MISSING! by Kahualani Aitken (from the San Diego Reader)
On July 1, 2011 the loving, devoted mother, grandmother and wife (shown on the right in a recent photo with her granddaughter) packed her bags and got into a car with her neighbor in South Lake Tahoe. He unexpectedly had a seat empty for the drive up to Skookum Meadow in Skamania County, Washington, where he planned to attend the Rainbow Family of Living Light’s annual gathering.
Marie & her Grandaughter in June 2011
Marie Hanson had never been to a Rainbow Gathering before and seemed to have a pretty foggy idea of what they were all about. Calling it a “peace rally”, her impression seemed to be one of a small group of peace-loving people camping in nature for a few days. So she excitedly kissed her family goodbye and left for what was intended to be a nine day voyage of peace.
Marie called her husband as she approached the rural area 16 miles east/southeast of Mount St. Helens. She told him that she loved him and would see him on July 10th, and then she continued with her companions into the forest.
She was never seen or heard from by her family again.
The Rainbow Gathering has participants from every walk of life. Just as we have in mainstream America (or what Rainbows call “Babylon”) there are thieves and rapists, doctors, children and homeless, peace lovers and alcoholics and anarchists and Christians and Buddhists and drug abusers and eschew-ers.
There are bad people and people who do bad things but mostly there are good people. Marie is one of the good ones. She truly believed she could make a difference in the lives of others.
One of the most frustrating aspects of this ongoing nightmare is the lack of concern. From the mainstream public who assume she’s a hippie (read: incredibly irresponsible) to the police who have taken ages to respond and are still moving pretty slow. And from the media, who is uncharacteristically silent about a missing white woman. And then there are the Rainbows. Just like the people in “Babylon” (the society most of us operate in) many of those who call themselves Rainbow Family are incredibly helpful. But just as many insist she must be off on the “Rainbow Trail”, a euphemism for dropping out of society. “She must not want to be found” is a common response from Rainbows.
This I can understand. It’s easy to judge a person’s character by the church or concerts they attend, the ball games, the rallies, the protests, the cars they drive, the clubs they frequent and how they vote. We all do it. It’s understandable. But that doesn’t mean it’s effective.
So the Rainbows think she’s freed herself from the shackles of normalcy and gone over the Rainbow. They believe she’s happily tripping around the US, most likely in a amply bumper-stickered van with her hair in dreadlocks and a dog named Stump at her feet.
And the “Babylonians” mostly think she’s just another hippie who’s too disorganized to call home.
But her family and friends and neighbors in the small town of South Lake Tahoe where she is from, where she has raised her family, and where she resides with her husband with her beloved daughter and grandchildren nearby believe differently. They are well-acquainted with her character and have no doubt this is not a situation Marie would want or would be continuing if she had any ability to prevent it.
Shouldn’t we listen to those who knew her best? Isn’t the most prudent thing to do in a situation like this to look for her first and pass judgments about her character later?
This horrific real-life nightmare is being lived by her family, right now. In the interest of clarity and honesty I must say I am related by marriage to Marie Hanson, but I have never met her. The position in which I find myself is unique and new to me. I find myself defending the character of someone whom I have never met but is vouched for by my family, by those I love and trust and respect more than anyone. It has become very clear to me that ones reputation is of the utmost importance as strangers will discount a person if they do not meet the criteria for concern.
Marie is not a drug addict, or an alcoholic. She is a responsible, integral member of her community and has been for years. She is a devoted member of her family. She is loved. But even if she were not, wouldn’t it be irresponsible not to look for her when she disappeared? Don’t we have a responsibility to look for those who are lost regardless of religion or wealth or skin color or perceived importance?
The following was written by Nancy Enterline, whose son Tim is married to Marie Hanson’s daughter Tawny:
*The “National” Rainbow Gathering this year was huge, and it must have seemed both exciting and chaotic to Marie. Our hometown of South Lake Tahoe has a year round population of about 20,000 and there were between 15,000-20,000 people over the 7 official days of the Gathering. There were kitchens serving food, and coffee tents, and trading circles, and people, and music.
And cars, lots of cars, some people report walking 3 and 4 miles with their gear, just to get to the gate. Marie and her neighbor camped that night, her back hurt from the long drive, and sleeping on the ground. She had had back surgery, had brought her pain medicine and doxepin to help her sleep, but people that she talked to the next day say that she was hurting.
Eventually, on July 3rd (we now know that this happened on July 7th) they moved their camp to a more convenient location up on the road, near the rear gate. She was seen that day, walking down the road toward the gathering, and then again on July 4th, during the evening dinner circle, when she was sitting next to a man some identified as “Owl”(Owl is not a suspect, just someone who talked to Marie).
On one of these days she traded something for a hand crafted doll for her grandaughter, and a trinket for her grandson. On the 6th she was seen climbing into a pickup truck to take a ride down to a lower parking area or the bus village, then that evening many saw her back up at the Gathering at the dinner circle.
That night her other neighbor joined her boyfriend, and there is some confusion about whether Marie came back to camp that night. (We have learned that Marie did come back to camp that night and was feeling ill. The next morning Marie, her neighbor and a friend moved their camp outside the rear/150 gate to be closer to the car. Marie was ill, some say she was disoriented. That night she was seen sleeping at 1:30 in the morning, near her neighbor and the friend. The next morning (July 8th), the neighbor that she had traveled with thought he saw her walking down a trail toward the latrines. All of Marie’s belongings were left in the tent that she shared with her friend, including her purse, her medicine, the toys for her grandkids and her clothing.
She was not seen again by a reliable witness.
We need your help. We, Marie Hanson’s family, know that Marie had every intention of coming home to us. Marie and Billy have been a couple since Marie was 16 years old, she had just attended her son Mike’s wedding in Pennsylvania the last week of June, she and Tawny are as close as mother and daughter can be, and she visited or called her grandkids daily prior to her disappearance. She is active in her church and community. She has many friends and is always the first to step up when someone needs a hand.
We need a hand in our search and you can give it to us. We need people who were at the Gathering and saw or spoke to Marie, even if it seemed insignificant, to come forward and tell us what they saw or heard especially if you saw Marie, her neighbors or the man in the sketch above on July 7th or 8th. Since we can’t seem to get the attention of the media, we are going to have to do it on our own. This is where you can give us a hand:
• If you have a Facebook page, friend us (Marie Hanson Missing-link on the right) and then post a link to our website on your page, ask your friends to repost and ask them to have their friends friend us and repost.
• Grab a copy of our poster (on the right) , copy this story and forward to all of your email contacts. Tell our story, tell your friends that our grandkids miss their gramma and want her to come home, then ask them to ask their friends to repost. I’m sure this will work and we will eventually hit everyone in the country, because sometimes I will get the same dumb joke in my inbasket a dozen times in a single week.
• If you have a blog, or a website, post our story, you can copy anything you need right from this site. Comment on news stories about Marie, asking for a follow-up story.
• If you have contacts in the media, invite them to read our story and contact us. Somebody saw Marie, somebody talked to her, we need to find that person and it might just be you who finds them for us and brings Marie Hanson home to her family. Take a moment and give us a hand. Please.
Name: Marie Hanson Age: 56 Missing From: Rainbow Gathering near Stevenson , WA Height: 5’2 Weight: 125 Eye Color: Brown Hair Color: Brown w/ blonde streaks Race: Caucasian Complexion: Fair Birth Date: Sept. 27, 1956 Distinguishing Marks: Large scar up spine on back from surgery. Jewelry: Silver Necklace w/silver cross, silver rings on almost all fingers.
Please call the SLTPD at 530-542-6110 if you have any information about MARIE HANSON case#1107-1214 OR Skamania County Sheriff (509) 427-9490 Case #11-05271
Please call us at 530-307-0280 (email findmariehanson@gmail.com) if you have any information about MARIE HANSON.
No one I know thinks that Marie went on the Rainbow Trail. As a person who gathers, I know many many gatherers who are trying to help find Marie. We’ve had multiple searches up at the site, been sharing info via a large network of folks, and doing everything we can to find Marie.
Karin
11 Aug 11 at 7:07 pm
I also attend gatherings and I never had some naive thought that she has embarked on some grand rainbow adventure and decided on a whim that she did not need to contact her loved ones.
Every rainbow message board that I have visited has had repeated postings, blog posts, etc with her photo and links to this page. So please understand that there is a large network of caring individuals that are communicating to the masses that Marie is missing.
tenali
11 Aug 11 at 10:59 pm
Karin, you and your friends have continued to support us in our search for Marie, and we thank you for the kindness you have shown us and your willingness to help people you don’t even know.
We continue to receive about 4-5 phone calls, emails, and Facebook postings like the one below (and this is one of the more kind ones) each day. Distressing, exhausting and frustrating to the family. They are representing themselves as Rainbow Family, and it is very hurtful to us.
Quote from today’s Facebook: “If she was saw with her boy friend than she is probably with him or with some one that is taking care of her. i am truly sorry to hear the stress that your family is going through but the gathering has not been over for that long. she went …because she was obviously looking for something and maybe she found it. i dont mean to come off as rude but she is a beautifull women and their is alot of new and exciting people to meet at a gathering. when you are traveling you loose touch from friends and family you start a new life. i am sure she is fine and will probably call home when she is ready. i attended but did not sea her. i hope all is well. hav you contacted the people she went with what did they say. im sure your wife is fine and ok probably walking down the trail lovin you”
Again, Karin, thank you from our hearts, it is people like you who keep us going every day.
Nancy
Marie Hanson's Family
12 Aug 11 at 4:04 am
Tenali-we really do appreciate all the help that we are receiving from the Rainbow Family. We are not publishing the hurtful comments, we are deleting the rude, ugly Facebook postings and deleting the scary emails . For the most part, all of the Rainbow Family has been concerned, helpful, and have gone out of their way to further our search for Marie. Kahua’s blog was a response to the family’s pain over the ‘negative comments made by people who also call themselves Rainbow family.
Marie Hanson's Family
12 Aug 11 at 4:11 am
Hi everyone!
Karin and Tenali, I am so grateful that there are people like you in the world who will take the time to help. There are so many Rainbows and Babylonians who have been helpful and concerned… and then there are so many who haven’t. On both sides.
What I hoped to highlight was that Babylon and Rainbow are similar, just different shades. I grew up “over the Rainbow” and I have many good feelings about people who associate with the Family. And the same goes for Babylon. Goodness is not restricted to one or another and the difficulties arise when there is judgement (from both sides) and we are caught in the middle.
These are the facts: Marie is human. She is dear to her family. She is lost to us.
From one side I hear “she’s a hippie, this is what they do, why should we be concerned, she’ll show up”. And from the other side I hear “she must have been repressed, she’s a free person, she’s just got a glimpse of the other side and she’s taken care of, she’ll return when she’s ready”.
Fine. Both are understandable. But to the Babylon side I want to say that from what I am told Marie does not fit the stereotypical mold of irresponsible hippie (after all, many do not, even those who are devoted Family members). And to the Rainbows I want to say that even if Marie did decide she was tired of her life and wanted freedom, it’s my understanding she has the integrity to avoid worrying those she loves most. Marie would call if she were able. And that is more frightening than I want to admit.
Honestly, I personally am most frustrated that this is not taken more seriously by the media and authorities in Babylon. The Rainbow family makes an annual commitment and then disperses. The Babylonian media/police make a year-round commitment. There is a difference.
Some Babylonians are very helpful and worried and some aren’t. And the same goes for Rainbows. Meanwhile, Marie is missing. And that’s the point.
People may judge her character, people may say she shouldn’t have gone, that she should have known better, that she must be off having fun, that she’s on an adventure, that she’s ok, that there’s blue cheese on the moon. People talk a lot. Including me.
And Marie is still missing.
Kahualani Aitken
12 Aug 11 at 8:30 pm
I should point out that I do not live my life based on a model of Babylon vs. Rainbow. They are both words that refer more to a state of mind then a “place”.
Anyways, moving on from semantics…
I love traveling as much as anyone but that does not imply I do not call my family to check in from time to time. And according to the family Marie is also the kind of person that would call and check in. Knowing this is what concerns me the most.
I have a few questions that I hope you can clarify. Marie left all her valuables in her tent that she shared with her neighbor. So the neighbor packed Marie’s valuables and drove back home to Tahoe? Would they not be driving back together? What were the post gathering traveling arrangements between the neighbor and Marie?
This is the part of the story that is not made very clear in the information posted above.
My prayers are with you.
tenali
12 Aug 11 at 11:16 pm
Hi Tenali,
Babylon and Rainbow are the most descriptive words I know that describe two states of mind/being.
Perhaps I didn’t clarify as I should, and I do want to be very clear. MANY people are helpful, whether they identify with the Rainbow Family or they think it’s a bunch of freaks. And many people have been angry, cruel and unhelpful, again, on both sides.
I’ve grown up on a commune as well as in suburbia and I know that people are just people. There are the ones who travel and check in, like you and Marie. And there are those who don’t.
It is the assumptions from the media/police that she must be one of those who don’t check in simply because she went to an “alternative” gathering. That’s stereotyping. And, it is the assumption of many who call themselves Rainbow Family that she must be escaping her life and family and that she’s fine because “that’s what happens when a beautiful sister like her gets a taste of freedom”. That’s stereotyping as well.
Marie is neither of these. Marie is an individual who chose to attend a gathering and never came home.
I feel, and this is my feeling so please don’t think it’s official opinion at all, but I feel strongly that until people on both sides start focusing on “Marie Hanson is Missing” rather than ‘typical hippie’ and ‘typical first time rainbow’ that the message will be obscured.
That’s why I wrote that blog. Because I am frustrated by the responses I am getting from both sides. It doesn’t matter. In reality there are no sides, only humanity.
******************************************************
I will attempt to clarify your question. It’s an important one. My understanding is that Marie did not come back to her tent. The neighbor called her family and told them that he could not find her. The next day he called and said that he had to come home. When he got to Tahoe, her things were found in his car.
I’m not sure EXACTLY how the items in her tent got into his car. Did he move them there? Did his girlfriend or either of the other two travelling companions move the items?
Yes, they were supposed to travel back to Tahoe together. The seat that was open on the way there was open on the way back as well.
I can say that personally if I went anywhere with a buddy (a concert, overseas, a campout) I would not leave until I found them. My parents instilled this in me from a very young age. NEVER LEAVE WITHOUT YOUR BUDDY. I am horrified that they left her there, or left without knowing where she was. I would have raised the Shanti Sena alarm and then gone into town and notified the police and waited until they got there. I would not have taken her stuff from her tent because there may have been clues. I would not have taken her tent because that is where I would assume she would return.
I’m really quite angry that they came back to Tahoe. I think it’s horribly irresponsible. But that does not mean they are guilty of a crime, simply guilty of irresponsible, uncaring behavior.
I can’t imagine going somewhere with someone I like well enough to travel that distance with, someone who is not with a partner, someone who has never been to a gathering before, someone who is vulnerable in the ways Marie is, and NOT making sure they are checking in regularly.
Marie had several vulnerabilities:
1. She’s female
2. She’s on pain medications for her back
3. She had no partner/buddy
4. She was unprepared
5. She’s a grandmother who lives on the grid
When I went to my first gathering at five I remember very clearly my father telling me where to go if I got lost. What I was to do, who I was to ask for help, what danger looked like and how to get assistance. I remember the trails and tons of people. My cousin and I had to check in at specific locations. We were free to wander on our own, but within reason.
It may be overprotective of me, but if I brought a person like Marie, someone who has not experienced a Rainbow gathering, someone who has not lived off the grid, someone who is on medications for pain and is of grandmother age, I would make sure she was regularly checking in. If not for any other reason than to make sure she understood where to get food, that she was drinking enough water and that her pain was managed.
If she did not come back to the tent that night I would have been up looking for her RIGHT THEN. Anything else is inexcusable, even if they aren’t guilty of a crime in my eyes they are guilty of neglect.
You never leave without your buddy. No man left behind. It’s irresponsible, it’s inexcusable and in this case it may have cost a woman her life.
Kahualani Aitken
13 Aug 11 at 9:15 am
Thanks for the clarification. I find it strange that the neighbor would just leave their travel companion behind. Nonetheless, like you said, it is irresponsible nut not criminal.
I would suggest that you ask the neighbor how the items got into the vehicle and then update this page with a more complete description of the day of departure. It might help trigger the memory of someone who was at the gathering who may remember a woman asking about her things around July 6th.
From what I can gather, it is likely she went back to her tent saw that her things were gone and probably started networking to find a ride out of the gathering. As July 6th and 7th are big departure days for the majority of people so should would likely have had numerous ride options and offers. My feeling is that she left the gathering and went somewhere. Hopefully, her whereabouts reveals itself sooner then later.
tenali
13 Aug 11 at 10:17 am
Tenali-Marie did not come back to camp on the evening of the 7th. Her neighbors remained at the Gathering site until July 10th looking for her. The neighbors showed her ID from her wallet to people at the gathering, asking if they had seen her, and this was witnessed by several dozen people that her daughter and I spoke to when we searched at the Gathering site on July 14th-15th. All of the people that we spoke to on in person where there between the 7th-15th, and not one person reports seeing her after the evening meal on the 6th. Two people have since come forward and reported that they saw her in the early morning of July 7th. Marie vanished sometime in the morning of July 7th, her belongings were gathered up by her friends on the 10th and brought back to her husband in Tahoe. Ignorant yes, but perhaps not devious.
Maries family does not believe that she left the Gathering site willingly.
Marie Hanson's Family
13 Aug 11 at 11:48 am
From the known facts, it seems that something untoward happened to Marie. It would be uncharacteristic for her not to retrieve her purse and medicine or to off on the Rainbow trail without notifying family.
Two scenarios seem most likely. One would be an accident near the Gathering site, like falling into the water or down a ravine. The other likelihood is that she met with foul play at the hands of a felon and this Owl guy should be considered a suspect or person of interest. Lots of Rainbows take photos which could be checked to see if Marie and/or Owl show up in them. Is there a description of Owl? Where was Marie’s tent, are there photos? Owl may be someone fairly local to the area and checking the sex offender rolls for Skamania and surrounding counties might be a good start. Pressure could be put on the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office to get the FBI and its greater resources involved. There is a real possibility that she was transported across state lines. There should be a full investigation.
One hopes against reason for a positive ending. In the meantime, our hearts go out to Marie’s family and friends.
Whalepeace
17 Aug 11 at 2:51 am
Owl’s description is “Long grey ponytail, beard and Harley bandana”, unfortunately there were dozens of “Owls” and thousands of grey haired ponytailed men at the gathering. We just about exhausted this clue over the last 5 or 6 weeks.
thank you for your support.
Marie Hanson's Family
17 Aug 11 at 7:08 am
I agree with Whalepeace in regards to the two scenarios.
There were some areas along the road on FS 32(west of FS 150) that did have some potentially dangerous drop offs. I was parked near one of them. If someone had fallen down one of them a significant injury would have occurred and no one would be aware of it. Here are the coordinates to the area that I am referring to N 46.09499 W 121.87760 check the location here http://mapper.acme.com/ Did the search and rescue teams cover this areas? Or did they simply search the “main” part of the gathering?
God forbid there was foul play, but if so, I will continue to spread the word and try to find “Owl” or any one else that spoke to Marie in and around the July 7th.
Again, my prayers go out to the family and friends of Marie.
tenali
19 Aug 11 at 10:18 am
I will pass these coordinates to Search and Rescue-we are hoping for another search soon. Thank you Tenali.
Marie Hanson's Family
19 Aug 11 at 11:19 am
I find the debate interesting RE whether she wants to be found or not, as this is what I assumed at first- didnt want to be found. But it’s looking like this may not be the case
Us in our group hiked out on the 7th via the rear gate, sadly I do not remember seeing any of these people. I was quite weighed down with gear and mostly focused on getting to te car without losing anything, but if I remember anything or if any photos jog my memory I will let you know.
Hoping for the best possible outcome, -k
Kris
22 Aug 11 at 2:57 pm
And also- any photos of the tent or campsite? I personally would probably remember something from a camp vs. A face as there were so many folks there.
Kris
22 Aug 11 at 2:58 pm
I will ask about photos of the camp and email directly to you if there are any. Thank you for your support Kris!
Marie Hanson's Family
22 Aug 11 at 7:01 pm
I have to admit Kris, that’s what I found telling as well. When I heard she was missing I thought… well, she’s an adult, right? And kids often don’t know what their parents are up to, or what they are really like, or what their hopes/dreams/unfulfilled desires are. So her daughter (my cousin) must have just had a skewed childish idea of her mother. No one wants to think of their mother whooping it up. A lot of our family I’ve spoken with thought she probably just hung a left instead of a right.
Until we realized she had NOTHING.
I consider myself a pretty stable person and I admit I have had fantasy of running away. After all, who hasn’t? Just leave my life and all the issues and take off down the road.
But I’d take my driver’s license with me. Just in case, y’know? And my medications. I’d for sure want to be able to manage my pain while on the road. And even if I didn’t take my purse or my checkbook or credit cards, I’d take my cash and debit card to get more, just to get started. I’d probably want my jacket too.
Most of us, especially we of the female gender; who have lived in relative comfort will not abandon all creature comforts at once.
I may not need my blowdryer/makeup/bra but I would want a jacket, and at least one change of clothes (warm/cool). There’s no reason to leave a gathering without at least what I came with. Especially cash and meds. Maybe a sleeping bag too?
I think even the most die-hard roadie would take a moment to grab their cash and drugs unless they knew they’d have easy access to some in the future. And back pain meds are not exactly easy to get these days.
That was my red flag. If she just took off at night, maybe the story would be a little different. People do different things at night than they would in the day. But she was last seen in the morning.
This came out a little longer than I expected, but I just want to express that I felt the same. At first I thought she probably was just extending her trip a little without letting anyone know.
But it just doesn’t add up. A logical person would have taken their cash and ID and a coat. That’s something grandmothers would do. And that’s what Marie is; a responsible grandmother. She’d at least have taken care of her immediate needs, for her own sake. Even if she were abandoning all other logic, I have a really hard time believing she’d make herself that uncomfortable, all at once.
I hope whereever she is, she’s comfortable. I hope she has her pain managed. And I hope, for her children’s sake, they get some closure. No matter what the answer may be.
K. Aitken
23 Aug 11 at 10:33 am
Any updates?
Pug
10 Sep 11 at 12:45 am
I’m sorry to say that there is nothing new this week.
Marie Hanson's Family
10 Sep 11 at 7:41 am
Is there any news?
I know it’s hard but I hope the holidays bring peace.
God Bless!
d
donna smith
23 Nov 11 at 8:49 pm
Marie’s remains were found less than half a mile from her last camp on October 9th. The autopsy revealed no eveidence of a crime, we are currently waiting for toxicology results, expected before the new year.
Marie Hanson's Family
24 Nov 11 at 8:24 am