Jose’ Emigdio Ballon

Emigdio Ballon, is a member of the Quechua Indian culture and was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He earned his Bachelors degree in agriculture at Major Bolivian University of Saint Simon in Cochabamba, Bolivia and his Masters degree in plant genetics in Colombia. He studied for his Doctorate at Colorado State University. As a plant geneticist he has specialized in research on quinoa and amaranth grains and has published many articles about them in both South and North America.

Emigdio has served as an organic certification inspector in the United States and has made many presentations at major conferences on agriculture. He has studied principles of bio-dynamic farming at the Josephine Porter Institute of Applied Bio-Dynamics and continues to study and make presentations at various seminars.

In his little free time, Emigdio pursues research into germination techniques for a wide variety of crops, including traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic herbs and herbs indigenous to Northern New Mexico. His other interests include seed saving and sharing, bio-dynamic and organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices. He is also involved with Native American organizations which stress the importance of seed saving and promote the revival and continuation of traditional crops, both nutritional and medicinal. He employs traditional Quechua techniques and rituals which he learned at his grandfather’s side as a boy in Bolivia.

Flordemayo 

            Flordemayo was born in a small village on the Nicaragua/ Honduras border in May of 1949,  the youngest of 15 children. Her father was a local shaman and Flordemayo’s mother was a midwife and a healer. After the death of her father, and because of dangerous political conditions,  Flordemayo, her mother, and several of her brothers and sisters moved to New York City in 1960.  Upon completion of high school, Flordemayo married Marshall Hall and raised a son and daughter in upstate New York.

            During this period Flordemayo continued to study about her heritage as a healer;  both about her own traditional practices and the spiritual practices of other traditions and cultures.  As her children grew,  Flordemayo began to work as a healer/ curandera.

            In 1993 Flordemayo moved to New Mexico and continues her spiritual work and study of Native American practices and traditions.  As part of this work she has committed to become a Sundancer and also studies with several respected medicine people.

            Flordemayo considers her Mayan heritage a keystone of her work.  She studies under Don Alejandro Oxlaj, a shaman and head of the Mayan Council of Elders, who convened the first Gathering of Indigenous Priests and Elders of America in 1994.

Patricio O. Dominguez

 Born: Summer of 1949

Tribe: Pueblo de Las Cruces

Civil Status: Married in the Native Tradition to a nice Navajo Lady. Two children and one grandson.

Education: Traditional and University of New Mexico

Profession: Itinerant Shaman. 

Patricio was born in a small traditional community and was cultured by the contact of not only his parents and Grandparents that lived in the community but he was fortunate enough to have a Great grandmother's influence until he was 13. His Great grandmother's specialty was herbs and his grandmother healed by the power of touch now called Reiki, Joray etc. 

At the age of five Patricio was presented in a public ceremony to the medicine men to be blessed as a man of spiritual knowledge. He now dances with the tribe at four major feasts per year.

Patricio now lives in Albuquerque is on the advisory committee of the International Indigenous Coalition is on the board of directors of NIM E, is delegate to Elders Council and has served on the Board of Directors of the Confederation of Indigenous Elders and People of America as secretary.