Iroquois Ritual of Thanksgiving, Sunday, 11.15.2009 @ 6:00pm
Come join us for a rare opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving with an Iroquois Blessing with Doug George & Joanne Shenandoah at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. This blessing gives an universal, spiritual perspective to Thanksgiving that resonates deeply with Buddhist principles and the earth.
Speaker Bios
Joanne Shenandoah is an Oneida-Iroquois singer/songwriter. She is a Grammy Award and 12 Time Native American Music award winning artist and Wolf Clan member of the Iroquois Confederacy. Her Native American name, Tekaliwah-kwa means "She Sings."
Douglas M. George-Kanentiio was born and raised in Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. An award-winning writer and journalist, he has served the Mohawk Nation in numerous capacities, including as a land-claims negotiator, a cofounder of Radio CKON, and the editor of the news journal Akwesasne Notes. He is the author of the books Iroquois On Fire, Iroquois Culture and Commentary and the coauthor with his wife, Joanne Shenandoah, of Skywoman: Legends of the Iroquois.
Rev. Heng Sure was ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1976 and serves as the Director of the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. Early in his monastic life, he undertook a bowing pilgrimage that covered over 600 miles where he observed a vow of silence. He is actively involved in developing Buddhist music and participating in interfaith dialogue.