Autumn Gathering 2020: GreenSwell
The Call / Kooo-eee...
The opening of this new decade where the tide of humanity must turn to a new story has been seared into memory by reddened skies and blackened glaciers. Forests across the Tasman Sea have been devoured by fire, their silent screams erupting into the heavens, turned into ash and smoke. Those trees are the cousins of our forests; they too are the ancestors or Tuakana species who came before us, who gift us our breath. Humans, as the youngest species have a responsibility to our elders; to all those who came before us; to look after them and to care for them.
We will turn to an ancient personification of the forest; the Green Man, and we will remember; of both pagans who believed every plant, tree, spring, stream, rock, hill or animal had its own soul and its own guardian deity, and we will honour the Pacific tradition of a carved rakau-momori of Rēkohu (Land of the Misty Sun/Chatham Islands). The rakau-momori are a remembering carved into the bark of the Karaka tree; and ours will be a mark of the faeries wedding themselves to the future of the forests.
Imagine a future to come, to look back decades from now on a new tradition grown...
In this new tradition, the tribes of Aotearoa know that when the hot months of summer, of sunshine and festivals, beaches and celebration begin to cool and the days shorten, that when the day of Samhain and the lit pumpkins has passed, that the growing night and wet earth is close. The peoples of Aotearoa know that is time to pick up a treasured belonging; a trusted spade. This taonga, passed down through the family or given by friends, gifted at a time in their life, found in second-hand shops, or a sturdy well-made article bought anew that enables playing a part.
This spade, along with countless others will part the rich soil and bring the giant tree ancestors back to lands that have all but forgotten their cool dark green shade, their towering condominiums of life reaching skyward.
Papatūānuku remembers human feet walking kindly on the earth, but for millennia humanity has knawed at the forests, rendering once towering canopies of cool dark green to dust and desert. It is time for a green swell to again roll forward across the Earth; the faeries foot fall will anchor new beings into the deep dark earth, to let them reach towards our star and fuse carbon and water into the sweet flow of life. Into this sacred tradition we enter.
Again we welcome you to gather at Faenua, a farm and dedicated faerie space near Raglan, Waikato. The gathering will straddle Easter; beginning with an opening ritual on the night of Tuesday 7th April, and close on the morning of Monday 13th April. You’re welcome to arrive any time on Tuesday, or if you’re available to assist with setup in the week prior to the gathering then let us know. For those who don’t need to rush away, we like a long tail on the gathering and so welcome you to stay for a few days afterwards. We will however need you to leave by Thursday 16th, unless you are also attending the Sex Magick event.
We welcome all the genders that gather under the rainbow tree; be ye them’s and they’s, cis-him’s or her’s, trans this way and that, expansive genders of indigenous norms from the pacific and beyond, queer and inter, hear our call...
Pre-registration is essential and limited to 80 people as this is the current capacity of our facilities. Your Queen Roosters and points of contact for this event are Kayda and Tinker. You can contact us through the email address: kaydakowhai@gmail.com
Please follow the link and complete the form to register for this event:
https://forms.gle/y6tqsNfQXnt8f32Z8
What is a Gathering?
* It’s a time of creating community, a time to connect with the land and the seasons, a time for ritual and meditation, a time for sharing and expression. We embrace each other as friends and lovers. We embrace ourselves as exceptional queers. We embrace the world we inhabit and this planet that gives us life.
* The retreat is based on international Faerie traditions of co-creation so anybody can propose and lead whatever workshop, ritual or activity they like. Whether physical or cerebral, structured or chaotic, serious or downright silly - we cherish your varied contributions.
* Heart Circles, usually held each morning, are spaces for sharing and active listening that are integral to the Faerie experience.
* The ‘Talent/No-Talent’ (TNT) show (a gala in the loosest sense) provides a stage for displays of genuine prowess, earnest expression or shambolic spectacle.
* We engage in ritual to connect more deeply with each other and our environment, and this can present itself in planned processes or sporadic moments.
* We share 3 communal vegetarian meals a day and create a range of cosy spaces to converse, celebrate, perform or relax at your leisure.
Location
Faenua is a dedicated faerie space situated on 260 hectares of farmland near Raglan, Waikato. It’s a 20 minute walk across the paddocks and down to an effectively private beach. We will be sleeping in tents we set up around the homestead and permaculture garden. There are a limited number of beds and floor space available indoors for those most in need. As well as the house there’ll be several marquees as gathering/workshop spaces, outdoor showers and bathing facilities, compost toilets and outdoor fire baths.
Faenua is a clothing optional, body positive and consent conscious space. If you have accessibility issues then get in touch through email or the registration form to discuss how we might accommodate you. This is a working cattle farm and we can’t allow anyone to bring dogs, but there will be two farm dogs on the property, Rio and Spud.
The gathering is an opportunity to leave the concrete jungle behind and be present with each other and on the land. We rely on solar power for lighting – so can’t operate high-wattage appliances like hair dryers, and mobile signal is variable. Camper vans can be accommodated but there are no powered sites.
We’ll send you instructions and a map of how to get there before the gathering. We encourage people to car share as much as possible and this can be coordinated via the event page on Facebook or emailing us if you can’t access that. If you’re using public transport, you’ll need to get to Hamilton and then take the bus to Raglan. On weekends and public holidays there are 3 buses per day, school holidays 4 buses per day, and term time 6 buses per day. The School Holidays begin at Easter, so be aware of the timetable change between arrival and departure. The current bus schedule is here, https://busit.co.nz/regional-services/raglan/ From Raglan we will be able to organize to pick you up.
Cost
The registration fee for the gathering is $150 for food and other costs. We’ll publish a statement of accounts for the gathering after the event. If there’s any surplus over $500 we’ll reimburse that pro-rata to registrants.
Food
Included in the price are 3 vegetarian meals a day, and these can be adapted to suit vegans too. We are hoping to provide the bulk of the fresh produce from our gardens but get in touch if you grow anything in abundance that we can buy off you. We would rather spend the gathering money on other faeries’ produce than at a supermarket (though donations are also greatly appreciated). If you have any food allergies/special diets please let us know on your registration form and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Faerie Fee Fund
We operate a ‘NOTAFLOF’ (no-one turned away for lack of funds) policy. If the registration cost is a problem please include this in your registration.
Also, if you would like to contribute to our Faerie Fee Fund you are most welcome to do so. To make a contribution, include the extra funds when you pay your registration fee. Your Queen Roosters will sort the payment to those in need. Your contribution will be very much appreciated.
Alternative Accommodation
If staying in a tent or communal space simply isn’t you, then just 10 minutes’ walk across the paddocks on the same property is a B&B run by Tinker’s mum Jenny. If you want to stay there you’ll need to make your booking directly with Jenny but we can put you in touch with her. The cost of that is additional to the registration fee for the gathering and we can’t offer any discount on registration for people staying at Jenny’s.
Helper Roles
Gatherings can be a lot of work so we would love some extra help! Let us know on your registration form if you think you could be any of the following...
Chime’n’Time Faeries: A faerie for each day that can keep an eye on the clock and provide timely alerts for workshops and rituals, enabling people to make the most out of scheduled offerings.
For the rest of the roles, we would ideally have faeries that are present for the entire gathering. We encourage these faeries to delegate but would love them to take primary responsibility for keeping things ticking...
Tidy Faerie: Someone to keep an eye on the various spaces and recruit others into cleaning action when the chaos and clutter gets a bit much! Abandoned costumes, suspicious towels and wayward drinking vessels will all be in your domain.
Toilet Faerie: You’ll be responsible for keeping the toilets fresh and functional.
Kitchen Witch: 1 or 2 people with experience catering for lots of people, that can make sure each meal team knows kitchen logistics, supplies available, food allergies etc (but they won’t be resonsible for cooking every meal...)
Breakfast Faerie: A reliable early riser to ensure breakfast is on the table in time for morning heart circles.
Fire-bath faerie: Someone that can keep the fire-baths running smoothly and well stocked with fuel.
Alcohol Policy
We operate a sober space and ask you to abstain from alcohol and drugs in order to remain present and respectful to ourselves and to each other. Mainstream gay community spaces typically include alcohol, and part of the goal of the faeries is to provide a space that is alternative to this. There will be a separate smoking space for tobacco users and we ask you to not smoke anywhere else around the house and gathering spaces.
What to bring
Most people will be camping – so please be aware you will need to bring everything to make your stay comfortable.
- Tent (if you haven’t got one, contact us—we’ll come up with something).
- Bedding: pillows, sleeping bags, blankets, mattress (we may have a limited number of foam mattresses available)
- Outdoor clothes and footwear (there are thistles if walking around the farm) and cold weather gear (just in case!)
- Anything needed to run your own workshop/build an altar/create a space!
- Torch/head torch with batteries/charge
- Eating utensils: cutlery, plate, bowl, cup
- Towels for the beach, and swimwear if you need it
- Biodegradable/eco friendly hygiene products
- Suncream and sun hat, umbrellas are also good for shade
- Home baking and snacks to share
- Costumes, drag
- Musical instruments
- Games, decorations and art supplies
We are a 30-minute drive from any shop so bear this in mind before you arrive! Any questions, contact your Queen Roosters.
Please follow the link and complete the form to register for this event:
https://forms.gle/y6tqsNfQXnt8f32Z8