IONS Northwest

Awakening the Dreamer

An Evening of Native American Poetry and Music

with

Sharmagne Leland-St. John
Lauded Native American Poet

accompanied by

Paul Nyenhuis



Native American Flute Maker & Player of Beautiful Songs

with guest

and

Navajo Beauty Way Blessing



with
Patricia Anne Davis

Monday July 14
7:00 - 9:15 pm
The Sanctuary at East Shore Unitarian

12700 SE 32nd
Bellevue 98005 (I-90 at Richards RD)
Fee: $10/$15 at door
Working Scholarships Available

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We invite you to this special evening dedicated to weaving beauty, grace, and passion in the Sanctuary at East Shore Unitarian. Let your senses languish with language and sound as your mind and heart enter this unique inter-cultural dialogue.

An Evening of Native American Poetry and Music is a not for profit community event to support inspired artists who join together to gift a unique, spontaneous presentation.  Each stands as a spokesperson  for an original community, speaks for the Creator, and gifts their wisdom to join communities.  This evening launches initiatives of collaboration among diverse communities. Please join us for...

A programme of music and poetry featuring lauded Native American poet Sharmagne Leland-St. John; Paul Nyenhuis creator of beautiful Native American flutes and player of gentle, soulful, spiritual flute music; Silversong Belcourt, founder of Honor Day; and Patricia Anne Davis, The Beauty Way.

This 7/14 Greater Seattle IONS Community Group meeting celebrates consciousness, spiritual activism, and community building while introducing you to several Northwest indigenous communities. We honor all our Native brothers and sisters and and open ourselves to the circle of oneness presented by:

Sharmagne Leland-St. John has been published world wide in literary journals, anthologies, and on the internet, has recently been nominated for the highest poetry award in America, The Pushcart Prize for 2007. Sharmagne Leland-St. John is a Native American poet, concert performer, lyricist, artist, and film maker. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the poetry e-zine QuillandParchment.com.  

Her award winning poem I Will Dance For You is being taught in in Washington State Curriculum. Her poem Promised Land, a poem on democracy, was published by The United Nation's Dialogue Among Civilization's Through Poetry. Tiny Warrior is published in pamphlet form and is being used in hospitals in Upstate New York to teach doctors and nurses how to help parents deal with their grief over the loss of a child. Her poem Promised Land, a poem on democracy, was published by The United Nation's Dialogue Among Civilization's Through Poetry. 

She has published 2 books of poetry Unsung Songs (2003); Read a Barnes and Noble Review. Also read reviews of Silver Tears and Time published in 2006. She also co-authored a book on film production design: Designing Movies: Portrait of a Hollywood Artist (Greenwood/Praeger 2006). Contingencies ~ a third collection of poetry will be published spring 2008.

Sharmagne Leland-St. John lives both in L.A. and Snohomish, WA. She is a proud member of the Confederated Colville Tribe of Nespelem Washington and also of Spokane heritage. She tours the United States, Canada, and England, as a performance poet, either solo or with her band of poets "Poetry in Motion."  

Paul Nyenhuis is a flute carrier, maker of extraordinarily beautiful and rich sounding Native American flutes. Each flute is an inspired work of art, unique in its creation and gift to the planet. Paul brings these flutes to the many gatherings he is invited to transform with the enchanting songs that come from his own connectedness to the universal song. He considers every flute and its own unique melody a gift from the Creator. Beauty, peace, and grace can be felt through each flute and the range that Paul creates a musical dialogue with Sharmagne Leland St. John's expressive words. Paul never sells the flutes he makes. They become gifts for the people connected to them. Paul plays for our community often to introduce notable speakers to IONS Northwest.

Silversong Belcourt

"Most people think honor is something that is bestowed upon you based on things you do. We're here to teach that honor is planted in your heart from birth and that each of us has a special gift to give." Silversong

Silversong Belcourt is the founder of Native American Indian Honor Day. It has been observed since the year 2000 and continues to grow. Elders, teachers, students, leaders, and artists support Honor Day through signed petitions. Native American Indian Honor Day provides for all tribes and cultures to express what it is they honor in a good way that benefits the whole. In 2008, Honor Day will be celebrated locally on July 16 at the Seattle Center, Fischer Pavilion featuring a Native American Indian Honor Day Circle Ceremony called The Hoop of Spiritual Leaders at the Seattle Center - 8/16/08.

Native American Indian Honor Day annually August 20^th  (The official date) is a day for human beings. It honors the idea that each person has a gift that serves the world, in a good way, through honor, so we may solve the many tasks needed to build a world we love to live in and a life we love to live. Presently there is no inclusion of long standing Native American Indian ways in our observed holidays. We are hoping that one day there will be a recognized holiday that is a contribution toward peace, harmony and understanding.

Many years of oral tradition have revealed that honor is a powerful personal dynamic too ignored in modern life. Honor allows the personal gifts you hold to emerge and serve the world. Are we the cherished dream the elders spoke of?

Beginning in 2000 Honor Day was awakened IN A TRADITIONAL WAY ON the Lummi, Nooksack and Swinomish nations and AND TRIBES, THEN BROUGHT OUT FOR THE WORLD IN BELLINGHAM, WA USA. Since then we have reports from many countries around the world that recognize the opportunity. Read Native American Indian Honor Day Proclamation.

Patricia Anne Davis is an Elder Indigenous diagnostician practitioner by ancestry, lineage and tribal initiation. She is born of the Choctaw, Chahta for Navajo, Dineh: taa chii nii & Kii yaa aanii. She has worked in health and human services over 20 years and is one of the original writers of the Navajo Nation Dineh Division of Education culturally proficient K-12 "Beauty Way Curriculum." She has traveled to seven countries teaching Native American spirituality using principles for reframing the social eco-economic system. Patricia was trained by her late father who was a medicine person for over forty years providing ceremonial healing services to three generations of Native people. She designs presentations, workshops, spiritual counseling and ceremonies for individuals, families and organizations using a lovecurrency embassy concept within the natural order context.