Indigenous Elders & Representatives of
the 4 Directions
the Voices of Earth ™
Bios of our Speakers
Listed According to Elder Protocol
* Denotes Tribal Leader / Chief
Patricia Anne Davis
Patricia Ann Davis is an American Indian elder. Her English name is Patricia Anne Davis, and her Dineh ceremonial name is “peacemaker”. She was born of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw-Chahta, and born to the Taa chii nii and Kii yaa aanii kinship families of the Navajo/Dineh Nation. Her maternal grandparents are Chahta, and her paternal grandparents are the Kii yaa aanii clan of the Dineh. She is an International Teacher and Healer by tribal lineage, training, and initiation. She translated Dineh blessedway ceremonial principles into an Indigenous Ceremonial Change Process to facilitate a healing process that is not coping, but correction of any out-of-balance conditions within people, society, or the environment. She designs presentations, training, ceremony, and workshops within the context of the natural order and Indigenous science, a concept from the literature to define a distinction between an Affirmative Thinking system and a Eurocentric Dualistic thinking system. The purpose is to reframe win-lose destructive and death-producing choices and decisions into win-win constructive and life-affirming choices and decisions. She designed an “Indigenous Ceremonial Change Process” to facilitate a reframe of thinking systems with these unifying principles:
Inclusive of all ethnic nationalities Cross-cultural • Inter-generational Restores resources to the next generation of youth Universal in practical life application and can be translated into any language. She has traveled to 9 countries to teach the ICCP.
Iya Tahirah
Dedicated to racial consciousness and the evolution of Humanity,
Iya is an Elder and initiated priestress In Ifa, a religious practice of
the Yoruba People of West Africa. She is also a shamanic practitioner
of the West African Spiritual Healing Arts.
The founder and co-founder of St. Croix Council of Elders at St.
Croix US Virgin Islands, she holds leadership as an Elder of her community. She
is a Mother / Grandmother to many national and internationally. For the last
twelve years, she has served as Elder to the Vermont Wilderness School, and
the "Art of Mentoring." She continues to serve as an Elders to VWS ‘s Board of
planners, and host and co-host monthly Intergenerational Dialogues at Vermont
and St. Croix Virgin Islands.
During Covid, Iya Tahirah has been instrumental in Offering her gifts and
services to the "Good of the Whole" spiritual community and she features and host s a Soul Talk Every Friday Morning (11:am at Good of the Whole).
Iya Tahirah holds a BA Degree in Social-Cultural anthropology, and an Associates Degree in Cross Cultural studies and communication. She has a minor and degree in
Gestalt Psychology.
Grandmother Paulienne Elizabeth Voll
I am Paulienne Elizabeth Voll. I am the only daughter of Amina Sitti and Nappie Voll. I have one daughter. I live in the southern part of the Netherlands. I was born in 1957 in Makassar Indonesia. My ancestors from my Father's side were European, German., with ancestors related to Scandinavia The ancestors of my Mother's side are related to the Philippines, New Zealand, China and Portugal. My parents moved to the Netherlands immediately following my birth. For almost three decades I worked as a Social Counselor and Case Manager in an Organization for Refugee Asylum Seekers. Before that, I worked as a Teacher of History and Geography. l also worked in a Biological Food Store. I have always been passionate about addressing the subjects of injustice and inequality in the world. I am deeply concerned about Climate Health , Nature and Refugees. I am so grateful to be part of the Indigenous Grandmothers Circle of The Low Lands.
I feel connected with both the Old World in Europe and Indonesia, where ancestral lineage plays an important role in the culture.
I honor and worship the Ancestors who teach me the spiritual wisdom of Mother Earth, the Divine Feminine, the Womb, Nature, the Four Directions and all of the Elements.
Les Malbon
My name is Les Malbon. I am of Scottish, English, Irish, and Scandinavian descent. I am of the Patterson clan. I live, work and play in the Snuneymuxw First Nations territory. I am a professor in the Kinesiology department at Vancouver Island University. My core teaching concentrations are Human Wellness, Health of the Human Spirit, Nature and Health, and Nutrition and Local Food Systems.
At the heart of my practice is the realization that everything is interconnected and that deep learning must be holistic and reflective. When we care for our own health and well-being we create healing in the world. One of the foundational frameworks that informs my life is from the Earth Charter; it suggests that we must join together to create a sustainable global community based on the principles of: Respect for Nature, Universal Human Rights, Social and Economic Justice, and a Culture of Peace.
In 2020 I received the Provost teaching award for excellence in (Indigenous Ways of Being and Knowing). I recently completed a United Nations diploma at the University of Peace (Earth Charter Institute in Costa Rica) in Sustainability and Peace Studies. I am a permaculturist and a trained herbalist from both a Western and Indigenous perspective. I have been engaged in Indigenous ceremony for over 30 years and it has become a way of life for me and my family. It has been a great joy to spend time with Elders that have shared their wisdom teachings. I am dedicated to the truth of oneness and the unity that exists between all things. The earth is but one country and we are all related as one human family.
Email: les.malbon@viu.ca
Mari Fix McEwen
Mari Fix McEwen is the daughter of Carolyn & granddaughter of Beatrice Ewing, from lineage Clan Ewing of hamlet Kilfinan in Alba (Scotland). Clan Ewing is of the Yew Tree, the world tree of everlasting life and death of the Celts. Her patralineal line is Fix, father Jack, son of Jake. Currently residing in Los Angeles in the Chumash and Topanga tribal areas, she was recognized as an Elder by Peruvian Elder and Maestro Hermano Vidal and his counsel of Peruvian Incan Elders in 2015 and was given the task to bring her People back to their indigenous roots. She has spent years studying with 3 indigenous medicine lineages and was an active dancer with an indigenous Danza group from Mexico. She is also a direct apprentice of Taoist Master Ching Fung Dao Shr and a Tai Chi Student in the lineage of Grand Master Kai Ying Tung.
A Ceremonialist, Ordained Minister and Alternative Medicine Practitioner of various energetic modalities, she has been facilitating Sound Healing journeys since 1991 & spiritual workshops since 2015. She holds Certifications in Therapeutic Arts, Sound Healing, Mindfulness, Irish Mythology, Celtic Studies and Archeology.
As a sitting Grandmother, circle co-facilitator and Counsel member with the Indigenous Women / Grandmothers of Europe, she is representing Indigenous Scotland as well as supporting Indigenous Women of Europe Overseas, to revive their roots, connect to nature and honor the ways of Spirit. She is dedicated to unify with our other indigenous relatives from the hoop, to create healing, understanding, solidarity, balance and connection.
A member of Four Worlds Foundation with Chief Phil Lane, the Tiyoshape clan with *Chief Rueben George, Four Worlds Women’s Talking Circle with Joan Henry, and the Circle of Friends, She is a facilitator with mentor Choctaw-Navajo/Chahta-Dineh Elder Patricia Anne Davis of the “Indigenous Change Process, ” and dedicated to extricating the out of balance condition within herself and humanity for the good of all.
Ukumbwa Sauti
Ukumbwa is an initiated Elder in the Dagara tradition (Burkina Faso in west Africa), presenter, facilitator and consultant and has worked in and for community organizations and programs and higher education. He specializes in social justice, anti-oppression, cultural studies, media and spirituality. Ukumbwa Sauti has been teaching Cultural Media Studies and Video Production for 14 years. His educational focus, research and activism has centered around the social implications of televisual, cinematic and advertising narratives, looking deeply into issues of culture (indigenous and modern), race and nation, gender, sexual orientation, politics, the environment and climate change. Ukumbwa has authored and contributed to a number of blogs. He holds a Master’s Degree in Education and teaches Racial Justice and Cultural Oppression for the School of Social Work. He also is a diviner, numerologist and spiritual counselor. He has presented at spiritual conferences and events in the New England region and California and has been active in organizing ritual work in the Boston, New York and Toronto, Canada. Ukumbwa can be reached on Facebook (personal profile, World Ancestor Concert and Conscious Consent Education pages, Men's Work Initiative and Conscious Consent Community groups) and email at ukumbwa@gmail.com.
Chief Reuben George *
Sundance Chief Rueben George is a member of the Tsleil-
Waututh Nation (TWN). A Family Counsellor who has 25 years of
experience in the healing field. Rueben has many years of
experience in working with First Nations/Tribes in wellness,
Correctional Centres, Addiction Treatment Centres, School
Districts, Canada/USA Social Services, and Colleges/Universities
Rueben Continues to volunteer at a men’s Treatment Centre and
Correctional Centres.
After serving his Nation as Director of Community Development,
he shifted his focus in 2010 to be Manager of Sacred Trust TWN’s
initiative to protecting Burrard Inlet, the traditional Tsleil-Waututh
territory, from the proposed Kinder-Morgan/TMX pipeline. Rueben
has traveled the world creating allies with Indigenous people who
stand for water, land, and human rights. Rueben has become one
of the best-known voices in the media locally and internationally in
the conversation about the proposed Kinder/Morgan TMX pipeline
and other related issues.
Rueben is a consultant to multiple businesses primarily All
Nations Cannabis.
Rueben George is a spiritual leader, who was adopted and made
a Sun Dance Chief by 2 Lakota families. Rueben is involved in his
Coast Salish culture and ceremonies.
In all aspects of Rueben’s life and work, he incorporates his
cultural and spiritual teachings.
Zarna Joshi
Zarna Joshi is a well-known community organizer based the Pacific Northwest region. She is of Indian Hindu descent and has been a climate and social justice activist since she was a teenager, witnessing and feeling deeply environmental and social problems around the world. As an eighteen-year-old student climate activist in 2000, she protested at The Hague during the COP6 when President George W. Bush’s delegates walked out and the talks collapsed. She realized then that we couldn’t wait for elected officials to fix the climate crisis. In the years since, she has worked as a writer and activist to inspire a change of values within the people.
In 2013 she signed the Pledge of Resistance against the Keystone XL Pipeline and became involved in housing justice, campaigning to highlight the corruption of the banking system. She took part in blockades against oil and coal trains and was an organizer in the ShellNo campaign to defend the Arctic from Royal Dutch Shell’s oil drilling. Watch her 2015 interview on Democracy Now! Her Zarna Responds youtube video series about sexual harassment went viral in October 2016. She campaigns against patriarchy because she identifies it as the root cause of systems of oppression and mentors male collectives on how to dismantle their own patriarchy and toxic masculinity. She was the keynote speaker at the Engaging Men conference in Portland in 2017, the first conference of it’s kind in the region. She was also the lead adult mentor for the Zero Hour youth platform team as they built a youth climate justice movement for the worldwide youth climate march in July 2018. Read their platform here. Zarna dismantles colonial harm to the Hindu community by confronting anti-Hinduism and working to dismantle the cultural appropriation of yoga. Her efforts have led to the creation of Healing from White Yoga, a collective of allies who work to heal the harm caused to impacted communities through education, community organizing, and financial assistance. Read their article on how western yoga harms Hindu people
Ava Naihm
Purification Keeper
