Paw Paw at Wisteria

The Paw Paw tribe (also called “Tent City”) consists primarily of Wisteria volunteers who gather together at events to dance and make music at their home fire. Located in the Paw Paw Patch woods camp at the crossroads of the Wisteria campground, some refer to Paw Paw as the “navel of Wisteria” due to its central location on the land. It is a smaller area offering the benefit of great non-verbal communication between musicians and dancers alike, where they can hear and see each other easily. Sessions in Paw Paw are nestled into a more intimate wooded environment, which offers an inspiration and ambience all its own. Its warm “hearth fire” appeal spins a web of tribal comradery, and welcomes all who wish to join in its merriment and celebration.

The dance and music scene in Paw Paw is very organic and freeform in nature. It is known for it’s unique commanding sound, which can be heard pulsing outward from the depths of the valley. Whether drumming, dancing or just watching, both the youngest and oldest of the festival community frequently come together in this sacred space to dance and drum as one around the fire. At past events, many headlining bands also found their way down to Paw Paw to play music impromptu with the dancers and musicians gathered there.

Don’t forget to bring an offering for the shrine at Paw Paw, because you may leave a little piece of your heart there in the process.

A Paw Paw inspired poem by ELF

Picture a dark woodland path with just the light of a full moon filtering thru the trees. In the distance you can hear the beat of a primal drum resounding to earth and returning with power, and sensual joy.

The heat of mid summer fills the air with the scents of life and abundance. The heavy damp of the valley gives way to the cool mist of the forests. The sound of the drums blends with song from the creatures of the night drawing you closer. A bright light becomes visible in the distance that flickers and dances to the very beat of the earth. You can feel the spirits of the land dance on path with you urging you on.

A sudden turn in the path and a tiny clearing opens before you. The need fire burns bright and the people celebrate the summer night with the drum and the dance. The Crone dances like the maidens, the mother dances with the fool.

With toasts to the lady and the moon light night, you hear the chanter calling :

"Do you play the drum or does the drum play you?"

"Do you dance the rhythm or does the rhythm dance you"?

Call down the lady that she may join the fun,

bring forth the cup for the night is still young

Just as you take the cup and settle in to watch

the drum beat slows and the maiden's bells are still.

Deeper is the tone and from the shadows enters a single dancer slow.

Here you witness power of an ageless grace;

she dances to the fire and pulls from deep below reverence is the rhythm, a deep and endless love. A hush fills the forest, the ageless one entranced, power for the asking, a true mystic dance. For just this little moment, a time out of time it is the dancers movements that call out to the night.

Just as natures cycle the dance gains speed, empowering the drummers to a frenzied beat. Here the maidens enter with the bells and flashing feet. Just a moment's distraction and when you look again the ageless one has vanished back to the shadows gone. Lift your cup again for the night is still young.

“The drumming from Paw-Paw was an incredibly spiritual scene. I consider myself fortunate to have been apart of it.”

“My favorite memory was an all nighter in paw paw. The way the night lasted and changed in what I thought was very magical space. I still smile just thinking about it.”

“I just wanted to share that at this year’s PSG, my most profound spiritual experience took place in Tent City. For that, I am grateful and love all the folks who made it happen by being there and creating such a wonderful space.”

“It was Tent City / Paw Paw and the people involved that made it feel distinct from other times at Wisteria; there was a certain flavor in the energy there that I felt privileged to taste and savor even if I didn’t get to pitch my tent in it.”

“Not only did the tent city drumming not keep me up on the nights I left early to crash, I felt that the beating drums in the woods helped to nurture the kind of neo-tribal setting I came looking for and enhanced the whole spiritual atmosphere of the experience for me.”