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Originally posted by kyrebelyell2004
reply to post by Human_Alien
I couldn't watch the whole thing because of whatever was on her jaw/cheek was bugging the crap out of me.
Originally posted by kyrebelyell2004
reply to post by Human_Alien
Wow, now that is most definitely strange, charging someone for this type of meeting is one thing, [I can understand donations] but seriously, if she is here with 10 others to help this world, why not free of charge? lol
The Plastic Shaman List |
I address the issue of pretense and mimicry and posturing throughout this book.
This is a list that is passed around as a document which says it is from a sacred council of tribal elders and it warns against what they call plastic shamans (it used to be plastic medicine men), I guess they mean to imply these people are fake or something like this. It has official sounding language and appears to be a kind of declaration. I first saw this list in the 1980s. The list is the same more or less, but over the years the names change. Maybe after seeing their names on the list these people were stoned or sent to another country. Beware the fakes. Several of these people are dead actually. The web site where I most recently saw this list was in an article entitled “imaginary indians”….. As I am doing here, I need to rant about this list a little. I can do it without reproducing a full color high resolution sample for you to read. Seeing this list again while working on this book has made it impossible not to express my feelings about it.
Maybe it is important to work up some information on all this darkness. Why do people pretend to be shamans? Why do people say they are indians walking around in society while other people who say they are indians say no way you are not an indian? I have met hundreds of people who have told me their grandmother was cherokee indian. I always thought most of these people were bull#ting themselves and I wonder why so many people do it. But then again why are other people so upset about it?
I believe and I was taught that the tribal elders decide upon and give approval for the people who are responsible for ceremonial teachings. Leading ceremonial teachings requires a long line of permissions from many elders. However, any indian person is free to talk about the ceremonies and teachings of their family. A few crazy old American Indians have had visions of new ceremonies. For that matter people are free to just make things up. They do it all the time. The differences in all these behaviors and freedoms are in degrees of intent. To truly say you have worked inside the sacred space you must have the breath and touch of the tribal elders in your life. I do not think there are any exceptions to this.
I have met odd white people who tell people they were chosen by an old Hopi man to tell the prophecies of the Hopi to the people of the world. The Hopi recently showed up at his door with lawyers and a United States Marshall with a cease and desist order. He has written several books about his belief in himself.
If you are not an American Indian and you write about the sacred medicine, some American Indian will call your book trash. If you are an American Indian and you write about the sacred medicine other American Indians will call you a plastic medicine man and bad mouth you to the four corners.
[,,,]
Originally posted by St Udio
reply to post by Wyn Hawks
indeed.... what really tweaked my spirit was the thoughts on the 'dream catcher' trinkets...
where corporate USA sullied a decent thing...all for profits.
Originally posted by St Udio
i won't name names, but i'm pretty sure we know whose being referenced here.