The 13 Indigenous Grandmothers are a powerful group of Indigenous Elders representing many traditions and lands. Last month, they received the Declaration of Commitment to Indigenous Peoples from James O'Dea and Glenn Aparicio Parry at the SEED conference in New Mexico. They are holding the Declaration in sacred trust and symbolically for all Indigenous Peoples.

Who Are the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers?

The Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers are women of prayer, and women of action.

In 2004, 13 Indigenous Grandmothers from around the world joined together to Save Our Planet. Their alliance is called The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. 
The Grandmothers Council fulfills an ancient prophecy found among many indigenous peoples: that a group of elderly women will come together to save Mother Earth when she is in peril.

Since the founding of the Council in 2004, the Grandmothers have been traveling the globe to spread a message of peace, goodwill and the need to protect Mother Earth.  In response to the prophecy, the Grandmothers have held 11 Council Gatherings and numerous other events in North, Central, and South America, Europe, India, Australia, and Japan.

After 11 successful Gatherings that have resulted in worldwide support for their prayer for peace,the Grandmothers are seeking funds to hold their 12th Council Gathering, "Praying for Peace in the Land of the Buddha", scheduled for November 8-11, 2012 in Kathmandu, Nepal.

As the Grandmothers' Mission Statement says:

- We represent a global alliance of prayer, education and healing for our Mother Earth, all Her inhabitants, all the children, and for the next seven generations to come.
- We are deeply concerned with the unprecedented destruction of our Mother Earth and the destruction of indigenous ways of life. We believe the teachings of our ancestors will light our way through an uncertain future.
- We look to further our vision through the realization of projects that protect our diverse cultures: lands, medicines, language and ceremonial ways of prayer and through projects that educate and nurture our children.

The Grandmothers are active in many causes on behalf of their communities: they work to prevent their lands being destroyed by illegal logging and mining, to keep their waterways from being poisoned, to protect wildlife on the brink of extinction, to free their youth from  poverty, abuse and addictions, and to halt the systematic genocide of their people and the loss of their cultural heritage. The Grandmothers' work is done through prayers, education, actions, and empowerment, for the healing of our Mother Earth, all her inhabitants, all the children, and for the next seven generations to come.



A Global Alliance

The 13 Grandmothers come from all over the world. They are:

Aama Bombo (Tamang - Nepal), Agnes Baker-Pilgrim (Elected Chairperson - Takelma, Confederated Tribes of Siletz - Grants Pass, Oregon, USA), Beatrice Long-Visitor Holy Dance(Oglala Lakota - Black Hills, South Dakota, USA),  Bernadette Rebienot (Omyene - Gabon, Africa),  Clara Shinobu Iura (Amazonian Rainforest, Brazil), Flordemayo (Mayan - Highlands of Central America/ New Mexico), Julieta Casimiro (Mazatec - Huautla de Jimenez, Mexico), Margaret Behan (Arapaho/Cheyenne - Montana, USA), Maria Alice Campos-Freire (Amazonian Rainforest, Brazil), Mona Polacca (Hopi/Havasupai/Tewa - Arizona), Rita Pitka Blumenstein (Yup’ik - Alaskan Tundra, USA), Rita Long-Visitor Holy Dance (Oglala Lakota - Black Hills, South Dakota, USA),Tsering Dolma Gyaltong (Tibetan)
The 13 Grandmothers full bios can be found here.

Learn more About Us by Watching Footage filmed for the Grandmothers' documentary, For the Next 7 Generations

Why Nepal? Why Now?

When they first formed their alliance, the Grandmothers vowed to travel to each other's homeplaces until they had gone all the way around the circle. This November, it's Grandmother Aama Bombo's turn to host the 12th Council in Nepal. This Gathering, "Praying for Peace in the Land of the Buddha" puts a strong prayer in motion at a crucial time for our planet, in a place where prayer really matters.

The 12th Gathering --  in 2012

November of 2012 is on the cusp of what some believe will be the Great Awakening, when the Mayan calendar finishes its cycle in December.  In Grandma Aama Bombo's tradition, this year of 2012 marks the transition from the Age of Destruction to the Age of Truth. May it be so!

This Gathering is the 12th Council Gathering -- but it's not the last. Next year the story will continue, as the Grandmothers begin visiting the homeplaces of their Ambassadors, such as Maori Grandmother Pauline Tangiora in Gisbourne, New Zealand, and Wise Elder Saami Grandmother Laila Spik, in her summer home in the far north of Sweden.

Save Our Planet

With each Gathering, the Grandmothers' global community has grown. Their prayers and healings have been experienced by thousands, and their community has become increasingly inclusive and diverse.  But bringing the Grandmothers together from all over the world is costly: each Gathering costs about $200,000 to organize.

We've already raised over $100,000, but we need your help to ensure the safe passage of our elderly Grandmothers, their travel companions, and their translators to the remote land of Nepal.The Grandmothers hold traditions that must be protected; they carry prayers that must be heard.
Currently, the Grandmothers need another $90,000 to complete their funding for the 12^th Gathering in Nepal. 
Note: all donors of $25 and more will receive a tax-deductible receipt for their donations, since the Grandmothers are a program of the Center for Sacred Studies, a California  501(c)3 nonprofit organization.With 11 Gatherings successfully completed, the Grandmothers want to carry their prayer to the Land of the Buddha.  Attending a Gathering can be a magical and transformative event - no matter how many people attend, the Grandmothers will pray for them all - no matter how many people come forward for healing, the Grandmothers will welcome them all.

See pictures of past gatherings.

How the World Benefits

In this highly significant year of 2012, the Grandmothers are inviting everyone to join the prayer toSave Our Planet. "Grandmother power" is now a global phenomenon. No longer relegated to the footnotes of history, grandmothers are finding their voices and their power to protect their tradtions and their healing practices, in an effort to ensure the survival of the world for their children, their children's children, and for the next seven generations to come.
The Grandmothers Council has already inspired many other grandmothers, elders, women's organizations, environmental organizations and wisdom keepers to step forward to join the movement to Save Our Planet. The world benefits by joining the Grandmothers in their prayer for peace.
Your support:

• Fully funds the 12th Council Gathering in the Land of the Buddha, just before the Festival of Lights.

• Shows age does not matter in the quest to Save Our Planet
• Helps indigenous peoples preserve their native healing traditions
• Inspires other elders to step forward and become caretakers of the Earth
• Empowers more women to do more to Save Our Planet
• Raises awareness about the tide of destruction caused by illegal logging and mining
• Informs the public about our waterways being poisoned
• Teaches people that all life is sacred and helps protect wildlife from extinction
• Helps indigenous peoples recover from abuse and addictions
• Educates the public about the systematic genocide of people and the loss of cultures
• Promotes the signing of the Earth Constitution to create a borderless world through The Borderless Land of Imagine Nation
• Allows film-makers to shoot the gathering for the documentary "The Making of Imagine Nation" by award winning film maker Abbey Neidik of DLI Productions

In most cultures, women and elders are the caretakers of the family and the protectors of the children and children's children. It is no wonder these elderly women are standing up and taking a leading role to make a difference. If we do not act now to help Save Mother Earth, what will happen to our children’s children?
For more information:
- Watch the documentary film about the Grandmothers, "For the Next 7 Generations". Watch the Trailer here
- Click the image below to order a copy of the film:

- Visit the website of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers here and check out their Numerous Friends & Allies here.

Summary

Name of Campaign:       12^th Grandmothers Gathering for PeaceSlogan:                             LET’S JOIN THE GRANDMOTHERS TO
                                          SAVE OUR PLANET
Subtitle:                            Grandmothers Gather to Save Mother Earth at the
                                          Birthplace of the Buddha
Date:                                 Nov. 8 - 11, 2012  (Extended Journey Nov. 13-20)
Place:                               Kathmandu, Nepal
Organized by:                   International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers
Registration:                     You can click here to register for the gathering

Other Ways You Can Help

Please help us get the word out about our campaign Also, you can join the expedition and the gathering by registering here. You can also contact us here for more information.
Note: Funds from this IndieGoGo campaign are received by the Grandmothers Council office at the Center for Sacred Studies, a 501(c)3 non-profit religious organization registered in the State of California.

Credits

Footage in the promotional video for this campaign courtesy Carole Hart and The Laughing Willow Company. Carole Hart created the award-winning documentary film about the Grandmothers, "For the Next 7 Generations". See www.forthenext7generations.com