Author Topic: Fake Ghost Dances in PNW region?  (Read 3093 times)

Offline catbus

  • Posts: 60
Fake Ghost Dances in PNW region?
« on: June 23, 2013, 05:19:00 pm »
So this is what really began my interest in hunting New-age frauds and offensive appropriationists:

About 3-4 years ago I saw a very offensive event being advertised on an online list of pow wows. It was taking place in Oregon, and they were calling it the 'Ghost Dance'. It was run by some guy who called himself a 'shaman' (I think his first or last name was Dennis), and he was claiming that he was 'recieving visions from Wovoka'. His claim was that he was being instructed by Wovoka's spirit to start holding Ghost Dances, all nations, all races ghost dances. And they were advertising it for a small fee, anyone can come and join and dance for the event. It made me sick to even read about it.

Well, they had a link I followed, called ghostdance.org or something. It had pics, history etc of Wovoka, and told about mr. shaman boy's claims of recieving visions from wovoka.

Anyways, now I look online and can't find that website anymore. But it doesn't mean these silly people aren't still holding these ghostdances in the PNW region. with some luck, they quit doing this sort of stuff, but they could have just went more low-key or maybe just decided not to keep their website up.

It seems a bit ironic to me, both the attempt to profit off of the Ghost Dance, and the silly attempt to resurrect it and welcome a bunch of white people to come. I really wonder if the white people at the fake Ghost Dance really ever learned what the Ghost Dance was/is all about, because basically it had to do with getting rid of the white colonialist oppression. If white colonialist oppressors dance a Ghost Dance, it has no meaning for them I would assume. White colonialists would be better off to take up the good fight and just off themselves.

So if anyone has heard anything about this group of late, this is the thread to post about it.

Offline Odelle

  • Posts: 62
Re: Fake Ghost Dances in PNW region?
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2013, 02:50:42 am »
My first thought was, "Ashland"! A quick Google search gave me this page: http://unityashland.com/the-ghost-dance-with-norma-nakai-burton/  The link goes to a youtube video called Ghost Dance with Norma Nakai Burton. A further search on her gave me this link: http://www.journeytocompletion.com/Norma_Burton/Home.html  The site claims she has a masters of divinity from UC Berkeley. It seems the Ghost Dance happened at the center, which has ripped off the "co-exist" multi-religious bumper sticker for its logo, in November of 2012.

Quote
Norma has trained for over thirty years with indigenous shamans from around the world, including the Huichol in Mexico, the Espiritu and Condobble sects of Brazil, healers from Bolivia and Peru, Cherokee, Seneca, Navajo and Hopi of North America, Shugendo of Japan, as well as African shamans.


My favorite part is how specific she is with the Americas, but when it gets to Africa, all "shamans" are apparently the same.

The website hasn't been updated for awhile. She offers 10 week group training at 750$ (trade scholarships available) for Oct. 11-December 2012. she also offers "cultural tours" to New Mexico, Mexico and South America.

"Shamanic wisdom for modern times" y'all!
:>

Offline kuljamu

  • Posts: 27
Re: Fake Ghost Dances in PNW region?
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2013, 09:58:13 pm »
thanks for the info. The only ghost dances that i knew of were the ones offered by Johnny Moses on the Swinomish Res.