I attended the International Gathering; but ‘unconventionally’…
Having, some time ago, been persuaded by Squire that travel by train was so much more civilised than the 21st century equivalent of ‘cattle-truck’ (airbourne) transporation, I decided to go to Plana courtesy of Deutschbahn; which meant travelling by Eurostar to Brussells, then across Europe via Frankfurt & Nurnberg to Marianske Lazne (where Buffalo & I had stayed when we attended a LLM Council meeting several years ago)
Having also given-up on submitting my joints to the torture of attempting to get down & up from the floor I decided to take the (luxury) option; of staying at the hotel that Buffalo & I had stayed in, in Marianski, whilst in the Czech Republic…& ‘commuting’ to & from the Gathering.
When I booked my tickets (which, incidentally, were for 1st class return travel from Nurnberg & were cheaper than I would have paid flying….) I also discovered that I would have to ‘overnight’ in Nurenburg; because of connections…Sue & I had spent a few hours in Nurnberg a couple of years ago & I had wanted to return there to spend more time on what, at the time, I had crudely referred to as a ‘Nazi Guilt Trip’; so my journey back from the Gathering included two nights in Nurnberg…
I, also, attended the Gathering with Annebella Pollen & her daughter Poppy. ‘Bella had made contact with me last autumn because she was researching the history of Kibbo Kift &, after meeting with Sue, Buffalo & Lynden here at Sandyballs and subsequently exchanging e-mails with Logan, had extended her research into the wider woodcraft movement…& decided that the Gathering could be a rich source of further material for her research…I think she will offer her own assessment of their experience…
My journey to Marianski was uneventful, until I arrived there. Before that, I had spent the journey from Brussells to Frankfurt in a fanscinating discussion with a(n English) furniture designer who was going to an exhibition in Dresden – but who understood the background to the woodcraft movement. Many times Sue & I have met people for the first time, only to discover that they have been, or know, people who have been to Sandyballs. Now, I spend 3 hours on a train across Germany & down the Rhine valley, talking with a man I have never met before – & am likely to never meet again; given we didn’t ever identify ourselves – about woodcraft, it’s significance & how it has the potential to align like-thinking people; regardless of race, creed or religion.
At Marianski I encountered my first problem; the ‘Non Stop Taxi’ service wasn’t there…& Ceyanala & her brother were due to pick ‘Bella, Poppy & I up in an hour to go to the LLM Council meeting; the night before the official opening of the Gathering…no problem! I phoned ‘Bella, at the hotel, & she got them to get a taxi to come & collect me (&, this time Buffalo, I don’t leave my mobile phone in the taxi!!); so that I could be at the hotel in time.
Arriving at the site of the Gathering, thanks to Ceyanala & her brother Jiri, was everything I had anticipated – having not seen LLM people for six years (since our Gathering at the Mil). It would be invideous to name individuals; but, within seconds, I was with all those friends I haven’t spoken with in all that time – & it was (as ever) just like yesterday that we had last been together…As I later discussed with Julie Seton, who was attending her first Gathering, once you are a part of this fellowship, you’re a part for ever; you can go away for twenty years & then come back & (probably) carry on the same conversion you didn’t complete last time…you’ll, certainly, also experience that ‘parallel universe’ moment; when friends describe things that you know have also happened to you – & which reminded me of my discussion with my unknown furniture deisgner friend…
Of course, another element of – particularly Czech – Gatherings is the tendency to work, not just on ‘Eastern European…’ – but ‘woodcraft time’…meaning that we had even more time for that intercourse…during which another woodcraft tradition took place; time passed that when the evening meal was to be taken…’Bella, Poppy & I had brought no food – but that soon arrived, many-fold – & with the, usual, dismissal of any thanks for the offering; ‘it’s what woodcrafters do’…
The actual Council meeting was, of course, full of all the drama & ceremony – & the humour – that we’ve, now, come to expect of Gatherings…including further (for me) re-inforcement that Czech-English-Czech translation isn’t, always, entirely accurate…twenty years on, I acknowledge, I should be ashamed at my non-ability to converse with our friends as fluently as they manage to do with us; but I think I know when things are mis-translated, & Witch’s explanations to Poppy were different to the ‘official’ version, several times!
I was able to present Greetings, on behalf of the Order, & Ashes from past Gatherings & Sheena’s Troth-plighting, to Joe, in the Folkmoot Circle; with those familiar words‘Thus is our Fire the same, ‘tho’ ever new’
The Council meeting was interrupted by a tremedous electrical storm – lighting the whole site & reminding Logan & others that, previously, a teepee had been struck by lightening! I thought this time to beat a retreat to Marianske & Jiri, thankfully, agreed to take us on a journey that, at times, felt a fool-hardy venture…
The next morning Logan came to meet us – again on woodcraft time (!) – & we arrived near Plana to see a white transit van, with English number plates, looking lost…having overtaken the van, & confirming that it was Katherine driving the OWC group, we ‘guided’ them into the Gathering site – the Bowen kindred having arrived several hours earlier.
Again I could see friends meeting friends they hadn’t seen for ages – as if it was just yesterday.
International Woodcraft gatherings are special occassions – and I think there is a reason why they only occur every three years; more frequently & we would begin to regard them with the same regularity as any other, Order, event…except – again, as I remarked to Julie Seton, I recall Phil Tofts phoning Sheena…many years ago now; when she was organising a ‘Gordon Brown event’, although they’d never met; but they spoke with that same rapport of ‘once a member, always a member’…I am so grateful, this time – & every time I’m in the Czech Republic – for the overwhelming kindness & ability of our friends to ‘go-the-extra-mile’ – & I know we do it when Gatherings are here.
We spent another afternoon catching-up with friends – for me, including some from England, before we engaged in a new version of an International Woodcraft Gathering opening ceremony & then heard ‘Bella give a talk on her research into Kibbo Kift – this time translated, I think somewhat more accurately, by Logan.
Finally, time to leave again & this time Buffalo (with Dave) took the drive into Marianski…only resorting to the sat nav when I, for one, was clear I had no idea where I was!!
The following day ‘Bella & Poppy decided to return to the Gathering – but I decided to stay in Marianski.
I think they will tell the tale of their adventure, with a taxi driver & the midnight arrival back at the hotel; thanks to Logan…
Then I left the Czech Republic & began my journey back across Europe, stopping as planned in Nurnberg. I spent an afternoon exploring the town – which Sue & I had been unable to do, including going to the castle; which, I now understand, was a seat for the Holy Roman Empire, at one stage…& which gave Hilter his (so-called) legitimacy for using the town as his base for the 1000 years he intended to strut across the world-stage.
The next day I went to what the Germans call the ‘Documentation Centre’ – the place which he intended to be used to proclaim his world domination.
Instead, of course, it is a less-than-half-built attempt at a replication of the (Roman) Colloseum – which, with typical German irony, has been turned into ‘the Nazi Guilt Trip’ of an exploration of the rise…& fall of that man & his dreams, & our nightmares…I could spend the time Sue & I had been denied last time &, having spent time in the town & at the castle the afternoon before, was able to ‘ground’ the documentary film of the Rallies in the buildings & squares I had seen the previous day…& understand the significance of the other historical documentation offered.
Then back to the town & another afternoon exploring – ok some of the bars! Finally, back to the hotel & the most surreal meal I have ever experienced. On my previous night I had spotted a Japanese resturant near the hotel; so I decided to see whether I could get an authentic Japanese meal in the heart of Bavaria…not only was I served by a Japanese chef speaking perfect English; he cooked my meal on the hotplate before me…& I saw him cooking that rare Japanese beef (@ €58 a portion) for a German couple sitting next to me – I now understand how you get beef sealed & steamed, whilst pink throughout…can’t wait to try it!! To sit in a Japanese resturant, surrounded by Germans & to understand what was going on felt a bit like attending a LLM Council meeting!!
Then back to England…having had a real reminder of why Logan & I, & others, have tried to carry on the path which John Myers & John Pringle snr had forged for us; the woodcraft fellowship remains alive & well…& may it last for the 1000 years that were the aspiration of someone with less-than woodcraft values…