Ashaninka - Brazil

Young Ashaninka leader Raine Piyãko has been accompanying his father, world-renowned spiritual and environmental leader Benki Piyãko, in his works since early childhood.

Raine began his pajé (spiritual leader) apprenticeship a decade ago under his father’s and grandfather’s auspices. His maternal grandfather Aricemi is also one of Benki’s teachers and one of the highest regarded Sheripiari (tobacco pajé) in the Western Amazon.

Raine is a composer of traditional Ashaninka songs and a talented musician. He is the Vice President of the healing and reforestation center, Institute Yorenka Tasorentsi, in the Brazilian Amazon.

Coming from a lineage of ‘Antaviari’ (direct messenger of God in Ashaninka culture), Raine is steeped in the most profound pajé traditions of the Amazon.

Arhuaco - Sierra Nevada, Colombia

Mamo Atilio is an Arhuaco Mamo and comes from a family of Mamos and Zagas. He is a teacher with a deep knowledge of Sacred Materials. Sacred Materials are the natural materials they used to offer Pagamentos for Nature and the Earth. This requires an extensive knowledge of plants, animals and minerals, as well as experience in order to choose the specific material that matches the type of Pagamento or Ceremony they are performing.

Mamo Atilio is a Símuna Mamo, which means that he has the proper authorizations from the Spiritual Fathers of the Mineral kingdom to carry rocks, Tumas (Pre-Columbian, Ancestral pieces of Quartz) and all sorts of crystals in large quantities to perform Ceremonies/Pagamentos. He also has a special gift as a Counselor for couples who are having difficulties in their relationships.

Mamo Atilio is also a Spiritual lawyer and a musician who plays Ancestral Songs of the Arhuaco nation.

Coast Salish - United States

Chenoa Egawa is Coast Salish of the Lummi and S’Klallam Nations of Washington State. She is a ceremonial leader and healer; singer and composer of traditional medicine songs; storyteller and published children’s book author and illustrator; teacher of Qigong; environmental activist and speaker, and nature photographer, who enjoys witnessing sacred moments in time through her lens. Through her work, she is dedicated to bringing healing to our Mother Earth, and to people of all cultures, backgrounds and origins through the recognition of our shared experiences as human beings. One of her principal teachings today is the importance of preserving, protecting and sharing the wisdom and ways of life she has learned from her ancestors, elders and teachers that benefit the health, well-being and protection of all life on our Mother Earth. Being multicultural and multilingual, Chenoa has the ability to bridge understanding across cultures guiding us back into harmony with Nature, the Seasons and the Elements that give us life. She serves as a voice to bring Indigenous wisdom and perspectives to the world at a time when these teachings are particularly poignant reminders of our shared responsibility to live with respect and care for ourselves, one another, our planet and future generations.

Cheyenne - United States

Arrow priest and holder of the blue sky bundle of the Cheyenne.

Born in western Oklahoma, Joe David is full blood Tsitsistsas (Cheyenne). He was raised in the community known as Red Moon, Hammon, Oklahoma. Joe David has lived the traditional Cheyenne life from birth, hearing the stories of many aspects of his peoples travels through time and across the continent. He has participated in the sacrificial rites that give him great responsibility to his people. He was seated as ceremonial chief as well as earning the position of one out of sixteen sacred arrow priests and more recently, was appointed as the holder of the blue sky bundle, the second highest position in the Cheyene tribe, making him the keeper of blue skies - the one in charge of the weather and rain prayers.

Diné (Navajo) - United States

Jerry Nelson is from the Diné Nation (Navajo), from Whitecone, Arizona. He has been a Native American Church Roadman for the past thirty-eight years with his wife, four children, and twelve grandkids. He is a medicine man and a counselor, helping people in his own traditional ways of prayer. He runs traditional tepee and sweat lodge ceremonies as well as spiritual doctoring work.

Diné (Navajo) - United States

Patrick Scott is a gifted spiritual leader, hat'aalii and provides Hozhooji ceremonies, Protection Way ceremonies, and Blackening ceremonies.

He was born and raised in White Mesa, Arizona. Patrick grew up primarily in the government boarding school system and mainly spoke Diné up to his senior year in high school. He began making fans while he was still in high school. Upon graduating from NAU in 1995, he decided to pursue his art full-time. Prior to that, his amazing talent and beautiful creations were well-known only to family and close friends. It didn’t take long for his art to become world renowned. Today, his creations can be found in permanent collections of major museums such as: the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, OK, the “Smithsonian Museum:” - Museum of the American Indian in New York City and Washington, D. C., as well as galleries and private collections that span the globe. He also makes ceremonial prayer fans used in many Native American ceremonies and rituals, and fans used in Pow-wows. His gourd rattles, staff sets and drumsticks are valued by the Native American community for use in their own tribal ceremonies, healing rituals and other religious purposes. He followed three different medicine people and learned their ways to become a spiritual leader, hat'aalii and provide Hozhooji ceremonies, Protection Way ceremonies, and Blackening ceremonies. Now, as a husband, father and grandfather he is helping his people of White Mesa with all of his heart by building his non-profit corporation a new endeavor for the community of White Mesa.

Haiti

Gaston Jean-Baptiste, known as "Bonga," is a musical virtuoso and master of the Afro Haitian drum who has been performing and studying traditional Haitian drum, dance, and song since the age of seven. He began playing drums in his family's peristil in his hometown of Croix-des-Mission in La Plaine, an area of Haiti rich in culture and history. A dynamic performer, accompanist, session player, and educator, Bonga works on stage, in the recording studio, and in educational settings. He is one of the few drum experts and craftsmen outside of Haiti who continues to build traditional drums using centuries-old techniques.

Bonga is also a custodian of a voodoo temple inherited from his father's side, reflecting his deep spiritual background. As a Haitian priest and community leader, he is responsible for addressing the community's needs and for healing the sick. His family has a profound connection to voodoo traditions, and they taught him how to work with spirits and understand human nature. Bonga performs ceremonies and annually returns to Haiti to take care of his temple.

Hawaiian - Hawaiian Kingdom

Mentored and trained by respected kūpuna (elders),

Ramsay is a practitioner and instructor of several Native Hawaiian practices: Hoʻoponopono (stress release and mediation), lomi haha (body alignment), and Kaihewalu Lua (Hawaiian combat/battle art).

Kumu Taum in 2009 was recognized and honored by the University of Hawaii as a Star of Oceania, an honor presented every three years to extraordinary individuals of Oceania for their work and service-related contributions to raising greater awareness of Oceania and its people to the nation, region, and world.

Kumu Ramsay is recognized locally, nationally, and internationally for transformational leadership in sustainability, cultural, and place-based values integration into contemporary business models, Ramsay Taum advocates team building, strategic partnerships, community brilliance, and creative thinking. He is a recognized cultural resource, sought after keynote speaker, lecturer, trainer, and facilitator. He is especially effective working with Hawai‘i’s industries where he integrates Native Hawaiian cultural values and principles into contemporary business.

Hopi/Havasupai/Tewa - United States

Mona is a Hopi Native American spiritual elder and water protector from Arizona. She has worked to further social justice for indigenous people from an early age. She is an author in the field of social sciences, has held posts of responsibility as Treasurer for her tribe, served on several committees for Indigenous Peoples within the United Nations and is widely known for her leadership in the Native American revitalization movement.

Mona has gained international recognition for her work as a founding member of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers - a group of spiritual elders, medicine women and wisdom keepers founded in 2004.

Huni Kuin - Brazil

Ninawa comes from an unbroken lineage of powerful pajés (spiritual leader) and musicians, he has been on the pajé path since he was born and has undertaken the highest initiations (dietas) of the Huni Kuin, some of which lasted up to a whole year in isolation and fasting in the forest. Considered one of the greatest musicians from the forest, he captivates people with his charisma and humility and upholds the power and traditions of his ancestors through his work with the sacred medicines of the Amazon.

Huni Kuin - Brazil

Biruany Huni Kuin is a prominent spiritual leader who combines leadership, spirituality, and empowerment within her cultural context. As a representative of the Mawa Isa Keneya group, a collective of female spiritual leaders from Pinuya Village, she holds a pivotal role within her community, where she leads and oversees spiritual practices. Biruany is widely recognized for her groundbreaking achievements. She is notably the first Huni Kuin woman to lead spiritual works and engage in pioneering studies, challenging traditional gender roles and expectations. Beyond her village, Biruany's influence transcends borders. Her international travels have enabled her to mesmerize audiences with her powerful voice, which echoes the beauty, charm, and feminine force of the forest.

Huni Kuin - Brazil

Bixku Huni Kuin is a respected leader in Pinuya Village, known for his strong commitment to his community and indigenous heritage.He currently serves as the vice president of their local NGO, where he leads projects to improve the lives of local families. He also plays a key role in organizing retreats and festivals, which are important events for preserving their traditions.

With the trust and respect of both his community and elders, Bixku embodies a deep connection to the wisdom and traditions passed down through generations, rooted in his years of experience. Together with his wife Biruany, he advocates for the recognition and preservation of indigenous traditions, sharing the Huni Kuin culture and spirituality not only within Brazil but also on a global scale.

Huni Kuin - Brazil

Nawá Siã Huni Kuin is a promising young leader from Pinuya Village and a recognized indigenous musician known for composing original melodies and songs featured on digital platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp. Siã dedicates his life to the study of sacred chants and traditions of the Huni Kuin people. Over the past decade, he has journeyed through various states in Brazil and many countries across the world to share the profound wisdom of his indigenous heritage. He brings the strength, vitality and hope of the rising new generation of indigenous leaders, an inspiration to those who want to honor their ancestors and follow the path of Huni Kuin spirituality and the teachings of the elder Pajé Kupi Huni Kuin.

Japan

Zen Takai, born in Fukuoka, Japan, is the final heir to an illustrious 16-generation samurai lineage. Over decades, he has masterfully blended a vast array of ancient samurai and ninja teachings with the profound tenets of mindfulness. In embodying this harmonious fusion, zen established the zen samurai academy. At its heart lies his unique moving meditation methodology, serving as a bridge between his timeless legacy and our contemporary global culture.

Inka - Peru

Inka T’ito is a direct descendant of the most ancient Inka lineage, Children of the Sun, and the Qanchi nation, galactic children of the rainbow. He carries over a thousand years of ancestral wisdom and sacred knowledge. From birth, he faced challenges, trainings, and initiations, receiving cosmic secrets, Inka solar codes, the Solar Disk, the Inka Solar Staff, and traditional knowledge at mystical places like Illa Punku (Solar Portal) and the sacred mountain of Apu Willka Qhari.

Inka T’ito is the 17th Inka of the New Tawantinsuyu, a title given by Inka masters and the tradition. He works on awakening and reviving the New Tawantinsuyu (Solar Nation of ancestral nations), continuing the ancestral path. As a master, he is an Inka Hamawt’a (wise teacher), “Inti Yaya” (solar priest), Willaq Huma (prophetic leader), Inka Paqo (priest and messenger of mountain spirits), Hampiq paqo (healing master), and Qhawaq (oracle).

He founded the ancient Inka Solar School, “ILLA INTI YACHAY WASI,” restoring the order and legacy of the Inka ancestors. He directs teachings, sacred practices, and initiatory rituals, aligning with ancestral tradition. Inka T’ito is an author of sacred and cultural books, preserving the rich solar culture of Tawantinsuyu. He continues to teach and gather wisdom from sacred spaces and tribes, sharing knowledge and healing.

In recent years, Inka T’ito has expanded his teachings globally, with permission from Inka solar masters, the Apus, and Pachamama, responding to seekers of ancestral knowledge, wisdom, and healing. He resides in the Sacred Valley of the Inkas, in Pumaqanchi and Qosqo, with Mama Qori and his family.

Inka - Peru

Qoya Qori Qespe Wayta is a leader and advisor of the Tawantinsuyu. She is a wise sacred medicine woman and a teacher of Inka tradition.

Qoya Qori was born and raised in Willka Mayu, in the Sacred Valley of Inka Qosqo, within the Khallka Nation of the Antisuyu territory. She grew up under the protection of the solar Apu spirit, the Wamanis and Achachillas (sacred spirits, natural guardians), and embraced by Pachamama and Pacha Tayta (spiritual and cosmic mother and father), Hallp’a Mama (Mother Earth). From a young age, she cultivated, planted, harvested, and cared for sacred seeds, making pilgrimages to sacred spaces and temples of the Apus.

Qoya Qori descends from a long lineage of wise grandmothers, teachers, and healers of Inka tradition, as well as grandparents, mothers, and fathers who were guardians of ancestral wisdom, knowledge, and medicines, living under the natural cosmic order, harmony, and balance that sustain everything in this world—body, spirit, energy, and consciousness.

Her native language is Quechua, a sacred language carrying codes of information and a cosmic solar language. She was trained and guided by her grandmothers and grandfathers, and her spiritual mothers and fathers, forged by natural and magical forces, tested by the sacred elements and ancestral spirits, based on principles of sacred and ancestral life, and on natural and cosmic forces that hold wisdom and knowledge since ancient times.

She is a member of the Inka Solar School and Musuq Tawantinsuyu. Together with Inka T’ito, she performs spiritual work focused on transmitting ancestral knowledge. They carry out pilgrimages, teachings, and ceremonies, delivering sacred messages from the Inka and Qoya ancestors of Tawantinsuyu to ancestral peoples.

Inka - Peru

Mallku Inti - Ricardo Apaza Cruz carries the rich spiritual heritage of the Inkas. He comes from the Qeros community, in the Andes.

Since the age of 12, Ricardo has immersed himself in the sacred rituals of the PANPAMISAYUC and the sacred offerings to Pachamama, embodying a deep connection to the Earth and its cosmic energies.

With a lineage of spiritual leaders and master healers preceding him, Ricardo walks the path laid by his ancestors with reverence and purpose. As a spiritual guide, he transcends the confines of the material world, delving into the mysteries of the cosmic lie to unveil the hidden truths that shape existence. Through his daily life and unwavering commitment to spiritual growth, Ricardo illuminates the way for others, offering a glimpse into the timeless wisdom that flows through the veins of his people.

Inka - Peru

Willkapicchu Ttito Kuntur comes from the Andes, Cusco, Peru. Born in the Pumaqanchi community of the Qanchi nation, he has connected deeply with the energy of Grandfather Qanchi Machu (sacred being connected to the water, who created the nation Qanchi) and speaks the Quechua language. From a very young age, he was guided by his Qanchi ancestors. At 16, apu Wilkaqari and apu Picchu Pukara entrusted him with the responsibility of guiding the energies of jampikamayoc, which involves ceremonies of healing, connection, and purification. Besides learning from his grandparents, he continues to gain knowledge from his brothers Tupaq Qanchi Ttito Kuntur and Inka T’ito Qosñipa. He is also a member of the New Tawantinsuyo of the Inkas (Inkarriy). Nowadays, he shares ceremonies and studies with a profound understanding of "ANIMA WAJAY."

Japan

Rev. Hiroko Matsuda was born in Tokyo, Japan. Her father was a priest in the Shinto Buddhist tradition and influenced her early spiritual training. She came into Lakota culture in 1999 when she began her Sundance way of life, which she has been practicing ever since. Rev. Matsuda facilitates ceremonies in the Native American Church as well as the Sundance community in Japan, among many other sacred prayer services around the world along with her husband Chief Marvin Swallow. She has dedicated her life to being a peacebuilding bridge between the East and West, weaving Japanese and Lakota wisdom in service to the world. During her time living on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota, Rev. Matsuda learned how to survive on the land without electricity or water, as well as witnessing the beauty of the Lakota teachings and traditions amongst the profound struggles of reservation life. This experience formed the initial vision for co-founding Lakota Small Farms, which she is also co-creating with her family’s food sovereignty land project in Karatsu Saga, Japan. Rev. Matsuda has a blended family of 6 children, 19 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren with her husband.

Kayapó – Brazil

Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Chief Raoni Metuktire is a leader and environmentalist. The name Raoni is associated with mystery and the power of the Kayapo people. He is internationally famous as a living symbol of the fight for the preservation of the Amazon Rainforest and indigenous culture, declared by French President Jacques Chirac. In 1989, accompanied by singer Sting, the Kayapo leader started his travels to many places around the world.

When Raoni was 15, he started wearing a labret, an ornamental disk that warriors wear on their lower lip when they want to show they are ready to die for their land. The size of the disk is gradually extended to reach its final size after 4 months.

Isolated from the rest of the world until the twentieth century, the indigenous peoples of the Xingu region have fought to orally preserve their traditions for countless generations. Raoni found ways to connect these cultures with the world while keeping appropriate stoicism, distance, and dignity. Although he meets with prominent people in many countries, he lives in a simple hut and owns nothing. The gifts he receives are always redistributed.

In September 2011, Chief Raoni was made an honorary citizen of Paris by Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoë, and received the medal of the French National Assembly from Nicolas Perruchot of France's National Assembly.

Kayapó – Brazil

Beptuk Metuktire is a young Kayapó leader, grandson of the great Chief Raoni Metuktire.

He has been appointed by Chief Raoni to lead a movement among indigenous youth. Beptuk is aware of the need to change the course of his own youth culture in order to preserve his grandfather's wisdom. Member of the Mebengokre Nyre Movement, Movement of Indigenous Youths and EngajaXingu. Beptuk holds the role of political articulator of the Mebengokre-metuktire people and makes up the Raoni Institute team, participated in the ATL - Acampamento Terra Livre (Brazilian national indigenous mobilization) in 2017, 2018 and 2019 supporting indigenous leaders in meetings with decision makers. Acted as a mobilizer at the leadership meeting in early 2020 called by Cacique Raoni Metuktire in Piaraçu village, as part of the Engaja na Amazônia program, of the Engajamundo youth network, in the region of Xingu, which strengthened the protagonism of youth in the region in activism and mobilization actions.

Kogi - Colombia

Mamo Cencio is a Kogi Mamo who is a botanist with an extensive knowledge of the native species of the Sierra. He is also a teacher of Medicinal plants for the Kogis. As a doctor of Ancestral Medicine he is constantly traveling to distant villages in Kogi territory to take care of his people. He offers his services as a doctor, priest, counselor and Spiritual leader for a large group of people who are living in a wide area of the Kogi territory in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta. He is also a musician who plays different Tayrona musical instruments and teaches his people the Ancestral songs of the Kogi Nation.

He is authorized to use the Jatuquá which is a sacred method of Divination by water.

Lakota - United States

Born and raised on the Rosebud reservation, Chief Marvin Swallow has served as ceremonial and Sundance Chief in the Lakota tradition for the past 25+ years. Chief Swallow has been an active Roadman in the Native American Church for the past 20+ years, and regularly travels worldwide to Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and Japan along with his wife Hiroko Matsuda to share their prayers and healing ways. As a gifted artist, Chief Swallow is a lifelong visionary painter. The body of his artwork explores timeless themes of the Lakota ceremonial way of life, symbolism, cosmology, and mythology, offering profound picto-poetic narratives from the deep spiritual heart of the indigenous Native American culture in its modern expression. He is the President and co-founder of Lakota Small Farms working towards food sovereignty and bison rematriation for the Lakota communities.

Mapuche - Chile

María Angélica Llanquinao Canio is an ancestral Mapuche Machi born in Temuco, in the Araucanía Region of Chile.

She currently belongs to the Pitrahue community. In her community, ancient Mapuche traditions are still upheld, including marriage (mafun), the first ear piercing ceremony for girls (catagun), and the Mapuche funeral (elugun).

María Angélica was born with a gift inherited from her great-grandmother, which she began to practice at the age of 15 with the help of her family and communities, where two ancient Machis also contributed to her training.

Today, she can read people's urine and, through this, determine the type of help they need. This assistance can be spiritual, herbal medicines, or a traditional Mapuche prayer.

Maya Kaqchiquel - Guatemala

Amalia is a gifted healer, naturopath and renowned spiritual leader and teacher, member of the commission of the sacred sites in Guatemala – COLUSAG, founder of the elder council Iq’B’alm, member of council of elders and political association of maya women MOLOJ, spiritual assessor of association of women KAKLA.

Nana Amalia works alongside her husband Tata Mario on healing, purification and spiritual balancing ceremonies, Maya astrology readings amongst other traditional practices and ceremonies.

Maya K’iche - Guatemala

Tata Mario is a renowned spiritual leader, naturopath, painter and talented traditional musician, he plays the marimba, drums, caracol and flute.

Founder of the council of Ajq’ijab’(spiritual guide) Iq’ B’alam and Accessor of Indigenous Townhall of Santa Lucia, Utatlan, Solola. He gives conferences about medicinal plants, Maya cosmolog y and history, identity and rights of indigenous people, he’s also a primary school teacher.

Tata Mario works alongside his wife Nana Amalia on healing, purification and spiritual balancing ceremonies, Maya astrology readings amongst other traditional rituals.

Mayo Yoreme - Mexico

Matzuwa Oscar comes from the Yoreme people, deer nation of Sinaloa, Mexico. He has been a pilgrim of Wirikuta desert since 2005, learning within the Wixarika tradition, he has taken the sacred oath as a Mara’akame, or spiritual leader. Matzuwa has undergone various initiations and vision quests which also granted him the fire to run sweat lodges. Matzuwa is an anthropologist specialized in traditional medicine, and a traditional singer and musician. Matzuwa's passion for culture exchange took him around the world, where he shared and learned from different indigenous communities. Inspired by his experiences, he established the Huya Aniwa Institute, dedicated to implementing sustainable land stewardship and sacred medicine conservation practices. Through the institute, Matzuwa continues his mission to honor and protect the Earth's natural heritage while nurturing cultural diversity and traditional knowledge.

Mayo Yoreme - Mexico

J. Salvador Valdez Armenta traditional musician, deer singer and deer dancer of the Yoreme tribe of North Sinaloa in Mexico. “Walk the red road.”

Mongolian - Mongolia

Khurelbaatar is a legend in Mongolia, known as the shaman of the shamans. He incorporates an ancestral spirit called Spark, he has 11 kinds of ethnic spirit guardians from the Xiongnu empire. A master of meditation energy and bone setting.

He is the head of council of Mongolian Shamanism as well as the group ‘The Destiny of Shaman” . Khurelbaatar is also the president of NGO ‘Undes Ugsaa” and president of Tengerleg Mongol association of shamanists of inner and outter Mongolia.

Puyanawa - Brazil

Rosane Txukukaytxi Puyanawa is a student of spirituality and culture, a musician, and a spokesperson of the Puyanawa people. The daughter of two of the most respected spiritual leaders of the Puyanawa, Txukukaytxi is an activist who travels internationally working with communication and sharing her message, teachings, and art with the world. She’s an essential part of this new generation of young people who fight for their culture and tradition, being a carrier of hope and example for the children and youngsters of her people and other Indigenous communities in Brazil. Her mom, Vari, is the feminine spiritual leader of the Puyanawa and a great teacher of Rosane, who gives continuation of these teachings being a woman who stands for her rights, defending her culture, ancestrality, and territory.

Quechu / Aymara - Peru

Kucho was born in Cusco and grew up in and around Machu Picchu. He has been an official tour guide for Machu Picchu for 20 years, although a better way to describe him is a “magic guide”. He’s nurtured a connection with the Sacred Master Plant Wachuma for more than 30 years, guiding people through the mystery and profound healing offered by this plant with integrity, clarity, strength, and joy. He has lived in Machu Picchu for the majority of his life and built a strong relationship with the Apus (Mountain Spirits) of the land there and other places in the Tawantinsuyo that he has visited on different spiritual pilgrimages. He practices and guides those wanting to learn through the cosmovision of the Andean people and will soon open his center Inti Wasi as a school and center for learning and exchange with other leaders and spiritual teachers from the Andes and beyond.

Quechua - Bolivia

Raul Milton Gonzales Barrera, a Bolivian of Quechua heritage, embodies a profound connection to his ancestral roots and the natural world. Raised by a mother who was a Quechua healer, he absorbed the wisdom of indigenous healers, learning to communicate with plants and harness their healing energies. His academic journey began with a degree in Food Industries Engineering from the State Technical University in Santiago, Chile, but his thirst for knowledge led him to specialize in indigenous agriculture and traditional medicine, culminating in studies at institutions like Harvard University.

Milton's life's work transcends academia, as he became a prolific author and a beacon of wisdom in the Andean world. His written works delve into Andean cosmology, nutrition, and natural remedies, preserving and sharing the ancestral knowledge of his people. Through his organization, Agronat S.A., he has spearheaded projects to revive ancient agricultural practices, cultivate medicinal plants, and implement sustainable irrigation systems in communities across Bolivia. His legacy is one of environmental stewardship, empowerment of indigenous communities, and a profound commitment to preserving and revitalizing ancestral wisdom for future generations.

Ramapough Lenape - United States

Grandmother Clara Soaring Hawk is a former chief and presently Ramapough Lenape Nation ambassador.

An elder, spiritual advisor, public speaker, artist, activist and teacher of all truths as they are received from the Creator and the ancestors. Grandmother Clara has been facilitating ceremonies both nationally and internationally since 2013; at a multitude of events and spiritual gatherings. She has supported and takes an active role working with the youth.

Grandmother Clara defines herself as a spiritual ecologist. "In this time of global turmoil, we must be open to a new level of consciousness."

"I stand for the Water. I stand for the Land. I stand for the People. I RISE for the next SEVEN GENERATIONS!"

KIiloona Lunaapeewak - We are all one People

Shanenawa - Brazil

Chief Edina is from the Shanenawa people of the Brazilian Amazon. She is the daughter of the revered pajé Shuayne, the oldest Shanenawa pajé at 103 years old, and midwife Txira. Both her parents are considered living libraries of indigenous wisdom. As the firstborn among her sisters, Edina inherited her father’s extensive knowledge and began her spiritual journey at the age of 10. Today, she serves as the chief of the Shane Tatxa Kaya village. Edina is also a dedicated healer who works with traditional forest medicines, continuing the rich heritage of her ancestors.

Shanenawa - Brazil

Mukany is a respected pajé (spiritual leader) of the Shanenawa people. She comes from Shane Tatxa Kaya, also known as the village of women. She broke long-standing traditions within the Shanenawa community, where only men could become pajés. Her father, the 103-year-old pajé Shuayne, passed all his wisdom to his daughters, having no sons. Mukany began her spiritual studies at the age of 13, embarking on a path that blends tradition and transformation.

Shipibo - Peru

Maestra Ynes (Xawanjisbe) is a Shipibo elder and one of the last Onayas (healer) with her level of wisdom within the Shipibo people. Coming from a long lineage of healers, originally from the Shipibo community of Roaboya, next to the Ucayali River, Pucallpa, Peru.

Ynes began her intensive training with plant knowledge at 14 years old, when she became seriously ill with an unknown disease. Her illness led her to diet medicinal plants under the guidance of her grandfather and master healer, Aurelio. After successfully healing herself, Ynes decided to apprentice with Maestro Aurelio to learn her ancestral curandera tradition of the Shipibo indigenous people.

A year later she undertook a diet in the forest that lasted for more than two years in complete isolation from the outside world. Some years later, Ynes continued dieting with her great-grandfather, Maestro and a Meraya healer, Luciano Sinuiri. At the age of 18, she began her last training diet with her mother’s uncle, Maestro and Onaya healer, Basil Gordon. These three powerful healers gifted her the base of her knowledge and experience with the sacred plant medicine and ayahuasca.

Ynes founded her healing and master plant dieta center, Niwe Rao Xobo ten years ago.

Shipibo - Peru

Maestra Laura (Chonoyabi), Shipibo Onanya (healer), is originally from the Shipibo community of Roaboya, next to the Ucayali River, Pucallpa, Peru. From an early age, Maestra Laura has been deeply immersed in the world of plant medicine. Laura was given small plant diets by her grandparents from the age of 10 years and by the age of 16 began her apprenticeship to learn about ayahuasca and other master plants.

At 20, Laura traveled throughout Peru with her mother Maestra Ynes, sharing medicinal plants and ayahuasca ceremonies for local Peruvians. In the last 15 years she has also worked extensively with her mother at their family's healing center Niwe Rao Xobo, as well as many other renknowned healing centers in Peru and abroad. She brings an incredible wealth of knowledge that has been passed down for generations in her family line.

Laura is known for her beautiful ikaros, (medicine songs) that pour out her with love and devotion to each of her patients.

Shipibo - Peru

Maestra Lila (Canajisbe), Shipibo Onanya (healer) is originally from the Shipibo community of Roaboya, next to the Ucayali River, Pucallpa, Peru. From an early age, Maestra Laura has been deeply immersed in the world of plant medicine. grew up with her grandparents and highly-respected Onayabo healers. At the age of 13, Lila fell mysteriously ill and was unable to get out of bed or walk for over a year. She then moved to live with her mother, Maestra Ynes and dieted a mighty tree named Catawba. The diet succeeded in curing her completely and served as the gateway of Lila’s path as a healer.

Being the rebel that she is, Lila resisted the way, sometimes in favor of leading a ‘normal’ life, but after the birth of her two children, the plants persisted in calling her to work with them. Since then, she has worked with her Maestra Ynes at her family's dieta center Niwe Rao Xobo, as well as at other other highly respected healing centers in Peru and abroad. She also a specialist warmi icaros (songs of love and healing). Recently she has opened up her own master plant dieta center outside of Iquitos Peru, Samatixobo.

Thunghutti / Bundjalung - Australia

Warren Roberts is a proud Thunghutti and Bundjalung man focused on creating connection and unity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians. He has been fortunate enough to work alongside esteemed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, who have encouraged him to reflect on the importance of respecting cultural protocols. His focus is to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to build their own capacity to be self-determining by organizing within the community itself, while also creating spaces in the broader Australian society through relationships with non-Indigenous communities and organizations (including government). Warren’s community organizing is facilitated through ancient cultural practices of storytelling and yarning, which he learned from his Elders. He continues this tradition through his day to day life and YARN Australia, the organization he founded in 2007.

Tohono O’odham - United States

Austin is the elected chairman of the San Xavier District, one of eleven political districts of the Tohono O’odham Nation (formerly known as the Papago Tribe of AZ) located in southwest Arizona, USA. He is currently serving his eighth four-year term, having served continually since 1987. Prior to being elected, Austin worked as the Assistant Director for Save the Children’s Arizona Indian Nations Office, serving 19 Native American nations in Arizona; he also worked for the Papago Tribe of Arizona’s Community Development Program (the tribe changed their name in 1986 to Tohono O’odham Nation, Tohono means desert, and O’odham means people).

Austin is the current chairman for the Indian Land Working Group, an organization dedicated to the restoration and recovery of the native land base; and the control, use, and management of this land base by indigenous communities.

He is also an active member of the Native American Church of Southern AZ and conducts sweat lodge ceremonies, blessings, and prayers for various events and occasions in, and outside his community.

Tohono O'Odham - United States

Rupert sat with and learned from traditional medicine men from a young age through all night ceremonies. He was then educated at Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, where he started to learn from other tribes. In 1979, Rupert met a Lakota Spiritual Man in Oregon who introduced him to the sweat lodge and to his first Sundance in Green Grass, South Dakota. From there on he continued to be connected to sweats, pow wows, sun dances, Native American Church and his tribe’s traditional ceremonies. In 1999, Rupert went with five tribes to Estonia to share his spiritual ways through the sweat lodge and tepee. Then he started to go solo to present on native spiritual teachings. Rupert has been to Estonia, Finland, Norway, Copenhagen, Poland, Germany, Switzerland and India. He continues to make his pilgrimage every year and enjoys the way of life he lives to this day.

Waiãpi - Brazil

Ajareaty Waiãpi was born in the Tumucumaque Mountains in the Amazon forest in an isolated community on the border of Brazil and Suriname. Her native village is still so isolated that it takes a month to get there and a month to get back, as one needs to travel by 4x4, boat, then walk in the mountains for over a week and ride another boat for several days before trekking again. Ajareaty is the most respected Waiãpi women’s leader. She has unprecedentedly been elected a village chief and is known to be the Waiãpi’s greatest woman herbalist. She learned Portuguese in her fifties to make sure she would teach her people's wisdom to young Waiãpi who have lost contact with their native language. Her story has been featured in The Guardian and on NBC News.

Waiãpi - Brazil

Sisiwá Waiãpi was born in the isolated Tumucumaque Mountains in the Amazon forest in French Guiana and immigrated to Brazil when he was already known here as one of the greatest healers of his people. He narrates he began to be prepared to be a pajé by his grandfather, a famous pajé himself, while Sisiwá's mother was still pregnant, when his grandfather began passing on to him powerful prayer songs which heal troubled pregnancies and incurable illnesses. At 10, Sisiwá was already initiated in the Waiãpi medicines as well. He belongs to one of the most traditional indigenous groups living in Brazil’s most preserved Amazonian state: Amapá. As a spiritual leader he is part of the Waiãpi Council of Elders. Sisiwá communicates exclusively in Tupi.

Wiwa - Sierra Nevada, Colombia

Zagas are the female equivalents of Mamos. They are much more than just leaders; they represent the Light in the darkness. They hold the Ancestral Wisdom for future generations.

As it is the case for most Zagas, Zaga Josefina was chosen by divination when her mother was pregnant and began her training from birth. Zaga Josefina plays an important role in her community, she is responsible to guide and educate the girls during their various rites of passage, such as a girl’s first menstruation, giving birth, etc. She is a teacher and a counselor for her community.

Zaga Josefina is a Priestess, a medicine woman, a botanist, a midwife, a massage therapist, a weaver, a storyteller, an adviser, a seer, a diviner, a musician, and an Elder. Besides her normal functions as a Priestess which includes: to officiate weddings and Baptisms as well as administer Funeral Rites, Zaga Josefina specializes in clearing the energy field of people by different means: aguarrinchi and Frailejon and preparing talismans or “seguranzas” which are power objects that will protect the person who wears them.al functions as a Priestess which includes: to officiate weddings and Baptisms as well as administer Funeral Rites, Zaga Josefina specializes in clearing the energy field of people by different means: aguarrinchi and Frailejon and preparing talismans or “seguranzas” which are power objects that will protect the person who wears them.

Wiwa - Sierra Nevada, Colombia

Mamo Sewigu Kakamukwa (Mamo Rodrigo) comes from a lineage of Mamos that goes beyond his great-great-grandfather, his family comes from the Kakamukwa lineage and there has been Mamos in his family in every single generation.

Mamo Sewigu (Mamo Rodrigo) was an educator and leader of his community before receiving his Segwa at the head of the Jerez River when being ordained as a Mamo.

Mamo Sewigu is not only a Mamo, but he was a Maestro first.

For the Tayrona, a Maestro is a weaver, a storyteller, a musician, a teacher, and is also in charge of making Sacred Objects for the community.

A Maestro is the weaver who makes the walls of the Temple and the hats the Wiwa people wear, a Maestro also makes the Carrumbo (Sacred Object: a spindle) that the young females use to spin the cotton.

Mamo Sewigu/Rodrigo was the teacher who opened the first bilingual School in 2007 inside the Reservation to teach basic Spanish and Math, as well as their Traditional Knowledge, to prevent the youngsters to leave the Reservation while preserving their Cultural Identity. He has also worked for the Colombian Public Health Department during Public Health campaigns as a nurse. His knowledge of the Tayrona languages as well as his knowledge of the Wiwa and Kogi territory in the state of Guajira enables him to act in the capacity of an intercultural bridge.

Yoeme - United States

Grandmother LánéSaán Moonwalker has been an oracle, healer, spiritual teacher, and environmental guardian for most of her life.

LánéSaán began her training in the healing arts at the age of 12 from members of Her family who were highly skilled curanderas (traditional healers who combine Native and Catholic spiritual beliefs and practices). She learned to work with creative expression as a doorway to spirit with her mother as her first teacher.

LánéSaán is an accomplished artist, a weaver, and a painter, as well as a dancer and singer, and holds a degree in humanities and the visual arts from the University of Colorado. She has been a licensed minister for more than 42 years and is a Canon in the Brigade of Light.

LánéSaán has studied with many spiritual teachers, including artist, writer, and visionary Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow), Eric Tao, and Marian Starnes.

In 1987, she met her main teacher and mentor Tu Moonwalker, an Apache, the great great granddaughter of Cochise. Tu was the holder of this unbroken Moonwalker lineage. LánéSaán is an acknowledged part of that in addition to being from an unbroken lineage herself through her Yoeme grandmother. Together Tu and LánéSaán founded the Philosophy of Universal Beingness within the Whole. The foundation of this system is about working with nature in a sacred way.

Ndee / Cahuilla - United States

Benny Holleman is the thundercloud clan president leading oyate and tiyospaye.

Benny Holleman Is descendent of Ndee people from Southern Arizona New Mexico territory. Born and raised in the Coachella Valley on Desert Cahuilla land. He is a Sundancer and have been for the last 20+ years, doing his best to stay close to native community to be of service wherever possible and to continue to learn and share connection between nature culture ceremony and healthy living the way our creator intended us to live

Cahuilla & Sobona - United States

Martin Valdez Sr. Is a member of the Santa Rosa Mountain Cahuilla. Martin is also part of the Soboba Tribe as well from Hemet, California area.

He has been a Sundancer for decades and an active part of his community to serve the needs of his people. His family have been instrumental in the administration, and governance of their Tribal Council for many years. Martin is of the people and shares the learning and teaching the old ways as an Elder in his community.

Cahuilla - United States

Wayne Cortez is a member of the Torres Martinez reservation band of desert Cahuilla Indians and works with the native people as a Mental Health Peer Specialist as well as a member of the oyate. He goes out into their native communities and help individuals with their recovery also teaching them about their native culture, and provide any support elders or youths may need. He is also with the non-profit Thundercloud Clan who also service the community with ceremonial help through prayer, song, dance, (Inipi) sweat lodge but most of all love.

Manohoac / Iroquois - United States

Peter Shorts, LCSW is a Plant Medicine researcher/therapist, member of Thundercloud.

Peter been walking the Red Road for 21 years. A sun dance supporter, singer, and helper and participant in ceremonies, including hablecya, fire tender, roadman, and others. He is of Mexica, Manohoac, (Iroquois nation from Virginia) and African American decent. Peter has become a bridge between the old ways and white academic world. He continues to walk in different circles to be a student of indigenous medicines, healing, and truth. His walk is to unite peoples in a good way and share the truths of his ancestors.