International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers (aka the 13 Pay to Pray Old Ladies)

[KIS]

Another message from the Grandmothers. I think I posted the last three messages out of order. Sorry
Gina

The Thirteen Grandmothers Open Statement
to
His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI

   We, the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, from regions throughout the world, hereby make this open statement for and to the Vatican. We do so in a good and prayerful way, for peace and for the healing of Mother Earth. We carry this message for Pope Benedict XVI.  We travel with the spirits of our ancestors.  When we pray at the Vatican for peace, we will be praying for all peoples.  We will not leave anyone out.

Our trip to the Vatican is part of our journey on a spiritual path, a feminine movement of Grandmotherly nurturing and prayerful energy for the sake of our indigenous nations, and for all peoples, and all living things.  We include the bird nations, the plant nations, the water nations, the animal nations, including the nations that live in the oceans and other bodies of water, the sacred life-blood of Mother Earth.

Today the waters of the Earth are being made toxic by a modern and poisonous way of life.  So toxic are the waters and the environment in which we all live that a young mother’s womb often contains hundreds of toxic chemicals that are harmful to developing cells of the unborn, and negatively affect the child when born. Such destructive patterns are the result of a diseased way of life.

As healers, we know that a key to healing disease is a correct diagnosis. In order to heal the planet, we as humans must stop repeating the patterns of thought and behavior that produce illness and disease. Thus, as the International Council of Thirteen Grandmothers, we are traveling in prayer to the Vatican.  We do this humbly, not as representatives of the indigenous nations, but as women of prayer who carry lines of wisdom and knowledge about this Creation that go back to the beginning of time.

Many documents issued by the Holy See in the fifteenth century represent patterns of thought and behavior that are resulting in so much planetary disease at this time.  Those documents set into motion a perception of relationships based on power and domination that is still the basis of legal systems all around the globe.  They are evidence of the true history of what has happened to indigenous peoples.

The relationship between nation-states and tribal peoples in the Americas, Africa, and Oceania rests on the foundation of the “doctrine of conquest??? or alternatively, the “doctrine of discovery.  The origins of the governmental doctrines of “conquest??? and “discovery??? may be traced directly to various medieval papal bulls and edicts, notably the bulls Dum Diversas, June 18, 1952, Romanus Pontifex, January 8, 1455, and Inter Caetera, May 4, 1493.  These papal edicts granted dominion to European nations over lands which had been occupied by tribal peoples for thousands of years.  They also laid the basis for the European “Age of Discovery???, setting in motion a disastrous chain of events which ultimately resulted in the outright theft of entire continents from indigenous peoples worldwide.

The Inter Caetera papal bull of May 4, 1493 called for the subjugation of “barbarous nations.  The papal bull authorized the monarchy of Portugal, for example, “to invade, capture, vanquish, and subdue, all Saracens, pagans and other enemies of Christ,??? to “put them into perpetual slavery and to take away all their possessions and property.

We have written to the Vatican and called upon His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to revoke the Dum Diversas Bull, the Romanus Pontifex Bull, and the Inter Caetera Bull, and all related papal doctrines, thereby affirming the Roman Catholic Church’s recognition that all peoples on the Earth are equal, and that our nations and peoples have the inherent right to live free of all forms of domination.

Now we travel to the Vatican, we who are in our elder years, to ask His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to meet with us and pray with us.  Let us begin a spiritual dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and indigenous peoples.  Let us look forward to the world we will leave our grandchildren through the revocation of the papal bulls.  Let our goal for them be peace.


THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF THIRTEEN INDIGENOUS GRANDMOTHERS

The Thirteen Grandmothers Open Statement
to
His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI

This is from the Grandmothers. I am sharing with this forum
Gina Boltz
Director, Native Village Publications
Director, Youth Forum for International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers
http://www.nativevillage.org
Secretary, Link Center Foundation
http://linkcenterfoundation.org

The Thirteen Grandmothers Open Statement
to
His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI

   We, the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, from regions throughout the world, hereby make this open statement for and to the Vatican. We do so in a good and prayerful way, for peace and for the healing of Mother Earth. We carry this message for Pope Benedict XVI.  We travel with the spirits of our ancestors.  When we pray at the Vatican for peace, we will be praying for all peoples.  We will not leave anyone out.

Our trip to the Vatican is part of our journey on a spiritual path, a feminine movement of Grandmotherly nurturing and prayerful energy for the sake of our indigenous nations, and for all peoples, and all living things.  We include the bird nations, the plant nations, the water nations, the animal nations, including the nations that live in the oceans and other bodies of water, the sacred life-blood of Mother Earth.

Today the waters of the Earth are being made toxic by a modern and poisonous way of life.  So toxic are the waters and the environment in which we all live that a young mother’s womb often contains hundreds of toxic chemicals that are harmful to developing cells of the unborn, and negatively affect the child when born. Such destructive patterns are the result of a diseased way of life.

As healers, we know that a key to healing disease is a correct diagnosis. In order to heal the planet, we as humans must stop repeating the patterns of thought and behavior that produce illness and disease. Thus, as the International Council of Thirteen Grandmothers, we are traveling in prayer to the Vatican.  We do this humbly, not as representatives of the indigenous nations, but as women of prayer who carry lines of wisdom and knowledge about this Creation that go back to the beginning of time.

Many documents issued by the Holy See in the fifteenth century represent patterns of thought and behavior that are resulting in so much planetary disease at this time.  Those documents set into motion a perception of relationships based on power and domination that is still the basis of legal systems all around the globe.  They are evidence of the true history of what has happened to indigenous peoples.

The relationship between nation-states and tribal peoples in the Americas, Africa, and Oceania rests on the foundation of the “doctrine of conquest??? or alternatively, the “doctrine of discovery.  The origins of the governmental doctrines of “conquest??? and “discovery??? may be traced directly to various medieval papal bulls and edicts, notably the bulls Dum Diversas, June 18, 1952, Romanus Pontifex, January 8, 1455, and Inter Caetera, May 4, 1493.  These papal edicts granted dominion to European nations over lands which had been occupied by tribal peoples for thousands of years.  They also laid the basis for the European “Age of Discovery???, setting in motion a disastrous chain of events which ultimately resulted in the outright theft of entire continents from indigenous peoples worldwide.

The Inter Caetera papal bull of May 4, 1493 called for the subjugation of “barbarous nations.  The papal bull authorized the monarchy of Portugal, for example, “to invade, capture, vanquish, and subdue, all Saracens, pagans and other enemies of Christ,??? to “put them into perpetual slavery and to take away all their possessions and property.

We have written to the Vatican and called upon His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to revoke the Dum Diversas Bull, the Romanus Pontifex Bull, and the Inter Caetera Bull, and all related papal doctrines, thereby affirming the Roman Catholic Church’s recognition that all peoples on the Earth are equal, and that our nations and peoples have the inherent right to live free of all forms of domination.

Now we travel to the Vatican, we who are in our elder years, to ask His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to meet with us and pray with us.  Let us begin a spiritual dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and indigenous peoples.  Let us look forward to the world we will leave our grandchildren through the revocation of the papal bulls.  Let our goal for them be peace.


THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF THIRTEEN INDIGENOUS GRANDMOTHERS

[sassy]

I see they take amylee's song pods with them to give as gifts wherever they go!
guess pope "didn't get his."    not yet anyways.

[sassy]

I am sorry. I am told on antoher thread that i hijacked something. I think it was this.
sassy   

[Prairie Fairy]

Sassy baby, you're cute! Even if your substance is P.L.A.S.T.I.C.

[KIS]

Hello all,

Horray for Carole Hart and all who worked with her on this film.


For more information contact: Jennifer Wilson, 607-753-2232

Film on Historic Meeting of Indigenous Grandmothers to Receive Premiere Screening on Oct. 10
CORTLAND, NY (10/02/2008; 1446)(readMedia)-- The premiere screening of a documentary on a landmark gathering of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers four years ago in upstate New York, will be held on Friday, Oct. 10, at SUNY Cortland.
The preview, featuring the first act of "For The Next Seven Generations, The Grandmothers Speak," and attended by the award-winning filmmaker Carole Hart, will take place from 7-9 p.m. in Sperry Center, Room 105.
Sponsored by the College's Women's Studies Program in conjunction with the Native American Studies Program and the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies, the screening is free and open to the public. A suggested donation of $10 to support the grandmothers in their visit to upstate New York and their worldwide work may be presented at the door.
The film documents events of Oct. 11, 2004, when 13 indigenous grandmothers from the Arctic Circle, North, South and Central America, Africa, and Asia arrived in upstate New York in an historic gathering fulfilling an ancient prophecy, "When the Grandmothers from the four directions speak, a new time is coming," known by many of the world's indigenous tribes. The grandmothers formed a global alliance to serve their common goals and specific local concerns.
Approximately eight of the grandmothers will attend and perform a blessing over their film. The grandmothers will answer audience questions briefly after the screening. Audience members will have a chance to provide suggestions to assist Hart in editing her film, an unusual opportunity in documentary filmmaking.
The grandmothers who plan to attend include: Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance and Beatrice Long Visitor Holy Dance, both Oglala Lakota from Black Hills, S.D.; Flordemayo of the Mayan Highlands, Central American; Margaret Behan of the Arapaho/Cheyene from Montana; Tsering Dolma Gyaltong from Tibet; Mona Polacca, a member of the Hopi/Havasupai/Tewa from Arizona; Rita Pitka Blumenstein, a Yup'ik from the Arctic Circle; and Agnes Baker Pilgrim of the Takelma Siletz from Oregon.
Hart is a multi-award-winning television and film producer and writer. One of the original writers of "Sesame Street," she also produced, with Marlo Thomas, the "Free To Be... You and Me" album and television special. She was creator and producer with Bruce Hart of the NBC Emmy-winning series, "Hot Hero Sandwich." Hart has produced and written for many movies for television, including "Leap of Faith" and "Sooner or Later," and the Lifetime documentary, "Our Heroes, Ourselves."
"I believe in the power of film to create real and lasting social change of the kind we all want," Hart said of her film. "‘An Inconvenient Truth' harnessed that power and we are already witnessing positive shifts in attitude and behavior across a wide swath of America and the world. I believe ‘For the Next Seven Generations' will work on people at a deeper level, transporting them from fear to hope, inspiring them to go forward always keeping heart and mind connected. In that way, we can sustain Mother Earth so that she can sustain us."
The rights to her documentary belong to the council and the proceeds from sales relating to it will support their global mission.
The screening is one of many activities taking place from Oct. 5-11 at The Grandmothers Speak event, which is based in Groton, N.Y., with activities in surrounding areas. It is being coordinated with the Women's Gathering Group in Groton.
To learn more about the screening, contact Caroline K. Kaltefleiter, associate professor of communication studies, at (607) 753-4203 or caroline.kaltefleiter@cortland.edu. Information about the grandmothers can be found online at www.womensgathering.com/the_grandmothers.
Film on Historic Meeting of Indigenous Grandmothers to Receive Premiere Screening on Oct. 10

Gina

[TrishaRoseJacobs]

My apologies for being too quick off the mark KIS, it's just that I've seen at least 40 or 50 so-called indigenous councils/elder councils/elder gatherings etc. etc. which have nearly universally turned out to be new age backslapping sessions when examined closely so I tend to be suspicious of everything until it is proven otherwise.

[KIS]

Hi Trish,

No apologies needed.  We've all seen the pretends and imposters.  Many of us have been burned by them. This forum's purpose is to help identify the reals and the fakes. To me, the 13 Grandmothers are 100% legitimate, but other people may need more proof. Some might never HAVE enough proof. That is for each of us to decide.
What I love about the NAFraud  forum is the opportunity to learn first hand from others who have the same concerns. Skepticism is a good thing. Otherwise, the world would be filled with medicine people selling swamp water to heal cold sores. 

[Barnaby_McEwan]

Gina, I'm curious about Jeneane Prevatt, who seems to be widely credited with co-founding the grandmothers' council. For example this strangely breathless piece, widely reposted online:

When Jyoti, an American spiritual teacher who holds a PhD in clinical psychology, came to Gabon to study with Rebienot, the two women found that they shared a vision of the Grandmothers' Council, and they decided to work together to manifest it in the west.

Jyoti mobilized her organization, the Center for Sacred Studies, to sponsor a council for indigenous grandmothers. She hooked up with Lynn Schauwecker, a former fashion model and fundraising expert, Ann Rosenkranz, who is also a spiritual counselor and a program director at the Center for Sacred Studies, and Carole Hart, an award winning television and film writer and producer, best known for "Free to Be You and Me." They organized both the 3-day Grandmother's Council and the Global Women's Gathering.

Could you please ask the grandmothers what they think of Prevatt's offering of (and presumably charging for) sweats and 'vision quests' in her 'Stargate Empowerment Program'? A quick look at Prevatt's site show these ceremonies are described as 'tools', implying that anyone can use them. I think it's likely that at least some of the grandmothers would have strong opinions about that.

http://www.mothersgrace.com/projects/stargate.html

Step two, "Purification", takes the participant deeper into aspects of what does not serve us any more. For instance, we work with cleansing the body by fasting and participating in Native American sweatlodge....On our fourth meeting, we study "Integration" while participating in a vision quest.

[Defend the Sacred]

I highly recommend that everone should watch this film.

Turning Prayer into Action

A one hour program that brings together the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers in Dharamsala, India, with the Bioneers Conference in Northern California for a live dialogue via a satellite "spacebridge".

I don't know. Maybe I'm missing something. I saw this film recently, and was not impressed. These white people kept going on about how special and holy these women are... but most all of what the Grandmothers said was really vague. One of them in particular was so into the feelgood stuff it really strained credulity: every white questioner was now "adopted" as her sibling; and she claimed this was "traditional." I know some people from her claimed nation who would find this highly offensive.

If she personally feels kinship with someone, that's her business. But she shouldn't be presenting it on international TV as a traditional practice... "adopting" white strangers over a video link... geez. I can only imagine how badly that could be abused.

Other footage showed some of the women sharing prayer and ceremony. Not being from the particular cultures of the women whose ceremonies they filmed, I can't really comment as to whether they should have been sharing these ceremonies in another country with people who have no connection to their communities (and filming them). It may be in a grey area in terms of alliances vs spiritual tourism; then again it may tip into one side or the other; I couldn't say, as the film only showed fragments, and the Grandmothers are there as the sole speakers from their (real or claimed) cultures. Perhaps this is the problem I have with it: Each of these women is there among the white people, as the sole authority. We're not hearing them in context of their individual cultures, and in many of these cases, we really don't know who these women are. 

Again, anyone can pray for peace, but I am concerned that these women may be being set up as representatives when that may not be appropriate in the context of the cultures they come from. It is too much out of context. Actually, no, there is a context, my impression is that the context is white nuage, with these women there in a sort of, dare I say, objectified way.

[KIS]

Hi Barnaby and Kathyrn,

Thanks for your postings.

I only create educational materials for the Grandmothers Forum,  post information, and serve in this way.  Your concerns and questions can only be answered by those within the Grandmother's organization, so I'm emailing your comments to them. Right now they are traveling with the Grandmothers and won't be back until (I believe) late October.

If you haven't already read the book "Grandmothers Councel the World" by Carol Schaeffer, you might consider doing so (I bought my copy through Amazon)  It's well written, easy to read, very well done.  It had a big impact on my decision to serve these women.

As always, the respect for each other in this forum is greatly appreciated.

[Defend the Sacred]

Gina, I'm curious about Jeneane Prevatt, who seems to be widely credited with co-founding the grandmothers' council.

Yeah, so am I.

Jyoti [ed note- aka Jeneane Prevatt] mobilized her organization, the Center for Sacred Studies, to sponsor a council for indigenous grandmothers. She hooked up with Lynn Schauwecker, a former fashion model and fundraising expert, Ann Rosenkranz, who is also a spiritual counselor and a program director at the Center for Sacred Studies, and Carole Hart, an award winning television and film writer and producer, best known for "Free to Be You and Me." They organized both the 3-day Grandmother's Council and the Global Women's Gathering.

http://www.uniondemocrat.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=24637 Jyoti had to go back in prayer to figure out which of the grandmothers to call on for the council.

So, according to these statments, we're not looking at something where a group of Indigenous women decided to organize a group and work together.

According to these reports, the Grandmothers were hand-picked and invited by Prevatt  - a nuager and ceremony-seller.

Much of what I've seen in promos about this group is misleading - as it implies it was an Indigenous-initiated effort. But these statements show that's not what this is. This shows no sign of being an organization arising out of the combined efforts of traditional people. 

I would be pleased to be shown otherwise, but from all we're seeing, this is not something where tribes sent forth representatives, but a situation where an outsider, a nuager, chose, dare I say, tokens, to help further her aims.

ETA:

Looked around Prevatt's website some more. here be spiritual tourism

CSS sponsors pilgrimages to such places as Brazil, Costa Rica, India & Europe, facilitated by CSS Spiritual Director, Jyoti (Jeneane Prevatt, Ph.D.).
<snip>
...travel into the deep interior of the virgin forest of the Amazon, where we participate in ceremonies and healing practices that are designed to help people “meet??? themselves.

For legitimate traditional ceremonies, people have to earn the right to participate. They have to be trusted by someone who is part of the community. Spiritual tourism like this sells people the illusion that they can buy their way in. You have to write to find out the fees, but even if this were done for free (and I'll bet you it's not) it's still giving people the false impression that community ties, earning trust, and cultural integrity don't matter.

I also looked some more at the profiles of the individual Grandmothers. Again, for some of them there's very little that isn't on the promo site(s). While at least a few of them seem to have some connection to Native cultures, I have to wonder why anyone with a commitment to maintaining cultural integrity and tradition would ally themselves with the nuage ceremony sellers that appear to manage and control the public image of this group.

[KIS]

Greetings,

Just sharing. Have a great day!
Gina

Grandmothers Counsel the World: Women Elders Offer Their Vision for Our Planet
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6428/is_1_25/ai_n29427514/print?tag=artBody;col1



Tisa M. Anders
GRANDMOTHERS COUNSEL THE WORLD: WOMEN ELDERS OFFER THEIR VISION FOR OUR PLANET

Carol Schaefer

Boston: Trumpeter, 2006

213 pages, paper, $18.95

In a world simultaneously pulsating with widespread violence and verdant dreams, Carol Schaefer's Grandmothers Counsel the World: Women Elders Offer Their Vision for Our Planet emerges as a bright light with indispensable messages for the twenty-first century and beyond. As the book's jacket explains, "In some Native American societies, tribal leaders consulted a council of grandmothers before making any decisions that would affect the whole community. What if we consulted our wise women elders about the problems facing our global community today?" And that is exactly what happened--hailing from five continents, thirteen indigenous grandmothers began meeting in 2004. The Grandmothers' counsel to the world is timely, pertinent, and hope-filled, equally accessible, appropriate, and essential for the general public and academy. The genesis, first gathering, and subsequent actions are relayed in Schaeffer's work.

The women leaders from around the world were brought together by a U.S. woman, Jyoti (Jeaneane Prevatt). Sporting an academic background in Jungian psychology and indigenous traditions, she is currently director of the Center for Sacred Studies in California. Through prayers and visions, she saw a circle of grandmothers convening from all corners of the world bringing wisdom and guidance to all humanity. Using her extensive contacts and connections through years of work with indigenous communities, Jyoti and her colleagues issued sixteen invitations; thirteen were accepted. As the wise women met, all realized that Jyoti's efforts were simply the twenty-first century catalyst to a centuries' old prophecy: "When the Grandmothers from the four directions speak, a new time is coming" (4). October 11-17,2004, Phoencia, New York became the date and venue for this first International Council of Grandmothers.

Schaeffer's work is helpfully organized into two parts. Part One provides biographical sketches of each grandmother. Those invited and called are: Agnes Baker Pilgrim (Takelma Siletz) from Grants Pass, Oregon; Bernadette Rebienot (Omyene), Gabon, Africa; Flordemayo (Mayan) from the Highlands of Central America/New Mexico; Margaret Behan (Arapaho/Cheyenne), Montana; Rita Pitka Blumenstein (Yupik), Arctic Circle; Tsering Dolma Gyaltong (Tibetan Buddhist), Tibet/Canada; Mona Polacca (Hopi/Havasupai/Tewa), Arizona; Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance and Beatrice Long Visitor Holy Dance (Oglala Lakota), South Dakota; Maria Alice Campos Freire (Santo Daime), Amazon Rain Forest of Brazil; Clara Shinobu Iura (Santo Daime), Amazon River Forest of Brazil; Aama Bombo or Buddhi Maya Lama (Tamang), Nepal; and Julieta Casimiro (Mazatec), Huautla de Jimenez, Mexico. Additionally, several women elders were chosen by the Grandmothers to participate: Alice Walker, Gloria Steinem, Carol Moseley Braun, Tenzin Palmo, Helena Norberg-Hodge, Luisah Teish, Wilma Mankiller, and Her Holiness Sai Maa Lakshmi Devi.

While tips, advice, and assistance are sprinkled throughout the women's life stories, Part Two communicates their wisdom and guidance in distinct, topical chapters. The subjects covered are Prophecies, Women's Wisdom, Sacred Relations, Our Mother Earth, Oppression, Nature's Pharmacy, and Prayer. Resurrecting the Feminine Divine as well as women's equal place in the world, emphasis on the interconnectedness and sacredness of all life, and a focus on environmental sustainability are among the themes addressed by these venerated women leaders.

This work is an appropriate text in many academic disciplines, Comparative Religions, International Relations, Cultural Studies, Spirituality, Women's Studies, Environmental Studies. It fills current, deep gaps in these fields on the impact of religion and spirituality, and the voices of women, in general, and indigenous peoples, in particular. The introduction by Winona LaDuke, extensive use of photographs, and an appendix about the Council's origin enhance and complement the biographical sketches and thematic chapters. In addition to personal reading, I recommend this book's use at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels in higher education as well as for church study groups, book clubs, and other, related gatherings.

My one concern is that scholars will not take this work seriously enough since it is not grounded, written, or presented in the "usual" Western, academic form. That would be a great disservice to the women leaders, their wisdom, and higher education. The Grandmothers themselves address this dilemma when discussing Western medicine versus traditional healing: "That modern medicine deals with the disease much more than the health and well-being of a person is not a judgment, Maria Alice [Campos Freire] says. One is not good or bad. Good or bad is not the question, because both are part of the whole and part of a process. What is important is to try to understand both approaches" (191). In order to reach points of mutual understanding and knowledge, the Grandmothers believe a bridge between the two must be created. They consider this "a very complex issue, given the vast difference in philosophies and approaches. The bridge between traditional and modern medicine must rely on the principle of equality, a dedication to the salvation of humanity, and a just exchange of resources" (198). These concerns and goals pertain equally to traditional Western thought versus the knowledge that emerges from women and indigenous cultures.

Readers are invited to journey with the Grandmothers beyond this book's offering. After their initial meeting in 2004, annual councils have been convened: 2005, Pojoaque Pueblo, New Mexico; 2006, Oaxaca, Mexico; 2007, Black Hills, South Dakota; upcoming, 2008, Gabon, Africa. Additionally, a documentary film on the councils is in progress. Filming began in 2004 and cameras have accompanied the Grandmothers to each subsequent meeting. The Council's activities and the documentary's progress can be followed through two separate websites that are mentioned in the book: www.grandmotherscouncil.com and www.forthenext7generations.com. These opportunities allow the work and its messages to remain vital and dynamic as the world continues to wrestle with the dual reality of hostility and hope. Fortunately, the Grandmothers' counsel can indeed usher in a time of peace and justice if the rest of us will listen and heed their words.

Tisa M. Anders, Ph.D.

Lakewood, Colorado

USA

COPYRIGHT 2008 Professors World Peace Academy
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

[educatedindian]

http://www.blackpast.org/?q=bio/anders-tisa-grant-writer
Anders, Tisa - Grant Writer
Tisa M. Anders was born in Pueblo, Colorado. She is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (B.A., M.S.), Iliff School of Theology (M.Div.), and the University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology (Ph.D., 2002). In the first incarnation of her career, she was a social worker in eastern Nebraska. After ordination to social justice ministries in 1993, she began her nonprofit career in prison work (1993-2005), political advocacy for women (2005-06), interfaith ministry (2007-present), and public history (2006-present).

Her general areas of research interest are nineteenth-century U.S. reform movements, black farmers, agricultural history, international peacemaking. Specific topics include L. Maria Child (1802-1880, Euro-American author/activist), Junius G. Groves (1859-1925, African American farmer), and "The Cultural Significance of Sugar Beets in Western Nebraska."

---------------------------------

Getting an endorsement from a writer about sugar beets and Black farmers isn't exactly impressive.

I'm glad you found it though, because the article does raise some other questions.

"Jyoti and her colleagues issued sixteen invitations; thirteen were accepted."

So why did those three reject her? Perhaps fear of it being unethical being annointed an "elder" by a white Nuage ceremony seller"

"As the wise women met, all realized that Jyoti's efforts were simply the twenty-first century catalyst to a centuries' old prophecy: "When the Grandmothers from the four directions speak, a new time is coming" (4).

Too generic. What prophecy and from where?

"...several women elders were chosen by the Grandmothers to participate: Alice Walker, Gloria Steinem, Carol Moseley Braun, Tenzin Palmo, Helena Norberg-Hodge, Luisah Teish, Wilma Mankiller, and Her Holiness Sai Maa Lakshmi Devi."

Walker is a great writer, but she is no elder, and none of these women have the power to make her one. Steinem and Braun are far too divisive as figures to qualify, no matter what you think of their views.

In fact absolutely NONE of the grandmothers are in any position to annoint these women as elders. Period.

I highly suspect that none of the grandmothers actually did. More likely they choose women they wanted to speak to, and the ceremony seller Pravatt took it upon herself to be The Great White Elder Maker.

Perhaps, Gina, you'd be good enough to share the financial statements of Pravatt's little venture.
The only other one I've heard of is Mankiller, and not being Cherokee, it's not up to me to say if she is one.

[KIS]

"Perhaps, Gina, you'd be good enough to share the financial statements of Pravatt's little venture?"

I do not have this information.

And while your cynicism is understood and  so very appropriate and appreciated in this forum (in fact, the reason this forum exists), may I share my own observations?

According to my research and personal knowledge, these Grandmothers are not fluffs. They are all accomplished and impressive women in their own rights. Here's information about a few. Those i haven't mentioned are just as impressive
1.Grandmother Agnes Baker Pilgrim is Takelma/Siletz and 
brought back the Sacred Salmon ceremony after it was lost for 150 years.  Grandma Aggie is considered a living legend in her tribe.
2.Grandmother Bernadette Ribenot is a traditional healer and has been president of Gabon's Health Department of Traditional Medicine since 1994. Her "patients" included the King and Queen of Gabon
3. Rita Pitka Blumenstein, Yupik, raised traditionally. I believe the state even had a Rita Pitka Blumenstein Day. She is the first person in Alaska to be certified as a traditional medicine doctor.
4. Tsering Dolma Gyaltong, Buddhist, escaped (along with the Dalai Lama) from Tibet after the Chinese invaded. Revived the Tibetan Women's Association and helped establish 33 branches across the world.

The grandmothers speak to, and work with, many people. These choices are totally up to them be it Jyoti, Gloria Steinem, Alice Walker, and other accomplished and highly regarded women.  In this same light, why would they ask ME to create their Youth Forum if it only traditional Native people are allowed to be affiliated with them? I'm a nobody. And, is it fair to judge these woman based on who writes about them? The Grandmas have no control over that.I bet the Grandmothers regard sugar beet writers and Black farmers with the same respect and reverance as they do for all humanity.

One more thing -- the Grandmothers and Jyoti have corrected me about information I posted on their Youth Forum, so even those affiliated with them get the facts wrong. Maybe even in this posting! 

As for myself, I cant speak for the Grandmothers or those who serve/follow/write about them, and I myself have run out of things to say.  I meant every word with kindness and respect, but when my "left" brain, kicks in, the words sometimes sound terse. I don't mean it. :-)

[Ingeborg]

2.Grandmother Bernadette Ribenot is a traditional healer and has been president of Gabon's Health Department of Traditional Medicine since 1994. Her "patients" included the King and Queen of Gabon

Now this makes me wonder. Le Gabon, as the country is called in French, has a presidential system with a President as its head of state and a Prime Minister as the head of government. Gabon is not a monarchy, so there is no "king and queen of Gabon".

The way you phrase the info of Mme Ribenot having been the pres of "Gabon's Health Department of Traditional Medicine" since 94 insinuates her title thus should be Mme le Ministre. However, we don't seem to speak of a Mme le Ministre at all. The department in question belongs to an institute which is part of the Gabon health system, as you can see at the following site:

http://www.cenarestgabon.org/cenarest_eng/instituts/iphametra/activites.htm

„On the subject of the toxicity of plants.
Since the early 2007’s IPHAMETRA acquired a scientific material adapted to the toxicological tests, particularly for cardio vascular, respiratory, and even digestive tract affections. The acquisition of such a material will provide the credibility of PTM production, which will have a real scientific basis. 
You may now have some sights of Sibang, location of IPHAMETRA services.
Departments of the institute.
The institute is composed of four departments
- Department of Botanic which involves the national Herbarium of Gabon, the laboratory of taxonomy and the laboratory of Vegetable Biology. 
- Department of Pharmacognosie which involves the service of pharmacopoeia, the laboratory of phyto-chemistry and the laboratory of toxicology.
- Department of pharmaco-toxicology composed of the laboratory of pharmacology and the laboratory of toxicology.
- Department of Traditional medicine which has a service of Traditional therapy, a laboratory of Galenic pharmacy, service of clinic tests and a service of Ethno-botany
The staff:

The institute abounds within it:
A multidisciplinary team of sixteen (16) researchers.
Three higher (advanced) technicians.
Five technicians. „

I do not quite believe that, even if Mme Ribenot does happen to be the head of this tiny department, her official title would be 'president'. From the above description I rather take it that all persons working in this rather small department will not be 'medecins traditionels', but trained in Western medicine, although they seem to facilitate a 'service of traditional therapy'.