The Original Instructions: Reflections of an Elder on the Teachings of the Elders, Adapting Ancient Wisdom to the Twenty-First Century
Manitonquat (Medicine Story) is an elder, storyteller, and retired ceremonial leader of the Assonet Wampanoag. A former editor of the native liberation journal Heritage and poetry editor of Akwesasne Notes, he is the author of eight subsequent books. He was a co-founder of the Tribal Healing Council, a member of the North American Indian Spiritual Unity Movement, directs the Mettanokit Prison Circle programs in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, is advisor to the Nature School. A counselor and teacher of counseling, he lectures widely on justice, peace, the environment, conscious evolution and creating a truly human society. He delivered the keynote speech at a United Nations gathering on non-violence honoring Mahatma Gandhi. Together with his wife, the Swedish actress and playwright Ellika Lindén, Manitonquat creates international family camps in many countries to give the experience of tribal living, working, playing, sharing everything and taking care of the children and elders together. Their dream is to create an international Circle Way Village where human beings may safely raise their children together in peace, freedom, equality, cooperation, and love, caring for each other and our relatives that share this beautiful Mother Earth, thus fulfilling our Original Instructions. His newsletter Talking Stick can be found on the Internet at circleway.org.