Author Topic: Mary Jo Gardner AKA Maria Naylin AKA Maria Yraceburu, Lynda Tari AKA Lynda Yrace  (Read 74875 times)

Offline miss_spitfire

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I'm in San Diego and got this on a list which is actually not related to NDN subjects at all. I searched here and see people feel she is a fraud but I would like to know the facts behind that. Granted, she looks like a fraud. She claims to be a 'Native American Ceremonialist' and charges a lot of money for tuition and training for this:

http://www.yraceburu.org/Festival_Dead.html

Who is Maria Yraceburu? I understand there is no Quero Apache tribe, and this is what she claims to be.

Thanks ahead of time.

~Miss Spitfire
« Last Edit: September 24, 2015, 12:11:53 pm by educatedindian »

Offline Superdog

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2008, 09:15:43 pm »
Here's a review of her book.  From the names associated with this and just with that one page...this one's a no brainer.

-------------------------
The White Mountain Apache Say She's a Fraud, July 15, 2008
By  LakotaGulfWarParatrooper (San Diego) - See all my reviews

The White Mountain Apache nation says Maria Naylin (her real name) is a fraud. Yraceburu is not even an Apache name, it's Yaqui. The White Mountain nations say that nothing she claims is anything close to Apache tradition, and they have no record of her enrolled and no one had ever heard of her until they received many complaints about her. The tribal offices also tried to get her to quit using the White Mountain tribal seal without their permission.

Her main concern is to make money over in California, far away from the people she falsely claims are her own. She also has her partner, a Gypsy woman, falsely claiming to be an Apache healer.

One of the people Naylin says trained her, "Rolling Thunder", was a white man claiming to be "Chickamauga Cherokee" who sold ceremonies in Europe and set up a commune for white hippies in a Nevada brothel. She claims training by another fraud, Twyla Nitsch, who is a woman with a small amount of Seneca blood kicked off the reservation for being a ceremony seller. Naylin also claims to have been trained in Kahuna. Kahuna is a white exploiter's false version of Hawaiian traditions.

She falsely claims to be "Quero Apache," a tribe that does not exist. The Quero are a tribe in South America with many false claims made by them by New Age charlatans, no relation to the Apache.

Think of this book as pure fantasy, not anything to do with actual Apache tradition.

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

BTW
Her "Snake Clan" lineage...also another red flag.  Apaches don't have clans.

Superdog

Offline ndn_proud

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2008, 09:49:03 pm »

BTW
Her "Snake Clan" lineage...also another red flag.  Apaches don't have clans.

Superdog

"Apache" certainly do have Clans, contact any of the Apache agencies, also see the articles at:
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/apache/clans.htm
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/apache/whitemtn.htm
http://www.eacourier.com/articles/2007/01/10/local_news/news07.txt
http://www.jqjacobs.net/southwest/apache.html

as well as an article on "jster" called:
"The Western Apache Clan System: Its Origins and Development by Charles R. Kaut"

  This is not to say that I think for a second this woman is legit!!!  Just clearing up the clan issue.
Be well

Offline Superdog

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2008, 10:15:25 pm »
Your right ndn....my post sucked...

I should have said "Apaches don't have animal clans", but back to the subject. 

Maria is a well-known fraud.  There is no such tribe as "Quero Apache" and certainly the ideas she's selling in her books are not authentic.  You can find a lot of the same concepts in Asian philosophies...the rest is just a romantic dressing that will sell books. 

Offline miss_spitfire

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2008, 12:15:22 am »
Well between this first post I made- which was was my first choice to ask at- and now, I did more research and ended up responding, and figured anything else that comes up here will be good to add if I need to.

Thank you so much, this is the most helpful, knowledgeable board.

I basically responded to the post on the list with a basic rundown of what I learned of her, which is basically what I see here now, as well as mentioning this site and to check the index for a really good guideline for what is out there and how to avoid being taken.

I'm really sick of these people... they make promises of enlightenment, and yeah people can be gullible, but people who haven't learned yet... they get all 'I'm an Indian now" and then head to the powwow and tell everyone what they've learned, and someone there has to break it to 'em... they've wasted their money on lies. I'm sick of seeing these people break hearts and steal money. They really piss me off.


Thanks again!

Offline miss_spitfire

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2008, 06:41:15 pm »
Unfortunately, the person I responded to on the list did not get it at all. Her response included:

"Quero' is Maria's word for the people that existed prior to the Apache, before the split
into so many different tribes throughout the region, used as a sort of reference to an even
older way of life."

The poster also asked what NDN means too.


Well I tried, and at least others on the list can see the info about Maria and make an informed decision.

ETA- I replied to her thusly:

NDN is a way many indigenous people in the US and Canada identify
themselves, as an alternate to 'Indian' or 'Native American.' The
Quero already are a tribe, incidentally, in South America, and have no
relation to the Apache. Another problem which is evidenced in your
reply is the use of the word Shamanism. Native traditions are often
called Shamanism, but actual Native people with first hand knowledge
of medicine ways do not use the word.

I would urge you to read the home page of
http://www.newagefraud.org/index.html ; it could at least give you a
better understanding. Your reply was well thought out, but illustrates
exactly what most people say to justify cultural appropriation and
theft. People's guts fool them when their minds are filled with
misinformation. "There are more than two hundred impostors out there
posing as Cherokee medicine people alone. Multiply that by five
hundred Native nations in the US, and add on the exploiters who abuse
or lie about practices of Latin America's Indians, and you get an idea
of the sheer, massive scope of the problem." -- from NAFPS.org

Well anyway, I tried. Fact is your reply illustrated exactly the
problems people in the Native world are trying to fix. But I've said
what I can. I'll say no more on this subject. It's with a heavy heart
I watch people go on defending this kind of 'Native American'
spiritualism.

~kk


I've urged to look at this forum, and hope she does.
« Last Edit: August 29, 2008, 09:13:29 pm by miss_spitfire »

Offline chiefytiger

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2008, 12:42:28 pm »
Spitfire Im sure now that you know the truth and what ever it  need to stop these ppls who claim to be of certain tribes ,Its a struggle and it hurts the true Natives of who they really are ,  Is there an email address ,si i can send a message to stop w/my opinion
Chiefytiger

Epiphany

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2011, 03:55:57 am »
She's still active. http://www.yraceburu.org/Programs.html Watched her video, horrible stuff.

Quote
My grandfather, Ten Bears, was a well respected holy man.
quote source: http://newagejournal.com/2007/quero-apache-teachings

http://www.yraceburu.org/Family_Lineage.html
« Last Edit: August 26, 2013, 01:59:01 am by Piff »

Offline snorks

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2011, 05:13:43 pm »
She is on Facebook as Yraceburu EarthWisdom.  Her wall is open for reading.
http://www.facebook.com/tsilsoose

According to several sources on her website and Internet, she was struck by lightening a few years back, and had to curtail some of her activity. 

She also trying to seek to buy a property called Taanaashkaada Sanctuary
"The Taanaashkaada Coalition and Yraceburu EarthWisdom are dedicated to the establishment of the sustainable community venture Taanaashkaada Sanctuary where a retreat and healing center, eco-village and wilderness preserve shall provide the staging grounds for an experiential, co-created, traditional earth life model in land regeneration, public education, community cooperative financial venue, and indigenous life structure."

http://www.yraceburu.org/Taanaashkaada_Sanctuary.html

I take this to mean she is setting a retirement home for herself much like B.Medicine Eagle tried with EarthHeart.

Offline educatedindian

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2011, 07:27:12 pm »
Amazingly mangled history she claims. Supposedly her great grandfather was Massai, who was with Geronimos band. Nope, Masai (one S not two) was one of the scouts who pursued Geronimo. Most of the words she uses seem to be mangled Navajo. And of course theres her claiming a clan lineage of an animal thats actually traditionally taboo. Not to mention the Yaqui last name...

If she were at all sincere theres plenty of people on White Mountain rez who could use help. Instead she heads off to build a twinkie retreat in the twinkie friendly areas of New Mexico.

Offline milehighsalute

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2013, 08:02:37 pm »

Epiphany

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2013, 03:25:47 pm »
More on her claimed training:

Quote
TRADITIONAL EDUCATION:
Quero Apache Snake Clan Tradition, Grandfather Juan Ten Bears Yraceburu, 1960-1972
Chiricahua Apache Tradition, Grandfather Philip Cassadore, 1967-1972
Shoshone/Cherokee Tradition, Grandfather Rolling Thunder, 1972-1973
Sioux Tradition, Grandfather Matthew King, 1973
Seminole Tradition, Grandfather Buffalo Jim, 1973
Seneca Tradition, Grams Twylah Nitsch, 1994-1996
Hawaiian Tradition, Aunty Happy Pahia, 2007-ongoing

http://web.archive.org/web/20080729033946/http://www.yraceburu.org/Yraceburu.html

Quote
EarthWisdom began it's life in 1972 with the Native American Students Associate at Ohlone College in Fremont, California with a handful of young and enthusiastic natives, joining with the American Indian Movement and working toward Native American Studies programs in the university system.  From there it evolved into the Miniority Students Alliance, and became all encompassing.  Ecopsychology was born from the work done at this time.

The group evolved into Two Lights Medicine Wheel Society and hosted gatherings that featured Elders teaching the ancient ways of healing and spirituality.

http://web.archive.org/web/20080729234315/http://www.yraceburu.org/Tlish_Diyan.html

She has said she was born 1954, Downey, CA. Her sons have the last name Tucker. I've found her probable birth date, but not much more than that, wonder if her birth surname is actually Naylin or if it is spelled differently.

Offline educatedindian

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2013, 06:10:15 pm »
More on her claimed training:

Quote
TRADITIONAL EDUCATION:
Quero Apache Snake Clan Tradition, Grandfather Juan Ten Bears Yraceburu, 1960-1972
Chiricahua Apache Tradition, Grandfather Philip Cassadore, 1967-1972
Shoshone/Cherokee Tradition, Grandfather Rolling Thunder, 1972-1973
Sioux Tradition, Grandfather Matthew King, 1973
Seminole Tradition, Grandfather Buffalo Jim, 1973
Seneca Tradition, Grams Twylah Nitsch, 1994-1996
Hawaiian Tradition, Aunty Happy Pahia, 2007-ongoing

http://web.archive.org/web/20080729033946/http://www.yraceburu.org/Yraceburu.html

Those might sound impressive to people who don't know better.
Qeros-as said before, don't exist, and there is no snake clan since snakes are a big taboo.
RT-fake, supposed Cherokee, married into Shoshone but never one. Covered in many other threads.
Nitsch-another Nuage fake covered in many threads.
Pahia is one of the kahuna frauds, probably needs her own thread.

Very conveniently for Naylin, the Seminole elder has passed on, and was 85 when she claims to have been trained by him. Seemingly she was supposedly trained by him at the same time as two others. It might have been all of listening to stories for a few months or weeks since he was known to tell stories to many people.

Phil Cassadore has also long since passed on. Pretty despicable she would claim his endorsement since he was very traditional and widely known, as is all the family. He brought back the kinaalda on San Carlos, and his sister led the effort against a telescope on Mt Graham.

Problem is, she claims he's Chiricahua. He lived on San Carlos, northern AZ. The Chiricahua are mostly at Ft Sill in OK.
And when she claims to be trained by him is also when Cassadore was pretty busy with a run for president in 72.

The King family are pretty well known. I can't imagine him actually training her. And really why would she be going to any of these medicine people of unrelated tribes? Esp since what she teaches doesn't resemble any of their traditions.

Epiphany

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2013, 03:04:24 am »
Her web presence tends to change quickly, pages come and go, unfortunately not everything has been captured by the Wayback Machine.

One of her sons Jason Tucker is currently on her site listed as a "Traditional Apache Healer". http://www.yraceburu.org/beams-of-support.html. The "Apache Healing" page has a photo of something being laid along a person's back, is that a snake skin? http://www.yraceburu.org/tlish-diyan.html


Offline Diana

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Re: Maria Yraceburu
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2013, 03:52:50 am »
Her web presence tends to change quickly, pages come and go, unfortunately not everything has been captured by the Wayback Machine.

One of her sons Jason Tucker is currently on her site listed as a "Traditional Apache Healer". http://www.yraceburu.org/beams-of-support.html. The "Apache Healing" page has a photo of something being laid along a person's back, is that a snake skin? http://www.yraceburu.org/tlish-diyan.html

OMG! That is a snake skin. What is the matter with people. Here's a quote from their web site "stimulation of tlish'intin (snake lines) to activate the cellular memory for release of anything that doesn’t serve you." Snake lines! I know they're making this shit up. :o