James Uqualla is a member of the Havasupai Tribe—the People of the Blue-Green Waters—whose ancestral homeland lies within and around the Grand Canyon. A Spiritual Elder, cultural ambassador, ceremonial leader, and wisdom keeper, Uqualla has devoted his life to carrying forward the teachings, stories, songs, ceremonies, and spiritual understanding of his people.

Born into a family deeply rooted in traditional ways, Uqualla was influenced from childhood by his grandfather, Arthur Kaska, a traditional medicine man, and by his mother, who carried knowledge of traditional hunting, deer tanning, gourd making, songs, and dances. Guided by Elders and immersed in ceremony from an early age, he came to understand ancestral knowledge not simply as something inherited from the past, but as living wisdom with meaning and responsibility for the present.

Storytelling and sacred oratory are central to Uqualla’s work. Drawing upon the ancient traditions of his people, he uses story, ceremony, prayer, and what he calls Ceremonial Theater to help people reconnect with the Earth, Spirit, community, and their own responsibilities within the web of life.

Uqualla has served as a spiritual advisor and ceremonial leader, offering prayers, blessings, healing ceremonies, and teachings. His journey has brought him into relationship with Indigenous and spiritual leaders throughout the United States and internationally, where he has shared Havasupai perspectives and advocated for respect for Indigenous traditions, sacred lands, and Mother Earth.

At the heart of Uqualla’s message is the understanding that ancestral wisdom remains alive and relevant. Through prayer, story, ceremony, and sacred oratory, he invites people to remember their relationship with the Earth and recognize their responsibility to the generations yet to come.