Yet another perspective on the gathering

Slide show from Rich in Spirit of Instance Soup.    Click here to see what he is sharing.

Black Hills Rainbow Gathering Documentary 2015 (Parts 1-5)

Updated 7/30/15 - it has come to my attention that explicit permission was not secured for each person who appears in this video. Just an FYI.

Cleanup is done

Hi all, I just received this message from a friend who stayed until the end of cleanup.

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Just left the woods you can announce Clean up crew is out and we got raving credits from the FS. We even got invited back anytime and local Natives loved us and may decide to do a yearly Regional. Locals loved us and said come back soon, Natives are embarrassed at the two trouble makers and lots of work got done on the rez.....multiple times.

Supporting Native Efforts Opposed to Keystone XL - July 26

Keep in mind, that opposition to Keystone XL is something I personally support. In no way does this blog post represent the rainbow gathering or other gathering participants. However, given that the universe pulled us towards South Dakota this year, I think that perhaps other gathering participants may feel called as well.

Keystone XL Resistance March and Ride

Sunday, July  26 11 a.m. Fort Pierre, South Dakota

Meet in Fort Pierre next to the Pizza Ranch at 11am MDT (12pm CT). Riders both native and non-native will be leading us and we will ride and march together across the bridge into Pierre to show our collective resistance to tar sands and the Keystone XL pipeline. The march will be followed by a water ceremony, concert rally, and a community feed.

For details and contact info, click here.

Other Reflections on the Black Hills Gathering

A friend of mine has a blog of her own. She was much more involved on the land than I was this year. She's put together her thoughts and photos on this year's gathering - click here to read and see what she has to say.  (Read part two here.)  (Read part 3 on oven building, here.)

Summary of Treaty Issues in Black Hills

At the gathering in South Dakota, some First Nation family brought this information summary sheet on the treaty issues in the Black Hills to share with folks who gathered there. I have scanned and am sharing the information.

Click here to download the pdf. Please download and distribute freely.

Vision Council Consensus

Consensus #1: We support AIM Grassroots and the Lakota people's continuing struggle to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier

Consensus #2: The 2015 Vision Counsel of Rainbow Family of Living Light on the land in the occupied 1st Nations territory of the sacred Black Hills would like to reaffirm that counsel process is realized by reaching consensus on the land. We would like to encourage individuals to question all sources of information and to dispel any illusions of "officialness". Know your sources.

Consensus #3: The 2015 Vision Counsel of Rainbow Family of Living Light on the land in the occupied 1st Nations territory of the sacred Black Hills reaffirms that consensus implies only the agreements of the people on the land. We do not have representatives, especially on the internet.

Consensus #4: The 2015 Vision Counsel of Rainbow Family of Living Light on the land in the occupied 1st Nations territory of the sacred Black Hills has consensed to invite all peoples, out of love and with respect, to gather peacefully for silent meditation in the morning of July 4th, 2016 until noon; and a peaceful assembly of free speech and expression from July 1st through the end of Vision Counsel; in the public lands of the White and Green Mountains National Forests in the states of Vermont, Maine or New Hampshire.

Consensus #5: The 2015 Vision Counsel of Rainbow Family of Living Light on the land in the occupied 1st Nations territory of the sacred Black Hills encourages individuals to use open counsel processes to allocate limited accommodations such as access to closed roads, special needs parking locations, and fireplaces.