It was a cold day for the Healing Gathering to end in such a way with winds and gloomy weather. The plan was to travel to Cottage Grove with this remnant of the Rainbow Family. Morning Song was leading the way Shades of Sacajawea. We all arrived at the farm somewhere west of Cottage Grove and tumbled out of that red step van, all sticky and unclean. Dancing Feather had opened his massive house to the women of the Rainbow. He's no dummy. The hayloft was relegated for the men of this troupe. Hay is not at all uncomfortable once you snuggle into this sweet smelling delightfulness of its warmth. No candles please. The only thing to fear is silicosis of the lungs. Cough....Man has been sleeping in the hay for centuries. This is the most likely bedding for the poor agriculturalists of the world. It shows you are solidly connected to the land from whence it grows. Never mind the occasional poke in the eye or the errant straw up the nose while capturing the few hours of snooze time before the day begins again. Home never looked as good as it did then.
Morning Song had a small tipi that we set up far from the main encampment. In the winter we used a liner which acts as an insulator. When it is cold there is no escape except the small fire in the center. The Plains Indians dug what is called a Dakota Hole which consists of a U shaped hole with a fire in one side. The other side is the draft hole. When properly fueled, this arrangement could probably melt steel. The surrounding earth warms considerably. The whole tipi becomes comfortable enough to enjoy life at 30 below. The buffalo robe is by far the warmest to sleep in as it retains heat so well you actually start to throw it off in the middle of the night, only to quickly recover it. There is a museum outside of Cody, Wyoming that features much of the Plains Indian lifestyle before the advent of the whites. You can learn a lot from those Gentlemen of the Plains. The bead work is extraordinary.
For the nonstop traveler any resting place you can find is home. You get used to it. Not having a real home is the reality for most on the road. The land in Oregon is almost tribal land now. The Rainbows finally came home. Many a day was spent at Momma's Truckstop to get fed the nice warm foods of rural Americans. If you want to eat well work for a farmer.
I was truly in the land of snake braids and free love. It was a sign of domesticity to have your hair braided in snake braids. Then have small bead threaded through the hair only added to the festivities of family life. I've seen this style all the way to Tonga as well. My mane was long and was not well cared for. Morning Song took the time to help me care for the smaller details of daily living. One of my fondest memories of being with the Family was the group hugs that started spontaneously. Many people join together to form a tight circle dispelling any harsh feelings and disappointments.
We had a huge group of travelers who intended to stay at the farm for the winter. The logistics of this was staggering. These were mere children who had no money to buy food. Morning Song and I started inquiring about Food Stamps and learned that everyone was eligible. We just needed to sign them up to get about $200 in stamps a month for each. There is a God after all. With the pooled stamps we were set for the coming winter with feeding ourselves. Can't say what would have happened to these people had we not stopped by that Welfare Office. It would not have been pretty.
One day, as we were driving to work at the Tofu Shop owned by Dancing Feather and Landra, one of the guys saw a dead buck near the road. He yelled for the car to stop. He jumped out with a hacksaw in his hand. He soon had both antlers in his possession. It took all of 3 minutes. For Thanksgiving we designed a tofu turkey to feed the Family. It was a great occasion with many speeches by the grey beards. It was one of those times when we all agreed.
Soon after, Morning Song began seeing other men. This along with other troubles, made it impossible for me to continue on with the Rainbows. I packed up and left one cold morning. Destination: No where soon. I headed north to Bellingham to return to the University. Turn the page when the chapter ends.
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