REPORT OF THANKSGIVING COUNCIL '94, NOVEMBER 25, 26 & 27 HELD OUTDOORS AND IN A LODGE AT ROBINSON'S DRAW, LINCOLN NATIONAL FOREST NEAR CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO. Present on site were over 100 people. Scribes - Scott Shuker & Robbie Gordon. AGENDA ITEM #1: BANKING COUNCIL CONSENSUS: Banking council consists of Aaron Broyles, Robbie Gordon & Garrick Beck; Open to others to join. Banking council to be dissolved & re-established at Spring Council. #2. OFFICE Address to be established & this report to be mailed to mailing list made here, and to focalizers. Please send self-addressed stamped envelope for reply. We now have an address: BOX 6430, TAOS, NEW MEXICO 87571. Banking council will meet monthly & do office, deposits, replies, etc. until Spring Council. #3. SCOUTING/ LOCATION Scout Council April 29 and 30, 1995 at Water Canyon, Cibola National Forest, W. of Socorro. Scouting Council to be 3 days only; scouts need to have their own gas money & good vehicle, gear. Not a job for many. Yet, many expressed desire for "Scouting Workshop." Scouts to report to Spring Council. #4. FOOD SUPPLY Keep it local - earn goodwill. Connect with distributors early. Need a big vehicle, not a pickup. Bring food, not food stamps - avoid money if possible. Don't let food sit and spoil at dinner circle. At July Gatherings, there are still distribution problems- small kitchens often cut off. Volunteers (Happy, Aaron, Christmas Star folks) are ready to provide quantity of live food- sprouts, but need support before June 21st, so as to start in time. #5. RECYCLING Research it beforehand. Need large trailers for hauling. Our recycling hasn't worked well in recent years. #6. IMPACT ON THIS THANKSGIVING COUNCIL SITE Pack it in, pack it out! Hunters before us built so many fire pits, disappear most. Standing dead wood is valuable habitat here, don't use large down deadwood either. #7. DINNER CIRCLE In July, we need 2 daily meals at our center for unity and councilling; breakfast is our daily work crew council. There are too many announcements as food cools and spoils. #8. SUBSTANCE ABUSE CIRCLE Brewhaha is doing something. There is a need for helping hands. Problem is behavior, not a substance. Need places for people to de-tox. #9. WORKSHOPS Workshop information is overwhelmed by everything else at Info. Needs to be a workshop schedule board near to / separate from Info. Call it "Rainbow U" or "Rainbow You." Space there for leaflets. Save the Info center for more site-specific information, Rainbow Guide, etc. #10. MAINTAINING SPIRITUAL FOCUS General discussion on honoring our silence July 4th. #11. FIRE AWARENESS Each kitchen needs a fire station with shovels, full water buckets, prepared people. Many ideas discussed. Still more education needed. Chain saws in reserve for fires? In crisis, listen to family, not to the Forest Serfish. #12. FOOD CONSCIOUSNESS Too much focus on feeding our bellies. Small kitchens can send more to main circle. The European Rainbow Gathering folks eat every dinner all together in one circle. Fasting, individually and in groups, can raise food and personal consciousness. #13. A CAMP Let's feed them better. More communication necessary with A Camp old-timers. No more Extortion at front gate. #14. FOREST SERVICE "NON-REGULATIONS" UPDATE Congress hearings not favorable now. Outrageous '93 Regs not now in force, but not officially withdrawn. Read for the Regs in the Federal Register. Use your local university library. Better yet: Write to: Jack Thomas (USFS Chief), Dept. of Agriculture, Wash., D.C. Ask to be informed of any change in FS Regs regarding large gatherings (over 25) on Nat'l. Forest. Essential: ask Post Office for "Return Receipt Requested." If some of us do this, it will be very helpful in case Govt. tries to cut rights to peaceable assembly. # 15. SPRING COUNCIL Lengthy discussion, leading to: CONSENSUS: Spring Council to be June 10 & 11; site to be announced, in southern part of New Mexico. Three volunteers (Allis, Calif & David ) to find Spring Council site, communicate to office; Scouts to present July site recommendations to Spring Council. If scouts unready, council waits. One volunteer (Allis) to bring a kitchen to Spring Council. Need a place to store kitchen gear for July. # 16. TRADING CIRCLE Lengthy, heated discussion. The only consensus we came to: CONSENSUS: The Thanksgiving Council, having discussed the non-commercial status of our gatherings, has consensed that the issue of the trading circle needs to be addressed by the Rainbow Family Tribal Council, July 1-7, 1995. Among many ideas discussed: " Condoning money exchange gives the govt. a way to bust us," " Barter is a form of commerce," " Let's have it in a circle," " Shut down on the 4th, & off the main trail," " Shut it down , it's a moral issue, not a govt. issue," " Trading is educational, especially for young city folks," " Aids a 'tribal economy', " " Traders Council should meet daily; self-solve its circle's problems." One volunteer (Jose) to put up a sign about concerns ($$$ exchange, blocking trail). #17. WATER PURIFICATION Plans are underway for as many as 10 systems. $ being collected thru CALM. Past systems haven't worked well enough or long enough. #18. CALENDAR OF EVENTS Use the Lightline phones: 202-PYR-EMAL, 212-560-7111, 404-662- 6112, 503-284-6600, 504-552-9315. # 19. TURTLE ISLAND RAINBOW TRIBE At Kentucky, folks envisioned a traveling yearround tribe to "walk our talk," deal with abuse. We send them a big,"Ho!" #20. OUR SACRED CULTURE AND SITES In old English common law pilgrims had free passage to sacred sites; our decendants may need such rights. If we declare our sites sacred it will support those in the future who may wish to pray, gather sacred herbs, make a free cathedral. We support our Red brothers and sisters in defence of sacred sites. It's a matter of spiritual liberty, not religious rights. CONSENSUS:We declare all our previous July gathering sites to be sacred. We encourage all future councils to do the same. Announcement: Karen Little Horse brought word from Big Mtn. Alliance. POB 180, Pinion, AZ 85610. People are welcome to come and stay this winter, if prepared to herd sheep, haul water & firewood. Let's support our elders. So, Council ended on a high note. See y'all at Home! Send green energy to support this obviously organized crew! Ignore rumors of cancellation! Hasta la vista! Adios! Ho! RAINBOW '95 NEW MEXICO GATHERING, BOX 6430, TAOS, NM 87571