42nd Annual Native American
Elders and Youth Gathering

July 24th – 26th, 2026

Online Program Schedule

All times are EDT, Local time at the Sunray Peace Village, Lincoln, VT

(Schedule Subject to Change)

FRIDAY, JULY 24th, PROGRAM

7:00 am – 8:00 am: Live from the Arbor at Sunray Peace Village

  • Opening at the Sacred Central Fires in the Arbor, starting with the Stick Dance (6:45 am) to clear the space
  • Lighting of the Sacred Central Fires in Arbor – prayers and remarks offered by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, Ani Yun Wiwa, Sunray Spiritual Director; Elders and Sunray Ministers

    8:00 am – 10:00 am: Breakfast Session

    • Grandmother Tatjana Cady, Abenaki, “Moon Circle Teachings for Women and Girls”(teachings on Zoom Only, for women and girls)

    10:00 am – 10:30 am: Preparing for the Day

    • Carrying in the Flags – Britton Family, Sunray Ministers
    • Sunray’s Morning Practices in the Arbor

    10:30 am – 12:30 pm: Morning Session

    • Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo and Reverend Meli open Hybrid/Zoom Elders and Youth Gathering; why the theme; why Youth; why we’re together; welcomes all; welcomes Elder and Youth Presenters for the weekend
    • Reverend Meli, Review of the Elders and Youth Gathering Program
    • Tehoronio Joey David,
      • Grandfather Mike Bastine,
      • Music and Movement Breaks

      12:30 pm – 2:00 pm: Lunch Session

      • Elder Larry McDermott, (presentation on Zoom)

      2: 00 pm – 5:00 pm: Afternoon session

      • Grandmother Hears Crow
      • Abuela Maria Theresa (Grandmother Elena Ixcot), Sowing the Sacred Maiz Within the Womb of Mother Earth
      • Dr. Orest Pelechaty
      • Reverend Nando Ausin, The New Dawn: Sowing Seeds of Abundance
      • Dr. Geraldine Patrick (Damixi), How Mesoamerican Calendars Guide Lifecycles
      • Music and Movement Breaks
      • Presentations TBA and Closing of the day

      SATURDAY, JULY 25th, PROGRAM

      7:00 am – 8:00 am: Live from the Arbor at Sunray Peace Village

      • Opening at the Sacred Central Fires in Arbor with Elders & Sunray Ministers
      • Sunray’s Morning Practices in the Arbor

      8:00 am – 10:00 am: Breakfast Session

        10:00 am – 12:30 pm Morning Session

        • Reverend Meli opens Hybrid/Zoom Elders and Youth Gathering day; reviews the theme; welcomes all; shares highlights from Friday
        • Grandfather Mike Bastine
        • Calpulli Tletl Papalotzin, Aztec Dancers
        • Reverend Co’Relous Bryant,Back to the Garden
        • Dr Rudy Schild

          12:30 pm – 2:00 pm: Lunch Session

          • Sky Road Webb, Weaving Baskets to Receive the Harvest (on Zoom)

            2:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Afternoon Session

            • Reverend Emeritus Chonyi Richard Allen and Lucie Leblanc
            • Zacciah Blackburn and Dorothy Stone, Sound and Light as a Pathway to Restoration
            • Grandmother Tatjana Cady
            • Elisi Joani Henry and Firekeeper Jon Delson
            • Music and Movement Breaks
            • Reverend Meli Kitchens, “Preparing for the Ywahoo Lineage Healing Ceremony and Closing of the day”

            4:30 pm – 6:30 pm: Dinner Break & Preparation for Ywahoo Healing Celebration

            SATURDAY, JULY 25th, YWAHOO LINEAGE HEALING CELEBRATION

            Live from the Arbor at Sunray Peace Village

            7:00 pm – 9:00 pm : Ywahoo Lineage Healing Celebration, with Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo, Reverend Meli, Sunray Healing Gadugi, Dance, Singing, Music, Caretaking & Firekeeping Gadugis

            Join on the Healing Celebration Zoom Link. Registration is not required for this session:
            https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86936032453?pwd=MHd1WGNpdE4zUlBsdmJWSE1RWWJEZz09

            SUNDAY, JULY 26th, PROGRAM

            7:00 am – 8:00 am: Live from the Arbor at Sunray Peace Village

            • Opening at the Sacred Central Fires in Arbor with with Elders and Sunray Ministers

              8:00 am – 10:00 am: Breakfast Break

              10:00 am – 12:30 pm Morning Session

              • Reverend Meli, sharing Agenda for Day and some Elders and Youth Gathering Highlights
              • Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo
              • Panel of Elders with Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, Elders Dialogue on the theme, Restorative Abundance
              • Angaangaq (Kalaallit Shaman)
              • Grandfather Kodata and Ruby Britton
              • Music & Movement Breaks

              12:30 pm – 2:00 pm: Lunch Break

              • Reverend Katherine Amtul Hannan, Seeds of the Future – Creator has encoded us with the seeds of potential gifts,braided into our DNA. With the powers of imagination and aspiration, we can moisten the birth of the Future’s Seeds for the benefit of All Our Relations. (on Zoom)

              2:00 pm – 4:30 pm Afternoon Session

              • Elisi Joani Henry
              • “Sharing from the Heart and Arts of our Youth”
              • Family of Life Ceremonies: “Honoring those who’ve passed”, with Reverend Meli and Sunray Ministers, Tehoronio Joey David, Grandfather Mike Bastine
              • Closing of 42nd Elders and Youth Gathering with Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, Reverend Meli and Sunray Ministers, Dr. Rudy Schild, Jane Struss, and Elders

              MONDAY, JULY 27th, P0ST-ELDERS GATHERING WORKSHOPS ON ZOOM AND AT THE SUNRAY PEACE VILLAGE

              9:00 am – 4:00 pm

              Registration is required for Workshops.Click Here for more details and registration.

              • Workshops TBA
              • Workshops TBA
              • Workshops TBA