The
Quaker Sweat Lodge (QSL)
The
Quaker Sweat Lodge (QSL)
The Inflammatory "Navajo Times" Article
Distributed to LRCP and other FGC Committee members during the Sweat Lodge
Discussion.
From: "Paul Ricketts" <pjricketts@centralnet.net>
To: <baphipps@earthlink.net; [NOTE: numerous cc: addresses omitted]
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 10:15 AM Subject: Re: Fw: Sweat Lodge
Friends Beckey speaks my mind!
I think we should work with the Committee for Ministry on Racism in seasoning this issue for a year. Please and share this article from the Navajo Times.
http://thenavajotimes.com/National/peck/peck.html
Peace Paul
Subject: Navajo Times: Fort Peck Assiniboine Sioux first to support protection of ceremonies By Brenda Norrell
Special to the Navajo Times 5.16.02
POPLAR, Mont. - The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux, assembled in a meeting
of the Indian Treaty Council, became the first to vote to support a declaration
to protect the sun dance and sweat lodge of the Northern Plains from
exploitation and abuse. "I am behind this 100 percent," said Victor Perry,
president of the Fort Peck Indian Treaty Council.
Among the topics of discussion was a
workshop offered for Star Nation Knowledge on Mount Hood in Oregon. Claiming to
be a chief and heyoka, the man advertises a workshop and sweat lodge at the cost
of $100 per person. The $100 price includes an Inipi ceremony and registration
is available online.
"I don't think he has the right to make
himself a chief," Perry said. Perry said the man could only be a chief if he is
the oldest son in a chief's family or comes from a family of medicine men. Perry
said the most important point is that a true medicine man does not sell the
ceremonies he is entrusted to respect.
"A chief does not sell our rights,"
he said. Bernard Red Cherries, Northern Cheyenne Sun Dance priest, said the
purpose of the sun dance is to sustain life and to humble oneself. Now, however,
in the Pacific Northwest, the sun dance and sweat lodge are being conducted by
non-Indians and Indians without traditional authority to do so. At least one
white person is taking flesh offerings. "This isn't about hating white people. I
don't want my grandchildren going to a white guy to learn the sun dance," he
said. Speaking to Fort Peck Sioux, he said, "If you were to put on a priest's
robe and run around, you would probably go to jail." Red Cherries said the
purpose of the declaration is to protect the ceremonies from being led by
non-Indians and from those who attempt to profit from the spiritual ways. Red
Cherries said the elders are to render guidance for the younger ones, like Calve
Bear First of Fort Peck, who was raised by his parents in a way that he
responded immediately to the need to defend the spiritual ways. Red Cherries
urged those gathered to remember in prayer Navajos at Big Mountain, Ariz., whose
sun dance is led by Lakota spiritual leaders, following the arrests of Navajos
and destruction of the Sun Dance Tree and arbor last summer.
He said there must be
more awareness of the abuse of Sioux and Cheyenne ceremonies throughout the
country. "I know it's an unpopular issue, but we should be talking about it," he
said. "My life has been threatened because I have been talking about this, but
I'm not scared. "During the discussion, one Fort Peck woman said, "I was living
a lie, trying to be a white person. My world fell apart. "When they started to
wake me up. I said there has to be another way to live, to end this suffering. I
said, 'Help me.' "When you walk this Red Road you have to walk it with truth.
You have to be honest about who you are," the Fort Peck woman, who asked that
her name not be published, told the gathering.
She said it is a critical time
for Indian nations and warned that the medicine can be used to hurt people. "We
can get lost in wanting to be powerful." Calve Bear First attended the meeting
with his parents, Calvin Robert First and Myrna First, hosts of a sweat lodge
ceremony after the gathering on Fort Peck tribal land. Bear First said the Sept.
11 tragedies led all Americans to know the suffering that American Indians have
long felt. Bear First said America pours countless dollars into development in
other countries, yet fails to provide American Indians with development funds at
home. He said there are many ceremonies vanishing and hopes there will be
revival of interest in some of the vanishing sacred Sioux ways, such as the
Moccasin Game practiced in Canada. Urging Indian people to live their lives in a
good way, he said, "We don't hurt our selves, we hurt our loved ones. "Red
Cherries offered a message to non-Indians attending ceremonies led by
traditional leaders." If you are here to pray, pray with us. But don't take it
from us. It belongs to us." The Northern Cheyenne understand the exploitation of
the sun dance and will not condone or participate in its practice, Red Cherries
said. on-Indians like Nathan Deon Cagle in California have exploited the
spiritual ceremonies to the extent of being convicted of crimes. Cagle, 49,
known as "Windwalker," was convicted on eight felony counts in Yolo County
Superior Court in California. Claiming to be a Northern Cheyenne spiritual
leader, Cagle charged hundreds of dollars for sweat lodge ceremonies and "vision
quests." He offered native experiences to children and advertised rites of
passage and pipe ceremonies on the Internet.
Cagle, who says he is
innocent, was convicted of theft by false pretenses, extortion, stalking,
embezzlement and other charges. Red Cherries said Cagle and others like him "are
very troubled people and we humbly request that they take pity on us. "You have
already taken so much from us, please leave us with the little we have left."
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