Every year we feature Elders from many different cultural and spiritual backgrounds as a foundation of the Tribal Vision experience. We host these traditional ceremonies and speakers onstage between our musical acts, unless require off-stage presence (the free sacred grounds). We believe that making indigenous culture and ceremony accessible in a respectful way brings us together as a global community. We have hosted Elders and indigenous activists since 2006 and will continue to invite the storytellers, wise persons, and community leaders that help us remember the past and pave the future to share with us their wisdom.
2024 Elders and Dances
Jiiniikwe Medicine Bird, Rapid City SD
Jiiniikwe will performing dance, native song & rock at the festival as well as playing an integral part in our opening & closing ceremonies.
Grandmother Jiiniikwe Medicine Bird, PHD. Our very own fun loving Rockin’ Granny! Jiiniikwe returns she is a Native American Cultural Spiritual Leader, she is also an artist, published writer, research consultant, film actress, professional award winning musician, the lead in her Native American Rock Band, Retired Veteran and Buddhist.
Izcalli In Nanantzin (Aztec Dances)
Tanya Vigil
Aztec Dancer Teacher
Thirty-five years ago traditional Aztec dance captured Tanya’s soul, but her heart belongs to her family and her community. Born in Taos to Manuel and Flossie Ocañas, Tanya traces her lineage back to the plaza of Ranchos de Taos (“ranchos” referring to military outposts dating back to the 1680s) which was completed in 1779. Tanya credits her jazz musician father with teaching her the essence and beauty of music. Both parents fostered a love of the arts. One of Tanya’s earliest memories was seeing her neighbor, the famed Flamenco dancer Maria Benitez (born in Taos), perform at the San Geronimo Lodge.
When Tanya was six, her parents moved the family to California and later to Wisconsin. Living in these places broadened Tanya’s horizons in unforeseen ways. In his job as migrant worker coordinator for the State of Wisconsin, her father ensured that the people were treated with dignity and that their children went to school. Manuel Ocañas’s humanitarian approach, and his belief that activism was a kind of spirituality, led to Tanya’s involvement years later with the United Farm Workers.
Blanca
AumRak
Eagle Star Singers and Round Dance
Cal Nez
Tammy and Anthony Chino
Wambli Rene Mills Walking Eagle Mani, Rapids City SD
Peace Pipe career
Wambli Rene Mills Walking Eagle Mani is a peace proponent, musician, world traveler, Spiritualist, and the best Fry Bread cook this side of the hemisphere! His great joy are his 5 children, his grandchildren & cooking!
Rene is Shoshone and Lakota; he was raised in Reno Nevada. He has earned a number of degrees and he has devoted his life’s journey to working toward peace, healing mother earth, practicing star knowledge, traditional Lakota religion, Lakota culture & the Lakota way of life. He has shared his knowledge and healing energy on 7 continents including Mongolia & Antarctica.
Rene’s current research is in renaming Devils Tower to the original name of Mato Tipila. He and Jiiniikwe are actively participating in peace actions across the region in preparation for the 2020 Nomadic Peace Caravan. They have had the pleasure to participate in Global Peace Walks in Taos NM and Boulder CO with the Zen Monk Yamato.
Rene plays traditional Lakota drum accompanying Jiiniikwe’s dancing & he plays bass in her Native American Rock band.
Keith Curly ( Che Mon)
Standing Dancing Rock
Balam
Lucy McCall
Celtic Priestess
Lucy McCall in an Herbalist and Astrologist. Lucy teaches Astrology & Herbal Medicine at the University of New Mexico. She studied organic farming & herbs in Scotland, Hawaii, India, Mexico and the U.S. Lucy will be presenting Astrology, Herbal Crafting, leading an Herbal Walk and offering Celtic Prayers at the Sacred Fire.
Lucy McCall began studying astrology 47 years ago with her Aunt Susan Horton. Within the same timeframe, she started working with herbs, natural foods and farming. She had many profound teachers over the years, including herbalist and astrologer Peter Kabaska, who taught her the key to plants and the relationship of plants to the celestial bodies.
Martin Herrera, Chiclayo Peru
Martin Herrera is a Sacred Fire Keeper and will be bringing with him his associate Fire Tenders. The Sacred Fire will burn from the moment the festival begins until the moment the festival draws to a close.
As in Ancient times, the Sacred Fire serves as both a central spiritual symbol and basic human survival. Prayers are said and offerings are brought to the sacred fire. The Sacred Fire is used as the starter for all other fires in the community. Martin, with the assistance of his Fire Tenders continues this revered and sacred tradition for our Tribal Vision Family, as he has in past years.
Past Years Elders and Dancers
Rev Yamato
Global Peace Monk
YAMATO is a Buddhist Monk and Zen Shiatsu Meditation Practitioner. He was the coordinator of the Long Walk for Survival in 1980 and the initiator of the United Nations 50th anniversary Global Peace Walk from New York to San Francisco in 1995. He has worked in the US for over 20 years networking with the indigenous American spiritual leaders and has facilitated meetings between the Hopi representative and His Holiness Dalia Lama. Rev. Yamato has been inspired by his involvement in witnessing the mutual fulfillment of Tibetan and Japanese Buddhist prophecy along with the Hopi prophecy regarding the spiritual reawakening due in these times. He has deep knowledge of eastern cultures and a unique perspective and knowledge of the past two
millenniums history including the overall role of the hemp plant outlawed in Japan since 1945 and previously a mainstay of the traditional economy. He has dedicated his life to the spiritual reawakening necessary for Global Peace Now! For more information on the Global Peace Walk or to join the coordinator' email group list. For more details see the message, Global Peace Walk, Pathway to Global Peace Zone 2020
Chief Marvin Swallow
Flor DeMayo
Bernie Heideman
Universal Dance of Peace
Bernie has lead Dance Circles and Song Circles all over the world. He is practiced in many traditions of meditations and has a passion to help others find their voice.
Join Bernie as he leads us through Body Prayer. Singing & Chanting simple phrases in various languages. Dance, Songs & Meditations all invite us to be present,in the moment, generating a powerful force that opens our hearts. If you don’t have a trained singing voice, it won’t matter. Our Singing together is a beautiful and powerful experience. You can see some of Bernies work on youtube by simply searching “bernie heideman dances of universal peace”.
Lightning Boy Hoop Dancers
Lightning Boy Hoop Dancers will be performing the traditional hoop dance routine that originated in Northern New Mexico and was used as a healing ceremony.
Throughout the routine, the dancers create various formations of life & nature including the butterfly, eagle, basket, ladder of life and Mother Earth. The Foundation was established in honor of Valentino Tzigiwhaeno Rivera (Lightning Boy, April 6, 2008 - May 13, 2016) who lived to dance and heal those around him. Lightning Boy Foundation is an all-tribe inclusive non profit organization that provides traditional hoop dance instruction and other dance programming to youth, ages 2 and up.
The mission of LBF is focused on nurturing and building confidence and integrity through cultural and artistic expression.
https://www.lightningboyfoundation.com
Nandhiji Yogi, Los Angeles, CA
Nandhiji Yogi is an artist, ecstatic chant musician, author and teacher- representing the path of the Liberated. Nandhiji will take part in our Opening Sacred Fire Anugraha (Grace) Ceremony, and presenting Siddha Mantra Chant Kirtan as well as two other workshops, Kalangi Kundalini Yoga, and Mastery of Consciousness. Full workshop description available here. He will be offering private Soul Blessing Readings.
Nandhiji envisions a humanity of ‘Consciousness in Action’ and a Planet Earth of Compassion through Yogic wisdom, enterprise and community. He is a Siddha yogi, humanitarian & visionary awakening humanity through mystic wisdom, community and service.
Nandhiji is offering a limited number of Private Soul Blessing Reading sessions. To schedule your Private time with him, please send your request to eldercoordinatortvf@gmail.com.
“These are moments when the intense enlightened energies of the Sages, as consciousness, reach each of us in ease. My purpose is to be the joyful instrument that can uplift humanity to amazing possibilities of consciousness. Imagine a million Mahatma Gandhis, Rumis and Einsteins! This is a possibility in our times. We are the realities of this consciousness.” – Nandhiji
https://www.facebook.com/NandhijiYogi
Robintix, Grand Junction CO
CannaBuddhist Monk.
Robin has chosen his life’s work as a Monk with the purpose of sharing love, respect and forgiveness without judgement. Robin will be leading Reiki OM Group Meditation and Walking Group Meditation.
Robin is offering a limited number of Private Healing sessions including Reiki Om Healing, Vocal Chakra Alignment Healing, and Negative Energy Release. To schedule your Private Healing Session with Robin, please send your request to eldercoordinatortvf@gmail.com.
Shannon McArthur
Shannon is from BC Canada and comes with stories of the Magic in Ordinary Moments (MOM) that have informed and transformed her life. Honoring her promise to Spirit, since 2015 Shannon has traveled to Europe, Haida Gwaii, Guatemala, and Colorado. This will be her third TVF, thanks to LionFire and Mary Leonard of LionFire’s Shamanic Institute in Cortez, CO. Shannon is deeply grateful and happy for their generosity and friendship.
Shannon reads tarot and teaches QiGong The Beauty Way, a form she designed to weave disciplines of East and West together in a transformative, supportive practice for body, mind and soul. Shannon has walked on fire, been crowned by a Gypsy Priestess and taken part in a global water ceremony at the Peace Palace in Europe. Sometimes she posts videos on YouTube.
Shannon is a member of TravelingShamans.com and helped create the ShamansCamp, July 2019. She can be reached at Sparklingwithall@gmail.com or OurHeartGardens.com
Mario
Mario is a Taos Native, Sun Dance and Buffalo Dancer. He frequently offers prayers on stage at Tribal Vision in Native tongue and is an honored guest of the Festival.