Dance of the Low-Lying Rainbow. A Ceremony in Honor of Our Ancestors

Dance of the Low-Lying Rainbow A Ceremony in Honor of Our Ancestors
The appearance of the rainbow is a physical manifestation of a pathway to the world of Spirit. Join us in ritual as we explore the renewing essence of the rainbow and other water spirits, build a communal altar, and commemorate our ancestors through song, rhythm and healing movement. Please bring a photo of an ancestor and/or item for the altar that represents your healing, and a drum or other percussion instrument.

Iya Mahea is a Priestess of Ifa (an African spiritual tradition), and a dancer and musician. She heads The Sacred Forest, an organization dedicated to the understanding of African spiritual practices. As a dancer and musician, she is the founder and Artistic Director of the Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance of Berkeley, and has toured nationally and internationally as a teacher and performer. She is also a recording artist, and two of her more recent recordings "A Walk by the Sea", and "Ndoro" were both recipients of Hawai'i Music Awards.

She holds a BA in Dance Ethnology, and an MA in Pacific Islands Studies from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Iya Mahea is known for her ceremonial work, creating meaningful and unique rituals, imbued with sacred movement and song, and based on the healing wisdom of Africa.