Artist, Mentor, Storyteller, Elder - John Mahkewa
“Went to bed thinking, surrender, in my thinking of free will and choice, is, merel “to allow intervention “. Without blame or shame, those two words alone cover a lot of emotions we carry.” John Mahkewa
Elder John Mahkewa, Tewa/Hopi is a member of the Hopi Nation, Artice Story Teller
Toni and I met John in 2009 when the three of us earned our Permaculture Design Certication from the Regenerative Design Institute. The venue was DQ Indian University. The first morning I was awake before all but the person playing a native american flute, playing to welcome the sunrise. That was how our friendship started and within a day he made us feel like we had all grown up together. He has been a trusted friend and elder from that time on. John comes to us from Yuma, Ariz. He is the grandson of noted potter, Grace Chapella, who many of his life stories and teachings come from her influence.
John is a polymath and brings with him many passions and talents that he is a master at. He has a deep connection to the traditional art of his people including hand coil pottery, painting, sculpture, musical instruments, writing, and storytelling. He has been a reqular and respected instructor at the Buckeye Primitive Skills gathering as well as other venues from Hawaii and Martha’s Vineyard, Ma.
Here and at his own school he shares his art and his knowledge of native based farming practices, Indigculture, from around the world. Specializing in desert dry farming he has shared his knowledge and skills within local native tribes throughout Arizona. Also, within Indigculture, he shares, Spiritual and intuitive life experiences.
He also shares with us his love for Wildcrafting, although well versed, he is now limited due to the constraints of age to actually forage in the wilderness, he still shares his vast knowledge and skills. His life’s motto is, “Never Give Up”.
He walks the talk and lends his support to social and environmental concerns.
Oh by the way the flute that the kids have heard me play was a gift from John, one he had made, the one he was playing that first morning at DQ University.
