Harner would still be mixing up and repackaging indigenous ways nobody gave him permission to share, so I don't think most people's reactions would be much different. He'd still be saying "All these ways I was taught can be blended together for anyone at all to use, and no harm done. They're all the same and you can learn them all in a motel seminar in one weekend!" That's...really degrading to the various traditions he was taught.
And he could tell his students not to charge, but sooner or later they would charge. Because, as now, his students would probably consist mostly if not entirely of white people wanting to "feel more indigenous." And we white people like money. Heck, the way we prove a thing is worth doing is by either charging money or paying money to do it. There would be nothing preventing his students from charging, and if Harner made it a priority to hunt them all down and scold them, I doubt he'd have time for doing much of anything else.
Which he wouldn't. Harner would not, in fact, do any of this stuff that "kindasorta sounds a little bit better than" what he is doing (it doesn't really). We know because he didn't do it, he doesn't do it, and he shows no sign of ever changing. He shows no sign of caring what indigenous people think of him, and I don't think he ever will. The kind of mindset that says "Oh, these old ways are pretty cool, but they're really all the same. I, a white anthropologist, can improve them! When I'm done, I'll put my wisdom in a book for others!" is nothing but ego and is unlikely to produce good works of any kind.
He'd still be teaching messed-up, partly made-up stuff and calling it indigenous. That would still be very wrong.
A lot of fake shamans seem to miss this point. They decide that if they don't use the S-word, and/or don't charge money, they can do whatever they want to and the cultures they're ripping off won't care. They're wrong.
I am new to these forums, and I'd like to ask a question to help in my understanding of the group's views.
I'll use Michael Harner as an example because he's so (in)famous. Please understand I am in no way defending him.
Let's pretend that Harner had done the following while writing "Way of the Shaman":
* He titled the book "Way of the Seeker" instead.
* He called his unified system of techniques "Harnerism" instead of "core shamanism".
* He never charged anybody for his services and teachings, and he instructed his students to be the same way.
* He stated at the start of the book something like, "I am of European descent, and not related to any of the indigenous tribes and nations of the Americas. The spiritual techniques I describe in this book are inspired by what I have learned regarding spiritual techniques from a variety of indigenous holy/medicine ceremonies, but the beliefs of every indigenous tribe/nation are different, and never should be "lumped" together under a single umbrella of so-called 'Native-American spirituality.'"
If Harner had done all that, how do you think NAFPS would feel about him and his works today?
Thank you. I look forward to gaining understanding from your response.
