Whealthy Human Village: March 22 Update

March 9-11 event at the Powderhorn-Village

Happy Spring!

Thanks everyone who came to the Walker meeting last night.  We had a great discussion about a range of topics, and it feels as though we are beginning to distill our mission and contribution to Occupy and the larger community.

Recap of last night's meeting:
Based on the success of the March 9-11 "Powderhorn-Village"-Event, there was agreement that there's something very special about being in the Ger/Yurt, that's different than, say, meeting inside cafe's or basements or skyways.  Why?  Some responses:

• It's hand-built = a sense of possibility, that we can do things ourselves.  A "fort-like" quality that makes it a good place for visioning and imagining.  There's an elegance to it that's different than a tent.  Being inside someone's creation.  A crafted space.
• It's temporary = in many possible locations, there's no need to arrange for special permits... just consent of the homeowners and/or permission from the neighbors.  There's a sense of "now's the time", because it is a special event.  There's a curiosity from the neighborhood, and a certain amount of draw, just because people want to check it out.
• It's circular = a family-like feeling.  A sense of inclusion.  Energy gathers, and it's easier to focus (vs. meeting in places that are noisy, have other people's energy in them, as in cafe's or skyways.)  It's easier to hear.
• It's outside but inside = connection to earth means more grounded conversation, and easier to focus than being under the sky or in a park.  Plus you can make plans to meet without worrying about rain.
• Security and Agreements are possible = There is a clear boundary around the space.  By entering the space, people are agreeing to be sober and respectful.  There is a feeling of sanctuary, calm, and welcome.

We also began to clarify our mission, in terms of hosting gatherings of people for the following purposes (this list can be added to:)

• Raising Awareness.  Skill-shares, Teach-ins, Discussions.  Education seems to be a critical point for many of the issues we are facing as a community, locally, regionally, nationally.  Information is one of the best tools we have, for dismantling oppression (including the ways we unconsciously oppress ourselves and others), and gaining allies in our work.
• Relationship-Deepening. Learning and practicing methods like Compassionate Communication, Transformative Conflict, and other ways of building our listening-skills with each other, to actively work through some of our differences and barriers within our communities.  Also, letting connections form over casual, fun events like movie nights or pancake breakfasts.
• Healing and Processing Trauma:  The Ger/Yurt-space could serve as a station for bodywork, meditation or movement practice, an herbal-tea "clinic", ceremonial smudging, or other forms of healing and wellness.  Post-action trauma is very real, and can damage people's physical, mental, and energetic health. 

Powderhorn-Village, continued:
I, Malia, and housemate are willing to continue having the Ger in our backyard, all through April & until the MayDay Parade on May 6.  Last night, we talked about creating a schedule of offerings, hosted by the core-village team.  These would be recurring events (for example, a film-screening and discussion every Friday night).  We can offer whatever we want, and put it on the schedule.  We also discussed having one weekend a month, for a more continuous/extended event.

Next week we can talk about agreements, and perhaps begin piecing together a schedule, that can be posted and distributed. 

Other projects:
Little Earth: I've been having communication difficulties with the Women's Environmental Institute contact.  It seems as though connections here are best to go slow and one step at a time.  There's some talk of offering to do a "work-project" day to help them out with the gardens, and just start to be around and helping out, getting to know people already working on the Urban Farm there.  (more information as it comes...)

MayDay Parade and Festival: I have been attending meetings about the "Transition Town" space being planned for Powderhorn Park on May 6.  From what I could tell, the organizers seem to be approaching this as an "info-fair" of sorts.  At the last meeting, we spoke a bit about how the Whealthy Human Village could add a "heart" element to this event, by setting up the Ger/Yurt and having a schedule of offerings throughout the day, on different topics.  We can either move the Powderhorn-Ger across the street, or build another and set that one up.  Anyone want to be on a Ger-building team?

Next Meetings:

Keep your eye on the Facebook site (http://www.facebook.com/whealthyhumanvillage) for information.  If you'd like to be on our email list, please contact : whealthyhumanvillage@gmail.com

That's it for now!  Thanks all for your continued enthusiasm and support for this project!  We are doing good work.

All you need is WHuV,
Malia

What's up with WHealthy?

Welcome to the WHealthy Human Village Blog!

We have been continuing to meet and develop the concept of the Village.  Here's an update on the project.  We hope you can come to the next planning meeting! (information on when & where, below)

We are a branch of Occupy focused on addressing Earth issues, Indigenous Rights, and Environmental Justice.

Our goal is to spread awareness on these issues and localize the movement by providing hand-built gathering spaces such as Yurts/Gers*, Tipis, or Hoophouses.  The presence of these new structures will alert people that something unusual is happening in the neighborhood and attract them to come check out what's happening.

We are beginning with a "Backyard & Community-Garden Tour" concept, where the WHealthy Human Village could visit a space for a week or weekend.  Inside, over the weekend, would be different programming-schedule.  Discussion-circles, Teach-ins, Fun activities such as arts or crafts, casual time to network and meet people, share stories, and do community-service-work. (cooking and offering soup, digging a garden together, creating a mural...) If there is neighborhood-support for it, we could provide information on how to build their own community-gathering structure, and offer resources and connections for additional programming.  We are planning to launch this project in March, at a backyard-location in Powderhorn Neighborhood, South Minneapolis.

Another focus of the Village-project is honoring Indigenous Rights, and spreading awareness of the genocides on this continent and around the world.  We are working as allies with some Native American members of AIM and other organizations.  One possibility is to set up a Tipi, where the focus of teach-ins could be about education on Native History and culture, discussion-circles on How to be an Ally, and Skill-sharing.

HOW TO JOIN US:

I'd like to invite you to a meeting to learn about the WHealthy Human Village (WHuV).  We meet Wednesdays at Walker Church Basement in South Minneapolis (31st Street and 16th Avenue).  It's an "All-Committee" meeting for Occupy, and from 5-6 is a social hour with food and music and mingling (potluck dishes are welcome but not expected).  At 6-7 are Occupy-related announcements and discussions.  The WHuV meeting is 7-9pm.
Or, contact us at whealthyhumanvillage@gmail.com, or friend us on Facebook "Whealthy HumanVillage"


WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

Location Scouts:

We are looking for spaces (backyards, community gardens, parks), where people would be willing to host a "Village", for a weekend or a week (or longer, if the neighborhood-support is there).  The hope is to "Tour" the Village across the cities, and potentially moving to a few rural locations with carpooling-options, over the summer, for people to have these conversations a little closer to the earth.  Organizing potlucks or door-knocking, to ask neighbors to give input into what would best serve their community.


Build & Set-up Team:
We need Ger/Yurt-builders!  If you can cut wood, tie knots, or sew, we need your skills!  We also need people who will learn how to set up or take down the Ger*.

Networkers / Bridge-builders:
Part of what will make this project successful is integrating our efforts with actions already happening.  Contacting local environmental groups, attending gatherings or conferences and representing the village-concept, following up with contacts, and/or bringing information from other groups to the planning meetings.


Programming:
Compiling a list of people with skills or information to offer such as teach-ins, discussion-facilitators, cooking skills, healing arts, arts and crafts activities.  These will be on the "menu" of options that different locations could ask for, when hosting a Village.


Media Outreach and Documentation:
People with Web-skills, to keep the Website, FaceBook site, and Blog up-to-date.  Writers for the Blog!  Photographers and film-makers, to help us document the project and get the word out to other cities and around the world.

*"Ger" is the original and more culturally-respectful term for the type of structure most people know as a "Yurt"... an ingenious dwelling made of an expanding lattice-frame and canvas walls.

Connections

Today is January 21, 2012... one day after the supposed "launch" of the first village.

Where are we?

We are biding our time.  We are building our support.  Support precedes movement, and we go slow to go deep.  We go deep to move far. 

I am aware that some people may have driven past the site and seen "No Trespassing" signs from MNDOT newly decorating the fence.  That the state is pushing back at us isn't surprising.  I am aware that some people may wonder why we aren't pushing back. 

We have postponed the official launch of this project because it is not ready.  We have just begun the necessary conversations between Occupy and members of the American Indian community and the neighborhood.  To have set up anything now would have damaged our relationship and caused great harm to all involved.  It is not yet time.

We are very fortunate to have received guidance from many respected elders in the community, telling us to wait.  The support is here, it is growing, but to move too quickly and assume too much will undermine a fragile trust that, speaking frankly with an understanding of our history, we have no right to expect.  We are in a process of learning: there are appropriate channels to follow, and certain ways to ask. 

Question: Where do we go from here?  What is happening?

Answer:  So many directions! We continue to have an Elder's Council every Sunday at 2-4pm at the American Indian Center.  This is a place for visioning and understanding this project in the context of the work that's already been done, and asking for guidance in our next steps moving forward.  On Wednesdays 5-8pm is an all-committee meeting at Walker Church in South Minneapolis.  From 5-6 is a social hour, 6-7 are announcements from all committees, and 7-9 we will meet to discuss the village.  This meeting is focused more on logistics and coordination.

Some beginning ideas are:
To have more than one village, so that each village can serve the needs of its community in its own way.  I am interested in talking with my neighbors in Powderhorn about a village in our neighborhood, and am in conversation with organizers in other parts of the city, who may be interested in hosting one near them.  The different villages could share resources and host different events.  We are investigating connections to some of the community-garden projects, and may inquire about setting up in different parks on a rotating basis.  We may begin to circulate petitions of support, and find other ways to outreach into the communities where we would like to set up.  Who do we reach out to?  What organizations may be interested in partnering with us?

The core idea remains the same.  Inspired by the Occupy movement and its reclamation of a "commons" where we could meet and gather 24/7, we are interested in setting up a space where people can gather around earth-based issues, and experience living closer to the earth in the middle of the city.  We are interested in co-creating a new culture through our practice of it, as a community of people assembled as a "village".  We are interested in serving the communities we become a part of, by hosting a space for ongoing dialogue, teach-ins, healing arts, healthy food, youth-activities, and more.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our opening ceremony.  It was a beautiful, many-layered, many-cultures-offering of intention and prayer, planting seeds for this project in the hearts of those attending.

Posted by Malia
 
(Fundraising poster now available for $10-$20 sliding scale)

2012 A New Beginning

This is the beautiful space where our new human culture will begin.

In South Minneapolis, near the American Indian Center, is a small grassy triangle of land.  It's owned by the state, and is surrounded by a chain-link fence on three sides.  There is a wonderful mural right next to it, on the retaining wall for the ramp onto Highway 55.  

 This is the logo I designed for the WHealthy Human Village*

The turtle is Mother Earth.

At the center of her shell is a Medicine Wheel, representing the teachings of the four directions and the four colors of humankind.  It is placed in the center of our village, representing coming together as one human family, and living in balance with the elements of earth, air, fire, and water.

Surrounding the center are three dwelling-structures.  A Ger (or "Yurt"), a Tipi, and a Hoop-house.
These are the three structures we will be living inside, beginning January 20, 2012.
The Ger will be a space for a community library, teach-ins, meetings and discussions.
The Tipi will have fire, food, tea, crafts, company, and conversation.
The Hoop-house will be a place for movement, healing-arts, and, in the spring, growing seedlings.
The Red Archway represents a welcome to all our relations, to the community, and to new connections.

The turtle is moving.  This "Village" is intentionally nomadic.  If we are asked to leave one location by "authorities", we will first ask the community for support in allowing us to stay.  If our structures are threatened with removal, we will choose a new location for our Village, and resume our practice in community life.  We believe this will help us reach new communities and grow our movement.  Perhaps more Villages will emerge in other parts of the city.  Or in the suburbs.  Or in the country.  
Across Turtle Island to our brothers and sisters in other lands.  


The way we have been living is insane.  It is time to begin again.


We are here to reclaim our right to shelter and warmth.
We are here to rescue the traditional knowledge that has been stolen and lost.
We are here to remember how to live in balance with the earth.

We are here to be of service to one another, and learn how to work together as one people, living in one place.  We are here to remember how to be family.

  

Posted by

Malia