Native
American Indian elders meeting in Oslo
June 6-12 2002
The American natives wanted to meet Norwegian cultures, especially the
Sami people for peace and cultural exchange. The meeting took place June
6.-12. 2002 and was bringing a party of eight people, consisting of 5
elders and their assistants from South and North American Native tribes.
The council was initiated by the representatives of the Maya Nation in
Guatemala and marked the start of their meetings with “peoples of
all the calories of the corn” outside the American continent.
The Mayan
elders had themselves chosen Norway for their first council outside the
American continent. In Oslo they met a broad range of Norwegian cultures,
from authorities, immigrant groups and Sami representatives. After a week
in Oslo they travelled to Umeå in Sweden for workshops and meetings
there.
The meeting in Oslo was supported by The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Norsk Kulturråd (the Norwegianb Arts Council) and various
sponsors for seminars and activities in Norway during their stay.
The Norwegian arrangements were formally conducted by The Knowledge Gardeners
with the help from The
Chaos Patrol, while the responsible for the International program
was Green Triangle Associates
International from Colorado, USA.
The events in Oslo was arranged in collaboration with Norwegian native
cultural groups, organisations, The University of Oslo and carried through
by network members .
The choice of Oslo as the first meeting place outside the American continent
is expressed in a letter from one of the Maya representatives, Erick Gonzalez:
“Norway is highly respected in Guatemala for the work that is being
done and the assistance in rebuilding communities there. It is a place
of neutrality and of great respect from all nations of the world. It is
hoped that this trip will be an expression of respect of Norway as well
as supporting the fulfilment of a sacred responsibility.”
During their peace mission the Mayans had previously connected with the
Hopi Tribe of North America and many other native Indian tribes of North
America and Canada to "unite the lands of the North and South Americas".
The Mayan elders wished to meet with prominent members of the Norwegian
society and the elders of the Sami Nation.
They seeked to tell stories past down through generations and documented
in Mayan "Stellas" (stone inscriptions) and old surviving books.
Some of these stories had not been disclosed fully in public before.
In order to exchange culture and stories in a personal and meaningful
way the elders group wanted to participate in small personal meetings,
University, school or community round-table discussions or workshops,
public “council meetings” with community leaders and
“Community Fire Ceremonies".
The Mayan Fire Ceremony is a healing
ritual event where people gather around the fire to hear ancient Mayan
prayers and songs, to participate in the ceremony and watch the dance
of the elders. The building and making of the sacred “mandela”
for the Fire Ceremony is completed with Mayan organic materials.
These Fire Ceremonies are considered very sacred and have only been done
in public over the last 5 to 10 years.
REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE AMERICAN NATIVES:
Ome Aka Ehekatl, Erick Gonzalez- is a Mayan Aj Q'ij- is a cross-cultural
Elder and Community Leader from Guatemala. Ome Aka Ehekatl has been leading
ceremony, trainings and cultural exchange and educational programs between
Guatemalan communities and the USA for more than 20 years. He, along with
Simeon Taquira Sipac, is one of the main initiators of this program to
unite the Maya and other native Indian cultures of North and Central/South
America with the Nordic and western European people.
Simeon
Taquira Sipac is a Mayan Spiritual Leader/Elder and Priest from the
Guatemala community of Chimaltenanga. He works for COKADI (Kaqchikel Cooridination
for Integral Development) and has vast knowledge on Maya Cosmology, stories,
community agriculture and cultural development projects. Simeon has visited
Norway before and has an excellent reputation for his work and co-operation.
Margarita Sipac Cocon- is starting her educational training for becoming
a Mayan Aj Q'ij. She already is a community youth leader from Chimaltenango,
Guatemala. She works with other Mayan women to develop community programs
which provide work opportunities for Maya women by sewing and selling
traditional Mayan clothing for The People and for export.
TroyLynn Yellow Wood, Lakota Elder/ Medicine Woman- Originally from
South Dakota, TroyLynn is an integral and well respected figure in the
Denver, Colorado and western USA communities. She works to bring cultural
understanding and compassion to youth through Lakota, Aztec and Maya cultural
heritages. She brings Lakota native songs and stories to share.
Donna
Augustine: Thunderbird Turtle Woman- Micmaq spiritual leader and Tribal
Council Representative for the New Brunswick and New Foundland, Canada
groups. Donna travels extensively over Canada and in the USA, as well
as Guatemala. She is a song and storyteller, and is an appointed council
member who works on repatriation for gathering sacred tribal objects and
humas remains to their original sacred grounds and people. She also carries
stories of the historical connections between the Viking people and her
nation.
Thomas
Pela: One of the few primary leaders of the Hopi Nation. He is an
important link between the Hopi and the Maya and carries stories of their
historical relationship with other nations. The Hopi are holders of an
ancient "Mayan codex", which is more than 3,000 years old.
Two interpreters: one for Spanish Speaking Maya Council and one
for overall Scandinavian for the delegate group and overall co-ordination.
The
indian group at Frysja in Oslo. From the left: TroyLynn Yellow Wood, Erick
Gonzalez, Heddy, (the interpreter), Marguerita Sipac Cocon, Thomas Pela,
Simeon Taquira Sipac, Donna Augustine.(Click on picture to enlarge).
MORE PICTURES:
The fire ceremony by the Carp Dam, Akerhus fortress.
Visit
at Bøler school, Oslo
Marguerita weaving at the Sami
Camp
Praying at Oseberg viking grave
THE WORKSHOP
PROGRAMME IN OSLO
The 4,5 hours programme for Saturday (9:30 - 14.00) will basically be
the same on Tuesday at Kulturbåten Innvik (14:00 - 18:30). The programme
consisted of a introductory meeting and two parallel workshops on South
and north American Indian cultures of the Maya, Hopi, Miqmac and Lakota.
The programmes ran at the following
times and places:
Saturday June 8: 9:30 - 13:00. Place: Kunstnersenteret på Frysja
(Ved teknisk Museum), Oslo
Tuesday June 11: 14:00 – 18:30. Place: Kulturbåten Innvik,
by Havnelageret, Bjørvika, Oslo
All of the programmes were in English, directly or translated.
READ MORE ABOUT
Click on the image to read letter form the Maya Cocadi institute in Guatemala.
CONTACTS
Karene
Lyngholm
Projects manager, Norway
T: +47 92 03 11 25
E-mail
Nancy
Hansen Zuschlag, Green Triangle Associates International, is coordinator
for the international projects.
E-mail
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