Author Topic: Reuben Ortiz AKA J Reuben Silverbird  (Read 49685 times)

Offline dee

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Reuben Ortiz AKA J Reuben Silverbird
« on: September 12, 2006, 03:47:41 am »
http://www.silverbird.at/start.html

He is traveling to New Zealand and a friend who lives there wanted to know some background on him.  Has any heard of him?  He is going to visit Maori Elders as well.

Thank you 
« Last Edit: November 13, 2014, 02:17:09 pm by educatedindian »

Offline Freija

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Re: JR Silverbird?
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2006, 07:17:07 am »
I know of him because he is travelling to Norway in November. He lives in Austria.
It says on the website that he has an Apache father and a Cherokee mother, although to my friend who organises the event in Norway, he has said he is Apache and Cheyenne.

He has been selling sweats, don´t know if he still does but he advertises with sweats on his site (no pricetag) ? He used to work with the late Sun Bear.

OK, that´s my two cents ? :)


« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am by Freija »

Offline Defend the Sacred

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J Reuben Silverbird
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2009, 04:13:50 am »
Anyone know this guy? He may just be an actor/musician, but it does say he's giving "spiritual seminars" and "conducting ceremonies" in Europe. He's been uploading a lot of videos to YouTube. Links here: http://twitter.com/jsilverbird and here: http://www.youtube.com/user/jsilverbird

from http://www.silverbird.us/Site/FAQ.html
Quote
Purification Lodge Ceremonies
He has established a small Native Village, by a river, in a Horse Farm, within the city limits of Vienna,
with a beautiful countryside feeling of Nature, at: Steinsporweg 9 in the 22nd District.
He will be conducting Ceremonies, Seminars and accepting groups of school children for Special Festive Native Events.

This is what he wrote about himself on Wikipedia:
Quote
J Reuben Silverbird is a Nedhni Apache/Cherokee from Arizona whose ancestors came by way of the Sonora Mountains into the enchanting Southwest area of Arizona and New Mexico. He comes from a spiritually oriented musical family of thespians who owned and toured with their highly recognized Circus & Vaudeville Show throughout the Tri-State area of Arizona, New Mexico & Colorado.

Silverbird follows in his parents' footsteps, while expanding his Southwestern touring to traveling world-wide, musically entertaining audiences, doing spiritual seminars and speaking on behalf of peace, in his capacity as Ambassador for Peace and United Nations (non-governmental organizations).

His new book, "Two Sides of Life", published by Nero Publishing in Norway, deals with Original Native Words of Wisdom, Shamanism, Politics and healthy Family Roots, as gifted to him by the healing Traditional ways of his parents.

He is a Musician, Singer, Composer, Producer and owns his own record company: his CDs include: "Indian Circle" CD with original historical songs like, "Apache Tears", "Cherokee Rose", The Rez, etc.... He conceived and co-produced, "The World in Our Eyes", the birth of the world, according to the Original Natives of the USA, which brought him world attention and certain success.

Recent projects: book, "Two Sides of Life" and new CD, "Meditation - Flute & Healing Words for Stress Relief"

Recent TV appearances: Tom Turbo, Kids TV in Vienna, Austria. "Spirit of Pocahontas", based on the 1995 Disney animated film, "Young Harry Houdini" filmed in Hollywood. Cover of "U.S. News" Magazine, Nov, 1998.

Presently: Scandinavian Spiritual Tour of Sweden, Northern Norway, Holland, Scotland & Austria.
[emphases added]

And here http://www.inner-melodies.4t.com/photo3.html
Quote
Universal Hall, Findhorn Foundation, Forres

Inner Melodies Proudly Presented
A Unique Event in Scotland

An Evening with

Nehdni Apache/ Cherokee Elder
Joseph Reuben Silverbird

...

J.Reuben Silverbird's mother was a Cherokee/Dine medicine woman and his father was a NedhniApache spiritual wise man.

ETA Found some more:

http://www.inner-melodies.4t.com/catalog_2.html
Quote
Joseph Reuben Silverbird, Peace Ambassador for the United Nations, NGO to Vienna

Silverbird shared his teachings about Peace in the Universal Hall at The Findhorn Foundation and the Tornaveen Hall (Aberdeenshire). He gave personal Aura Readings, and shared teaching of Peace of his Apache/Cherokee Tradition with women at the Circle Of One at Claudia's house.
[emphases added]

Here, his mother is Navajo instead of Cherokee (or Cherokee/Dineh), and he speaks positively of Sun Bear (Vincent LaDuke, I would surmise), from whom he seems to have gotten his idea to work with the hobbyists in Europe: http://www.religionen.at/irsilverb01.htm

« Last Edit: July 19, 2014, 12:58:27 am by Kathryn »

Offline Ingeborg

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Re: J Reuben Silverbird
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2009, 10:20:32 am »
Silverbird was mentioned in two threads some time ago:

http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=852.0

http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=286.0 , cf reply # 4.


Offline Defend the Sacred

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Re: J Reuben Silverbird
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2009, 03:50:25 pm »
Silverbird was mentioned in two threads some time ago:

http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=852.0

http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=286.0 , cf reply # 4.

Thanks. I knew he sounded familiar, and I had a feeling you'd know about him, Ingeborg.

BTW, The search function on the site is not working very well. I searched before posting and nothing came up.

Offline lakotagirl

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Re: J Reuben Silverbird
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2009, 04:31:30 am »
yep i know silverbird. he is in vienna since 1999 since the indian village in schoenau lower austria.

we used to call him hollywood. he's a sellout in my eyes. he don't even know what a sweat is but sells ceremonies etc.
greetings from the rosebud rez
the home of the sicangu lakota oyate
lakotagirl

Offline Camilla

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Re: JR Silverbird?
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2010, 10:13:18 am »
« Last Edit: August 17, 2010, 11:06:25 am by Camilla »
Camilla

Offline earthw7

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Re: JR Silverbird?
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2010, 03:35:08 pm »
I ran a search can not find him on any Indian censuses
But found
J. Reuben Silverbird divorced Bridgitte Leboeuf on 1-31-1996
both from Flordia
In Spirit

Offline educatedindian

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Re: J Reuben Silverbird
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2010, 05:53:46 pm »
Topic merged with older thread about him, and moved to Research Needed. One of the older posts also lists even older threads about him.

Offline Ingeborg

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J. Reuben Silverbird aka Joseph Reuben Silverbird aka Reuben Ortiz
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2010, 01:41:12 pm »

I recommend moving Silverbird to the Fraud section.


First of all, according to this site (info on musicians and their work), his real-life name apparently is Reuben Ortiz:

http://www.faqs.org/copyright/human-relations-in-educational-organization-a-basic-text-in/

Quote
Roses in the winter
Document number:
V3401D604
Date of Recordation:
August 1, 1997
Entire Copyright Document:
V3401D604 (Single page document)
Date of Execution:
July 23, 1997
Registration Number Not Verified:
PAu 484-712 (1982)
Title:
Roses in the winter / By Rudy Martin and Reuben Ortiz (or Oritz) a.k.a. J. Reuben Silverbird. PAu 484-712 (1982)

Emphasis added by me

A search for „Reuben Ortiz“ revealed he and some of his brothers had a band by the name of „Silverbird“ - the LP shown at this site is from 1972.

http://rateyourmusic.com/lists/list_view?list_id=14505&show=100&start=500
Entry no. 560
Quote
Silverbird

Gilbert Ortiz -
Mark Ortiz -
Reuben Ortiz -

Then Reuben Ortiz is mentioned twice in a 1965 issue of Billboard:
http://books.google.de/books?id=MykEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT137&lpg=PT137&dq=%22reuben+ortiz%22&source=bl&ots=MFZtV-BskE&sig=Ly-5eQeG_Dk36x8JvBiqXt44Fkk&hl=de&ei=p4RyTPjcKY3yOeWPtZ0O&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBQQ6AEwADgo#v=onepage&q=%22reuben%20ortiz%22&f=false

At page 16, there is an article which reads:
Quote
“Coronados Expand - New York. The Coronados, RCA Victor group, have formed Recording Artists, Inc., to develop and record new talent. Steve Ortiz will be the talent scout for the new organization with Reuben Ortiz supervising recording and Ginger Ortiz acting as executive secretary.“

At page 44 of the same issue, there is a photo with the following caption:
Quote
“WMCA good guy Jack Spector greets RCA Victor Records artists the Coronoados at a recent record hop at Our Lady of Grace Church, New York. From left, Reuben Ortiz, Spector, Ginger Ortiz, and Steve Ortiz. Their latest release is „Cu Cu Ru Cu Cu Paloma“.“

Amazon offers the following item:

http://www.amazon.com/Silverbird-Broken-Treaties-Reuben-Ortiz/dp/B0033SML6W
[qote]Silverbird-Broken Treaties
Reuben Ortiz (Author), Joerey Ortiz (Author), Perry Ortiz (Author), Steven Coronado (Author), Gilbert Ortiz (Author), Ginger Coronado (Author), Mark Ortiz (Author) | Format: Vinyl[/quote]

…................

An Australian magazine published an article with biographical details in 2006:

http://www.ravemagazine.com.au/component/option,com_mamblog/Itemid,116/task,show/action,view/id,1518/

Quote
J. Reuben Silverbird 'Walk in Beauty' Sacred Peace Concert (Thursday, 05 October 2006) Written by Jaya Lewis

J. Reuben Silverbird is coming to Australia in September/October: the son of a Nedhni Apache / (Chippewa) Medicine Wise Man, and Cherokee Medicine Woman, Reuben was born blind.  His parents were highly recognized and praised by thespians, singers and musicians, from the regions based in the southwestern states of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. His Mother (a singer and healer) and Father (a performer in music and acting) had fruitless visits with Eye Specialists; finally, they brought their son back to a Traditional Medicine Man, and performed a sacred Indian Ritual - the four-day ‘Blessing-Way Ceremony’ (faith in the Creator, prayer, and incorporating hot water bathing into the ritual from thermal springs, from a holy place in New Mexico).  At the age of four and a half, Reuben’s sight was restored.  From this day forth, Reuben was considered a miracle-child.  In having been born blind, the young Reuben Silverbird  developed the deep intuitive ‘spiritual’ energy early in his life; it was shortly after his sight was returned to him, he witnessed a horrific accident involving his Mother - he began to have the first of several visions that would change and further deepen his path, an became the precursors into his deeper understanding of the world of spirituality. 


There is plenty of evidence of Silverbird selling ceremonies for years meanwhile. He has taken part in several esoteric congresses in Europe, sold sweatlodges in hotels and for a company offering incentive programmes, he has been doing seminars and lectures on ndn spirituality as well as „aura readings“, and performed at least two „Indian marriages“ for European – errrm: celebrities of lesser rank. Silverbird furthermore has long-term connections to the Unification Church of so-called Reverend Sun Myung Moon.

Silverbird has been active in Austria – where he has been living since 1999 -, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands; most recent fraud activities seem to have started in Australia (with alleged Cherokee Bobby Runningfox – mentioned here e.g. in: http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=2058.0 ). As the price tags for the Australian 'retreats' are most impressive, I'll start with these:


http://www.reubensilverbird.com/Retreat.php 

Quote
Join J. Reuben Silverbird in an extremely powerful 2 1/2 day residential retreat. Learn about Apache teachings and experience a traditional Native American Inipi (Sweat Lodge) Purification Ceremony. Indian Nations equate the Ceremony as one that "intermingles and conveys the lifeblood of the world" and it is a spiritual experience unlike any other.
 
Reuben presents his workshops with a sense of humour, love and a deep connection to Great Spirit. He has helped many people become liberated from their own fears and experience more success in all of their life.
 
At the retreat, Reuben will share "Native American History, Past and Present" with you, talk about "Shamanism vs Native Medicine", explain the "Origin of the Inipi (Sweat Lodge)" and introduce you to the "Power of Mind over Body".
[…]
The highlight of the retreat is a traditional Inipi (Sweat Lodge) Purification Ceremony and you will be involved in hands on preparation, before experiencing the physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of purification. [...]

The investment in yourself for this unique and inspiring retreat is:
$1,197.00 per person
$2,194.00 per couple
(payment plans available)

Reuben will be available for private consultations and Intuitive Aura Readings after the retreat. 25 minutes @ $50.00, Book now as numbers are strictly limited.


Silverbird is already addvertising another 'retreat' for 2011:

http://lightworkers.org/event/106418/native-american-retreat-united-nations-peace-ambassador-j-reuben-silverbird
Start date:
3 Jun 2011 - 2:00pm - 5 Jun 2011 - 6:00pm
Where:
Australia
Location or City:
Solitude Retreat, 3376 Nerang Murwillumbah Road, Numinbah Valley Qld 4211
Once in a lifetime opportunity![/quote]

Silverbird will be assisted by these two persons:

http://www.spiritual-retreat.info/About-Facilitators.php

Quote
Cherokee Bobby Runningfox

Born in California, Cherokee medicine man Bobby Runningfox is an intuitive healer with an amazing accuracy, and has helped people all over the world on a physical, emotional and psychological level. On his Native American journey, Bobby was guided by his grandmother and uncle, both powerful medicine people, who greatly influenced his life path.
 
Connected to spirit, Bobby teaches people to live in the moment, heal the past and not to worry about the future, how to bring harmony to themselves and others around them. His journey now is to awaken those beings that want to see. Heal those who really want to learn to heal themselves. Love those who allow themselves to be loved. People come from far and wide to attend his enlightening workshops, taking home some of the incredible knowledge Bobby Runningfox has to share.
 
Bobby is also an accomplished musician, playing Native American music as well as his own compositions to modern tunes. Bobby has played in concerts with J. Reuben Silverbird and engages his audience through live music, song and dance.


Walter Smith (Walks on Wind)

Born in Nottingham, England, shamanic healer Walter Smith has studied with Celtic Shaman, Druid and Wiccan Pagan law. An acknowledged master of many modalities, he has added innumerable advanced techniques to his studies, which have drawn people to him from all over the world.
 
He has been exposed to Native American culture and Shamanism with many Elder Teachers along the way, from Apache, Cree, Cherokee, Lakota and Iroquois.
 
Walter is a shamanic healer, regressionist and intuitive channel, Hoop Drum Maker, facilitator and recording artist. He is also the Keeper of the Fire for Lloyd Yellowbird of the Cree Nation (when in Australia), Elder J. Reuben Silverbird, Nedhni Apache/ Cherokee and Peace Ambassador to the United Nations and Bobby Runningfox, Cherokee Medicine Man.



Two of Silverbird's publications are sold by an esoteric project. The first title is a lecture Silverbird gave at an esoteric congress in Basel/Switzerland:

http://www.auditorium-netzwerk.de/AutorenAutorinnen/Silverbird-J-Reuben:::4_258.html

Quote
Silverbird, J.: Healing Powers of Music, Dance, and Song – Insights into Indian Art of Healing

Lecture at Basel PSI-Days, 8th World Congress for Spiritual Healing: „This Life – Healing Different“ from November 10-13 at Basel. […]
prices start at EURO 13.95 incl. VAT plus shipping

Silverbird, J. Reuben: Healing with the Power of Music and Mind – Indian spiritual Healing
prices start at EURO 21.95 incl. VAT plus shipping.

Amazon describes Silverbird as a 'distinguished spokesman for Native Americans':
http://www.amazon.com/World-Our-Eyes-American-Creation/dp/B0000007ZQ

Quote
Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
J. Reuben Silverbird, a Navajo-Apache, is a distinguished spokesman for Native Americans. He is a board member of the American Indian College Fund and the American Indian Museum in New York, as well as The President of the Annual American Indian Nations Powwow. He has lectured on American Indian topics throughout the country and has appeared on numerous television programs.
The World in Our Eyes: A Native American Vision of Creation also features the haunting Native American flute performances of J. Reuben Silverbird's son, Perry Silverbird, as well as Sioux singers and drummers from South Dakota. The sounds of the seasons were recorded by Mark Lineberry who composed and performed the background music.
Product Description
The World in Our Eyes: A Native American Vision of Creation, celebrates the wisdom of America's indigenous people through myth and music. Conceived and produced by J. Reuben Silverbird and Rob Russo, this two-disk set features an artful combination of narration, traditional Native American performances, environmental sounds and synthesized landscapes that capture the essence of our country's most ancient heritage. The Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, Apache, Cheyenne, and Pawnee nations are separated by geography and language, yet share beliefs about the origin of the universe. Silverbird has distilled these insights of Native American cultures into a powerful and poetic narration.
"I'm constantly asked at lectures and performances about what Indians believed as far as the birth of the world was concerned," says Silverbird, who frequently speaks about Native American concerns around the country. "Despite the differences between tribes, they all have common symbols: the Great Spirit, Sky Father, Earth Mother, the circle, the rain, the eagle. Although some of us have tried to keep many of our sacred myths and ceremonies secret, I think that projects like this one will help non-Native Americans to understand Indians better."
[…]


Silverbird has been selling sweatlodges at the premises of Austrian hotels for some time already:
http://www.tiscover.com/at/guide/50775at,de,SCH1/objectId,ACC120878at,season,at1,selectedEntry,pict/pict.html
 
The site of an Austrian hotel describing the activities they offer for their guests. Among the activities mentioned is: "Sweatlodge ceremonies with the Apache „Reuben Silverbird“.

Another hotel with a more precise ad at page 4:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:N_h74Db8m5QJ:www.truevenue.com/media/conference_hotels/austria/niederoesterreich/krainerhuette/Downloads/Incentiveprogramme.pdf+%22reuben+silverbird%22&hl=de&gl=de

Quote
THE SWEATLODGE – PURIFICATION CEREMONY
with Reuben Silverbird
As is usual with the Apache, you will participate in a Sweatlodge Ceremony – Purification Ceremony. The sweatlodge will tape place at sunrise (5.30 a.m.) or sundown. Lava stones will be heated and taken into the sweatlodge by a helper of Reuben Silverbird. The sweatlodge is made of willow poles tied to each other forming an igloo-type structure. This sweatlodge is then covered with blankets and a tarp on top.[...]
As soon as all participants are placed, the fireman will bring stones […] The rounds are dedicated to various issues. The sweatlodge will take a holistic effect on body, vital energy, and mind. Additionally a strong spiritual dimension.
Flat fee: EURO 1,100.00 plus VAT


Silverbird also made appearances at various esoteric congresses in Europe. One of them was the so-called New Peace Movement in 2006, attracting well-known esoteric figures. They even published a VIP list at their site:
http://www.new-peace.com/index.php?id=283

 The entry on Silverbird reads:
„Apache/Cherokee/Navajo, actor (Spirit of Pocahontas – narrator – Disney Production), musician (e.g. with Diana Ross, Eartha Kitt, Oliver Shanti), author, leader of seminars etc., UN peace ambassador; lives in Vienna.“
This event was advertised widely in the German language esoteric scene.

Another report on the above mentioned congress:
http://www.eso-garden.com/index.php?/weblog/C4/P15/

This report mentions Silverbird, Kachinas Kutenai, Lightning Bear John Colbert, Devalon Small Lages, Standing Eagle having made appearances as speakers. The article presents a photo of Silverbird with Kachinas Kutenai.

Silverbird also participated in the Congress Spirituality and World Peace in 2003, together with Kohfink (Tacansina), Kachinas Kutenai, Standing Eagle, Devalon Small Legs. Silverbird did a 60-minute Welcome Blessing Ceremony:
http://www.avrecording.de/suw03.htm

According to a site Silverbird maintains, he also took part in the Congress „Art of Healing“ in Graz/Austria in 2004:
http://www.silverbird.us/ cf. Gallery, fifth entry from top.

A list of participants is published here: http://www.kidmed.de/forum/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=6094 .Participants include well-known esoterics like Chris Griscom. Apart from Silverbird, they had, Francis Mitchell,  a Navajo medicine man, and „Tacansina“ J.-Michael Kohfink, Wa-Na-Nee-Che

Eso congress in Basel/Switzerland in November 2006:
http://www.psi-tage.ch/kongress_programm_samstag.html
Silverbird appeared in four lectures/workshops, e.g. with the Guadarramas.


Another field of activities for Silverbird is events organized by Unification Church run by the so-called Reverend Moon (his followers are widely known as 'Moonies'). In researching Silverbird, I found reports on Silverbird having taken part in their events and activities from the year 2000 to 2010.

The oldest article mentioning Silverbird as a participant in an event is in a publication of Unification Church: Unification News – The Newspaper of the Unification Community, dated March 2000, Vol. 19, No. 3.

http://www.weltfriede.at/20030901.htm

This is a report on a congress in 2003 organized by the „Interreligious & International Federation for Worldpeace (IIFWP)“, an organisation founded and maintained by Mun's Unification Church. The report says:
Quote
At the end of the congress, the Indian Reuben Silverbird, living in Austria, spoke about his experience as a peace ambassador and the many meetings he had during travels to Seoul, Milan, or Paris: „Every time I read the certificate on the wall, I feel challenged to commit myself more“. Chosen participants of this conference, among them the Indonesian ambassador, received the  certificate of appointment as an ambassador of peace.

This paragraph seems to indicate that Silverbird's impressive title of an ambassador was rather  bestowed by the Unification Church (and not by the UN) in the first place.

And this one is rich:
http://www.vereinigungskirche.de/

In an article (presumably dd. 2004) titled „European peace ambassadors give „peace crown“ to Rev. and Mrs Moon“, they write:
Quote
They were supported by four religious leaders: Rabbi Ernö Lazarovits from Hungary (Judaism), Dr. Rev. Hart from Great Britain (christianity), Sheikh Mamadou Ntchara from France (Islam), and Elder Reuben Silverbird from Austria representing the pre-Christian European Religions“.
Emphasis mine

A UC article covering Moon's world tour from Sept 12 to Dec 23, 2005:
http://www.weltfamilie.at/Aktuell.htm

„ […] Austrian Home Ministry banned the Moons from enterin the country and therefor from the possibility to found the Federation for Universal Peace in person. Still the Austrian branch of Universal Peace Foundation was founded on Dec 18 at Park Hotel in Schoenbrunn. In his laudation, Elder Reuben Silverbird pointed out that Austria may be in a position to ban the Moons, but not their thoughts and words […]“

This one is not dated – another lecture given to a suborganisation of Unification Church in Vienna/Austria. Silverbird claims cooperation with known fraud Sun Bear:
http://www.herzundhand.at/familientradition.htm

Quote
J. Reuben SILVERBIRD (Native American)
Our aim of enabling cultural exchange brought Mr J. Reuben SILVERBIRD to our premises as a representative of the Native Americans. He is a descendant of three Indian peoples. He drew a moving picture of the inner riches of a culture [sic] which seen from the outside is so nondescript. […]
In many parts in films,. he again and again experienced the lot of the Indian peoples' heroes who approached the „White Man“ in trust to be disappointed cruelly so often. Eventually, he was called to develop an „Indian Village“ in Europe. It seemd to him the fulfilment of a dream he had with his good friend Sun Bear: creating a place of encounters with genuine Indian spirituality. He became ambassador of this Indian village at the park of Schoenau castle. […]

Silverbird is mentioned at a Moonie site from Norway:
http://www.enhet.no/nyheter2.php

Quote
Reuben Silverbird, Ambassadør for den europeiske indianerlandsby.
The article is about a mass meeting in Seoul in 2000, and Rabbi Lazarovits mentioned above here gets mentioned as an alleged member of the Central Council of Jews. Silverbird is mentioned as an „ambassador for the European Indian village“.

http://www.tparents.org/unews/unws0103/wcsf_selig_report.htm
Silverbird attended another Moonie meeting in 2001, as per Unification News for March 2001..

He signed a petition issued by the Moonies in 2009:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/goto/signatures
Quote
Name: J Reuben Silverbird on Sep 22, 2009
Silverbird's signature was the 17th of a total of 545.

On June 6, 2010, Silverbird again attended an event organised by Unification Church:
http://www.famfed.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123:vermaechtnisdesfriedens&catid=57:berichte
Quote
The Memorial Festival of Ascension and Unity
as well as the
Celebration of True Parents’ 50th Wedding Anniversary 
was held in Vienna on June 6th, 2010, at the Headquaters of the Unification Movement of Austria. 
[…]
Ambassador of Peace, Elder Reuben Silverbird, played flute music for a meditation prayer, followed by a prayer by Ambassador of Peace, Dr. Tigani, from the Muslim faith.  […]

The Moon Movement/Unification Church has been mentioned here before, as there are other ndn persons whom they use for advertising and promoting their activities. Therefore, I also put up a thread on them here: http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=2862.0 .


Offline cowlishaw

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Mr. Fraud Suspect - J. Rueben Silverbird
« Reply #10 on: October 17, 2010, 03:51:01 pm »
Hey Guys... I haven't been on this board for a while but wanted to revisit it after thumbing through this guys site. The dude still makes me get indigestion. I may be interested in the issues native people have to deal with but I am Mormon but I get sick of and concerned about people who exploit native culture and spirituality because I don't think any group deserves to be exploited like this. So I came across this dude's site once again, and I just get bad vibes especially when coming across this page. We need to keep this guy in the spotlight:

http://www.reubensilverbird.com/Retreat.php

Also, I noticed the main site is still not finished with NAFPS? Whats up with that? lol

Thanks Guys,
Nate

Let me know if there's a NAFPS on FB:
http://facebook.com/cowlishaw

« Last Edit: October 17, 2010, 03:52:44 pm by cowlishaw »

Offline KrazyKraut

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Re: J Reuben Silverbird
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2011, 08:29:44 pm »
From http://www.bleepkongress.de/
---cut
Joseph Reuben Silverbird – Indianer und UN-Friedensbotschafter „Die heilende Kraft der Gedanken“
---cut
trans.: Joseph Reuben Silverbird - red Indian and UN peace ambassador "the healing power of thought"

...

Edit: Link corrected
« Last Edit: May 14, 2011, 01:27:14 am by KrazyKraut »

Offline educatedindian

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Re: Reuben Ortiz AKA J Reuben Silverbird
« Reply #12 on: November 13, 2014, 02:22:46 pm »
Ortiz is selling ceremony at a German or Austrian hotel. The ad is all in German.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F1twOhlwwU

And wearing a headdress that looks like a castoff from Cher or Liberace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMQSsEgaZMQ

One account says he used to claim to be Navajo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQyHAFKUzFQ

Offline Ingeborg

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Re: Reuben Ortiz AKA J Reuben Silverbird
« Reply #13 on: November 13, 2014, 04:43:13 pm »
Our friends over at Psiram have an article on Silverbird and they found some more info regarding his background. The varying ethnic affiliations regarding his parents seem to have been published by Ortiz himself, since he has described his mother as a) Navaho, b) Navaho-Cherokee, or c) Cherokee. There are also press articles from the 1970ies in which the family – then living in New York State and acting as a band by the name of „The Silverbirds“ - were said to be Navaho. So Ortiz seems to be exploiting indigenous peoples and cultures for some 40 years already.

https://www.psiram.com/en/index.php/J._Reuben_Silverbird

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Various Legends
Ortiz portrays himself as the son of a Native American family and claims his father, whose name he renders as Joseph Ortiz Cordona, was a Nedhni Apache, while his mother, Florinda Blair, was a Navaho; at times his mother gets described as a Navaho-Cherokee or a Cherokee. Occasionally, Ortiz claims his mother's family was related to Sequoyah who invented the Cherokee alphabet, whom he misspells as Sequoia[4] which is the spelling for the Redwood tree.[5] On the other hand, there are press articles dating back to the 1970s in which the „Silverbirds“ are said to be Navaho.[1]

According to press articles promoting the „Silverbirds“, the family had been living in Dumont, New York, for several years already. Six of the family members are said to have „Navajo and Spanish blood“, while one was of Cherokee descent. Ortiz' first name gets rendered as „Ruben“.[1]

Ortiz' claims are dubious, since he never mentions clans of or relations in the indigenous nations except for rather vague pieces of information, and furthermore because he constantly uses an incorrect spelling for the „Nedhni“-Apache.

In describing his childhood, Ortiz presents his parents as renowned actors and musicians[4], with his father regularly discussing with bishops and leading politicians.[6] He further claims to have been born blind and only gained sight through indigenous healing methods several years later.[7][4]

Regarding the job held at the „Indian Village Europe“, Ortiz claims to have been hired as a „coordinator“, although he does not specify a job description.[3]

Psiram even found info regarding the Ortiz family's real background:

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The Legends Revealed
Despite Ortiz' attempts, there is enough information available to counter the various and at times even inconsistent legends he has been spreading since the 1960s. The alleged brother-in-law Steven Coronado who played with the „Coronados“ and later the „Silverbirds“, too, was in fact Ruben's younger brother Steven Ortiz. Steven is somewhat more truthful about his family and mentions his parents' proper names as José Torres Ortiz and Florinda Naranjo Ortiz.[8]

Ortiz' parents in fact were Mexican citizens living in Mexico who operated a small family circus/traveling vaudeville show, crossing the border to the USA for the season to perform in towns in Texas and New Mexico. Their competitors were another Mexican circus family by the name of Mendoza, touring the same region with a similar show.[9]

According to Steven's report, his father went out of business and sold his circus tent which he attributes to a gasoline shortage due to World War II. Ruben's blindness indeed gets mentioned, however, Ruben was not born blind, and his blindness according to Steven's account seems to have been no more than a matter of weeks or perhaps months. There are also no indigenous healing methods mentioned; Steven Ortiz rather attributes Ruben's recovery to their mother's intense praying.[10]
 
Besides performing, the younger Ortiz also mentions his father selling medical remedies to their audience. In accordance with the legend of being indigenous, he first asserts that his father never charged for the remedies, but in the following paragraph mentions that sales of these medicines went well.[10]

Ortiz' employment with the „Indian Village Europe“ seems to have gone back to his legends about an indigenous status taken seriously by a US employee of the park responsible for hiring Native personnel for the exhibition. However, Ortiz' job was not a coordinator, but a consultant.[3] Given the ambitious aims this park had regarding a presentation of the diversity of indigenous cultures to a European audience[3], hiring a person for a consultant who is not Native and has no further insight into the issues will have thwarted the project considerably and contributed to cementing stereotypes with the audience rather than providing factual information.

Further claims are being provided by Amazon in the „About the Artist“ section for a CD dating back to 1992, in which Ortiz is described as a „distinguished spokesman for Native Americans“ and a „board member of the American Indian College Fund“.[11] The AICF site does not list any person named „Silverbird“ or „Ortiz“ as a present or emeritus member of their board[12] - however, a press article reveals how Ortiz learned about this fund and which contacts he did in fact have to its board: the fund happened to be announced in the Silverbird Restaurant in New York, as was covered by newspaper „Indian Time“[13], which was published in Akewsasne Mohawk Indian Territory.[14]

A further claim published at various websites is that of Ortiz being the president of an „Annual American Indian Nations Powwow“[11], however, this organisation is unknown to anybody else but Ortiz and the only Google results are connected to his alias Reuben Silverbird. Ortiz also presents himself as a board member of the American Indian Museum in New York in promotional texts. The official name of this institution is „National Museum of the American Indian“, and again there is no „Silverbird“ or „Ortiz“ on its list of present or emeritus directors.[15].

On his websites, Ortiz also contends he was „invited to speak and received plaudits from „The International Spiritualist Federation“[16], however, the ISF website does not mention any event including Ortiz and any sites found by Google happen to be his own and sites publishing his promotional texts.[17]

In the same way, Ortiz – presumably on the background of a title as an alleged „UN peace ambassador“ obtained by the Unification Church – claims to be „attached to the United Nations as an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation)“.[6][18][4] It is quite evident that this status only applies to organisations, but not to individuals.


Since we last researched Ortiz, he also seems to have established contacts to yet another Asian religion of somewhat dubious character, since he now is mentioned favourably in newspapers owned by Falun Gong:

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In 2011, newspaper „Epoch Times“ published an article in which Ortiz praised the performance of Shen Yun company of traditional Chinese dance and music. While the Epoch Time's English edition headlined „UN Peace Ambassador sees something of great importance in Shen Yun“[47], its German edition titles, quoting Ortiz, „Chinese culture revived again“.[48] Epoch Times was founded in New York in 1999, by a group of activists with ties to Falun Gong[49] and is listed as a „Falun Gong affiliated media source“ by the US Congressional Research Service.[50]


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