Is this confusing?

[Moma_porcupine]

http://www.miraclenativeretreats.org/

I wasn't sure where to post this, and I decided to put it in Etc . My question isn't so much if these people are frauds ,  as I think they probably are who they say they are . My  question is about what they are doing ,and my concern is that these wide spread advertisements are likely to confuse other efforts to educate people on how to recognize and avoid frauds .

These people are advertising Sweat Lodge ceremonies

The Sweat Lodge Ceremonies are advertised as a part of a " package deal" which appears to be commercial .

They are also advertising Traditional Medicine , Elders Counciling , and talking Circles which are part of a "package deal" which looks to be commercial.


   

*   Eight Medicine Sweat Lodges
    * One Sacred Night Lodge
    * 31 Healing/Talking Circles
    * One-on-one Elder Counseling
    * Specialized ADHD Diet
    * Traditional Medicine
    * Self Esteem Program
    * Special Traditional Therapy
    * Supervised Recreation
    * Licensed Psychologist Sessions
    * Canoeing, fishing, hiking
    * Hot tub and showers facility

Cost includes the following:

    * 31 Days at the Retreat
    * Full Accommodation
    * Comfortable Lodging
    * Special, Nutritious Diets
    * Recreation, Saunas
    * Traditional Medicine
    * Elder's Counseling
    * Cultural Activities
    * Licensed Psychologist
    * Follow-up Services

The cost per client is $161.29 Canadian dollars per day ($5,000 per month) payable in full
to Miracle Native Healing Retreats in advance of beginning of Retreat.

Persons on the staff advertise themselves as traditionally trained , recognized , Elders , Pipe Carriers , Medicine persons and Medicine Healers . For example ;

Staff
Elder Kathleen is of Mi’kmaq descent. She was trained as an Elder by the internationally-known Grand Spiritual Leader of the Mi’kmaq Nation, Elder Nöel Knockwood of Nova Scotia. Elder Kathleen is a Sacred Pipe Carrier and Traditional Medicine Healer. She is past president of the Eldawik Council
of Nova Scotia and holds a clergy license in Alberta.

Elder Alan Hatfield is a Mi’kmaq Indian from Pictou Landing First Nation in Nova Scotia. He is a Life Member of Alberta Council of Native Spirituality Elders. His teacher is Elder Noel Knockwood, the Grand Spiritual Leader of the Mi’kmaq Nation. Elder Alan has been a Medicine Person and Counselor for over 20 years. CBC has produced a full-length documentary about his work and he is a frequent guest on many television and radio programs across North America.

( edited on March 10th ,to add ; In reply #25 and #27 in this thread Alan Hatfield's agent let us know Mr.Hatfield is not involved in Miracle Native Healing Retreats , and his name and photograph were used without his permission . )

I see ads for this " Healing Retreat" all over the place on the internet , and I feel a bit confused .

It seems the Sweat Lodge Ceremony is open to the public every Sunday and there is no mention of a charge . It would seem no one is being prevented from coming to this ceremony for lack of money .

It also sounds like this commecially run Healing Reteats might be helping to fund some good programs for Aboriginal people in their area ;

Four Eagles Lodge is located in Strathcona County and is just on the east side of the City of Sherwood Park, Alberta. Situated on three acres of land, the 5,500 sq. ft. residence is available to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal males 18+ who are serious about their recovery from alcohol and other drugs and who require a spiritual and caring environment.

Accommodation is available for $300 per month. We accept persons on Social Assistance. If somebody requires employment, then we can also arrange work in the Sherwood Park area.

Traditional healing methods are increasingly being integrated with non native medicine , councelling and rehabilitation programs , and in many situations this integrated approach can be very benificial , when this is geared towards helping Native people.  But in situations where I have seen this integrated approach , it is done quietly , behind the scenes ,to fufill a need . I don't recall seeing these benificial integrated programs advertised to the general public or run as a commercial business .

Maybe this wouldn't be so confusing if this was simply Native people offering a Healing Retreat , which includes lodging , nutritious food , recreational facilites and personal counselling , and the advertisement made a brief mention that the program is run on Native values with traditional knowledge and understanding of healing , integrated throughout the program ?

If a Native person was trained in a non native profession of being a Psychologist or a Doctor or was a owner of a recreational lodge or retreat , probably no one would expect their cultural values or knowledge would not be integrated with their other work long as this integration respected the cultural norms which are in place to protect Spiritual traditions .

But when this commercial Healing Retreat advertises Sweat Lodge ceremonies , a Sacred Night Lodge , and persons are advertised as carrying "Traditional medicine " and being "Pipe carriers" and "Medicine People" , it does seem to cross a  line, as to what is generally acceptable in traditional communities .

Even more confusing , they clearly state this themselves in their own webpage
First they say ;

The Miraculous World of
Amazing Traditional Medicine Healers
and
Powerful Native Spirituality Elders
This is the Real Thing!

But then the same webpage further down says;

Unfortunately, at the present time, there are quite a number of would-be medicine people (who call themselves elders, shamans, etc.) who advertise on the internet. Please beware of these people. No REAL Native Indian medicine person would EVER advertise on the internet and  would never set a fee for their services. That would be considered “selling their Spirituality??? and no real Native Elder or Medicine Person would ever do that.

(my bold type )

But then they do exactly that , they ARE advertising and apparently ARE setting a fee for their service .

In my opinion , if these people are the " real thing " as they claim , their behavior of advertising Ceremonies together with the fact this appears to be a commercial enterprise , obviously undermines and confuses the efforts to teach the public that people who advertise and sell ceremonies should not be trusted .

Or is there some fine line here that I am not understanding?

If what these people are doing is seen as OK , because they are real Indians and they have some real traditional training and support , it seems to me accepting the advertisement and sale of ceremonies , as a part of a commercial retreat ,on this basis , sets a precedent which would make it impossible to defend Spiritual traditions from exploitation . Defending Spiritual traditions from exploitation is difficult enough without the definition of "exploitation" being based on highly debatable concepts such excluding people on the basis of race , deciding whether a person is a "real" Indian ,  or defining who has actually recieved "proper traditional training " .  Even within a Native community opinions on these topics can vary a lot .

Alan Hatfield's career of being a medium and recording voices in cemetaries and taking photographs of Spirits sounds very interesting , and I think i've heard Noel Knockwood is a respected Elder , but I doubt all these activites are " traditional". 

http://www.alanhatfield.com/aboutalan.html

http://www.alanhatfield.com/Behindscenes2003.htm

http://www.alanhatfield.com/infra-red.html

These people seem to be setting a precedent that it is OK to mix traditional Ceremonies and Spiritual assistance with other things and with commercial healing retreats , and they seem to be doing this with at least some support from respected Elders and Spiritual leaders . I find that confusing .What do other people think about this ?

[Moma_porcupine]

When I feel confused I usually look for more information . I found lots more information , but I am still confused . Maybe someone else will know what it all means . Having it all rattling around in my head is keeping me awake at night . My own comments are all initalics and [  ]

http://www.miraclenativeretreats.org/

"Staff
Elder Kathleen is of Mi’kmaq descent. She was trained as an Elder by the internationally-known Grand Spiritual Leader of the Mi’kmaq Nation, Elder Nöel Knockwood of Nova Scotia. Elder Kathleen is a Sacred Pipe Carrier and Traditional Medicine Healer. She is past president of the Eldawik Council of Nova Scotia and holds a clergy license in Alberta."

---------------------------------------
[ Is this person below "Elder Kathleen" ? The personal details all fit .]
--------------------------------------

http://eldawikmetis.tripod.com/htmpages/eldawik_history.htm

"2000-2001 Board
Kathy Osborne, Speaker (president)"

"An interested group of people wishing to become members of The Confederacy of Nova Scotia Métis first met in February 2000 at the Friendship Center in Halifax. ( con ... )"

"October 2001, member Kathy Osborne, also an Elder in training under the guidance of Noel Knockwood was honored with the title Aboriginal Elder of Nova Scotia. Later the members elected Kathy Osborne as Elder of Eldawik. ( con ...)"

------------------------------------

http://eldawikmetis.tripod.com/htmpages/eldawik_photos.htm

[ photos of Kathy Osborne and other Eldawik people. ]
-------------------------------------------------
[ The Eldawik Council is a part of the Conferderacy of NS Metis.  A link to their website is below]

  http://www.geocities.com/nsmetis/member.html

"There is NO blood-quantum requirement. We do not see ourselves as simply being a percentage of our Native heritage, but as being 100% Métis and nothing else."
-----------------------
[This group gives out "Certificate of Aboriginal Status"  . Which they claim is; ]
---------

"First and foremost, it is a membership card signifying that you are a member of the Confederacy of Nova Scotia Métis and our National Affiliate, the Canadian Métis Council.

CNSM  represents and responds to the political, social, cultural and economic interests of  Nova Scotia's Métis People.

It is an identification card - signifying that you are a person of Aboriginal ancestry and recognized under the Canada Constitution Act, 1982 as such, and therefore have all the rights, opportunities and privileges accorded to Aboriginal people.  This card system is similar to the way "Status" Indians are registered with the Government of Canada through Indian Affairs and receive a "Certificate of Indian Status" card with an identification number.

Used as an identification card for purposes including, but not limited to, the following:" (con... )

     
-------------------------------------------

http://web.archive.org/web/20040630092503/www.geocities.com/nsmetis/nsnews.html

"From the CBC WebPosted Dec 19 2003 11:14 AM AST INDIAN BROOK, N.S. ? Illegal status cards are circulating in the Maritimes that claim to give Metis the same rights as natives to
fish or hunt. " (con ...)

"Ron Surette, the speaker for the Confederacy of Nova  Scotia Metis, has been fighting to get his members recognized as Metis for several years.  He says he makes it clear when anyone in his organization sells a Metis card that it's for identification only. "Probably some day we'll have some rights. Right now we have no rights at all," says Surette."

------------------------------------

http://web.archive.org/web/20040120031245/www.wabanakiconfederacy.com/appropriation.html

"cultural appropriation: The appropriation or taking of another people's culture.

The following organizations are NOT endorsed in any way by the Wabanaki Confederacy nor the Nations of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Nations of the Wabanaki Confederacy being the Míkmaq (Micmac), Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Peskotomuhkatiyik (Passamaquoddy), Panawahpskewi (Penobscot), and Alnôbak (Abenaki), their respective governing Grand Councils, and their People. These organizations do not represent Wabanaki people in any way, and any claims to do so are fraudulent. They are not citizens of the Wabanaki Nations, and do not have any status as "Indian" with their own countries, the USA & Canada. These are American and Canadian citizens infringing on the rights of the Wabanaki People. Their claims are fraudulent, and their actions are cultural appropriation. The Wabanaki would like for the American and Canadian governments to inact laws to protect the Wabanaki and other Aboriginal People from cultural appropriators and the organizations they invent."

[ there is a long list of organizations and amoungst them ]

"Confederacy of Nova Scotia Metis (Headed by Wendy Annand )"

"Eldawik Metis Council (Member of Confederacy of Nova Scotia Metis, located in Halifax, NS )"

---------------------------------------
[I am not sure who the Wabanaki Confedracy is, or if they really have the authority to speak for the Nations named here .There seems to be different opinions, as Noel Knockwood apparently supports this the Eldawik Metis , while the Wabanaki Confederacy does not . Even if the political agenda of the CNSM is questionable, that does not mean everyone involved knew this . Maybe some of the Mi'kmaq NAFPS forum members would know who these people are ? ]
-------------------------------------------------------
[Noel Knockwood donated some of his books and CDs on Spirtuality and culture to raise funds for the Eldawick Metis . ]

http://eldawikmetis.tripod.com/htmpages/eldawik_knockwood.htm
-------------------------------------------------------
[It looks like Kathy Osborne has done some good work for the Mi'kmaq people through encouraging culturaly senstive mental health programs ]

http://abilities.ca/include/article.php?pid=&cid=&subid=&aid=1642

"Winter 2005

Kathy Osborne, an elder with Cree and Mi’kmaq blood living in Dartmouth, who has been working on a project with the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia to get most of the information on schizophrenia translated into plain language and made available on reserves."
(con ...)

--------------------------------------------------
http://www.miraclenativeretreats.org/

Staff

"Elder Paul is a recognized Treaty Status Nakoda Native Elder. He is a Sacred Pipe Carrier, Sweat Lodge Keeper and Traditional Medicine Man (Herbalist).Licensed as a Native Spirituality clergy under the laws of Alberta, Elder Paul has authority from the Director of Vital Statistics to perform legal marriages. Elder Daniels is also Grand Chief of Alberta Council of Native Spirituality Elders and holds an office of Bishop in Canada’s only Native Spirituality Church. He served as Elder at the well-known Poundmaker’s Lodge in St. Albert and trained the Elder who currently serves there."

[In the webpage found under the Healing link ;]

"In our Sweat Lodges we give worship to the Creator and Jesus Christ as well as our respect to the Helping Angels (known in Native Culture as Grandfathers and Grandmothers) and our Honoured Relatives who have passed into the Heavenly World. We ask the Creator through Jesus Christ to send His Messengers to help us in our earthly difficulties and to heal our bodies, minds,emotions and spirits of illnesses that we may have."

------------------------
[I wondered about this "Alberta Council of Native Spirituality Elders", mentioned above .

The only thing that comes up when I google it , is the link below  ;]

"Private Collateral Lenders Corp."

www.invernesstechnology.com/PCL/staff.htm

[(check out the picture !) ]

"His Excellency, Charles I is Metropolitan Archbishop of the only government-recognized and
certified Christian Spiritist Church in Canada.  ( con ...)"

"Most Rev. Dr. Charles, although a white person of Scottish ancestry, is also fully
recognized as a Native Spirituality Elder (confirmed in writing by Treaty Status Native
Elders from the Nakoda, Cree and Mi’kmaq First Nations), a Sacred Pipe Carrier and
Traditional Medicine Person. He is a Life Member of Alberta Council of Native Spirituality
Elders."

"He is founder of the only government-recognized Native Spirituality Church in the world.
In that capacity, he ordained the first Correctional Services Native Spirituality Elder as a clergy in 2005. "
(con.... )

"All profits from both St. James Financial Services and Private Collateral Lenders Corp. go directly to the work of the street and prison ministry of the Church. This includes Miracle Native Healing Retreats (see www.miraclenativeretreats.org) and both a Halfway House and a Women’s Shelter." (con... )

"Rev. Dr. Father Gordon Roebuck was educated in England. He graduated with a Master's Degree
in Theology (with Honours) from Canterbury University. For many years the parish priest for  the Stony Plain/Spruce Grove region of Alberta, Father Gordon was deeply respected and loved by his parishioners. "(con ...) " Father Gordon, following his retirement from active ministry, graduated from the Mortgage Agent Course of Study and was licensed as a Mortgage  Agent in the Province of Alberta. He worked as a Mortgage Agent for Mortgage Alliance (now  Mortgage Broker.com) until his death on March 5, 2006 in Edmonton. Gordon was co-founder of the concept of Private Collateral Lenders Corp. along with His Excellency, Charles I and  he was looking forward to being an essential part of the Healing Retreats ministry of the Native Spirituality Church and Retreats."

http://www.invernesstechnology.com/PCL/about.htm

"We are incorporated in the province of Alberta under the Business Corporations Act and are a group of both small and large money lenders gathered together as a consortium. We lend from $100 to $100,000,000 USD based upon the collateral in land, receivables or equipment. As a consortium of private lenders we have a wide range of funds to loan."

[ If I do a google search on "Native Spirituality Church" the only other related link that comes up is this ]

www.invernesstechnology.com/Visa/

"Native Pride - Worldwide
Visa Card"

Apply Now

"Private Collateral Lenders Corporation is offering all Aboriginal People who are proud of their Great Heritage the FIRST AND ONLYNATIVE PRIDE – WORLDWIDE VISA CARD View Available Designs"

"LOW INCOME? POOR CREDIT? NO CREDIT? ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM!"

"YOUR APPROVAL FOR THIS PAY-AS-YOU-GO NATIVE PRIDE VISA CARD IS GUARANTEED! YOU WILL RECEIVE  THIS VISA CARD IN A FEW DAYS AFTER APPLYING!"

(con ...)

"All PROFITS from this VISA CARD will be given to support the work of Canada’s Only Government-Recognized Native Spirituality Church. This will assist the Church in offering FREE TREATMENT at our beautiful 160 acres Miracle Native Healing Retreat (just 40 minutes South East of the City of Edmonton) to all YOUTH suffering from Alcohol and other Drug Addictions."

"So, SUPPORT NATIVE PRIDE – WORLDWIDE and NATIVE YOUTH! This is what your application for
this card will do for you and yours.

Offered by Private Collateral Lenders"

------------------------------

[I always thought credit cards were a way a lot of people get tricked into something strongly resembling indentured servitude , but that is just my personal opinion.  How is it possible that if some Indian person has low income or poor credit or no credit this is absolutely no problem ?

Seeing VISA distribution together with the Christian Church and advertised Ceremonies, Medicine people and a Native Spirituality Church , has me feeling like this is my first encounter with space aliens . ]

                                                                 

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;

While I am not familiar with many of the questions, raised, I will speak about the use of Traditions, such as the Sweat Lodge and Elders, in some Healing Lodges, in Canada.

I have attended a treatment program, at Poundmaker's Lodge, in the Edmonton area, albeit many years ago.  I have also been a NNADAP (National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program) counsellor and coordinator. 

From looking at the websites, this appears to be a long term residential program, to help people heal from the ravages of drug and alcohol abuse, using an Aboriginal Cultural approach to this.  As at Poundmaker's Lodge, Elders who are knowledgeable about Traditional Medicine are valuable resources.  Also, as at Poundmaker's Lodge, the Sweat Lodge is used to assist with the healing.  While the course, at Poundmaker's Lodge has a fee attached, it is the common practice to Respect Cultural protocol, in accessing Traditional practices and is not recognized as part of the fee structure.

While fees are charged, I am unsure about the fee being directed at the use of Traditional Medicines or the Sweat Lodge.  As the fees are similar to many other, non native treatment programs, I believe that they are meant to cover actual expenses of running the program, which of course would include wages for all staff, including Elders.  Since there is a Cultural focus, on this particular treatment model, it would be most beneficial for the use of Culture and Elders, in the treatment. 

As with many Aboriginal people, in our country, alcoholism and drug abuse are epidemic and devastating.  It took the efforts of many people to develop treatment models, which include and Honour our Culture.  As well, the success rates for Aboriginal people attending Aboriginal treatment programs, has shown to be better than other treatment models, often based on other religions.

The whole issue of the Metis of Nova Scotia is one that has been a subject of debate in Canada for a long long time and I am not able to speak about it, since it has many unresolved issues attached to it.  As a Metis of Northern Saskatchewan, I do enjoy hunting, fishing, food gathering and other Aboriginal Rights, as defined (poorly) in the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982.  These Rights do not extend to areas of Eastern Canada, as I understand, but are continually the subject of court cases.

Some of us Metis are continually working with First Nation people, Respecting our common bonds and issues.  This, however is not common, since the way our government has dealt with us has served to fragment our people.

I hope that this helps, although I am personally unfamiliar with this particular healing program.

Ric   

[Moma_porcupine]

Here is some words of some Canadian Elders on the topic ;

http://www.ammsa.com/buffalospirit/February-2000/adviceonpowwowtrail.html

Advice from the powwow trail

Editor's note: This article was first published in Windspeaker's Guide to Indian Country,
June 1998.

By Boye G. Ladd

Many times I have seen individuals "showing off" their sundance scars, tobacco ties or
amulets hanging around their necks - exposed. When a person carries protection and/or
medicine, it should always be hidden and never be spoken about.

Spiritual leaders and medicine men should be considered in the same light. For the true
and sincere, their reverence is based on humbleness, dedication and sacrifice. Anytime
someone stands before you and claims to be a medicine man, do not believe him or anything
he says, because he or she has desecrated their oath of humbleness. You will not find a
true and sincere spiritual leader or medicine man teaching in a school or university, or
seeking public attention. (con ... )

http://www.ammsa.com/buffalospirit/June-2000/longarms.html

Kim Recalma-Clutesi of the Kwakwa kawkw people of Vancouver Island says the difficulty is
unraveling people's belief systems from what they've learned in text, from ethnographical
material, and in the recovery centres that often use sweats, smudging and other spiritual
practices of the plains people to aid in the healing process.
"There is a school of thought out there that if it's helping people, leave it alone. But there
is a stronger school of thought from people who are technicians within the culture, how many of
us would wash our feet in the holy water? It's akin to that. It's that serious. For some reason
we are supposed to forget the rules to help people. But in a lot of ways, they said, forgetting
the rules is very dangerous, because these things come as part . . . of supernatural energy."

http://origin.www.cbc.ca/programguide/program/index.jsp?program=First+Voice&network=CBC%20Radio%2
0One&startDate=2005/08/05&startTime=09:30

Friday, August 5, 2005, 9:30 a.m.
05/08/05

The Healing Circus

The word "healing" is everywhere these days - there are hundreds of treatment programs out there
 to help aboriginal people get over their addictions and residential school trauma. But are native spiritual traditions being distorted and ultimately lost as a result? Roger Roulette thinks so. He's an Ojibway linguist and translator, and the son of an esteemed medicine man. Hear his critique of the modern native healing industry.

I don't know about the situation at Poundmakers in particular but I do know that sometimes the people hired by government run treatment and rehab programs as elders are not people recognized as the most knowledgeable Elders by the Aboriginal community. Sometimes people who work in these programs are selected by the non native government or funders , because they have personal values that fit with government objectives , such as developing "Native pride " through economic development of culture .

I have heard Roger Roulette speak on this, and if I recall correctly , he has been organizing with traditional Elders to find ways to address these problems . He said many of the Native healing programs run at rehab centers were reducing Native traditions to nothing more than an Indianized 12 step program with a Sweat Lodge . It is a complex and difficult situation . As these problem have no traditional precedent, it seems reaching a consensus on the best way to deal with these problems can slow in coming . There is obviously different opinions on this ....

[Moma_porcupine]

Looks like I am not the only person to be asking questions about this group . They are discussed quite extensively in through the link below  . As the basic information is already being discussed publicly , and is posted in an Edmonton based forum , there doesn't seem to be much point in sittting on the details .

http://www.freeforum101.com/edmontonsk/viewtopic.php?t=1173&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&
sid=e32434d02d3a16d037fa2d809a69ff1f&mforum=edmontonsk

Here is some additional information ;

Apparently His Excellency Charles the 1st is also Rev.  Dr. Te? rlach Dunsford-Mac a' Phearsoin

This link below sometimes doesn't work , but if you do a Google search on  "Tearlach Dunsford", it comes
up and seems accessible through the Google search page . It is a "White pride" website .
----------------------------------------------------
www.stormfront.org/forum/showthread.php/tearlach-dunsford-mac-aphearsoin-99665.html?t=99665

Tearlach Dunsford-Mac a'Phearsoin - Stormfront White Nationalist ...
"Hello,
Where in Alberta does Tearlach Dunsford-Mac a'Phearsoin live and what is he up to these days? Does he still have his"National Spiritst" church that let's homosexuals marry? I also heard he's a "Wiccan" now...can anyone confirm this?"
------------------------------------------------------------
www.stormfront.org/forum/showthread.php/tearlack-dunsford-mac-phearsoin

This link also seem to often not work when posted but a search on "Miracle Native Healing" will bring up the stormfront website with this  post ;

(excerpted from a longer post )

"I am searching for information on him because: Tearlach and another guy want to turn our home into a native retreat and Spiritist church. " ( con...)

"Twice they have been at our home trying to get the locks changed and move people in and start his miracle native healing retreat. " (con... )

"When I registered my Church as a Society the papers said 3 voting people on the board. There was a technical problem and Tearlach (Charles) said he would pick them up and fix them " (con... )

---------------
Re :Tearlack Dunsford Mac a' Phearsoin
"If it's the same dude profiled in Warren Kinsella's silly book "Web of Hate" you wil have almost a chapter's worth of allegations against the guy if you can get your hands on a copy. However, you can't be certain of how much of it is accurate given how challenging it is for Kinsella to get the "facts" straight,

Using this guy as one of the main characters in his book demonstrated the extent of Kinsella's desperation in attempting to make the case that the "organized White racist" movement in Canada was some sort of diabolical threat to social order. Dedicating that much space to a marginal guy whose bizarre activities occured mostly in the 1970's in a book published in the mid-90's was pathetic."
Wilmot

-----------------------

"Thanks so much for the information.

"I will get the book if I can. I really appreciate the info. His activities may not only be related to the 70's. " (con....)
"He doesn't even put his real name on his business website." (con...)
-------------------------------------
( I inserted this into this conversation for reference )


http://www.warrenkinsella.com/words_books_woh.htm

"Warren Kinsella has now updated his extraordinary insider's view of the Far Right in Canada to include an investigation of Internet hate groups and the ease with which they operate in our unregulated Internet environment. These are organizations whose previously marginal influence has exploded over the Internet, giving them a global voice and support. Kinsella makes a strong and convincing argument for Internet regulation, showing how groups like the Aryan Nations, the Ku Klux Klan and the Heritage Front are reaching out to students and even children on the Net."

----------------------------------


www.library.ubc.ca/archives/pdfs/ubyssey/UBYSSEY_1980_10_02.pdf
1980

"Tearlach Macpherson, denies the group had anything to do with the incidents and said the organization may begin it's own investigation if the RCMP are unable to find the culprits ."

"Macpherson said the burnings are giving the Klan a bad image. It will sue the culprits for misrepresentation since the fiery cross is a Klan symbol, Macpherson said. The Klan has two chapters in Red Deer and plans a public rally in the city this fall, he said. The group's literature says the Alberta Klan is  separate from all other Klan organizations. I t has been kgally registered with the provincial government under the name of the Invisible Empire Association Klan membership is open to all men and
 women of all races, religions and colors, says the literature.( con ... )"
-----------------------------------------

www.geae.inf.br/en/boletins/sm006.html

"Welcome to Canada's Only Spiritist Church
Rev.  Dr. Te? rlach Dunsford-Mac a' Phearsoin"

"In 1971 a Methodist clergyman in Calgary,  Alberta, Canada,  incorporated  The  National Spiritist Church of Alberta
( con ... )"

"What  led  up to the founding of the  Spiritist group  in Canada, was that Dr. Te? rlach Dunsford-Mac a' Phearsoin
( con... )

"About  this  time, 1970, Dr. Dunsford-Mac a' Phearsoin discovered the works of Allan  Kardec

"Other  divisions  are:  PTS   Ministries,   N.S.C.A.  for  people  of alternative  orientation,  and,  Church  of  St.Lazarus also has an extensive  prison ministry.  Later  this  year  (1998)  Church of St. Lazarus  is  opening  a halfway  house, called KARDEC HOUSE, for the housing and treatment  of  prisoners  released  from prison on parole with residency requirements. The  Government  of  Canada will pay our Church  $47  per day per inmate for supplying them with residence and healing programs.
( my bold type )
We also  have  a  registered  division  called:  Deganawida Spiritist  Society. This is for Native Indian persons who practice Native Spirituality. We became the first Church in the history of Canada to have a Native  Indian  Elder appointed as a clergy with authority to perform marriages. Later  this  year,  an  Indian Band in Alberta is going to support us in the  starting  of  DEGANAWIDA HOUSE a halfway house for Native Spirituality prisoners on parole."
( Con ...)
-------------------------------------------
Here is some mention of the guys alleged criminal record , though I do notice that the sentence is different each time it is reported so obviously some information here is incorrect .  The website on the fraudulent selling of noble titles (below this ) says he served two years in prison . The article imeadiately below says he was sentanced to six years .
---------------------------
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:8u9n-SVr54AJ:matchdating.atspace.com/Gay-Matchmaking.html+
%2Bphearsoin+%2Btearlach&hl=en&strip=1
Quote:
Gay Matchmaking: Ex-Klan wizard jailed in sex assault
"The one-time imperial wizard of Alberta's Ku Klux Klan was sent to jail for six years Monday for sexually assaulting a young man, twice the sentence prosecutors had requested. Courtroom spectators, many nervously awaiting their own hearings on minor offences, gasped when provincial Judge John Reilly took the highly unusual step of sentencing Tearlach Mac a'Phearsoin to double the prison term sought by the Crown.Mac a'Phearsoin, 45, described by his... "

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:O__aENsGwVwJ:members.aol.com/SMARTNEWS/Sample-Issue-43.htm+%22alberta+ku+klux+klan%22&hl
=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=ca
"Klansman faces sex rap - By Peter Smith, Sun Media - Edmonton Sun - The former imperial wizard of Alberta's Ku Klux Klan has been charged over allegations of sexual misconduct. Police say children as young as 12 years old were visiting a youth club infiltrated by cops investigating  the allegations. After a four-month investigation, vice unit detectives have charged one man with counselling anal intercourse and permitting a home to be used for sexual activity...  He was also imperial wizard of the Alberta Ku Klux Klan..."

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A lot of this just doesn't make any sense . As far as I can learn the Ku Klux Klan strongly opposes homosexuality and would not be a proponent of Native Spirituality. Allen Kardac was opposed to racism . In yet Tearlach founded his Spiritist Church on the teachings of Allan Kardac , in 1971 , and reportedly was the head of the Ku Klux Klan in Alberta in 1980 . Looks like this guy has done some strange things before . The {name redacted} looks to be Charles / Tearlach . As can be seen in the links below .

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http://www.phoneynobletitles.com/antonion_boada__pitts_tucker_and_mergentheim.htm
"In June of 2004, a new website was opened up " (con.. )It proclaims that a man named [name redacted] is the Hereditary Prince of Mergentheim,and one can obtain genuine titles and knighthoods through this man who is supposed to be an authentic fountain of honor. One must merely make contributions to his charity foundations."

"For another example of fraud, Mr. Boada sold the noble title of "Prince of Mergentheim" to a man who now calls himself Prince [name redacted]. For a longtime, this fraudulent prince sold titles himself under the following website , which he recently opened back up:"(con ...)

"( ...... begins ... )" he has a very unsavory past making his character highly questionable and suspect. (see enclosed copies of his old website wherein he attempted to sell phoney titles of nobility back in 2003) It also was discovered from his claim to be the head of the National Spiritist Church and/or  the Church of St. Lazarus in [place redacted] that one of his aliases is [alias redacted]. (However, he claims that  this is his true name as stated on his birth certificate--the full name being [name redacted]--this could be true) But from this name, it was a simple process to find out that he has been convicted of a heinous crime, served two years in prison for it, was the Imperial Wizard of Alberta's KKK "(con .. )

"In other words, [name redacted], Fr. [redacted], Boada and Pitts-Tucker work together, and Boada and Pitts-Tucker profit from the frauds the first two lowlife crooks perpetrate in the great nation of Canada. (In all fairness, Mr. [name redacted] denies some of this or points out mitigating circumstances or that he has some enemies and they have  distorted things. See [website redacted] for a letter of explanation from Mr. [name redacted].)"
(con ..)"

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Looks like "Prince " Charles put some pressure on these people to remove his name from their allegations .
I found "Prince" Charles I Macphersons old website through the internet archives .

--------------------------------
http://web.archive.org/web/20040619061715/www.mergentheim.org/nm/prince.htm

"He serves as a Metropolitan Archbishop in a government recognized denomination." (con ..)

"His Serene Highness practiced as a business and financial consultant for a number of years. He is also a professional Remedial Herbalist "(Con... )

http://web.archive.org/web/20040619061819/www.mergentheim.org/nm/prince1.htm

"His Serene Highness holds a number of Life Memberships, including the Clan Macpherson Association "( con... )

http://web.archive.org/web/20040619102657/www.mergentheim.org/nm/church2.htm

"Deganawida Society is the registered Church Branch for those of Aboriginal heritage who, although raised with a Christian background and recognizing Jesus, are also attuned to the traditional ceremonies and practices of Native Spirituality. This involves participation in Sweat Lodges, Sacred Pipe and Sweetgrass ceremonies and Traditional Prayer Retreats with Fasting."

"Elder, the Rev. Dr. Paul A. Daniels is only one of two Native Spirituality Elders who are also fully recognized as clergy with government-issued Registration of Clergy Certificates. Elder Daniels is a traditional Sweat Lodge Keeper,  Medicine Man and Spiritual Counselor to the Nakoda Tribe."

http://web.archive.org/web/20050327031403/www.mergentheim.org/nm/church.htm

"The National Spiritist Church was legally incorporated in 1971 and achieved full government recognition as a religious denomination in 1976." (Con...)

"His Serene Highness, Prince Charles V of Mergentheim is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Church and as such is referred to as His Grace Charles I." (con.. )
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This Spiritist Church is also involved in selling phoney nobility titles .

http://www.faketitles.com/html/prestige_titles.html

-------------------------------------------
Clearly there are serious concerns when a person with this sort of a history ,and grandious ego , is  entrusted with Spiritual traditions and running healing programs for Native people. I find it totally outrageous that the Canadian government provided someone like this, with funding for healing programs for vulnerable Native people  . Is this intentional colonization and cultural destruction from within or what ?

[debbieredbear]

I don't even know what to say. A former KKK leader, who rapes men, is working in prisons with Native inmates? It'sa mind boggling and also dangerous for those involved.

[frederica]

Is this Kardec House (Leon Rivail) the same as the ones in Brazil? It looks like there are 3 main players that are cons and/or deviants. Boada, Matchmaking, and MacPhearsoin. MacPhearsoin may have more wrong with him than just being a con. Depends if he really thinks he is a Prince of the Federal Republic of Germany. And I never heard of the "Invisible Empire" being an Equal Opportunity Organization. It's just another name for the KKK. As far as the involvement of Indigenous people it's hard to say. Are you saying they are cons or being conned?  frederica

[Moma_porcupine]

I'm not sure what is going on here . Like I said none of it seems to fit together very well. But I also believe that when things don't make sense ,  it is just that I am not understanding the interconnections . The more things don't seem to make sense , the curiouser I get .

Allan Kardec was a pseudonym of Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail. I don't know about what is going on in Brazil .

As far as I can tell the basic values of Allan Kardec are radically different then those of the KKK .  So how can the same guy found a Church based on the teachings of Allen Kardac starting in 1971 , continuing through to the present, and also be the head of the Alberta KKK in 1980 ?  Which set of values would be "real" to this person - those of Allan Kardac or those of the Invisible Empire Ass. KKK ? If the Alberta KKK has values that are different than the other organizations that go by that name , as claimed , why call yourselves the Ku Klux Klan in the first place ?

Or maybe none of the values of Kardac or the KKK really mean anything to this person , and it is all just a stage setting to enhance the guys seemingly grandious ego ?

Seeing that Tearlach was claiming to be a Prince , and that he is currently advertising himself as his Excellency Charles the I ( unusual that he offers no last name when it is a lending company ) does say something about the guys personality .

I would like to get ahold of the information in Warren Kinsella's book "Web of Hate" , and see if the chapter that talks about Tearlach , might provide some more clues as to who Tearlach actually is , and who he is really associated with  .

I don't know when the alleged sexual assault conviction is said to have occurred , but sexual assault does not always mean rape . I suppose there may have been extenuating circumstances , and it may have happened a long time ago . I remember once being in a healing circle with an past abuser, and he spoke of the wrongs he had done to women . Hearing him speak with so much insight into himself and so much regret for the pain he had caused , helped a place in my heart to heal .  People can do horrendous crimes and still have a lot of good in them . But did I think that man , I heard speak , having reformed his ways , should be running programs for abused women ? -  NO -NOT EVER . You have to think about how the people he was running the program for feel about that . And I have the same opinion about non native people leading traditional Native ceremonies . It isn't about "them". It is about what is best for the people they are serving .

I have more than once seen people hired as elders , to work in treatment and Rehab programs just because they are Native and they have some traditional knowledge and a some Native people will vouche for them . Some of these people are real bad apples . Even bad apples can have some traditional knowledge and some friends and family who will vouch for them .  It is kind of like if the government was willing to hire a person as a Minister in a treatment program , just because they are White , and have some knowledge of Christianity , as long as they have a few White friends who will vouch for them being qualified to be a Minister.  Not understanding the complexities of another culture to the degree necessary to make a competant choice as to who to hire or fund , is probably what is behind many of the situations where a bad choice is made.   But in this situation it is hard to understand how such seemingly obvious concerns , could be overlooked .

That a person can invent a Church , allegedly have a criminal record , be the former head of a extremist group with a name associated with racism and violence , and be approved for funding to run healing programs for Native people , raises serious questions about the intentions of the people who have supported this .
 
I would guess the Native people involved are naive'.  There has been so much cultural destruction I think for many people some of the basics have been lost or confused . When you throw in on top of that ,the
overwhelming need in cities for culturally sensitve treatment and Rehab programs , people sometimes think it is OK to cut corners and overlook some things . Still , if they are going around claiming to be Spiritual leaders and authorizing people as "Spirituality Elders" and "Medicine" people , they have a responsiblity to know what is going on , and from what I can see of this situation , ( maybe I am missing something ? ) it really doesn't look like they do . I'm sorry if this is disrepectful to anyone , but this is a serious concern .

[frederica]

I don't know what to tell you. I am not residing in Canada. If the Half-Way Houses there are close to the ones here, they have some regulation and monitoring. In Canada I would guess it would be their local or Province. A few of the Nations here now have their own A&D programs. The ones in other areas do have a heavy dose of Christianity tied in, especially if they are aligned with Alcohol Anonymous. But if there is a large Indian population, Elders or Medicine People are brought in. As far as Half-Way Houses, Residential Cares, they are monitored, but they can be run by some sleezly people. Here you have "slum lords" running a lot of them. A lot of the people are followed by Case Workers or Managers. The only thing I can suggest is that find out who and how often they are being monitored, if there are problems with the man MacPhearsion and his management of the Half-Way house. I think Ric summed up the Indian involvement. frederica

[Ingeborg]

Well, he certainly won't be a prince of the Fed. Republic.

"His Serene Highness, Prince Charles V of Mergentheim is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Church and as such is referred to as His Grace Charles I."

http://www.koehlergerhard.de/zwerga_f.htm  says in the entry "Deutscher Orden" (German order):

" In 1809, the principality of Mergentheim, created in 1805 out of the German Order, was liquidated." As that happened when the nobility still ran the country, this means the title became extinct then.

[Moma_porcupine]

Maybe the past 200 years the Prince's family was hiding out in the mountains of Mergentheim, procreating with Cherokee Princess's ?    Sorry , I just couldn't resist .

Not talking about this situation specifically , but just generally , from what i have seen , the problem of questionable characters claiming to be Medicine people and getting a captive audience through a prison or rehab program , is not uncommon.  Hey whatever storm and his National American Metis Ass. are mentioned in NAFPS as having got funding from the Massachusetts State Prison System for their
"medicine circle." Arthur Medicine Eagle Sonier and Francis Talbot are other ones that have been mentioned here .

In areas I am familiar with , in about 1/2 the situations I have seen or heard about , when non native people selected people to work as elders in prisons or treatment programs , these people selected were not considered  trustworthy by the local Native community. I have heard repeated stories of people brought in as elders , who created mistrust through dishonesty, complete inexperince , non native people posing as Native , drug use , violence , and ceremony selling  .

I have seen these people who were brought in as elders to these programs , later on go out into urban
communities where people don't know better, and claim to be elders , and people believe them because they worked in a government run Native rehabilitation program and people get hurt because they don't know what they are doing .

Seems like setting up traditionally based healing programs and selecting people to run them , should be in the hands of the recognized authorities and Elders within local Native communities . Non native governments or Churches don't usually know what they are doing .

[frederica]

I agree with you, I think he is making it up as he goes along. He apparently has copied Brazil's program, but Can't say how exact it is just uses the name for the Half-Way house's name, religion and then incorporates Indian Spirituality. That's a little different. I have seen some pretty good A&D people who are ex-felons cleaned up their act and became counselors. I can't tell about this MacPhearsion, he seems more squirrely to me. But it is all speculation unless you actually talk to the people that are involved in the program. Who really runs the program? A lot of these programs are Catch-22's. If they do not exist, there is no where for these people to go. That's why they are monitored. I still think that is your best bet, is to check the program. frederica

[Moma_porcupine]

While I agree that someone who has made mistakes ,and learned better ,can be a guide to people making the same mistakes , I doubt it is ever right for such a person to council , or be in charge of programs for people who may have been deeply injured by similar mistakes .   

Just going on what Tearlach / Charles has posted about himself , Squirrely is the most benign explaination I can think of .

Here is some more , though in this case the charges were dropped . It difficult to be sure what the situation was without being able to access the entire articles . I notice it looks like Charles was 53 in 2002 ( if I am reading this right ? ) The previously posted undated allegation of a conviction ,mentions he was 45 , which I guess would mean that was sometime around 1994 . I guess people sometimes only serve a couple years of a 6 year sentence ?  As Tearlach / Charles mentions getting funding for healing programs in 1998 , he couldn't have been in jail for 6 years . (?) Maybe he appealed the earlier conviction and was found not guilty  ?

http://library2.usask.ca/srsd/perceptions/1363.html
KU KLUX KLAN -- ALBERTA
What's under those robes? [newsnote that member of anti-gay Ku Klux Klan in Alberta, Chief Grand  Wizard Charles Macaphearson, "charged with having sex with underage boys"].
P151 (v20n2)(March 13, 2002): 12 (11cm.)

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:kt5G3tn-ursJ:members.aol.com/SMARTNEWS/Sample-Issue-44.htm+%22Charles+Macaphearson+%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ca&ie=UTF-8
Charges Dropped Against KKK Charles Macaphearson (53) - 4/6/02 By Peter Smith - Calgary Sun :The Crown has dropped two sexually related charges it laid against the former imperial wizard  of Alberta's Ku Klux Klan."

[frederica]

I still cannot tell what he actually does. Does he himself work in these Shelters, Half-Way houses and the like? I don't think he does.  You know little  of what he states about himself is true. You well know he is not a Prince of Mergentheim. Ingleborg gives dates 1803 to 1809. So if I knew him I sure wouldn't call him Prince Charles. From all the information you cannot tell if he is a Sociopath, Bipolar, Borderline,  just a case of florsenic psychiatry or a con artist.  He is squirrely. It doesn't look like a cult. If the government is paying 47 (Canada) dollars a day for substance. They are probably monitoring the programs. If they are monitoring they would know if there are complaints against the programs. Are the Nations involved concerned? If not you have limited options. So what are your plans?

While I agree that someone who has made mistakes ,and learned better ,can be a guide to people making the same mistakes , I doubt it is ever right for such a person to council , or be in charge of programs for people who may have been deeply injury"

                                                                                                                It's definately possible, I've seen it more than once. Not everyone will do this, but there are always exceptions. They were quite good also. frederica

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;

As to the amount of time served for a 6 year sentence, generally speaking, anyone who serves 1/3 of their time gets paroled.  A Life sentence, in Canada, is generally eligible for parole in 7 years, except when it's first degree murder, which means that they will have to wait 10 years before eligibility for parole.

This sounds like a wierd situation, but I live in the next province, so do not know about it, personally.

Ric