About Us

Marcela Sabin Ponce
Secretary and Co-Chairperson
Member, Executive Committee

My ancestors are the Celts from Galicia, Spain, the Basque people from France, Anglo-Saxons from Hannover in Germany, and Italians from Ostiano in Cremona. Even when I was young, I was very interested in the indigenous and traditional cultures from all over the world. As I grew up, I studied traditional dances, ceremonies, and healing practices. In college, I conducted a research project on traditional healing practices of Mayan midwives in Yucatan, Mexico, which included living in the indigenous community of Xcalacdzonot for 6 months. Living with the Mayan people opened my mind and spirit to very different ways of understanding reality, awakening in me a deep admiration of the rich and complex culture of the indigenous peoples of Mexico.

When I came to the US and had my first contact with the Indigenous Mind Program, founded by Dr. Apela Colorado at Naropa University in Oakland, the first question that I was asked was “Who are your ancestors?” This touched me deeply, because until that moment I had never thought in my self as being Indigenous. I was born in Argentina, in Cordoba, to parents who were children of immigrants from Europe. I knew practically nothing about my ancestors during my childhood. Every now and then, I would hear a family anecdote that someone remembered or had heard. At that time, Europe sounded like a strange place, far away in time and space. I grew up believing that the children of immigrants had no particular roots, no culture, no special history of their own.

During my Indigenous Mind studies, Dr. Colorado led me to reconnect with my tribal history and bring back my ancestors -- their names, places, stories, ceremonies, and memories. This has been a long journey of remembering who I am. Knowing ourselves and remembering who we are continues for all our lives. We constantly transform ourselves in this unending process. What we start continues in the lives of those who follow us, in our families, our communities, in all our relations. We have been called to continue teaching and bringing this work of discovery to others.

I am blessed to be a part of Circle of Ancestors, and this community of people who are engaged in a deep process of remembering their ancestors. Indigenous science allows you to rediscover and restore your indigenous roots, to honor the ancestral spirits, revive ancient ways of knowing, and facilitate healing through multi-cultural dialogues. We hope to use this space to share our learning processes with others, to open new questions, and awaken new memories and opportunities for others as well.  Email

Atava Garcia Swiecicki
Treasurer
Member, Executive Committee

My ancestors are the Polish Slavs, Hungarian Magyars, Dine (Navajo) from Turtle Island and the Otomi people from Central Mexico.

Since 1989 I have been studying and practicing acupressure massage. In 1991 I began to study herbal medicine. A curiosity about the healing traditions of my own ancestors led me to Mexico in 2000 to study with traditional Mexican healers. One year later I was enrolled at Naropa University Oakland in the Indigenous Mind Concentration and met the founder and director of the Indigenous Mind Concentration, Dr. Apela Colorado. As I studied with Dr. Colorado and my cohorts in the Indigenous Mind Program, I knew I had found my life's work. My Master's thesis at Naropa was entitled "Journey to My Polish Indigenous Mind" and was an in-depth exploration of the earth-based spiritual roots of my Polish Slavic ancestors.

My calling in this lifetime is to remember and resurrect the ancient healing traditions of my ancestors. The earth’s living wisdom keepers inspire me: the indigenous healers and elders who have kept alive their language, their stories, their ceremonies, their plant lore and their healing traditions. Many of these practices have endured in spite of thousands of years of colonization, re-location, enslavement and genocide. I believe that this wisdom of the indigenous, earth-based people holds the key to our survival as a planet. I honor the spiritual and healing knowledge of my all ancestors; the memory of which lives in my bones.

I am blessed to be a part of the Circle of Ancestors and to be working with people similarly called by Spirit to remember and heal their own indigenous roots.

For more about my professional work, please visit my website: www.ancestralapothecary.com. Email


Heidi Guttmann
President and Co-Chairperson
Member, Executive Committee

Heidi Guttmann, MA, is a filmmmaker whose work has been shown at the Native Voice film festival.  She holds a Master’s degree from Naropa University in Creation Spirituality, with a concentration in Sacred Cinema.  Her 2 years of post-graduate work have been in the Indigenous Mind program led by director Dr. Apela Colorado, of Oneida and Frank ancestry, professor at Wisdom University.  Heidi has since served as adjunct faculty in the Indigenous mind program and been a guest lecturer.  When Apela first met Heidi she said, "I don't want you doing this work alone."  This has been the guiding concept for her work with Circle of Ancestors; it takes communal support to remember who we are.

Heidi was a presenter at the 2008 International Association of Dreams Conference.

Heidi’s ancestors on her mother's side are the Han and Tibetan people of China; on her father's they are currently unconfirmed, but probably Celt and/or Anglo-Saxon, possibly some Native American.  She was born and raised in San Francisco, California, U.S.A. 

Her dream is that Circle of Ancestors becomes a sacred container and  blessing to the community for the important work of remembering who we are. Email