**Taino Illustration by Ferni Vazquez "Let the Waters Bring Forth"
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ART- the use of skill & imagination in the production of things of BEAUTY
Video of Kuya singing a Mexica Water Song for a Zoom circle with Spirit Root Medicine People: Indigenous Two Spirit Lifeways (Spring 2021 - Ohlone Territory)
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Kuya'karanuta'ni Gonzalez (formerly RaheNi) is a Two Spirit Afro-Borikua Taino Ceremonialist, Sacred Artist, Culture Bearer & Cultural Organizer. Kuya is deeply committed to the work of healing our collective wounds of colonization, modernization & industrialization. They are passionate about creating sacred space & Altars for the facilitation of ceremonies rooted in indigenous wisdom. They are blessed to have been walking on the Red Road for almost three decades. Kuya is Project Director & core facilitator for Spirit Root Medicine People: Indigenous Two Spirit Lifeways, a wellness project for the Two Spirit/QTBIPOC Community. They are also a core member of the Healing Clinic Collective, a Huichin (Oakland, CA) based grassroots healing justice project which strives to plant seeds for a return to the sacred. One way the HCC does this is by offering free healing clinics rooted in Ancestral traditional medicine ways. Additionally, Kuya teaches workshops focused on healing, medicine making, self care & Ancestral remembrance. They have taught meditation in many settings including prisons and to women with cancer. As a caregiver, they have helped many in their journey to the other side. They have completed a year long Mindfulness Yoga & Meditation Training, a year long intensive in Commit to Dharma and a year long intensive in the North American Nonviolent Communication Leadership Program. Kuya has over 2 years of accumulated silent retreat practice, they have completed 4 traditional vision quests & almost three decades of indigenous ceremonial practice & vipassana practice. They are also a Master Gardener & Indigenous Permaculturist. ​ ​
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FOR CURRENT INFORMATION ON WORKSHOPS, EVENTS & CIRCLES, PLEASE CHECK MY INSTAGRAM PAGE & MY LINKTR.EE

​​2022 Highlights

I was humbled & honored to be spotlighted in a new book, "The Curanderx Toolkit" by Atava Garcia Swiecicki. This book is the first of its kind as the majority of healers spotlighted are Two Spirit! In the book, I share some of my personal story. I also recall an important encounter I had with my Abuela in the dream realm. There are 12 other awesome Curanderx featured in the book as well as many plant remedies & methods for self healing. Read a more detailed description & purchase the book here.
I was so deeply humbled & moved when Abuela Ana Nanichi Tlahuicoatl & Iya Nana N'kisa Alai Chemi sent offerings & asked if I would "receive" a sacred Canoe & envision a Blessing Ceremony. This Canoe was carved out of a Sacred Ceiba Tree by an Elder in Kiskeya (the Dominican Republic) & they brought it all the way from there. This Canoe traveled all the way across the US in order to be the first Canoe to hold a Tribe of Afro Taino who will now join their Indigenous Relatives on the Tribal Canoe Journey, an annual trans-national Indigenous voyage & gathering in the Pacific Northwest. This journey is an inter- tribal reclamation of our sacred relationship with the waters. But it is also very important to point out that the Taino embarking on this journey are Taino who identify as Queer, Trans & Two Spirit. The fact that this will be the 1st Taino delegation to join this journey & that the delegation is also queer is history in the making. It’s a huge step for our people in reclaiming an Indigenous identity that was taken from us when the US proclaimed that the Taino were extinct & that gender was a binary system. This journey & our participation in it is one way we, as Indigenous people, not only honor our Ancestors, but resist being invisibilized. The Canoe Blessing Ceremony was held on August 26th & there were over 100 people in attendance. It was very special for all Caribbean Indigenous identified folx in the Bay Area, CA (Huichin), queer or not, to come together within an inter-tribal ceremony & be honored & celebrated for who we are. Many offerings were made to Ohlone Leader, Corrina Gould & she also made many offerings to our community. It was a beautiful exchange & it almost felt like we were transported back in time! But here we are doing what our Ancestors have always done! This ceremony was made possible with the support of my Spirit Root Medicine People: Indigenous Two Spirit Lifeways project, which continues to go strong with monthly circles (mostly online) for the 2SQTBIPOC community.
In October, 2021, I travelled to New Mexico & laid down a prayer that I would "somehow" find property there for both myself to live a more quiet life for part of the year & also for my 2SQTBIPOC relatives to have a place to gather, practice ceremony & heal with the land. I said "somehow" because I didn't have the financial means to make it happen & I had no idea how my prayers would be answered. Then, within 7 months I found myself on an acre of property in Tiwa territory that was bursting with wildflowers including purple verbena, horehound, mexican hats & desert primrose.

With the help of several donations, there is currently a 28' camper/trailer & a 13' yurt on the land. We also have a small solar system & several power tools for building a cabin/tiny house & that is the goal for 2023. My hope is that we will start having a few small QTBIPOC gatherings by Fall 2023. Updates about this will be posted on my Instagram page. 


​​2021 Highlights


​In March I was honored to offer the opening prayer/opening of the directions for the Healing Clinic Collective's "Gender Justice Training" 

​Spirit Root Medicine People: Indigenous Two Spirit Lifeways continued to offer monthly circles. In September we were one of 8 groups awarded the Belonging In Oakland: A Just City Cultural Fund two year grant! Below Image is of a "hybrid" in person/zoom circle we had in May called "What Are You Birthing." This circle was sponsored by the Intergalactic Council Of Midwives. In this sacred circle we discussed "birthing" in all its forms. 

​In June I offered "Queer Care" online for Ancestral Apothecary School in Oakland. This offering was in honor of the Stonewall Riots. Below video was played at the start of the session.

After 6 months of being on the coordinating committee for the Healing Clinic Collective's first TGNC2S Healing Clinic, here I am in October holding sacred space with my friend & fellow curanderx, Alma Rosa who came from New Mexico. 


​2020 Highlights

For me 2020 started off really sweet. The 1st day of the year we had a small gathering in our home. Five Boricua healers & artists & two young ones. We ate Bacalao, Platano & Aguacate. We laughed, sang & jammed out in our living room. Just 5 days later, two high magnitude earthquakes hit our Ancestral land & an "earthquake swarm" was in full swing. Once again, my people were being devastated & in less than a week, I was preparing to fly to Borikén to participate in a gathering of change makers, healers & farmers facilitated by CEPA . After some initial doubt, I decided to follow through with the trip. I am so deeply grateful that I did, because I had no idea what was to come in just a few months time. I had no idea that by the end of March the entire globe would be wearing masks everywhere & I would be spraying home made sanitizer on everything that came from "the outside." Even so, my knowledge of this came too late. Just 1 week after the shelter in place was ordered in CA, I got very sick with what I'm sure was Covid. It lasted for 3 weeks & even after that, the cough lingered & I seemed to tire more easily, but I kept on keeping on. Then, I woke up on Oct. 17th & whatever energy I had was gone. It was like I had been hit by a mac truck overnight. Many of the symptoms I was having had me & my loved ones very concerned. A couple weeks into it, I was rushed to the ER with mini stroke like symptoms. As I write this, it's January 6th 2021 & I am still recovering. I am also still smiling & laughing & loving. Why? Because I come from a people who since the 1400's has had to fight for everything. I am resilient & like my abuela, I know how to make beauty out of pain.
Selfie taken in Huichin (Oakland, CA) December 2020 - Background painting by Two Spirit Artist Tupili Lea Arreano, Mask "El virus es la colonia" by Agit Arte Cultural Works. 
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In early September, I got to participate in the making of a new music video for "Huracan" by Boricua musician & healer, Maria Jose Montijo. I created the altar for the video & I also got to perform as Huracan, the blue masked Taino Zemi/Ancestor. It was the most fun I had in the pandemic! Watch the full video below! 


​I taught three 5 week series called "Corazon Sagrado" for BIPOC at Ancestral Apothecary School. I personally developed this series to help folx begin to strengthen their relationship with self, ancestors & all that is sacred. Participants are guided in both self care practices, the creation of altars & ritual. Due to covid 19 the last 2 series were held online. 
Altar created by RaheNi for one of the final sessions of their "Corazon Sagrado" series.
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In mid September, ancestral and herbal medicine workers, Rosi Bustamante and RaheNi began facilitating a 6 month Circle for BIPOC exploring the teachings within Octavia Butler's "Parable of the Sower." Our intention was to support the "sowing" and strengthening of warriors, ready to forge our emerging future. We rooted our approach to this in the Medicine Wheel and its four bodies: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Participants developed personal goals to support these four bodies. It was a circle of growth, sharing and exploration, among folx committed to being the seeds that will blossom in the future.   ​
Image by Jade Frolics

​In June Spirit Root Medicine People: Indigenous Two Spirit Lifeways, a decolonizing/healing project facilitated by RaheNi & Loa Niumeitolu was awarded the "So Love Can Win Fund" by the Akonadi Foundation. This made it possible for us to move our circles online & connect with folx from all over the US including Boriken! We were even able to invite a few exceptional Two Spirits to share their medicine at our circles. This included the one & only Kumu Hina! Below are a few of the flyers this grant funded. Flyers designed by Kuya Gonzalez. 


​2019 Highlights

In November, I was invited to collaborate on a Two Spirit decolonizing/healing project with Loa Niumeitolu. From that "Spirit Root Medicine People/Indigenous Two Spirit Lifeways" emerged & we began holding both public & private circles funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department. From November through the end of 2019, we held many medicine circles including talking circles, drum circles, arts & community gardening. These circles are continuing to be funded through May 2020 & we anticipate that the funding will be extended. For updated info on our circles please visit our FB page or check my instagram.  
Spirit Root Medicine People, Medicine Circle at the Gill Tract Farm with the Wakan Wiya Two Spirit Drum 

​In September, Karen Lopez, Marcelo Garza & I, organized & lead a Two Spirit Danza Ceremonia inspired by the vision of Maestra Chicueyi Coatl. The ceremony was held on September 22nd at the UC Gill Tract Farm/Sogorea Te/Ohlone Territory & was attended by over 100 people. It was a beautiful ceremony filled with many tears of joy. Below photos by Vaschelle Andre of Divine Photography. 1st photo of the altar/momoxli that I designed. 2nd was taken after the Maestra was given her gifts & we embraced. 


​In August, Myrna Caban Lezcano & I started offering "Presencing Circles" at Soltree Alchemy in Oakland CA for POC & QTPOC. We've committed to offering at least one of these circles every few months. 

Above Photo & Flyer by Myrna Caban


​July 13th, I was honored to participate in "Celebrating Stories: Two Spirit Art & Performance" at the Oakland Museum of California. Programming by Bay Area American Indian Two Spirits (BAAITS). Below is a short clip of my offering.


​2018 Highlights
The entire month of October was spent in my ancestral land, Boriken (Puerto Rico). Myself & Myrna Caban Lezcano were the healing artist residents at CEPA. We offered 2 Queer Circles of Meditation, Prayer & Song. One of these circles also included a sacred pipe ceremony. I gave many limpias to beloved community members & helped create a medicine garden! Below are just a few photos of this healing justice journey & here is a link with full details: Community Healing in Boriken
Flyer designed by Myrna Caban for the Queer Moon Circles we offered at CEPA  
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Happy Boricuas after a full moon Pipe Ceremony
Our Altar
Working in the garden at CEPA

​Altar for August 2018 "Presencing Circle" - Meditation, Sacred Songs & Plant Medicine. Co-facilitated with Myrna Caban Lezcano of ​Flor y Machete

​2017 Highlights
After a deeply transformative year in 2016, Kuya felt called to start offering QTBIPOC Meditation Prayer circles in the Redwoods of Huichin (Oakland)
Playing flute for the QTPOC Meditation Prayer Circle ​


​​2016 Highlights

#aguaesvida Kuya spent two weeks at the Oceti Sakowin Two Spirit Camp, supporting the Standing Rock Sioux, protecting the water, and fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline from November 22nd to December 4th. 
Photo by Marie Kyoko Morohoshi, Dec. 4th 2016 - Oceti Sakowin Camp, ND
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In October RaheNi travelled to Spain to participated in The Truth & Reclamation Pilgrimage. The pilgrimage was a journey toward healing and restoration. A ceremony, a part of a much larger vision toward restoration and healing for Indigenous people and people of African descent in the Americas. A collective from Turtle Island (America), walked in the footsteps of Christopher Columbus. The pilgrimage started on Indigenous People's Day, Oct 10th in Cordoba, Spain, where Queen Isabela & the Catholic Monarchy decided to fund Christopher Columbus' voyages. The walk took about 2 weeks and ended on Dia De Los Muertos/Day of the Dead at the coast of Huelva, Spain, where Christopher Columbus set sail. 

- We walked to educate people about how this history continues to impact our lives

- We walked to bring healing to the ancestors & the collective trauma of colonization 

-  We delivered a letter to the Archbishop of Andalucia, inviting Spain and the Catholic Church to give a public apology to Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and People of African descent who live in the Americas. 

This prayer walk was held in solidarity with both the Standing Rock Lakota, Nakota & Dakota who were fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Black Lives Matter movement. 

The following people led the pilgrimage: Caro Acuña Olvera, RaheNi Gonzalez I'naru, Vaschelle André and Alicia Lueras Maldonado.
Group Selfie, Truth and Reclamation Pilgrimage, Almote, Spain - Nov. 2nd, 2016 Dia De Los Muertos