Australian Manataka Spring Equinox Spiritual Gathering

Saturday 26^th September To Monday 28^th September 2009

At Camp Bornhoffen PCYC, Numinbah Valley, Qld

 with Manataka Elder Grandfather Standing Bear

& his daughter Morning Star

Programme:

Saturday 26^th Sept:

4.00 – 5.00 p.m. arrive at Camp and Register, get allocated your bunk etc … have a cuppa and mingle with those who are gathering with us

·         ‘housekeeping’: volunteer for roster positions to assist with the smooth running of the camp: eg. Preparing/cooking rosters, meal serving, clean-up duty for each meal session, Clean up groups for final day of camp to clean bunk rooms, kitchens, showers/toilets, grounds etc

5.00 – 5.30 p.m. assist with preparing the Pot-Luck dinner & dining area for those gathered and those still to arrive

5.30 – 6.00 p.m. Gather around the central courtyard to welcome our Overseas and Invited special guests ..

6.00 – 7.00 p.m. PotLuck Dinner

7.00 – 9.30 p.m. Ceremonial Welcome including ‘Welcome to Country’ by Aboriginal Elders, Welcome messages from Grandfather Lee ‘Standing Bear’ Moore, one of the Manataka Elders and his daughter, Amanda ‘Morning Star’ Moore, smudging/smoking, lighting the Sacred Fire, Welcome to the World Drum – send her around the circle as we share songs and drumming and an Overview of what this time of sharing means in a community of Peace and Love under the guidance of the Rainbow Woman and Spirit

9.30 to bedtime – sit and talk with family, new friends, meditate etc etc

 

Sunday 27^th:

Pre-Dawn 5.30 a.m.?? ~ Dawn Ceremony at the Sacred Fire to greet the day … as guided by the Manataka Elder Standing Bear ….

7.30 – 8.30 a.m.    ~ Communal Breakfast

8.30 – 9.00 a.m.    ~  clean up after Brekky

9.00 – 9.30 a.m.    ~ prepare ourselves for the Day’s events

9.30 – 11.30 a.m.  ~  JOURNEY WITH DRUMS & RATTLES TO VISION OUR PEACE FLAGS: divide into women’s, men’s and children’s groups for teaching, sharing, getting to know you [including morning tea/coffee and bickies] – begin to create with paint etc your Peace Shield/Flag. Children optional puppet making

11.30 – 12.00 p.m. ~ YAJNA - Sacred Hindu Prayer Ceremony with Mukta. Participants sit for yajna around the specially built sacred firepit. Everyone is given the opportunity to sit at the fire and make offerings, and to join in a few rounds of mantra.

12.00 – 1.00 p.m.   ~ Lunch – rostered groups to prepare ….Hungi by Graeme from N.Z.

1.00 – 3.00 p.m.     ~  CREATING OUR PEACECATCHER … weaving the elements of the Dreamcatcher for Peace .. using willow/bamboo … all participants are invited to assist to create it and/or place sacred gifts onto the PeaceCatcher [this will be gifted to the final fire of the weekend on Monday lunch before we all pack up to return home] OR Coming together as Community to exchange teachings, learn crafts/arts, songs, traditional dances etc to perform at Sunday Night Ceremony OR WORKSHOP TIME OR PRAYING FOR PEACE/HARMONY GROUPS OR  ????

3.00 – 3.30 p.m.    ~ free time to ‘be’ … mingle, wander, sit, meditate etc / afternoon tea

3.30 – 5.00 p.m.    ~ walks to the waterfall, around the Camp, craft time, Children’s optional rattle [Medicine Tool] making class, meditation/drum circles, play sports .. teach the Elders how to play ‘Aussie Rules’, cricket, rugby 

5.00 – 6.00 p.m.    ~ Free time

6.00 – 7.00 p.m.    ~ Community prepared Dinner – left overs from hungi

7.15 – 9.30 p.m.    ~ MANATAKA SACRED CEREMONY led by the Manataka Elder Standing Bear, his daughter Morning Star and Guests – walking the ‘symbolic’ Road of Peace .. which is coloured White to the Cherokee, symbolizing Peace …  traditionally the Cherokee/Tslagi have 2 Eagle Chiefs: the White Eagle Chief is the Peace Chief and the Red Eagle Chief is the War Chief … they work together for the good of ALL

- prior to entering the Sacred Circle via The East Gate, we will be dipping our feet into paint in one of the 4 sacred colours: Red, Black, Yellow or White, then walking across white cloth symbolizing the Beauty Way into the circle carrying our shields/flags – standing on our spot in the Circle and then all of the shields/flags will be strung together around the Ceremony Circle … children and Elders carrying the PeaceCatcher into the Sacred Circle & placing it at the West Gate facing East .. the place of beginnings and new visions for a Peaceful World. At this time participants may wish to go and add their prayer for peace to the PeaceCatcher’s web, or they may choose to wait til Monday morning ….

- Singing, Dancing, Drumming/Rattles, Didgeridoo and Storytelling .. visioning Peace for Mother Earth and Mitakuye Oyasin … holding the Peace Vision in our Hearts .. the seeds to carry home into our everyday life … THE SPIRAL DANCE …… to weave our way within and out through our hearts …

9.30 – 10.00 p.m.  ~ mingle, share, BE ????

 

Monday 28^th:

PreDawn 5.30 a.m. ~ Dawn Ceremony at the Sacred Fire to Greet the Day with Standing Bear

7.30 – 8.30 a.m.    ~ Communal Breakfast

8.30 – 9.00 a.m.    ~ clean up after Brekky

9.00 – 9.30 a.m.    ~ pack up our stuff & prepare ourselves for the Day’s activities

9.30 – 11.30 a.m.  ~ participate in final crafting of the PeaceCatcher …  ‘workshops’, learning circles, etc to exchange/share cultural wisdoms, teachings, healing methods etc etc GRANDMOTHERS CIRCLE for all the women and girls, GRANDFATHERS CIRCLE for all the men and boys

11.30 – 12.00 p.m. ~ packing up and cleaning up

12.00 – 2.00 p.m.   ~ Community Prepared Lunch

~  Coming Together as Community for GIVEAWAY and Thanks to all our Beautiful Guests and offering the Sacred PeaceCatcher to the Ceremonial Fire sending our Prayers to the Creator and the Great Star Nations …

2.00 – 3.00 p.m.     ~ CLEAN UP, THANK YOU’S AND FARE THEE WELL

 

*** if you have items you’ve created please let us know asap if you would like to have a stall offering craft items etc for sale …..

 

Please contact Lynn Dream Dancer in Australia for more information

Email: peacinoz09@yahoo.com.au    or Lynn: lynnasmith2002@hotmail.com

Phone:  Lynn Dream Dancer Ph 07 3382 7949 in Oz, for overseas members: ring  61 7 3382 7949