Wisdom of the Grandmothers
Four Winds 30th Anniversary Summer Gathering
in GuestHouse Herranniemi, Vuonislahti
29th July – 2nd August 2026
You are warmly welcome to gather and celebrate the 30-year journey of Four Winds Tuki Association under the theme Grandmothers’ Wisdom. Step into a sacred circle where you are invited to share your own understanding of this timeless wisdom and ancient traditions, to listen to teachings carried by grandmothers from around the world, and to connect with the Four Winds family.
Grandmothers’ Wisdom is rooted in the earth, the forests, the waters, and the winds. It is a living connection to our ancestors—the women who have carried communities, families, and stories forward through both hardship and beauty. Their wisdom reminds us of our responsibility: that the choices we make today shape the world we leave for our children and grandchildren. Through this gathering, we also honor the life’s work of Grandmother Carolyn Tawangyama.
Among the invited guests are Māori grandmothers Eila Paul and Taiha-Moetu from New Zealand, as well as Finnish artists and storytellers Anastasia Lapsui and Markku Lehmuskallio.
Additional program details will be shared as they are confirmed.
Eila Paul
Whaea Eila Paul is a descendant of Maori heritage, the Indigenous culture of Aotearoa (New Zealand). She is richly blessed with the heritage from two strong Iwi (tribes) – Tainui and Ngati Raukawa. “My mountain is Maunga Tautari and my Awa (rivers) are Waikato and Waihau, holy to my people.“
Whaea Eila Paul travels throughout Aotearoa, North America and Europe offering sacred seeds of knowledge and healing. Eila works with people of all walks of life, weaving deep and sacred connections to Mother Earth and to the hearts of all beings using nature, storytelling, sound, ancient traditional songs, prayer and dance. Eila is a practitioner of Hawaiian body work, does body readings, Reiki, and shaman work. She is able to take people into a world of magic, guiding them back to their own roots and inherited gifts. She is a minister and offers marriages, funeral services, home blessings, baby blessings, and guides personal retreats.
Currently Eila is the coordinator of The Sharda Retreat Centre, whose philosophy is the Sufi Path of Love, Harmony and Beauty.
Taiha-Moetu
Taiha-Moetu is descended from Ngai Tauhoe and the Kahungunu Tribes of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Taiha-Moetu in light language means, “I stand for my dreams and in my power.” Taiha comes from two family lines of healers and leaders of the tribe of Tuhoe. Her knowledge has been handed down to her by several Maori Tohungas [Shamans] and acknowledged Elders of her tribe. Moetu has spiritual access to information that only a few people can access.
Growing up with her special gifts, being taught the art of healing through love since childhood, Taiha has traveled the world sharing those gifts. Taiha’s professional portfolio holds a wealth of knowledge and her specialty is working with the cellular system. This method helps to transform trauma by identifying and releasing memories and scar tissue and replacing them with new patterns that empower. Taiha works on the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and etheric layers, supporting you to access your “KNOWING.” Go on a journey for self-empowerment to discover your Truth, your Wisdom, as she helps you uncover the Beacon of Love and Light that you are.
Taiha is a Shamanic Seer and Intuitive Healer who has done trauma healing for over thirty years. Moetu is also a transformational coach and mentor who runs Women’s Self-Empowerment workshops nationally and internationally,
Anastasia Lapsui & Markku Lehmuskallio
Anastasia Lapsui descends from Nenets people of the Yamal Peninsula. The Nenets have traditionally been reindeer herders. Markku Lehmuskallio is a Finnish-born award-winning documentary filmmaker. His long career in film began in the 1960s. The couple has made a large number of films together whose themes are indigenous peoples (of Siberia, Northern Canada and Scandinavia), traditional lifestyles and their conflicts with the modern world. They have 11 films together.
If you want to get to know their documentaries before the camp, some of them are now on view at Yle Areena. An interview with Markku and Anastasia can also be found on the association’s own website. Anastasia and Markku have been on the Four Winds Association journey since the 1990s.
Virko Kolulahti
Virko Kolulahti is a mother, a wonderer of life and a wanderer who listens to the language of nature and the wisdom of the heart. She has practiced shamanism and drum building for over 20 years. Virko is a bearer of the Holy Prayer Pipe. She was chosen and guided on the path of the pipe by Charles Lawrence. The wisdom of her ancestors and the traditions of indigenous peoples are in Virko’s heart. For 18 years, Virko has been part of the Circle of the Four Winds – a community where we walk together towards our own roots, truth and connection.
For Virko, shamanism is not just mysticism far from everyday life, but a lived life: encounters, quiet moments, singing by the campfire, steps on forest paths. Virko encourages people to return to what is true – not according to ready-made forms, but from their own core and the whispering of their heart.
We invite you to fully immerse yourself in these five unforgettable days. Together, we will journey to the sacred Koli mountain, a place of deep significance and beauty. The program will be rich with music, shared experiences, and meaningful encounters, with special activities also created for children.
Day tickets will be available later for the Koli excursion on July 31, when we will ascend the sacred mountain in a spirit of presence and reverence. There, we will gather in silence and ceremony to honor Mother Earth and the Grandmothers—those who came before us, and those yet to come.
Your ticket includes the full program, excursions, nourishing meals, and accommodation. At Herranniemi, you will be cared for with generous full board and a warm, welcoming atmosphere—an ideal space to arrive, rest, and gently open into the world of Grandmothers’ Wisdom.
The event is substance-free.
Delicious vegetarian meals will be served daily, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
EARLY BIRD Tickets (until the end of April):