Ok, we can at least put together a much more real picture of the Council of Continental Elders. Just as educated alluded to, there's a bit of a mistranslation of that particular title, it's not completely off, but not completely correct either....just seems to have mainstreamed among them or among people that have anything to do with Adam DeArmon's Institute for Cultural Awareness.
So here we go. Following Spiral Walks link I came on the same info.:
http://www.soundstrue.com/mysteryof2012/?tag=continental-council-of-indigenous-elders"Return of the Ancestors: Global Wisdom Keepers Coming to Northern Arizona
(April 18-28, 2009)
Friday, April 3rd, 2009
The Institute for Cultural Awareness presents a historic International multicultural gathering and sacred pilgrimage welcoming Indigenous elders and future wisdom keepers representing the voice of Mother Earth, beginning Earth Day weekend, April 18-28, 2009 throughout Northern Arizona.
The heart of the gathering will be the 4th reunion of the Continental Council of Indigenous Elders and Spiritual Guides of the Americas. The intention is to unite and share the invited wisdom keeper’s visions and prophesized ceremonies for peace and harmony for Mother Earth and all humanity."
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You can see here there's a much longer title...."Continental Council of Indigenous Elders and Spiritual Guides of the Americas." It's their 4th gathering. The other three gatherings are explained by following the "Institute for Cultural Awareness" link in the text on that page....and they have everything to do with Don Alejandro (for anyone reading...understand I am not saying anything derogatory about him..in fact, I have a lot of respect for him and I find it a shame that some of the people he's coming in contact with here are using him as a means to establish legitimacy as Crowther and DeArmon do...which is completely unfair to Don Alejandro).
So onto the "Institute for Cultural Awareness" link. It contains a more detailed description of the history of the first three gatherings.
Its in a written message from Don Alejandro and reads:
http://www.soundstrue.com/mysteryof2012/?p=842"Message from Mayan Elder Don Alejandro Cirilo Perez Oxlaj
It is my greatest pleasure to know that 8, almost 9 years later the next
Gathering of Indigenous Elders is about to take place in Arizona. Based on the Mayan Prophecies, several years ago, I had the vision to do these gatherings; and so, in 1995, with the help of Creator, I organized the First of these gatherings here in Guatemala, in the Center, the Land of the Quetzal. Like our Mayan Prophecy says: “Those of the Center may unite the Eagle of the North with the Condor of the South, we will meet, for we are one like the fingers of the hand.” Two years later, in 1997, the Second gathering of Indigenous Elders was held in South America, Bogota and the Amazon jungle in Colombia, the Land of the Condor. Two years later, in 1999, the Third one in North America, New Mexico, USA, the land of the Eagle. We joined Americas!
After the Third gathering, the Sacred Staff that had helped us join the three Americas was gone and the gatherings stopped. Eight years of stagnation followed. But now the Sacred Staff is back, the movement has returned. Now we want to reach all corners of the world. All those who come to participate in this gathering will be Messengers of the Prophecies, Messengers of Peace, Warriors to save our Mother Earth and all those who inhabit her: brother animals, trees, all living beings and the world of the stone people. Together we can do it. Together we can bring peace."
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So the "Continental Council of Indigenous Elders" is in reality Don Alejandro's "Gathering of Indigenous Elders". It's not necessarily a council although they could be thought of as one.
The Return of the Ancestors gathering that the Institute for Cultural Awareness put on last year included, as just a part of the whole thing, the 4th Gathering of Indigenous Elders...or in the other ICA's/Crowther et al's terminology....the 4th meeting of the Continental Council of Indigenous Elders. It's one in the same.
The ICA is Adam Dearmon's institute...the Return of the Ancestors link includes welcome messages from Don Alejandro as well as Drunvalo, Kiesha defends them all in her written statements. The pieces all fit.
So her "recognition" as a shaman by the Continental Council of Indigenous elders becomes more dubious as the council, does not have the authority to speak for all indigenous peoples as a "council". They gather as individuals with a strong admirable communal spiritual purpose, but just because someone who believes in their work is presented to them AS a shaman and these people believe it...is not any sort of real recognition. Especially if they've been lied to in the first place. I would venture her idea of "recognition" by them is a much romanticized version of reality just as the "selection by the elders at 8 years old" story was romanticized as well.
Superdog