Rary8 Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 Anybody heading to the National Rainbow Gathering (Utah) this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuckholes Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 isnt the rainbow a the national queer symbol? Dont think ill make this one..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rary8 Posted May 8, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 well...yes ... it ...is. But a " Rainbow Gathering" is different. 30,000 hippies in the forest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hux Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 I attended a Rainbow Gathering near Stanley Utah in summer 2000... UNBELIEVABLE experience.....they make us look like hippie wannabes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuckholes Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 hmmmm kewl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 ya, I haven't been to one but met lots of hardcore folk out west that it was a necessary yearly pilgrimage for... full time hippies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rary8 Posted May 8, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 I plan to leave Toronto on June 7th. Head out for seed camp (the beginning of the gathering). Seed camp ends July 1st. Then the Gathering starts for seven days. Cleanup starts on the 8th. On the 15th of July I think i'll take a vacation and go see Phish in Utah. Then back to the site for the rest of Cleanup. I'll be amongst the last to leave and catch Dead tour from Indiana to Buffalo. Then.. who.. knows... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rary8 Posted May 8, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 here's a good ( and of course UNOFFICAL) web site about gathering. http://welcomehome.org/rainbow/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooly Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 I would love to go to one,, havent been yet, some day maybe i will there should be a nat'l in canada too i think yeah rainbows are the gay pride symbol but this is different, just lots of hippys, everything is free, but you gotta help clean up too, treat the land with respect and whatnot. or so ive gathered, i may be wrong it wouldnt be the first or last time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rary8 Posted May 8, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 There are Regional gatherings and there is The National Gathering. The National takes place same time, different forest every year. Attendees upwards of 30 or forty thousand. Regional have a few hundred to a few thousand attendees and take place constantly. Canada has Regionals in Quebec and B.C. every Aug. The National is in Utah this year. Last year was the first time Canadian families put together a Canada National. It was near the ontario border in Manitoba. I didn't attend but I imagine in would have been "regional" size gathering. Describing it as FREE is a little inaccurate. It is funded by donations of money (green energy) and work. Donations come from you and me. Nothing fancy. So bring a couple of bucks. Throw it into the magic hat and plug into a kitchen. It will blow your mind! Guarenteed. It made a Dead show look like a commercial event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hux Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 ...with many spiritual communities feeding the masses! "Rasta Pasta" and "Krishna Kitchen" were a few of my favourites!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Freak Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 I've been to a rainbow gathering...it was not something I would participate in again. Putting 1000 pl for a week in an natural environment that doesn't see that many humans in a 5 year span is not what I would call a peaceful event. The destruction of the trail was beyond belief and the affect on the wildlife was down right scarey. The rangers had spotted more cougars and bears in the area than ever and were extremely fearful of an attack. In my opinion, rainbow gatherings are the most destructive festivals around. The areas they use are not meant for that nor can they survive the abuse...I couldn't imagine the aftermath of a rainbow gathering of 30-40 THOUSAND pl...just plain gross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooly Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 good point superfreek about destroying the surroundings, i cant see 30-40K people not leaving behind some sort of footprints. im guessing at least 30-40K cigarette butts for starters, probly some firepit remains among other things. but i can see how a gathering can make a dead show look commercial, after all, alot of ppl on tour need to sell things to get to the next show, be it drugs or food or clothes or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rary8 Posted May 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 National gatherings are a week long. People come a month early to start building infrastructure i.e. tapping springs and building structures. After the week long "celebration" there is what is called cleanup. Where a number of people spend about a month removing any traces of the busy week. Garbage is all sorted and recycled the removed, Burnt wood, rocks and cut wood is all burnt or buried, pits, holes, shitters etc are all filled in and covered, shit is buried, paths are all areated and chopped up. Then seeded with local seeds and covered. Erosion on hills is waterbarred accordingly. The only damage that last beyond the cleanup process is the trails. And they all are rejuvinated after one season. This includes cigarrette butts. Your information is wrong. I can tell you first hand from every National Rainbow Gathering in the last thirteen years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hux Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 I gotta agree with Rary8, there was a lot of effort put into not disrupting any habitat at the Gathering I was at. Certain areas and streams were blocked off entirely, it was by no means a free for all on the land. Also, I think you have to put it in relative terms, the incredible spiritual energy that is created at these gatherings is amazing, considering most human gatherings are destructive and wasteful, I can think of no better group of people to entrust nature to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Freak Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 My information is wrong? That's fairly arrogant. I saw the rape on the land with my own eyes, felt it in my heart and spoke to the rangers on site. I can understand if you think the destruction is worth the party but to say my info is wrong is closeminded to say the least. How can you claim that a one week festival that takes a whole month to clean up is not destructive. My opinion is mine, nothing you could say will change it. Oh, and by the way, my information is RIGHT!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 sounds like at the destructive gathering that was attended were there were a thousand people it wasn't a national gathering... more like a badly organized makeshift regional gathering where people didn't get it... what area was it in just out of curiousity? the people I knew who went ever year to the national spent about a month there setting up and then cleaning up... in any case, I think living in the forest for a while is better than building a city over the forest or a clearcut when I party or hike all my ciggy butts go into the empty pack in my pocket... my garbage comes with me... no street sweepers in the forest... common sense I think its good for humans to spend time living on the planet like animals... also good for those there to encourage those around them to be respectful of our provider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im going home Donny Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 I agree with you SuperFreak....hundreds or thousands of folks in any natural envirement is going to be destructive no matter how carefull one is. For a truely beautifull and spiritual experiance I suggest doing a solo trip in the woods. If folks need to get together to prove how hippy they are.....why not get together in a place that can sustain them.....have forums and discussions and workshops on creating real change. Create service projects....cleaning up areas, creating green spaces... bah....what do I know....as long as you drive your SUV to get there.....ha ha....hippies in SUVS.....now that's beautifull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rary8 Posted May 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 Well I guess if no one went into the forest at all there would be less damage. Yeah, I can't argue with that Sherlock! But then you wouldn't have all the good things that come from a gathering would you. Keep in mind Rainbows also clean up garbage that was there before them... It takes a month to clean up beacause that is how long the hardcores have to stay to get the job done right. Hey Superfreak, Which gathering were you at anyways? (i guess i'm sorry about the "your info is wrong remark" but you made me angry dis'ing the gathering. Lots of people work REAL hard for free every year and go to jail for our right to gather. And to set an example of a peaceful community) I can debate better when my blood is not boiling so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 so they go to jail? ooooooooooooh that must make them a supper hippy!! Fug that, stay out of the bush, stay out of the water, stay out of the trees, party where you aren't needing a month prior and post to clean up. Hippies. Bah! The real hippies are the ones, like superfreak, who are able to observe the outcome, and act accordingly. But these "hippies" need something to do. If your willing to go to jail over this, you obviously don't have much of a life anyways... Why have them at all? What is the point? I haven't seen a single thing where i was like, damn, without the rainbow gathering, this wouldn't exist...... If you want to live like an animal, do it. No animals gathers in groups of 30 000, trampling the land, then needing the "hardcores" to clean up the mess. Possibly going to jail over it????? did i mention, fug that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rary8 Posted May 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 Why does the wise man live on top of the mountain? Because there are many with questions and few who are willing to climb. The great thing about gatherings is that they are very hard to get to. The type of folks that make it out to them always have remarkable adventures behind them and lots of determination in their hearts. Nice talking with you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermontdave Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 I went to the national that was held in Vermont around 1990 and spent about ten days. It was in a national park (the site is named Texas falls, I'd like to change that ). The organization, spirituality, lack of materialism, nakedness and mostly great memories are something that should happen more often and in more places. However, there were also many elitist, anarchistic punks who don't seem to know much about anything but love to say 'brother' or 'sister' or 'welcome home'. One of the funniest experiences I've had happened there though. I was sitting on the side of this logging road with some friends when this naked dude (who looked just like that comedian Dom Deloise) walked up to us and offered us some free Biblical toilet paper. Hahahahahahah! I guess you had to be there Does anyone remember the dude who called himself 'Deviation from the Norm'? He preached the truth. John Denver wrote the song 'Rhyme and Reason' at the first national in Colorado. He also wrote 'Rocky Mountain High' about it. I need a beer. Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamilton Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Rary8: The great thing about gatherings is that they are very hard to get to. The type of folks that make it out to them always have remarkable adventures behind them and lots of determination in their hearts. How hard can it be to get to, if 30,000 people show up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im going home Donny Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 Did I get called Sherlock?.....hmmmm......spread that vibe brother...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hux Posted May 10, 2003 Report Share Posted May 10, 2003 ok I'm gonna be a bit arrogant, and say unless you've been to a gathering, I really don't think you're gonna completely grasp what this thing is all about.....the west coasters are completely different, feel free to ask me sometime! I'd gladly share my experiences. Sorry to offend! PS - there was no alcohol at the 30,000 attended gathering I was at....this is not some parking lot scene by any stretch... It's a meeting of like-minded individuals, who then take whatever they've gained, back to Babylon (man) people don't go to party.... "have forums and discussions and workshops on creating real change"....there are such things at gatherings, round the clock groups get together to do, and discuss everything, arts, crafts, food, spirituality, pets...everything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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