Earthdance : Hub Event

EARTHDANCE 2008 HIGHLIGHTS

ELDERS COUNCIL

Earthdance Laytonville is honored once again to present the "Gathering of Elders" featuring first nation and modern elders, who will join in council to share wisdom, sacred ceremony and discuss the important issues facing our planet.

2008 Participating Elders

Agnes Baker Pilgrim	Chief Oren Lyons
Coyote	Woody Vaspra
Nicki Scully	ChoQosh
Leslene Della Madre	Robert 'Standing Bear' Lafrance
Jene McCovey
For elders presentation schedule please click here

Agnes Baker Pilgrim

The oldest living female member of the Rogue River Indians, Takelma tribe. Originally from Southern Oregon, Agnes was chosen by her tribe as a “Living Legend. Agnes is an ambassador for our Mother Earth. She is a spiritual elder of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz and granddaughter of Chief George Harney, the first elected chief of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz. She is a world-renowned spiritual leader, elder mentor to the Native American Student Union of Southern Oregon University, and keeper of the Sacred Salmon Ceremony.

http://www.agnesbakerpilgrim.org
http://www.grandmotherscouncil.com

Oren Lyons

Oren Lyons was born in 1930 and raised in the traditional ways of the Iroquois on the Seneca and Onondaga reservations in northern New York state. Since his return to Onondaga in 1970, Chief Lyons has been a leading advocate for American Indian causes. He is recognized internationally as an eloquent and respected spokesperson on behalf of Native peoples. He is a sought-after lecturer or participant in forums in a variety of areas, including American Indian traditions, Indian law and history, human rights, environment and interfaith dialogue, and has received numerous honors and awards.

Coyote

Coyote is Kennesti (Wylacki), and lives on the Round Valley Indian Reservation. He has lectured and taught nationwide, defending natural and native lands for 39 years. He is a thirty year member of the American Indian Institute, composed of the most respected traditional Elders from nations througout North America.

Coyote is now developing a project, Helping Our Mother, which includes a documentary about mercury poisoning in the Sierra Foothills.

Woody Vaspra

Woody Vaspra, a native Hawaiian, retired Air Force pilot, Vietnam veteran and former corporate director for several companies, co-founded the World Council of Elders, a 501(c)(3) educational organization in 2000. Woody has traveled across the globe meeting with indigenous Elders of many native cultures in fulfillment of the vision of creating a worldwide organization of traditional indigenous wisdom-keepers ready to share their Earth-honoring traditions toward love, peace and harmony for all peoples.

http://www.worldcouncilofelders.org/

Nicki Scully

Nicki Scully has been teaching healing and shamanic arts, and the Egyptian Mysteries since 1983. Techniques from her Alchemical Healing form are used internationally by thousands of practitioners. She is a lineage holder in the Hermetic tradition of Thoth and maintains the Lyceum of Shamanic Egypt. She is ordained as a priestess of Hathor by Lady Olivia Robertson, co-founder of the Fellowship of Isis. Drawing on the knowledge she has gained through decades of study and practice, she enlightens and uplifts all whom study and travel with her. Nicki lives in Eugene, Oregon, where she maintains a comprehensive healing and shamanic consulting practice.

http://www.shamanicjourneys.com/

ChoQosh

ChoQosh Auh’Ho’Oh was named by the Seneca and Chumash elders. She is herself an elder of Coastal Native Indian descent. She is a giver of spiritual tools, divine and practical, and a messenger of ancient prophecies and sacred stories. ChoQosh taught for the Cross Cultural Communications program at University California Berkeley for 19 years, and classes in the great teepee at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, California. Having lived in the Canadian wilderness for many years, she passes on the knowledge of how to harvest the wild for food and medicine.

LESLENE DELLA MADRE

Leslene della-Madre has been a student of shamanism for 35 years and a student of Goddess spirituality for 15. She has a background in spiritual midwifery, community living, foster parenting, and psychology from UC Berkeley. Blending her work with crosscultural spiritual traditions (including Wicca, Zen, Buddhism and Native American) and her studies with various teachers of shamanism, Leslene provides a rich nurturing environment for healing. She has coined the word “Shemama”– a midwife of the spirit – to describe herself in her healing work. Leslene is founder of “Winged Women Return”, a center for empowerment through shamanism and shamanic healing in Sebastopol, California. She maintains a private practice as a shamanic practitioner in Sonoma County.

ROBERT 'STANDING BEAR' LAFRANCE

Aka 'Monkulantu' (Bear who stands for his people) member of the Cree nation, from the Rocky Boy Rezervation In Montana. A storyteller, a chanupa (pipe carrier), ceromonial leader for 35 years, Sundancer for 25 years a member of the Native American Church for 60 years. 'Even though i know war...I am an addict for world peace'. 'Medicine is what its all about, through it all, its the ceromonies, in which true consciosness and true power are achieved'. He is elder of the 'Redtail Society', an all nations medicine society, a father, a farmer and a teacher, but always remaining a student in this dream we all weave!

JENE McCOVEY

2008 HIGHLIGHTS