Bernadette Rebienot

Bernadette Rebienot is a spiritual leader born in Libreville, Gabon. She has gained international recognition as a member of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers - a group of spiritual elders, medicine women and wisdom keepers founded in 2004.
Biography
Bernadette's mother died when Bernadette was 5 years old. Bernadette was taught by her grandmother who was a traditional healer and specialist midwife and Bernadette's father. At an early age Bernadette began receiving visions. Her first vision foresaw her father's friend die through drowning. Her father's reaction to hearing her vision led Bernadette to become reserved about telling people about her gift. Later, Bernadette was sent to a convent to learn.
Whilst Bernadette lived in a boarding school, which was run by Catholic nuns, she again started to share her visions, this time with her friends. However, whilst still living at the school, she became seriously ill with terrible pain and having the right side of her face affected.
Retired as of 2013, she has worked "as an educator and school administrator."
Healing career
Bernadette has been healing people since the age of 40. She has been a traditional African doctor and therapist, and is a master of several rites including the Iboga Bwiti ritual. Bernadette feels that one needs humility and a love of the profession in order to be a traditional doctor.

"My journeys are not about enclosing myself in the solitude of the forest. The forest doesn't absorb my being. Instead, it permits me to capture the secrets of the invisible, of which we are the trustees."

She has served as president of the Association of Traditional Medicine Practitioners for Gabonese Health since 1994. "Jyoti, an American spiritual teacher who holds a PhD in clinical psychology, came to Gabon to study with Rebienot ... mobilized her organization, the Center for Sacred Studies, to sponsor a council for indigenous grandmothers."
Bernadette sees that the Council is greatly needed in order to produce a "reconciliation with nature" and to, "fight to create a bridge between many communities". Bernadette has great regard for the grandmothers that have gone before her, who she calls the pioneers, stating that, "Grandmothers are the root of all nations"
Fran Markover's prizewinning 2008 poem, The Grandmothers, is based on a quote by Bernadette Rebienot:

"In Gabon, when the grandmothers speak, the president listens ..."

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