; all trade agreements, institutions and governments that promote destructive globalisation.
2. We reject all forms and systems of domination and discrimination including, but not limited to, patriarchy, racism and religious fundamentalism of all creeds. We embrace the full dignity of all human beings.
3. A confrontational attitude, since we do not think that lobbying can have a major impact in such biased and undemocratic organisations, in which transnational capital is the only real policy\-maker.
4. A call to direct action and civil disobedience, support for social movements’ struggles, advocating forms of resistance which maximise respect for life and oppressed peoples’ rights, as well as the construction of local alternatives to global capitalism.
5. An organisational philosophy based on decentralisation and autonomy.

What are the intentions of Humla

1. Offering a space for meetings, discussions, lectures of different communities we have affinity with.
2. Being a permanent workshop space for hackers and activists to meet and share inspirations, access different medias, discuss and plan activities, work together in the wider sense.
3. Promoting awareness in the technological field.
4. Spreading independent media: books, magazines, media of every kind (videos, music, multimedia). Some of the materials can be out for sale.

Offering a space where is possible to access internet for free, share knowledge, study/present new technologies, help people wo want to build, repair or understand any type of device.

Providing tools to work with different technologies, servicing other groups in the digital field (organizing the net distribution in Hausmania, providing computers to people who might need them, helping other non\-profit organizations), train hackers, common people, artists or other activists in sensible and cautious use of computers, aid them in getting a decent digital life and help them to self\-help.

Humla defines itself, between the other things, as a Hacklab; that is, in very simple words, a laboratory to promote the developing of hacking skills. To understand what we mean with the term hacking you can check this webpage: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker\-howto.html

No type of religious or institutional, party\-political propaganda is allowed in the space, as this is a community which despises hierarchy and authority and who does not identify with any institutionally political entity or organized religious organization or creed. Neither is sexist or racist propaganda, since we condemn discrimination and prejudices of any kind.
Neither is nationalistic propaganda, as this is a transnational community not identifying with any specifical national identity or culture. Neither are commercial sponsors or brands, as this is a community who does not approve patents, trade\-marking of intellectual or practical activity, consumerism, and who operates in a non\-profit framework.