RFD Issue 133 Spring 2008 by RFD Magazine Gay

Like the wots o f this great Tree o f Life, the roots o f this dance that we call the N araya/ Dance O f A ll Nations...go deep down into Mother Earth, and are f e d not only by my ancestors, but by the ancestors o f all who participate. It is this lineage that gives the dance its vitality and endurance. Never forget these roots from whence we came, from which this Dance draws its divine fire. aHo! Clyde H all

SHORT MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY A p r i l

2 0 0 8

ARCO, I D A H O JUNE 1 4 - 2 8

CALLING ALL Sp irit Warrior Braves, Womyn, and T w o -S p irite d People Seeking to : Find VISION and HOPE for the Future Deepen your Relationship with Mother Earth and Father S K Y Learn the 'Walks in Beauty Way1 Work and Play in Sacred Space

Join

UsOn the Great Basin Hoop

Th ere is NO C H A R G E for a tte n d a n ce . H ow ever, you w ill be e xp e cte d to com e in the S P IR IT of P o tla tch - b rin g in g and s h a rin g yo ur A B U N D A N C E !

For more information, registration, directions, etc. Please contact: Spider White Eagle David Schuler Timothy Turner PO Box 937 2311 E. Spring St. Guerneville, CA 95446 Seattle, WA 98122 707-869-1612 206-778-8605 aranahombre88@yahoo.com whiteeaglesmail@yahoo.com and visit: w w w .g re a tb a s in re w ild in g .o rg w w w .p u llin g fo rw ild flo w e rs .o rg

KM) Spring 2008 # 133

F'eu D i g g e r s

no)

spring

ZOOS

KJ I) is a reader written journal for gay people whic h focuses on country living and encourages alternative lifestyles. We foster community building and networking, explore the diverse expres sions of our sexuality, care for the environment, radical faerie con sciousness. nature-centered spirituality, and share the experiences of our lives. RID is produced by volunteers. The business and general pro duction are coordinated by a collective in and around Short Mountain Sanctuary, TN and on the working E.group site:

rfdgroups(fr?> ahoo.com. reatures and entire issues can be prepared by different groups in various places. Our printer is in Nashville, TN. RFD (ISSN# 0149-709X) is published quarterly for $25 per year by RFD Press, POB 68, Liberty, TN 37095 615.536.5176 USPS # 073-010-00 Periodicals postage is paid at Liberty, TN and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Send address changes to RFD, POB 68, Liberty, TN 37095 mail@rfdmag.org www.rfdmag.org Non-profit tax exempt #62-1723644, a function of RFD Press, with office of registration: 231 Ten Penny Road, Woodbury, TN 37190

Contents Remembrance: H A !................................................................... 3 Announcements & L e tte rs ..................................................1-5 Prison Pages by Myrlin...............................................................6-7 Thailand Travelogue by Mountaine......................................8-9 Luc Georges photography by Keith Gemerek.............. 10-13 Milk Snakes and Hoot Owls by Wes Hartley (fiction).. . . 14-15 Luna Parc feature by R icky B o s c a rin o ............................16-21 Folleterre Summer Gathering Call......................................... 22 Erotic Photography by K w a i L a m .................................. 23-26 Sacred Hoops feature by our Rewilding Fey Diggers . . . . 27-40 Midwest Mens' Festival C a ll..................................................41 Poetry by Abbott, Antler and Deahl.....................................42-43 Drawings by Steve Whitlock..............................................42-43 DVD Review by Chris T. Ramblin.......................................... 44 ADS 45-48

RID Spring 200X #133

The records required by title 18 U.S.D. section 2257 and asso ciated with respect to this magazine (and all graphhic material associated therewith on which this label appears) are kept by the custodian of records at the following location: RFD Press, 231 Ten Penny Road, Woodbury, TN 37190 C o v e r d e s ig n b y M a t t B u c y fro m r ic k y & J a i p h o to s ife a r t b y B a m B a m ib c d e s ig n by S o a m i

Contributors F ranklin A b b o t t .................................................................... 42 A d r i a n .........................................................................................34 A n t l e r . .......................................................................................43 B a m B a m ....................................................................................ife Ricky B o s c a r i n o ....................................................................16 Buck & G r e g ......................................................................... 32 M att B u c y ..................................................................................C D ale D a n d r i n .............................................................................2 Jam es D eahl............................................................................... 42 DeeTale & L o v e S ta r................................................................36 G avin D illa rd .......................................... 21 W hite Eagle........................................ 34 O tis F e n n e l l ............................................................................. 4 K eith G e m e r e k ......................................... 10 Luc G e o r g e s ...........................................................................10 Wes H artley............................................................................. 14 D. Scott H um phries............................................................... 20 Jai....................................................................................................... 3 M ichael K och................................................................................7 Kwai Lam................................................................................ 22 James M cG ilton........................................................................ 7 Finisia M e d r a n o .................................................................29 M o u n t a i n e .................................................................. ..... . .8 M y r l i n ....................................................................................... 7 P o t l a t c h .......................................................................................33 Seda. ...........................................................................................27 Soam i.............................................................................................ibc S pider............................................................................................. 28 S piralh artso n g ............................................................................. 31 T o u c h ...................................................................................... 15 John Tyson.................................................................................... 7 Steve W h itlo c k ........................................... 42 v ine................................................................................................. 45

Since *119 we've been featuring various faerie groups and centers across the fey world: 119 - Phila., 120 - Santa Cruz. 121 - Seattle. 122 - NYC. 123 - Eurofaeries. 124 Blue Heron and No. Cal.. 125 Zuni.NM. 126 - Wolf Creek.OR. 127 - Portland. 128 - SPI Sisters, worldw ide, 129 - OZ faery land. 131 - DC feys. 132 - Destiny. VT. and with this issue #133 we gleefully and profoundly introduce you to the Sacred Hoop Faeries. With deep devotion to honored native tradi tions of planting and harvesting, emerging bands of fey folk are reseeding the sacred lands for food now and the future. Read on to jour ney the Hoop with them and respond to the ad on the proceeding page and join them this summer in Arco. Idaho.

July 1. The RED archives form the early Running Water and Short Mountain years have finally moved out of the bam and found a new home at Emory University in Atlanta. We delivered the first installment the end of February and received substantial funds to help us turn 35. Please join us in that journey by subscribing U>dav.

BTL

for the RFD Collective,

Honoring HA! and Community (from spring GoatzcHe)

Sandorkraut here w riting on behalf of the stew ards of the sanctuary from late February 21X18. 1 first began writing this communique from the hospital room of our dear friend Ha!,who was diagnosed with liver cancer on Beltane and has been grap pling with dim inishing liver function, side effects of powerful drugs, and pneumonia. Before I got to the end, Fla! had passed, on Sunday February 24, at home, in the company of his primary caregiver, John Wall. "I was at his side when he opened his eyes after days of being shut and knew that he was ready to go," says John. "Although he could not speak, just seeing his eyes let me know he was OK." Our com munity feels the loss of Ha! deeply.

Or head to New Jersey and explore the magical world of Luna Parc under the creative steward ship of Ricky Boscarino. In this issue we also take you to NYC to explore the contemporary faerie world as captured and cele brated by digital artist, Luc Georges and reviewed by fellow photographer. Keith Gemerek. RFD photographer, Kwai Lam explores the healing erotic waters of Breitenbush in Oregon at their summer gathering.

Ha! prepared extensively for his anticipated departure. An impor tant part of that process was sell Ricky’s Buddha Eyes mosaic on SMS cistern jai photo ing the Sanctuary his land. We We’ve got new “old” fiction from closed on the transaction at the “ex-pat” Wes Hartley living in BC end of November, at which point and poems from friends we have admired before. The Calls for the Midwest Men’s Festival and Folleterre Summer the sanctuary grew to encompass the 75 adjoining acres we bought from him. Elsewhere in this Goatzette is a list of all you Gathering grace these pages as well as RFD Board member, amazing people whose generosity made this possible. The out Mountaine’s Thailand Travelogue. Prison Pages and a porn review pouring of support we received for this was incredible. Thank round out this season's offerings plus the Remembrance of our you one and all. We have raised more than $130,000, and as we go dear community member and past RFD editor, HA! to press we are less than $5,000 from raising the remainder of what we owe. (We are still For twenty years RFD has been stewarded in and around Short gratefully accepting contri Mountain Sanctuary. In recent years local collective energy for butions.) creating this alternative journal has waned considerably. And so Another great outpouring of inspired by Destiny’s “most together” creation of this past winter's support has been our feature, the RFD Board is courting these Northeast faeries to take extended com m unity of on the continuation of RFD beyond its 35th year. friends and neighbors pulling together to support About this anniversary year approaching with Fall issue #135 we Ha!: taking him to appoint 7 # announce the major theme of Death and Suicide and solicit your ments and m anaging his thoughts and experiences of friends and family w'ho have passed. medical care, covering a Long-time editor and associate Franklin Abbott will also prepare morning and evening care the poetry of Michael Mason and the graphic art of Raven shift every day for months, WolfDancer. both major contributors to RFD during the Running and in his final week 24-hour Water years. Our dear Michael died of toxoplasmosis ten days com panionship and care. after completing the cascading stone stairway at Short Mountain. Although we often felt pow The previoius six months he lived with us in “Lynda’s trailer”com- erless watching Ha! go piling the “final edit” - 600 pages of his life’s poems. Raven, gard- through his illness, we all ner, graphic artist and guide for Atlanta’s Gay Spirit Vision was feel affirmed by the support stabbed and killed in an unsolved murder over ten years ago. Your we m ustered together for him, and the power of comstories of these two beloved and admired southeastern feys are munity. h s l/j a l requested. Deadlines for submission to both these fall features is

RFD Spring 2008 #133

calls on y’all to action!

*« **< # »

we have been dreaming of piles of SKULL EGGS appearing all across America from Columbus to Election Day commemorating everyone killed in the war in Iraq... and then all gathered together across from the White House as Bush leaves office (1/09) to show him his legaxy, thousands dead... W ILL YOU JO IN OUR C A U SE ?

to help make piles of skull eggs happen in your hood, contact

www.theskullproject.com

long-time friend of RFD, Otis Fennell of Faubourg Marigny fame offers his snaps from the Quarter and a deeply Southern invite to join us in Nawlins for

Saints & Sinners Literary Festival May 8 - 11, 2008 www.sasfest.org saintandsinnola@aol.com visit Sr. Soami and RFD at the Release and Reading of t

&f ' s

Queer & Catholic,

Amie M. Evans and Trebor Healey, editors

RFD Spring 2008 #133

L etters “Roaming the oceans in search o f true hearts." Joey Pons writes us to add this address to our faerie contacts: PUERTO RICO Hadas Boricuas/YaYa tribe 202-A San Justo St. #120 San Juan. PR 00901 yayatribe(a gmail.com While we haven 't been running the con tacts here in the last year, we hope some concerned volunteer will jo in our web master to get this essential sendee on line and on our site and fu lly active again: www.rfdmag.org Remember guys, this is a volunteer, reader created magazine and only as good as we all make it TOGETH ER.... Along with a check fo r a fe w back issues, Earl in KC wrote us:

I received issue 132 and read it cover to cover. I am truly thankful for RFD. The idea o f a faerie net work includes me since I read RFD. Dragonfire, Kansas City, KS and Harold (Aunt Bea) in Haddington NY also sent us praise fo r the Winter Destiny issue. Thanks guys. We appreciate the praise, the support and we sure can use those renewals—like old friends at Nasalam gave us:

Greetings, I was pretty astonished to receive this flyer to subscribe to RFD. Then, 1 checked the library and discovered the last issue we received was quite a long time ago. I’m not sure how our sub scription lapsed after so many years, but I guess thats what hap pens when your’rc busy having fun! So enclosed is a check to get our subscription going again, and later we'll figure out which issues

w e've missed and see if we can buy those from you. Namaste. Wm Uriel Andros Fair Oaks, MO Write us before the summer issue. Uriel, and we will give you ha[f the issues you are missing from the last two years in Nasalam s library for free. We ve appre ciated your support over the years and are always glad to welcome back good friends. Remind us we made this offer when you send your request.

\ o need to fret. Every dollar helps keep us printing lit* are committed to reduced rates for PWAs and prisoners. Spread the wonl. In fact, to any o f our past sub scribers having tough financial times, write and tell us you want to resubscribe and send what you can afford and see what happens—fou r seasons o f RFD will be coming your way once more... close this letters page for h i 33 with the follow ing contact request:

To My Faerie Brothers. Greetings! My name is Wes, and l write to you from a farm in north west Minnesota. I am a SWM, 44, 6' 200 pounds, with hazel eyes and brown hair. As I write we are experiencing a January thaw. Winters are becomming progressively milder here, though the snow, the cold and the profound silence that are the magic o f northern winters still exist here. I live on a 158 acre farm o f woods, meadows, hills, streams, ponds and marshes. I no longer farm, but still share my land with three cows and six dogs, as well Also, Dear Readers, we can provide most o f the back issues from RFD ’s 34 year as vast species o f wildlife. All sea run. We have been updating the inventory’ sons arc magical here, but spring and prices on a progressive back issues holds a special power, with the page with each issue. This # 1 3 3 ’s page4S earth awakening and life and noise begins the cycle again with what we have o f the early years into RFD s time at and color and scent returning. The Running Water. A couple are quite rare ancient song o f frogs is magnifiand others we have lots o f copies...#20 cient. contains the original Country Lovers poster in green and blue as a foldWhile I love my farm, it is a lone out....still melts my heart! ly place without a man to share it. Howdy, I'm looking for someone who I just wanted to say thanks to all shares my love o f the land, is hon o f you at RFD. I love the mag! est, compassionate, masculine, and I’m sending my renewal. My down to earth. Willingness to relo boyfriend and 1 both are living cate is a must, but all correspon with HIV and have not had the dence is welcome and will be best financial year. I am applying answered. Blessed Be! for the PWA rate. 1 think 1 did the Wesley Hiliard same last year. But I promise that 1322 300th Avenue once I can, I will definitely pay Fengby, MN 56651-200 more. Thanks again. Andrew Plummer Revere, MA 5

RF D Spring 2(M)X#I O

Letter I: ‘7 am currently incarcerated for a parole violation, and originally came to prison at the age o f 17 after a suicide attempt that stemmed from me being sexually assaulted. I was a teen print model, at the time for a small local modeling agency. . . (My original crime was aggravated assault.) Robert

Prison Pages

Letter 2: Since / came to prison for a crime l did not do. . . .1 ve seen more drugs and crime than any other time in my life. While in prison l've been beat, extorted, raped and forced to sneak drugs into prison for prison gangs. I am not and never have been a gang member. / never had a drug conviction until l came to prison for a crime I did not do. I ve written many letters to several DOC stajf about me being beat, raped, extorted and forced to sneak drugs into prison. All o f my pleas have fallen on deaf ears. I guess DOC does not have to obey' the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Jonathan (Editors Note: I did not know there was such an act.)

by Myrlin As I sii and put pen to paper, or better fingers to keys, I am thinking of the millions of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters who will only experience Spring from the confines of a prison cell. Perhaps they will only know it by fleeting glimpses from a cell window or in the few hours in the recreation yard. But then for some in high security units the rec yard is enclosed on the top floor of the prison with no real outside view. So we can think Spring all we want and enjoy the beautiful changing sights around us and flowers come into bloom and trees bud out and burst forth in their mantle of green, yet these brothers and sisters expe rience sameness every day of their lives.

Letter 3: For over three years I have been wanting to write this letter. Even as / now set down the words, l tremble. I grew up in a dysfunctional family in a small community. I was the youngest o f four; I have one sister and two brothers. My sister and one brother are actually step brother and sister. They and m v stepmom were mean as any people could be. My mom beat me almost every day and my stepsister and real brother molested me most every day. When I was about 12 years old I told an uncle about the abuse. From then until the time l left home at age 17 he too abused me. When l left home l moved in with my real mom. . . . Even though their abuse was wrong, there was a part o f me that enjoyed the attention. I can remember that even as a

As I process the hundreds of letters coming in to Brothers Behind Bars, 1 am overwhelmed with the myriad of people, like you and me, who have families and friends and who have had dreams and plans for the future. Yes, some have rightly earned a place in the Justice System. Many others have been convicted of low level drug and other crimes who are trapped by the three strikes and other methods of keeping them in prison for a long time. And others are innocent but trapped by a sys tem that seems to prefer locking people up than making sure justice is done. And who knows who is making money from all of this but be cer tain someone is and we are paying for it.

kid in the 1st grade, me and another boy had an episode in the bathroom. I have known from a young age that I was bi-sexual. But growing up in a small town was not easy. So l grew up confused and not knowing my place in life. Even though l knew that it was wrong for my family to sexually molest me, when I had children o f my own, I abused them. And that is what l am in prison for. Every' member o f my family turned their backs on me because o f the shame o f what they did to me, not so much for what 1 did. I ’ve been in prison since / 993 and had only one friend l've trusted myself with. He went home a year ago. . . . Dennis

To illustrate this, I quote from the beginning of a Truthout Report by Maya Schenwar entitled: Halting the Cycle of Crime and Punishment. “With a population of 2.3 million and growing, US prisons are bulging at the seams. In three years, one in every 178 US residents will live in prison and the system will have to keep up, costing taxpayers more than $60 billion per year.” This statement is followed by an interview with Congressman Danny Davis who discusses the flaws of the incarcer ation system and his ideas for remedying them. I recommend this arti cle and the interview to you. http:www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012808A.shtml. I also recommend another Truthout article entitled And Justice for all: We Must Reverse our Zeal to Incarcerate. This article deals with the federal prison system and the lengthy sentences that are mandated for even minor drug offences; it also looks at who benefits monetarily from these long sentences and the workforce they create. It can be found at http:www.truthout.org/1231071.shtml.

As I read these stories, my natural inclination is to want to write and be of support to these guys. The tragedy is that I am already writing more people than I can even hope to keep up with. So it is my hope that our readers will consider ordering a copy of the quarterly list which contains at least 16 pages of ads plus examples of art and poetry. We simply ask a donation of S3.00 to $10.00 to help with our mailing and printing costs. Of course no one is turned away for lack of funds. Simply request the list by writing BBB at PO Box 68, Liberty, TN 37095.

For me, an exciting part of my work with this program is having the opportunity to read the letters that come in and to revel in the brutal hon esty of these guys sharing painful parts of their lives and of the circum stances leading to their incarceration. 1am going to anonymously share parts of several letters as illustrations of how sexuality plays a role in bringing people into the prison system and how it affects their lives once behind the walls. In my third example, it is interesting to note the role that childhood molestation can be involved in events of molestation of children in later life. This is just one instance of the complexity of such cases. I have decided to give these quotes anonymously to protect those who are mentioned. 1am able to forward any comments to the individ uals if that is requested.

RH) Spring 2008 #133

Now let me share two poems that have been submitted for your enjoy ment: Crazy Poem Ageless Anarchists anchor America, Bone-headed bigots Bombard Boyfriends; Corrupt Cops create chaos, Delicious dudes dominate dresses; Effeminate Egalitarians enjoy equality Freaky friends fancy fellatio; Hateful homophobes hurtling hellhound; 6

Indigenous Imperialists impart ignorance, joyous Juveniles juggle jellybeans; kink.v kinfolk's kamikaze Kamasutra, Left-wing lesbians leaving leaflets;

no. question

Mental midgets malign marijuana, Nubile nudists nurture nature; Open-minded Occultists oppose oligarchy, Prejudiced Preachers power politics;

incarcerated I sleep hard cock press mattress

Queer Queens quash quietness, Religious Right rebuffs righteousness; Stupid Sociopaths snub Socialism, Texan Tyrant Twisted Terrorist; Unitarian Universalists unleash Utopia, Visiting Vagabonds verily vamoose; YViccans worldwide wield wands. Xylophonist's X-rated Xmas Xanadu; Yankee Yogi's yearly vammerings Zaftig zazen Zealot zips.

liberated I pity yr flesh John Tyson 511885 Oshkosh Correctional Inst. PO Box 3310 Oshkosh, YVI 54903-3310

Michael Koch Jf394829 Oshkosh Correctional Institution PO Box 3310 Oshkosh, WI 54903

hup; thyoiUmanprisoopotfi.bltfg SPPU'YHll

Here are some pictures o f Pen Pals in the next BBB listing: Scott Hernandez (ID),

In the next issue o f the

vw f c jt r

Editors Note. 1 have chosen a very short example of John l yson's uoik due to space constraints but ill be including a longer group of his poems in the Spring Brothers Behind Bars list entitled "Barren." it is also possible to do a search for his internet blog by checking out The Old Man Prison Poet at.

BBB List

v •

you will find

•

additional drawings by James McGilton #318-1552 K8-78

• yr

PO Box 45699 Lucasville, OH 45699

f / 7

RH) Spring 2008 #133

gave some fabulous drama queens a great format to portray sto ries o f “the most unusual erotic situation I’ve ever been in” and other provocative themes. I also got to lead a beautiful full moon ritual on a secluded beach, and co-auctioneered a very successful fundraiser. Lots o f appreciation for all this came my w ay. w hich added another level of sweetness to the fulfillment of doing stuff I love so much.

THAILAND TRAVELOGUE by M o u n ta in e 29 January 2008. Hello dear friends. Yep, it’s me, halfway around the planet, reporting on the first phase o f my travels. The Tropical Gathering of Asian Faeries on Ko Yao Yai island ended 2 days ago, and it was oh oh so lovely. Some highlights:

On one o f our outings, the friendly (and cute) driver o f our truck had a few beers while we romped naked nearby. On the way back, 1 chose to sit on top of the truck (while most o f the group was below, inside the truck). The driver got rambunc tious, and instead of turning off the road toward our guesthouse, he sped up and continued straight ahead. Viking Diva at the Beach directly onto the nearby pier. As we sped toward the open sea and the setting sun, l found myself catapulted into unthinking blissland - throwing my arms up in exhilaration (no longer holding onto the sides o f the truck for safety), and screaming with excitement. I'm not into skydiv ing or other thrill seeking, but you can tell how much 1 loved it because I’m telling you about it right now! The only pictures are the ones vividly imprinted in my memory.

Habibi with Mountaine and birthday cake

My birthday was last week, and it was really fun. Viking Diva (a key organizer o f the gath ering, and an Estonian faerie o f great efficiency and high style) had ordered a cake, gorgeously decorated - I'm sure it had to be baked off the island and brought over on the occasional boat from Phuket. My way o f ensuring I’d have a great birthday was to make up gift bags from home for all the faeries, and 1 loved watching them discover their little gifts (noise makers, CDs, new agey message cards, and lots more) while devouring the decided ly non-Thai vanilla cake. Ko Yao Yai is a large island, and the population is mostly Muslim. (I’m happy to report that the locals were always friend ly and kind to us.) Although our simple bungalows were on a beach, we had to navigate broken glass when walking or swim ming (ugh!), and tourist boats came almost daily for lunchtime visits. So on many o f the 8 days I was there, we boarded an open truck and traveled to pristine secluded beaches elsewhere on the island - absolute heaven. One day we took a boat to a small deserted island, and I had a phenomenal taste o f naked snorkeling, swimming among the tropical fish , feeling just like a tropi cal fish myself. I dried off in time for a fantastic sunset, and since the moon was almost full, she was huge in the east while the sun went down in the west. Yummy!

Next to our guesthouse was a festival ground, and for 3 days we were overwhelmed with the incredible noise o f public events. (This was part of what we didn’t like about the location, and the organizers are looking into a different site for next year’s gather ing). But the festival included a volleyball tournament, and as you may know from the film Iron Ladies, in recent years teams of extremely effeminate guys, some in heavy makeup (called “ladyboys”), have been in these tournaments. There were two such teams, one from the island we were on, and one from the larger island of Phuket. They both rose to the top of the tourna ment, beating all the other male teams, and we were there when they played the “finals” against each other - what an amazing sight! That evening, some o f them came to visit us, and the mix ing o f cultures was pretty astonishing. Very little talking. Lots of pairing up between the locals and the exotic “farang” (foreigner) faeries for quickie sex. I didn’t feel like joining I (although I did have a 1 moment of meaningful eye contact with the coach, and " knew a little adventure with him was available) - I was ipPiigg content to sip my “Thai w hiskey” (actually cheap Miss Vee at the beach rum) and take in the amazing scene. I don't remember anything like THAT being in the movie!

bEaT at the beach

Our group was a great mix o f guys from many countries. Lots o f Englishmen (2 of whom live in China), many Thais, some Americans (1 living in South Korea), 2 from Vietnam, and I each from Singapore, Japan. Belarus. Malaysia, Estonia, France, Germany. The vari ety o f cultures made the experience extra rich. (My friend bEaT • wore a T shirt which is seen a lot in Thailand - “Same Same” on the front and “But Different” on the back, and this expressed the feeling very well.) We had deep sharing in heart circles almost every day, and I found that very meaningful. Also we had lots o f fun with three playback theatre sessions (improv based on our true personal stories), o f which I am a trainer. It RED Spring 2(X)8 XI33

Oh yes, the Thai food. Wonderful everywhere !!! My favorite meal so far w;as on a travel day, walking through the public mar ket in Phukettown. Many varied tastes, and deep pleasure with every morsel. More news soon. Love Love Love, Mountaine 8

10 Feb Hi again. Since the gathering. I've done the tourist thing, Organic farmers in Isaan (the Northeast area o f Thailand) have but a wide variety o f adventures has kept it really exciting. I had discovered that they can grow many crops in their rice fields dui3 d a\s in the small unvn o f Pai. known for its "hippie" and live ing the dry season, when music scene. It was easy to make friends there, which led to tak rice is not feasible. They ing a cooking class taught to 5 westerners b\ handsome dreadthrow seeds on the fertile locked Tee in his home. He w as a friend o f the house band at the ground (dry on top, but club Buffalo Exchange; the 4 young Thai guys in the band didn't very wet a few inches speak much English, but knew all the English words to hundreds down, after 5 months o f of reggae and classic rock songs. At my request. Tee asked if 1 monsoon) and see what could jam w ith them on my virtuoso slide whistle. The crowd comes up. Many are hav went w ild at my crazy solos on “Like a rolling stone”, and the ing success with water band invited me back on my next visit - yay! melon, for example, and a group o f farmers were Then Chiang Mai. where 1 stayed at the super-elegant gay-owned truly thrilled to share what Santitham Guest House, well worth the high price (for Thailand) they had grown with us. of about S20 a night. Saturday was the annual Festival o f We were told that our visit Flow ers parade, featuring phenomenal floats made o f hundreds was very important to Mountaine admires organic banana trees on (bem since mailV of their of thousands o f flow ers, plus a dozen excellent high-school-age land reclaimed from weeds ' marching bands, and a batch o f Thai ceremonial bands too. What neighbors think they’re fun! That afternoon, 1 wfas one o f a handful o f foreigners among crazy. We took many pictures o f these lovely smiling people and thousands o f locals (including about 1.000 monks) at the crem a their watermelons, but they took as many o f us appreciating their tion of a very high monk. The man had been in his 90s, and this accomplishments. was the culmination o f 90 days o f mourning. His bier w'as at least 40 feet high, with layers and layers o f burnable sacred dec I've tended to think o f the value o f organic foods in terms o f my orations, featuring a flying elephant bird (to take the m onk’s spir personal health, but it was a shock to leant o f the severe effects it to the highest realms). The bum was spectacular, a joyous cel chemicals have had on farmers in countries like Thailand, which ebration o f the m onk’s departure, and 1 was deeply grateful to be don't have the restrictions on toxic substances that have been put there. Photos o f the cremation (of special interest to my Burning in place in the west, and where farmers get no instructions on Man friends!) can be seen at: how to protect themselves when spraying. Visiting the gorgeous http://flickr.com/photos/22516061 @N06/sets/72157604031326119/ retreat facility o f Suan Sai Lorn Joy (“ Farm o f Peaceful Breezes"), we heard the riveting story of a family that introduced There’s so much more to write about, including daily meditations chemicals, sawf short-tenn increases in crop yields, and then in gorgeous Buddhist temples, followed by phenomenal Thai began to experience the longer-term effects of dependence on massages (hey, they averaged S3-5), many given by blind people. chemicals: steeply rising prices charged by multi-national corpo But I’m sure you want to hear at least one story o f erotic adven rations, the need to increase the quantities o f chemicals used each tures, so here goes. I asked my Santitham hosts about queer year to continue to operate, and most importantly, severely debil saunas, and they told me to check out House of M ale, which itating illnesses. The good news is that this and the other sites we wasn't far from the guest house. They didn't tell me that the visited are becoming models for many people who are caught in crowd was mostly young (I’m not), and mostly Asian (ditto). 1 the current system, but for whom it is crucial to see thriving spent some time in the pitch black steam room, and was freaked examples o f another w-ay of farming and of life. 1 hope you take by the way guys would move away from me as soon as we a little time to read about all this in more detail at: touched. Later 1 was told I shouldn't take it personally - as soon http://kleiwerks.org/thailand punpun studvtrip 2008.php. as they felt the light hair on my arms, they were repelled. Turns out it’s a “sticky rice” scene - that’s the term used here for Asian I promised to help spread the word about the challenges and suc guys who are attracted to Asian guys. 1 didn’t go back... But do cesses o f sustainable living in Thailand, and that is a key motiva tion behind my telling you about it! stay tuned for a happy ending. M ore love, M ountaine If you email me at mountaineer gmail.com. I’ll send you a more 27 Feb (flying hom e over the North Pole). As if my earlier trav extensive writeup on the study tour, provided by the wonderful els weren't great enough, these last 2 weeks have been the best! organizers Jon Jandai and Peggy Reents. 1 joined 17 other people (including dear faerie friend Janell Kapoor) in a “sustainability study to u r” o f NE and Northern Thailand. Living close to the land is only a few generations back in most Thai families’ history, and I found it inspiring to see and feel the many ways in which rural people are rejecting consumerist culture, returning to the ways their grandparents lived. We saw a wide variety o f styles o f community living, from the thriving Santi Asok (based on a strict set o f rules on lifestyle) to free-wheeling mixes o f Thais and foreigners which are not that different from our own faerie sanctuaries. A few brief impressions:

I ended my trip w ith a day in Bangkok, including a final massage at the Hotel Malaysia, known for gay clientele from around the world, as well as the “money boys” who work outside offering professional pleasure. The massage area isn’t part o f the hotel; when I had been there a few weeks earlier, I’d had a massage from a young man whose style wasn’t as forceful as many oth ers, but whose gentleness (and hints of sensuality) had won me over. Was I making up the feeling that one of his body-stretch ing moves had positioned his foot suggestively on my groin.

RFD Spring 200X #133

NYC Radical Faeries, contemporary portraits by Luc Edouard Georges, a review by Keith Cemerek (Part 1 of 2)

#1 April Fools at the Astor Place Cube Disclaimer: I am a New York City faerie. I am a photographer, and pictures of me appear in Luc’s book. I am close to this subject. Over 100 years ago Sadakichi Hartmann wrote extensively about that time when photography was first in the hands of artists. He described how photo artists would manipulate lenses with Vaseline or scratch on negatives, re-creating the Art of Daguerre. At that pivotal moment artists were tired of how photographers had been trying to emulate master painters. Here and now, at the birth of digital photographic imagery, New Yorker Luc Edouard Georges, a painter, brings painterly textures and artistic whims onto his photographs and creates another new type of image. Viewers soon realize they are looking at a unique experiment in image making from the hands of a talented artist. Do these images represent reality? “Whose reality?” the artist and dreamer might ask. In his new book, “NYC Radical Faeries, contemporary portraits” (published by Star Books Press, $49, currently on sale for $40, at www.lucgeorges.com) Luc turns his eyes on his local faerie tribe in New York. It is an affectionate look at his own community hoping to inform and inspire new people with fresh voices and more diverse cultural backgrounds to join in. Besides brilliant imagery, the book is rich with essays and testimonials from New York faeries. It is his collected work, as artist and dreamer of possibilities held sacred.

KH> Spring 2008 #133

In Luc’s work, the photograph becomes the canvas, and digital tools become the brush and palette. Luc is a portrait artist and a documentarian, but as a painter his palette resides within his Macintosh computer using Photoshop tools. Luc revels in this new technology. As a resident of NYC’s infamous Chelsea Hotel, Luc was influenced greatly by his teachers at the Art Student's League and the National Academy of Design. Jungian psychology overlapped with his work involving painted masks. Along the way, the computer helped him free the facemasks from the faces he had photographed. What remained behind the mask left him with the spiritual journey. Dream work and synchronicity led him to the Brooklyn faeries at their pride parade years ago. He found his home, and with this book he wants to give back to his community.

#2 April Fools Walk at Union Square As a camera operator, his portrait work is shot from the hip at parades and demonstrations, parties and performances. In his images from April Fools Day, [image #1], Luc captures a NYC faerie High Holy Day. The mix of photo-recorded color and computer painted color create a unique image, a new hybrid artform. Playful at least, these images lure you with the brilliance of the color and textures, and then there is the spirit of the subject. A visual and conceptual feast; a celebration. [It is important to share how frustrating it is to present this article with black and white versions of these brilliantly constructed images. Please make a point to view his book, or better still, actual prints. They will amaze you.] In another image faeries wander through Union Square [image #2], acting the Fool, a primal faerie archetype on the street. Luc has played with color as well as background and texture. These manipulations may be subtle, and well, fool your eye, but enrich your view. The NYC comedic costume aesthetic owes credit to the stunning influences of Agnes de Garron and Gabriel Q, who were among the first to come to NYC as faeries. They were creators and traveling performers with the Puppetears of Ecstasy bringing a mix of drag, commedia del arte, dance and puppetry. The New York faeries are their colorful offspring. Luc catches Gabriel Q [image #3] on a visit to last year’s April First with a netti pot for a prop.

RFD Spring 200X #133

#4 Agnes de Garron

#3 Gabriel Q

Colors were played with generously, not only to amplify what the camera was unable to capture well, but the background is not camera produced at all. Here the painter shows off his magic. Agnes appropriately populates this book and we are treated to a rare LG studio portrait of Agnes the dancer [image #4]. His prop is an antique wooden detail, a gold-painted bundle of branches, a faggot, to be precise. Colors, cropping and lighting are Luc’s work. Agnes, the artist portrayed, provides the rest. The inspiration is boundless. The image captures it all: two artists looking at each other, a dialogue now shared with the viewer. LG’s work represents a body of portrait work where the photographer doesn’t interfere, letting the subject relax into a persona. Donald Gallagher spent two days constructing the underwater scene for his portrayal as Poseidon, a singing role from the Monteverdi opera “Ulysses” [image #5]. Water spirit that he is, Donald embodied that water god with set and song. No direction was necessary. Ultimately, Luc collaborates by permitting his subjects to manifest by their own design. He has the lightest touch of any camera artist I know. Sometimes he just walks up to a subject, snaps and “voila”, but his work has just now begun and he takes this catch home to his computer. Luc has captured a gentle soul by the name of Justina Gladiola in several manifestations. Justina could fill this book with breathtaking images. His drag sensibility is a channeling of Hibiscus of the Angels of Light and the Cockettes, faerie predecessors from the West Coast. Luc as photographer doesn’t let his camera fail him here as he risks arrest in the New York Public Library and Justina poses on the grand marble stairway [image #6], or on the street at the base of the Cube sculpture at Astor Place [image #7]. Hibiscus reminded us that the stage and theatre have been at the essence of spiritual ritual throughout history, and Justina brings this to our shared journey. This look at Luc’s work will continue in the next issue of RFD.

KH) Spring 2008 #133

m #5 Donald as Poseidon

#6 Justina Gladiola at NYPL

#7 Justina Gladiola at the Astor Place Cube

RH) Spring 2008 #133

down to the floor. That Rumpus he says all them milk snakes got to thrashing around in that boy's insides like they was on the hot pavement and he was hooting like a bam owl and flapping his arms like he was flying.

T h e m i l k Sn a k e s a n d T h e H o o t O w ls by

W es H a r t l e y

g r a p h ic

Well that Snake Doctor he commenced into grabbing ahold of Peezee's peter all the time hollering for them snakes to come to him and he commenced into jerking on it and Rumpus he says all at once all them milk snakes come shooting out of that boy's peter up to the ceiling and all over the walls all just awiggling and asquirming right back on down to the linoleum into this great big white puddle just like some milk got spilled or something.

Touch

Wes Hartley pursued gnarly West Tennessee countryboys (suc cessfully) in the mid-nineteen sixties. In 1966 he composed a lengthy folk epic of his imaginary adventures in the boondocks entitled THE BUNDLE OF SNAKES. This monologue is an outtake from that masterpiece Wes now lives in Vancouver, BC.

That there tetched brother of Aspic Trozzle I think they call him Pee zee you know the one they caught that time over to the Widow Charnel's place inside the chickenhouse and all them dead hens with their feathers all pulled out and him doing something nasty to the banty rooster and going on the way he done when they caught him red-handed all covered with them chicken feathers and guts and all - well that Peezee he's at it again only this time it wasn't with no hen nor roosters.

Well that windowpeeper Rumpus he took scared that some kind of terrible witchspell was going to get put on him if he got caught out there spying so he just hightailed it back into town here acarrying on about what he says he seen. Well there didn't none of us boys over at the wareroom of the ten cent store never believe none of it nohow so we all just took and fired him right out of there in a mighty quick hurry and right fast. That useless eightball can't learn him nothing.

You know that waterwitch dowser who lives by himself over on Poison C rick in them big hickory woods the other side of Clyster I think they call him The Snake Doctor because they say he keeps all these big old milk snakes afeeding them barnrats and chicken heads and such the way they say he does. Well that Snakeman he got ahold of that tetched Trozzle boy and he got him into doing these just horrible against-God things with them big old milk snakes of his and that Peezee being all empty-headed the way he is he's like to do just anything that dowser puts him up to.

Well what do you know when that waterwitch Snake Doctor heard tell what that haywire tattletale Rumpus was asaying about them strange doings he says he seen when he was over there window peeking at the Snakeman's shack the Snake Doctor he come in here to town alooking for him. Well that strange dowser he didn't have no trouble find ing that peeping tom Rumpus but when he done it he didn't never let on. He had this masonjar in this brownpaper sack you always see him carrying and he was sip ping out of it with some of them useless no-accounts that hang around over in back of the creamery and that Rumpus boy him not being all that bright he was there in with the rest of them asipping too.

Well that haywire good-for-nothing name of Rumpus you know the one always hangs around over to the toi let down at the courthouse all the time that useless eightball well he was on over to that Snake Doctor's shack to get him some kind of petercharm or whatever and he peeked in through the kitchen window and he seen that waterwitch and Peezee both of them buttnaked in the kitchen. Rumpus he says that tetched boy he was bended over the back of a chair and that Snakeman he was sliding these big old milk snakes up Peezee's butt while Peezee he was busy eating the insides out of the belly of this dead possum. Well l mean to tell you that good-for-nothing Rumpus he took scared that something awful was going to hap pen to him for seeing what he was seeing but that peep ing tom he just kept on into watching anyhow.

Well that Snake Doctor he was telling one of them far fetched witchstories of his that you always hear him telling when he's loafing over to the ten cent store and he was passing that masonjar of his around the circle like 1 said and that eightball Rumpus he was hunkered down with the rest of them good-for-nothings just tak ing it in all ears like he does and him and the rest of them not knowing for sure what it was that they was all drink ing out of that there Snakeman's mystery jar. Lord knows I w ouldn't never sip nothing out of no masonjar of that strange Snake Doctor and you w ouldn't neither.

Well Rum pus he says that Snakeman he shoved upwards of thirteen of them big old milk snakes up that Trozzle boy's butt and then he commenced to jumping around the room acracking this bull whip of his and hol lering for them milk snakes to come to him and all the while that crazyboy got to hum ping up and down on that kitchen chair like a boar hog until he broke it right

Well now I hear tell how that Snake Doctor he keeps all these barn owls roosted up in the attic of that shack of his and they say he's got this special way with all kinds of hootowls and he gets them to do these certain things for him. Well he got into narrating about these owls of his and pretty soon he took and told this owl story.

KM) Spring 2008 #133

So that night it's the full moon. So Rumpus he takes and heads on over to them big hickory woods over on Poison Crick on the way to Clyster a little ways dow n stream from the shack of the Snake Man. And he builds this big bonfire of dry hick ory sticks in the middle of this little clearing and takes off all of his clothes and swallows a live tadpole and looks up at the full moon and begins im itating hootowls. Well he hoohoos and hoots at the moon for about ten or eleven minutes it don't take very long. Suddenly many owls come. And then more owls and more come so many different owls that they blot out the moon. The owls wet their wings and tailfeathers in Poison Crick and shake creekwater on the big bonfire and the fire fizzles out. Then in the pitch dark all the owls come screeching and hooting and they gang up on that barenaked Rumpus boy and scratch him with their claws and peck him all over with their beaks and steal all his clothes and pull out all of his hair. Every hair on his head.

So the Snake Doctor says if you imitate owls by hooting and calling like a hootowl all night under the full moon the owls hear it and they get very put off by it and they get worked up something fierce. Hootowls don't like it one bit when you make light of them by hooting at the moon at night like they do. The Waterwitch he says he knows for a fact that if you was to go deep into the woods and build a big campfire and take off all your clothes and swallow a live tadpole and look up at the full moon and commence into hoot ing like a hootowl all the owls in ten counties will hear it and come hooting and screeching so many owls that they will blot out the moon. And all the owls will be mad as hornets and they will scratch you with their claws and peck you with their beaks and pull out all of your hair and steal your clothes and put out your camp fire.

So now Rumpus he's bald as a goose egg. He's all different-lookingnow but he's still an eightball. More like a cueball actually.

Well that screwloose Rumpus boy all hunkered down with them other no-accounts back of the creamery like I said alistening all ears to the Snake Doctor going on about hootowls and sipping whatever-it-is out of that masonjar he commences into laughing like a gradeschoolgirl and he says I don't think so. Rumpus he can't stop laughing and poking fun at the witchstory. He says he for one ain't scared of no hootowls and he can whip all of them easy and kill them too. And he tells the Snake Doctor and all them good-for-nothings 1 don't believe none of it.

So The Snakeman says If an owl shits on you you will die.

Well that Snake Doctor he was here in town again yes terday and he got them no-accounts together again over back of the creamery and they got to passing around that masonjar of his like they do and that baldheaded all-covered-with-scratches Rumpus boy he was stand ing there looking on and listening in that strange way he does and the waterwitch he starts into telling another one of them owl stories of his.

Well I mean to tell you that no-hair Rumpus he turns white as a sheet and he commences into shaking like a leaf and he pisses his pants right there in back of the creamery. rhe-Boy-Who-1 lad-All 1lis-1 lair-Pulled-OutBy-Hootowls runs off down the alley flapping his arms and screeching and hooting like a hootowl. But he does n't get far because this big barn owl flies over and splats him on top of his bald head in broad daylight. That use less no-account can't learn him nothing.

R1 I) Spring 200X #133

The New Alchemy refers to the concept of transfor The 3000 square foot addition to the existing cottage

mation of ideas into reality, just as the historical

known as Luna Parc will be called the Museum of the

Alchemists believed that any and all materials in the

new Alchemy - not to be confused with the old alchemy;

world originated from gold and through a series of com

and certainly not to make light of the several hundred

plex procedures all materials from metals to gasses could

year old foundation of modern chemistry. The space will

be transformeci back into gold. The same applies to my

house a collection of art, artifact and assorted oddities,

intentions as an artist and my knowledge of materials.

and a few tongue-in-cheek displays such as the pantheon

Understanding how to manipulate materials any materi

of icons made of various materials from porcelain to plas

als, metal, stone, glass, clay, paint is the key. My under

tic, which include the Golem of Prague, Colonel Sanders,

standing of these and other materials unblocks the obsta

Mao, Smokey the bear, pre-Columbian statue and the

cles for creativity. I only need the idea and then determine

Pillsbury Dough Boy, all of which have the same stiff

what medium to use. This is the lesson I impart on young

pole-up-the-ass stance. Also included are rock and miner

artists when they come to visit with their schools or when

als, bones and my collection of Buddha statues that I

I coach them one on one. Creativity is as much a disci

gathered during my travels to India, Nepal, throughout

pline just as academics or athletics. It needs to be prac

SI Asia and China, just to describe a few of the exhibits.

ticed daily and with dedication: ideas flow freely and the artist translating them like breathing.

Rl D Spring 2008 #133

sparsely populated. The town centers of Sparta and The trappings of the Museum structure will boast my

Newton were somewhat developed, but within a few

stained glass windows, fabulous mosaics and stone and

miles of these hamlets, one would drive through rolling

wood work, plus a set of huge antique wooden doors that

hills and farm fields. This was the last frontier in New

I found in a salvage yard in Beijing . In actuality the proj

Jersey ; a scant 75 miles from New York City, the settings

ect will be going on for the next decade at least, but prob

were bucolic. The adventure of finding a house posed a

ably more realistically for the rest of my life.

few challenges. I certainly wanted some property. I want ed to be able to pee on the front lawn in total privacy; and I wanted a fixer-upper. I did not want to have to disman

Luna Parc did not start out so grand. In 1988 I was liv ing in Northwestern N ew Jersey in Sussex County. Set

tle someone's bad renovations or ill-use of materials; and

up for production at my former business partner's work

the cost - under 100K!

shop for the previous 4 years, I realized that it was time to establish my own residence and atelier. 1986-88 were

My realtor Gayle was a trooper. Together we visited

boom years for my jewelry business. The p h a t Regan

scores of property, from third world shacks to over priced

years afforded me great success and finances (a selfish

suburban style ranches. One person was even going to

footnote: the only really good thing about Regan's term

give me his sheep with the property- None of these were

for my own business as a self employed artist). Those

right; in fact the process was discouraging. December of

years gave me the ability to acquire a healthy down pay

1988 was very snowy which made it hard to maneuver

ment for my dream house. I could have never imagined

some of the back roads of Sussex county. After a long day

that the dream would be so grand.

on the road with my realtor, we looked at the last house on our list: a cabin on 5 acres with a stream and a bridge, sounded great, house seasonal but could be improved. We

Northwestern N ew Jersey in the late 1980's was rather 17

RFD Spring 2008 #133

walked across the wooden bridge that led to the winding

California in the 1800's in order to appease the evil spirits

driveway to the house. I stood and stared at the semi-

that caused the death of her husband and baby- but she

dilapidated but sound house, needing of TLC. I said to

was Looney. What's my excuse?

Gayle, "This is it!" she said "It is? " I knew in that I have always customized my living spaces. As a lad

moment, this would be the place that I would spend the rest of my life. My path was so clear for me in that

My Room was, as it is today, filled with shelves of collec

instant. What I could not fathom was what Luna Parc

tions of every sort, lovingly organized and labeled as to

would be now - nearly two decades later.

what where and whence they came. As a grown-up (a fig ure of speech) my house and atelier are both filled and

Luna Parc, the name I have given the property is

organized not so obsessively but quite thoroughly. The

named not after the amusement park in Coney Island, but

specimens in the Museum of the New Alchemy will be

the one outside the city of Rome, Italy on the southern

not only organized on neat shelves and vetrine but also

edge nt*ar Mussolini's model city EUR.

each object catalogued and to what, where and whence it came.

There is in any grand project, that balancing act of The house and grounds of Luna Parc are open to the

treading the fine line between passion and obsession. I have become passionately obsessive and obsessively pas

public twice a year, no admission fee, but I encourage

sionate but plainly am just having a lot of fun. From the

sales of my jewelry, pottery and other sculpture work and

first night that I owned the house, the project has contin

garden furniture. The events have grown to where I need

ued non-stop.

a staff of assistants and a parking boy too! From the hun dreds of people a year that visit Luna Parc, the most fre quently asked questions are "Did you have a plan for

Some have compared me to Mrs. Sarah Winchester,

this? Do you ever sleep? Are you married? " My master

who began creating additions onto her house in San Jose

this is the chapel of the saints, it has become a real pilgrimage spot

this hexaganol building is lime green, yellow and orange. KFD Spring 2008 #133

I check out for good; and since 1 plan to live to 106 as m\ idol Beatrice Wood did, then checking out will just have to wait. That is a good thing as l have a list of projects that will last me till then.

N o li p ro fu n d e re tc m p u s , e s t m a te r i a l c u i u s v i t a f a c it u r — D o n o t s q u a n d e r tim e , th a t is th e s t u f f life is m a d e of.

Now that 1 am

approaching half of a centu ry on the planet, this is even more important to me. On that day when 1 finally put down my trow els, anvils, and assorted hammers for good, my intention is for the project to live in perpetuity through a foundation that 1 am in the process of organizing. The Luna Parc Atelier Foundation will see that Luna Parc is protected and used as an educational institute, perhaps like Yaddo, or McDowell. Maybe the Smithsonian will annex it as a plan was never to have a master plan. Yes there is some

satellite branch. Whatever the future holds for the

planning that must be done especially for an undertaking

grounds, this 1 know for the present - I will continue to

like the Museum Annex. I trust the muses to direct me

work as compulsively as 1 have since June 9, 1989, the

and just like Sarah Winchester, when the muses speak,

first day I lived in paradise, and who said you can't make

I listen. With all the racing from one project to another

a silk purse from a sow's ear?

there is little time for sitting and idling. My motto that I live by which has been my watch cry for most of my life: TEMPUS FUGIT. Those words are even set in mosaic tile on the wall of my workshop. For this fact I do not have a TV and have not lived with one since the late 1970's. After the Sonny and Cher show was cancelled, I gave up pop culture. My knowledge of TV and pop cul ture thru the 80's and 90's is on an idiot level. But happily and blissfully Luna Parc has flour ished and continues seemingly with no end in sight, that is until 19

RFD Spring 20<)X#133

fuzzy-soft. We stood before it barefoot once, naked at midnight, erect. You are my right brain, replacing him to ride me hard, reminding me how to interpret art on earth, how to write an epic poem, catching the moss, expressing the loss, the return to earth, nothing less than epic would you accept or expect, being grand, green as moss, being art on earth, lunacy parked in New Jersey on a great colored hillside where 1 learned to write art on earth, just beyond the sculptured urn with the ashes, past your ceramics, up a path from the house, you blasted into me when we buried Billy, his last breath long breathedjnfan my own held now exhaled.

Burying Billy (art on earth) F or R icky The moss grew quick where we cleared the woods as if waiting, expecting us to come along with rocks and rakes, setting it free. Billyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s urn, set on tree-shelf, leached summer rain, leaked as the ground steamed, as the moss woke and stretched, yawned its way upward. You sealed the urn in cement, brass and bone now concrete, added design because you are art on earth while he is only in earth or above it one meter hidden in a statue easy to find in a glen where we visit:

You gave me a blank book and demanded I fill it. I). Scott H um phries Kassel, 11 Feb 2007

flat-rocked altar stands unsupported still fifteen years adopted by moss, whiskered

*>>\

J ~ \ v

-1

Infant of Prague Shrine, scene of miracles RFD Spring 2008 #133

â&#x2013; ÂŤ4

Visit my website w w w .lu n a p a r c .c o m

You can take an online tour of the house and R \

sculpture park.

R icky and Bird

r9 C

stained glass tryptich: wheels & gears

Tree of Life stained glass blue ceramic window trim

glazed ceramic figurines Ricky at an Exhibit 21

RI O Spring 200H #133

A bit later, did he really put my own foot against his jeans so I could feel his hard-on? I hadn't opened my eyes to make sure, but had given him a big tip. and asked for him when I went back. This time, instead o f a regular Thai massage (with clothing and no oil), I chose a Thai oil massage. He surprised me at the start by inviting me to take offall my clothes. I lay face down, and within a few minutes I was purring at his gentle moves. Yes, he was hitting the Thai massage points, stretching limbs and moving energy, but his hand was definitely starting to oil my butt crack in addition to my thighs. When I didn’t complain, he went deeper (yum), and when he had me turn onto my back, it was clear he was very skilled at bringing me to the “ happy ending” that I really hadn’t expected. There was a curtain around the massage table, and other people were being massaged in the same large room, so he reminded me often not to make a sound. I usual ly like to let my voice ring out (oh yes!!!), but the need for careful discre tion seemed to add an extra thrill to the “climax” of my 6-week journey. He asked when I’d be back, and when l said “maybe December”, he smiled and said, “ I’ll be waiting for you.

“Nature Lovers" Summer Gathering at Tolleterre J u l t j \S - 13

Invitation to the 3rd EuroFaerie Summer Gathering at Folleterre", our sanctuary located in the northeastern part of France, Vosges region, in the very heart of Europe. This year’s gathering is focusing on our connection with nature. What U . Folleterre is offering in such great abundance and diversity, is so much worth w . to discover and explore! By connecting more intensely, making natural processes and elements visible, and seeking as many “natural highs” as possi ble, we can experience its nurturing and healing effect and find out how a connection with nature and within nature can help create the best conditions for deeper relationships and communication with each other.

As there are many ways to develop a more intense contact with nature, we plan to offer a number of activities, events and rituals in advance, so you may plan your week and register ahead of time. At the same time, all participants arc *nv'tc^ to share their talents and skills within this theme. A general framework will be provided by the organizers, while you determine the con tent and course this gathering is to take. Keeping as much time for yourself as you need to just have fun, like swimming in nearby lakes, hiking nature trails, and sharing with others in theatrical and musical play, gardening, cook ing wholesome meals, and so on.

cWe welcome faeries of all ages and sexes, but there are restrictions concerning children and pets. The house provides basic accommodation, a big attic for indoor sleeping, and outdoor showers and toilets. Beautiful spots for camping in open fields and in the woods. On all sides we are surrounded by nature preserve, “Parc Regional des Ballons des Vosges”. For more information about Folleterre check : www.folleterre.org and for information about the EuroFaeries : www.eurofaerie.eu Folleterre can be reached by train through i. the nearby station in Lure, where some pickups by car will be arranged. We are currently also looking into renting a minibus that will leave Amsterdam at lwr a set time. Detailed information also on how to get there, will be sent to you soon after registration. Gathering fees, including food are 20 to 30 euros per I day, depending on your income. There is a “nobody will be turned away due -.i i ' r to a lack of funds” policy. So if you can’t pay that much, please contact the “ i organizers, and we will find a way to make it work for you. As we plan to accomodate not more than 40 - 50 people, please register before July 1st! ^ V F o r more information contact: summergathering@folleterre.org note: on july 20, during the yearly great circle, every faerie can vote for new members of the board, apply for stewardship and determine the .direction Folleterre needs to go for the coming year.

Mountaine & Miss Vee at Talent Show

After all this adventure (and much more), I’m grateful to be heading home, and being closer to all o f you! More More LoveLove, Mountaine

JO ,

M I D VV E S T M E N ' S F E S T I V A I. | U I.Y 2 2 - 31, 2 0 0 8 45 min North of Kansas City. Kansas

For more information contact: David Lauritzen at deledwardl@aol.com or 515/967-2603 JB Becker at beckerjb@gmail.com or 612/735-0193. Registration forms are available at www midwestmensfestival.com. Additional area contacts: ARKANSAS Gem 479/239-4571 IOWA David 515/967-2603 KANSAS Prairie 913/669-3829 MINNESOTA JB 612/735-0193 WISCONSIN BamBam 608/575-6280 see related article and info on p 4 1

RED Spring 2008 #133

Folleterre

Schedu le

Since some time the Eurofaeries arc already brainstorming about the coming summer gathering at Folleterre. The theme is N ature Lovers. Lots of nature connected activities, workshops and rituals are already planned! And the usual fun such as the fashion parade, talent and no talent show. etc.

*5eltane april 28 - may 4 with an extra work week to fix 2 floors in the house.

‘So lstice june 16 - june 22 ‘ The Summer Gathering jultj I<3 - jultj 28 ‘ Ecjuinox September 20 - September 25 * Lum ber Ja n e October 24 - november 2 contact F.ilendes Wasser at go-ahaufa t-onlinc.de or Junis at ervankoolwijk@kpnplanet.nl 22

S MS BELTANE A PR 2 5 -M A Y 4

C A M P IN G , V E G E T A R IA N M E A LS a u c t i o n .T a l e n t SH O W . M A SSA G E. H E A R T C IR C LE S. H IK E S , S A U N A S, R A IN . R A IN , R A IN

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RID Spring 2008 #133

T hese images are a departure for me: usually my erotica is inspired by seeing an al ready strong connection between lover/friends. At last summer’s Breitenbush Radical Faerie gathering I called a playshop ‘Erotica: making our own'. A number of folk showed up to play, and we found more along the way. Most had not been romantically involved...but you can see what happens. Some of the configurations were truely random and spontaneous; others I suggested, and some were requested by those there. All were magical. Best of all: everyone had a good time splashing about affectionately. These pages are a taste of a 40 page hand made book that Pan and I are putting together. Full color, hand bound. Thanks to those who share themselves, and thanks to the faerie community who has nur tured, humored and posed for me and my cam eras for more than two dozen years. You can check out my work at www. KwaiLam.com and www.FaeryPhoto.com (and 1 m always looking for those excited to share their love magic with the world...particu larly freaky faery folk!) Hugs and Kisses, Kvvai

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Traveling the Sacred Hoops with the Rewilding Fey Diggers r-

N ow all o f nature cries out for a different people. . . the M other is in travail w aiting for the birth o f this. We see our brothers and sisters everywhere , livin g things , tortured and crying out fo r releiffrom a beast devouring every thing, knowing its time is short. aHo! Fin isia Medrano

RID Spring 20<)8 #133

A Report and Call from the Self-Appointed Hoop Ambassador for Fairy Nation

edge o f this old good way. That is what the Coyotes Camp is doing. While Arco is the classroom laboratory stronghold for the 5 Hoops of the Great Basin High desert where Root Festival is danced around the summer solstice, two more emerging Potlatehes are doing this on two other Hoops. Some o f us Coyotes are establishing the Northern California Hoop, also known as the Porno Miw'ok Hoop. Others are giving birth to the Oregon Hoop also known as the Fairy Hoop. These three Hoops are now affectionately known as the Three Sisters. They share a common vision and intention. The Three Sisters work coopera tively and potlatch with each other. In this way. we can preserve ourselves and those w'ho will follow', even unto seven genera tions. Aho! T he C all to the Root Festival

In the not so long ago time. . . . . the people lived in such a way as to bring sustenance to and for themselves and each other. While grateful to Spirit, they understood that it was through their own cooperative efforts that they were able to bring forth the gifts o f the Mother and the gifts of the Father. They always gave back more than they took, allowing for self-preservation and provision for future genera tions. This is what is meant by Rewilding and Building the Hoop. They “walked in beauty” and flowers sprung up in their footsteps. T his symbiotic way o f being in balance with their permaculture was and is the WALKS IN BEAUTY WAY and the life-giving “reach around.”

At various ceremonies 1 had heard o f a “Root Woman” who lived in Arco, Idaho near the Heart o f the Mother at the top of the Hoop. She was known as the Bag Lady (Bundle) for 5 Hoops o f the Great Basin and she had the knowledge and knew the way described above. In Fall 2004 at ceremony in | Montana, I met Finisia Medrano. During the • A 1 1W. M ip s ) Sunday Vision Circle, in a grief stricken voice, tears streaming down her weath ered face, Finisia spoke o f her fears that this way would die with her unless individuals would come and learn these things and then TEACH these things. It w'as so powerful and real, and offered HOPE in my whacked world, that within me the Spirit quickened and I committed to going to Root Festival the next summer. I went for myself and as self-appointed Ambassador for Fairy Nation, to see how this vision could carry FAIRY MAGIC into the future. A w'orld without Fairies is no world at all.

The people were so intimately aware o f all their rela tions that no calendar was needed to tell them when to move up one side or end o f the sacred food hoop to gather and plant back each root and plant in its season. That same awareness moved them to the wet lands to gather the camas and lily bulbs when ripe for the picking, and always planting back. The women tended to gather and dig the seeds, berries, roots and plants offered by the Green Nations, while the men hunted the winged ones, the four legged, and those with fins. The two-spirits participated in both activities. When there was little or no game everyone became a digger/gatherer.

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In this way the people not only lived, but also thrived. In gratitude the people performed ceremony to celebrate and share the “ fruits o f their labors.” Families, clans, tribes, and camps w'ould come together for a big potlatch or give away and each would bring what they had and leave with more than they gave away. These ceremonies would take place on the great open plains usually where the yampa or camas was in abundance where various Hoops conjoined or abutted each other. It was neither buy /sell or trade or tit for tat although that did occur. The understanding was that business was business and potlatch was potlatch, a gifting from and to each other. They are vastly different. This potlatch or piumpsha is the Root Festival.

During my time there we dug roots, gathered our daily dinner, visited sacred sites, and planted back the little green sis ters in safe havens. We made several trips to the sacred paint cave at the Heart o f the Mother at the top o f the Hoop. We start ed a community drum; we danced, sang, prayed (Send more DIG GERS!), told stories and did sweat lodge. With Spirit, we began to weave this vision that had been dreamed and carried for so long. We spoke often o f the longhouse intentions and the prophe cies being fulfilled. We danced our shadow and our light individ ually, supporting one another.

O f course this was before broken treaties, war. and occu pation all but suffocated this way o f living. For those here on Turtle Island this occurred here in the west, from about 150 years ago even on to the present time. For those o f us from across the big water and those living there now this occurred from over 2000 years ago up to the present time. At some point in every one’s history there is a nomadic hunter-gatherer ancestor. Remember!?!

Finisia assisted me in putting together my personal med icine bundle. It is vital that anyone participating understand that this is an egalitarian vision with no room for hierarchy. Hoop Law prevails.

Across the globe there are strongholds and sanctuaries for rewilding, and although small and some just starting, each provides the opportunity to reclaim the land and gain the knowl RFD Spring 2008 *133

It was clear from that first Root Festival a wider call needed to go out. We would call in the learners who would become teachers o f the Walks in Beauty Way. The lessons learned at any o f the Three Sisters can be transferred and adapted to whatever Hoop on which you find yourself.

idea, on ly denser. P eople h av e in h erited a w o rld w h ere they h av e incense, b u t they d id n 't inherit the idea. Both incenses w ere created for a w ay of fire so w e co uld h av e o u r h earth w h erev er w e w ent, b ecause w e d id n 't h av e click Bic lighters. A nd fire w a s n 't cheap. It w as th e sam e w ith the sage b u n d les. Som eone carried a horn, o r a sacred skull m aybe, w ith sage b u n d le s sm o ld erin g . T h at p erso n w o u ld n u rse that coal from one b u rn in g to the next. They w o u ld p u t it a m o n g th e o th e r incenses, an d w h en it w as lit, it could be p u t into a tube, w here it co u ld n o u rish a n d hold this fire in a b u n d le of sticks. T hese b u n d le s of sticks, they w o u ld set w ith the incense an d b u rn it like that. Today you h a v e the sage, an d you hav e the fire.

Therefore, 1 Call Fair> Nation to Come and Be a Part of Rewilding Your World Ambassadorette Grandma Spider

M a in ta in in g th e O rig in T hese tru th s get replaced in a m aterial culture. All of these tru th s get lost in the flood of m aterial culture. The sy m b o ls of th at tru th , how ever, are n ot the tru th itself. The tru th of how to live as a H u m a n Being on the E arth a n d h o w to w alk the m ed icin e w heel becam e lost. The reason for these potlatches, ro u n d dances, an d ghost d an ces w as this root festival. T hat is h o w th e peo p le lived. To give back to the th in g th at g av e th em life w as the w ay to be. The People u n d e rsto o d an d w ere sym biotic w ith all of the ele m en ts in w hich they w ere living. T here w as a b u n d le that w as k n o w n as C am as G irl. C am as Girl m ig h t be an old lady, b u t C am as girl knew all ab o u t the C am as. A nd so w e h ad b u n d le s like that, a n d they could be sym biotic w ith the p lan ts an d m o th e r b ecau se th ey knew how. For exam ple, w h en you go to b u ild a w illow lodge, you w an t to give back so m eth in g m ore th an a Tobacco offering. You w o u ld take the to p s of those w illow 's an d stick them back in the m u d , p la n tin g back w illo w s to grow, w here w illow s w ere taken for y o u r lodge. This com pleted circle w'as a gifting back to the th in g th a t gifted you. You gave it life again. You d id n 't just take life. W hen those w illow tops w ere stuck back into the m u d , m an y of those w illow s w o u ld grow, because th a t's w h a t w illo w s do. H elping a th in g com plete the cycle w o u ld be to know it's way, to be sy m b io tic w ith it. To take an d give it life at the sam e tim e w as the w h o le idea. T his w as lost w h en p eo p le b eg an to put d o w n a little tobacco. T hey u n d e rs to o d th e p rin c ip le , b u t not the tru th of the interaction. T hey w ere g iv ing tobacco w h en they w ere cu ttin g w illow s instead of p la n tin g back th e w illo w tops.

Origins of the Vision for the Root Festival by Finisia Medrano T his incense w e 're b u rn in g , it w a s a way. Today w e h av e the flick Bic lighter. I am lig h tin g this incense w ith an in stru m e n t o f fire. Yet this incense, itself, cam e from an old way. M a in ta in in g th e Fire In the old tim es th e p eo p le w o u ld roll the incense in d u n g an d m ake it sm ell nice. S o m eone w o u ld carry this hearth of the people. A n in d iv id u a l, w h o carried th at m e d icine, w o u ld h a v e th is in c e n se , th e se p u n k s . N a tiv e A m ericans w o u ld h av e sages, y o u know , b u n d le s. T he sage B undles w o u ld b u rn , an d y o u co u ld keep a coal fire alive, sim ilar to th ese p u n k s. It w as th e sam e a n sw e r to the sam e problem . T he d u n g p u n k s w ere th a t sam e resp o n se to th at 29

RFD Spring 200X #133

arrows would come together in a great big giveaway, and in our

Ih * _ S M l

In our world, the shift was when there was a great dying

giving to each other, all were provided for. We had the opportu

off. It began 416 years ago. (Editors note: For those of us who are

nity to share the knowledge of those ways and could rebuild our

of European descent it happened more than two thousand years

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ago, before the barbarian, Roman, and Christian conquest of our ancestral lands. We have to go back a bit further in history to recall our sacred hunting and gathering ways). There was a dis ease that came through, and many of the people, who knew the ways of these things, died. The people living on the hoops were lost because they couldn't interact with their environment in a symbiotic wray. Instead they saw that their interaction was creat ing trouble, but they couldn't see why. A very limited number of people held these things in secret, instead of letting everyone have their own blueprint. I 'm not sure what happened there, but it wasn't good. Was it? So many of our bundles have been lost. This disease came with white culture when their god way on our hoops again. So the giving was of items from you to

came before them destroying their enemies. This great dying off left the people in a bad way. People were finding themselves hav

the hoop and to the bundles to the tribes gathered. The knowl

ing difficulty interacting in a symbiotic way which gave life, and

edge of the way to create those bundles was among the people

there was trouble and great despair among the people. Maybe

again. That was the process by which they were enjoined. That

nine out of 10 people died, and the ones that were left were very

was the medicine wheel where these people had come together to

young and didn't know the way. Most of the ones that knew any

come back to their way of life, which was to live symbiotically

thing were gone.

with the environment and not to be parasitic in their life way. This is what the prophet Wovoka wanted us to return to. Wovoka was a Paiute man who came at the last moments of any

They say that is when those mountains in the west began

free Indian existence in America. He was the one that took the

to puff smoke. Throughout the West it was like a big pipe cere

idea of the round dance, the very one of which I'm speaking and

mony was going on. The people came to sec what the mountains

taught the people to dance it. It was a dance of renewal, hope,

were speaking. They said that the earth had opened up, and that

and life. It was his hope that as people we would see this, and

there were people coming from the earth. They said these new

come back to that tradition. The return meant that you could live

old ones were coming to give the people a medicine wheel. And

a symbiotic lifestyle even when nobody else was. If you came

that was what the root festival was, this round dance. That was

back to that dance and to the medicine wheel, you could do the

what the potlatch was all about. It was that medicine wheel that

medicine wheel when the guns and whiskey came. Now that the

these emerging people gave to the people. They said we should

guns and whiskey have come, we must go back to the medicine

all meet together at the center of our hoops at a certain time of the

wheel. In order to maintain balance and sustain this permaculture

year, so that those which had members who knew how to catch

which allows the people to interact in an old good way with the

the salmon could bring salmon and show that way. And those

mother. When this permaculture, in this final place on earth, is

who knew the roots could bring the roots and show that way, and

destroyed and gone, then hum ankind's ability to be symbiotic in

those that knew how to do hides, and so on and so forth. These

the environment goes with it. This damage has occurred all the way around the world. But for here, in the Great Basin high desert, and at least for now, the earth mother still gifts us bread. The root festival, this round dance, this ghost dance is a way for the people to come together. And in doing so, we could spread around this way, and share it with one another. And Wovoka said if we would enjoin this way-planting those things back, and do those dances and return to our way of life that was symbiotic, then we could return the balance. That is what he hoped would happen. By dancing this dance, and eating these roots, and plant ing them back, we allow that which feeds us to be the thing which we feed. Dance it wherever you go. You don't find rows of camas

RHD Spring 2008 #133

or rows of biscuit root. These plants however are everywhere

some for eating and others for storing. The indication that it is time to dig for the winter stores would be the seeding of the plants, otherwise you only dig enough to eat for that day or a few days. Starting in southern Nevada and moving north gradually, you interact with seeding breadroots on your entire journey to Idaho, where you arrive for ROOT FESTIVAL around the summer solstice. You wait until the plant is in seed, and give it life, the act of digging and harvesting cracks the ground open, and gives the seeds an opportunity to take root (get planted). I've seen it with my own eyes, coming back to a place that had been harvested, and seeing more each year. Other plants that are harvested during root camp includes types of lomatium (breadroot or biscuit root), garlics, onions, bitterroot, and various greens. The season deter mines what part of the plant is harvested, in the earlv sp rin g you might pick greens, and allow the plant to continue it's life. One of grandm a's favorite harvests is that of the camas flowers, camas is a wild lily that provided a primary food source of the Great Basin peoples.

because the people planted their trails back everywhere they walked. That was their dance, how they lived their lives every where thev walked. For ev en exchange thev made, they ted the mother back. That was their medicine.

It was not a "great,"

"mysterious" or "mystical" thing and certainly not tobacco. But tobacco represents something, and that is what it represents. The people need to be taught these ways again. When the people become symbiotic with these sisters, the food plants, and have them in their lives, they give them life. This allows these sisters to give life in return. Let us begin to make that exchange again, and in that way we can return to the Walks in Beauty Way. That is all I need to sav about it.

As root camp passes, the season of the berries comes. For Berry Camp, we move North of Boise through the old Indian Council grounds. Here the berries are rich and ripe; berries I have never before even heard of. We spend weeks harvesting huckleberries, black cap raspberries, thimble berries, and currants. We eat our fill during that time, and dry the rest for our winter stores. The fall opens the way to Pine Nut Camp, or Bear Fruit Camp, depending on where you go. It's at this time the nuts and acorns are available.The fruits, (apricots, peaches, plums, apples) ripen. We harvest pine nuts in Central Nevada.and actively plant them as we go. We've successfully planted pinion pines from seeds in places they've never grown. They are growing in Eastern Idaho due to our efforts, and now we're planting them in Oregon.

WHAT IS THE HOOP by spiralhartsong I left my caretaker pad at the faerie sanctuary to learn how the great basin native people lived, something I believe is deeply con nected to our future as a faerie tribe & people.

For Winter Camp, we gather together and tell stories, make cakes from the gathered stores, brain-tan leather, and do beadwork. This is the time to gather together as a community and create w hat's needed for the next cycle of camps on the hoop.

The hoop is a nomadic journey following the seasons and the available foods provided by our Mother, interacting with them in a way that guarantees there will be an abundance for future gen erations as a result of our interactions, nomadic indigenous peo ple followed a circle or hoop , harvesting wild foods and hunt ing game, making a life way planting and giving back with every interaction. The people understood and lived by hoop law: to give everything its life, come bearing gifts, and carry your own weight. These understandings are rooted in the concept of reacharound, the act of giving back more than you take, thereby ensur ing that there's always more.

We focus on replanting and repopulating native and noninvasive foods and medicines. We replant these indigenous plants in places they will be protected.

The hoop that w e've been learning is part of the Great Basin, more specifically the ancestral lands of the Shoshone, Nez Pierce Wasco and Paiute people. The geographic location of this hoop spans southern Nevada, into Idaho, and over to Oregon. There is a series of camps, reflecting the availability of wild foods in partic ular locations. The first camp, from early spring to the summer, is root camp, during this time, various breadroots and bulbs are harvested, 31

RFD Spring 200K # 133

Grandma’s land in Arco is an example of the effort and time it takes to see results. What was once a lush riverbed has been devasted by irrigation and wells to support nonreach around farming and grazing practices. The Lost River, aptly named because it dis appears into the Utah desert, runs through Grandma Finisia’s property. A billboard, which can be seen from the public road, stands on the edge of her land reading. This River is our Legacy. As a result o f her work, the dried and tangled riverside is now lush with beautiful and strong currant bushes. If you walk along the driveway, you'll see an abundance of young breadroot thriv ing in between the tire ruts. If you step to the old lodge site, you'll see bitterroot. When the spring comes there are native plum trees, and sheps, which is the yummiest root that I’ve ever tasted. This replanting has taken almost a decade.

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The hoop is everywhere. It’s your lawn where the dandelions grow and it’s your backyard where the oak trees live. It’s the stream where the fish still swim. It’s here; it has been broken; it’s mending. It needs you to help it regenerate and thrive. The earth is asking us to listen to what she needs right now.

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Come experience a camp in the Great Basin. Come explore what it is like to touch the earth in this way. If you can’t come here, build the HOOP near your home. Discover the natives or noninvasive edibles and medicines that grow in your area and plant them. Help renew and invigorate the earthen plane that surrounds us. Move in a direction of sustainability with the earth and each other. Deliberate on how your decisions and actions now will effect the generations that will inherit this place. There are many ways to plant for the future.

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R H ) Spring 2(M)X #133

White Eagle’s Journey photos by Adrian

be more giving, and there are certain areas that always give nuts. Just up the road, in the Bob Scott is such an area, knowm to give nuts every year. And this year was no differ ent, four weeks ago it had been full and ripening, and two weeks ago a squad of commercial pickers descended. They took everything. Nothing left.

We drive south from Seattle, Heartsong, my partner Adrain and myself. We stop in Berkeley, spending the night at the Chaos Cabaret. Silverfang reads our tea leaves in the morning, "beware of falling" is the message. We drive and giggle, watching for failing objects. Adrain talks of a photo project he always wanted to do, photographing people with famous names who are not famous. There must be another George W. Bush. I wonder if there is anyone named Humpty Dumpty? Maybe w-e got his tea leaves by mistake. We drive east into the mountains. We cross the last mountain pass, a strange town sits at the crest, Austin, Nevada. Most build ings here are 100 years old or more, and most are empty. Old brick and stone houses with brittle Victorian wood trim border the main street. This could be a western movie set if it weren't for the bright newer gas station at the edge of town and the crumbling internet caf£ dead center.

There are a total of eight of us in camp currently, although more will come and some will go. One Short Mountain faerie, two hip pie straight boys, Sophia the dairy princess, Finisia and our crew. The days move quickly. We head out to the Tehama caves and, along the path we plant the dry land bundle, biscuit root, bitter root and wild onions. We plant them carefully around sagebrush, the sagebrush helps protect the roots and draws up moisture, these plants live best in community.

Confining east, we pass through the Bob Scott Forest, following our directions, turning off highway 50 onto a desert dirt road. A few miles out on the hill we a see a glowing covered wagon. Finisia is out to say hello. Adrain and 1 make our camp and crash for sleep. 1lartsong and Finisia can be heard into the early hours laughing and gossiping. There is calm here in the cool night, a quiet that lays on the land and us.

Tehama cave is a wide opening near the top of a ridge facing southeast. It looks as if two giant hands reached in and pulled open the red rock. The entrance of the cave is covered in chain link. Finisia and Hartsong ignore the twelve-foot fence and climb over. Finisia in her buckskin war shirt and prairie skirt are a won der to watch climb. Inside the cave is covered with ancient images of bear, deer, coyote, other spirits, and monsters all painted light ly in white. We face southeast, we drum and sing praying for blessings on the seeds we have planted, praying that future gen erations will have enough to eat. Stoneberger Creek is further to the east. On the way up to the creek we stop and harvest sage. It is in bloom and filled with pollen. Tiny yellow flowers dot each branch. The smell is fresh and overwhelming, the flowers add a mild fruity air to the sage. We gather two big arm loads and it fills the car with it's scent. Finisia shows us a meadow and tells of a local Native American man she met a few weeks ago. Johnny Bob has been coming to this meadow for the past six years and with a small group has been performing a bear dance. Johnny Bob's people tell stories that this area was once filled with bears. Something shifted and they are gone now. Johnny Bob dances and prays for their return.

In love's arms, the moon is glowing huge now lighting our tent and w'e hear a sound. Loud braying echoes in the quiet. Through the thin walls they sound as if they are just outside, but we look to see and nothing is there. They must be Spirit Donkeys. A strange mix, cool quiet blue night light, Hartsong and Fin cackling into the night, Spirit Donkey songs. As we lay in the tent we are far away and home again. Welcome to Pinion Camp.

We find a wet meadow next to the dance site, 200 yards to the east. The meadow is fed by a spring. One year ago Finisia, Kimmy Jo and Hartsong planted this meadow with the wet land seeds. Wild plums, Camas, Biscuit roots and red, black and yellow' currants. With great excitement we find w'here they planted last year, we dig one small area to check on the camas. Tiny growth from the bulbs is apparent, thin branches of plum and currants are pop ping from the earth, reaching up.

I he first news of the first morning in camp. Scouts have been sent out for 200 miles in all directions, No Pinion nuts. Seems the trees are sensitive to climate, and often only give nuts 1 in 5 years. Typically if one area is not giving nuts, another area close by will RH) Spring 2008 #133

Adrain takes a photograph of Hartsong. Hartsong spent most of 34

last year with Finisia. The war shirt he wears is m ade from deer skin he tanned himself in the old way. The beadwork is all done by his own hand. He holds his root digger and looks into the sun. In this moment, watching him, I feel hope.

Our final night in camp is clear and bright. The warm water and quiet is a tonic I don't want to leave. Late that night the donkey chorus is louder than ever, we look out the tent window, for the first time, we see the donkeys.

We spend more days planting, we gather ephedra. We laugh and drink Sophia the dairy princess's hom em ade beer, wine and Kombucha. We eat camp food. We soak in the hot springs at night. We talk late in the warm water. I learn for the first time to my sur prise that Sophia is the daughter a very old friend from my home town. In the last letter her mother wrote me a few years after we had graduated high school, she told me of Sophia's birth and included a picture of baby Sophia. In the moonlight I look at Sophia and see her mother and marvel as the Spirit Donkeys sing. Our last day in camp we drive Finisia into town to deal with banking, cell phone issues and to have a banner made for the side of the w agon-w w w .greatbasinrew ilding.org. The nearest bigtown is Fallon. There is a grand opening, free coffee at Fallon's first Starbucks. We head to the Wal-Mart to get the cell phone charger we need. Inside Wal-Mart we find a Paiute man we know from Naraya, Doctor Mel, he invites Finisia to winter on his prop erty south of Fallon. Perfect timing since the Forest Service is get ting itchy for Finisia to move on. Finisia says sure. I think to myself "This can not be good." Doctor Mel is known for his tem per. I remember him blowing up and cussing a blue streak at Silverfang a few years back. Doctor Mel and Finisia, they seem to me an unholy union. Beware of falling. Beware of Fallon.

Many generations ago the ancestors of these donkeys escaped from a nearby Uranium mine where they were used as pack ani mals. Now they run free. Drifting into the higher and tree covered country during the heat of the day, and coming down out of the hills at night. They sing like a chorus of drunken clowns. I imag ine freedom in their fearless voices. This is my third visit to the hoop, each time strange and wonder ful things have happened. The lessons and metaphors spring like flowers before my eyes. UBU,the dairy princess, Phil Collins, all glorious pops of color reminding me Spirit is moving. Johnny Bob dances for bears and we come planting berries. Fallon is that inbetween place where 1 live now seeking balance between worlds. Be aware in Fallon. Spirit Donkeys, my new allies, teach freedom is possible. Adrain and I stop for a final photograph beside the wagon. I look into his eyes and I am flooded, what a joy to have a- man to share in this amazing world. Facing east into the rising morning sun we are full of love, hope and freedom. Touching life on the hoop has again shifted us.

Doctor Mel says hello to a friend in the Wal-Mart, a Native American Church roadman named Phil Collins. As we are head ed out of town Finisia says "Look at that license plate". It reads: 464 UBU. "Now look over there." Another car plate reads 729 UBU. As we drive home we find six plates that contain UBU. We arrive back at camp. Kimmy Jo arrived earlier, just in time to help us avoid an issue with the Forest Service. She cleaned up camp, getting rid of the illegal hay Finisia had been feeding the horses, replacing it with government approved feed pellets and assures the Forester that the horses and wagon will be moving on soon. Kimmy Jo is wearing a baseball cap, which says "ubu and I'll be me". 35

RFD Spring 200S «133

A Ritual for the Hoop in Italy by DeeTale and LoveStar

By that time I realized that what had started as a practical joke had become a thing with great meaning to her and some of her fellow travelers. In a way the seriousness scared me a little. On the other hand I realized that the prayers for my dance were being heard! One of my vision arrow prayers was to serve and connect with Spirit in a stronger way. And right here was given to me this beautiful task which 1 could do.

Two years ago I got to know Finisia at the Wolf Creek Ceremony. Let’s say that our first meeting wasn't really smooth, but it was very real and her words touched me. Her clear ideas of how Christianity is in the way of a return to a true balance with nature gave me a lot of food for thought.

The dance was coming to an end, and Finisia and Spider apparently were still very busy preparing the bundles for me. A buzz went around, and I noticed that more and more people got involved. As a part of the closing circle of the Ceremony, a ritual was being prepared in which the bundles would be handed to me. That afternoon, Finisia introduced three women who would hand me their bundles like mothers hand ing me their babies. A mother does so with great care, and they all chose their words very carefully when handing me these bundles of life. In a world where so many things are running toward a definite end, these symbols of a perpetuation of a nour ishing life carried a great essence. Spider handed me his precious calling stone. A stone he has used on his Hoop to call the ances tors for the wisdom and knowledge on how to do this work.

When this year I danced for the second time, it was very good to see Finisia again. This time, we shared mostly ideas about the Hoop that she is reestablishing in the Great Basin. Not only the nomadic walk with the sea sons. the knowledge of how to harvest and live with nature, but also how to give back and close the cycle so that nature can per petuate to be in bal ance and keep nour ishing. She talked about how she is busily replanting the bitterroots, cacti, and camas in the regions where they do well. As she was telling me about her visions, one of the things she said was, “I hope that one day these roots and seeds will grow also in Rome and Tibet.” As she said this, my first thought of Rome was of course also of the Vatican. I could well see how the nourishing plants would one day grow at St. Peter’s Square, nourishing people rather than instilling fear and disrespect, which is the current common practice of this old bastion of pow ers in the name of Christ.

Once home I started preparing for my trip to Italy. Also I thought deeply about how to tell our EuroFaerie Tribe what this was all about. Most of them have no clue as to the Dance, how it is so strongly related to our FolleTerre Sanctuary, and how the Hoop is part of building our common future.

I had plans of going to Italy myself for the summer. 1 told her. “Why don’t you give me some of your seeds, and I'll plant them where you want.” She liked that idea, and we enjoyed thinking about it. As the dance continued, one day I reminded her that if we wanted to really do this, we had to get practical soon. It was as if she had tested me to see if I was serious about my idea to plant them. When I reminded her, she was sooooo happy. This apparently was really important to her. Her main idea was to have these nourishing plants creating a grid on which our future nomads could travel across the globe and not do so much to pro voke the powers that be. So we’d find a spot in a good natural region rather then plant them at the heart of Vatican City. She made it clear that she would not give me those seeds herself, but she wanted to have a “real woman” give me the bundles, being the carriers of life. She and Spider started to instruct me. step by step on all the details involved in how to plant them, what prayers to say. and how to find the right site.

RFD Spring 2008 #133

Unfortunately, my car broke down very seriously, just before I was to go to our summer gathering and then on to Italy. With pain in my heart I realized, there was no other option for me than to postpone my trip. In October, I had the chance to go. At the Autumn Gatherette on our land, I told the EuroFaeries the story of what was about to happen. We had a very sweet harvest ritual, and my soul brother, Lovestar, and I went to Italy to find our spot. Finisia had made it clear that we should not take “Rome” too lit erally. She found it most important that we find a spot where the seedlings really had a chance to grow. With some botanical faeries, I had checked to see if the plants that were given to me were not invasive. As we wanted to stay as close as possible to the idea of Rome, w-e decided not to start in the North of Italy but todrive through a long night all the way to this city and start our search there.

We arrived in this amazing old city and it was a pleasure to be there. It's a very green city with lots o f trees and plants. With mixed feelings but definitely impressed we walked through the ruins of the ancient roman culture. Then we went to the Vatican. It did not feel right to open the bundles before the real ritual, so I had let go of my idea to sew some of the seeds in this center of Christian pow ers. What struck us w hen w e entered this mini state was. that it was all stone and signs of power. As green as Rome is. at the Vatican we did not see a single grass root! Finisia is right about the oppression of nature by this church! This Firmed us in our commitment to do a ritual there. No sow ing, but we called on the spirits o f all directions and then did a visualization of how one day all that stone and signs of power may turn green and overgrown with flowers, and how this will Fill the hearts of the people w ith love. The people will open again to the message that nature will nurture us if we respect it.

Where in Italy: Roughly 150 km or 100 miles east-north east of Rome, you find the National Park Grand Sasso d iltalia in the Apenines Take the highway to l iAquila and go off the highway just before the tunnel under and through the Como Grande Don it follow the sign for the national park, but make sure you stay on the north side of the highway Follow the signs for the winter sports area and the telefenque. Here you will also find an entrance of the national park. At this park entrance you can buy the map for: Abruzzo Molise. You will see on this map that the road you'ire on is the 17bis. Follow this road in the direction of Castei del Monte. Somewhere along this road you see south of it the Mount Bolza of 1904 Meters high. Exactly north of this mountain you see a nine in the map. This is roughly where you will find the site. On this road, there is a sharp curve to the nght. On your left-hand side you see sort of a (dry depending on the sea son) nver bed. In the curve there is a dirt road accessible along the bed. If you go onto the dirt road, you see that the nver has a set of pipes running under through the road. After roughly 150 meters/yards, you see a waste bin on a triangle shaped concrete foot. The tnangle points uphill to a patch of bushes that is pretty close to the upper edge of the hill. The upper side of the patch is surrounded by rocks. It’s at this patch that especially the bitterroots, cactuses and onions have been planted. The camas has been sown a bit more all around and at a patch lower on the hill, as we sus pected that it needs more moisture.

The next day we hit the road to the Apenines mountains roughly 100 miles east of Rome. They can rise up to two miles high, so we could Find the alpine regions, needed for the roots. 1 felt a knot in my stomach going there. The ritual had clearly shown me how important it was that our tribes see this as a critical sign of hope for our future. So here it was. We had to do nothing but the Right Thing. As we left the highway, the first sign we saw was for Paganica. We took this as a sign. With Spider's calling stone in my lap. we drove up into the mountains until the trees reced ed. The land was so barren there that it did not feel right for our precious seeds to Find a new life. So we went down along tiny roads until there were some small trees again. We found a nice south face of a mountain and saw signs of a spring river bed.

As we were looking for an alpine height for the planting, we first went all up to the Como Grande. What was confusing us a little was that there was not so much of a transition from deciduous trees to pine trees, but it was trees or nothing. Up on the Como Grande, we felt the place was too barren and rough, so we started driving down and heading for Castello del Monte until the surroundings got more grown, and some bushes could be found. When we came to the river bed as described above, I got out of the car to have a closer look. As I did so a bird of prey, I think a falcon was up in the sky and then made a clear dive toward a bush. Then circled a bit around and went off. This we've taken as a sign. As the bush was also on a south flange of the hill, dry but with runoff signs for spnng and the bush was talking to us: it was buzzing with cricket sounds. We both had a very good feeling about the place.

We got out of the car to follow the river bed. Beginning our search for the best spot, we saw a bird of prey. It was a hawk, and while flying, it suddenly let itself fall down to a bush, cir cling above it a few times and then setting off. We walked up to the bush that it had shown us and saw it had all the signs that Finisia had told me to watch for. This was the spot for our ritual!

look a lot of effort to create some good cracks to plant the roots, onions, and cacti. However, we made it and all around the hush under the protection of it; we planted them all.

The calling stone had shown us the way, and some of our stress subsided.

The grains and seeds were strewed around at a bush a bit lower where it seemed a little wetter. When all the planting was done, we carefully packed what was left of the bundles and then held our closing prayers. Blessings and prayers were offered for the seeds to flourish and nourish were made. The sun set. and it rapidly became cold. In the evening sky. we saw the clouds packing for some rain. The roots were being taken care of by our Mother.

Lovestar is one of my best faerie friends, and 1 was very happy he was there. He never participated in the Wolf Creek Dance, so I was astonished to hear that he had been dreaming about the Hoop and this ritual for ten years! Together we started calling in the directions, telling them all of our intentions for the Hoop and asking them to support this vision. The time to open the bundles arrived. The roots, cacti, and seeds revealed themselves with a lot of ocher gathered sacredly by Coyote Camp. And with the open ing of the last bundle, Lovestar almost jumped away when a big spider was revealed on top of the seed. We were asked to bless the seed with our own seed as well. The mountain wind howev er was blowing very fiercely and it was so cold. After a try. we decided to do this part of the blessing at night in our tent where it was a joy to do.

I left with a sigh of relief. It felt very good to know that this start had been made, another dot on the grid for the Hoop that can start growing. One more “putting place” was established.

We asked the land to open up for these seeds and carry them well, to bear fruit for our future nomads. Then the hard work started. This kind of ground and soil don’t easily give themselves to new comers. We had some tools with us but not the ideal ones, and it 37

RFD Spring 200X#I33

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Ri D Spring 2008 #133

C o y o t e ’s C a m p A d d r e s s to the L o d g e s o f the W i tc h e s & F a e r i e s

The Wand was the rootdigger that dug roots and our top crops from the mother, even as the seeds of the plants fell into the newly created hole planting life back at the same time. The action of planting back the seeds wherever we went ensured that there would be Kith more of the plants that fed us, and that the gener ations which came after would also K' fed. The belief that the wheel of life continued after death was common, and we under stood the necessity to steward the earth in a good way, so that when the wheel turned and we came back onto the planet we would have an earth to K* symbiotic with.

are the rising sun. We are the change We are the ones that we're waiting for, and H ip are dawning. We are the rising sun.

H ip

Witches were among the Indo-European natives who walked in beauty and harmony with the earth. They lived harmoniously with nature by being symbiotic with the earth and other creatures that shared their lives with them. This symbiosis existed in their life way, a practical life religion, where the earth was revered as their mother, and the sky as their father. Today, the mother is the goddess and the father is the god. Many symbols have lost their original meaning and intention through persecution and the passage of time. Institutionalized Christianity, a tool of social engineering, sought to convert these peoples into its own image of sedentary7 life which relied on con trol and domestication of the nature w orld/environm ent to exist. While societies were assimilated by empire, it was engineered to create a slave class of people mired in consumerism and conven ience, and tools which were part of a life religion became abstrac tions as separation from nature occurred. The most contemporary7 example of how7witches existed in harmony w7ith nature is found in the remnants of the Native American life w7ay. Subsequently, their lands and cultures were enslaved, as well. This method of enslavement and assimilation has been used since the beginning of empire. Witchcraft, evident in the harmonious life walk with the earth, has become a symbolic reflection of what it once was. Before, a witch existed completely in the natural world. Reality was a dream lodge manifesting life upon the mother. Now, a witch cre ates a circle to contain sacred space and releases it afterward. Traditional tools of the Witch include the Athame, the Wand, the Cup, the Plate, and the Circle. They exist today as symbols remembering the connection between the witch and the earth, even as their original purpose fades into obscurity. For the most part, it seems that most witches have disconnected from the nature world and creation, and chosen to live in a w7orld dom inat ed by mankind.

The Cup held the water we drank, the essence of life. This was sacred and its importance is evident even today. The Plate was the food we ate. This was sacred, because much of the practical life religion revolved around collecting and storing food as the seasons shifted. The Sabbats were festivals marking the seasonal changes, and correlated with a semi-nomadic life path. Roots and the top crops were collected in the spring into the summer, berries through the summer into fall, fruit and nuts in the fall, and seafood and meat throughout the year when available. The food itself was a living entity, and even the witches' shit had the poten tial to give life and create more food through the seeds that were eaten. With this symbiotic relationship with the mother, tribal popula tion directly reflected food supply. Bringing new life into the tribe was a collective decision because it affected everyone involved. This ensured that the delicate balance with the surrounding envi ronment was kept. Overpopulation and outgrowing the food supply were foreign concepts to the witch. Tying it all together was the Circle, which represented the walk itself. The circle represented the journey of following the seasons and the spirit that fed them. Equatable to the Native Hoop, this circle connected each part of the symbiotic life walk to the next, the picture of the entire cycle as an eternal circle. The Maypole dance was our root festival, representing the union of our flesh with spirit, as we dug into the mother with our w ands and planted life back in the same actions. We tied our lives into this relationship between the earth and spirit. This was the har monious life walk that witches existed in. We relied on the Mother to give us life, and in return we gave it back.

The Athame, or knife, was used to cut the flesh that fed us and clothed us, both animal and plant. As the eagle ate the mouse, and the cougar the rabbit, we were also part of the circle of life. There was a connection with the animals that fed us and clothed us. We honored the taking of the life, by using each part of the animal to walk in a good way upon the mother. The flesh became our meat, the hide became our clothing, the bones became tools, the sinew thread, and even the stomach a water container. When our time expired in our flesh (body), it was given back to the mother to feed the things that would feed us. This symbiotic rela tionship with the other inhabitants of the planet created a balance in the environment and allowed life to exist as a max ecosystem.

Traditional beliefs were also attacked as empire assimilated the hunting and gathering people of Europe. Again, these beliefs share kinship with the native American belief of hoop law. Give everything its life. Come bearing gifts. Everyone carries their own weight. Several beliefs are linked intrinsically to the witches a s the guardians of nature. *As Above, So Below this speaks of the micro/macrocosm rela tionship that exists in our universe. What is occurring at the plan etary level is reflected at the community level, which is reflected in the individual as well.

RED Spring 2008 #133

back to our circle or hoop, in a covered wagon with horses, delib erately doing this work. We welcome you to participate. We invite you to touch the mother in this way. Let her feed you. Interact with her symbioticallv. Come on out to the desert.

‘The Universe is a Living Organism - from the smallest particle to the largest heavenly body, each is a part of the universe, which is intrinsically connected through the web of life of which we are all a part, and thus all one. Humans are not separate from nature. *Do what ye will, thou it harm none - The first one explores intention, action, and why. Let's explore the words here.. “Do" implies an action. "As ye will" implies your intention. Harming none means no one. Not yourself, not another person. In fact, understanding that the universe is a living entity, and that we're all connected by the web of life, this means not harming the uni verst* in its entirety as a single being. Being for the universe is the same as being for the highest good. This truth is also articulated as Let Action and Intention be For the Highest Good. What does that really mean? I see powerful witches working magic that doesn't affect the conscious free will of another human, but is that enough? What about the earth, herself? If we are all one, and all connected through the web of life, doesn't this extend to every part of our universe?

We write this to you, so you know what we do and who we are. We are that returning to balance the earth. We are the Rainbow Warriors choosing life and not death, and we are those walking that road of life, inviting all to do the same. "We are the Rising Sun. We are the Change. We are the ones that we're waiting for, and We Are Dawning, We are the Rising Sun." Are you the spirit of that vision, walking in the flesh renewing the earth?

With clarity of intention, enabled by action, and commitment to the highest good, the marriage between nature and spirit is always present. The creation of sacred space outside of ordinary life fades as life becomes the living ritual of giving life to the earth, the mother of us all. Our purpose and intention is to return to a way of life symbiotic with the mother. We choose to embrace our circle once again, equipped with the tools of the witches of old. We will not fight against the current paradigm; we choose to fight no more forever, and instead, return to a way that is symbiotic with the mother. Our reason is our conscience. We must be that witch, walking in harmony with the earth, giving life instead of death in our individual life paths. Our hearts, souls, and spirits cry out for this, and only this. This is our vision.

All this, we hear in Coyote's song. All this, we sing to you. "Come away! Come away!" Heed Coyote talking to the children of the Mother about the world that mankind has created. "Come out of her, my people, come out!" Coyote sings "Come away! Come away! Come walk in beauty again!" When the Earth is Ravaged, and the Animals are Dying There will come unto the Earth, a New Tribe o f People From All Colors, Classes & Creeds, And Who, by their Actions and their Deeds, will make again The Earth Mother Bloom Green They will be known as the Warriors o f the Rainbow.

Who are those working to make things more abundant in our world today? Here in the west is one of the only places in the world where the native permaculture allowing this symbiotic life walk is still available. If one eats berries, and plants those seeds back in one's defecations, then that planting is occurring. If one collects the seeds of the plants one eats, and plants them back, then that one is working to make things more abundant. In Idaho, they have started a nature preserve called Silver Creek near Sun Valley, where the Camas was rooted out years ago by the Mormons' pigs. They will not return to Silver Creek on their own. If no one plants them back deliberately, they w on't be seen again. One hundred years ago, they were the dominant plant in the Biome. Together, we can shift these patterns and create a new story.

Coyote’s Camp PO Box 113 Arco, Idaho 83213 (208) 860-5218 m ailto: coyotescamp@ yahoo.com www. my sp a c e .c o m /c o y o tesc a m p

What are we talking about is not a theory, but our deliberate conscious action. This is a true life way that you can access, and it looks like a gvpsy life, planting wildflowers everywhere you go and letting them feed you. We spent this last year, touch ing our circle with the automobile. This next year, we are going RFD Spring 2008 #133

M IDW EST

M EN 'S

FESTIVAL: T H E

CALL

Cabin space is provided with bunks and mattresses. (You will have to provide your ow n bedding.) Space for tenting is av ail able (acres and acres o f it, in fact, for those wishing to have mom privacy). An 18-acre lake is available, complete with a sunning diving platform, sand beach, and fishing. A list of sug gested items to bring w ill be prov ided upon registration.

For the past 26 summers, a very special event has taken place: the Midwest Men’s Festival. Beginning in 1982 as a regional gathering for men exploring changes in their lives and roles, the Festival has grown in size and scope over the years to encom pass men from many parts o f the nation, indeed the w orld, w ho represent diverse walks o f life. age. and personal experience. The 27th Annual Midwest M en’s Festival will be held from the 22nd through the 31st of July 2007 at Camp Gaia, a retreat center located approximately 45 minutes west o f Kansas City (on the Kansas side).

Festiv al registrants arc expected to participate in the preparation and cleanup of meals. Vegetarian meals are prov ided; however, should you wish to include meat as part o f your diet you w ill need to prov ide this for yourself. The cost o f meals is included in the registration cost.

Although the Midwest M en’s festival is attended primarily bygay men, many o f w hom are involved in earth-centered spiritu ality, men o f varied cultural or ethnic backgrounds, sexual ori entations, or spiritual beliefs are invited and encouraged to attend. The Festival is open to men 18 years o f age or older.

If you have other dietary or accommodation needs, particularly those around health and disability, please indicate this on your registration form so attempts can be made to assist you in meet ing them. If you have special skills and are willing to volunteer them, please let us know.

Festival provides a place where men may come together for sharing and individual growth, and it fosters interpersonal inter actions and community building while respecting boundaries and encouraging supportive, noncompetitive self-expression.

Public areas, including the kitchen, dining area, and gener al meeting areas are designated “chem-free.” Past history has demonstrated that to truly experience Festival, a minimum of three days is necessary. For that reason, you are strongly encouraged (though not required) to register for three days. Minimum registration, if postmarked and paid by May 1, is S60.00 and covers these first three days in full. Minimum registration postmarked after May 1, is $80.00. Additional days (4th-10th) are $l5.00/dav. Early registration guarantees the lower fee provided payment is included. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; however, financial assistance must be arranged through the registrar prior to the start of Festival. Donations to assist those with financial need are appreciated.

MMF is an ongoing experiment in commu nity building.The health o f our community is entirely supported and maintained through the cooperative participa tion o f each person attending this event. In the spirit o f give and take, each participant has the opportunity to sign-up for daily service responsibilities. The minimum expectation for all volunteers is a commitment to one shift for every two-day period you attend Festival. Shift tasks you may choose include: preparing meals, cleaning the kitchen and dining hall, cleaning the bathhouse and privies, and sorting and disposing o f recyclables and trash. Your efforts to participate on a daily basis, no matter the length o f your stay, can greatly enhance the opportunities to enjoy yourself and to feel a part o f the group, while making the effort to maintain this event an easier task for all.

Festival is a pleas ant place to have fun and create friendships. Whatever your sex uality, race, or creed, please join us as w'e explore per sonal and collective growth, joy, nurtur ing, and change. Celebrate the 27th Annual Midwest Men’s Festival.

Each year a variety o f workshops and playshops are offered by those attending. Some are planned in advance by the organizers. Past workshops/playshops have included such topics as rela tionships, self-nurturing, HIV and safer sex, parenting, herbal remedies, health, spirituality, and global politics (to name just a few). Space can be set-aside for those wishing to demonstrate skills in crafts and there is ample opportunity for sharing the arts— singing, instrumental performances, and poetry readings are always welcome.

For more informa tion please contact David Fauritzen, Commu ideations, at deledwardlto aol.com or 515/967-2603 or JB Becker, Registrar, at bcckerj b(a grnail.com or 612/735-0193.

There are many opportunities to network with men w'ho, in their daily lives are organizers around various political, spiritual, and social issues. 41

K ID Spring 2008 #113

On The Beach At Grand Pre The beach reclaims its breadth from the autumn sea A single dowitcher vanishes beyond the headland No one is in sight except that wind walking through tall grass.

James Deahl

Marsh Wind Listen a moment as a night wind seeks the heart of the marsh. The wind tells an old tale from before the first settlers came; and it will relate that same tale after that last white man's gone. Listen a moment; when the wind speaks all the passions of the day vanish, leaving the water luminous and still. All through the small hours winds seek the peace of the marsh.

WHY WE PRAY if your luck goes bad get a witch to give you a bath get a shaman to cook your supper get a high priestess to do your hair get a siren to sing you a lullaby all ritual is illogical and impractical but when it works the absurd becomes the sublime

James Deahl James Deahl was born in Pittsburgh in 1945 and grew up in that city and the nearby Appalachian mountain area.. He m oved to Canada in 1970 and has taught creative writing there at the high school, college and university levels. For the last do/en years he has worked full-time as a writer editor/translator. 16 o f his books o f poetry have been pubÂ lished since 1981. He has won numerous poetry awards, been the focus o f a TV special and audiotapes, a CD and DVD o f him reading his works are available. He lives in Hamilton, Ontario with his two youngest daughters. He can be contacted at

endvmionia(ÂŤ hotmail.com Franklin Abbott Stone Mountain, Ga

W hen I travel to s e e m y friends A lejandro and A lex in cen Â tral V enezuela it isn't lon g before A lex g iv e s m e a ritual clean sin g bath. A lex is a brujo or w itch w h o w ork s w ith nature spirits. I am bathed u n der the h u g e m am on es tree in their back garden. A lex concocts m y bathing so lu tio n s from various in gred ien ts as com m on as vinegar and as rare as an herb from so m e rem ote valley. The process can take several hours and cu lm in ates w h e n A lex d raw s m agical d e sig n s in g u n p o w d e r around m e and then ign ites them . Poop p o w be gone! and w h atever cosm ic crud I had accu m ulated in m y aura is d isp ersed . For m e th e m ost sacred place in the h om e is the kitchen. True m agic can be m ad e on the altar o f the stove. The four e lem en ts o f earth, air, fire and w ater all com m in g le and their alch em y p rod u ces the s w e e t and salty tastes w e all sw o o n over. T he H igh P riestess is o n e of the archetypal figu res o f the Major Arcana o f the Tarot. H er p o w er is the p o w er o f Great M ystery. In her spare tim e sh e rearranges the galaxies. T he sirens w ere m ythical b ein g s w h o lured sailors to their d oom w ith their ethereal h au n tin g son gs. We u se their nam e for the s o u n d s m ad e by am b ulances and police cars. We also b estow the title on th ose v o ic e s w h o se so n g s m ake u s w eak in the knees.

KI D Spring 2008 #133

our long-time contributor and Wisconsin 's queer poet laureate sends us a recent poem

“Poetry Sucks!” True, poetry sucks, but not derogatorily Poetry sucks beautifully, beautiful as a blowjob tongue swirling round the most sensitive spots And guess what? Every day poets all over Earth compose thousands of brand-new 100% guaranteed cocksucking hymns that swell the accumulated immortal poetry of the ages. Yeah, Poetry sucks: Poetry exposes itself to punks who sneer "Poetry sucks!” in the image of a big blowjob that gives them instantaneous hardons that won't be satisfied till they get their first suck. No problem. Enough poets exist - men, boys, women, girls to help out. Give a blowjob to every boy who says “Poetry sucks!” Simple as that.

The word "sucks" is being abused by being used derogatorily. The word “sucks" molested by youths under the age of consent insulting Poetry and babies and cocksuckers alike not to mention adult titsuckers, tongue-suckers, thumb-suckers, toe-suckers nose and earlobe-suckers, sucker suckers and trees who suck the earth and butterflies who suck flowers and black holes who suck galaxies. Like it or not, boys in every state of America in every city every town when poetry is mentioned say “Poetry sucks!" Cute youths who never get sucked and have no inkling of blowjobjoy taking advantage of the word “sucks" putting poetry down -

Antler

Milwaukee, Wl

torso drawings by Steve Whitlock Indianapolis, In

RFD Spring 2008 #133

dom. People have judgment, and maybe they're right. Good, bad, both, or otherwise, people are fuck ing like this and we need to know about it.

PVP Review

The sex lives of the pig-men in this movie are not for the light of heart or the “vanilla.” inclined. This is raw, edgy fucking. But these people know what they're doing. No one is being lied to or tricked or raped. You can think it's sick. You can jerk off to it. You can jerk off to it BECAUSE it’s sick. That's part of the turn on. The risk factor is somehow hot and Paul Morris has taken it farther than anyone and offi cially introduced us to the Post-Condom Era of porn.

What can be said about this fucking collection? It’s kind o f like that movie, K ids. It's totally fucking you up and you're not sure it's ok that you like it but you can’t stop watching. Not like the bad car wreck kind of watching though. The kind of watching that awakens the kinkiest shit in you that you probably don't even know what to do with and can’t control or ignore.

Ok. But is it healthy? Probably not, but I refuse to make a blanket statement. I had to leave that kind of fucking behind. I am HIV- and intend to remain so. My attraction to bareback porn often leaves me con fused and sad. I'm working on it.

LEGENDARY STUDS

If you can deal with it, if you can be healthy, if you need to figure it out— this 2 disc set just may be worth the investment. It is not only Jesse O’Toole’s Greatest Hits, but Treasure Island’s too. Jesse height ens every scene he’s in with his giant “mancunt wrecker.” You get a great overview of what Treasure Island is about. Some of the previews are fuckin’ gross. Check‘em out.

“★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The B E S T OF J E S S E O ’TOOLE is horse-hung cock v irtu o s ity a t its all tim e f in e s t.” - P au l M o rris

Jesse O ’Toole is, in fact, worthy of being a legend. There aren't many fuckers who can shoot a load inside you, keep fucking you with his 10-incher, and then fuck you until he comes again. It's fucking hot.

I want RFD to continue and I'm glad when any com pany chooses to invest in it. I also find Treasure Island’s presence in RFD ethically questionable. The video got me off. You decide.

We're being told by society that all this is irresponsi ble— dangerous, even— to be fucking without a con

RFD Spring 2008 #133

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