This October marks the 20th anniversary of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers! Together, alongside the Grandmothers, our community has supported this mission for peace, prayer and spiritual activism, bringing healing and hope to thousands around the world.

To celebrate this milestone we are planning a very special event in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the Grandmothers’ had their first official gathering and embarked on a global mission.

We Are All Related: Unearthing the Roots of Our Shared Humanity is a four-day event from October 24-27, at the Pueblo of Pojoaque - Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder in Sante Fe, New Mexico.

This special event will also be the catalyst for launching the Synergetic Press first edition of the Grandmothers book: Grandmothers' Wisdom: Living Portrayals from the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers.

We Are All Related: Unearthing the Roots of Our Shared Humanity will feature the participation of founding members of the the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, and special guests, including Dr. Henrietta Mann, who penned the introduction for this newly revised edition, and Dr. Vandana Shiva, who authored the new foreword.

Gathering Program

DAY 1 - Thursday, October 24th
TOPIC: ROOTED IN TRADITION, GROWING FOR THE FUTURE

4:00 pm - Registration

6:00 pm - Opening Ceremony with Grandmothers, Pojoaque Pueblo tribal members and Special Guests

7:00 pm - Fireside chat: Empowering Communities: Approaches to Seed Sovereignty and Food Security with Grandmother Flordemayo, Dr. Vandana Shiva, and The Path Seedkeepers, Lee-Ann Hill and Emigdio Ballon

DAY 2 - Friday, October 25th
TOPIC: SACRED RELATIONSHIPS AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING

9:00 am - Morning Meditation with Tracee Stanley

10:00 am - Opening Prayer Ceremony - Grandmothers and Special Guests

11:00 am - Morning Session: Mitakuye Oyasin: We Are All Related Grandmother/Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance, Loretta Afraid of Bear, Nathan Blindman, and Twila Blindman

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch Break

2:30 pm - Making Relations with the Elements & Water Blessing Ceremony, Grandmother Mona Polacca and Austin Nunez

4:00 pm - Afternoon Session: The Interconnectedness of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Dr. Henrietta Mann and Special Guests TBD

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Dinner Break

8:00 pm - Evening Session: Fireside Storytelling - Listen to the Grandmothers with founding members of the Grandmothers Council

9:00 pm - Evening Rest Practice, with Tracee Stanley

DAY 3 - Saturday, October 26th
TOPIC: GRANDMOTHERS COUNCIL: BLESSINGS, WISDOM, AND GENERATIONAL CONTINUITY

9:00 am - Morning Prayer with Grandmother Clara Shinobu Iura

9:30 am - Morning Session: The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers - A Global Community, founding members of the Grandmothers Council and Marisol Villanueva Méndez

10:30 am - Grandmothers’ Blessing Ceremony

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch Break

2:30 pm - Afternoon Session: For the Next 7 Generations: The Youth Council with Loretta Afraid of Bear and Grandmothers Youth Ambassador

3:30 - Evening Session: Grandmothers' Wisdom: Living Portrayals from the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers Press Conference, Book Launch and Signing, Story-Telling and Songs with Grandmothers, Children and Relatives

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm Dinner Break

7:30 pm - 8:00 pm - Murmurio Prayer with Grandmother Flordemayo

8:00 pm - Memoriam Prayer Ceremony with Grandmothers, Children and Relatives

Day 4 - Sunday, October 27th
TOPIC: NATURE'S LESSONS AND ACTIVISM FOR A BETTER WORLD

9:00 am - Morning Meditation with Tracee Stanley

9:30 am - Morning Session: Forest Wisdom: Life in the Heart of the Amazon with Grandmother Clara Shinobu Iura and Special Guest

10:30 am - Morning Workshop: Activism and Integration

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch Break

2:30 pm - Afternoon Session: Unearthing the Roots of Our Shared Humanity, Keynote Closing by Dr. Vandana Shiva

3:30 pm - Give-Away Ceremony

5:00 pm - Closing Prayer Ceremony - Grandmothers and Special Guests

* Program may be subject to change.

Confirmed Grandmothers & Special Guests

Grandmother/Unci Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance
Grandmother Flordemayo
Grandmother Clara Shinobu Iura
Grandmother Mona Polacca
Dr. Henrietta Mann
Dr. Vandana Shiva
Tracee Stanley
Loretta Afraid of Bear
Austin Nunez
Nathan Blindman
Twila Blindman
Chantele Rilatos
Lee-Ann Hill
Emigdio Ballon