The WELL: inkwell.vue.88: FREE LAND, FREE LOVE: Tales of a Wilderness Commune

#77: Malcolm Terence (malcolmterence) Mon 9 Oct 00 14:11

Mon, 09 Oct 2000 14:11:00 PDT

When we visit oral cultures we see that story telling is beyond art. It is ritual, like polishing an heirloom. Stories are told the same in every telling, spread over generations. Newpass, the Karuk Indian, leaped from the second floor window 80 or 90 years ago to escape from gold miner vigilantes in Orleans, not far from Black Bear. His descendants still tell the story without hyperbole. They have a responsibility to retell reliably that we who drown in a sea of print can never know. Perhaps, as we Black Bears wrote down our stories, we were as close as we can be to our Karuk neighbors in this responsibility. If stories have pleased the listeners, that is good. They are all true -- even the ones that disagree with each other.

The message. Tell your stories. Write them. Share them. [Read entire topic]

#76: Gail Williams (gail) Mon 9 Oct 00 09:53

Mon, 09 Oct 2000 09:53:00 PDT

Plenty of interesting insights all through, and this conversation did hint convincingly that this is an interesting book. Thanks, everybody. [Read entire topic]

#75: Don Monkerud (don-monkerud) Sun 8 Oct 00 20:25

Sun, 08 Oct 2000 20:25:00 PDT

Pressure to conform? Any group has accepted standards of behavior, for example, we had little tolerance for followers. Or for gurus, or self-professed leaders. Several people who came to BB seeking followers were saddly disappointed and soon left. At the same time, there was a great amount of tolerance for individual differences and perferances. We didn't not want to be clamped into a mold and respected other's rights of not wanting to be pressed into that mold. But there was pressure to.

In the book I speak of Johathan putting his arm around me when I'd just responded to criticism that I went off to read and write in the afternoon and liked being my myself. "Don't worry," he reassured me. "You'll get over that." I didn't want to get over it and for me that was a scary moment.

For the most part some people like some people and not others; there were enough people that you didn't have to love everyone equally, you might dislike someone and be able to avoid them due to the size of the group. While at the same time, you shared more with that person that you did with people outside.

It's been informative. You've forced me to look at some issues and examine questions that I haven't thought much about. Thanks everyone! [Read entire topic]

#74: blather storm (lolly) Sat 7 Oct 00 11:06

Sat, 07 Oct 2000 11:06:00 PDT

Thanks to all! [Read entire topic]

#73: Earl Crabb (esoft) Sat 7 Oct 00 10:39

Sat, 07 Oct 2000 10:39:00 PDT

And I'd like to thank our guests, Don, Malcolm, Susan, Mary, for their contributions here and the book itself.

I'll still be here, if anyone wants to ask or answer more questions! [Read entire topic]

#72: Linda Castellani (castle) Sat 7 Oct 00 10:24

Sat, 07 Oct 2000 10:24:00 PDT

I'd like to thank Earl and all of his guests for joining us and allowing us this too-brief glimpse inside Black Bear. You are welcome to hang around and post whenever inspiration strikes... [Read entire topic]

#71: Mary Mackey (mm) Fri 6 Oct 00 22:59

Fri, 06 Oct 2000 22:59:00 PDT

you're welcome. [Read entire topic]

#70: Linda Castellani (castle) Wed 4 Oct 00 23:28

Wed, 04 Oct 2000 23:28:00 PDT

Just beautiful, Mary. Thank you so much for posting that. [Read entire topic]

#69: Earl Crabb (esoft) Wed 4 Oct 00 23:28

Wed, 04 Oct 2000 23:28:00 PDT

Ah, when I read that in the book, I saw vivid images of the kids. I was well into the story by Tesilya, following your poems, when I suddenly realized that Tesilya was probably the child Tsilia of your poem, and that all your images should be about 30 years older now! The Tsilia image fits the older Tesilya perfectly. Now I wonder about the other kids, Finn, Milara, Tirien, and Aloka, and what they would be like today. [Read entire topic]

#68: Mary Mackey (mm) Wed 4 Oct 00 23:00

Wed, 04 Oct 2000 23:00:00 PDT

I know you're going to get some very interesting responses to that Earl. While we are waiting, I am going to post my poem--not hidden since as I understand it, people coming in through Enganged, can't see hidden posts.

SLEEPING AMONG THE CHILDREN

copyright Mary Mackey, 1973

all around me the children are sleeping their dreams curl into mine like threads of blue smoke

Finn is dreaming of the star Altair where children have huge blue wings in his dream they fly up in a circle laughing and make a sun of phosphorescent butterflies

Milagra is dreaming of changes of rocks that become music of rivers that taste like peppermint of a world where all the grown-ups have become children again

Tirien is dreaming that she is a guide who leads the souls of soft animals behind her like a string of wool

Aloka in her dreams gives birth to herself becoming first her mother then her father then a sliver of diamond breathing black velvet

Tsilia watches me with open eyes. too wise to dream she moves through the labyrinth of the night weaving together the threads. [Read entire topic]