Creating Sacred Spaces of Belonging Within the Context of Cultural and Historical Trauma
Publication information:
Abstract
Using storytelling, to decolonize and embrace hermeneutical justice, we will circle and share practitioner testimonies of embracing belonging. Through devotion to Sri Venkateswara, Snehapriya’s testimony explores how pilgrimage binds families, land, festivals, and shared responsibility across generations today. Lola’s testimonio points to contemplative witnessing, in the mist of state sanctioned violence, as a tool to mitigate moral injuries and affirm sacred knowing. Deborah will share how she, as an Elder, continues the sacred invitation and reassurance of belonging in tribal communities that were lawfully denied practicing their ceremonial ways and traditions. Carolyn’s will outline a strategic approach to cultivating a culture of belonging that moves beyond inclusion as a concept and embeds it into everyday practices, relationships, and decision-making.
Presenter Biographies
Delores (Lola) Mondragón is a scholar practitioner of Native American and Indigenous Religious Traditions, U.S. disabled military veteran, and an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation. Her work focuses on rematriation, militarism, rites-of-passage, ceremony, Two-Spirit ways of being, QWOC & Chicanx histories and testimonios.
For 35 years, Carolyn Hartnes has served Indigenous and non-indigenous communities, in the United States, Canada, Norway, Australia and New Zealand, offering consultation to agencies, schools, families and individuals around cultural diversity and wellness, restorative justice/reentry and prevention/intervention strategies relating to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (F.A.S.D.), wellness, recovery, and cultural awareness.
Snehapriya Rao, founder of Pranava Arts Collective, holds an MA in Hindu Studies from the Hindu University of America and is a certified Yoga teacher. A student of Carnatic music under Lalitha Chithra Ravindran, her work explores Yogic arts, community building, and intergenerational stewardship of Indic traditions within the Hindu diaspora in America.