Saga's posts about Crowther, from
http://sagasearth.blogspot.fi/2011/01/about-kiesha-crowther-little.html.
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Thursday, January 20, 2011
About Kiesha Crowther - Little Grandmother
If you are looking for truths with deep roots and tradition, this is not it. This is just another new age thing, but with continuous lies, doesn't even give the comfort of "honest" new age thing.
Commercial, usually white, "shamans", who are claiming to have the roots and/or traditional wisdom of natives, have nothing to do with native American indians being too selfish and not sharing their beliefs/wisdom/etc and someone having to do it, hence getting the blame and critic on them... (you can guess how many times I have heard this "they just don't want to share" -thing, if only it was about sharing something true by someone who knows what the talk is about...)
It is more about... well think it like this: someone born and raised in Islamic tradition starts to SELL classes about how to be true Christian, and has workshops of true christian values and "rituals" and possibly about how to read and interpret the bible right way, without properly reading it herself/himself and without living a single day in Christian culture. Teachings might not be the worse thing, neither is the person's background, but if there is no real connection to Christianity, how can it be that? And SELLING faith... well, when have you been able to buy happiness and wisdom with money? Can only buy words and things. So in short: true, sound base is needed for true, sound teachings and the most important things come within and are free... Of course KC has started to back up from advertizing so fiercely with indigenous wisdom... but it is still mentioned every time she has a workshop or talk somewhere. Under this new piece of text you can find all that I have gathered and thought earlier when I was fighting myself out of the influence of this phenomenon... it is bit overwhelming, lol. Links are scattered all over the text, some might not work anymore, since some pages have been taken down etc.
The controversy around this "messenger of love" is getting pretty overwhelming and to get rid of the subject, I set aside some of the old priciples and DO write about it, trying to be as objective as I can. It might be hard, since I do feel the whole thing little bit as a personal pain and offend, since I used to love her as well. And yes, I did say "her", I used to be the one who was loudest in saying that "it is the message that matters" when I heard the first rumors. Until I realized that if it is the message that matters, it is damn sure it is better to take it and run hell away from someone who is talking about love and truth and showing everything but...
I will try to keep most of my personal opinions away from the first part of this post, I will add them in the end tho, when I feel bit less moody. I mean, yes, the message gives comfort, but the way she sells it and the way she has twisted the "indigenous" part... Do your own research people, read the real indigenous wisdom and you'll see the differences...
I do wish her and all her followers to find all the love and light they are talking about, but it can't stem from such a huge lies that are part of this current situation...
Anyway, the statements around the business. First is from Don Alejandro's team in Shift of the Ages facebook site as a comment to a post made on tuesday about Kiesha/ 'Little Grandmother':
18 January at 05:19 comment :
"The Lakota & Salish.. & give em a ride to where ever you are at Keisha! You are NO "Shaman" of theirs! NOTE! They do not HAVE "Shaman" and Lakota do NOT call themselves "Sioux". YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL FRAUD! A Spiritual Version of Sarah Palin!"
Shift of the Ages answers at 10:08 under that post:
"We are increasingly asked about the person you mention [name] and would like to make a statement in response to your posting.
SOTA does not know and has no affiliation with Keisha Crowther aka "Little Grandmother." Don Alejandro "Wande...ring Wolf" does not know or "recognize" her as a "Shaman," "Wisdom Keeper," or "Elder" of the Continental Council of Indigenous Elders of the Americas as she claims. Neither Don Alejandro nor the SOTA project authorized use of "Wandering Wolf's" messages or the SOTA video material used in support of the personal opinions she shares in her videos and viral messages. Much of information she is sharing is misleading and "taken" out of context.
SOTA is not here to push anyone else down. The truth will eventually reach the surface. Our prayers are that Mrs. Crowther learns a valuable lesson and she, as well as her team and followers, benefit as result."
EDIT: Here's some more conversation about her in SOTA page:
http://www.facebook.com/shiftoftheages/posts/119636661439636 On March 20 under one of the posted videos of Kiesha (Rising Spirit & Little Grandmother - We Create Our World.mp4) on the SOTA page:
Shift of the Ages answers: "An example of spreading false information and taking without permission."
On March 29th again in the SOTA page about Kiesha:
Shift of the Ages:
We wanted to stay out of this, but SOTA was more or less forced into addressing Kiesha Crowther's claims. Portions of Wandering Wolf's video messages were taken without permission and used out of context to build her credibility and garner ...support for her message and work. She also claimed to be a recognized member (or Wisdom Keeper) of the Continental Council of Indigenous Elders of the Americas (the underground Council Wandering Wolf is president of) and this is completely false. We've obviously received many questions about Don Alejandro's and SOTA's association with her. Is she saying some inspiring and good things? ... yes. Is some of the things she is saying truth? ... perhaps? Has she intentionally mislead people? ... Without a doubt!
(Go to see the page to find all of the comments under the Kiesha's "we are divine creators" -vid, or see the screenshot. And why are the SOTA statements here? The reason is very clear, Kiesha used to say that Don Alejandro is supporting her message and that she is herself part of the work of continental counsil of indigenous elders of americas... this does prove that she has lied a lot even with her "message".)
Second statement on my list is of course the official statement from salish/kootenai elders committee concerning Little Grandmother/Kiesha Crowther
(in that site also in german, italian, swedish, czech, finnish, dutch and spanish):
"The Culture and Elders Committee of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation protect the intangible cultural resources of the tribes including language, songs, stories etc.
No tribal Elders or elders have met with nor do they condone the claims and actions made by Kiesha Crowther.
She is not their 'shaman', she has no right to claim this title and the Elders and elders of CSKT of the Flathead Reservation would like her to cease and desist immediately from making such false claims that erode the traditions that members of the CSKT Culture and Elders Committee are trying to preserve."
(The posting of this statement came with the permission and urging of the Salish elders. Anyone doubting this message's authenticity can contact the Flathead Reservation. [you find the addresses/phone numbers/emails from the site])
***
March 2011: I have heard the rumours that Kiesha is gathering "donations" (or saying that she gives the money) for Pine Ridge reservation now. I suggest doing very good research before you give any of your money to this woman, she is not exactly known of her honesty. If you want to support native american indians, contact the reservates/tribal councils or some trustworthy organization and ask how you can do that best.
I mention this couple of times somewhere down there later on the text too, but I do think this is something too important to overlook. For any sort of "shift" to happen at any point, it is extremely important not to support lies and people who seem to think that it is ok to lie to get profit. Look where it got us with our governments.
***
That was the official part, what comes to more unofficial and weird things that I have spotted... First of all, the new TOMC forum, the native language comments are forbidden, only english is valid language now... (easier to see if someone is doubting Kiesha and ban them then?) Also, if someone posts on behalf of the banned person, he/she will be banned too, this is from forum rules. (too many people asking why this and that was banned?). Quite a censoreship there. I happen to know that most get banned because of doubting too much, not because they troll or are abusive towards others.
(On Feb 27th, I also read from internet that Kiesha did shut down the official Tribe of Many colors forum with the notice of just couple of hours, because she needs to focus on other, more important things... More important than her "family"? Or was the tribe just something to gather money with? In any case, it is good for her to shut down the only thing where people are able to question her publicly so that the readers/tribers on forum can see it when praising her... Think this is because of more and more people are questioning and it is easier to control them by not letting them chance to find controversy so easy. How was it again... controlling how people think and what information they have access on... sure signs of cult in progress. Of course, it could be seen positively, when people don't have official gathering place, the actual cult action might at least delay... She has "replaced" the forum with webcasts, first 20 minutes for free, but you pay from the rest.)
Picture by me, the snow woman
by anonymous artist
Anyway, what comes to other concerns, browse in NAFPS forum (click this text for a link to a thread about Kiesha Crowther/Little Grandmother in NAFPS forum. Most of the confirmed information and latest news are in the end, right now there's 69 pages. Very interesting things from 56 or so up, and especially page 59.) , NAFPS (New Age Frauds and Plastic Shamans Forum) isn't Kiesha's personal hate club btw, but have been there for years to expose some nasty frauds and warning people about them and searching the backgrounds of people or groups that make money with (mostly) indigenous spirituality. There is some really good personal views on situation as well as all the videos and articles on which Kiesha has been questioned and somewhat of a timeline on how she has "worked on" her message to fit the changing circumstances. Of course, not all of it is nice, respectful or true. People tend to demonize people they are against. Look at what Kiesha herself is doing, making threats to people who have opposed her claims... The thing is that there seems to be lots more truth in that site despite the personal speculations than in Kiesha's claims.
I have kept all the links about Kiesha, that explain a lot of what is wrong with the picture with KC/LG, here for a long, long time, but I took all of those out now. Except the ones in this post. I left the words from the Elders and real natives (considering "frauds") in second link list as well as the cult forum links and there are links to more trustworthy sources of indigenous "wisdom" in the first link thread. And what I am asking from all of you to do is this:
Do your own research. Don't ditch something just because you don't want to hear it, but see how much truth there is. You don't have to forget everything said, but I would ask you to consider not to support lies. The world needs transparency, honesty, respect and love at this time.
And no, I don't think the message of loving and thinking positive is a bad one, I did almost ditch that too when I noticed that the source is "too good to be true", but then, after Looooooooong thought, became into conclusion that I can keep some of it and use it, even spread it in my own way, without promoting lies or "truths" that I can't condone. I just don't think that spreading the love and compassion and acceptance towards differences is going to happen this way. And getting out of commercializing everything surely isn't going to happen by selling the sacred or the truths and by twisting them to suit the purpose. I do understand the temptation tho, but who of us really knows THE truth? Wouldn't it be better to find your own meaning to things, to follow your own spiritual path? Not to wait someone to interpret anything to you. Or to take a look on your own people's traditions and beliefs and start recovering your own roots? Especially because we all have our own tasks to do and own messages to get and follow...
I do support the "love and light" and healing the both spiritual and physical world and really focusing on future more than past, since THIS is the moment when you can change everything.. but I support it in the way the real elders speak about it and on my own way, not Kiesha's way (just being might also end up to missing the opportunity to change things for better) and I surely wont support her anymore. Her message has done it's part and I don't feel comfortable supporting a big scam, even less comfortable spreading the message in her name, so I'll just focus on doing my part. And hopefully making the future better for myself and maybe give few ideas to people close to me to make theirs better as well.
Oh, and ofc, loving the earth and the life with all my heart. Sometimes we bump into "bad" teachers in order to see the wrong way and find our way to rise above what they represent. Most teachers don't have use for us for a long time, because in order to grow, we need to change and move on and found our own, inner path.
Insensible one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
In any case, I think that Kiesha was right in one thing, the truth will always come out. And that is a good thing, since from lies and from the bitterness they cause, nothing can grow.
Hopefully this is my very last public post about the subject. I am tired of it. There are "bad apples" in both sides, the people who fight against frauds and the people who support them. And moving on from it now, with this post, which will hopefully reach enough people and make them realize that the message of real love and acceptance and truth isn't as narrow as this particular message by LG says it is... Would there really be need for censorship in truth? Would Elders withdraw from truth? Would there be the need to make threats to keep others quiet, if it was truth that they are spreading? My part is done and my conscience is clean now and I can hopefully forget this episode from my life as very painful and very educational thing that helped me see the right path, but wasn't one.
May all you find what you are looking for, but be sure that you are looking from the right places... Blessed be.
Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.
~Albert Einstein
And no, I don't buy the "if you are looking for distrust, you will find it" comment. I mean, it might be true with the smaller things, but really, if someone is claiming to have native bloodline and THE message from indigenous elders, there should be something to back it up. You know, when it is true, you wont find the distrust, no matter how much you look for it. I wasn't looking for it for sure, I was looking for proof to be able to back her message up, since I liked it originally. But more I see, less I like it... So now I just suggest to do your research and keep the good things before moving on from this one.
EDIT: Origins of "I AM" activity:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Activity She, and the tribe, is also mentioned on cult education site's messageboard/forum:
http://forum.rickross.com/read.php?12,95049,page=1 Of course, Kiesha is perfect "spoon feeded wisdom guru", her group gathers the latest "news" from conspiracy and pseudoscience forums, add a little bit of "indigenous" and earth science and what ever there is in the news, mix it up, twist it to "sell" better and attract more listeners and spoon feed it to spirit hungry people... Yes, of course SOME of it is true, otherwise it wouldn't sell at all, but big part of it is theories, rumors and just mix and match pulp... And ofc the very basic golden rules everyone of us have known or wished to be able to follow all our lives (with ofc all the responsibility removed). And it sells because most of the people looking for it is looking the forums where all the information is gathered from too, it sounds right when you have discussed it somewhere else, it really RESONATES then.
And it sells because it uses the myth of "lonely, lost, outsider kid climbing into riches/prince/princess/power/hero/whatever... we all want to be that kid.
I encourage everyone to start checking the news from other sources as well. Especially IF you want to look for the "indigenous" wisdom, try to find a bit more indigenous people to get that from, even the little quotes can show how different it is from this... The Kiesha's "message" isn't even what pisses me off most, it is just the plain fact that the whole thing is built on lies... I mean, there still is lots of good parts in it, even better, when looking at the authentic sources for those things, without someone twisting it. At least for me the true indigenous wisdom sinks in way better than this... even tho I do look my own people's roots nowadays instead of other nations. I prefer the earthy ways...
Edit number... something:
about the article "Tribe of many colors or tribe of many dollars" in Indybay... Which has turned into personal comment war against the writer of the article... I want to say: even if you take out of the whole NAFPS and the article writer and check the things yourself, you WILL find lies. If you have a way to check all the different forms of old statements Kiesha('s team) has made about her "origins" and the origins of her message, you will notice that they have been continuously changing to fit the circumstances. After Don Alejandro said that he has nothing to do with Kiesha, his name was taken out...
And if you ever read Arvol Looking Horses statements about selling spirituality, or just about anything, you will notice that the true native american way is different from hers (altho, since there are tons of different tribes with variety of ways, you can find some small similarities with some tribes' "wisdom", but nothing gives perfect match :p). And the white buffalo calf woman prophecy... pfffft... why on earth would Lakota's sacred deity come back on earth as a white woman who does anything to disrespect Lakota people? Especially when it is clearly stated in prophecies that she will come back as white buffalo calf and that she had BLACK hair in her previous human form and that she will come back to LAKOTAS...
Are we white people really so superior that we still have right to suppress, use and abuse every other culture and make money with it? And twist traditions, still?
When most of what we know about our own roots is twisted because we were so eager to suffocate the early day "paganism" when christianity started to rage over land, do we really want to suffocate the still thriving indigenous traditions the same way and make those people loose their connection to roots and earth and nature as well and wander rootless and empty like most of us?
Almost everything I know about my culture before christianity comes through the "these savages and pagans" lenses. I have nothing against christianity as guideline to moral, but I have everything against judging and trying to change by force something that doesn't really hurt anyone, on the contrary. And partly, Kiesha's crusade is harmful to native cultures, her claims (which are bit less now tho) about being the messenger of indigenous cultures, twists the whole tradition from most of the indigenous people, because it is just NOT THEIR wisdom. Not only this, when we buy her "stuff" and follow it, we start to demand indigenous people to change their ways to fit it, or they are "savages" "non-loving" "hateful" etc. people. This sounds bit like the same pattern happening again, this time it is not called religion tho, but "spiritual awakening". Is it right? Doesn't this fit perfectly under the frame "judging"? Kiesha herself said that you can't judge people. :p I judge her actions tho. This is just one more thing to add up hatred and controversy in the world, one more "truth teller" who attacks anyone who doesn't think the same way and condamns people who doesn't agree to hell, or more like it in this context, to die when the shifts happens. I thought we were pass this already.
I have to say that if "living from the heart" is this... I rather die with the "low energy frequence" people and wish all the luck for the "shifters", since they are going to need all of it living in their "new world" with this style of dealing with things. More rules and more restrictions for free speech... and all the money for the "leader"...
In love, balance and truth...
If you still want to check out what Kiesha Crowther/ Little Grandmother says she is about, here is the link to the official site (I would suggest finding the information from other sources and make up your own mind with what is your spiritual practise of choice tho, there's way more "healthy" ways to truth than having to follow blindly without being able to question things. Not to mention that there are other ways that don't stem from lies to sell better, or lies from not believing in your own message enough to try to carry it out as yourself, which makes me wonder who is the person Kiesha should remember to be, when whole message is based on "remember who you are"...):
http://littlegrandmother.net/default.aspx Maybe the most important thing to remember with her message is: it does NOT come from the indigenous elders of any kind and isn't, as it is, what indigenous tribes teach or have ever teached. If you feel ok with that fact and the ongoing claims and lies, then go ahead. She does have some valid points in her message and whether it is from the spiritual council she gets it, or from other new age/conspiracy (sometimes the sources are easy to spot, like the "I AM" thing) forums, but if you want to hear the real indigenous wisdom in the form it has been passed on for generations, I suggest some other source to be sure to get it right.
It is really not about being against whole of her message for most of her opposers, it is not about bashing her or that someone with great message should have "degree". Even I am against the degree system modern world loves... It is about truth. It is about when you claim something to be true, it has to be true and there shouldn't be controversy behind it. We NEED transparency, no hidden agendas. It is obvious that she has claimed things that can't be proven "true", things you can check up, facts about where she was born and that she has no connection to native american tribes. This is a lie and it is a lie that native americans (that have heard of hear and pay attention to one more fraud) feel is hurting their integrity. If the message is truly so awesome and good and important, it should be able to stand on it's own without false claims that only hurt it. Kiesha might "degrade" herself from high priestess of all the indigenous tribes and people all around the world, to "spiritual teacher" who gains her knowledge from spirit guides and mother earth or what ever she works with... I know it is possible to receive teachings from the earth itself... Why wouldn't it be enough to be herself to carry out her "teachings"?
Newest of the new news from NDN country (Feb 15th)... Here is newest video against what Kiesha is doing, or maybe more specific description would be, the truth of situation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=albQnbN4JjQRead the text under the video for more information.
And some information about the everyday life in Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota (Sioux) reservate in text:
http://www.nativevillage.org/Messages%20from%20the%20People/the%20arrogance%20of%20ignorance.htm AIM (American Indian Movement) has called action against her as well now. Couple of examples:
http://www.aimsb.org/home.htmlhttp://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=200178603326821&id=100001980072428Why natives should protest Kiesha Crowther? (and other people as well) -video in youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyolOPbu_goAnd channel full of vids against her:
http://www.youtube.com/user/dinehwarmotherFacebook group "League of pissed off NDNZ" for updates in discussion about Kiesha/other frauds and their doings:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_141321945930866Don't pay to pray
