Customer Reviews

To Become a Human Being: The Message of Tadodaho Chief Leon Shenandoah

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This is a wonderful message from the spiritual leader of the Iroquois people, recently deceased. A gentle man, whose simple words ring with power. Leon's message is that kindness is strength. Steve Wall's interviews with Chief Shenandoah are a treasure, gifted to a world sorely in need of his gentle humor, great wisdom, and humility.

This book is a MUST read for everybody. It was very well written by Steve Wall, a retired National Geography editor who spent many years with Leon Shenandoah, Chief Tadodaho of Iroquois Nation. Leon Shenandoah, Chief Tadodaho is from Onondaga Tribe, which is known as the central firekeeper of Six Nation, that of Iroquois Confederacy. The book does not only shed some lights into Iroquois and Native America culture but more importantly it shed so much insight into life and what it means to be the ultimate human being that we all are. In 2006 I had a vision while I was asleep when a Native American gentleman appeared in front of me, saying nothing but appeared to know who I was. I did not know who he was or what he was trying to tell me until approximately one year later when I ran into this book, by mere accident. When I saw a picture of him in the book I broke down and felt the presence of a powerful spirit, realizing that it was the very same man that came to me in my vision. Since then I've become a Tadodaho Messenger, in which I've purchased numerous copies of the book and distributed them to seekers that I run paths with. The book contains powerful message and hope for all human beings. Chief Tadodaho teaches us to be the firekeepers that we all are so that we're able to instill small fires in each human beings and give them hope so that they'll begin to do good for other human beings. Thus, it created the birth of Firekeepers Association, also known as www.firekeepers.com. Read this book and you'll begin to understand many great things about life. You'll also learn about your own center and why it's important to build yourself and grow from the center.

Leon Tadodaho, Chief Tadodaho passed away some time in the 1990's and was largely unheard outside of Iroquois Nation. That's because he did not bother to gain celebrity status under the spot lights. Instead he spent all of his time working with his people and helping them. Make a trip to Iroquois Nations and ask anybody there about him and you will find them weeping in great pain because they all miss him miserably. Fortunately for us, Leon Shenandoah, Chief Tadodaho did not forget us. He spent many years preparing Steve Wall with important messages with hope to have a book published so that it'll benefit everybody when and if they're willing to take a brief pause in life long enough to read his important messages. The book was published after he died but yet his spirit continue to travel as he continue to work on things that are important to the Creator. Look no further than introduction "foreword page" and you will read "When I go, I'll not be wanting to leave. So I'll have some visiting to do. Look out! I may come to see you. You know what I told you, 'Pay attention. And listen. There really is no death'."

This book needs to be required reading for every human being on this earth. Powerful. Profound. Deeply spiritual and life changing. What an amazing man. It's too bad our current political leaders are so arrogant, selfish and stubborn. They could learn a few lessons about true, honest, unselfish, genuine leadership from this man, his life and his lessons. There truly is strength in gentleness.

We have so much to learn about being human to one another. Serving all people. God's people and putting God first.

This simple, poetic book is a gem. It is a reminder of things much more important in life than just making money and amassing material wealth. If only there existed an elder like Leon Shenandoah in every family and teacher like him in every school.

This is a good place to start if one is interested in Native American Culture.

Whereas there is the standard obligatory formulaic mystery/mystic old-speak of the aboriginal narrative, I fould the religious reference and allegories to Christianity offensive and counter cultural. The religious colonialism of the last hundred years has imprinted itself on the authenticity of an animist world view. As an aboriginal, I suggest Dee Brown's or Vine Deloria's works, not because they sell the spiritualy of the ancients but speak of the culture-destroying effect of religious cant on a completely heterogenious world view. It certainly has it folkloric value. It was Dr.Dorothy Lee who said of native religion: "if its accessible it cannot be authentic; if its authentic it is not accessible"....and she spent her life in this study