Also called The Gathering, this was more than an event or experience. It was an agricultural, educational celebration and a humble experiment in humanity that launched online in April 2015. There was grand vision, zero dollars, big hearts and a whole lot of faith.
“The Gathering brought more than expected; more sweet than bitter. “
THE HYPOTHESIS
THE HYPOTHESIS for The Gathering was to invite all races, genders, religions and ages of people towards an elevated ideal of Thanksgiving and humanity. The Gathering was never an experiment on people, but rather a possibility for ‘humanity’ to see how and if people let the Spirit of this Native American cultural, gourd festival catch them. The hope was that people red, yellow, black and white would reach an elevated state of thanksgiving and humanity and enter into circle together, – a starting point for something greater.
TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS
Event organizers promoted The Gathering as an “An Educational Celebration of Agri-Culture.” This emphasis is a play on familiar words: “Agri” and “Culture” are combined ideas. Agri means land. Agriculture, meaning working or tilling land in order to produce food. Food of course is necessary for living. Culture, meaning the ideas, beliefs, traditions and practices of a group of people that distinguishes them from other people in their celebration of familiar things such as harvests, their children, dress, religion, artifacts, songs and stories. A living culture depends on mankind’s capacity to learn and transmit this multi-faceted knowledge to succeeding generations.
“To have culture, you must learn about it, then share it. If you do not learn it and pass it on, culture is lost,” explains Chris (Comeswithclouds) White CEO of Sanctuary on the Trail™ and “Sharing cultural heritage bonds us as people and creates a sense of identity and belonging through community acceptance.”
Lumbee and Blackfoot Indian Louis Campbell at The Gathering arena director demonstrating men’s traditional dance at The Gathering. (Photo by PJ Thorn Photography | Peter Thornton)
Event organizers saw the people of this and neighboring communities as the land and The Gathering as the seed – planted in the hearts and minds of people. The sponsors, participants, partners, and vendors are the planters of this seed of thanksgiving and humanity. What the seed produces is determined by the level and caliber of commitment to Thanksgiving and humanity by the planters. The small team in this Shenandoah Valley was not seeking to recapture the spirit of the first Thanksgiving. That was then. This is now. They are seeking to create space for a new and elevated “spirit in humanity” with the level and intensity that is fueled by deep personal questions. The response would define the “state of community” within community.
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