Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony in Kenya: Update

Date: March 09, 2012
Location: Laikipia, Kenya

On March 4, 2012, Head Priest Shinso Ito, performed a Shinnyo-en fire and water ceremony in Laikipia Kenya, at the Gallmann Nature Conservancy on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, the cradle of humanity. View video of the full event.

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Her Holiness Shinso Ito was joined by Shinnyo-en clergy and members from Europe and Japan and was supported by Nairobi-based professional drummers and dancers and by local members of the Pokot and Samburu communities. The live audience included attendees of the Global Peace Initiative of Women 10^th anniversary conference, with over 200 leaders of religious, social justice, and environmental organizations, as well as an equal number of Kenyans from Laikipia.

Photo Gallery

Local community of Pokot women attend the ceremony	Her Holiness Shinso Ito approaches the site of the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony	Samburu community members at the ceremony

Dena Merriam, Founder, Global Peace Initiative of Women. The Shinnyo-en fire and water ceremony was performed at the 10th anniversary conference of GPIW	Her Holiness Shinso Ito approaches the altar for the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony	Audience for the March 4th Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony in Laikipia, Kenya

Young men from the Pokot community participated in the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony	Her Holiness Shinso Ito approaches the altar for the Shinnyo fire and water ceremony	Her Holiness Shinso Ito officiating at the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony

Young men from the Pokot community in ceremonial dance	Traditional Japanese sword dance preceding the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony	Chanting as the fire of purification burns

Her Holiness Shinso Ito officiating at the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony	Contemporary dancers from Nairobi participate in the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony	Young men from the Pokot community in ceremonial dance

Kenyan dancers participate in the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony representing the gather of living and celestial beings at the Mahaparinirvana moment	Kenyan dancers participate in the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony with puppets representing the animals of the universe that gathered at the Mahaparinirvana moment	The March 4, 2012 Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony in Laikipia, Kenya was webcast live around the world and can still be viewed

Contemporary dancers from Nairobi participate in the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony	Symbolic lantern floats across the lake in Laikipia at the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony	Lantern and tree representing, in local Kenyan tradition, the continuity of life

Ms. Kuki Gallman (right) founder of the Gallmann Memorial Trust and the Laikipia Nature Conservancy, host to the March 4th Shinnyo fire and water ceremony and the GPIW 10th anniversary conference	Her Holiness Shinso Ito officiating at the Shinnyo Fire and Water Ceremony	Ceremony participants and audience join together in finale dance of celebration