1st August 2023

Dear Medicine Festival; Josh, Ben, Jimena, George, Moshe, Remi, Zak, Seth, Jenna,

It is unfortunate I need to write this letter in response to your lies. I am shocked that nine of you have agreed to make up such a big story of lies, hiding the truth of what happened when I fell in the fire at Medicine Festival on 30th August 2020 and suffered severe burns to my hands.

In the legal case you have produced false documents saying;

- I said I was under the influence of illicit drugs and alcohol, I had impaired judgement and displayed irrational behaviour. None of which is true.

- Your event log says that I ignored Kate’s request to stop. I have never met a Kate.

- You state that marshals and security warned the people and myself at the fire to stand back and cease, and we repeatedly ignored requests. There were no marshals or security present at any time around that fire before I fell in.

- You claim security staff stood between some of us, forcing us to move back, that the people around the fire created a barrier preventing security staff access. There were no security staff present at any time. You gave Hans the sole responsibility of that fire as the fire keeper and he did not communicate anything to us around the fire at any point. I have a voice recording of him and Ben Christie, recorded by Tom Askew asking what he saw, Hans clearly says that he decided not to step in or interfere. In the recording Ben Christie asks Hans, ‘did you get distracted by something, that took your eye away, when she went in the fire?’. I have explained to Ben C in the past, that I did not sense Hans’ presence at the fire, many people there have said the same. Hans also claims to have pulled me out from the fire, when infact it was Somesh.

- You included photos of a different tiny fire, as if this was the fire I fell into. I have a clear photo of the fire, and all the people surrounding it- a very large fire and taken just before I fell in.

- Your risk assessments confirm no changes for fire safety have been made since 2020. When I attended the festival in 2021, I saw the drastic changes you had made; a large fire keeper team with a manager, a new fire location with mounds (boundaries) surrounding the entire fire, where people are not allowed to step over and no one is able to get near to the fire unless supervised. I noted that Hans was no longer on the fire marshal team.

With divine power, comes great responsibility. That year, there was a lack of safety & holding protecting the space & the people. The integrity of your words and actions do not represent the medicine you claim to offer and work with. You consistently promote safety at the festival, and I hope it is safe subsequently, it certainly was not the first time. How different it would be if you humbly admitted, acknowledged and honoured the failures & learnings. Instead you are busy covering up, lying & denying all responsibility.

When I called a meeting with you all in 2021, many of you cried and expressed your guilt and shame for not supporting me or acknowledging me for what I have suffered. Since then nothing has changed, you have no integrity.

Each year you sell tickets that you are profiting hundreds of thousands of pounds from and promoting that you gift all profits to the indigenous communities. £33k so far, I wonder where the rest has gone.

Your Medicine festival vision speaks of humankind reclaiming reciprocity and guardianship for all life, living harmoniously, and supporting each other in an equitable world.

Reciprocity is sharing needs, caring for each other and empathy. Guardianship is taking care and responsibility.Equitable meaning fair, just, honest.

Again there is no integrity, I have not received any of this from you. Alongside 3 years of intense healing on all levels, and four surgeries including two skin grafts, I have had to endure more unnecessary trauma, with this ongoing legal case, dragging your heels for so long and hoping I will go away one day.

How different this may have been handled if this had happened to someone that you do value and respect, such as a well known artist or musician, or a well respected Indigenous leader? May they have been treated with empathy, cared for and supported as someone in the community.

You treat people differently depending on their status and it's not what our community needs. It’s not about telling lies, elitism, power and greed anymore. These are the old ways that damage society.

It is no coincidence that someone has come along my path recently who wants to write this story and the injustice of your actions. When I discovered the lies you have told three weeks ago, my heart guides me to share the truth.This weekend the Truth of this story is to be published in a national UK newspaper. The lies you are telling to clear your guilt, shame and denial of taking any responsibility will be revealed.

Somesh is handing this letter to you in support of me, and all that I write here. He was there, as you know, the main witness, who pulled me from the fire and was there until I was taken off in a stretcher to hospital. He witnessed it all and knows the truth.

This letter is not about blame, it is justification and to express my disbelief in your corruption.

You each portray yourselves to be strong community leaders, who the many people in our precious, wide, spiritual community respect and honour. You are abusing your power and Im astonished that nine of you are all in this together.

I am hoping but not expecting to receive a response to this letter, so that after three years we may begin to build bridges of trust and authenticity.

Yours sincerely,

Jojo Smith