Copyright 2002
Wilderness Drum, Inc.
All rights reserved

Wilderness Peacemaking
Steve Beyer

Introduction The Peacemaking Perspective Sacred Gifts The Role of Stress Controlling Your Own Stress Preventing Loss of Control The Ways We Communicate Nonthreatening Approach The Stress Trajectory Appropriate Responses Signs of Distress Verbal Aggression Physical Attack Collapse and Reintegration Conclusion References

Conclusion

Wilderness leaders may have to deal with disruptive, violent, or out-of-control behavior within the group under a variety of circumstances. Because a wilderness group is interdependent, with few outside resources, the group needs all the skills of its members in order to survive. Therefore, disruptive or assaultive behavior must be dealt with from a peacemaking perspective, with a view to the eventual ceremonial reintegration of that person into the group. The peacemaking perspective thus focuses on healing the relationships within the group rather than on adjudicating fault. Models of peacemaking can be found in indigenous justice systems, such as the Navajo hozhooji naat’aanii or peacemaking court. An effective peacemaker acts with rational detachment, responds appropriately to the level of crisis, and functions with regard to the autonomy, equality, and safety of the person in crisis. Most importantly, the wilderness peacemaker creates a safe nonjudgmental environment in which both the person who has passed through crisis and the other members of the group can seek sacred justice – that is, talk about what happened, gain empathy, welcome the person who has passed through crisis back into the group, and work to bring relationships into harmony and balance.

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