General > Frauds
'Pow wow', West Knoyle, Wiltshire, UK July 2005
RobintheDruid:
Hi everyone, just to let you know that I'm due to go to the above event on 10-11 July this year. Normally I would go to Priddy Folk Festival instead, but following Al's talk in Glastonbury a few weeks back, I thought I would go along and check this out.
Its bound to be full of 'plastic shamans' and fake sweat lodges etc so if I get the opportunity I might say something about the importance of following one's own culture and traditions rather than stealing someone else's.
I would be grateful if anyone out there would tell me know who/what to look out for. I am also willing to act as anyones' 'voice', so that I can tell people just how annoying it is that New Agers are stealing Native American culture. So if you want me to say anything, just let me know your opinions and I will duly deliver them when/if I get a suitable opportunity.
Best wishes
Robin the Druid
educatedindian:
This is great to hear, exactly the sort ofthing I hoped would come out of the tour. Fell free to make copies of any of the flyers from my speech and pass them out to any and all.
Some things to expect-
Security or bodyguards or entourages from the frauds out to silence you.
People moaning about negative energy.
Claims its only a few bad evil racist Natives who want disrespect stopped,when actually its the frauds and their supporters who are a tiny minority in Indian Country.
Demands that you prove youre some kind of special representative, or that you have to be an Indian to speak out against imposters or exploiters. This is like claiming you have to be Jewish to be against anti Semitism.
Barnaby or Ed might have some tips for you. Let us know what happens.
Barnaby_McEwan:
--- Quote ---Hi everyone, just to let you know that I'm due to go to the above event on 10-11 July this year. Normally I would go to Priddy Folk Festival instead, but following Al's talk in Glastonbury a few weeks back, I thought I would go along and check this out.
--- End quote ---
That's great! My sister lives near there, and if I'm not mistaken another member of this forum, Timberlinewarrior, lives close by. Feel free to PM me about this: if it turns out I can be there too, I will PM you. I can email you copies of the flyers from Al's talk, in pdf format for easy printing, or some other format if you like. They'll give you an idea what to look out for.
--- Quote ---Its bound to be full of 'plastic shamans' and fake sweat lodges etc
--- End quote ---
I haven't been there but I think you'll be more likely to find 'hobbyists': the kind of people who are obsessed with reproducing things like clothes and beadwork as exactly as possible, rather than people selling fake ceremonies. Native people here will be able to advise on the propriety or otherwise of that kind of thing. Mind you there might well be some space-cadets there as well.
This Google-cached page about that farm
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:xke61WVluKYJ:www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/wiltshire/leisure/whatson/LEISURE_WHATSON_EVENTS22.html+%22Pow+wow%22+%22west+knoyle%22&hl=en
says they 'sell rawhide for drums and shields' and I bet their main customers are people making expensive paraphernalia for the new age market. This is their main site - not much on it:
http://www.bisonfarm.co.uk/index.htm
There's a warning on David Meanwell's site (he's also a member here) about UK pow-wows:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/fourdirections/page19.html
Interesting you mention Priddy (that's about ten miles from Glastonbury, English geography fans). Gordon Reynolds died in a fake sweatlodge ceremony near there in 1996.
ironhead:
Greetings, also be advised that since you say you might be asking questions and telling folks there that it is not right to hijack other's beliefs, for the wrong reasons, that you might be subject to personal violence. These people have "incomes" to support and may not like it if they feel those "incomes" are endangered. You might also be exposed to personal insults and ridicule. You must remember to "keep your temper", and not engage in too much "heated debate". This is for your safety.
Barnaby_McEwan:
That's all good advice, but please don't worry too much about violence. I'm not saying it couldn't happen but we're talking about newagers, not nazi skinheads. Most are not at all violent; a few are capable of getting very angry and making a lot of noise. When you challenge them, most wear an infuriatingly 'spiritual' mask behind which you can see they are boiling mad or frightened.
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