Earth First! Rendezvous in the Great Lakes Basin this Summer!

From Fen Valley Earth First! / MICATS

Members of MICATS have joined forces with our friends in Fen Valley Earth First! to help organize the 2016 Earth First! Round River Rendezvous. The Rendezvous (rondy) is going to be held June 29th-July 7th in Manistee National Forest. For more info, read the message from the Rondy Organizing Crew below!

Earth First!
Fen Valley Earth First! (with more info on the rondy)
Donation Information
RRR2016 Flyer

Come Get Smitten in the Mitten!

Want watch the sunset over an endless body of fresh water on top of a sand dune while you consider the conversations, workshops, and experiences of an Earth First! Rendezvous? This is a possibility as organizing for the 37th Annual Earth First! Round River Rendezvous is currently underway! Folks affiliated with Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands, along with other regional eco-defenders have joined Fen Valley Earth First! to plan for next year’s Rondy. We will continue working hard through July to create space for everyone who attends to have a great experience at the 2016 EF! Rendezvous. As this organizing body contains many new faces to the Earth First! movement, we are seeking to use this as an opportunity to strengthen our movement here and abroad; as well as deepen our connections with each of you and the Great Lakes Basin.

These peninsulas were once widely inhabited by people of the Ojibwe (Chippewa in English), Odawa, and Potowatami nations, or the People of Three Fires. As occupation of European settlers became dominant, the two peninsulas dissolved into the current industrialized State called Michigan; which continues to be populated and controlled by those who refer to each other as Trolls and Yoopers. A myriad of ecological and hydrological catastrophes followed, and have continued to devastate this region over the course of colonization.

We encourage you to consider water in the months leading up to the Rendezvous. Access to, contention over, intrinsic rights, and contamination of water will all be recurring topics in and out of workshops. Upon arrival, you will never be more than 6 miles from a body of water, or more than 85 miles from a Great Lake.

We have been working hard gleaning, organizing, scouting and strengthening friendships in preparation for the Rendezvous.

Here are some updates from our crew so far.

– Pending any large issues the dates of the Round River Rendezvous are June 29th till July 6th which includes a powerful new moon.
– Depending on indigenous consent and a couple other factors, our first choice site is near Manistee, on traditionally Anishinaabeg land. The site will have walkable swimming/diving/boating, potable water, Seeds of Peace kitchen, limited cell phone reception, and bathroom options. The Rondy is family friendly and camping is a 15 minute walk from parking! Please contact us at [email protected] with accessibility concerns and other questions.
– We are putting together a gear library. If you’d like to come but don’t have what you need to be comfortable in the woods, please contact us. If you have extra camping gear also let us know.
– We are having on-going conversations about alcohol at the rondy; juggling the dynamics between creating fun, central, sober places and being honest that people are gonna find somewhere to drink.
– There will be a Mad, Trans’ and Womens’ Action Coalition, People of Color, Sober, and Family Camp! If you are a member of any of these camps and/or have specific site requests please contact us.
-Please do not bring your canine friends! Yer dog’s probably nice but we don’t want to meet them.

The Round River Rendezvous takes everyone to be a success. Here is how y’all can help!

– If you have conflict mediation experience and are interested in survivor-centric solutions and harm reduction think about joining our conflict mediation team
-If you have first aid, wilderness first responder, medical, body work and/or herbal healing skills we need you on the medic team
-If you are interested in water purification, cooking for large groups, digging shitters, setting up tarps, etc. join the site logistics team
– If you’re a child at heart help with planning day activities for the younger activists
– We need someone to coordinate shuttles to a beach that is gentle walk or roll from the car. The trails to the swimming have the potential to be very steep.
– As you are planting gardens, boiling sap, birthing animals, drying beans, or getting food stamps allocate some for our kitchen. We’ll provide breakfast and dinner but you’re on your own for lunch.
– Throw a fundraiser for the Rondy! Sell journals or ‘zines, play a house show, babysit, do a talk for a university, get a job, or send us tax returns but send us some cash or fund an activist in your community that wouldn’t otherwise be able to come. Checks can be made to Forever Wild LLC, or through paypal click “send money to family or friends” and put in
[email protected], there will also be a link on the fen valley site. Email if you have questions.
-Study up! Learn about your own bioregion or the Great Lakes Basin, the historic struggles that happened where you live, how your region became part of the “United States”, the benefits and struggles that come with your identity, the philosophies of deep ecology and biocentrism, how to make a fire or purify water, or the resistance fighters who came before us.
– Think about what chores you’ll do in the mitten. Will you have late night security shift with a prospective sweetie, play games at kid’s camp, or haul water and fire wood for the Night to Howl?
– Hone in on the skills you have to offer, put together a workshop, then email us!
– We also need these Items: tarps, large tents, climb gear, paracord, gas cards, kids’ activities, water containers, hand wash stations, biodegradable soap, toilet paper, and shovels. this list will be updated at fenvalleyearthfirst.wordpress.com

We would love to hear from you, contact us at rrr2016 [at] riseup [dot] net and we will post updates and Michigan news at fenvalleyearthfirst.wordpress.com and on the news wire. We look forward to see ya’ll! And if you want to get in the Great Lakes spirit before July try jumping in some cold water. Then warm up by making pasty’s (pronounced past-eees), a savory hand pie that’s localized to northern Michigan. Mix flour, shortening, and a little bit of water to make the crust. For the filling chop up rutabagas, potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, and other roots. If ya like, add some ground venison, preferably road kill. Season the whole mix with salt ‘n pepper. Roll out a circle of crust, put a small handful of filling on one side, fold over, and crimp closed. The pasty should be a little bigger than your hand. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Enjoy with gravy, ketchup, hot sauce, and a strong Michigan accent!

See Ya Soon!
-Fen Valley Earth First!
[email protected]

Tags: Water