Each camp is slightly different, but connected through the theme of co-creation. We run the camp together, including cooking our meals. Unlike other witchcamps, there are no designated teachers at WildKin – everyone is invited to teach an optional offering and help plan and run the rituals. Sometimes a camper will also be inspired to run an additional activity such as a bardic night or singing around the campfire.
2024 Weaving the Threads of Community RHYTHM
Our 2024 camp rhythm is still emerging. One exciting change is that the optional offerings will centre around the elements. So there will be dedicated time slots to run and participate in offerings about earth, air, fire, water and spirit. We encourage you to be creative and open-minded about what could be done for each element. For example, an earth offering could involve connecting with our bodies through movement or dance, doing arts or crafts, going on a magical walk through the land, or so much more. We also encourage optional offerings that are welcoming and enjoyable for all ages.
Read our memories of the 2022 and 2021 camp rhythms to get more of an idea of how the camp might unfold.
2022 Blue Gum and Air Rhythm
Our Weavers digested the learnings from the Lyrebird, and listened to the possibilities that the Blue Gum whispered in their ears and hearts.
Arrival Afternoon
The first day is intended as a soft landing, giving campers space to to arrive, unpack, and familiarise themselves with the space over lunch, followed by an All Camp meeting.
The opening ritual and first dinner will be lovingly prepared and offered by the Weavers, inviting campers to immerse themselves into the magical container of this camp.
Community Care
A core message that came through with the Lyrebird was embodying the element of Earth through the practice of intentional Community Care – sharing the work of co-creating the camp experience in a magical manner! This invitation to commit to a joyful obligation is intended to ground and centre us in the shared experience of living in magical bodies in this space – caring for ourselves, each other, the space, and the beings we share the space with.
Before each meal, all campers are invited to come together to collaborate in caring for each other and the space that we are sharing, contributing energies physically and magically to create an intentional caring community during the the camp.
This may look like preparing food, tending the fire, caring for the shared spaces, cleansing tools and equipment, nurturing the grounds of the venue, or other ways of sharing and caring that emerge out of the needs of the campers and venue in the moment.
In keeping with this year’s element of Air, chants, songs, and dancing are all welcomed as ways of moving with these activities!
Story time / All Camp Gathering
After breakfast, our day begins with the whole camp gathering and connecting around the hearth fire as we listen to part of our emerging camp story.
Optional offerings
The time between breakfast and lunch is dedicated to optional offerings, whether they are structured and prepared, or spontaneous and emergent in the moment.
All campers are strongly encouraged to teach one optional offering, as a way of sharing their skills and giving back to the community. Offerings can be any process or activity, and can be for all-ages, or tailored for a specific age group.
Our camp is, and will continue to be a collaborative co-creation and each of us brings unique skills and knowings. Children and teen teachers are especially encouraged!
ritual planning / Rest time
After lunch is a free block of time. Some may choose to plan the whole-camp ritual alongside the teaching team, while other younger or sleepier campers may chose to have a nap or quiet time. This is an ideal time to sit and converse with the other wild kin, perhaps tapping into grounded wisdom of the blue gums who are excited to have us making magic amongst them!
Afternoon rituals
In the afternoon we plan to gather to do ritual as a whole camp. We will delve into the camp theme and story, through ecstatic, participatory and embodied ritual.
Evenings
Each evening is different, and special in its own magical way.
On the first night we will connect check-in with cosy fire time and a delicious cuppa, celebrating the crisp chill of autumn-winter evenings, and the child-like joy blowing plumes of steam in the cold air, like dragons!
On the second night, our bardic evening offers the opportunity for any camper to perform onstage to a loving and supportive audience.
This is a joyful highlight of the camp, with the spontaneous emergence of some reimaginings of classic Reclaiming Bardic Night chants!
2021 Lyrebird and Earth Rhythm
Story time
After breakfast, our day began with the whole camp gathering and connecting around the hearth fire as we listened to part of our emerging camp story.
Optional offerings
After morning tea there were a range of optional offerings to choose from. Optional offerings were taught by any camper and were any process or activity. There were some offerings for specific age groups (Littlies, Tweens, Teens and Adults) as well as some all-ages offerings. We strongly encouraged all campers to teach one optional offering, as a way of sharing their skills and giving back to the community.
Our camp was, and will continue to be a collaborative co-creation and each of us brings unique skills and knowings. Children and teen teachers are especially encouraged!
Nap time/ ritual planning
After lunch was a free block of time. Some younger or sleepier campers chose to have a nap, others helped plan the whole-camp ritual alongside the teaching team.
Afternoon rituals
In the afternoon we planned to gather to do ritual as a whole camp. We delved into the camp theme and story, through ecstatic, participatory and embodied ritual.
Evenings
Each evening was different, and special in its own magical way.
On the first night we connected and celebrated with our opening ritual.
On the second night, we had an extra Optional Offerings slot, for any offering best suited to darker, quieter times.
On the third night, our bardic evening offered the opportunity for any camper to perform onstage to a loving and supportive audience.
This was a joyful highlight of the camp, with the spontaneous emergence of some reimaginings of classic Reclaiming Bardic Night chants!