Lending a Hand: Helping Creation Continue (Joyfully!) Through Tough Times

In this teaching circle we will help each other learn about what is going on in our community by sharing our joys and concerns as we pass the talking stick or feather. As in previous gatherings with Nancy and Evan, we acknowledge our desire to help creation continue, through daily service (from smoothing ruffled feathers to repairing walls), creative work, story telling  and spontaneous acts of random kindness. 

Together we will make a list of situations that, following the recent flooding, deserve our attention. Participants will respond according to their own conscience, and via their own free will, with a joyful heart. Nancy and Evan will also share teaching tales and songs as spirit moves them to do. There will be a book signing afterwards with Evan. 

Fee: free will donation to help us continue to offer free community events 

About Evan Pritchard

Evan Pritchard of Mi’kmaq descent, has been doing field interviews with Native American elders since 1990, and has been the director of the Center for Algonquin culture for the last 26 years. A lecturer on native studies at Vassar, Pace, Marist, Columbia, SUNY, John Jay, the University of Ontario, UMass, and Ramapough State, he has also presented at Gracie Mansion, AMNH, Smithsonian, and often presents classes online.

Evan has written over fifty books on native culture, history, language and spirituality, including Native New Yorkers; Henry Hudson and the Algonquins; Bird Medicine; Native American Stories of the Sacred; No Word For Time; Red Head Band, a collection of English and various Algonquian language poetry, and Greetings from Mawenawasic. He has appeared on dozens of radio stations including WBAI, and WNYC, and appeared as a featured guest on CNN, ABC, Discovery Channel, History Channel, and on Roger Hernandez’ 90 minute special “Touring Native New York” on Manhattan Cable.

About Grandmother Nancy

Grandmother Nancy is of Algonquin and French heritage and has followed the Red Road since childhood. Seeking out elders willing to teach, her first two mentors were a Lakota author and a Lakota medicine man. Later, an Ojibwa medicine woman, then a Mi’kmaq grandmother, adopted her. Community elders gave Grandmother Nancy permission to pour lodges since 1991. She served as a facilitator for a Native Women’s Circle in federal prison for 17 years.

A Sundancer and a Sacred Pipe carrier, Grandmother Nancy is acknowledged as an elder and a grandmother in her communities in Canada where she was given instruction to bring out and share certain teachings. She is a well-known storyteller, sharing legends from many different Nations in schools, health facilities and in the pow wow circuit. Grandmother Nancy was a staff member of the Joined Nations of Connecticut, a youth organization for those of Native heritage.

She has given talks in Calgary, Canada, St. Croix, and at various centers in New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut.  Grandmother Nancy has also owned and operated an equestrian business until retirement, and now incorporates Horse Medicine in some of her lectures about Native culture.