My partner and I are pumped for Pagan Spirit Gathering coming up this June. This will be my fourth PSG and her second, and it's something we both really look forward to.
Workshop proposals closed April 1st; in the PSG forum somebody mentioned they were closing and suggested people create children's and tweens' workshops as there are never enough of them. My partner and I are both ex-camp-counselors and I have lots of experience with teaching kids random stuff, so I asked her "hey, if I submit a couple children's workshops would you join me?" I submitted two, which will complete our work shift requirement. So far it looks like those two workshops are like ⅔ of all the kids' programming at PSG this year, so they definitely weren't lying about there never being enough of them. If it all goes well (and it probably will) I might do this every year.
In case you got here through Google-fu or something and are a parent of a kid or tween at PSG, the two workshops Nakiiya and I will be putting on are:
- Solstice Sunprints - I found this activity deep in the bowels of the nature center when I worked at Girl Scout Camp many years ago; there was a massive annoying cultural shift going on and so nature activities were being downplayed (there were a lot of shitty scavenger hunts) and... I didn't like that. So I dug down into the chest of nature activities and found this really old blue paper with instructions. It turned out it was photosensitive paper that basically catches shadows! So I'll be ordering like a 40-pack of that and each kid that comes to that workshop will be able to make a sunprint or two. It doesn't take very long and needs to be at least an hour, so we'll bring other Pagany activities too.
- Pentagrams and More - Basically the first art activity we always did at both the camps I worked at was make a "tree cookie" necklace that's just a slice of pine limb with a hole in it that you wrote your name on. I'm adapting that to make sacred symbols instead... I'll be bringing a 50-pack of tree cookies with string, maybe half of them I'll burn with sacred symbols (pentacles, ankhs, etc.) and the kids can decorate them or make their own instead.
Alright here is where all the kid stuff ends. Not that there are any actual kids reading this, but there is some... adult stuff.
Camping Stuff
The last two years were a super success when it came to camping. My first year I was way too ambitious but not skilled enough... my food all went bad even though I was only there a couple days and I lived off of vendor food (it was damn good food, though). I learned from my mistakes the year after and plastic wrapped all my food. I try not to use a hell of a lot of plastic, but... PSG is my main exception, and only with food. We plastic wrap and then freeze meats in single-cook portions (so enough for me and Nakiiya) and it keeps from spoiling the whole week as long as we add some ice every day.
I commit to taking at least one lamb dish because she loves lamb, and then the rest I get based on whatever looks good at Costco. Last year we ate a lot of steaks and nobody complained. This year I'll probably take at least one larger portion of venison to bring to the feast after The Sacred Hunt. Unsure how I'm cooking it... maybe add some morels (I'm violently allergic to morels but enjoy excuses to pick them). The Sacred Hunt is a strenuous ritual so folks who do it deserve something fancy and hunted after.
Most of our camping setup from last year will come back. I got a new tent because ours is missing a rain fly, Nakiiya is going to provide a mattress. I have a nice portable fire ring, a charcoal grill Nakiiya got specifically for traveling, and I'll bring lump charcoal and cooking sticks.
I'll be looking into easy breakfast options, although it probably isn't that necessary as we wake up hours before any programs start.
I typically use natural sunscreen and insect repellent... I'm unsure on sunscreen but I'll definitely be using conventional insect repellent this year. Last year I got bit by one of those Lone Star ticks (the one that gives you a meat allergy) and dear Goddex I do not want that shit.
I do want better options for keeping us cool this year without making or buying some wasteful thing. It'll probably wind up being hand fans. We'll see.
Clothing
Clothing and expression is really important at PSG for me because it's a good place for me to experiment without feeling super goofy. I might get a kilt this year, although I am hesitant because (especially with a particular singer who is going to be there) kilts can garner a lot of attention (and sometimes sexual harassment).
Last year I went topless a lot, which was empowering for me as a non-op trans man with breasts, but I also got super burnt so my number one priority will be preventing that from happening again. The fluid parts of my gender expression are also swaying way closer to masculine than last year, so the drive to wear nothing but a purple sarong around my waist just isn't there. I'll probably wear shorts, pants, possibly a kilt, and then a sarong as a cloak to protect from the sun. I also have this super cool brimmed hat I've been putting enamel pins on that should protect my face. I will probably put a pronoun pin on the back because I am regularly misgendered from behind at PSG.
I have new minimalist sandals that should protect my feet while keeping me feeling barefoot.
Oh, and I'm definitely bringing pajamas this year. The nights get really cold.
Programming
There aren't any workshops that scream out to me as "I have to go to this!" this year, which is good because I won't be able to plan around them as much as I would if I didn't have workshops. Still, there are lots of activities that aren't confined to workshop slots that I'm interested in and/or actively planning for.
- I'm seriously considering doing the Men's Rite of Passage this year. The past couple of years I've been really motivated by the men's rituals and masculine spirituality (as a trans man this is really healing stuff) and I think I'll take the plunge and do this more elaborate ritual if I get to it in time (there are only five slots).
- I'm trying to figure out what I want to make for the Pagan gift exchange. The first year I did this I forgot about it and used a wand I'd made and didn't use (I just happened to have it along). Last year I made a woodburnt spoon for Kitchen Witchery. I love giving really good gifts so I'm really thinking this one through.
- I plan on going to everything queer and trans I can, with the exception of 101 stuff (unless I have nothing better to do).
- I don't know if I'll be able to swing it this year with other obligations, but I would love to eventually learn fire spinning.
- This year it looks like we will be bringing TWO gnomes instead of one to the gnome exchange. This is a super fun tradition so I'll totally do that!
- Nakiiya and I will almost certainly go to the skyclad ritual again, and I'll better prepare my explanation for why I am there because I think it's a cool and important thing to hear.
