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)
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