History
Rendezvous was founded in 1985 by Robert Slack, Jr., Stephen "Snow Bear" Taylor and Darry Wood. They began the gathering to preserve and promote indigenous primitive skills like making white oak baskets, foraging for wild food, starting fire by friction and tanning deer skins with brains and smoke. The three founders eventually invited their Cherokee friends to come share their living traditions of baskets and pottery, weapons and music. From these elders they learned many wonderful things, not the least of which is about being both humble and good-humored.
​
Check out this PBS video from 1998 about Earthskills
Folkways Season 200, Episode 203
​
Check out this PBS video from 1998 about Traditions of the Cherokee
Traditional Cherokee teachers Amanda Swimmer, Eva Bigwitch, and Walker Calhoun are featured, along with Rendezvous founders Darry Wood and Bob Slack Jr. Some of the filming was at a Rendezvous!
​​
Timeline (working draft)
1985-2001
Unicoi State Park
Bob Slack Jr., Darry Wood, Snow Bear Taylor
October of 1985 the first "Earthskills Workshops" weekend was held at Unicoi State Park with about a dozen participants.
Spring of 1990 decided to expand to Wed-Sun and call the spring event the "Rivercane Rendezvous" in honor of the nice stand of rivercane on the property and of rivercane basketry taught by Eva Bigwitch. The fall event became longer as well and became "Falling Leaves." Rendezvous lived at Unicoi for 16 years.
2001-2005
Hot House
Darry Wood, Snow Bear Taylor, Kalisa Taylor
Bob Slack Jr. retired from working at Unicoi and the event moved closer to Hayesville, NC. The Hot House site was also known as the Horse Pasture.
2005-2007
Gorges Music Park
Snow Bear Taylor, Russell Cutts, Fuz Sanderson, Seamus Trostle
Darry Wood stepped down from leadership and Russell Cutts stepped up. Russell initiated the transition to nonprofit status and drafted the mission and bylaws.
2007-2015
Smokey's
Fuz Sanderson, Seamus Trostle, Vered Kleinberger, Clint Corley
Fuz, Seamus, and Vered stepped into leadership. Big developments in worktrade. Long-time home at Smokey's property.
2015-2024
Avalon
Seamus Trostle, Clint Corley, Aura Morris, Sara Callaway
Clint stepped up and developed Youth Programs for Rendezvous. Aura Morris came on board and led the event for many years, developing many other staff roles to make organizing more sustainable, as well as stabilizing our financial situation. Sara Callaway stepped up to keep things going in a good direction.