Community Culture
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Firemaker gatherings are inclusive and fun! The council strives to host each gathering with an emphasis on creating and nourishing community. Despite only having a week in the summers together, Firemaker folks tend to create friendships that last well beyond those seven days. The gatherings have a relaxed and joyful atmosphere, and we are always learning new things about what it takes to be part of a community.
Workshops and all other events at the gathering are conducted in a manner supportive of and expecting that people attending will take care of themselves and others. Everyone attending is expected to be responsible to the temporary community that forms, and because of that responsibility, the feeling of community lasts throughout the year. Volunteer Spirit
Firemaker is a non-profit organization, and the gatherings make just enough money to allow the next year's gathering to be funded. We try to keep our prices as low as possible and offer worktrade options, so that income-level will not be a limiting factor as to who can attend the gathering. As such, a volunteer spirit is essential to the gathering, as really it is in any healthy community. Everyone attending a Firemaker gathering should expect to volunteer in some capacity. Volunteer duties will be announced and signed-up for at the event. Please also see Volunteering for more information.
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Elders
Our ancestors knew not only how to live in the natural world, but also how to live in harmony with each other. They knew their place in community. At the Firemaker gathering we are working towards regaining this understanding.
Elders are an important part of our community. They carry the joy, grief, and memories of our past. We need our elders for the guidance and wisdom they hold. We are learning how elders can serve the community and how the community can serve and support the elders. As we walk this path, we are remembering these ways and doing our best on the journey.
Elders are an important part of our community. They carry the joy, grief, and memories of our past. We need our elders for the guidance and wisdom they hold. We are learning how elders can serve the community and how the community can serve and support the elders. As we walk this path, we are remembering these ways and doing our best on the journey.
Children
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If you are a parent or will be accompanying a child, here is some important information to know:
Youth (12-17) are an integral part of Firemaker. We understand the transition from child to adult is an important process of change, belonging and soul-searching. At Firemaker we provide not only workshops but also the community, ceremony and mentorship that helps establish a healthy transition. There will be opportunities for other adults to help care for your younger children, but parents are still responsible for their own children at all times. A children's tent area is set up at the Gathering where materials such as books, crafts, dress-up clothes, and games will be available. Children and parents may use this area at their leisure, including during workshop hours. Please feel free to bring anything that you believe would be of service in this space. There may be some times when worktraders will be supporting the children's area. These times will be posted on the main notice board if applicable. Additionally, we want to encourage families to provide support for one another by offering to help with supervision if the need arises. |
The children's tent and the Field can be a free-range zone for kids. The rest of the forest and camp is at the discretion of the parents.
Children are a vital and vibrant part of the Firemaker community. At our gatherings, children are seen, heard, and respected as being the individuals they are. Each instructor is asked to offer children's workshops in addition to the adult workshops, so in every block of workshops there is at least one children's workshop offered. Instructors often ask for an adult volunteer to accompany their offered workshop. Workshops will be offered for children ages 4 and over, and there will likely be some short activities available for smaller children. While parents are ultimately responsible for their kids at all times, workshop instructors are also responsible for the kids in their workshops. The kids have to stay in the workshop with the instructor unless there is someone that can bring them back to their parents. Parents are responsible for knowing what workshops are appropriate for their child.
Firemaker is a very child-friendly gathering, and some years we have had almost half of our attendance made up by the awesome kids in the Firemaker community. Some of the younger children have even hosted their own workshops. We are also grateful to teens from the community who have offered workshops for kids.
In past years at Firemaker, we have tried different answers to the question of how best to support families with young children. Some years a parent or two have organized a children's shelter, with a bunch of games, art supplies, and an adult nearby to help and care for whichever kids might not want to go to a workshop right then. Other years we have tried a buddy system to help parents feel supported to have some help with childcare. It is an ongoing process of trial and error, and the council is very committed to making the gathering be a place and time of exploration, learning, and fun for children and their families.
We have really tried to embrace the concept of "It takes a village to raise a child." Every adult at Firemaker is expected to help, support, and respect the children at the gathering. There are many ways this manifests: helping a child find their parent, helping a child who might be upset, reminding a child of knife safety, taking the time to make friends with a kid you don't know yet, offering to take a child to a workshop so their guardian(s) can have a break, etc.
We hope you will bring your young ones along to Firemaker!
Children are a vital and vibrant part of the Firemaker community. At our gatherings, children are seen, heard, and respected as being the individuals they are. Each instructor is asked to offer children's workshops in addition to the adult workshops, so in every block of workshops there is at least one children's workshop offered. Instructors often ask for an adult volunteer to accompany their offered workshop. Workshops will be offered for children ages 4 and over, and there will likely be some short activities available for smaller children. While parents are ultimately responsible for their kids at all times, workshop instructors are also responsible for the kids in their workshops. The kids have to stay in the workshop with the instructor unless there is someone that can bring them back to their parents. Parents are responsible for knowing what workshops are appropriate for their child.
Firemaker is a very child-friendly gathering, and some years we have had almost half of our attendance made up by the awesome kids in the Firemaker community. Some of the younger children have even hosted their own workshops. We are also grateful to teens from the community who have offered workshops for kids.
In past years at Firemaker, we have tried different answers to the question of how best to support families with young children. Some years a parent or two have organized a children's shelter, with a bunch of games, art supplies, and an adult nearby to help and care for whichever kids might not want to go to a workshop right then. Other years we have tried a buddy system to help parents feel supported to have some help with childcare. It is an ongoing process of trial and error, and the council is very committed to making the gathering be a place and time of exploration, learning, and fun for children and their families.
We have really tried to embrace the concept of "It takes a village to raise a child." Every adult at Firemaker is expected to help, support, and respect the children at the gathering. There are many ways this manifests: helping a child find their parent, helping a child who might be upset, reminding a child of knife safety, taking the time to make friends with a kid you don't know yet, offering to take a child to a workshop so their guardian(s) can have a break, etc.
We hope you will bring your young ones along to Firemaker!
Substances and Smoking:
Firemaker is proud to be a substance-free event. We do not allow the use of drugs, cannabis/psylocibyn/other entheogens, or alcohol at the gathering, and smoking is not permitted on the property. Those who need to smoke are required to leave the property to do so, and be far enough from the site that participants are not downwind and getting exposed to secondhand smoke.
Thank you for helping us create and maintain the Firemaker Community!