BLUE VESSEL
BLUE VESSEL
ABOUT US
Hadrien Coumans
Founding Member, Executive Director
Hadrien Coumans works with ancestral legacy and cultural continuity in individuals, institutions, and Nations. Hadrien is also Founding Member and Deputy Director of the Lenape Center. Through consultation and development, he addresses complex personal and collective histories and supports cultural revitalization.
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Hadrien serves as:​
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Advisor for Peace and Wellbeing – Appointed by Joe Baker, Lenape Elder
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Kara Baqsï in Kazakh shamanic tradition – Under the auspices of Arman Nurmukhanbetov
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Associate Faculty – Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, New York Presbyterian, Irving Medical Center​​
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Professional Training:​
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United States Institute of Peace: Conflict Analysis; Mediating Violent Conflict; Land, Property & Conflict
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Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute: Training for Trauma Awareness and Resilience
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Student of Lenape Elders (1991–present) and the late Lakota Holy Man Chief Phil CrazyBull (1993–2006)
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Hadrien is a traditionally adopted member of the Lenape WhiteTurkey-Fugate family.
Rachel Bullock
Founding Member, Co-Director
Rachel Bullock was given the name Ngawang Lhakyi - Powerful Speech of Happy Goddess by His Holiness the 41st Saakya Trizin. She is a respected artist deeply committed to fostering connection between humanity and Earth. Her exhibitions in galleries in New York and London have received acclaim, and her artwork is celebrated in collections throughout the United States and Europe. Rachel finds deep joy in cultural collaboration and community building, encouraging harmony among individuals and diverse traditions. Her global engagements include working with the Bankhar Dog Project in Inner Mongolia and supporting educational programs in Hakun Quico, Peru, through the Pneuma Organization, demonstrating her dedication to cross-cultural awareness and ecological stewardship. Her studies in transpersonal psychology and world spiritual traditions underscore her commitment to holistic understanding and community wellbeing.
Pamela Coumans
Director of Communication
Pamela Coumans is an architect, designer, and cultural advocate of Filipino and Chinese descent with formal training in architecture from the University of New Mexico. With over 27 years of experience creating meaningful interior spaces, she has dedicated her career to preserving and promoting Asian artistic traditions and cultural heritage.
As founder and director of the Mula Project, Pamela documents and celebrates Filipino culture, and artistic legacies. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of Fluid Gold Journal, a publication exploring human experience through the voices and perspectives of diverse Asian cultural creatives in the arts, design, and humanities.
Her collaborative work includes partnerships with Indigenous weavers in the Philippines, supporting the continuation of traditional textile arts. She has provided educational sponsorship to the Ati community, ensuring access to learning opportunities that strengthen cultural continuity. She brings deep expertise in creating spaces—both physical and relational—that honor artistic traditions and foster cross-cultural creative dialogue.
Arman Nurmukhanbetov
Lead Advisor
Arman Nurmukhanbetov is the leading voice in Kazakhstan’s Tengrian renaissance and a respected Baqsï (Kazakh shaman) with decades of dedicated practice. Born in Almaty to an archaeologist father who co-discovered the legendary Golden Man, Nurmukhanbetov has devoted his life to preserving and revitalizing the sacred traditions of the Great Steppe.
As founder of one of Kazakhstan’s first shamanic schools and author of the groundbreaking work Kasiet—the first scholarly publication dedicated to the sacred magical gift of Kazakh shamanism—Nurmukhanbetov has developed innovative methods for revealing and developing shamanic gifts that have drawn students from across the region.
For over 25 years, Nurmukhanbetov has championed the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of the Great Steppe’s nomadic peoples through scholarly articles, poetry, songs, documentary films, and television programs. His work illuminates Kazakhstan’s pre-Islamic spiritual heritage for contemporary audiences, ensuring that the wisdom of the ancestors continues to guide future generations.
Joe Baker
Founding Lenape Elder
Joe Baker is the Founding Lenape Elder of Blue Vessel. He is a founding member and Executive Director of Lenape Center in Manhattan. An enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, Baker is a respected artist, curator, and cultural leader who has dedicated his life to preserving and promoting Lenape arts and culture. His visionary work has been celebrated in important institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, American Museum of Art and Design, Brooklyn Museum, Pace School of Law, and the Brooklyn Public Library.