On Decision Making (Guest Post)

Today's guest post comes from Garrick Beck on how important decisions are made.

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I have been following at a distance the many discussions about Thanksgiving Council and Harvest Council, listening to the numerous points of view.

To my thinking, there are lots of sound reasons to shift to an earlier date, and also to shift what that Council calls itself: more temperate weather; more potential regional scouting opportunities; conflicts with people’s traditional Thanksgiving family dinners and get togethers; and conflicts with the peculiarities of the name and its association with displacement and devastation of Indigenous Peoples.

All of those reasons make good sense for change.

At the same time, our Council is rooted in traditions that carry forward the decisions of the past into the future.

We don’t have any officials. We don’t have any written laws. We don’t have any hierarchy of power. What do we have? Who are we? We have processes that we voluntarily abide by. These processes taken together become a creed, a Way of Being, a way we relate among ourselves.

For example, in a long past Council there was a decision to change the dates of the Gathering from July 1st– 4th to July 1st – 7th. This change had a lot of very good reasons behind it that I don’t need to go into here. But a number of voices spoke up and said it wasn’t right, or fair, or good, or something-like-that to make a big change without consulting the rest of the Family. So runners went out to all the camps and kitchens that evening and announced that the idea of changing the dates was going to be brought up at tomorrow’s Council. And so it was. And everybody felt included, because everybody was included.

Same here. If the visions of change want to include everybody then there has to be a process that actually includes everybody.

That’s been our tradition and our process. If council wants to decide something that affects everybody long term, then find a way (and there are various ways) to bring everyone (or as many people as reasonably possible) into the decision-making process.

The differing Councils need to come together and listen to each other, co-ordinate with each other, work together, work things out in a way that is as all-inclusive as possible. That’s the way to make change that will last. Because continuity over time is what gives us our strength and our survival as a Tribe and as a People.

If this isn’t clear, or too vague, think about this:

Suppose you want our Council to get more citrus fruit for the camp. Great, consense on that and send that message to the kitchen council and the magic hat. But now suppose that you want our Council to consense to get only citrus fruit and no other type of food. Well that involves everyone for an ongoing period of time – and not just that council for that day. So, either you act like imperial dictators and decide that for everyone, Or you send runners, messengers to all the camps and kitchens that you can, and tell them that this idea is going to be brought up in Council tomorrow and they should be there if they have an opinion. That’s fair and inclusive of our Family Tribe.

Same goes for changing major Council dates, and other larger issues that have ongoing effect. Make sure to get everyone you can involved. Otherwise we become a bunch of mini-deciders hiding from the light of the People’s eyes and ideas.

Let’s not go thataway. Let’s be sure to be as all-inclusive as we possible can. Otherwise small cliques take the control and we lose our vast and true powers of communication and openness.

There are several ways to resolve this confusion over the two fall Councils. It’s not a question of old vs. new. It’s not a question of right vs. wrong. It’s a question of continuity, of continuing the arc of the Rainbow from one generation into the next in an unbroken succession.

It’s a matter really of respecting our processes. Ways that have worked now for five decades – that’s three or four generations depending on how you count ‘em.

Consider especially the processes that we have evolved and how these processes have kept us together through all kinds of attacks and challenges. Can we change what we do, and how we do things? Certainly. But the process of how we change does matter. If it’s a decision that affects all of us, and brings us together to be decided, then it’s a keeper and everyone will value and respect it.

I don’t have to suggest any of the various ways to resolve this, (there are many ways to do this) but communication and recognizing that many voices are clearer than a few voices is a good start.

Garrick

Thanksgiving Council (TC) Directions

This is information I received for posting on my blog. Feel free to share with individuals who you know personally, but as you can fee the focalizers have asked this not be posted on Facebook.

If you do not know what the historic purpose of Thanksgiving Council (TC) has been and some of the back story on this year's TC, read more here.

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TC Directions Rainbow Family Gathering winter fiscal year council Thursday Nov. 28th – this is our process Period.

NOT TO BE POSTED ON Facebook PERIOD.

Folks are asked not to arrive at/on site B4 Tuesday November 26th.  Thank you for your consideration.

The TC will be at  Blanchard Idaho.

Directions:

1. From Interstate 90, east or westbound, take exit #7. (This is between Post Falls and  Coeur d’Alene ID)
2. At the exit, take Idaho 41 north, toward Rathdrum ID.
3. Continue on Hwy 41 for approx 26 mi and arrive at Blanchard.
4. At about milepost 26.5, take a left onto Blanchard/Elk Rd (at the gas station/minimart).
5. In 2.2 miles, take a left on to Deer Trail Rd.  Watch for signs! To B placed 112519.

Notes:

1. About 7-8 miles north of the freeway, in the town of Rathdrum, hwy 41 does a little zigzag.  At the traffic light near McDonalds and the High School, hwy 41 takes a left over the RR tracks, then a right at the next light.  This is an easy turn to miss.
2. Rathdrum and the next town, Spirit Lake, both have active police so watch yourspeed especially in flashing school zones.
3. Spokane WA is the nearest commercial airport, it’s about 1 1/2 hour drive.

Thanksgiving Council

Updated 11/12/19 5:30 PM Pacific Time

The information below is what I typically post before the council that takes places over the four-day holiday weekend beginning with the 4th Thursday of the month of November aka Thanksgiving Day.

In recent years there has been a push to rename it due to the historical associations with this holiday and the genocide of the indigenous people of the lands that subsequently became the United States of America.

During vision council on the land in Wisconsin, which started on July 7, 2019, the council decided to push up the dates to October and rename it "Harvest Counsel" and you can see on this blog the information I posted on this circle.

According to my sources, at Harvest Counsel, people discussed having a Thanksgiving Council and some gatherers are moving ahead with planning a second council with a focus on unity.

If you want to fly or head towards the general area, head for Spokane, Washington. The council normally starts with a potluck or feast day, which this year would take place on November 28. Then the 29-30 would be the main counciling days with perhaps some counciling on Sunday, December 1st if those in attendance want to do so.

Directions will be announced on the Northwest Tribes Light Line 503-727-2498 a few days ahead of time.

If you want to plug into scouting, this is a great time and place to hook up with other people who have similar interests.

Ignore all rumors of cancellation or organization.

Love and Light!

Thanksgiving Council 101

The annual gathering of the tribes, which takes place over the 4th of July, has a cyclical process. While various regions in the USA often host a get together over the four day Thanksgiving holiday weekend, this blog deals with the annual gathering. In Wisconsin this summer, vision council on the land reached consensus that the 2020 gathering will take place in a national forest in Idaho. See the full consensus here.

But then what?

Because the Rainbow Gathering has no leaders, no board of directors, no staff and no one in charge of anything, we depend on people working together to do all the preparation for the gathering in the north east. So over the years a process has come together to make sure that planning is open to everyone who wants to be involved.

The year starts off with  Thanks giving Council / T-Council or Circle, over the four day Thanksgiving holiday weekend of the same name. This is a time for people interested in plugging in, talking about visions for the gathering, discussing scouting, strategies about legal issues, etc. to get together. (see we don't even agree on the name). 

The council generally takes place in the state or region where we will be gathering although sometimes it happens in other areas not to far from the consensed upon areas. It's usually a camp, cook, council, share heart songs kinda of thing. Often but not always, the people at the council pick the dates for the Scout Rendezvous and Spring Council. Some times a PO box is established for snail mail and a banking council is formed to deal with any donations.

As with all things Rainbow, no experience is necessary, just a willingness to participate. Keep in mind this is not a gathering, it's a working council and the way this council unfolds sets the tone for the gathering.

I'm hoping that there will be a real mix of generations at this year's council. We need older people, we need younger people, we need more experienced gatherers and we need less experienced gatherers to come together to create a vision for a peaceful, healing and fun gathering in 2020. Be the change you want to see in this world.