2015 national rainbow gathering

[longhammer]

Well hello all fellow travelers! Still fairly new here. But love this place! Anyway, wanted to leave up to the minute coverage of Rainbow happenings (and rumors till dispelled) in one place!
Spring Council WILL be held on the Pine Ridge Reservation in SD. So the chances of this year's Gathering being there is 99%.
It could get interesting due to so many wanting Michigan, including myself. I agree with the most of what I've been hearing on the potential to help the Souix. Only 40% of the people on the second largest reservation, have power and water.
That said, I have no issue lending a hand after a MI Gathering! So if there are more out there that want their voice heard, come to Spring Council.
My last thought, I'm not going to fight over one place or another, my home is where my family are. If that's SD, it'll be home and it will be great!

 

[soodoenim]

Any news? Has the council met, and is there a main-site established? Any more details would be greatly appreciated.

 

[soodoenim]

I just saw this coming around on my Facebook Timeline - https://www.change.org/p/barack-oba...-gathering-in-the-black-hills-national-forest - and I'm wondering what Rainbow is like these days. The last gathering I was at was the 2006 National Gathering in Colorado. Can anyone who has been to some gatherings over the last 10 years give me a sense of how, if at all, things might have changed since my last gathering? Has it become more of a shit-show than in the past, or is this just more of the usual noise that we usually hear leading up to a National Gathering? Not looking to stir up any shit, but I would be interested to know what Rainbow has become over the last decade.

 

[nobrains]

The situation on the land is amazing. The locals and the indigenous welcome us with open arms. Many respected elders have sent their blessing. We are still talking to others even yet. Every respected indigenous person tells us that no one can speak for everyone in the tribes, but the leaders we talked to and heard from welcome us to gather in the hills. I went in skeptical and was convinced by the emphatic welcome that it is the right thing to do, that the people on the land know more about the situation than the internet parrots, that this place is the best place for the family. We drafted a couple statements from council with the help of respected indigenous leaders. They will be forthcoming and should be copied and pasted readily. The details are of course complex but the simple truth is that everything came together really well and that the people who were not there do not know what's going on.
Ignore all rumors. The Internet parrots and agent provocateurs are causing division. The real situation on the land is not what is said on the net. Anyone who did not sit thru three days of council until the final OHM do not speak the truth. Be aware of disinformation, misinformation and agent provocateurs.

Apparently there's lots of misinformation flying around. Since I am in OK and haven't hitched out yet, I'm going to withhold judgment and avoid making assumptions or expectations of what is happening/being said in SD until consensus is reached. Though, from what I've heard the loud opposition from the tribes is coming from a few individuals who are considered 'loose cannons' and who claim to speak for all tribal members when in fact they do not. What they have said and done has exploded into quite the movie thanks to the internet, when in reality it has not been like that. Lots of smoke and thunder, but signifying nothing. All that I've read from those actually in SD who aren't merely repeating what they've read in news articles, and who have been attending council, claim that the council is going wonderfully and the tribes are extremely welcoming, and want to work with us.

 

[oldcoyote]

Here's an announcement from Spring Council posted to the Rainbow Gathering reddit page:

Consensus was reached late yesterday (June 19). The council consenting included members of our local First Nations (as you will see by how the wording of the welcome has been changed). A small group of us are headed to Pine Ridge right now (morning of June 20) to meet with a very respected elder today. And still, as of today no traditional Necha (sp?) has said no to the family.

Spring council has reached consensus and moved to the site. The following three consenses were agreed on in circle before the final agreement to move to site. The wording of each consensus was discussed with a delegation of indigenous people who came to site in our circle each day with us for three days.

Consensus #1: All land is sacred.

Consensus #2: "Ignore all rumors. There is a massive amount of misinformation being spread on the internet and in media, and very little true information. To know what is true about events on the land, contact those who are actually on the land.

Some rumor control volunteers (may be rarely in phone service as the gathering progresses): [REDACTED] Consensus #3:

"We, who are brothers & sisters, children of spirit, families of life on earth, friends of nature & of all people, children of humankind calling ourselves the rainbow gathering, humbly invite: All races, peoples, tribes, communes, men, women, children, individuals -- out of love. All nations & national leaders -- out of respect All religions & religious leaders -- out of faith All politicians -- out of charity to join with us in gathering together for the purpose of expressing our sincere desire that there shall be peace on earth, harmony among all people. This gathering to take place July 1-7, 2015, in the sacred Black Hills of occupied Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho territory & to hold open worship, prayer, chanting or whatever is the want or desire of the people, but upon the fourth day of July until noon to ask that there be a meditative, contemplative silence wherein we, the invited people of the world may consider & give honour & respect to anyone or anything that has aided in the positive evolution of humankind & nature upon this, our most beloved & beautiful world -- asking blessing upon we people of this world & hope that we people can effectively proceed to evolve, expand, & live in harmony & peace.

Please be respectful of the First Nations' land, culture, and spirituality. Indigenous people have asked us not to imitate indigenous cultures.

We love you!

From Rapid City, SD, take Hwy 16 south west to Hill City, South Dakota (about 30 miles)

From Hill City, South Dakota Take 385 north to 17 (Deerfield road). Approx. 25 miles to Ditchfield rd. Immediate right over the bridge on forest road 294. Approx. 5 miles to welcome home. Better directions coming soon.

Some rumor control volunteers (may be rarely in phone service as the gathering progresses):

Val - (435) 260-8730

Jesse - (657) 203-7808

Shining Light Kitchen (Facebook)

Justin Rowland (facebook)(Oyate Media Network, Oglala-Lakota)

Feather - (406) 546-2609

 

[soodoenim]

www.reddit.com/r/rainbowgathering/comments/39ubh9/how_to_slander_rainbow_gatherings/