Walking Eagle's Native American Family Dance Ceremony:
From Wednesday, June 16 to Sunday, June 20.
The 2027 Walking Eagle Native American Family Dance will take place in Weed, California, from Wednesday, June 16, to Sunday, June 20.
It's a five-day ceremonial gathering rooted in Indigenous ways of prayer, relationship, and responsibility.
The Family Dance strengthens connections across generations. It provides a ceremonial space for families to come together, remember who they are, where they come from, and the responsibilities they carry forward.
This Ceremony is tailored for families, elders, and future generations, and it is held with intention, respect, and collective accountability.
Through shared rhythm, movement, prayer, and presence, cultural knowledge, values, and relationships are carried through lived experience.
Movement, rhythm, and presence are understood as living forms of prayer.
Walking Eagle's Family Dance is our equivalent to the Native American Dances of the Sun (we cannot use the word "Sundance" due to copyright issues).
The origins of this ceremony trace back to ancient ceremonial traditions of North American Plains Indigenous peoples, practiced since time immemorial.
* This is a Ceremony, not entertainment. *
It is our way of preserving and promoting Native American Culture, Values, and Traditions while bringing the community together.
And to fund this year's Dance, we need all the financial help we can get from participants, dancers, and private donors, as well as support from local businesses.
Ceremony Leadership & Lineage:
Walking Eagle (Hün-Na-îtch) (Jack Thom, Sr.) is a beloved Káruk Elder who has led Native American, Indigenous, and Spiritual Ceremonies in Siskiyou County, Northern California, for over forty years.
He supports the spiritual growth and healing of people from diverse cultures and backgrounds worldwide.
He serves as the Intercessor and Ceremonial Leader of the Family Dance, responsible for the ceremony’s spiritual integrity, safety, and proper conduct.
He is the nephew of Charlie "Red Hawk" Thom (1928-2013), a legendary Káruk Medicine Man born in Quartz Valley, California, who became a notorious ceremonial leader, a knowledgeable culture bearer, and a protector of the environment and sacred sites.
The ceremonial knowledge was passed to Waking Eagle by tribal elders, who entrusted him with the responsibility to carry it forward well.
The Family Dance is held within that lineage, with respect and accountability, honoring both the ceremony’s ancestral origins and the responsibilities of those who carry it today.
These ceremonies are rooted in community renewal, gratitude, sacrifice, and responsibility to the people, and are carried out to strengthen families, restore balance, and uphold cultural continuity.
Walking Eagle has appeared on multiple TV shows and documentaries.
He appeared in four episodes of Ancient Aliens on the History Channel, and he has also appeared on the Discovery Channel and the Travel Channel, among others.
In September of 2025, he participated in a filming for the Japanese TV Show "Another Sky".
In January of 2026, he was interviewed by two TV Shows: The UnXplained (hosted by William Shatner on the History Channel) and Expedition X (hosted by Josh Gates) on the Discovery Channel.
As the Intercessor, Waking Eagle leads the Family Dance, and all participants are expected to listen to and follow his guidance.
Each dance carries its own responsibilities, and all who enter are expected to respect the Intercessor’s direction and the specific rules of the dance being performed.
Purpose of the Family Dance Ceremony
The Family Dance exists to:
• Pray for families, children, and future generations.
• Preserve and carry forward cultural teachings, values, and responsibility.
• Support community renewal and continuity.
• Strengthen intergenerational connections.
• Create a ceremonial space where families are supported, witnessed, and held.
• Healing and cultural continuity are understood to occur together through relationship, presence, and shared responsibility.
Ceremonial Structure
While specific responsibilities, songs, and protocols are held by those entrusted with carrying out the ceremony, the Family Dance generally includes:
• Opening and grounding the ceremonial space.
• A shared ceremonial circle representing unity, continuity, and accountability.
• Drumming and movement, offered as prayer.
• Collective holding of the space by families and the community.
• Teachings are passed down through observation, participation, and care, keeping culture alive and accessible to future generations.
Dress Codes, Conduct & Ceremonial Guidelines:
• Women: Long dresses and a T-shirt. Body, legs, and shoulders are covered at all times.
• Men: Fully clothed with pants and shirts.
• No ball caps.
• Clothing must be modest, respectful, and appropriate for the ceremony.
Women on Their Moon:
Women who are on their moon (monthly period) are asked to:
• Remain in a designated area separate from the arbor and ceremony grounds.
• Inform the ceremony staff or the Intercessor so proper guidance can be given.
• Follow specific ceremonial protocols provided for this time.
• This is a matter of respect, balance, and ceremonial safety, and is handled with care, privacy, and dignity.
Failure to honor these expectations may result in removal from the gathering.
Conduct Expectations:
• Act right at all times.
• No stealing, no lying, no cheating.
• NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS OF ANY KIND.
• Please leave essential oils at home.
• No harmful, disruptive, or disrespectful behavior.
• Be respectful, kind, and courteous.
• Move and speak with awareness of others, especially elders and children.
• Listen to and follow the guidance of the Intercessor and ceremony staff.
• Please do not bring your egos or anger.
• Bring peace and joy with an open heart.
• Please bring your own snacks, water, and drinks for personal needs.
Personal Responsibility & Liability Notice:
All participants are responsible for their own conduct and personal belongings.
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The organizers and ceremony staff are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal items.
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Participants attend and participate at their own risk.
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The organizers, staff, and hosts assume no liability for personal injury, loss, or damage incurred during the gathering.
• Each person present is responsible for caring for themselves, their belongings, and the space.
PARTICIPATION CONTRIBUTION:
THIS IS A FIVE-DAY GATHERING AT A PRIVATE, FENCED, AND SECURE LOCATION.
ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE
$300 PER PERSON AND $500 PER COUPLE FOR THE EXPERIENCE.
$300.00
PER
PERSON
MEALS
WILL BE
PROVIDED
$500.00
PER
COUPLE
Contributions/Donations are tax-deductible:
Spirit of the Wind is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.
When you contribute to participate in the Family Dance, your donation is tax-deductible.
Charitable donation receipts are available upon request.
Financial Restrictions:
If you have financial restrictions, please email contact@spiritofthewind.org
with your name and phone number to inquire whether additional options may be available.
REGISTRATION:
All Dancers and attendees must register to participate.
For contact, please call or text:
Walking Eagle (Jack Thom, Sr.)
+1 (541) 891-8573
or
Gentle Springs (Barbara Humiston)
+1 (541) 591-4818
As mentioned above, Walking Eagle is gathering funds for this event.
Every donation helps, and we thank you for your support.
Closing Statement:
The Family Dance is only possible thanks to the joint effort of our Spirit of the Wind Family, Friends, Board of Directors, all the Dancers, Helpers, and Volunteers. It takes a village to put together and organize something of such magnitude.
It is carried out with the understanding that preserving culture means living it.
Each person present—youth, parents, elders, and community—plays a role in protecting the ceremony, honoring responsibility, and ensuring that cultural knowledge, connection, and right relationship continue in a good way for generations to come.
Thank you!
The original text on this page was written by:
Renee Frye from Sacred Sol Healing Institute, in Klamath Falls, OR.