I've never been to a Rainbow Gathering (I'm not the festival type and probably wouldn't go if it were in my backyard). There is almost a shitton of posts here mentioning what a threat Rainbow participants are to train hopping. Has the reputation been earned? Have you been to a Rainbow Gathering? How to people there behave? If you have a personal experience or observation that you would like to share, please do.
janktoaster
Well-known member
Nah, I haven't been to one, but I know it's kinda shitty.. they trash wherever they're camping and half the time don't clean it up when they leave. I dunno, I've never been interested in telling strangers "love you, family". I also know they blow up a lot of spots.
I'm assuming some of the Rainbow kids are decent, but I haven't met anyone I've liked that has told me they're going to "Rainbow".. there are other ways to expand your mind than drugs
I'm assuming some of the Rainbow kids are decent, but I haven't met anyone I've liked that has told me they're going to "Rainbow".. there are other ways to expand your mind than drugs
I just finished reading the Wiki artical on them. The trash that they leave was mentioned in the artical. It was my understanding that there was a volunteer crew which stays late to handle that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Gathering
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Gathering
janktoaster
Well-known member
I just know the one in Florida a few months ago, a bunch of kitchens just threw all of their trash in the woods and left.. disgusting
notOK
Active member
Bah, lost the whole post in the ether. Oh well.
Anyway, never've been to two Gatherings that were the same. Some wingnuts and blissninny fuckers'll sour one's impression of the thing as a whole. The execution varies in success from year to year and some locations tend to have their shit together more than others.
There's been some Gatherings I've seen where they did a bang up cleaning, better than it was. Getting up old pull tab beer can piles and rusted husks of cars from decades prior.
And on the flip side, seen kitchens and individuals be jagoffs and just split with a big pile of clusterfuck. Sometimes containing pretty sweet groundscores (new tents, laptops, coats, assorted gear).
Some kids bust ass, running killer kitchens with dank food and more sanitary prep than your average restaurant. Fixing buses and helping get a few more miles out of old Dodge vans.
I learnt they existed from some kid I was locked up with in the swamp as a juvenile. He just lived by the forest one was at, he wasn't all up in it. Tucked that bit of information in the back of my mind and figured on seeing what the deal was, few years down the line. Traveled solo, grey three piece and old Baretta. Hit a Gathering, kinda changed my perspective some. Hitched to my ma'amaws house and put my pistol up. Mellowed a little, from not giving half a fuck the game is rigged cop'll put me outta my misery sooner or later thinking, to something less bitter bout shit.
Anyway, never've been to two Gatherings that were the same. Some wingnuts and blissninny fuckers'll sour one's impression of the thing as a whole. The execution varies in success from year to year and some locations tend to have their shit together more than others.
There's been some Gatherings I've seen where they did a bang up cleaning, better than it was. Getting up old pull tab beer can piles and rusted husks of cars from decades prior.
And on the flip side, seen kitchens and individuals be jagoffs and just split with a big pile of clusterfuck. Sometimes containing pretty sweet groundscores (new tents, laptops, coats, assorted gear).
Some kids bust ass, running killer kitchens with dank food and more sanitary prep than your average restaurant. Fixing buses and helping get a few more miles out of old Dodge vans.
I learnt they existed from some kid I was locked up with in the swamp as a juvenile. He just lived by the forest one was at, he wasn't all up in it. Tucked that bit of information in the back of my mind and figured on seeing what the deal was, few years down the line. Traveled solo, grey three piece and old Baretta. Hit a Gathering, kinda changed my perspective some. Hitched to my ma'amaws house and put my pistol up. Mellowed a little, from not giving half a fuck the game is rigged cop'll put me outta my misery sooner or later thinking, to something less bitter bout shit.
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I'm planning on hitting my first gathering this year at nationals. It's the big show, with all the stops pulled out and the 'rainbow elders' making a showing. I'll let you know how it goes. I think the discord between Rainbows and most STP members comes from a difference in philosophy. We are about individualism. They about family. We're about making our own way in our own world and they are about everyone conforming to a philosophy of love and oneness. They say submit to love. We say decide. Both systems and groups have their own merits and positives as well as negatives. I've developed a philosophy that includes both schools of thought.
Of course, this could all be bullshit. Who knows? I'm not too heavy into the rainbow or punk scene.
Of course, this could all be bullshit. Who knows? I'm not too heavy into the rainbow or punk scene.
I lost my long winded response that i worked ever so hard to construct, but here's an abridged version...
In my experience, there are no generalizations that one could make about rainbow that don't apply to the north american traveler community as a whole. The community at large is trashy as fuck. Too many people with their hands out, looking to take as much as they can hold, with no regard for the next person in line. There's predators and pedophiles and litter bugs and junkies and fucking yegs abound. And not everyone who goes to gatherings is a fucking hippie. I can't think of a single archetype or sub-cultural identity not found within rainbow. If you don't like the idea of telling strangers you love them, then don't, I sure as shit don't say it to every person i see in the woods. If you invite 10,000 people to your party, some of the people who show up are gonna fucking suck, and they're gonna be the ones to get noticed.
I lost my long winded response that i worked ever so hard to construct, but here's an abridged version...
In my experience, there are no generalizations that one could make about rainbow that don't apply to the north american traveler community as a whole. The community at large is trashy as fuck. Too many people with their hands out, looking to take as much as they can hold, with no regard for the next person in line. There's predators and pedophiles and litter bugs and junkies and fucking yegs abound. And not everyone who goes to gatherings is a fucking hippie. I can't think of a single archetype or sub-cultural identity not found within rainbow. If you don't like the idea of telling strangers you love them, then don't, I sure as shit don't say it to every person i see in the woods. If you invite 10,000 people to your party, some of the people who show up are gonna fucking suck, and they're gonna be the ones to get noticed.
I lost my long winded response that i worked ever so hard to construct, but here's an abridged version...
In my experience, there are no generalizations that one could make about rainbow that don't apply to the north american traveler community as a whole. The community at large is trashy as fuck. Too many people with their hands out, looking to take as much as they can hold, with no regard for the next person in line. There's predators and pedophiles and litter bugs and junkies and fucking yegs abound. And not everyone who goes to gatherings is a fucking hippie. I can't think of a single archetype or sub-cultural identity not found within rainbow. If you don't like the idea of telling strangers you love them, then don't, I sure as shit don't say it to every person i see in the woods. If you invite 10,000 people to your party, some of the people who show up are gonna fucking suck, and they're gonna be the ones to get noticed.
Dameon
Well-known member
Been to a few, and here's what I've taken away:
They're no threat to the travelling community. What're they blowing up? Spots you would never be in if not for a rainbow gathering?
Cleanup is usually pretty good. Yuppies come out for two days and leave more trash than everybody who's been there for a whole month put together. But the people that stay behind are well rewarded in groundscores and kickdowns. Many of said kickdowns being smokable or edible.
One hippie is cool. Ten hippies is a bit much. Fourty thousand hippies is horrifying. That's enough reason for me to never want to go again.
They're no threat to the travelling community. What're they blowing up? Spots you would never be in if not for a rainbow gathering?
Cleanup is usually pretty good. Yuppies come out for two days and leave more trash than everybody who's been there for a whole month put together. But the people that stay behind are well rewarded in groundscores and kickdowns. Many of said kickdowns being smokable or edible.
One hippie is cool. Ten hippies is a bit much. Fourty thousand hippies is horrifying. That's enough reason for me to never want to go again.
Rainbow Gathering fuckin' blows. I went to Spring Council and National Gathering in Montana last year and not only did I see tons of scumbags getting in fights (this was not just in the "A-Camp") there were people getting their shit stolen left and right. Junkies screaming at each other, people's dogs getting loose and attacking other dogs, people shitting in random places without digging a hole, throwing trash everywhere. It's a fuckin' joke.
One night I left my tent while I slept in my friends' bus for the night, and the next morning I come down and open it to find some fucking disgusting stinky hippie snuggled up inside my sleeping bag and my tent wreaked like shit. The dude woke up thinking I was going to kick his ass and when I didn't he proceeded to apologize a hundred times following me around as I went to gather fire supplies, and then I just ended up giving him my nice ass sleeping bag and tent cause I didn't wanna deal with it.
Don't get me wrong, I met a lot of nice open-minded people there, but a majority of the people I witnessed at the Spring Council and at the actual Gathering were fuckin' wingnuts, junkies, alcoholics, and just plain scumbags. Don't waste your time.
One night I left my tent while I slept in my friends' bus for the night, and the next morning I come down and open it to find some fucking disgusting stinky hippie snuggled up inside my sleeping bag and my tent wreaked like shit. The dude woke up thinking I was going to kick his ass and when I didn't he proceeded to apologize a hundred times following me around as I went to gather fire supplies, and then I just ended up giving him my nice ass sleeping bag and tent cause I didn't wanna deal with it.
Don't get me wrong, I met a lot of nice open-minded people there, but a majority of the people I witnessed at the Spring Council and at the actual Gathering were fuckin' wingnuts, junkies, alcoholics, and just plain scumbags. Don't waste your time.
It's funny you say this, cause half the time I ended a conversation with someone or even someone just walking by they'd just be like, "lovin' you brah!". I'd just laugh and in my head think, what the fuck?
When i first started out doing this, i ended up here in Tallahassee first. I had no idea who Rainbow was and what they stand for (still don't), i met 3 different people 2 from Miami and the other was from out west. It was early morning when i was walking through a Walmart parking lot and this guy comes up dressed in mostly camo and asks me for booze. Told him i didn't drink (the look on his face was priceless).
Later that day 2 guys ask for me $$$ which i had none then asked me for either Drugs or booze, they were headed to a Rainbow gathering in the woods south of Tallahassee. Now i looked mostly not the norm as far as my clothes and my backpack so usually you can tell when someone is on the road, usually. These guys never said hello kiss my ass or whateva, they just wanted what they wanted. I'm not grouping all Rainbow people together with this, it's just that first impressions were not good. I decided not to deal with Rainbow people again until someone changes my mind about them.
On a side note, I have a railroad atlas so the one guy says hey can i "borrow" that i want to make a copy of. I was so close to handing it over but then thought otherwise of it. Told him i'd meet him tomorrow and make copies for him, he never showed and have never seen him again. I might have been out 1 railroad atlas.
Later that day 2 guys ask for me $$$ which i had none then asked me for either Drugs or booze, they were headed to a Rainbow gathering in the woods south of Tallahassee. Now i looked mostly not the norm as far as my clothes and my backpack so usually you can tell when someone is on the road, usually. These guys never said hello kiss my ass or whateva, they just wanted what they wanted. I'm not grouping all Rainbow people together with this, it's just that first impressions were not good. I decided not to deal with Rainbow people again until someone changes my mind about them.
On a side note, I have a railroad atlas so the one guy says hey can i "borrow" that i want to make a copy of. I was so close to handing it over but then thought otherwise of it. Told him i'd meet him tomorrow and make copies for him, he never showed and have never seen him again. I might have been out 1 railroad atlas.
Seems kind of strange that they mention that they have "elders". Here's what their wili page says about their values:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Gathering
Values
The Rainbow Family has no leaders, no structure, no official spokespersons, no official documents, and no membership. Documents are produced as needed and maintained by various groups. The values held are love, peace, non-violence, environmentalism, non-consumerism and non-commercialism, volunteerism, respect for others, consensus process, and multicultural diversity.
To me, the mere mention of "elders" constitutes structure and in some cultures constitutes leadership.
Lookin' forward to hearing about your experience, Sip!
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I actually thought the same exact thing. I had the chance to meet a so-called "elder" around a fire with just me, him and a couple other people around it. Couldn't make out 90% of what came out of this creepy old fucks mouth and his face literally looked like Michael Jackson. And these fuckin kids go around practically worshipping these zombies. Yeah...doing enough drugs and booze for 40 years doesn't make you fuckin' cool.
I agree. The idea of Elder's is sort of backwards, but if they are just there to pass on wisdom, and to teach new-comers about Rainbow, it might work.
Also, I can't attend the gathering. My father was severely injured in a drunken horse accident and my concern for his health prompted me to stay close for a while. He's feeling much better, and is getting out of the hospital soon. Basically, it will be a month from the day I WANTED to leave before I get on the road (Around july 14).
dayum yall are harsh!
I just got back from nationals and have been before, and the Ocala regional and they are very different from each other. there are basically regionals going on all the time, which can totally vary on how they handle themselves based on who the core people are. The years vary in who attends and what they are like so no two will be the same anywhere.
I would in NO WAY call it a festival. I would call it a bunch of homeless/ traveler/bum people living in the woods together and I think a lot of more middle ground people get there and kinda freak when they realize that. Its a good bit wild and outlaw.
Basically its centered around people building pop up kitchens in the woods to feed everyone there. There is a donation that is asked for which is used to buy more food based on a list provided by all the kitchens, which is then added to the main supply which is then divided to the kitchens who serve at the main dinner circle where everyone can eat. If you have ever helped with food not bombs or any small community of anarchist you could understand how consensus decisions are made and applied for the community by a council of anyone who wants to attend. The whole thing is based around your small community. You, your camp, then the kitchen youre near, then the whole community. it trickles up to the whole based on the individuals in the small sub communities.
At the nationals I think everyone does a REALLY GOOD job of cleaning up. In my humble hippie opinion I saw no trash anywhere really. There are constantly people walking around trying to collect your pocket trash and people stay for so long cleaning up and undoing all the trampling everyone did. There are a good amount of yups that show up for the main days but most of the real heads are travelers and bums who have been there for weeks BUSTING THERE ASSES. Seriously. They work HARD. Its a competition to see who can work harder. Carrying tons of peoples stuff up two mile mountain passes, giving away there tents and living quarters, making sure everyone is fed. There are some gnarly ass people there for sure. Its only exclusive in that its usually deep in the woods and a bit tricky to get too so you get lots of people from all spectrum's of homefreeness. Definitely not all hippies. Any one who goes is part of the community and they bring there help and problems with them.
Its crazy how well they flag the police to make sure everyone knows where they are and what they are up too. People are really inventive, making water pumps and filters, ground ovens, digging shitters and other basic temporary infrastructures. Its anarcho primitiveism for sure.
There are some fights, thefts and problems of course, there are 20000 people most of whom are already on the fringes of regular society, but I can guarantee you that its wayy less proportionately than general population. Some of the most ratchet peeps there will put away there habits to say peace and love and family for a few weeks, its honestly really inspiring. I havent been to a place where peace is more of a paradigm then rainbow. If you get there early you really get to meet everyone and get included in the work load. Its all based on YOUR PARTICIPATION. You gotta help too.
If you iz a traveler or homeless or whatever really I would say its worth checking out. Because it is not what anyone expects and really cant be explained too well. There isnt anything else going on like it thats for sure.
Remember anarchy and peace isnt something that just happens its something to strive for.....
I just got back from nationals and have been before, and the Ocala regional and they are very different from each other. there are basically regionals going on all the time, which can totally vary on how they handle themselves based on who the core people are. The years vary in who attends and what they are like so no two will be the same anywhere.
I would in NO WAY call it a festival. I would call it a bunch of homeless/ traveler/bum people living in the woods together and I think a lot of more middle ground people get there and kinda freak when they realize that. Its a good bit wild and outlaw.
Basically its centered around people building pop up kitchens in the woods to feed everyone there. There is a donation that is asked for which is used to buy more food based on a list provided by all the kitchens, which is then added to the main supply which is then divided to the kitchens who serve at the main dinner circle where everyone can eat. If you have ever helped with food not bombs or any small community of anarchist you could understand how consensus decisions are made and applied for the community by a council of anyone who wants to attend. The whole thing is based around your small community. You, your camp, then the kitchen youre near, then the whole community. it trickles up to the whole based on the individuals in the small sub communities.
At the nationals I think everyone does a REALLY GOOD job of cleaning up. In my humble hippie opinion I saw no trash anywhere really. There are constantly people walking around trying to collect your pocket trash and people stay for so long cleaning up and undoing all the trampling everyone did. There are a good amount of yups that show up for the main days but most of the real heads are travelers and bums who have been there for weeks BUSTING THERE ASSES. Seriously. They work HARD. Its a competition to see who can work harder. Carrying tons of peoples stuff up two mile mountain passes, giving away there tents and living quarters, making sure everyone is fed. There are some gnarly ass people there for sure. Its only exclusive in that its usually deep in the woods and a bit tricky to get too so you get lots of people from all spectrum's of homefreeness. Definitely not all hippies. Any one who goes is part of the community and they bring there help and problems with them.
Its crazy how well they flag the police to make sure everyone knows where they are and what they are up too. People are really inventive, making water pumps and filters, ground ovens, digging shitters and other basic temporary infrastructures. Its anarcho primitiveism for sure.
There are some fights, thefts and problems of course, there are 20000 people most of whom are already on the fringes of regular society, but I can guarantee you that its wayy less proportionately than general population. Some of the most ratchet peeps there will put away there habits to say peace and love and family for a few weeks, its honestly really inspiring. I havent been to a place where peace is more of a paradigm then rainbow. If you get there early you really get to meet everyone and get included in the work load. Its all based on YOUR PARTICIPATION. You gotta help too.
If you iz a traveler or homeless or whatever really I would say its worth checking out. Because it is not what anyone expects and really cant be explained too well. There isnt anything else going on like it thats for sure.
Remember anarchy and peace isnt something that just happens its something to strive for.....
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I hope you and your pup recover quickly from the sun exposure. Is that why it sucked?
If so, the sun must have shone brightly on the Rainbows this year.
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