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SingPeace! Earth Pilgrimage for Peace & Global Harmony was inspired by  a singing dream that focused two essential elements in my life: music, specifically, singing, and the quest for inner and outer peace. The image of a pilgrimage came up, but one that would take place in a gypsy wagon, a "peace train."

I went online to find a course in my region: "How to Build a Gypsy Wagon." Calling up one of the Founders of Port Townsend School of Woodworking, Jim Tolpin, I told him of my intention. He offered to come to Whidbey Island to present his talk and slide show about his 30-year love affair with building gypsy wagons. I planned to introduce the concept of crafting a culture of peace through sharing song to my community. I invited singer/songweaver Laurence Cole, a master of what I was calling singing 'n mingling participatory singing, to lead songs at the event.

The introductory program for SingPeace! took place in March 2009. In May, I took the course where I had the opportunity to design the wagon. I drew the plans and details of the interior, after which we lofted it and laid it out on cardboard so I could get a sense of the space. On the first day of the class, Jim had offered: "Steve can build it." Steve Habersetzer was co-teaching the course with Jim. So, I hung out with Steve that week, and subsequently commissioned him to manage the project and build the wagon.

The intensive collaborative process of construction and decor followed, beginning in July 2009. Our singing troupe inaugurated SingPeace! when the wagon was displayed in November at the Port Townsend Woodworker's Show. Our Whidbey Island "homecoming" took place in March 2010, with a 2-day event at Yoga Lodge, where our singer-song leaders, Laurence Cole, Rob Tobias and Sara Tone, were also joined by EarthGym's Barefoot Bard, Mick Dodge.

SingPeace! support for protection and conservation of land and species, stewardship of and learning from the Earth has become a central theme of the gypsy wagon journey."The Garden" as a function of the pilgrimage has generated plans for a "Peace Garden," "Forgiveness Forest Garden," "Garden of Tranquility," and a "Secret Garden." So, as we travel from community to community we will support efforts already underway and encourage new garden planting aimed at healing communities.

Most recently, SingPeace! has become sponsor for Rasur Foundation International's BePeace Course, the first in the Northwest region. Feel Peace, Speak Peace, Teach Peace, via combined methods of HeartMath, for "coherence," and Compassionate Communication for "connection" have  significantly improved students' academic scores while maturing their social skills.  With the gypsy wagon as a staging area, SingPeace! is the celebratory component of this collaborative journey, with its singing 'n mingling, storytelling, puppetry, EarthGym and exuberant play activities.

SingPeace! is launching a North American tour. We have invitations from every corner of the U.S. and locations in Canada. The physical realities of gathering a troupe and caravan, attracting a truck and driver to haul the wagon, enlisting community participation in all aspects of crafting their "piece of the peace," all are among our present challenges. We are establishing an online presence, finding our place within the movement already under way and encouraging greater cohesion at the grassroots and policy levels to realize our goal: "Peace in our lifetime."

Steve Habersetzer is busy at work on a gypsy wagon, trying to get the exterior finished in time for the Fourth Annual Woodworkers Show, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7-8, 2009 at the American Legion Hall in downtown Port Townsend.

This wagon is a special commission by Whidbey Island resident, Pushkara Sally Ashford, who is putting it into service for "SingPeace! Pilgrimage for Peace and Global Harmony." Ashford plans to travel around the United States and Canada with a group of troubadours, gathering communities together to sing and talk about peace.

"I've been surprised and delighted to witness the pilgrimage taking shape and building momentum," says Ashford. "We've recently been invited to take 'songs for a culture of peace' into schools as part of the curriculum. Over the coming months, we will be going in the gypsy wagon from neighborhood to neighborhood, town to town, sharing this repertoire with choruses, choirs, song circles, and at festivals, camps and retreats."

The first few months of the journey, SingPeace! will culminate in an appearance at the 2010 Northwest Regional Folklife Festival in Seattle in May 2010.

Ashford designed the 14-foot-long, 8-foot-wide living space during a course at the Port Townsend School of Woodworking, "How to Build a Gypsy Wagon," taught by Jim Tolpin and Habersetzer. The wagon will soon have modern "green" amenities, such as a marine composting toilet, an on demand propane water heater and a solar electric panel for the 12-volt electric system. It will soon have a galley and tiny hearth, as well. "It's essentially like a boat that goes down the highway," Habersetzer says.

Steve Habersetzer uses hand tools to cut the shallow rectangular void where the hinge will rest for the door on a cabinet he's making. "This is more traditional woodwork," he says. "A lot of people would use a router to do this. This is more fun and not as loud. Once you learn how to do it, it's probably just as fast."

Habersetzer knows well the life in a gypsy wagon. At one time, he lived in one himself. That one, he says, was only 6 feet wide. He built his first gypsy wagon, or "vardo," 25 years ago, and several have followed. All of them are designed to suit the owner's fancy - whether for living, playing or working.

Inspired by horse-drawn carts used by the English Romano people, this wagon is a "ledge" design, which includes a small extension on each side, supported by hand-painted wooden brackets, and a small porch on the back. Other vardo types are called the Burton, reading, bow top, open and brush, and they all function as traveling living spaces.

This is the most collaborative wagon project Habersetzer has created. Ashford has recruited other area artisans to take part. The decorative woodcarving is done by Laurence Cole, and Jeanne Moore of Northwest Potpourri and Susan Leinbach, another local seamstress, are at work on the upholstery and interior furnishings. The stained and etched glass is created by Everett artist Stan Case, and Don Tiller is in charge of the decorative painting.

The SingPeace! wagon is on view outside of the Pope Marine Park Building throughout the Port Townsend Woodworkers Show. A SingPeace! gathering takes place at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, following PT Shorts. Songweaver and director of PT Songlines Laurence Cole - along with visiting song leaders Sara Tone from Olympia and Rob Tobias from
Eugene, Ore. - gather to lead participatory singing on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. and again from 6 to 7 p.m. The singers will be on hand again on Sunday from 1-3 p.m.

* http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=101&SubSectionID=471&ArticleID=25583&TM=33184.13

3/19/10

Sing Peace!

I believe that each and every one of us has a special calling and a unique role to play in this great emerging world. We will know it by our great desire and joy with embodying it. Some are brave and strong enough to answer this call with great passion and dedication. Dear Pushkara Sally Ashford is one of those people; a singing grandmother who wants nothing more than to make Peace on Earth a reality for her progeny and many generations to come. She is called to spread peace is through a pilgrimage of song, dance, communal gatherings and celebration in and around a beautiful hand made gypsy wagon that she designed to become a center-peace for SingPEACE gatherings and events in the Northwest and beyond.

This afternoon Pushkara; her son Dave visiting from Woodstock, NY; Mick Dodge the Barefoot Sense Say; Charlie the dog and I gathered to make song, dance and film at her new gypsy wagon. It is an exquisite work of art and so inspiring in the late afternoon sunlight at her home overlooking Puget Sound and Mt. Tahoma to the south. The wagon is parked next to a great grandmother Big Leaf Maple with a Buddha face peering out of its side. Below the tree is the grave of Pushkara's beloved dog, Miwa. It is truly a place of peace and
grace that I felt honored to dance upon. We began with the song "I'm On My Way" from the back of the wagon. This seemed so appropriate because
we all are pilgrims on our respective paths moving on our way toward Peace and Global Harmony. When asked what she would like to happen with
this pilgrimage she said she would like to encourage those she meets to find their own sources and stories of peace. Mick had brought out a number of his hand crafted staffs and training items and I danced with them while Pushkara sang, Uncle Dave drummed and Mick filmed and interviewed us. Such a joyous & peaceful way to celebrate this last day of winter together!

I will add another daily dance film we made with the grandmother maple tree to this post soon. For now I just want to get this first one out into the world asap because Pushkara & Co. are heading to a big peace rally in Seattle and an event with Congressman Jim Mcdermott at Town Hall in honor of her mother's lifetime of activism on Sunday 3/21...This is the maiden voyage for the SingPeace wagon to the big city. I wish them all the best and hope I can join them the next time round. For me, Sunday will be an Equinox celebration of pole dancing--to hopefully finish stripping thelast 11 poles for the new tipi.

What is your calling? What are inspiring sources and stories of Peace and Harmony in your life? Are dance, song, craft, beauty, travel and creative collaboration sources for peace in your life?

Thanks for watching. Enjoy!