	Fire Tribe Hawaii

2011 Winter Solstice Gathering

Leeward Oahu
December 13-18, 2011

Building the Fire Circle

Building the Village

Fire Tribe Gatherings are deeply participatory, as they are co-created from the commitments and contributions of service each of us makes. It takes the collaborative efforts of the whole community to accomplish the core tasks of assembling sacred and functional spaces, and then returning the site to its original state before we depart. It's up to all of us to build and dismantle the fire circle. We will work together to put up and take down structures. The entire community will use and clean the common areas.

When you register, you'll be asked to select your Services Group. Additionally, there are ways you can enhance our Gathering by providing material or creative support. (See below for a description of some of these).

Soon after you register, a coordinator will contact to answer any questions you might have. When you arrive, you'll receive more detailed information on your role and how to connect with your team. The sooner you register, the more choices you'll have. The job is small if it's shared by all.

Please note that Village Builders are especially needed who can arrive one day early, on the morning of Tuesday, December 17 .

Service Teams

VILLAGE - responsible for set-up, general maintenance and take down of the entire village (especially common areas) and checking living areas. Lifeguarding is included in this selection.

FIRE - responsible for setup, maintenance, and take down of the Fire element. Resets Fire and refills torches daily. Includes nightly fire-tending shifts, and ensures fire safety equipment is ready.

CIRCLE - responsible for setup, maintenance and take down of the Circle itself. Includes Fire placement, torches, prayer flags, Gratitude Zone, Comet Track, windbreaks if necessary, etc.

FOOD - responsible for setup, maintenance, and take down of food and food-related areas (Dining Hall, Food Altar). Wipes down tables & counters and sweeps after each meal. Mops during final clean-up.

Possible Adventures

Once the basics are covered, there are many ways to enhance our Gathering. The purpose of the list below is to help people with like interests to connect before the Gathering AND to inspire your imagination. It describes just some of the possibilities that could emerge as part of our village. For any of these, you can take the lead as the Space Holder or just help out. All you need to do to make it happen is make it happen!

Altar, Shrine and Ritual Space Creation: Design, maintain, pack and clean up a special area such as an Offerings Shrine, Temple of Light, Ancestor Altar, Elemental Altars, etc.

Bodyworkers and Holistic Practitioners: Provide massage, aromatherapy, Reiki, or anything else that will soothe, revive, rehabilitate, and refresh others.

Facilitate Yoga, Movement, or Meditation Sessions: You don't even have to be an expert!

Offer a Playshop: Past playshops have included costuming, body and face painting, mask making, drum making, dancing, chanting, and making music.

Child Monitoring: Assist parents with monitoring children's activities. This can include lifeguarding, facilitating art projects, leading a treasure hunt, or just hanging out.

Rituals and Processions, Magic and Mystery, Street Theatre, Collaborative Art, and Performances: We just wanted to remind you why we're doing all the other stuff. Everyone is invited to participate in one way or another. Details will be invented and shared by all at the Gathering.

Material Support

You are invited to bring materials to support the Gathering. Below is just a partial list of items you can bring to enhance the festival experience for everyone. tc.)

Sage for smudging
Communal shelter (tents, tarps, canopies, etc.)
Supplies for making prayer flags
Rattles and shakers to share
Items to adorn the village or enhance shrines and altars
A hammock to share (when you're not using it yourself!)

Festival Necklaces

If you are an artist interested in creating the unique necklace pendant which serves as the "ticket stub" for the next Gathering, please click here for more information.

Other Installations and Creative Projects!

Click here for a partial list of some of the creative contributions that have manifested at previous Gatherings. If you have a creative project or installation you want to bring to the festival that you'd like help with, you have at least three options:

You can simply assemble a team yourself, through whatever means you wish. Ask your friends to help, or make new friends at the Gathering and ask for their support.
You can put your ideas out to the Fire Tribe Discussion eGroup to ask for help.
You can also tell our coordinators what you'd like to do and present a labor "budget" so that they can help you find volunteers. Please contact us at info@firetribehawaii.org for more information.