Cultures + Generations + Hearts + Connected
Bitahnii Wayne Wilson
Bitahnii Wayne Wilson is a Dine'h / Navajo Baha'i from the remote community of Pine Springs on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Wayne belongs to his mother’s Bitahnii (Folded Arms Clan) and is born of his father’s Toh ahee dliinii (the Two Waters that Flow Together Clan). Wayne also belongs to his maternal grandparents’ Toh di'chiinii (Bitter Water Clan) and his paternal grandparents’ Tsi'najinii (Black Streak Running on the Tree Clan).
the late Grandmother Nesbah Burnside
Wayne was taken in and raised by his Grandmother, the late Nesbah Burnside, and Grandfather, the late John Burnside who were brother and sister. His mother and father became alcoholics due to their historical trauma and Boarding School experience and the children were taken into by the Grandparents. Wayne experienced mental and physical abuse and became a victim of domestic violence within his own family unit despite what was happening at that time with the separation from his mother and father.
Grandfather and First Talking God
Wayne continued on living and helping his Grandparents set up in preparation and in doing ceremonies in a circular dwelling called a hogan. The late John Burnside was a Medicine man and his mentor in learning about spiritual teachings and some ceremonial ways.
Wayne began learning at a young age of the teachings of the circle, the four directions, the connections of the different times of the day, the four seasons, the four aspects of the self ( emotional, mental, physical & spiritual development ) that are tied together with the four sacred mountains and the four directions all in the Navajo language and in his first classroom the hogan. He was introduced to education and school at Pine Springs Boarding School on the Navajo Nation in Az. and at Fort Wingate Boarding School, NM. During this time, he had lost his Grandmother in 1976 and his mother in 1979, and eventually his father in 1980. He was then raised by his aunts and uncles who taught him about the Native American Church that used the plant peyote as a medicine and was affiliated with the Native American Church of Navajoland as his two uncles were ordained in that way. Mr. Freddie Roan Sr. and Mr. Elvan Roan would run ceremonies for Wayne and his brothers and sisters for their success in school and he eventually Graduated in 1988 from Valley High School / Sanders Unified School District in Sanders AZ.
the late Grandfather John Burnside with the late uncle Dan Deshcheenee Sr. The photo portrays a process of the Blessing way ceremony,
Wayne Wilson with his uncle, Freddie Roan Sr. Standing in front of a Tee pee Church the night before a Native American Church Peyote ceremony.
Wayne began studying the Baha'i Faith in 1989 at the Native American Baha'i Institute in Burntwater, Navajo Nation, AZ and then in 1991 he continued his studies at Lou hellen Baha'i School while pursuing general studies at Mott Community College, Lansing Community College, and Central Michigan University along with going to school he was introduced to the Indigenous Great lakes Tribes, The three fires tribes the Anishnabe, Potowatami, and Ottawa peoples their sweatlodge, longhouse, their spiritual teachings, and way of life as he was also adopted into their ceremonial longhouse all within the state of Michigan.
Wayne is also was initiated into the pow-wow by his navajo code talker uncle, the late Mr. Willsie Bitsie. From there on, Wayne became a native pow wow dancer and artist, offering a variety of things within his culture by helping out with traditional ceremonial practices, with sweat lodges, protection way, beautyway and / or blessing way ceremony along with other ceremonial doings and gathering up medicinal herbs. Wayne also took up an interest in other healing arts within the Asian culture that would benefit his own health. While he was attending college in Michigan, he studied Qi Gong, Tai Chi Chuan and Kung Fu.
When he came home to the Navajo Nation, AZ, he was initiated in the Yei Bi' Cheii – a nine night ceremony along with the protection, blessingway teachings and ceremony. Wayne also has some knowledge of traditional Navajo herbal medicine.
Wayne is certified in the NADA - National Acupuncture Detoxification Association's five point acupuncture training. He is a member of two global non-profit men's groups, the Illuman and ManKind Project that help men become accountable for their actions through counseling and support. He has worked with the Navajo Nation Community Development Office and Oaksprings Chapter of the CLUPC - Community Land Use Planning Committee that does a variety of things to help build and develop communities within the Navajo Nation. Currently, Wayne is completing clinical and educational facilitator training with The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, with the goal of integrating alternative trauma-relief methods into his healing work.
Wayne has been doing powerpoint presentations and some spiritual teachings at Mott Community College MI, Oakland University MI, Wayne State University MI, Bowling Green State University, OH and several other communities within U.S.
Since March 2020 when the covid-19 pandemic was declared, Wayne has been helping and assisting in making water barrels, water, food, and firewood available to the elderly and families with no running water and no electricity,
To contact Bitahnii Wayne Wilson: Taaltsohozho@gmail.com
The Walk in Beauty Prayer
Dine'h Navajo prayers are done in a Ceremonial, Holy, and Reverent way in order to walk, live, be, and exist in Hozho
Haashch'e Yalti' Hozhogo Sohodizin Bei Ha'tah Hozho (First Talking God Healing & Restoration Prayer)
Koo Doo Hozhoo Doo (May it be Beautiful from here)
Kininaeghai Abini Ha'yolkaal Hoghaan (The Holy Threshold of the Eastern White House Made of Dawn)
Abini Ha'yolkall Hoghaan Gone'h e'h (In the house made of dawn)
Abini Ha'yolkaal Sohodizingo Beh bi'yi' hane'h (In the beginning a prayerful healing chant was first sung at the First ceremonial threshold within the Holy House made of Dawn, this is what was said)
Abini Ha'yolkaal Hozhogo Bi' Chi'ji' ahlilli ahtiin (On the First Beautiful Holy Path that leads to the Eastern Holy Dawn Pathway)
Haashch'e Yalti' Ahlilli, Ha eh ah, Abini Ha'yolkaal! (O Holy Blessed Being, First Talking God of the Eastern Dawn!)
Haashch'e Yalti' Bi' Keh K'iji' Hozhogo Naha dzii, Bei Shi keh K'iji' Hozhogo Na Dzii (As His Blessed feet has become Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again, my Blessed feet has become Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again)
Bi' Gaan Hozhogo Naha Dzii, Bei Hozhogo Shi Gaan Naha Dzii (As His Blessed Arms / limbs are Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again, my Blessed Arms / limbs are Healed, Restored & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo Bi' Tsiis Naha Dzii, Bei Hozhogo Shi Tsiis Naha Dzii (As His body is Blessed, Healed, Strengthen, & Restored again, my body is Blessed, Healed, Restored & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo Bi' Nintsahakees Naha Dzii, Hozhogo Shi Nintsahakees Naha Dzii (As His Blessed Mind is Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again, my Blessed mind is Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo Bi' Neh Naha Dzii, Hozhogo Shi Neh Naha Dzii (As His Blessed Voice is Healed, Restored & Strengthen again, my voice is Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo Bi' Tsos Naha Dzii, Hozhogo Shi Tsos Naha Dzii (As His Blessed Plumes is Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again, my Blessed Plumes are Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo Bi' Daagii Nahadzii, Hozhogo Shi Daagii Nahadzii (With Beauty Before Him He is Blessed Healed, Restored, and Strengthen again, with Beauty Before me I am Blessed, Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo Bi' Keeh Deeh Naha Dzii Hozhogo Shi Keeh Deeh Naha Dzii (With Beauty Behind Him, He is Blessed, Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again, with Beauty Behind me I am Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo Bi' Yaa Deeh Naha Dzii, Hozhogo Shi Yaa Deeh Naha Dzii (With Beauty Below Him, He is Blessed Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again, with Beauty Below me, I am Blessed Restored, & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo Bi' Dehgo Deeh Naha Dzii, Hozhogo Shi Dehgo Deeh Naha Dzii (With Beauty Above Him He is Blessed, Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again with Beauty Above me I am Blessed, Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo Taaltso Bi' Naago Deeh Naha Dzii, Hozhogo Taaltso Shi Naago Deeh Naha Dzii (With Beauty all Around Him He is Blessed, Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again, with Beauty all Around me I am Blessed, Healed, Restored, & Strengthen again)
Hozhogo T'a di'diin Bi' Neh Yeh Yalti', Hozhogo Ta'di'diin Shi Neh Yeh Yashti' (With Corn pollen He has a Beautiful voice , with corn pollen I have a Beautiful voice)
Hozho Nahasdlii, Hozho Nahasdlii, Hozho Nahasdlii, Hozho Nahasdlii (It is finished in Beauty, It is finished in Beauty, It is finished in Beauty, It is finished in Beauty)