The United States of Appalachia Jeff Biggers

Activist/US of Appalachia author Jeff Biggers will be at Malaprops Bookstore in Asheville on Sunday, November 11th, 1-3pm

"Read it and your faltering hopes will rise." --Studs Terkel

"Biggers has fashioned a masterpiece of popular history . . . revelations abound." --Citizen-Times

Appalachia has long been a vanguard region in the United States, a cradle of freedom and independence and a hotbed for the arts, ranging from the American Revolution to the abolitionist, labor and civil rights movements, and groundbreaking literary and musical inventions. Far from being in the backwash of American history, Appalachia has produced some of our country's most important innovators, including Cherokee inventor Sequoyah, Black History Month founder Carter Woodson, folk, jazz and country music legends Bessie Smith, WC Handy, Nina Simone, the Carter Family, Stanley Brothers and Loretta Lynn, NY Times publisher Adolph Ochs, legions of authors including Pearl S. Buck, Thomas Wolfe, Edward Abbey, Cormac McCarthy, Henry Louis Gates, James Still and Rebecca Harding Davis, and social activists John Rankin, Martin Delany, Myles Horton and Walter Reuther, to name only a few. With humor, intelligence, and clarity, Jeff Biggers shows that to understand American history it is essential to know Appalachian history.

"Biggers tells his story with verve and vivid detail, a story that will at once provoke and inspire." --Robert Morgan, author of Gap Creek and Brave Enemies

"Biggers' book educates us as to just how biased and ignorant we really are about this region and its rich legacy of cultural, political, and intellectual pioneers.."The United States of Appalachia" is full of historical insights..." --San Antonio Express-News

Jeff Biggers has worked as a writer, radio correspondent, and educator across the United States, Europe, India, and Mexico. His award-winning stories and programs have aired on NPR and PRI and have appeared in various magazines and newspapers. Author of In the Sierra Madre, he also coedited No Lonesome Road: Selected Prose and Poems of Don West, which won an American Book Award.

For more information, visit his website: www.jeffbiggers.com

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Danse Macabre II

Danse Macabre II Halloween Costume Party @ The Garage Friday


Halloween Costume Party @ The Garage
presented by Get Up and Trinumeral Productions

Fri. Oct 26th


With performances by:

Menage

GFE

Avec La Force Drum and Dance Ensemble

Jenny Greer from Jen and the Juice

Gavin McGowen

Unifire Theatre

DJ Bowie

DJ Aouel

DJ Par



Visual effects by 6 Helioglyphs


Photo booth by Curve Theory


Fashion show by More Than Mammal recycled clothing and costumes


French Broad Brewery draft beer for only $2!!


Costume contest with $100 cash prize and other prizes


Tickets $10 in advance and $15 at the door


Tix available at Malaprops and Ragtime Vintage Clothing





Location: The Garage
101 Fairview Rd #C
Next door to French Broad Brewery
more info call: 676-9431

Asheville Fringe Festival

Proudly Weird & Wonderful - Asheville Fringe Festival

Call for Artists for 2008 Festival- Apply now!

Application deadline for this festival is: Nov 2, 2007

EXPLORE YOUR FRINGE!

link

Asheville should be synonymous with Fringe Festival by now. Come on, all you beautiful freaks! Come on out and play.

ReBelles Halloween Show

Eaties Cereal Bar

Eatie's Cereal Bar is not just for Breakfast.

It is a fun place to eat in downtown Asheville that opened in March of this year and has quickly become a favorite eating and meeting place. You can order from over 25 cold cereals as well as hot ones, plus bagels, muffins, and much more along with all the beverages you could possibly want.

SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS!!! ALL DAY SAT (Thunder Cats, Smurfs, HeMan, SheRa and much more) Cartoons will be playing most of the time but the cool ones are SAT all day! Adult Swim late night Sat unless there is an event.

Have a pajama party! Rent out the space for private parties. More info coming soon!

Prices:
-Babies eat free!
-Kids under 6 $1.99/bowl
-Single bowl for $2.99
-3 bowls for $5.99 -BOTTOMLESS BOWL $7.99(all you can eat!!!)

*THE MEGA-BOWL* -Equal to an entire box of cereal! Clean this bowl OUT and you WIN a T-shirt and your photo goes up on the Mega-Bowl wall of FAME -$10

Eaties is located at 48 Commerce Street, right beside Hookah Joes. That is the corner of Coxe and Commerce, one block south of Patton Avenue downtown! We also have a Patton Avenue entrance under the Winehaus awning to the right. Just go in the silver door, down the steps and to the right!

Photos from the Citizen-Times | Eatie's Cereal Bar

My friend and I went there this morning and I enjoyed some Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and hot tea. He had some granola and took advantage of the WiFi service.

FUNKTION

Freakinasheville.com

Are you different? Do you refuse to be normal? Are you a freak in the mainstream? GREAT!

Freakinasheville.com is building a progressive community of thinkers, doers, movers and shakers who live and groove outside the box. If you are ready to tap into a social consciousness that thinks for itself and is ready to express it all, this is it!

You’re adopted! Your ideas are welcome! You now have friends! Ok, we admit we are slightly off-center - but our funky functionality and creative info-tainment make up for what hygiene and good manners we’re lacking. We may be a little sarcastic at times but our twisted nature gives us the ability to break down barriers, soar with the park pigeons and move mountains of mental baggage that makes way for people who are ready to shift gears to a winning slot in the human race.

Are you into FreakinPolitics? Maybe you are a FreakinNewYork or a FreakinSeattle or perhaps you’re interested in everyFreakinThing we have to offer. Well here it is, here’s your chance to launch yourself into FreakinUniverse.

October 5th Fundraiser: Spahgetti/Salad Dinner*Drum Circle*Live Auction

Stop by and buy a meal for a good cause before going to Pritchard Park!

River Guerguerian, Daniel Barber, Sunny Keach and Jerry Donoghue will be leading the drumming.

Starting 6:00 pm at Odyssey School in Montford (90 Zilicoa Rd.)

A new K-8 alternative school. The purpose of this event is to raise funds for Compassionate Communication class scholarships. This is one of the few school communities in the world that is making the commitment to train, parents, children, staff, and teachers in using Compassionate Communication (also known as Nonviolent Communication).

http://www.ashevilleccc.com/Sketty_Dinner.pdf

Tickets $12 adults, $8 kids (under 13), under 3 free.
To purchase tickets contact Ellie at
776-5514 or e-mail: Ellie100r@aol.com.

Autumnal Equinox / Mabon

Sept. 23, 2007
5:51 A.M. EDT, SUNDAY

Mabon, or Autumnal Equinox, wil soon be celebrated. The Wiccan calendar contains 13 full moons (Esbats) and 8 Sabbats, or days of power, making 21 Wiccan ritual occasions. The Esbats are for celebrating the Goddess. The Sabbats mark the sun's yearly cycle and tell the story of The Wheel of the Year. On this day, the length of night time is equal to the length of daytime.


Blessed be this season of Mabon, time of the second harvest, the harvest of fruit and wine.
Tonight all things are in balance: Goddess and God, Life and Death, Light and Dark.
Tonight the darkness will conquer the light, leading us deeper into the waning year. [More...]


Mystic Journeys
333 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC
828-253-4272 Sunday, September 23, 2007, 7:00 PM. Equinox Rite with Byron Ballard

Event Details: "Modron's Children: a Celebration of the Second Harvest"

Modern Pagan practice in the West often honours the Autumnal Equinox as the second of three harvest festivals. Come learn the lore of Mabon and dance the Harvest Ring! This will be a joyous rite as we bid farewell to Summer's bounty and prepare ourselves for the time of introspection that leads us to the final harvest at Samhain. We will begin promptly at 7, so please arrive in time to get ready. Ritual dress is always a beautiful addition to any rite but not required. A love offering will be collected for use of the space. RSVP for Mabon Ritual | Co-sponsored by CERES

Blessed Mabon

Asheville

Local Drum Circles

Feeling that primal urge? I have a special place in my heart for Drum Circles. It's not just the sensual, tribal rhythms that calm your soul. It's the whole spirit of good hearts surrounding the event. When my daughter was 15, some sweet soul at the local drum circle in Pritchard Park in Asheville, NC, gave her his beautiful drum. First he let her play it and when she was through, guru drummer dude bends over with his hands cupped prayer-like and said to her, "My child, you can have it. (a $200 drum) It's yours." Pritchard Park drumming is a little tourist-y, but what the hell? It radiates such a positive vibe so I can't complain one bit.

I've listed some area Asheville drumming events here for you.

* Tribal Beats - Drum Dance Gatherers - Asheville, FRIDAYS from 8-11pm at Pritchard Park, weather permitting. Free and open to all. Come play with us! Info: Larry at 828-670-7287 or Rita at 828-259-9121 or drumdance@att.net

* WildBodema - Women's drumming troupe in Asheville NC called Wild Bodema. We are a beginners semi-professional women's drumming troupe. We meet Thursdays in East Asheville. email Drumming at WildBodema.com for further info. A Troupe is different from a circle in that we learn specific rhythms and all play together (with some different parts). All drums and playing levels welcome including Djun-djun, etc. You can see them in action HERE.

* Drumming, Dancing & Toning Gathering - Asheville African Drumming Lessons:, and drum circle Mondays, 7:15-8pm – Movement and Learning Center upstairs at the French Broad Food Co-Op. Free with any co-op receipt, otherwise $2 per class. Afterwards, stay and join the drum circle from 8-10:30pm. Info: Larry, 828-670-7287, or info: fbfc.com/

* Folk School Drum Circle I get conflicting dates on this event so I'll list both of them:
-- is now held on the last Thursday of the month at 7p. It only runs from the last Thursday in April with the last circle for the year held on Halloween night. Info 828-835-4704 or email at kim@kimscreationsonline.com. John C. Campbell Folk School's Open House. Starts at 7PM, goes till... Open to all. Usually extra drums and other noise makers are available, 1 Folk School Road, Brasstown, NC 28902. We will now be gathering year round. Check for locations and times.
--Folk School Drum Circle meets the last Tuesday every month at the John C. Campbell Folk School Open House. Starts at 7p, goes till... and is open to all. Usually extra drums and other noise makers are available, sometimes drums for sale. Just ask. 1 Folk School Road, Brasstown, NC 28902. Call Kim at 828-835-3506 email: smokeinthemountainspottery@yahoo.com for info and directions.

* Skinny Beats Drum Shop - located at 4 Eagle St, Downtown Asheville, The number is 828-768-2826, website is skinnybeatsdrums.com. Beginner hand drum classes twice a week and have drum circles periodically.

Drum Circle List - Find more events near you.

Asheville

Baraka Mundi - The Bandit Queens of Bellydance

Live Music and Dance Ensemble - Baraka Mundi


Better late than never?

Triboriginal - September 14 - 16, 2007

Asheville

Bid for World’s Record Fails

Daredevil Michael Mooney rides a 12-foot bicycle around a parking lot at North Lexington Avenue and Hiawassee Street during the Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival last Sunday. Mooney tried to break a world record by riding a 43-1/2-foot bicycle, but injured his knee after falling from the smaller bicycle. Undeterred, Mooney attempted to ride the taller bike, but his knee gave out and the bicycle collapsed. Above, a safety line attached to a crane catches Mooney mid-fall. Mayor Terry Bellamy was on hand to be an official judge for the event. About 10,000 people attended the annual street festival.

Staff photos by MATTHEW DOTSON, Asheville Daily Planet

Asheville

Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival

Date: Sunday, September 9, 2007
Time: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Location: Bobo Gallery
22 Lexington Ave.
Asheville, NC 28801

More Info:
* www.arts2people.org/laaff.html
* LexFest

Get yo LAAFF on...

WACK Radio coming @ ya outside Bobo Gallery, Sunday, Sept. 9th...

Startin' it off! All day, all night, as well as between times in the meantime.

Many great sounds on stage, with only the WACKest in bemixst.


Asheville

How to Exercise Your Right to Dissent

September 5, 2007

Re: How to Exercise Your Right to Dissent:
An Educational Forum for Community & Student Activists

Date, Time & Place: Thursday, September 27, 2007, 7pm,
UNCA Highsmith Center, Room 221

Professor Mark Gibney, UNCA’s Belk Distinguished Professor of Humanities, moderates an educational forum at UNCA’s beautiful north Asheville campus on September 27, 2007, at 7 o’clock in the evening. Professors Mark Gibney and Dwight Mullen along with Attorney Frank Goldsmith and other distinguished panelists will offer expertise on the rights and restrictions that apply to student and community activists.

How can I exercise my right to free speech and free assembly within the bounds of the law? When do I need a permit? Where and how can I display a sign or banner? Am I allowed to demonstrate on private property? May I use a bullhorn or other amplification equipment? These as well as your own questions will be answered.

Topics will include important local issues raised by the flag desecration case and the Bank of America protest as well as recent constitutional law and the law of trespass. The laws that apply to rallies, demonstrations and protests will be made clear to participants.

The forum is sponsored by a large coalition of student and area organizations eager to learn more about their rights, including the UNCA and WNC chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union, Veterans for Peace, Students for A Democratic Society, Carolina Animal Action, Women in Black, Grandmothers for Peace, the Department of Peace, Asheville Buncombe Citizens for Quality Government, Buncombe Greens, WPVM, and others.

For more information, please contact Alex Cury at 253-5088



Asheville

Woman's Ayahuasca Journey

The House of La Matrona, Holistic Midwifery and Doula Workshop in Asheville, NC, is offering a Woman's Ayahuasca Journey into the Peruvian Amazon - Nov 6-14, 2007.

We will gather in Peru for our annual Ayahuasca Journey. We meet in Iquitos, in the Amazon basin, and from there we travel upriver into the jungle. Under the tutelage of Juan Paimos, we will make the ayahuasca brew and have the opportunity to partake of this plant spirit medicine three times during our stay. Cost is $799 + airfare, and includes lodging and most meals, travel on the Amazon, Plant Spirit Medicine, fees for portage in the jungle, plus stipends for teachers, cooks and helpers...basically everything you will need in Peru. We'll return home via Iquitos on November 14th. Check tickets from the U.S. to Lima, Peru and then on to Iquitos. See The Matrona's website for the complete itinerary and more logistics.

If you are unfamiliar with ayahuasca, or would like more information, you may enjoy this article from the National Geographic.


At The Matrona, we believe that birth is a sacred and profound experience, and we teach midwifery as a Sacred Art. We believe that childbearing is a time of transformation and empowerment for parents, and the work of the midwife is to return birth to the family. Our house is dedicated to serving women and families by providing opportunities to access knowledge of Women's Healing Arts. We believe that the knowledge of birth and midwifery is among those arts, and belongs to all individuals and all families. We educate women to be competent, confident, compassionate and caring midwives and doulas who serve families in the traditional ways.

The Matrona in Motion Blog