Today we're joined by Chenoa Egawa, a Coastal Salish ceremonial leader, singer, speaker, environmental activist and artist. In this episode, Chenoa shares stories and wisdom from her ancestry and life experience to uplift and inspire along the healing path.  Chenoa shares her insights on health, wellness and healing through ancestry. She speaks of the healing power of water and food as the first medicines. She shares guidance for how to wildcraft, harvest and work with plant medicines with respect and integrity on Native land.  She shares so many gems of wisdom in this episode - way beyond what we could even describe in these notes, so be sure to listen in and enjoy many times over! --------------------------------------------ABOUT OUR GUEST - CHENOA EGAWA: -------------------------------------------- Chenoa Egawa is Coast Salish of the Lummi and S’Kallam Nations of Washington State. She is a ceremonial leader, singer, speaker, environmental activist and artist dedicated to bringing healing to our Mother Earth, and to people of all cultures, backgrounds and origins through recognition of our shared experiences as human beings.   One of her principal teachings today is the importance of preserving and sharing the wisdom human beings of all cultures, languages and ways of life still hold that benefit the health, well being and protection of all life on our Mother Earth.  In that regard, she serves as a voice to bring Native wisdom and perspectives to the world at a time when these teachings are particularly poignant reminders of our shared responsibility to live with respect for ourselves, one another, and for our Earth. Chenoa has long been active in local, and international work for Indigenous peoples, children and the environment. For over 20 years, she has worked in Washington State schools, creating programs that integrate Native American culture and history, often teaching through songs and storytelling, empowering Native youth and bringing greater appreciation for cultural diversity to all children in the public school system.  Over the past 25 years, she has traveled throughout North, Central and South America facilitating communication among indigenous peoples with the intent of protecting and preserving cultural heritage, languages and homelands. Chenoa was an Institute of Current World Affairs (ICWA) Fellow in Mexico and Guatemala where she studied and wrote on issues concerning Indigenous peoples of both countries.  She was part of an international Native delegation that traveled to Chile to support Mapuche and Pehuenche Indigenous communities in their efforts to halt construction of large-scale dams on their homelands. She served as a Lummi delegate, and as a English, Spanish and Portuguese translator at meetings with tribes from the United States, Canada, Central and South America at the Earth Summit in Brazil.  She also worked as an intern at the United Nations Center for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland, serving as a member of the Secretariat during the 10th Session of the Working Group of Indigenous Peoples. From 2003-2009 Chenoa was Host for the Native news television program ‘Northwest Indian News.’ In 2010 she was Host for the television news program ‘Native Heartbeat.’ Both programs are still viewed across the Western United States, Canada, Hawaii, Alaska and New Zealand. Throughout her work she has served as a bridge in cross-cultural interactions, encouraging mutual respect and understanding among Native and non-Native communities, educators and environmental groups.  As a vocalist, Chenoa has released five albums - Sacred Fire, Road of Life, Heartbeat of Life, Songs of Strength and Beauty, and Spirit of Salishan.  In 2013, Chenoa and her brother, Keith Egawa, released their first children’s book, 'Tani’s Search for the Heart.'  They are currently writing and illustrating their second children’s book, Whale Child, to be released soon.  You can find out more about Chenoa, her books, music and work on he