Annual WNC Harvest Festival - Sat., Oct. 18th 12 PM-4:30PM

REGISTRATION REQUIRED TO HELP US PLAN FOR THIS HEARTFELT TIME TOGETHER

Since people began to walk this earth, they have gathered together to give thanks for the harvest and the beneficial weather that made it possible.

Our indigenous peoples knew the importance of gratitude and never taking the generosity of the weather for granted. That would have been unthinkable. They knew that their very lives depended upon it. As modern people, most of us were never taught that being blessed with good weather is about maintaining good relations with the wind, clouds, thunder and lightning, known as weather spirits.

We have taken their life-giving waters for granted, we have regarded the rain as an inconvenience rather than a miracle and a blessing. And after years of warnings and pleas for us to resume these indigenous practices, the weather has turned more and more violent and the people are now in a bad way as we no longer regard the earth and waters as sacred, to be revered and respected.

THE ELDERS SAY THAT HURRICANE HELENE WAS A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF OUR POOR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WEATHER SPIRITS AND THE DISRESPECT OF MOTHER EARTH. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO RESTORE GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE WEATHER AND HELP TO MITIGATE THE DESTRUCTIVE STORMS!

Each of us can begin to embrace and turn our attention to walking on the earth in a new way, actually an ancient way, that embodies respect and gratitude for these generous forces of nature. This is an invitation to enter into what our indigenous peoples call SACRED RECIPROCITY. There were prayers and ceremonies petitioning for the beneficial weather in the spring. There were ceremonies of gratitude for the harvest. And the bounty was shared with all... a beautiful, life-giving cycle of petitioning, giving gratitude and sharing the abundance.

YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS AUTHENTIC NAHUA WEATHER CEREMONY HELPS TO BRING BALANCE TO OUR LOCAL WEATHER!!!

We hope you'll join us for this important ceremony.

PLEASE REGISTER NOW TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE. A WAIT LIST WILL BE CREATED WHEN WE REACH 50 ATTENDEES.

PLEASE ARRIVE AT 424 TIMBERLINE DR, MAGGIE VALLEY, BETWEEN 12-12:30 PM

DROP OFF CHAIRS, POTLUCK ITEM, AND OFFERINGS OF FRUIT, FLOWERS AND BREAD

PLEASE DRIVE TO MAGGIE VALLEY UMC 4192 SOCO RD FOR SHUTTLE PARKING!!!! (THANK YOU FOR LETTING US PARK AT THE CHURCH!!)

WE BEGIN PROMPTLY AT 1 PM SO PLEASE ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME TO ARRIVE AND GET SETTLED!!!

PLEASE PLAN TO STAY UNTIL THE CEREMONY IS COMPLETE: 4 OR 4:30 IS MY BEST GUESS.

Things you'll need to bring!

EACH FAMILY MEMBER NEEDS TO PRESENT ALL THREE OFFERINGS: FRUIT, BREAD, FLOWERS!!

1. Basket, bowl or bag of fruit
2. Bread (loaf of bread and/or sweet or savory rolls)
3. Cut flowers (store bought, wild picked or from your garden, no potted plants please!)
4. Potluck dish to share.
5. Chair!!!
6. A joyful heart, friends and family!!

1. 12 NOON ARRIVAL- DROP OFF POTLUCK ITEM, CHAIR AND OFFERINGS
2. DRIVE TO MAGGIE VALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 4192 SOCO ROAD, FOR SHUTTLE PARKING BACK TO HEARTH
3. WE BEGIN AT 1 SHARP SO PLEASE ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME TO PARK AND SHUTTLE
4. WE'LL SIT AROUND THE FIRE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HOW HURRICANE HELENE MAY HAVE ALTERED YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WEATHER AND LEARN ABOUT BUILDING RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WEATHER FROM
5. WE'LL OFFER PRAYERS FOR THE BLESSINGS IN OUR LIVES AND THE LIFE-GIVING RAINS THAT MADE THIS YEAR'S HARVEST POSSIBLE
6. POTLUCK
7. CLOSING PRAYERS

A big thank you to Vicky from Sunshine & Sugar Bakeshop for creating these amazing cloud and lightning cookies!

Here's what one attendee said last year about the Harvest Ceremony:

Wow, what a powerful ceremony!

This ceremony is held by a weather worker trained in the Nahua tradition. In gratitude, prayer, and fellowship, a conscious intent is created to restore sacred reciprocity with Mother Earth, her life-giving waters, and the forces of Nature.

Each participant was asked to bring offerings of flowers, bread, and fruit. After being offered in ceremony, the flowers were gifted to Maggie Valley Nursing Home residents; the bread and fruit to Shepard 's Table for distribution to those in need.

I absolutely loved this!

We are blessed with bringing the cycle of sacred reciprocity to our valley. Gratitude for the rain during the growing season and a bountiful harvest allows us to share with others: flowers to bring smiles to faces at Maggie Valley Nursing and Rehab... and folks in our community needing food delivered by Shepherd's Table. Shepherd's Table has been delivering food to 125 people every Monday night and we honor their hard work and generosity! We invite you to be a part of this circle of love and generosity by joining us for this year's Harvest Festival.

A Sun Dog appearing over the Great Smoky Mountains during a past Harvest Festival. Photo by Skye-Dianne Holmgren.

DONATIONS TO COVER EVENT EXPENSES OF REFRESHMENTS, DECORATIONS, ETC. ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

WE'LL HAVE A BASKET FOR CONTRIBUTIONS AT THE EVENT. FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, HERE'S A

We gathered just 2 weeks after Hurricane Helene struck our region last year. The gentleman pictured on the left worked late into the night delivering enough gravel so that we could drive in for the ceremony. Folks shared harrowing stories of what they or their families had lived through as we gathered around the fire together. It felt good to come together as community and share about the loss and fear, the grief and what folks were still grateful for inspite of what had happened.

Meet your host! Cindy Fogle was initiated as a Weather Worker in the Nahua lineage by Don Lucio Campos in 2003. She has been serving her community working to greet the rain whenever the life-giving waters arrive, day or night, calling the rain during dry spells, and working to mitigate strong storms since that time. The success of the Weather Worker depends upon the support of her or his village. In this time of growing imbalance in our weather, attending the annual Harvest Festivals is of great help. READ MORE ABOUT THE PATH OF WEATHER WORKING IN THE NAHUA TRADITION .

Host or Publisher Cindy Fogle