Don't Feed the Hippies!!! [My first time attending the Rainbow Family of Living Light National Gathering, Oregon 2017]
Wow, I am nearly at a loss for words as I sit and write this on my Android from the comfort of a Babylonian sleeping device (a bed).
I left for the 2017 Rainbow Family Gathering just under a week ago last Thursday in the Malhauer National Forest of Oregon, USA. I have been involved with Rainbow family for about six years now, but this year's gathering was the first I have attended.
Rainbow began in July of 1972 by groups of counterculture from the Pacific North West and California. Twenty thousand people were subjected to police road blocks, to which they threatened civil disobedience, and were allowed onto National Forest land. This one time event was then recreated in Wyoming the following year where it was declared an annual event.
Attending Rainbow for the first time can be quite a bizarre experience.
Luckily, I have had background with Rainbow and knew how much of the system worked, but this did nothing to relieve my anxiety. There were many incredibly beautiful and powerful acts of cohesion and love which I had the opportunity to witness. However, there were just as many disturbing and destructive acts I of which I bore witness.
Rainbow claims to be about acceptance, love, progress, and reducing ecological impact, but of this I saw little.
For every brother or sister I saw picking up or asking for trash, I saw three times as many dropping trash, and an innumerable factor passing over trash. Luckily, the local trash site has allowed Rainbow cleanup to dump their trash for free. GOAT (Get On A Train) kids are known for picking up trash and shouting for people's pocket trash, and they were certainly doing their jobs - it was just very unfortunate to see so many "ecologically aware" individuals tossing trash all over the place so disrespectfully.
Rainbow showed an extreme lack of understanding and cooperation with the local native tribes.
Every year there is controversy between the natives and Rainbow, mainly over the natives not condoning the Gathering; however, this is normally not expressed by the tribes as a whole but rather a few select individuals. This year, there was a lot of push-back from the natives. Thirteen sites were scouted, all of which were denied by the tribes - Rainbow still chose this site, in a desert forest where ranchers drive cattle.
As with any national forest, there were many habitat restoration areas. I personally only saw one person camped in one of these areas and was quite impressed, though many dog owners simply allowed their dogs to run rampant and they would constantly be gallivanting through these areas which requested no disturbance. These dogs were also running through the creeks where the salmon spawn which the tribes use as a food source. Before I left, I did see a brother and sister walking around trade circle asking people to be cognizant of the creek.
This year's Gathering took place on Native burial grounds, and while dancing and celebrating in a graveyard I am okay with, the disrespect of grave sites is atrocious.
A burial mound was discovered not too far down from main meadow and a sign was erected to keep others away from disturbing the site. Unfortunately, at some point somebody removed the sign and rope barrier allowing everyone to encroach freely. My campsite, Coffee Mafia, was not too far from this area, thus I walked by it often. Myself and others from my camp were constantly informing others of the situation only to be met with laughter, or my favorite, "We'll be sure to look for it (spoken excitedly)!" Two tents eventually ended up creating a campground at the site.
Not everything was so negative though.
@kennyskitchen is head chef of Instant Soup, one of the many kitchens that feed everyone for free using donations of vegan food. Kenny's camp was the most conscious camp I came across, although I did not visit every camp and kitchen.
Instant Soup always had beautiful songs about peace and revolution being played by incredibly strong willed people who all seemed to have some various form of great knowledge. Kenny and Avocado, the other chef, consistently had delicious, healthy food to share with everyone who entered the site. The camp grounds were kept immaculately clean. The stove's wood pile never got too low. People were constantly volunteering to help around the kitchen, and the general atmosphere was relaxed and inviting.
I am sure there are other camps and kitchens that had similar people, but from what I experienced they were certainly the minority in attendance.
Rainbow is an open source community.
As such, Rainbow is constantly holding classes and open forum discussion. From Yoga classes and sewing classes to talks about cryptocurrencies and Steemit, Rainbow allows anyone with knowledge to host a class and share. Cardboard signs may be seen hanging from trees with a class name, time, and location.
CALM was on site to administer care to the sick and injured, offering medicine when necessary, for free.
As an Alchemist and an Anarchist, this was what hit me the hardest; writing this section has given me goosebumps. Capitalising on life, on health, is ethically and morally wrong, in my opinion, thus all medical practices must be nonprofit. Being able to have access to free health care from knowledgeable providers was an incredible thing. My heels crack and fissure from the skin to the flesh and cause extreme pain. The medics at CALM hooked me up and helped me on my way! I don't think anything beats a foot massage in the woods after walking 5-10 miles a day.
The Gathering was struck hard by some sort of stomach bug, and on the second day 300 people were reported ill, and this does not cover the individuals who were too weak to make it to receive care. CALM and Critical Care Camp did everything they could to help every brother and sister that was ill. Unfortunately, this illness struck fast and hard so there were people puking all over and next to the main trails, and people were leaving their toilet paper uncovered after ninja shitting in the woods - sometimes even near kitchens. Sanitation at this gathering was not of top priority. Kitchens had sanitizer water at the water refill points, but hardly was it enforced and people just put their dirty hands on the spigots.
The hike in to main meadow from main parking was about two and a half to three miles.
With this extended distance to cover, many people had extreme difficulty packing in and out, myself included (I packed my body weight in from third parking, a total of around 5+ miles). There were so many extra hands around that all anyone had to do was shout for help and an endless supply of hippies would pour out of the woods to assist.
This help was greatly appreciated by people like myself who are disabled and by the elderly. People in Babylon tend not to help as quickly nor as often; perhaps the divide of the necessity to use money amplifies this effect?
Rainbow has the philosophy of bartering and gifting rather than relying on the fiat currency systems.
Food and water was completely free, and paper money is highly discouraged from being used. Every evening around 1800(6PM), a bunch of the kitchens would get together in main meadow and feed everyone. Everyone sits in a giant multi tiered ring as the kitchens walk by passing out food to the hungry hungry hippies. Each kitchen has water to give out at theiur camp, if it's in supply at the time.
All along the main trails, and sometimes through the side paths and ninja trails, you might run across a hippie road block or a mad/relaxed dabber. As you approach a hippie road block, you'll see the trail blocked by a group of hippies heckling at people as they get closer. When you're close enough to hear, "Joke, toke or smoke!" is what they are shouting. The passerby is now supposed to pay the toll of giving a joke, a nug to throw down, or a cigarette. If any of these are completed then you get to join the circle, if not you keep passing on through. A mad/relaxed dabber sits somewhere along the path and yells out, "free dabs in the woods!" and all you do is stop and say that you'd like a dab to receive a dab. A mad dabber is like a mad hatter, these cats are normally tripping hard as fuck being and saying weird shit. A relaxed dabber is just chilling making jokes giving out dabs for free.
When some poor hippie runs out of tobacco in the middle of the night and needs a cigarette, you may hear from the depths of the darkness some place, "NIC AT NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!" Nic@Night is a campground which sends people out with cans and pouches of tobacco to roll free cigarettes for people in need of some nicotine. So when someone is in need, they shout the necessary phrase, and Nic@Night tries to find them. Sometimes they're not in ear shot though, and all you have to do is head to their campground. Again, this is a free service but they do appreciate any kick downs you can toss their way.
Every day up near main meadow was trade circle [row], where people (adults and children) traded everything from candy and cookies, knives and tools, to tarot, massage, and other personal services. If you're going to trade at the Rainbow Gathering, be careful of those kids - they're friggin' sneaky and will con you into a lower trade off because someone else has sent the kid to get what that trader wants so the kid can get what they want from that trader's blanket.
Services such as showers (hot showers in the woods even!!!), acupuncture, Reiki, massage, and many others were all available for donations. I do not know if they would give the service for free if you had nothing to donate, but something in me says that they probably would since that is the nature of the Gathering.
To put the entire experience of Rainbow in words is quite nearly impossible, I keep thinking of new things to write about and add to this article. However, Rainbow was one Hell of an experience where I learned a lot, grew a lot, met amazing people, and thoroughly enjoyed myself to no end.
Would I attend Rainbow again?
Being disabled and relying on cannabis as my medicine, I highly doubt I will go to another Gathering which falls in a prohibition state. Cannabis is illegal federally, and so even just getting medicine to Rainbow in Oregon, the first state to decriminalize and third state to legalize recreationally, was not only stressful but extremely difficult for many people. Though, cannabis was only being confiscated, because it was in Oregon.
The federal government has assigned a team of federal LEOs to follow the Gathering. Every ticket these federal LEOs cite is received by a federal judge who is assigned to following Rainbow for the sole purpose of facilitating court in the woods.
I will probably attend some OR and WA regionals, and because of the water contamination issue we experienced, I would like to set up a Distillation Station, "Bring me your water!"
Before I conclude, I would like to mention that I have been informed by several other Rainbow attendees that this year's Gathering was unlike many of the others in the past. These brothers and sisters have said that there was way more booze outside of A-Camp (the parking lot, alcoholics camp) and inside of the gathering, way more rowdiness, way more fireworks (supposed to be a place of healing and peace), and sanitation was less of a priority. Perhaps it was Oregon, perhaps it was just the people, but I do my best not to take this experience as 100% this is what Rainbow is.
Rainbow includes all colors of the spectrum, and thus it will constantly be evolving in different directions while still holding to its original idea. I am excited to see what impact Rainbow can have on our society in the coming years.
After all, the Federal Government has labeled this group of loving hippies Terrorists.
All photographs taken from open source, and are of previous years to protect the identity of those in attendance currently.
LOVELAUGHTER&&XHAOS
Loser of Found Souls, Temple of Appled Thought
Erisian Ataxia Troupe
https://discord.gg/PdWxgus
Huh, that's an interesting event. I bet it was spiritually enlightening for many, especially first timers.
Thanks for sharing it. Sorry i didn't see it 10 days ago.
It was quite an interesting event. I surely learned a thing or two about myself and my path in life. :)
I am grateful for your appreciation, thank you for commenting. No worries that it's no longer active, money isn't my motivating factor. :)
Wow sounds like a good time. It is however a shame about the ones who appeared to disrespect the values an the nature around them. It is however only natural that you will always get some individuals that are along for the ride an doing it because they think its cool. These people will eventually filter out or become more respectful.
Nice writing happy to connect ;)
It was very unfortunate to see these things, but I don't know if I agree that there will always be individuals who go along for the trend - you yourself stated that they eventually filter out or become more respectful ;)
Maybe maybe, I just think it might explain the reason. But your the one who's been there so you have the best insight :)
Man, that sounds like an experience and a half. The sights you describe, like feeding the "hungry hungry hippies" had to be something else to witness. Thanks for sharing the story!
It truly was a powerful experience in so many different ways. Rainbow set up an anarchistic communal society for a brief period in the woods of Oregon (its still going on), and it works out so very well. There are many things that could be improved upon or done differently entirely, but I think it is headed in a really wonderful direction.
These volunteer services are the way of the future, and I'm excited to be a part of it!
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. :)
yea dude - that's cool. I have never been to a gathering but lived in Woodstock for 25 years which is a Rainbow post and I also know from shows that hippies leave crap on the ground. Woodstock 94 was no exception - I was there for that one. I was just walking on my block after 4th of July and saddened to see folks did not pick up after ourselves - WTF??? we have not evolved AT ALL - when I dj'ed the redneck wedding at the alpaca farm last week I was pretty sure the ol' folks were gonna get drunk and go fuck the alpacas...
Yeah, humans are so odd..so many claim to want to change but never really change. So, do they actually want to change??
I think they want change to "come over them" while they sit there. Poof! It's the Messiah complex or the Gallactic Federation intervene and change us. NO! IT is literally UP TO US to bring about the change - keep waiting - and you will just have to keep coming back here
Those who help themselves are successful. ;)
Very good point brought up.
thanks @alchemage - actually to go a little deeper - I actually ASK for the power from the Universe to make the change - "of myself I am nothing, the father within doeth the work" - is a saying I take quite literally - and is an inspiration behind my sigil making. I myself am a self-centered person, but IF I ask for the inspiration or power to make the changes - then I receive intuitive thought on how to do it - me personally, I can't help myself on my own power - I ask for the power to help myself and then I am given it.
I remember my dad taking us to a Rainbow gathering when I was a little girl, probably back in the late 80s or early 90s. All I can remember thinking in my little brain was, "Wow, these people are so nice and so fun!" Thanks for sharing your experience. Interesting to see that the gatherings are still happening. I haven't heard much about them in recent years.
There surely are so many friendly people at these events, its very interesting to see such kindness from total strangers. :)
cool, and wack at the same time. actually sounds a bit like rainbow serpent, mix of partiers and hippies, but leave the place worse off and contradict part of their own cause
I wonder if Rainbow Serpent was a branch off of the Rainbow Gathering? It began in the US and now there are international branches. All of the international Gatherings always plan their gatherings around the lunar calendar. I find it odd that here in the US they claim to wish to break free of the US gov't yet still worship their holidays - July 4th, Independence day.
Interesting! Rainbow Serpent has been at it 20 years here, its also held Australia day weekend (it's like our 4th of July i guess). and relates to indigenous creation story, yet some indigenous call it slave day. bit weird.
wow looks like an army
There were around 12-15,000 people in attendance this year; certainly the size of a small army!
It is a great article sir.. thank you so much for sharing.. keep it up.. How long are you writing post on steemit sir...?
Thank you. Are you asking how long it took to write this article or how long I have been writing on Steemit in general?
Currently holding myself accountable for not going due to personal issues
I'm glad I came across your post. I am currently in Southern Oregon and am contemplating going to the local regional gathering. I remember hearing great things about Oregon family, and having attended many gatherings in past years I think fondly of them. However, your post jogged my memory of the any facebook posts I saw regarding that specific Oregon gathering. Since I would only be able to attend for a day or 2 during seed camp, I think I'll go ahead and pass on this one. I've planning to bring a newbie and I want to make sure his experience is going to be a clean one with no massive health scares like the one you wrote about here.