Annual Honoring of the Elders Gathering

Since 1985, Mt. Madonna Santa Clara County Park has been the special spot for the TENA Council to hold the Honoring of the Elders Gathering. Before that, they used to gather in a San Juan parking lot, calling it a powwow. This event's roots run deep in California's history, especially in the Ohlone community. Choosing Mt. Madonna for this ceremony was all about honoring our elders on traditional Ohlone land.

California acknowledges that the area from Point Sur to Point Reyes was once inhabited by the Ohlone people. To honor them, the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department built an Ohlone cultural site at Adams Park in Gilroy. With urbanization, more and more traces of Ohlone history are being uncovered.

This year marks our 36th year of celebrating this special gathering, showcasing traditional dances from dancers decked out in their ancestral regalia. Dancers from various parts of Turtle Island (that's America!) come to offer their prayers through dance or song to the Elders and everyone attending.

Our amazing staff are all volunteers, many of whom have been involved in organizing this event for almost as long as it's been around. They bring their families along, teaching the younger generation the importance of respecting our wisdom keepers.

During the ceremony, the elders are brought into the arbor at Inspiration Point. Each elder is accompanied by a relative who speaks on their behalf, and they're guided to their seat of honor. Traditional honor songs are sung for them by our host drum. Then, the community presents gifts to the elders, donated by locals. Excited children go around giving baskets to each elder, who graciously accepts them. After the gifts are given out, the public gets the chance to show their respect by lining up to greet each elder with kind words and warm gratitude.

The TENA Council invites you to join in this meaningful event!

There are many ways to get involved with Annual Honoring of the Elders Gathering. Attend one of our events or volunteer your time. We'd love to have you!

 To bring people together in a spiritual way of sovereign, benevolence indigenous to the Americas.  

To create survival skills in a natural and ecological way as our ancestors of Native American descent.  

To acquire land for the purpose of building a spiritual village from monies obtained through donations and/or personal gifts, fund-raisers, and investments made by the council.  

To walk in the way of our Creator, with the trees, the winged people and all that is life (known to our people as the Red Road) and/or public law 95-341 American Indian Religious Freedom.

To protect the spiritual right of the traditional Native American way of life.