Sunday morning, October 1, we celebrate Indigenous People with a worship service at 10:00 with Rev. Judy Wellington (above left) delivering the sermon, “Learning from Each Other.” And then we move into Pope Hall to hear Mary Weahkee (above right) talk about utilitarian crafts that she has learned from elders at various pueblos including turkey feather blankets and  yucca sandals.

In addition to these two remarkable women, during the service, we will also pray through the flute music of Sky Red Hawk. We have a lot to learn from our Indigenous siblings.

Watch for more details about this service.

Rev. Judy Wellington

Judith is of Akilmel O’odham (Pima) and Dakota (Sioux) heritage. She has served Native peoples and communities in California, Arizona, and New Mexico during her time in ministry. Judith has worked with the Bay Area Native American Ministry in Oakland, CA; The Presbytery of Grand Canyon as Associate Presbyter for Native American Ministries; Associate Pastor at La Mesa Presbyterian Church engaged in outreach ministry with urban Native Americans; and interim/transitional pastor for several congregations. She retired earlier this year.

Judith has a B.A. in Elementary Education from Arizona State University and received her M.Div. from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She has pursued continuing education opportunities through the Native Wellness Institute and Stanford University Graduate School of Education.

Mary Motah Weahkee

Mary is a member of the Comanche Nation and Santa Clara Pueblo tribes and has been an archeologist for the State of New Mexico for many years. She worked on each of the three
archaeology projects related to recent building projects along Grant Street: Santa Fe Convention Center, First Presbyterian Church, and Santa Fe County Administration Building. Mary spoke to our Dismantling Racism program in February 2021 and had us enthralled with the history of our area and turkey feather blankets.

Mary Wahakee is named after both sides of her family. Her Comanche father’s last name, which was her maiden name, was Motah which loosely translates as plugged nose.  On her Pueblo side  Wahakee means the tinkle of a little bell. She was also named after her Comanche grandmother, Mary,  who was one of the last medicine women of the Comanche Nation. On the Pueblo side her grandfather gave her a name that is illustrative of a field of blue asters so her name is purple haze. She is a mother and grandmother who loves teaching her family and others about aspects of prehistoric and present day Native American cultures.

Sky Red Hawk

Sky Red Hawk (pictured with flute) is from both Lakota/Inde tribes.  His mother is Lakota and his father is Inde (Apache).  For Sky the act of playing the flute is a prayer for all creation that is shaped by Spirit. His pieces are identified as prayers and will be improvised as the service progresses.

Sky manages “Native Sounds” at 228 Old Santa Fe Trail, a delightful shop that sells Native Flutes.  He has several CDs available and free instructional videos on the Sky Redhawk Youtube channel.