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Frauds / Re: Tommy Priester
« Last post by penelope on January 02, 2024, 11:41:05 pm »Hi. I am the widow of the late Cree Elder, Don Cardinal. I knew Tommy Priester (and his partner, Karen) while Don was alive but have not spoken to them since Don died in 2008. Tommy participated in sweat lodge ceremonies conducted by Don in New York (Long Island and Saugerties). Tommy and Karen may have travelled up to Canada once or twice. However, I would not consider Don one of Tommy's primary teachers. Don may have shared some basic information about certain herbs with Tommy as he did with the rest of us who were part of the lodge family, but Don did not formally train Tommy. Tommy did not spend more than a few days at a time with us in ceremony - certainly not the time needed to be formally trained by a healer of Don's calibre. And Don did not pass any of his major medicines to Tommy Priester.
Once, I did ask an Elder from Norway House Cree Nation about Albert Tait - the other Cree herbalist who supposedly taught Tommy. (I am not comfortable sharing her name but she was a trusted friend of my husband and myself) This Elder did receive herbal training from Don and was given his blessing to prepare and dispense the herbs to others. When I mentioned to her that Tommy Priester claimed he was trained by herbalist Albert Tair from her reserve, the Elder looked at me and said it was news to her that Albert knew anything about herbs and he was not considered an herbalist by her or anyone she knew.
Once, I did ask an Elder from Norway House Cree Nation about Albert Tait - the other Cree herbalist who supposedly taught Tommy. (I am not comfortable sharing her name but she was a trusted friend of my husband and myself) This Elder did receive herbal training from Don and was given his blessing to prepare and dispense the herbs to others. When I mentioned to her that Tommy Priester claimed he was trained by herbalist Albert Tair from her reserve, the Elder looked at me and said it was news to her that Albert knew anything about herbs and he was not considered an herbalist by her or anyone she knew.