the First Chamber Gathering
The First Gathering of Sound Peace Chamber Custodians and Supporters
at the Center For Peace, Tennessee, USA
from a presentation compiled by Junitta Vallak for the 2008 Sound Chamber Keepers’ and Chiefs’ Gathering, edited for the web by Stella Longland.
Love, Peace and Light
to you all,
Junitta
The custodians of the Center For Peace are Jeanne and Perry Robinson. In this presentation I would like to honour Jeanne and Perry’s vision that started the Chamber Gatherings tradition.
In October 1997, at the end of my second European and American walkabout, I attended the First Peace Chamber Gathering, at the Center For Peace, Seymour, Tennessee. The property was gifted by two women so that it could be used as a centre for peace.
There is a meadow suitable for dances and sweat lodges plus, of course, a peace chamber.
After seeing its beginnings in 1994, it was such a joy to be back and be able to walk into this beautiful chamber.
The chamber has a beautiful timber floor, the walls, made of vertical poles with timber infill, support an octagonal roof. There is a big black wood stove, and banners hang at the four directions. Light enters through the central skylight.
The people gathered in the chamber.
Carolyn showed us where each chamber is located around the world.
Jeanne White Eagle sang for us.
In the afternoon a group of children from the Watersong Chamber came and sang to us. It was wonderful to have children taking part as they inherit all that we do.
Joseph gave his address to the Gathering.
Tom played the music to his chamber song that he composed in 1997. The first verse goes: ‘take this land and build it, take this land and build it, build the chamber with the heart, build it with your will.’
We had a sharing time for those who wished to speak; here Ocean addressed the Gathering.
My turn to speak.
That night there were sound healings using the vowels of your name, I found this a very powerful experience.
The giveaway was introduced by Jim.
Jim was the first chamber person to visit me in Australia.
Next day the custodians and chamber supporters continued their discussions. Among the custodians present were Gerd from Norway and myself, Junitta, from Australia. So we had the furthest north and furthest south chambers represented.
I explained some aspects of life Down Under. Communication with other chambers was my most pressing concern.
We finished the Gathering, inside the chamber, by putting all of the names of the chambers in a hat to choose the venue for the next Chamber Gathering in two years. After I had expressed my isolation, being so far away from everyone else, I was not surprised when Spirit organised for Australia to come out of the hat!