About

If you have come to this page, you know who you are!

Our Vinotok celebration is much more than a “festival.” It is a pilgrimage, a way of life, a shared ethos, a form of direct action and a claim for Earth’s sovereignty as well as the sovereignty of the core community whom we represent.

We are the present. We are also the voice of the common people from our ancestral and communal past. Our week-long celebrations, sacred street theatre and reverence for supporting the Earth’s healing– as well as our equally irreverent, rebellious hi-jinks and thumbing our nose at the “powers-that-be” are the history and iconic individuality which have kept our unique legacy alive–and very cutting-edge..

Other fire festivals have grown out of the Vinotok example, out of the unique cultural animation and all-community rallying which shares generosity of spirit, interconnection with other species and life-forms, the collective honoring and exalting of Place Spirit—and just plain wild and crazy fun! However, there is a big difference. None of these is celebrated within the communal circle of a village like Vinotok– where events take place throughout the community. None of these performance festivals is solely grass-roots and locally co-created and produced–like Vinotok. And unlike Vinotok all of these are commercially-driven, media-oriented and sourced outside of the locale where they take place. Not local. Big Difference!

In following blogs from me, GodMother, Creator and Founding Director of 35 years of Vinotok activism and communal ennobling you will see how you may bring forth your own powerful root community and grassroots celebrations and ceremonies.

This is an ongoing exchange. Please respond with your wonderings, your communal struggles, your strengths and your deepest sense of Community Spirit.

For a very direct and imagery-rich tutorial–I would be honored if you would view my TEDXTalk, “Transforming Community: Celebrating Our Stories and Spirit of Place”.

Keeping Crested Butte Wild + Free

You can do this too! We want to preserve our home–and help you create your own healing grass-roots festival. Our service to your festival begins with: Please don’t come to ours.

We are a local and very small town infrastructure. We appreciate and respect your interest. And, when your community events are in place–you will not want folks from other regions to overtake your communal celebrations. It is now time for YOU to reclaim your own collective roots!

So, although we would be happy to plan a consultation with and assist you and your community in learning how to plan and launch an Earth and Heritage Seasonal Celebration–please do not come to our events if you are not a local village and valley dweller. Instead, write to and apply to us as potential source and support for your unique Place-Based Heritage and Spirit Reclaiming Celebration events.

Honor your ancestors. Love your Mother. Marry the Earth. Respect Place Spirit. Refuse and resist being absorbed into the consumerist paradigm.

Be merciful and dance in the streets!

The Earth is our nourishment. We are the Feast.

Big Medicine Blessings, Godmother Marcie

Marcie Telander, Founding Director-Creator and Godmother of Vinotok

Marcie Telander is Vinotok Founder, Creator and Godmother . In 1985 Marcie Telander, with the guidance of the elders of Crested Butte, CO created the favorite and most iconic week-long series of Earth-honoring celebrations–Vinotok. As innovator and educator, creator and care-taker, magic-maker and mentor,  Marcie continues to collaborate with and watch over the Vinotok sacred theatre, spirited players, Place Spirit, environmental advocacy and the people of the Gunnison River Valley.  You may view her TedXTalk on the history and mystery of Vinotok, Transforming Community: Celebrating our Stories and Spirit of Place. Visit her website at  https:www.earthwisdominstitute.org.