Nutopia

For other uses, see Nutopia (disambiguation).

Nutopia is a conceptual country, sometimes referred to as a micronation,[1][2] founded by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. One of the reasons that the country was founded was to address Lennon's then-ongoing immigration problems (the previous week he received a deportation order)[3] through satirical means.

As of April 2024, individuals have been able to declare their citizenship of Nutopia via a website. The call to join Nutopia was made through Yoko Ono’s account on X (formerly Twitter) and others.[4][5]

There is no leadership and not all citizenships have been recorded. As a result, the population is unknown.

Nutopia is a portmanteau of "new" and "utopia" which suggests Nutopia is a new, utopian society.[citation needed] There is also the word play with "nut" (slang word for an insane person) and "utopia".[6]

History

Lennon and Ono at the press conference where they announced the formation of Nutopia.

On 2 April 1973 Lennon and Ono introduced the conceptual country of Nutopia at a press conference in New York City.[7]

Lennon and Ono declared themselves ambassadors of the country and sought diplomatic immunity to end Lennon's ongoing immigration troubles as he and Ono tried to remain in the United States. (Ono already had a Resident Alien "green card" through her previous husband, Tony Cox. Lennon had been denied permanent residence status.) Lennon talked about the imaginary country, which would live up to the ideals of his songs "Imagine" and "Mind Games", saying this in the "official" declaration, signed the day before:

We announce the birth of a conceptual country, NUTOPIA.
Citizenship of the country can be obtained by declaration of your awareness of NUTOPIA.
NUTOPIA has no land, no boundaries, no passports, only people.
NUTOPIA has no laws other than cosmic.
All people of NUTOPIA are ambassadors of the country.
As two ambassadors of NUTOPIA, we ask for diplomatic immunity and recognition in the United Nations of our country and its people.[8][9]

The Nutopian Embassy was originally located at 1 White Street in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan which was the apartment address for some their friends and staff (Ken Dewey, Jon Hendricks, Patty Oldenburg and Helen Seaman) and headquarters of the National Committee for John and Yoko, set up to help their immigration case.[10] Lennon shortly moved this embassy to their Dakota apartment, affixing a gold plaque engraved 'NUTOPIAN EMBASSY' to their kitchen back door. Ono remarked decades later that guests preferred walking into her home through that door instead of the front entrance.[11]

Symbols

The entrance to the Dakota building, where Lennon and Ono posted a Nutopian Embassy sign on the back door of their apartment

The flag of Nutopia has only one colour: white. At the press conference Lennon, waving a white handkerchief, stated, "This is the flag of Nutopia—we surrender, to peace and to love". According to a reporter for The New York Times, Lennon blew his nose on the tissue.[12] Some criticised this association with surrender, but Lennon and Ono defended the association, saying that only through surrender and compromise could peace be achieved.[citation needed]

Lennon's album Mind Games (1973) features the "Nutopian International Anthem", which consists of four seconds of silence.[13]

The hand-drawn Great Seal of Nutopia features a picture of a seal balancing a yin-yang globe on its nose.[14][15]

Legacy

Lennon's deportation order was overturned in 1975. The following year, he received his green card, certifying his permanent residency.

In 2006, a Nutopia website was created that forwarded to a site about the documentary The U.S. vs. John Lennon, distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment.[16][17]

Finnish singer-songwriter Kari Peitsamo, fan of Lennon's work, released a song called "Nutopia" on his album I'm Down.[18]

In 2009 an exhibit in New York displayed the letter that established Nutopia.[19]

References

  1. ^ John Ryan, George Dunford & Simon Sellars (2006). Micronations. Lonely Planet. p. 127. ISBN 1-74104-730-7.
  2. ^ Bannister, Matthew (2021). ""And the world will be as one" – John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Nutopia" (PDF). Transformations. 35: 89–103.
  3. ^ Swanson, Dave (23 March 2016). "When John Lennon Was Ordered to Leave U.S. by Authorities". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  4. ^ https://twitter.com/yokoono/status/1775161269164843276 [bare URL]
  5. ^ https://twitter.com/CitizenNutopia [bare URL]
  6. ^ Sierra i Fabra, Jordi (1990). John Lennon (in Catalan) (1st ed.). Barcelona: Empúries. p. 122. ISBN 84-7596-253-X. OCLC 179897424.
  7. ^ Toy, Vivian S. "A Brush With a Beatle," New York Times. March 7, 2010.
  8. ^ "John Lennon and Yoko Ono write the Declaration of Nutopia". The Beatles Bible. 1973-04-01. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  9. ^ "We announce the birth of a conceptual country, NUTOPIA". Lennon Twitter account. 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  10. ^ "Petition to Stop the Deportation of John and Yoko". Abe Books. 2024-04-13. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  11. ^ "On the Day of the Birth of Nutopia – by Yoko Ono". Yoko Ono official website. 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  12. ^ Johnston, Laurie (1973-04-03). "Lennon Sees a Wide Impact in Ouster". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  13. ^ Du Noyer, Paul (1999). John Lennon: Whatever Gets You Through the Night. Thunder's Mouth Press. pp. 75–76. ISBN 1560252103.
  14. ^ "Flickr – Photo Sharing!". 27 September 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  15. ^ "Flickr – Photo Sharing!". 27 September 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  16. ^ "NUTOPIA". joinnutopia.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  17. ^ Lions Gate tunes in Lennon documentary, Daily Variety, 2 September 2005.
  18. ^ Press to go to the song.
  19. ^ Pilkington, Ed (2009-05-12). "John Lennon exhibit opens at the New York annex of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-02-08.