Scouting 101 and First Scout Council

The first Scout Council called by Thanksgiving Council is happening Friday, May 1st (near LITTLE DRY CREEK, in the GILA N.F., in S.W. New Mexico.). As with all things Rainbow, no experience is necessary to participate and new blood is always needed provided you can be self sufficient, have a dependable car or gas money to donate to someone who does, and want to do the hard work.

If you've never been scouting, here's my short list of how to scout (based on collective wisdom that has been shared with me).

Step 1) Pick a gathering or gatherings that you personally attended.
Step 2) Find those gathering sites on a topo map. I was taught to use 7 minute maps. Many university libraries have good collections of topo maps. Or visit topo zone maps online.
Step 3) Once you find the topo map, correlate the parking lots, kitchens, main circle, and various camps you remember with spots on the topo map.
Step 4) Pick a national forest and an area that you feel would be conducive to a gathering - if you're planning on help out with scouting for the annual gathering, we're looking in New Mexico.
Step 5) Look at the topos for that area trying to find a site that has the qualities you liked about the previous gatherings you've attended. Some of my personal favorite features are a good hike in at least 1 mile, closer to 2 if it's an easy hike because I feel that the harder it is to get into a site, the more committed people are to staying and creating gathering reality. For a large gathering, having a main meadow and a couple of separate smaller meadows, water is of course necessary. Places to hike away from the main part of the gathering for people wanting to get away. Two roads in an out to the gathering site.
Step 6) Make sure the site is far away from civilization to minimize gatherer/non-gatherer conflicts and runs into town for booze.
Step 7) Go out and walk the site and see if it has what the maps showed, if it's workable and if it has the magic.

Thanks to all my family who are spending time and mooney scouting for this gathering! We Love You!

Rainbow Gathering Documentary

My how times have changed. When I first started participating in gatherings, we were very anti-video and anti-photography.

After years of escalating harassment by the United States Forest Service (USFS) branch of Law Enforcement, many people have taken to trying to record much of the harassment. It's helped many a person have felony charges dismissed for such made up things as inciting a riot (i.e. oming in an officer's presence) and other such insanity.

Last year in Wyoming, we had a crew filming a documentary on the gathering. It was probably a great year for such an endeavour as in my opinion, last year was such a beautiful gathering in many ways and it erupted with the most extreme violence from the USFS cops we've experienced. I'm not sure when it's going to be released, but if you're interested, you can visit their website We Love You Film.

As I haven't seen the film, I have no opinion to offer. Once I've seen it, I'll offer my two cents.

Goverment Spending on the Gathering

Here are links to information I received via FOIA requests on the amount of money the US Government spends on harrasing the gathering.

Most of this information was originally posted on my more personal blog with commentary. At that time I was missing some of the requested information, so here's a complete set with the missing USFS expenses for Wyoming in 2008.

USFS Expenses by year excluding 2008

USFS Expenses for 2008 with cover letter.

Fines from the Wyoming Kangaroo Court in Farson.

Please share this information freely and download copies to keep locally.

Sage Advise for First Time Gatherers

People who participate in Rainbow Gatherings have a written a number of raps over the years that help distill collective wisdom on how to have a fun, safe and memorable gathering. If you're a first time gatherer, or still in the fog about gathering logistics, here's some great links, all posted at RainbowGuide.info.

The Mini Manual is a great how to plan a gathering, how to be safe at the gathering and how to keep yourself and the rest of the gathering healthy.

Rap 107 is the short version on gathering safety - learn it, know it, live it.

Not sure what to bring, check out the awesome Turtle guide. If you've never camped before, remember the golden rule: “Bring every good thing. If it ain’t on this list, consider leaving it home. If in doubt, leave it out. ‘Cuz if you bring it in, you gotta bring it out. And well, dang! You just might be surprised how little you really need.” Bring love and hugs and good vibes, and most importantly, bring you.

Have children, then you want to read the Kidz Rap.

If you're not using to being on the opposite side of the law, you better read Rap 420.

Wondering about how alcohol fits into the gathering, read Raps 150/115.

Peace out!

Article on gathering in Communities magazine

Communities magazine, Spring 2009 - #142 - Festivals and Gatherings. There is a great article on the gathering written by Scott who usually hangs at Info. The article isn't available online so you'll have to run out to you nearest co-op or other cool store and pick up a copy.

Sister Energy and Sexism at the Gathering

Today is International Women's Day -- a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. I thought it would be a great opportunity to check in with my sisters on the state of sexism at the Rainbow Gathering.

Take shitter digging for instance. I love to dig shitters. Yet even when I am participating in shitter digging, there are usually three or four men, and me. I know a few other sisters who love to dig shitters. But generally it seems shitter digging is a male dominated service at the gathering. Why is that?

I have experienced my fair share of sexism at the gathering ranging from my opinion being discarded by a bunch of old white men, to brothers trying to "protect me." - As if I needed protection. Believe me, when I need help, I'll ask for help from my sisters or my brothers. Until then, I'm perfectly capable of finding my way back to my tent, hauling water, working front gate, dealing with an over tripped brother, or pitching my own tent.

Don't get me wrong, I highly value sharing work at the gathering. Many of my closest friends have come out of shared hands on a heavy task, but there's a difference between shared work and work that protects me from reaching my potential as a human being.

A few weeks back I was talking to a male early gatherer and told him I thought my younger sisters were less impacted by gathering sexism than my older sisters. I have no idea what I based that thought on, but it's been eating at me. So what's your experience with sexism or the lack there of at the gathering? Where do we need to make improvements to meet the needs of our beautiful family who have vaginas? What is our vision for creating a gathering where every participant is treated as a unique, valued, important, human in the process of evolving, one of a kind creature of the earth?

If you don't feel like posting your thoughts publically, I'd love for you to email me and let me know. Let's make New Mexico the gathering of strong sisters.

Natural First Aid with 7Song Podcast

I found this very cool podcast with a long time gatherer who oftens does herbal healing and plant walks at the gathering.

"7Song is director of the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in Ithaca, NY. He is also a teacher at the California School of Herbal Studies. In this interview we discuss herbal first aid, natural first aid, an herbal first aid kit, and his work at the Rainbow Gathering and other public service. Podcast from Daily Splice