Strength and Wisdom for the Next 7 Generations: A weekend with 2 of the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers

I had the good fortune to attend a weekend entitled Strength and Wisdom for the Next 7 Generations with Grandmother Maria Alice Campos Frieres of Brazil and Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance of the South Dakota (United States) Lakota people. Both of these extraordinary woman are part of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers.

About 40 people from all over the world attended the event which was held at Damanhur, a spiritual community in Northern Italy.

The first evening Jyoti, who helped create the council, introduced the Grandmothers and a documentary about them, For the Next 7 Generations. I was moved to tears by their stories.

The next day we met next to Damanhur's open air temple. Again I was deeply moved--not only by the Grandmother's stories, but also by those of the others attending. These people, mostly women, are doing interesting healing work all over the world.

Both Grandmothers spoke of prophecy, current events and how to respond to the changes we are experiencing. After lunch we planned to do a ritual for healing water, but it started raining so hard we had to go inside. Once inside, I placed an eagle feather I'd been gifted and my Tewa rattle on the "altar" for the ritual led by Brazilian Grandmother Maria Alice.

Sunday was dedicated to discussion of "The Circle of Life" and we finished the weekend with a fire ritual. Part of the ritual involved a drum the Lakota Grandmother Rita's son had made to give to a Grandmother of the Arctic indigenous Sami people.

I had the honor of playing my frame drum for the ritual along with some of the others who also played percussion.

Grandmother Maria Alice has a clinic on the shore of the Amazon River. She shared with us that information about plants (when to harvest, dry or plant) passed down to her from generations of healers before her is no longer useful because of climate change having so affected the ecosystem where she lives.

Grandmother Rita shared her earthy wisdom with us mostly in her native Lakota tongue, so her son translated for us. He also help lead the fire ceremony.

This unforgettable event was my first experience with the Grandmothers in person. I had done an online course with Grandmother Flordemayo. I look forward to studying with her in person one day.

Please visit the Grandmother's website and share their work with others.