|
Below is a list of some of the Elders that have been invited to the Return of the Ancestors Gathering. Over 70 have been invited and are attending. Click the applicable name to read their bio. Please check back as we are in the process of updating this list.
Uqualla - Born to the People Of The Blue-Green Waters in the Grand Canyon; the Havasupai Indians. Uqualla was raised in the spiritual watch and nurturance of the Keepers of Wisdom, in his tribe. Skilled in the art of Coyote Telling (Oratory); his journey is most powerful in the open hearted world communities. As a ceremonial life coach, and spiritual emissary, Uqualla has participated in many events globally. As a lecturer, workshop facilitator, and ceremonial leader, Uqualla has been embraced by the world audience. Although he travels to Japan regularly and to Europe intermittently, Uqualla will always call his aboriginal land of the Havasupai in the Grand Canyon his true home. He is the first to bring people together by saying "come let's share." Return to Top |
| Patricio O. Dominguez was born in a small traditional community and was cultured by the contact of not only his parents and Grandparents that lived in the community but he was fortunate enough to have a Great grandmother's influence until he was 13. His Great grandmother's specialty was herbs and his grandmother healed by the power of touch now called Reiki, Joray etc. At the age of five Patricio was presented in a public ceremony to the medicine men to be blessed as a man of spiritual knowledge. He now dances with the tribe at four major feasts per year.
Patricio now lives in Albuquerque and is on the advisory committee of the International Indigenous Coalition is on the board of directors of Institute of Natural and Traditional Knowledge an educational institution to take modern societies full circle. From the first years of modernization, Modern civilizations educators believed that they could bring opportunities to Traditional Peoples. Traditional Cultures will now bring opportunities to the rest of the world through the lessons of Traditional Knowledge. The "Institute for Natural and Tradition Knowledge" is one of the few institutions in the Americas that are controlled by people who believe and live lives based on cultural and traditional values.
Patricio is the founder and on the board of directors of the Church of the Spiritual Path. The purpose of Church of the Spiritual Path is to promote spiritual Unity with the Creator. Within this purpose the churches' objectives are to protect, conserve, support, educate, and promote Indigenous cultural, social, medicinal and spiritual values through the observance of spiritual and healing ceremonies along with observance of cultural and astrological events.
Patricio is co-owner of Traditional Peoples Medicinal Herbs Inc. The purpose for which the corporation was organized is to preserve the ancient traditional medicinal herb knowledge of the Indigenous Peoples of the world by growing in the traditional way. This means planting with observation of celestial positions, proper ceremony and prayer at each step of the plants cycle of life and to teach our methods and make the products available to the public in a respectful way.
Patricio is president of the Native Earth Bio-Culture Council a non-profit organization dedicated to plan and hold annual symposiums on food, seed sovereignty and sustainable agriculture to create awareness of the prevalence, presence and threat of genetically modified food seeds and foods. The conference will also present the available healthy, traditional, sustainable methods of agriculture that exist as viable alternatives.
Patricio has been a participant of the Elders and Youth Council of North America since the 90's.
Patricio was the North American Coordinator for the first, second and third Gatherings of the Confederation of Indigenous Elders of America "The Coming Together of the Eagle and the Condor" that were held in Guatemala, Colombia and United States. Return to Top |
Tano Quinquil: Apache for The Silent Wind, sat with Peggy at the 3rd gathering of shaman in New Mexico who he knew from helping heal her husband of a heart condition. A tear come down her eye and she shared," Ernesto I just saw in a vision the last Gavilan (Hawk clan) Apache medicine man who was crying before he died 300 years ago. He was not crying because he was afraid, he was crying because he saw you in a vision and knew in 300 years you would come to take his place." Ernesto/Tano is sited in the book, Shamanic Wisdom keepers by Timothy Freke. In 1976 he developed the first counseling center to utilize native healer, Diana Velasquez, as a treatment alternative in Denver, Colorado. He began his journey to the spirit world with roadman Jim Eagle-Elk on the Coleville reservation in the state of Washington in 1979. The plant teachers have opened the doors for him to the green world and the animal world. Some of his herbal training came from Michael Moore, Herbs of the Rocky Mountain West. He is recognized for his words and herbal cures by people in many countries. His services have always been offered for no fee. The ancestor spirits have gifted him the caring of the knowledge of the sacred glyphs written in stones.
Professionally he has been licensed as a Ph.D. psychologist, principal, social worker and community developer. He resides in the Denver, Colorado area while his spirit roams freely on mother/father Tierra. Palenque, Tikal, Machu Picchu, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Stone Hedge, Glastonbury, Tula, Paquime, Tres Rios and Tenochtitlan are but a few of the sites where he has been gifted knowledge by the ancestors. His ancestral linage is Apache and Spanish Celt. Return to Top |
Jim Beard: A 76 year old visionary of the spirit following a spiritual path that has led him into great spiritual discoveries of non-ordinary significance. He is grounded in Traditional Lakota Spirituality and earth-based Indigenous teachings. His mentors have been the late Wallace Black Elk, who adopted him as his brother, and the late Chief Selo Black Crow, who was his good friend, and David Swallow, Jr., who remains his Medicine Man, as well as many other great spiritual men and women. Jim was President and one of the Founders of Wambli Ho, Voice of the Eagles, a non-profit Native American internet news organization. He retired to Arizona in 2006 and continues his active ceremonial spiritual participation. His authentic compassion and unique Spirit-given gifts bring great benefit to all that come onto his path. Return to Top
|
Ruben Saufkie, Sr. is a Hopi from the Water Clan. "I AM A SIMPLE MAN."
He is described by others as "a humble man, who serves his family, his people and Humanity through his messages of understanding, respect, peace and care for our Mother Earth." Ruben was one of the leaders of the 2006 H2OPI Water Run which included a delegation of Hopi runners that left the Hopi community in Arizona carrying sacred spring waters gathered from around the world and was presented after their run to the World Water Forum in Mexico City. The H2OPI water run was held to raise awareness of our Mother Earth and the water she has given us; if humanity does not take care of this gift for future generations there could be a day when we do not have it. Return to Top
|
| Gil Aguilera:
Wambli Zuya Mani (Walking War Eagle), is Sundance Leader and a member of the Tokala Warrior Society at the Medicine Wheel Sundance in Porcupine, South Dakota. Gil is a native of the American Southwest, a member of the Chiricahua Apache Alliance, the World Council of Elders and a participant and facilitator of the Native American Spiritual Unity Gatherings of the Condor and Eagle in Nambe Pueblo, New Mexico, Machu Picchu, and Tiwanaku, Bolivia. Gil is dedicated to promoting and supporting effective organizations, developing partnerships base on justice, equality and respect, with world cultures working together for a future founded on respect for human rights. Gil recognizes the unique opportunity for the world's indigenous people to positively impact global issues such as: world peace, preservation and healing of Mother Earth, promoting indigenous spirituality, preservation of sacred sites and ceremonies, grieving and healing the loss of Cultural heritage, reconciliation, honoring all cultures especially the world's elders, women and children. Return to Top |
| David Swallow, Wowitan Yuha Mani, is a Lakota Spiritual Leader born and raised on the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota [Sioux] Reservation in South Dakota. He is from the tiyospaye (family) of the Standing Buffalo of the Tetunwan Lakota and a descendent of the family of Crazy Horse. A Ceremony Leader as well as a Medicine Bundle Keeper, Sundance Chief, and a Headman of the Lakota Nation, Mr. Swallow was also the spiritual founder of Wambli Ho News, the Native American Tribal Rights Coalition, and other non-profit organizations aiding his people.
Already a Head Man of the Wana Waygahe (Broken Bow) Band, David Swallow was also appointed a Head Man of the Pine Ridge Reservation and, by extension, of the greater Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Nation in September, 2007. This honored position is one which recognizes his lifetime of service as well as one which enables him to continue to work and speak for his People in an even broader spectrum.
Mr. Swallow is an international speaker on topics of Lakota Traditions, Culture, Renewal, and Spirituality. His talks are inspirational to people of all races. A humble man, David Swallow has been instrumental in bringing people together in understanding, kindness, and respect for each other and for Creator. Return to Top |
| [Information coming soon...] |
Grandmother Sara (Smith) is of the Mohawk Tribe, Iroquois Nation, and is of the Turtle Clan. She has lived her entire lifetime on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada.. She is a leader in the movement of Traditional Peoples towards the establishment of World Peace. She has travelled extensively in Canada and United States, as well as internationally, carrying the Peace Message. She brings the teachings and prophecies of the Grandfathers and Grandmothers as they were taught to her. She is a ceremonalist and Keeper of the Dreamtime Spirituality and is a member of the Spiritual Elders of Mother Earth. She is the founder of the Roots 4 Peace Sharing Centre on her Reservation which she and her husband own and manage. The prime mandate of the Centre is to promote Peace, Unity, Harmony, and Understanding among All Peoples and is dedicated to the Children of today and the Seventh Generation. Return to Top |
| Grandmother Margarita Nunez Garcia comes from Old Mexico to remind us of our ancestors' teachings. She was born in Jalisco, Mexico where she learned the mysteries of cultivating sacred corn with her father since she was 3 years old. As a child she lived very close to her great-grandmother, an Olmeca medicine woman. Margarita then taught pre-school and retired after 30 years of teaching children. As an Elder she has participated in many Native American gatherings in Mexico, Brazil, Peru, the United States, Europe and Canada. She belongs to the Native Council of Elders of America and regularly participates in Sundance Ceremonies, the Dance of the Earth, the Dance of the Moon, Vision Quest, Sweat Lodge and other Native teachings. The natural environment is a critical part of our everyday life. This holistic approach to the world implies that all things in life are related to one another and live according to the universal and natural laws. Leon has worked many years for Indigenous causes and sovereignty. With the Maya, Apache, Cherokees, Navajo and other tribal prophecies, he has been sought out and invited by Indigenous spiritual leaders in the Western Hemisphere, Australia, Europe and Russia to advance the causes of tribal sovereignty and unification. He has spoken many times at the United Nations where he presented a Resolution for Human Rights. Return to Top |
Ernesto Olmos was born November 6, 1971 in Oaxaca, Mexico and was first inspired by the arts at the age of five. Formally educated in plastic arts at the highly respected Autonomous University, Benito Juarez of Oaxaca, Mexico, he has been a practicing artist for twenty-five years. In Mexico he was selected as a young artist to display his work at the National Autonomous University of Mexico City, the Delegacion Benito Juarez in Mexico City, and the Oaxacan Institute of Culture. An internationally exhibited artist, his work has been shown in the US at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the De Young Museum, the Legion of Honor and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, the Oakland Museum and in Canada at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Ernesto is a multi-faceted artist who works in many media, including painting, sculpture, music and dance. He contemporizes the traditional music forms from Oaxaca in addition to creating his own compositions and makes instruments based on Meso-American design including flutes, drums and whistles fashioned from wood, clay, gourds and bone. His music/dance group, Besh Beni (Jaguar of Light) creates Toltec, Zapotec and Mistec inspired performances for schools, cultural events and traditional gatherings throughout California and internationally. Ernesto is a stimulating and interactive teacher; he educates youth and adults about native cultures as they create enjoyable art with a cultural message. He is an inspired painter and has created hundreds of paintings in oil, acrylic, pastels - virtually any media that he can find he enjoys exploring. He has created three murals in Oakland, including one at the MacArthur Bart Station specially commissioned by the City of Oakland. He has been based in the Bay Area since 1997. Return to Top |
| Laura Espinoza Earth Dance8 International Multicultural Gatherings' Head Female dancer since 1999. Actively involved in her community, Laura has established a women's circle focusing on alternative healing, empowerment, unity,and the balance of the spiritual and material worlds as an everyday way of life. Return to Top |
| Jose Hernandez Sanchez traditional Huichol Elder, healer and artist currently living in Tepic, Nayarit. Return to Top |
| Don Alejandro Cirilo Perez Oxlaj is a 13th Generation Quiche Mayan High Priest. Early in life Don Alejandro was recognized by members of his Mayan people as a messenger to carry the traditions. Since a number of years he is president of the Mayan Council of Elders, a body of 440 male and female elders of wisdom in Guatemala, representing 23 different ethnic groups and has the authority to speak on its behalf. His Mayan name "Wakatel Utiw" means Wandering Wolf and he travels the world together with his wife Elizabeth Araujo, together sharing ceremonies and Mayan traditions and prophecies. Don Alejandro is also the head of the Indigenous Council of the Americas, which has member tribes from Tierra de Fuego, to Alaska and serves as a gathering point for shamans and elders of many peoples. Don Alejandro and Elizabeth live in Antigua, Guatemala. Return to Top |
| Elizabeth Araujo was raised in El Salvador. She is a warm, compassionate person manifesting a discernment that crosses cultural boundaries. As the wife, soul mate and translator of Don Alejandro Cirilo Perez Oxlaj, she travels extensively throughout the world to wherever they are called to do ceremony and hold council with Elders in the process of bringing unification, balance and harmony to Mother Earth. Her gentle spirit and clear intent creates an atmosphere of acceptance, love and allowance for all who come into her presence to enjoy. Elizabeth works through the Mayan traditional healing ceremonies with the Sacred Fire and is a guide for spiritual journeys to sacred sites. Return to Top |
Vidal Ayala Sinchez A Native of Huancayo, his is the Founder and Directore of the Spiritual Centre Inti Ayllu, in Ollantaytambo, Cusco, Peru. Together with other Granfather Wisdom Keepers, he is a founder of the Grandfather Wisdom Keepers of the Planet to give the new order of the Chakana, Andean Cross. He gives guiding light to create a better Planet. Return to Top |
| Q'enqo Harawi Qespeq Born 1936 in Talana, very near to Lares, Province of Calca, Cusco "My parents lived with what they harvested from their fields, like all country people. We were two sons from my Mothers first marriage and two more from her second. I spoke Quechua in my home. I began to learn Spanish when I was 18 years old. I have a son who is 23 years old... he's in Japan his Mother is a music investigator who I met in Cusco, with whom I share knowledge about the Quena (Andean Flute). I've turned 70 and I am going to start my second life." Return to Top |
| Mariano Pachaguaya born 1932 in Rosapata, Tiwanaku, Province of Ingavi, La Paz, Bolivia. He is from a ancestral lineage of Amautas, Aymara Priests. It has been five years since he as left the presidency of the Council of Amautas that realized the Ceremonies of Inti Raymi (Solstice) on the 21st of June; he left this responsibility convinced that the young people now had to learn and occupy the places of high honour to ensure millennial continuation. Since then he has begun his path with the Grandfathers to transmit his teachings to all of the brothers of the Planet. Return to Top |
| Isabel Callisaya Huanca born in the community of Rosapata, six Km. from Tiwanaku, Provence of Ingavi, La Paz, Bolivia. She is very well known in her Community and the Aymara Nation for her ability as a healer "chosen by lightning". She has assisted the Elders Gatherings for 2 years, to give her messages and suggestions to all of the sisters, asking us always to respect our Mother Earth, Pachamama, which is to respect ourselves, with humility and dignity. Her presence has been of great help to the tasks that the Grandfather Wisdom Keepers have set. Return to Top |
| [Information coming soon...] |
Venerable Lama Lhanang Rinpoche
Venerable Lama Lhanang Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist dedicated to world peace and the protection of the environment. Lama Lhanang serves as the spiritual guide and visiting teacher for Wisdom Path Centers throughout the U.S., Mexico, Europe, Asia and Canada. Born in Golok, Amdo, northeastern Tibet, Venerable Lama Lhanang Rinpoche is a spiritual teacher of the Nyingma Longchen Nying Thig Order of Tibetan Buddhism. He has studied with many great masters from different lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. The Sang Long Monastery in Eastern Tibet has recognized him as the reincarnation of Ken Rinpoche Damcho, an emanation of Nubchen Namke Nyingpo (one of the 25 disciples of Padmasambhava). He shares teachings from an unbroken lineage in a way that is fresh, cross-cultural, and current for these times. He is an accomplished instructor of meditation, Anu-yoga, art, feng-shui, cultural and historical studies as well as a skilled practitioner of Tibetan medicine. Lama Lhanang supports cultural education and artists and musicians and dancers around the world. Return to Top |
|
News 
