I bought the game on CD. This isn't the first time this has happened, nor it the only bug I've encountered. It is the first time I took pictures and decided to post.

Here are three pictures of should be Esteemed Elders. They are all in the same tribe. This glitch doesn't affect all villagers as some do achieve Esteemed Elder status.

Lala 1
Lala 2
Shuka 1
Shuka 2
Tutuni 1
Tutuni 2

The few of the other glitches are kids not being able to pick up a collectible as it's to close or under water.
Kid picking up a collectible on the Mosaic and not being able to move until collectible disappears.

I can't think of anything else at the moment.

Have you made sure that the villagers are in fact masters in three disciplines? Shuka, in particular, looks like she might still be adept doctor.

Yeah I did. I just didn't take pictures with all of them sayin it as that's alot of pictures

How many Elders do you already have, smart_brat?

I couldn't say for sure, but around half dozen at least.

Just to make sure that we understand exactly what's happening, it's important to know how many total Esteemed Elders have been created since you started playing that tribe. You can determine that by counting the totems that you have placed around the village.

The game is programmed to limit the number of Esteemed Elders/totems, Once there have been 50 elders created, villagers will no longer earn the title, regardless of how skilled they become, even if you have no living elders in the tribe.

Ahhh, that might be it then as I have many totems from the elders no longer living, but only around half dozen living ones.

It's been quiet some time since I played VV2 and did not recall that happenin before. Age and time are memory's nemesis' .... lol

If you click on the Puzzles button then on Statistics, you'll be able to see the number of Elders.