What We Do At The Gatherings

You don't actually have to do anything: you can just watch, which we call 'bearing witness'. It's a very important part of the process. But if you want to, you can chat with others and imagine, invent, initiate things about the fictional island and her community. You can even play a character, if you like. What you make, and how you stitch it into the story, is up to you. You're also welcome to just hang out with us.

The Actions

There’s a lot of freedom to do what you choose at our gatherings. Alone or with others, you might:

• create a character that you can enjoy inventing, writing about, or even playing
• imagine an aspect of life on the island: a tradition or ritual, a community group, a trade, or some history - maybe something that is unique to your island that you want to share with others through the fictional island
• describe something about the island itself: the geography, flora and fauna, either invented by you, or a real thing you have knowledge about, that you want to share with others
• hold/attend an interactive gathering, such as some online character roleplay, a collective crafting session, learning/writing some waulking songs, the preparing of a feast for our final gathering
• meet new people and make new connections that are not about this project at all
• discover new tools or skills that are useful to you elsewhere in your life

You might just enjoy thinking about these things, or talking about them with someone else. You might enjoy writing about them, making something connected to them, sharing information or images. You might want to bring something to life, like a character, or a recipe.
If you’d like to, you can share anything you want with others via our online spaces, but you don’t have to.
You could also just enjoy bearing witness to the things other people are doing, if you’d rather. There will always be space for people who want to be present without interacting.
Our only goal is to welcome people who would like to connect with the project. Whatever shape the project takes as we go along, and whatever emerges along the way, is the right thing.

Languages

In this process, we'll be collaborating with people who use a variety of British and Nordic languages and dialects. These may be vocal, or physical like sign language, or some other method of communication. We embrace the fact that different languages are used. All languages are embraced, and so is the fact that this will complicate communication.
In community interaction, many things challenge clear communication. Our understanding of each other is filtered through assumptions, gaps in knowledge, our personal intentions, and so on. There is no expectation (or right) to have full understanding during this experience.
Interpreters and translators will be provided wherever possible, and we can always stop and discuss or clarify. Ultimately, as in life, we aim to support each other and do the best we can.

Areas of Interest

There are many areas that might be what interest you about this project, and you're free to just get involved in those things.
Click here to see the section on Interests
Click here for information about the things we do at the gatherings
Click here for information about our version of Open Space Technology
Click here for information about the Open Space Principles
Click here for information about the Open Space Freedoms

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