What the Earth Still Remembers: The Sacred Teachings of the Kikotan People
- DrGuadalupe Vanderhorst Rodriguez
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 1
Several years ago, I found myself deep in the middle of Irish cultural research. I was fascinated by how the Irish—especially their women—held such a strong, respected place in their communities. Unlike many modern systems, Irish women were equal to their men. They shared responsibilities at home, in the field, and in the decision-making of daily life. There wasn’t a tug-of-war between the sexes. There was balance. A natural give-and-take that seemed almost… ancient.
As I read more, something stirred inside me.
I thought about my own family—the women I came from. My mother, grandmother, great-grandmother—they all carried this quiet leadership. They never competed with their husbands. They didn’t have to.
Their strength was clear, their wisdom undeniable. They led the household with grace and power, without ever stripping their partners of their dignity. It was unspoken but deeply felt this was a home built on balance.
And the more I dug into my genealogy, the more I saw this pattern. Generation after generation, women guided the family with heart, and men supported with respect. No hierarchy. Just harmony. It wasn’t until I began tracing my Indigenous roots that I truly understood why.
The Kikotan Nation: Ancestral Balance and Spiritual Harmony
My ancestors are the Kikotan people, an Algonquian-speaking Nation who lived for more than 10,000 years in the land we now call Hampton, Virginia. The Kikotan were one of many tribal groups who lived along the Chesapeake Bay, but they had their own identity, culture, and deeply spiritual connection to the earth.
The Kikotan didn’t separate the spiritual from the everyday. Their spirituality wasn’t confined to ceremonies—it was woven into everything they did:
Planting crops
Raising children
Sharing meals
Listening to the wind
Watching the moon rise
To them, life was sacred, and the earth was alive with spirit. Everything had purpose. Everyone had a role. This worldview wasn’t just poetic—it was practical. It shaped how they lived together as a community. And at the center of that community? The women.
A Matrilineal Society: Women as Life-Givers and Leaders
Like many Algonquian-speaking Nations, the Kikotan were matrilineal. That means lineage, inheritance, and clan identity were passed through the mother’s line—not the father’s.
This system naturally gave women a powerful role in society:
Children belonged to their mother’s clan.
Land and homes were often passed down through the maternal line.
Leadership could be inherited through a woman’s side of the family.
Mothers, grandmothers, and aunties held vital knowledge and spiritual authority.
In a Kikotan home, women didn’t need to raise their voices to be heard. They were the keepers of the land, the memory, the medicine, and the story.
That rhythm of mutual respect—that sense of balance between the masculine and feminine—was something I didn’t realize had been passed down to me. But it was there. In my mother. In my grandmother. And now, in me.
Spirituality Rooted in the Earth
The Kikotan believed the earth was alive. They listened closely to the signs of the natural world: the rhythm of the tides, the migration of birds, the patterns in the stars. They knew these weren’t just natural occurrences—they were messages from the Creator, reminders of our place in the greater web of life.
Spirituality wasn’t about control—it was about connection.
Ceremonies honored the sun, moon, seasons, and cycles of life. Dreams carried guidance. Ancestors were never far away—they lived on through memory, blood, and story.
To the Kikotan:
The land was sacred
The water was healing
The moon was grandmother
The fire was grandfather
And the people were the children of the earth
There was no division between body and spirit, between humans and nature. Everything was one.
What We Lost… and What We Can Reclaim
Sadly, much of the Kikotan way of life was disrupted by colonization. In the early 1600s, English settlers arrived in their territory. They didn’t understand—or value—Kikotan spirituality, governance, or kinship structures.
They came from a patriarchal system where men ruled, and women were often silenced. And they brought those systems with them. Over time, the matrilineal traditions were suppressed, spiritual ceremonies were outlawed, and Indigenous voices were pushed to the margins.
But the truth is:
The wisdom hasn’t disappeared. It’s just been waiting—quietly, patiently—in our bones, our stories, and our dreams. And now, more than ever, we are remembering.
Why This Matters Today
In today’s fast-paced world, we’re more disconnected than ever from our own rhythms—from the land, from each other, and from ourselves. We’ve been taught to compete, to dominate, to silence the softer voices.
But the Kikotan way reminds us:
There is power in gentleness.
There is strength in balance.
There is wisdom in honoring both the feminine and masculine.
By remembering the spirituality of the Kikotan Nation, we’re not just honoring our ancestors—we’re creating a future that feels more whole.
A Personal Reflection
When I sit with my grandchildren today, I think about my grandmother. About her grandmother. And about the women who once walked the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, harvesting shellfish, singing to the wind, and passing down stories under the light of Grandmother Moon.
I feel them in my heart, in the way I speak, in the way I lead my family—not with dominance, but with deep-rooted grace.
This is what we must preserve. Not just the stories, but the spirit.
Final Thoughts: Walking in Balance
Preserving the spirituality of the Kikotan Nation isn’t just about looking back—it’s about remembering who we truly are.
We are not broken. We are not forgotten. We are still here. We are rising.
And as we rise, we do so hand in hand—with the wisdom of our grandmothers, the songs of our ancestors, and the heartbeat of the earth guiding us home.
About the Author:
Dr. Guadalupe Vanderhorst Rodriguez is a proud descendant of the Kikotan Nation, a Licensed Acupuncturist, Reiki Master Teacher, educator, and passionate advocate for Indigenous wisdom and holistic healing. With over 16 years of clinical experience and a Doctorate in Acupuncture, she blends ancient healing practices with modern knowledge to help others restore balance in body, mind, and spirit.
A lifelong genealogist, Dr. Rodriguez has spent decades tracing her ancestral roots and was honored to be featured on the television program "Who Do You Think You Are?" for her work in uncovering family histories. Her dedication to preserving the stories, spirituality, and traditions of her Indigenous ancestors is at the heart of her writing, courses, and healing work.
Through her books, blogs, and wellness education, Dr. Rodriguez empowers others to reclaim their heritage, reconnect with nature, and walk in harmony with the wisdom of their ancestors. She continues to serve as a cultural bridge between traditional Indigenous knowledge and today’s healing journey.
For more information visit: www.kikotannation.com
Comments