About

CHIEF JOSEPH RIVERWIND & DR. LARALYN RIVERWIND   Joseph and Laralyn in white

Love. Discernment. Wisdom. Repentance. Forgiveness. Culture.

The RiverWinds are a dynamic, down-to-earth couple with a well-grounded enthusiasm for life. Both survivors of their own personal Trail of Tears, the RiverWinds are resilient overcomers that focus on forgiveness, reconciliation, and love. Steeped in creativity, art, science, history, and culture, their exotic flavor of life is palatable to people of all ages and walks of life.

Joseph RiverWind is the acting Principal Chief of the Northern Arawak Tribal Nation. He is an honorably discharged U.S. Army veteran. Dr. Laralyn RiverWind has bloodlines from the Creek, Cherokee, Irish and Scottish tribes and embraces her cultural heritages as a way of life. She is the Tekina (Tribal Spokesperson) for the Northern Arawak Tribal Nation. The RiverWinds enjoy worshipping their Heavenly Father in song and dance. He plays the guitar and bagpipes. She tinkers on the Celtic harp. They both play the Native American flute and hand drum. He is an instructor of the Native American flute. Together they founded the band The Blessed Blend in which they are lead vocalists. They are Native American Music Award recipients. They have released three CD’s, all produced by Laralyn. Their most recent release “Tribal Thunder,” won the national award for Best Rock Recording of 2011 from the Native American Music Awards, although their sound has somewhat mellowed and become more overtly spiritual, focusing now primarily on praise and worship music. Joseph was named Musician of the Year by the Taino Awards 2013.

The RiverWinds have been ordained ministers since 2007 and both come from families of ordained ministers. Joseph’s father was a pastor for about 30 years, working with several denominations. Laralyn was reared in a missionary family after her parents became ordained ministers when she was a teenager. She lived overseas in the Marshall Islands, teaching at a Christian elementary school. From surviving maritime accidents and avoiding multiple kidnapping attempts to being the escaped target of a serial killer, she has gleaned a healthy dose of life experience in what she calls her “adventures.”

Chief RiverWind is a spokesperson for his tribe. For the past seventeen years, he (joined by Laralyn over a decade ago) has tirelessly educated the public concerning Native issues, history, culture and the arts to all age groups, from kindergarten children to military generals. The RiverWinds are gifted motivational speakers. They have spoken and sung at events such as the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast and countless other spiritual, entrepreneurial, military, and tribal occasions.

Joseph holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Mercer University where he graduated with honors and a master’s degree in Biblical Studies. Dr. Laralyn RiverWind is a naturopath and master herbalist. She graduated from Trinity School of Natural Health in 2015. Prior to that, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology from Valdosta State University where she graduated summa cum. Laralyn is the former Vice-President of the Board of Directors of North Carolina Natural Products Association and has spoken on multiple entrepreneurial panels including the 2012 GREAT Leadership Retreat Panel where she represented a growth company. She is the subject of a biographical chapter in the book A Cup of Cappuccino for the Entrepreneur’s Spirit (Native American Women Entrepreneurs Edition) by Jeretta Nord, winner of the Best of 2010 Small Business Book Awards. Joseph is a published author of the book “That’s What the Old Ones Say” and Laralyn contributed.

The RiverWinds’ teachings specialize in understanding Heavenly timing (the Biblical feasts of the Lord); Native American contextuality in the church; cultural expressions of worship; love, forgiveness & reconciliation, and how to study Scripture in the Paleo-Hebrew (the easy way). Don’t be surprised when you hear them refer to God by His ancient Biblical names or call the Messiah by His Hebrew given name, Yeshua our Great Chief CornerStone. The RiverWinds always speak together when they minister in a tag-team fashion like Priscilla & Aquila in the New Testament. They currently reside on the White Earth Anishinaabe Indian Reservation in Minnesota. They lead FireKeepers Fellowship, the congregation birthed out of the ministry they cofounded, FireKeepers International.