| RADIM AND LISA'S WEDDING CEREMONY
June 24, 1995
At intersection, they blindfold couple. CAROLYN counsels couple as to:
("CEREONY IS A WAY OF GIVING SERIOUS OUTER FORM TO SERIOUS INNER MATTERS") > necessity of silence and respect for the occasion. At top, RAVEN greets Radim, takes him from cart to landing where he dresses him in ceremonial garb, still blindfolded. RAVEN takes Radim to seat at north of deck. Repeat with Lisa who joins Radim. Both remain blindfolded. whispery, breathy voice from out of nowhere: * * * *
RAVEN has couple stand, removes blindfolds. Silence while couple orients to Tentrocks and Raven. RAVEN in black feathered cloak, chestnut rattles, and Raven-hat introduces himself: "I AM RAVEN, THE SPIRIT OF THIS PLACE. RAVEN RISES ABOVE THE MUNDANE; SOARS TO JOYOUS HEIGHTS, KNOWS HOW TO FROLIC. RAEN IS THE SPIRIT OF THIS OCCASION." RAVEN leads couple to chairs at back of deck facing North. Silence while couple orients themselves: East, South, West and North are marked by ceremonial vessels: East - white-shell basket; South - blue vessel; West - copper urn; North - black cast-iron pot. In the center of the deck is a hole. Jutting from top of hole is a table covered with a ceremonial cloth overlaid by a "joining sash". RAVEN joins couple's hands and drapes sash around them. Drum begins heartbeat rhythm. RAVEN (and "Tree") move ceremonial cloth to reveal:
> an empty beeswax drinking vessel; > a small old Hexican wooden carving. RAVEN: "LET US CALL UPON THE ENERGIES NECESSARY TO LIFE AND LOVE." RAVEN: "WE CALL UPON THE ENERY OF THE EAST. WE ASK HER TO BE PRESENT WITH US NOW." African Spinning drum sounds as EAST emerges through deck-hole as though from deep dormancy. East is wrapped in filmy white. Drum stops when East is fully through hole. RAVEN: "EAST - THE ONE WHO SINGS NEW LIFE INTO BEING." At the edge of the hole she pauses for awakening and first breaths, then slowly spins to her shell vessel, retrieves silk moth cocoon rattle and with arms outstretched acknowledges day and light and Life. Silent pause. Drum heartbeat only. RAVEN: "WE CALL UPON THE ENERGY OF THE SOUTH. WE ASK HIM TO BE PRESENT WITH US NOW." Spinning drum sounds as SOUTH leaps through deck-hole wearing green body shirt, brown sheep chaps, horned mask. He irreverently and energetically prances around deck ending at his blue ceremonial vessel in the south. Spinning drum stops. RAVEN: "SOUTH - THE ONE WHO STROKES THE FIRES OF PASSION." SOUTH takes from vessel pan-pipe-necklace and blows it exuberantly. He withdraws copper-disked rattle, which he plays at first hypnotically, then sexually. Silent pause. Heartbeat drum only. RAVEN: "WE CALL UPON THE ENERGY OF THE WEST. WE ASK THIS SPIRIT TO BE WITH US NOW." Spinning drum sounds as androgynous WEST emerges through deck-hole in striped mantas over red shirt, black pantaloons, moccasins, red sash. The wooden mask-face expresses the depths of humanity. WEST turns toward couple. Spinning drum stops. RAVEN: "WEST - THE ONE WHO HOLDS THE WISE BLOOD." WEST peers at couple then turns and walks with slow dignity to the copper vessel in the west. WEST expresses the full range of the mask: sorrow, joy, puzzlement, forgetfulness, great wisdom. Then nods off to sleep. Silent pause. Heart beat drum only. RAVEN "WE CALL UPON THE ENERGY OF THE NORTH. WE ASK THIS SPIRIT TO BE WITH US NOW." Spinning drum sounds as NORTH emerges through deck-hole in black body suit; Night-mask, black hair flowing free. Spinning drum stops. RAVEN: "NORTH - NIGHT AND THE POTENTIAL OF UNCREATED THINGS." NORTH glides mysteriously toward black ceremonial vessel. Turns, spins hypnotic luminous disk, then stand still, gazes over head of couple into the great unknown. Silent pause. Heart beat drum only. RAVEN tells couple these energies have assembled on their behalf as a reminder that all they represent are accessible to them for their life together. RAVEN picks up beeswax vessel and beckons for the couple to follow him. They stop before each entity where RAVEN describes the qualities of that direction RAVEN: "EAST. THE ONE WHO SINGS NEW LIFE INTO BEING. THE GODDESS. BEGINNINGS. DAWN. WHITE. SPRING. CREATIVITY. FERTILITY. WOMAN." EAST places two shell-white rings in bowl. RAVEN shows couple. RAVEN beckons couple to the South: "SOUTH. THE ONE WHO STROKES THE FIRES OF PASSION. EROS. SUMMER. HEAT. TURQUOISE. MAN."
SOUTH places two turquoise rings in bowl. RAVEN shows couple. RAVEN beckons couple to the West "west. The one who holds the wise blood. THE SAGE. THE GLOWING COLORS OF SUNSET. AND AUTUMN. MATURITY. WISDOM." WEST places two red-rings rings in the bowl. RAVEN shows couple RAVEN beckons couple to the North: "NORTH. THE VOID. THE POTENTIAL OF UNCREATED THINGS. NOGHT. BLACK. WINTER DORMANCY. MYSTERY." NORTH without acknowledging couple, detachedly places two jet-black rings in the bowl. RAVEN shows couple. RAVEN beckons couple deck-center and places the beeswax vessel on old Mexican wooden carving. RAVEN directs couple (still connected by sash) to kneel on cushions in front of rings. RAVEN directs Radim to separate rings by size. RAVEN directs Lisa to arrange rings in proper color sequence. Speaking of the importance of vows of unity, RAVEN exacts from the couple promises of: "CONVERSATIONS AND JOKINGS TOGETHER. MUTUAL RENDERINGS OF GOOD SERVICES. THE READING TOGETHER OF SWEETLY PHRASED BOOKS. THE SHARING OF NONSENSE AND MUTUAL ATTENTIONS." While kneeling, Radim and Lisa put rings on each other: Shell/Shell. Turquoise/Turquoise. Coral/Coral. Jet/Jet. RAVEN motions for the couple to stand. RAVEN picks up empty beeswax vessel, holds it out to WEST to fill with mead from copper urn. RAVEN hands vessel to Lisa bids her to drink. "UNION IS A WAY OF FINDING ONE'S SOUL." RAVEN takes vessel from Lisa, hands it to Radim to drink. "UNION IS A COMPLETION OF ONESELF. A DESIRED ELUSIVE DIMENSION OF THE SPIRIT." RAVEN receives vessel from Radim. "CONVERSATIONS AND JOKINGS TOGETHER. MUTUAL RENDERING OF GOOD SERVICES. THE READING TOGETHER OF SWEETLY PHRASED BOOKS. THE SHARING OF ONONSENSE AND MUTUAL ATTENTIONS." At the words "nonsense and mutual attentions," SOUTH sounds his rattle. He alluringly jingles around EAST who awakens to the fullness of her character RAVEN tells couple about the importance of balance and the complimentary nature of EAST. "THE GOODESS IS NOT ONLY THE ALOOF, UNTOUCHABLE VIRGIN, BUT ALSO THE SENSUOUS EARTH MOTHER." SOUTH and EAST do seductive "dance." SOUTH sounds his rattle around WEST. RAVEN: "THE SAGE IS NOT ONLY THE SERIOUS KEEPER OF SERIOUS WISDOM, BUT ALSO THE FOOL, LAUGHING AT ITS OWN SERIOUSNESS AND LAUGHING AT THE SERIOUSNESS OF LIFE." WEST becomes crone-crazy, mocking the seriousness of the occasion. SOUTH sounds rattle around NORTH. RAVEN: "IN THE MIDST OF DARKNESSAND NGHT COMES JOYFUL ANTICIPATION OF DAWN." North reaches into ceremonial vessel, secretively replaces Night face with beribboned happy mask, turns joyous. SOUTH sounds rattle around RAVEN who flaps and croaks and shakes his chestnut rattles. SOUTH sounds rattle around couple. The couple does whatever they're moved to do. TREE lights colored smoke bombs below steps. During smoke screen, all entities but Raven disappear. RAVEN removes joining sash from couple. Heartbeat DRUM stops. Raven helps couple change clothes, then invites them to fly away with him. He leads them down the steps to the wash. During the couple's descent, the entities rattle and hiss and cackle at them from the lower deck. At the wash, RAVEN steps back and indicates Radim and Lisa should precede him. As couple crawls under brush, RAVEN decloaks leaving costume behind. He emerges from branches as Ron. |