Years after the end of Communism, the American West still plays a powerful role in the imaginations of some Eastern Europeans. This short documentary introduces a few of the would-be cowboys and Indians who are now free to roam the plains of the Czech Republic.

Broadcast on The Travel Channel and Propeller TV (UK).

This project is intended to be part of a longer documentary about Czech "tramps" - a subculture of outdoorsmen and women who are inspired by the romanticism of the American frontier. The tramping tradition goes back to the 1920s, when it began as an unorganized alternative to scouting, but it gained momentum as a reaction to the successive Nazi and Communist eras. Though rarely overtly political, Czech tramps sought an escape from political repression by heading for the woods. They also looked to North America as a symbol of freedom and nature in its wildest form, and wove Western mythology into their songs, activities, dress and way of life. The Wild West enthusiasts in this short video are only one branch of the tramping subculture, which is now aging rapidly, but remains rich, complex and funny.

Guitar music by David Kampmann, used by agreement:
davidkampmann.dk/

Bluegrass by Sunny Side, used by agreement:
sunnyside.cz/ (less)