broomcloset ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wic-Can Fest, part II Okay, back to Wic-Can Fest! On that first evening, we walked with Sue and Lor up to the Common field for main ritual. Standing in the large group of people mingling about before the rit was the one and only time I felt nervous or shy for the whole week - that's impressive for me. That period of nervousness lasted only about 5 min before the rit started, and when it began the nervousness just melted away. That night we hung out by the bonfire - actually, we did that every night thereafter, but I need to tell this story chronologically. :) PaganGrrl brought out her drum and joined the drumming contingent. I even used her drum for awhile. We also met a nice guy from Wisconson (who came all the way up just for Fest!) who let me play his drum for awhile. I learned the names of so many types of drums that week! We thought the drumming that nice was fun, but it was nothing compared to the following nights... We also got up and danced for a bit around the fire. I think we were up until about 1am. The next morning we emerged from the "womb-tent" and headed up to breakfast and the first round of workshops. I think we sat with Lee, the campsite-sharing troll, that morning. (we sat with different people every day and every meal, so I don't remember the order in which we did. :) We chatted with him a bit and got to know the others around us. Everyone was so friendly and happy to be at Fest! PaganGrrl and I ended up sitting with and hanging out with the people who had been around since the beginning of Wic-can Fest. And I mean the beginning: they were the people who started Fest about 20 years ago! What an incredibly cool bunch of people. I think I can speak for both PaganGrrl and myself when I say it was that bunch of people who really firmed up our faith in the spiritual paths we are on. Paganism is not a fad, and these beautiful people prove it. The workshops throughout the week were on such very diverse topics as drumming (I went to 4 drumming workshops :), reiki, stories and myths, history of paganism in Ontario, history of modern Wicca, henna, wild hair dying (there were so many kids with rainbow coloured hair! well, not just kids...), pagan views on death and dying, altar design, African Goddesses, and tonnes more. The facilitators were great! Well, except for the one who didn't show up for their own workshop... ;) It was called "Tarot for the Intimidated," and everyone who came was really psyched to do that workshop, but we just ended up chatting about Tarot because the lack of facilitator. There were merchants on site for the last few days of Fest, and they were selling the most wonderful things! Books, jewelry, clothing, incense, ritual tools incl. swords and athames, Tarot and other card decks, magazines, statues, candle holders, stained glass - everything! I think the hottest item though were the sarongs. By the end of the week, I think at least half of the 300 people owned at least one (if not more) and were wearing them around the camp site. We were a very stunning, colourful bunch! :) I bought a sarong that was like fire; all intense shades of red, orange and yellow. I wore it that night to dance around the fire pit, and I think I fit in perfectly with the high flames. The biggest thing I took away from Wic-Can Fest was confidence: confidence in who I was spiritually, and who I wanted to become. This is due in no small way to the wonderful people I met there. I can not tell you how much they moved me. I'd love to name them all here, but since I'm trying to keep myself anonymous right now, I don't think I really have the right to name anyone else. I would use Craft names, but I don't know most of them. There are the funky people from Caer Avalon that I can name: Fand, Scout, Faith, Aislin (North!), Oak, and other's who's Craft names I don't know. I think it was Fand, Faith and Aislin who made up the coven's Grrl Guide contingent! :) Fire's burning, fire's burning... Alas, my time is up for now. I've been very naughty today and written all of this at work. Slow day? Not really, I just really wanted to write. Merry Part, all! ~Wyrdsister -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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