| Margaret Behan | |
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Margaret Behan blessing a 350.org event
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| Tribe | Arapaho/Cheyenne |
| Born | July 4, 1948 Watonga, Oklahoma |
| Nickname(s) | Red Spider Woman |
| Known for | President of the Cheyenne Elders Council. |
| Education | Chilacco Boarding School, Jr. College in Weatherford, Oklahoma and Brigham Young University |
Margaret Behan is a Native American spiritual elder who is Arapahoe-Cheyenne and a fifth generation of the Sand Creek Massacre.[1] Through her work as an indigenous elder stateswoman, Margaret has gained international recognition through her work as part of the Council of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers - a group of spiritual elders, medicine women and wisdom keepers since its founding in 2004.[2]
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Margaret claims that she was prayed for and a peyote ceremony was arranged before her conception.[3] Peyote was always seen as a healing medicine to her and her family.
When Margaret had children, peyote was important for her children too. After her son suffered from a high heart rate her grandfather and uncles conducted another ceremony and cured him. Margaret claims that heart specialists were amazed as they had never seen such a change.[4]
The mother of Paul Quintana, Margaret's mother-in-law at the time, noticed how well Margaret worked on a pair of beaded moccasins and suggested that she might want to work in clay. Margaret felt so confident in her new career as an artist that she resigned from her job in 1982 and took up her new artistic career full time.[5] Later moving to Taos, New Mexico due to the properties of the clay there.[6]
Margaret suffered from alcohol addiction as a young woman. She feels that she drank in order to 'fit in' with her friends. With the aid of addiction clinics, and more of her grandfather's peyote ceremonies, Margaret was able to become free of her addiction.
As a result of this experience, Margaret has trained to be a Licensed Substance abuse Counselor and led retreats for children and co-dependants of alcoholics[7] to help other First Nation people that had found themselves in a similar position.[8]
Margaret is the President and founder of The Cheyenne Elders Council. This charity was founded in 2008[9] and has the mission to, "Heal Our Own Oppression."[10]
In 2004, Margaret was approached by The Center for Sacred Studies to serve on the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. These thirteen Grandmothers are internationally known Keepers of Wisdom, Medicine Women and Shaman and come from all four directions of the world.[11]
The Council has been active in protecting indigenous rights and medicines, promoting ancient wisdom. The Grandmothers have also petitioned the Roman Catholic Church to revoke a 15th Century Papal bull and related edicts which brought about a culture of 'rape and run' culture when new lands have been discovered. The Grandmothers have visited the Vatican City in order to hand-deliver their request. However, these medieval decrees still yet to be revoked.[12]
Margaret was invited to join the council through, she feels, being known through her work with addiction.[13]