Ilarion Merculieff

Ilarion (Larry Merculieff) was raised in a traditional Unangan (Aleut) way and received his Unangan name Kuuyux at age 4. The name is given to one person in each lifetime. Kuuyux means an arm extending out from the body, a carrier of ancient knowledge into modern times, a messenger. Today he is living the legacy of his name.  Merculieff is the co-founder of six Indigenous and environmental organizations and chaired or co-chaired numerous local, national, and international forums on environmental issues and is the president of the Global Center for Indigenous Leadership and Lifeways (www.gcill.org). He is co-founder of the Wisdom Weavers of the World (www.wisdomweavers.world). He authored Wisdom Keeper: One Man’s Journey to Honor the Untold Story of the Unangan People, and co-authored Stop Talking: Indigenous Ways of Teaching and Learning, and Perspectives on Indigenous Issues: Essays on Science, Spirituality, Partnerships, and the Power of Words.