Fierce Dreams is a 3 day gathering that will be occurring from October 18th to 20th 2013 in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia. The exact location will be decided closer to the date and published on this site. This event will be an anarchist encampment/autonomous zone aimed at breaking down the barrier civilization puts between us all. Over the course of the gathering we hope to explore the wilderness around us and the wildness within ourselves. Through organising this event we hope to build stronger connections based on anti-civilisation theory, green anarchist philosophy and the practice of rewilding. As anarchists, we oppose domination and oppression against humans, nonhumans and the earth. We recognize the hierarchical nature and destructiveness inherent in civilised culture and wish to see its permanent end as soon as possible.
Our focus will be on methods to resist control in our everyday lives. We want to reduce our dependency on civ, and discuss possibilities for rewilding, no matter where you choose to live (urban, remote or in between). Together we will talk, weave, play music, gather, make fires, play games and explore ideas relating to a vision of life beyond mass society. We will work to undo the domestication that civilization has strongly conditioned us to believe as ‘normal’. We aim to forge links between those of us who will not accept the damage inflicted by mass society and the empty promises of technology.
WORKSHOPS AND DISCUSSIONS
We encourage anyone wishing to facilitate a discussion or hold a workshop to get in touch with their ideas. Some possibilities for workshops that people might like to be involved in or host are: Parenting Against the Megamachine, Intro to Green Anarchy, Rewilding, Ecofeminism, Resistance To Civilisation, Plant Walks, Weaving, Healing from Civilisation, Firemaking, Star Gazing, Self Defence and The Defence of the Wild but are not limited to these suggestions. We hope that this will be a great opportunity to explore some of these concepts, so if you are interested in facilitating please get in touch!
Our vision is to have a less formally structured event, rather than an extravaganza filled with back-to-back workshops on a tight schedule. This can sometimes be draining over the course of several days. We want to ensure there is plenty of time for informal chats, looking at clouds, reading, making cordage, foraging, songs round the fire, or whatever you like to do. Those who want to engage in more serious dialog or focus strongly on learning skills for the entire time can do so but heavy involvement will not be a requirement of attendance. What we are saying is that if you have had enough of sitting, talking or concentrating, feel free to quietly wander off!
HOW YOU CAN HELP US OUT!
We are also looking for people who have skills in mediation, conflict resolution, any type of medic training, skills in workshop facilitation or anyone who is willing to help during the camp out with day to day procedures like digging latrines and bringing in supplies. We also need all people who attend to help in making this as safe, positive and productive space as possible. We will be implementing a safer spaces policy to deal with any issues that arise.
This is a completely free, non-commercial, and informal gathering. We are operating on 100% volunteer effort, a $0 budget and scavenged or liberated supplies. This is a child friendly, queer friendly and trans positive event.
ROLES WE REALLY NEED HELP WITH
- Conflict resolution and mediation
- Medics
- Child care
- Workshop facilitation
- Safer spaces implementation
If you have any of these skills in particular we would really appreciate your assistance so please get in touch and let us know you will be coming.
GETTING THERE
A map is attached in this pamphlet for instructions on how to get there. Trains go to X station and some carpooling can be arranged from there to the trailhead. It will be a several kilometer walk in and you will need to be self-sufficient in terms of food, shelter and water (although some water can be purified and used at the site, it’s a good idea to have your own too).
SECURITY CULTURE
We ask people to please be aware of security culture. (There is a reading regarding responsible security culture at the end of this page). There are many different approaches to resistance and many different tactics that people may use to fight the megamachine. Please use common sense when talking about these tactics and always keep discussions hypothetical. We are not putting any conversation ‘off limits’ or manufacturing paranoia, simply advising people to be careful, be sensible, and speak in general terms. The authorities are always interested in information about resistance so although we want to talk freely about ideas we also want to be aware that they may infiltrate events like this to gain info. Never mention or ask another person about specifics of actions or events, or mention any names of people involved.
SAFER SPACES ISSUES
When it comes to physical intimacy and sexual contact, ASK FIRST! No Compromise In Defence of Consent!
Violence, physical assault, emotional assault, and/or sexual assault will NOT be tolerated under any circumstances and anyone who engages in such assault will be asked to leave. In instances of assault we will trust and believe the survivor and respect any processes of accountability they initiate.
In attempting to manifest the world we desire, we will pursue non-coercive means of conflict resolution and non-coercive processes of accountability. Decisions affecting the group will be made horizontally through the utilization of consensus process.
Please do not make assumptions about an individual’s gender, and if you feel unsure, do not be afraid to ask what someone’s preferred gender pronoun is. If you use the incorrect gender pronoun, you will be corrected, but it is not something to be ashamed of. We have all been raised within a gender binary culture and breaking free of these false binaries is a process of learning and growing for all. It is also appropriate to introduce your preferred gender pronoun when first introducing yourself to new people, if you feel the desire.
The collective will strive to select sites with maximum accessibility in the context of a wilderness area. Due to the nature of these areas being wild places with rocky trails, hills, possible steep inclines or declines which are beyond our control (or desire to control for that matter), people with differing abilities may have trouble accessing the gathering. This is the reality of the natural world. We will, however make every effort to help people with differing abilities in getting their gear into the camp.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Those who, deliberately or unwittingly, focus on scene politics and attack other peoples’ beliefs will not be welcome. We would like to foster an atmosphere of acceptance in our relationships with each other. There is plenty of room for discussing different ideas but “deathing/blanking” others (deliberately shunning someone and not telling them why), talking over other people, dominating group conversations or spaces, and generally disrespecting people is not acceptable behavior. Mediators will be available if people need assistance in dealing with conflicts or have any issues during the festival. “The scene”, whether it be anarchist, punk or activist has real potential to split and thwart efforts to bring people together and build strong connections with each other in our resistance to civ. “The scene” often becomes insular and city-centric and therefore becomes exclusive to those outside of it. We ask that people leave this scene baggage behind and be welcoming to all people at the gathering. In the resistance to civ many people chose to live outside of the city or within the city but outside of “the scene”. Just because you don’t know someone doesn’t mean they don’t have something to offer.
BEYOND TRADITIONAL ANARCHISM
For many of us it is becoming increasingly obvious that civilization cannot be redeemed or fixed. One look at the nightly news, or our fractured communities, or the devastated environmental landscape around us is proof enough. We do not wish to waste time and energy having to defend ourselves against any workerist/leftist/reformist classical ‘anarchists’ again. For this reason we will not be dwelling on basic anti-civilisation theory for too long (instead there is a list of excellent readings at the end of this page). We are ready to move past this phase and onto a practical response to our civilised reality.
AROUND THE CAMP
We seek to create a temporary autonomous zone which functions as an egalitarian community. In this spirit of cooperation and mutual aid, we request that people attending the gathering put their hand up for work shifts such as cooking meals, cleaning the kitchen and washing dishes after meals, digging latrines, doing supply/water runs, security & welcoming, etc.
We ask that people establish communal fires within the gathering and refrain from making personal fires. A communal latrine will also be constructed and we ask that people refrain from digging personal poop holes. This will minimize our overall impact on the land.
Drugs and alcohol are discouraged. We may designate a rowdy area for people wishing to party if attendants feel it necessary. NO illegal drugs, please. All other space should be considered sober space. Your personal space is, of course, your personal space, and you may do what you wish within it. Please respect others. For safety reasons, we request total sobriety when attending workshops and trainings.
WHAT TO BRING (SUGGESTIONS)
Items we need for communal resource: (please get in touch if you have any of these)
Personal items:
• tent
• sleeping bag
• hammocks
• food & water
• water filter (suggested)
• toilet paper
• adequate clothing for hot days, cold nights, rain, etc.
• your own bowl, cup, utensils, etc.
• flashlight/headlamp & extra batteries
• sunscreen and bug repellent if you use it
• swimsuit & towel
• musical instruments
• your knowledge, wisdom, and skills
• your friends!
COMMUNAL ITEMS (TO SHARE OR DONATE)
• tools (like shovels for digging shitters and hatchets/axes/saws for cutting up fire wood)
• food and water
• kitchen gear (large pots, pans, water containers, etc.)
• extra tents
• tarps and rope
• hammocks.
• First Aid gear!
• random primitive skills supplies (you know better than we do!)
• radical environmental, primitive, and rewilding literature
• local plant and animal identification guides, etc.
• local topographical maps
• your knowledge, wisdom, and skills
• your friends!
Things NOT to bring:
• Weapons (there’s a difference between a TOOL and a WEAPON)
• parasitic or predatory human beings
• a bad attitude (including racism, sexism, classism, heteronormativity, homophobia, speciesism, ageism, ableism, etc.)
• law enforcement eg. police
RESPECTING INDIGENOUS LAND
This Blue Mountains area, like the rest of Australia, is under occupation by colonising forces. We acknowledge this and support Aboriginal efforts toward their own liberation. We respect the original inhabitants of this area (Gundungurra and Darug people) and when the final site is determined we will be approaching the appropriate groups to let them know of our intentions with this gathering. We will accept any advice they have with regard to holding this event on their land.
READING LIST
*Lines in the sand
(http://zinelibrary.info/files/Lines%20in%20Sand.pdf)
*Anarchy Primer
(http://yggdrasildistro.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/anarchy-a-short-primer-web-reading.pdf)
*Green Anarchy Back to Basics – Rewilding
(http://flag.blackened.net/radicalanthropology/writings/b2bv3.pdf)
*Pieces of Self
(http://zinelibrary.info/files/PiecesofSelf.pdf)
P.S. MASSIVE thanks to the Wildroots Collective for their help, inspiration, and allowing us to ‘liberate’ some of their material in compiling this site. Much love!
P.P.S. This blog is under construction. Any problems or info that isn’t here just email [email protected].
