OFFERINGS
Offerings Rooted in Spirit
Rooted in care, equity, and reciprocity, ISS is expanding into a global spiritual movement. We are centering voices once silenced, uplifting Indigenous wisdom, and aligning networks of spiritual potency that the world urgently needs. Through ceremony, dialogue, teaching, and healing practices, ISS will walk with communities as we care for Mother Earth and care for one another with love, respect, and compassion.
Back Row, Left to Right: Debbie Plain, Grandmother, Anishinaabe | Miigam'agan, Grandmother, Mi’kmaq | Kahontakwas Diane Longboat, Grandmother, Mohawk | Esstin Niganobe, Grandmother, Anishinaabe | Maggie Dana, Grandmother, Passamaquoddy | Audrey Logan, Grandmother, Delaware | Dora Logan, Grandmother, Delaware | Bridget McGregor, Grandmother, Anishinaabe | Evelyn Stone, Grandmother, Anishinaabe | Denise Churchill, Healer in Training, Anishinaabe
Front Row, Left to Right: Billie Schibler, Grandmother, Métis | Renee Thomas Hill, Grandmother, Mohawk | Cindy White, Grandmother, Mohawk | Kelly Jeffords, Grandmother, Mohawk | Jada McGregor, Healer in Training, Anishinaabe | Not Pictured: Donna Augustine, Grandmother, Mi’kmaq
Grandmothers Fires
Throughout the centuries, Grandmothers in all Indigenous Nations have held positions of influence and power in their communities as Matriarchs of families, clans and Nations as valued wisdom keepers, leaders, medicine practitioners, and visionaries. Today, those same Matriarchs serve in First Nations as leaders, unrecognized in some instances and unpaid, they are performing critically needed tasks of training next generation leaders and Healers, ensuring children at risk are safe, fed and taught their culture, organizing Healers with their specialities, developing food sovereignty, and plant pharmacies.
The work of sovereignty demands the continued belief in our cultural and ceremonial ways and protection of our homelands. To value the work and vision of the Grandmothers, a trust grant will be available to support the important work.
Grandmothers Fires will form with those Matriarchs throughout Turtle Island, Central America, South America, Hawaiʻi, Aotearoa, Africa and Asia. Special retreats to “heal the healers”, provide renewals, and share teachings, prophecies and medicines among each other will be the focus of these international gatherings. When ready, some of the Grandmothers will reach out publicly to share their experiences and wisdom.
International Ceremonial Gatherings
In 2026, two significant gatherings will be held.
Covenant of Nations: Birth and Evolution 2018-present
The mandate for reinvigorating pre-colonial diplomatic relations among Indigenous Nations to renew covenants of friendship, mutual aid, peacemaking and unity is not a dream, but a goal to be pursued across the generations.
The Birth: Parliament of the World’s Religions (PoWR), Nov. 1-7, 2018
In 2018, the Parliament of the World’s Religions was held in Toronto, Canada and brought 9,000 guests worldwide to the 7-day event. The host Nations, Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of the Credit welcomed participants from 81 countries and 118 faith traditions. At the Parliament, the Indigenous Peoples Program co-ordinated the host First Nations and guest Indigenous Nations as they offered the opening ceremonies, over 100 workshops, and presented ceremonies and traditional Indigenous wisdom teachings for 12 hours each day in the Lodge of Nations and then, closed the international gathering with songs and prayer.
The Mandate: Convene a Gathering to Renew Wampum Covenants
While these events were in progress, spiritual leaders from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Anishinaabek Nation gathered for visiting in the office of the Indigenous Peoples Program (IPP). During these conversations, the leaders congratulated the Co-Chairs of the IPP, Diane Longboat and Bob Goulais on the programming that they were seeing at the PoWR and tasked them with convening a spiritual gathering to renew pre-colonial relationships made in covenants in wampum belts.
Covenant of Nations, Sept. 14-16, 2023 Crawford Lake, Ontario
The work began to convene the spiritual leaders of these Nations to a safe and neutral place where they could talk, share, grieve, and remember to repair relationships damaged by war and to imagine a way forward. The full day of wampum teachings by trusted historians Rick Hill, Tuscarora, Alan Corbiere, Anishinaabe, Brian Charles, Anishinaabe, and Harry Wallace, Chief, Unkechaug Nation brought the Ancestors to the Sacred Fire and inside the Lodge of Nations to create momentum for the spiritual support needed for peace making, and unity.
Covenant of Nations, September 19, 20, 21, 2026 Chippewas of Rama First Nation, Orillia, Ontario
Our next gathering will be held on September 19, 20, 21, 2026 at the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. Stay tuned for more information!!
One for Indigenous Nations, spiritual leaders, youth and Wisdom Keepers to share the love of the land, the prophecies, wampum belts, covenants among Nations, creation stories, and to cultivate the belief in the beauty of who we are as Original Peoples.
From Left to the Right: Shelley Charles, Bob Goulais, Fred Kelly
We are honored to hold the Traditional Peoples Gathering. This is an evolution of the Covenant of Nations gathering held in September 2023. This gathering seeks to bring international Wisdom Keepers together with youth and families of Indigenous Nations to build the hearts and souls of the next generation of leaders, healers, teachers, prophets, and visionaries.
Traditional Peoples Gathering
Black spiritual leaders from Nigeria will visit Soul of the Mother to offer an Ancestor Ceremony in their tradition. These ceremonies join the hearts and minds of Indigenous Nations on each side of the Atlantic. We learn from one another and see the commonalities to enrich our spiritual lives. Black communities in the surrounding region will be invited.
Ceremonies
Soul of the Mother (SOM) is our ceremonial home and offers tethering to a spiritual fire for organizational staff retreats, strategic planning and evaluation work.
Training of Next Generation Indigenous Healers
In partnership with universities, foundations, Indigenous international institutes, ISS will train a select number of Indigenous young people on their healing journeys in order to become traditional healers. The training will be accredited.
Rejuvenation
Indigenous traditional healers serve the people not only within our communities but throughout the country. These retreats are designed for their rejuvenation and renewal.
Dream Councils and Vision Gatherings
These are offered for spiritual leaders to learn from one another, share their rich, ceremonial life, and create familial networks of mutual support.