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Our Name:
Any gathering that bears the name "Rainbow" is a completely free,
non-commercial event. All supplies are donated, or paid for with money given
to the Magic Hat. There is no admission fee. No money is exchanged within the
Gathering. This frees us from legal and licensing entanglements, and
guarantees us our Constitutional right to gather on public land. Our
Gatherings are also open to all peaceful people. No one is turned away,
except for breaking the pledge of non-violence.
Seed Camp:
A few days or more before a Gathering is to start, a dedicated group of
people arrives early to: Find and develop water sources; Set up the first
kitchen and dig the first latrines; Locate and mark the parking lot; Lay out
and clear trails; Set up Welcome Home. This is a time when you can work
intensely with a few other people and form some deep friendships. PLEASE, if
you come to seed camp, be self-sufficient, bring your own food & water, be
prepared to take care of your own needs and work to help set up for the
Gathering.
Wildlife:
This is the Cathedral of Nature that we gather in, and we keep it that way.
We disturb the environment as little as we can. Riverbanks and wetlands are
vulnerable ecosystems. Plants of older phyla, like mosses and ferns, are
especially fragile. Cactus is more vulnerable than you might think. We might
be walking through animal's hunting grounds. Stay on the forest floor and the
dry meadows. Remember that insects are also wildlife. Give an anthill its
space, and before your throw wood into a fire, look to see if it's home to
bugs. Never use insecticides. Thiamin, B-complex vitamins, citronella, and
raw garlic can help keep biting critters away.Don't litter. Birds can pick up
filter tips and choke. Broken glass is a danger to all creatures' feet. Pick
up trash left behind by those who are not yet Rainbows. Use things where they
lie. The more you move, the more you'll have to put back.
Water Sources:
Our water sources are our life-blood and must be protected from the very
first day people are on the site. Any water for drinking is marked off with
strings or ribbons, and no campsites or latrines are within 100 feet of them.
People stay away from them unless involved in obtaining water. Never pour
liquid wastes into a water source, or on the ground nearby. Use a gray water
pit, dug at least 100 feet away. Never use soap in a water source. Take a
bucket at least 100 feet from open water to wash. Soaps will pollute the
water. Even biodegradable soap like Dr. Bronner's can kill fish and
micro-organisms. Never dip your own canteen or cup into a water source - use
a common hose or dipper instead. Never drink water unless you know it's been
scientifically tested, adequately filtered, or boiled. Even the purest
looking water can contain microorganisms that cause sever intestinal illness.
To be absolutely safe, boil water at least 10 minutes.
Latrines:
If you gotta go, go to a latrine. Never take a dump on top of the ground and
walk off and leave it. The first fly that sees it will go tell all the others
in the nearest kitchen. Don't make the fly connection: SHIT --> FLIES -->
FOOD --> YOU. You haven't been to a gathering until you've dug a shitter.
Remember to cover your poop with lime or dirt.
Recycling:
We don't mix our garbage and trash together, and make the local landfill
landfull. We separate our refuse, recycle what we can, and dispose of the
rest in a nature-friendly way. At every kitchen and at well traveled sites
around the Gathering, there are recycling stations, each with seven
containers - for: metal bought as scrap like aluminum, copper, iron and
steel; glass of any kind (These first two are taken to a local collection
point); paper which we burn ourselves; plastics and other materials that
can't burn without toxic odors, this goes into plastic bags, to be taken to a
dumpster or landfill at least 100 miles away; organic matter, food waste
destined for a compost pit; lost and found, left for its owner until the
Gathering ends; free bin, stuff offered to anyone to take and use. Things
left over after the Gathering are taken to a local charity. The Three R's:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Fire:
On any site fire is a danger. There may be fallen and dead timber, and dry
grass in meadows. Don't throw matches or cigarette butts on the ground. When
you build a fire, be responsible. Have a shovel and a 5 gallon bucket of
water near your fire at all time. Use only community fires. Share your hearth
with your neighbors, and don't waste wood on a personal fire. Use only dead
and dry wood, found on the ground for fuel. Never throw plastics or synthetic
materials into a fire. This creates toxic fumes. Select a safe location.
Watch for overhanging snags of deadwood. Keep you fire low -- sparks fly far,
even live trees can catch fire. If you must have a large fire, build it in a
meadow at least 20 feet from the treeline. Beware of root fires. Line the
inside and bottom of your firepit with rocks. Scrape the ground free of loose
duff, leaves and grass for at least a foot around your pit. Watch your fire
at all times, never leave a fire unattended. The wind can rise or shift
direction quickly. Stray sparks can bring disaster. Don't leave your camp
behind until your fire is completely out and cold. Embers can flame up again
in a wind. No fireworks please!!
Main Circle:
Main Circle is an open meadow, large enough for as many people as you expect
to come. It is the center of our Gathering, where the evening dinner circle
and council are held. Personal campsites are not set up in the Main Circle
meadow.
Council:
We gather in a circle to govern ourselves at Main Council, where we find out
about ongoing activities, tell our heartsongs, and take care of other
notions. It is held every day and is announced by the blowing of the conch
shell or shouting. We pass a feather (or other sacred object) around the
circle, letting each person speak in turn while holding it without
interruption. Talking, listening, and sharing our deepest feelings is how we
find new perspectives on each other, and new ways to solve problems.
Consensus:
Consensus is how we govern ourselves. Consensus means coming to solutions
acceptable to everyone, not just a majority. If we have problems, we bring
them up at our circles and discuss them. During the discussion someone
usually brings out an issue and asks for consensus. If no one radically
objects, then consensus is reached. (This is sometimes called consensus by
silence, i.e. nobody speaks after consensus is asked for.) Otherwise a person
may block consensus by expressing her or his concerns and the discussion
continues. Through this process we attempt to solve our problems.Consensus
gives every person a chance to be heard and have their input weighted
equally. The smallest minority has a chance to change the collective mind if
their vision is keener. It is possible that Spirit has given them a message
that is presently beyond the perception of the rest of the council. If people
exercise this power to go against the majority, they must in good
conscience have listened to the collective wisdom. A block should not be used
to place an individual's will above the group's. Working this out can be very
long and exhausting to the participants. Consensus works in an environment of
trust where everyone suffers or gains alike from the decision. Everyone must:
listen and participate, get informed, be rational, and be part of the process
from the beginning.
Shanti Sena:
We call our security system Shanti Sena. This means "peace keepers" or "peace
scene" in Sanskrit. People experienced in non-violent, peaceful intervention
can be summoned for assistance by calling "Shanti Sena!" But everybody is a
peacekeeper at a Gathering. We are secure because we all watch out for each
other. If we don't stay aware of what is going on with people around us, and
don't offer aid, trouble can erupt into violence and injury. Often a group
can prevail where a single person can't. Offer your help in easing conflict.
We respond with non-violent methods only. Talking is tried before physical
restraint. This talking is done with compassion and respect. If physical
intervention can't be avoided, it is done gently, without inflicting injury.
We lighten the burden on Shanti Sena by: watching out for ourselves and our
valuables (tempt not lest ye be lifted); camping in groups with others; and
watching our neighbors' camps when they're away. We are all Shanti Sena.
C.A.L.M.:
C.A.L.M. --The Center of Alternative Living Medicine-- is our free healing
arts center. If you are injured or ill, come here, especially if it's
something contagious. Natural, alternative medicine is encouraged here.
C.A.L.M. always needs donations of medical supplies... It needs doctors,
nurses, EMT's and therapists of all kinds.
Information:
Information is the communication center. Lost and Found are here. Printed
handouts are available on a table, and maps, rider boards and bulletin boards
are nearby.
Front Gate:
When you volunteer for Front Gate, you get to see it all come in. The parking
lot crew greets the world with hugs and info. They maintain an organized and
secure parking area, and make an around the clock commitment that involves:
greeting new arrivals and giving out information; traffic control and
security; auto repair; and an active Shanti Sena. Alcohol abuse needs special
attention in this area.
Workshops:
Workshops can be given by anyone on any subject. A workshop board is at
Information, and workshop offerings with time and places are on it. Some
popular workshop subjects are: Sister Circle, Brother Circle, Heartsong
Circle, Yoga, Sufi Dancing, Healing.
Music:
We make our own music here. This is a place where your creativity is
encouraged to come out of the closet. Stereos, boomboxes, and radios can
douse a creative spark and are discouraged. Our musicians perform
acoustically, without the distraction of canned music in the background.
Singers, guitarists, and instrumentalists gather to jam around community
fires and in kitchens. Main Circle at night is the traditional place for
drumming and dancing. Share your song with us, even if you are not used to
performing. Don't sit by your tent and play for the trees. Listen to the
other players, and make music with them. You'll be amazed at how good we'll
all make you sound. If you start music, respect the other musicians within
earshot who have already started, especially if your are drumming. (Drums can
carry like a rock 'n roll
amp). Don't try to compete with them, go over and join them instead. Musical
harmony plays with social harmony.
Pets:
A Gathering is not a good place for a pet. Dogs fight other dogs, and kill
wildlife and even other pets. All animals get into food, and leave shit all
over the place. Pets themselves are stressed by the sudden changes in their
environment. Sometimes there is no place to leave your pet, so if you must
bring it, be responsible for your animals. Keep them under constant watch,
keep them away from kitchens, meal circles, councils, and wildlife. Clean up
their droppings.
Clean Up:
Clean up actually begins the moment you arrive - if you don't disturb the
environment to begin with, you don't have to clean it up later. If you pick
up trash all along, there isn't a large amount at the end. Campsites,
bridges, and kitchens are dismantled and disappeared. Compost pits and
latrines are filled and covered with a dome of dirt, to allow for settling.
Logs, rocks, and branches are scattered. Campsites are strewn with grass and
leaves. Firepits are drowned with water and covered with dirt. Paths are
broken up, ground packed hard is broken up with pick and shovel, and bare
spots are reseeded. Potential areas of erosion are shored up. All traces of
our presence are removed. The site is returned to its natural state.In all
ways we walk lightly on the land.
We love you. Please reproduce this information and share it freely.
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