NORTHWEST RAINBOW FAMILY
Tribal News
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Notes From the Northwest Rainbow Family Tribe
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Winter Solstice 1994
Thanksgiving Council Consensus: We Gather!
A beautiful log home and organic farm nestled in a wooded valley was the site of this year's Northwest Regional Thanksgiving Council, held November 11 - 13, 1994. A few folks arrived early to prepare the site with an outdoor kitchen, a spacious sweat lodge and a shitter, which the family architects cleverly designed to overlook the snowcapped Olympic Mountains. SPECTACULAR!!!!
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"By late afternoon we consensed
that there would be a Regional
Gathering from Saturday, June
10 to Saturday, June 17 of 1995"
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Saturday morning about forty folks gathered, and after a leisurely breakfast were ready to circle and get down to the business of deciding whether or not to organize a regional gathering in spring or early summer of `95.
We counciled well into the afternoon. Several times the discussion flowed off course and threatened to became mired in the murky waters of doubt, fear and what if only to be rescued by our skilled facilitator, Sara Sunshine. By late afternoon we consensed that there would be a Regional Gathering from Saturday June 10 to Saturday, June 17 of 1995, with faith that many more family members not present would help to make it happen.
We gave thanks well into the night and after feasting, music making, praying and purifying, followed by a few minutes of sleep, we gathered for Sunday council. By this time, a handful of people had agreed to be major contacts and discussion focused on clarifying, specific organizing needs and gathering issues.
A banking council of seven people was formed. All banking council members will be contacted for approval before any money is spent.
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| Twinkling And The Art Of Playfulness |
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I `d like to share a rich moment I experienced at the Thanksgiving Council in November. At one point the general flow of the feather was caught in the all-too-familiar whirlpool of conflicting emotions and threatening to be drowned in a cascade of superfluous comments. In a moment of inspiration, a sister suggested we use a technique she learned as a Blue Bird called twinkling . If you generally agreed with the feather holders' ideas, she went on to explain, you could give him/her that message by silently wiggling your fingers at them and smiling. My adult self immediately rebelled, not wanting to appear ridiculous or silly but it was quickly mollified by the fact that, in this particular instance, twinkling worked, getting the discussion back on course. In practice, twinkling sent a clear and positive message to the feather holder that he/she was being listened to and heard. It brought the power back to the feather, and reminded people to wait to voice their disagreements and asides until the feather flowed to them. But, more significant to me, was the innocent and playful act of twinkling itself.. To see all my grown-up brothers and sisters playing Tinkerbell together was at once funny and precious. It brought the child out. It reminded all of us to stay flexible and lighten up. It made out process fun.
If you ask any number of family members what The Rainbow is thenm you're going to get a variety of answers. Exercising our constitutional rights to gather is very important -- so is developing tolerance, acceptance, good communication and expression of spiritual freedom. But just as important in furthering my wholeness as a human being is nurturing my sense of playfulness. At a gathering, I want to rekindle my child spirit mirrored in the dance of the drum circle. I want to capture the spirit of 1972 when I was a child playing in the garden. So if you've forgotten how to twinkle or never learned, your family will gladly show you how it's done on Saturday, June 10, 1995, the first day of this year's Northwest Regional Gathering, in the garden of love, somewhere on the people's land.
With Sincerity and Love, Liz.
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<<<<< The Northwest Rainbow Family Tribal News is published at whim. It is currently pasted up using MS Publisher bu Liz Lindstrom and Mickey McKinney, who are respons-able for all its failings. Contact them at 138 Umatilla St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 (please include SASE) or (360)385-6647 or mickmck@olympus.net >>>>>
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Spring Council On Site During Seed Camp
S eed camp will begin five days before the official gathering: Monday June 5 through Friday, June 9. Spring council will be held on site the first three days of seed camp, June 5 through 7. Strong participation in seed camp/spring council is vital for the health and well-being of the gathering. If you want the unique experience of planting the first seeds, helping the gathering take root and finally fruit, come to seed camp. Be committed to focused communication and work. Come prepared for cold, rain and late snowfall. Bring tools, equipment, and positive energy. Specific areas of need are: water system, shitters and sanitation, equipping and setting up main kitchen, food supply, kiddie village, welcome centre, recycling, parking, workshop bulletin board, and most especially, your own version of joy for the family. Start gathering tools, equipment and supplies, and begin networking now! (see contacts to follow)
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Northwest Tribes Contacts
Main Office: Ruby Moss, 51-10th Ave., Port Hadlock, WA 98339 (360)385-2540. Ruby is the main contact. Information, questions and donations can be directed to her. All donation cheques should be made payable to Northwest Tribes and sent in c/o Ruby Moss at the above address.
Scouting Contact: Allen Firesong (208) 634-2860. Allen is the main scouting contact. He plans to scout a few areas in Nevada and Idaho. If you would like to help scout or have or need information about scouting, please contact Allen.
Main Kitchen Contact: Kathy Shayler, PO Box 65, Dillard, OR 97432
Kathy has agreed to help organize and run main kitchen. She needs at least one other person to agree to help organize food supplies, and kitchen crew. We need people to begin collecting large pots, pans, spices, large utensils grates and wash basins now (see Storage, below.)
Storage Contact: Kelly Green, 5270 West Valley Rd., Chimacum, WA. 98325, (360) 732-4216. Kelly has agreed to store non-food supplies for the gathering. If you have something to donate (tarps, rope, tools, plywood, pots and kitchen stuff, water-line, ovens, griddles, etc.), but you can't store it, give Kelly a call. Also, if you're bringing any of the above stuff for community use, let Kelly or Ruby know, to help us coordinate our resources better.
Kelly plans to do some scouting in the eastern slopes of the Olympics and west of Olympia as well. Anyone interested in scouting these areas, can contact him at the above address or phone number.
C.A.L.M. (Centre for Alternative Living Medicine) Contact: Jane Lightwarrior, P.O. Box 11592, Eugene, OR., 97440, (503) 342-6010. Jane needs healing herbs, boo-boo stuff, (her words, and she's the doctor), vitamins and ice packs.
Email Contact: <mickmck@olympus.net> Mickey McKinney Please include "rain" in the subject.
Ongoing Northwest Tribes Contact: Buddha John and Sparrow Daydancer. P.O. Box 545, Eugene, OR. 97440. You can sent correspondences to this address if for some reason you do not want to contact the main office. (see Ruby Moss above)
Other Events and Information
The Southern California Regional Gathering will take place March 17-20, 1995. Send enquiries to P.O. Box 926 Cardiff, CA 92007, or phone (619) 755-5958.
Island Tribes Regional Gathering. The `95 Island Tribes Regional Gathering will take place during the full moon in July. Keeha Beach on Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada is a very sensitive area. The trail to the site is long, difficult, and muddy (and I'm not talking mind-jam here but the real organic stuff). So come prepared and bring water filters. Contact Waterfall or Sara at 821 Beaver Point Rd., Salt Springs Island, B.C., Canada V8K 1X9, phone (604) 653-4873.
National Rainbow Gathering.
The `95 National Gathering will be held this year in New Mexico. For information write to P.O. Box 6430, Taos, NM 87571.
Shanti-Sena
A report on an unfortunate event occuring at a New England regional gathering in which a car was set on fire and at least one person was hurt badly sparked discussion in and out of council. Sara, Carla, Buddha John and Buffalo have tentatively agreed to facilitate at least one workshop on the role of Shanti-Sena. Conflict resolution, defusing potential violent situations and separating violation of rights and safety issues from issues of substance abuse are some of the topics to be addressed. Anyone interested in peace keeping can contact them at 544 West 16th Street, Eugene, OR 97401. Please include a SASE for requested information.
Want More News? Write Some Yourself
Please send us your news, views and heartsongs about our Northwest family's upcoming regional gathering in June. We'll publish as much as we can, including small line drawings. "How to" stories on playgrounds, kitchen, water system, CALM, shitters, etc. is one suggestion. We would welcome anything that can help turn our inspirations and visions into reality.
Copy and Distribute <-----------> To donate to the Magic Hat, see Main Office under Contacts.