People of the Rainbow: A Nomadic Utopia

Glossary

Glossary “A” Camp Alcohol Camp. A place where chronic alcohol drinkers congregate and drink, usually on the perimeter of a Gathering. Alcohol Hat “A” Camp money collection. Used to buy alcoholic beverages. All Ways Free Rainbow Family newspaper. Ally-O Council Meeting with Forest Service officials. Aum See Om. Babylometer Wrist Watch. Clock strapped to one’s wrist displaying time in Babylon, which is similar to time at Rainbow Gatherings, plus or minus a variable number of minutes or hours. Babylon The world outside of the Gathering. “Mainstream ” or “mainline” society; the “straight” world (from the Book of Revelation, via Rastafari). Babylonian Being of Babylon, occurring in Babylon, or being Babylon-like. Banking Council A Council convened to decide how to spend Magic Hat money. Barter Lane A place at a Gathering where people congregate to trade crafts, camping supplies, books, etc. Same as “Trade Circle” in function, but linear instead of circular in topography. Beanbow Boston Rainbow Family Picnic. Blissninny A person at a Rainbow Gathering who does not contribute much work; overly spiritual and out of touch with the physical realities and demands of the environment (derogatory). Blisspit A recreational fire circle or pit, usually hosting music. Not to be confused with a kitchen 284 • Glossary fire, where work, such as cooking food or preparing tea, takes place. Blissing out Sitting around or wandering around, enjoying the Gathering, in a carefree state. Blissrail The physical demarcation separating the “inside” of a kitchen’s food preparation area, where people work, from the “outside,” where diners eat. Usually manifests as a table or long straight fallen tree trunk. Etymology stems from its function of keeping “blissninnies” out of the work area Blissware Found or free bowls or eating utensils. Block Verb signifying the act of blocking a Council consensus. Bus Village A large camp of live-in vehicles. Usually located a good distance from the central Gathering area, as Bus Village must be accessible to vehicles. Business Council A Council convened to deal with Gathering logistics, Family policy, and other organizational concerns. CALM Center(s) for Alternative Living Medicine. The Rainbow Healing unit. Formerly MASH. Transformed into CALM. as it grew from a first aid station to a comprehensive medical unit. Consense To agree by consensus. Conch A univalve shell, usually of the Cassia species, with a hole cut in the tip. Blowing through the hole makes a mellow sound to call people together for Councils, meals, workshops, meetings, etc. The practice is part of the Family’s self-conscious primitivism. Cooperations Council A Council convened at a Gathering to foster communication between the diverse Glossary • 285 sub-Councils involved in coordinating the Gathering. Council (verb) To meet as a group with the aim of reaching consensus on a given topic. Council (noun) Any group of Rainbows meeting to make a decision. Usually refers to the Council that meets between July 1–7 at North American Gatherings. Cuddle Puddle Group hug. Dark 30 Sometime after dark and well before sunrise. Disappear Verb describing cleaning up a camp or kitchen site fully, as to make traces of it disappear. ’Dog Short for Road Dog. Dogging It Living the life of a Road Dog. Dived (adj.) Pertaining to an item retrieved from a garbage dumpster. Drainbow A person who demands a lot from the Gathering and does not return anything. Drugs Unhealthy habit-forming substances ranging from sugar to crack. Dumpster (verb) To retrieve food or other goods from a garbage dumpster. Dumpster Dipping Neologism coined by U.S. National Park Service Ranger Chris Malanka (1990a). An activity like Dumpster Diving involving the retrieval of “contaminated” food. Malanka does not explain why anyone would want contaminated food. Dumpster Diving Same as Dumpster (v). Dumpster Score An item or group of items retrieved from a dumpster. 286 • Glossary Early Politically correct alternative to the word “elder ,” which people often interpret as meaning leader or authority figure. Elder Someone who has been to many Gatherings and is supposedly knowledgeable about the Family. Rainbow ideology states that elders, while wise, are not leaders, as the Family admits to no leadership. Facilitate To take responsibility for making sure a given task is accomplished. Facilitator A person who has taken responsibility to make sure that a given task is accomplished. Faerie A homosexual male Rainbow. Faire See Faerie. The Feather A feather or other focal object passed around a council circle to identify the person...