NAFPS Forum
General => Frauds => Topic started by: Olderthandirt on November 30, 2006, 02:15:05 am
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http://www.natureman.net/ This link is the "official" website of the Medicine Wheel Tribe formed by Roy Wilson. If you check it out, click on "books."
Has anyone heard of this, according to his own words, spiritual healer/medicine man?
The "Otter Clan" meets in Suquamish.
My husband and I met Roy Wilson the first time in Toledo, WA at the Cowlitz Tribe's little powwow about 5 years ago. My husband was a Vietnam Veteran and Vice-Pres of the Vietnam Veterans of America. He always organized the Colors at Grand Entries at the powwows. The first time we ever laid eyes on this man, he walked up to us and said "I am a medicine man." We nearly imploded with laughter as we thought it was a joke. He was SERIOUS!! That was even worse. Then he cornered us & started preaching christian crappolla in sort of a Oral Roberts meets Wallace Black Elk way. We got away from him, pronto. He made our skin itch so bad, we yearned for a run through some sheep dip to rid the vermin. Then, we learned from the MC, Tony McGrady, that Wilson was the "honorary" chief of the Cowlitz Tribe. Oh, double urp!
Fast forward to Feb, 2006. A Haida elder asked me to check out a "Medicine Wheel Tribe" meeting at the Kent Unity Church, as she had dealt with the trauma of a couple people who had become ill after attending. It was definitely a non-indian doing. Everyone clearly drools over Wilson and worships him in sort of a Jim Jones way. A man named Tom was the "leader" and he is clearly a non-indian christian playing a wannabe game. They follow Wilson's "teachings" from the medicine wheel book he wrote. The book VERY suspiciously is close to verbatim to most of Sun Bear's medicine wheel book. Five minutes into my first time there, I was given a little wolf figure much like you would find on a charm bracelet and was told I was now a bona fide member of the Wolf Clan. (Gag!) I was told my name would be Dancing WolfWoman and the naming ceremony would be in a couple weeks. (HAH!) I am an old woman, five feet tall and about four feet wide with white hair.....yeah I am a REAL Dancing Wolf Woman. The rest of the people all wore big huge signs that hung around their necks with their "Indian" names.
They try to get a newbie to buy all of Wilson's books and some other junk.
To be fair, I went a second time, as I could not believe what I was seeing or hearing. They started singing a sacred Sun Dance song and something happened that would be improper for me to speak about but I can tell you I knocked two chairs over in my haste to get out of there. It is best for me not to say any more of that incident.
Does anyone know about this Medicine Wheel Tribe or Roy Wilson?
Karen
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here is more on Roy Wilson, I have also done some e mailing , will let you know when a reply comes. Much to research here. As we have all said if someone walks up to you and says they are a medicine man RUN and than report them to whomever will listen.
http://www.turtleislandstorytellers.net/tis_washington/transcript_r_wilson.htm
When I give the teachings of the Medicine Wheel I show the similarities between these teachings and the teachings of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islamand the teachings of Brahma. What has happened is that these people, after I give an introduction from one night a week for six weeks, many times they want to go more deeply into the teachings. Some of these have been meeting for ten, eleven, and twelve years now. From one group it grew to two, and three and four, to where now there are twenty of these groups, and we now call them Clans of the Medicine Wheel Tribe—Twenty Clans of the Medicine Wheel Tribe and it's gone international;
Will be doing more research, with him talking of the sundance and printing the songs and the chanupa songs ect..
Weheli
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In the archives there is mre about this scumbag. He first appeared in Kitsap County in the early 80's. He was the minister at Tracyton United Methodist Church. He left under a cloud and whispers about bad behavior with women. At the time he showed up, he was married to Leslie who had some Indian blood. He proudly proclaimed he did not have one drop of Indian blood. Magically, about 5 years later, he was enrolled Cowlitz. I have heard privately that he may have falsified his enrollment papers as one of them did his genealogy and found no Indian blood. One of my friends told me he tried to fondle her on the dance floor. Another told me he attempted the same in the kitchen at a pow wow. Just after he "retired" from the Methodist ministry, he openly pledged to sundance down at Mount Hood. That is an AIM sundance, or was. Of course, he never showed up the next year.
He tells women to wear bathing suits in the sweat. He tells people to "potlatch the medicine man" for a pipe ceremony. YIKES! Potlatches are big doings and very expensive to the giver. He tells people to tke water, a book, a journal, a sleeping bag and a change of clothes for a vision quest. What, no snacks?? Some of the people at Suquamish United church here in Suquamish tried to get rid of Roy but the pastor thinks Roy is wonderful.
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Debbie,
I searched the archives and found very little. Perhaps I entered wrong search words??
Thank you for the info. It is what I have read and heard AND experienced first hand. Sometimes it is like I am going the wrong way on I-5. People whisper mightily about him but no one will stand up publicly to stop his filth & lies.
This scumbag makes maggots quite appealing!!
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Karen,
I called the UCC church in Suquamish to protest. Tony and Cliff went up there and tried to set things straight. One lady from UCC told the pastoir that if he had Roy speak one more time, she wanted to know in advance so she could stay home that day! The people who are enamored with him do not want to see the truth. Rikki Jacobs has written letters to the editor when they did shaman stories on Roy in the Bremerton newspaper. Even Cowlitz people have tried. He is a slick operator and can convince people that he is the real thing. That medicine wheel that is Sun Bear's? Just a coincidence that Roy's "vision" was the same. I was told that.
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Make sure you're on the homepage for the forum when you use the search function. Otherwise you just search that particular section. Doing that turns up three threads on Wilson, two on his ties to Ed McGaa and his people, and one Frauds and Illness.
I remember writing to the editor of the paper who published the fluff piece promoting Wilson. It was written by a freelancer fawning over Wilson because he saw him as "promoting diversity." He brushed off any suggestion of fraud as "racist."
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Here is a reply from the tribal office of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and the web site;
http://www.cowlitz.org/
----- Original Message -----
From: Carolee Morris
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 11:36 AM
Subject: RE: Roy
Yes. Roy is the Spiritual leader of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
Carolee Morris
Tribal Administrator
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From: Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 7:44 PM
To: cowlitztribe@tdn.com
Subject: Roy
I found this internet site and am sending it to you. I am Cherokee and an activist to try to keep our heritage from being misrepresented by those who would exploit for there own gain. Roy Wilson claims to have been a tribal chairman and Traditional Spiritual Leader of the Cowlitz Nation. http://www.natureman.net/Site_Mail/Roy_Wilson.html. Many things he shares on his web site should have never been shared. He talks of the Sundance and even gives songs that should not be given,
Do you know this man?
Thank you for your response.
Wado
:o SOOO it seems they do claim him as a spiritual leader, he is certainly a mixture of many cultures.. I did email the Yakama Trible office but it bounced back. Plan on checking out his other credentials.
Weheli
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I am very new to this forum or any forum, I have written 3 times today to try to reply these posting I hope this one will make it through (I'm learning) I have been silent for over 3 years but I cannot hold back, Please Olderthandirt, know that this man and his clans are not our old ways of, The Cowlitz, he is a product of politics and does not represent our oldest understandings of natural instructions and healthy protocal as being a human being of Cowlitz, this represents our damage, those that may "know" will never announce it, nor set up clans, much less take money for work or info exchanged that is simply not old Cowlitz, Our desire in stretching our voice is that people will not see something like this and have it put on our back no matter what so called elected officials proclaim it. My Cowlitz blood line is deep as the river from which they run and I am saying this as my truth as well as others in agreement in front of all my grandmothers and relatives HOIT>>>
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Osiyo Klatawa,
I was very much surprised when I received this email, I even emailed a link to his site, I do not understand how they can allow his explotations to continue and teaching misleading.
Perhaps you may want to email the tribal office I did in the above address and let them know your feeling about this.
Weheli
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Well it is about politics, to ebrace old teachings, is expulsion, I will in all reality probably face, a new law within cowlitz called sensering or something like that basically banishment from all tribal activities and events,for engaging in exposing a fraud, it has been used on many of us that fought the current admin in cowlitz for their positions and practices. It is conveneint for the council to have a methodist minister turned indian religion, glean some old info, add his own and/or others info to it, stand all that in front of the public, and work this belief system as it suits the political agendas, it works well for some to incorporate christian religion with old cowlitz or sit in meetings and watch catholic priests proclaim cowlitz as a catholic tribe, it's easy to swallow and conveniant for some,,, not me and a few of us,,,,,, some have just turned their head away.. the battle and hurt within ourselves is huge, so many that really know just go on about thier bussiness. This allows the tribal party lineup to walk in and serve their agenda backed by a self proclaimed medicine man,,, make sense? For instance last year I sat and listened to Roy give an old story about fox and coyote, both of the stories were correct as I know but he also gave an interpetation calling the people that opposed the cowlitz casino project like coyote, not to be trusted etc... and the cowlitz council like the fox, wise etc.. and instructed the people to trust their wise council-----I wanted to puke,,, but we have went through so much infighting that many people do not know real old Cowltiz people, their ways and how they see the world, their is truly a difference between seniors and elders,,,,very few if any ELDERS of cowlitz are still about,,, alota seniors. With no disrespect to either, but people that speak their old language, heal others in their old ways know their stories of origin etc.... are able to bring an understanding that may have but all been lost already but for a few, no, it's easy to read a book, go out on sunday dance around a circle call it good,,, It is truly a hard life to live, a life of giving and sacrifice to embrace old Cowlitz ways.....There are many who will know who I am by posting this for this group, but today I was again encouraged by a senior brother to speak out on this subject,,,so I have, twice now today I hope this helps some of you, there was a man, I new his grandaughter, she spoke her language, she weaved her baskets, she would turn her basket away, so you could'nt steal her design if she saw you that way, she was an Elder, she told me of her grandfather, how he helped his son one day who was working in the hot sun outside, he took some water out of the river here and made a ball of water and rolled it across the river and into the field where it broke apart and spilled upon the ground, he said maybe that will help cool my son this hot day, shortly it started raining,,,her grandfather didn't make big show or ask for money, he just helped,,,, that is old Cowlitz,,,that was her grandfather, she was my grandmother..... Roy when you read this, and you will, it's time for you to roll water and help for helps sake, or sit down and stop hurting people, you know of whom I am,,, thats enough...HOIT>>>
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Greetings Klatawa,
I raise my hands to you in humble gratitude for the information. Although the stench of Wilson's never-ending fraud and deceptions are difficult to tolerate, it is like a breath of fresh air to hear from others who know of his sick treachery.
There is absolutely nothing holy or sacred about a man who has an oil slick on his tongue. He is strictly a performing con artist. I did notice that a lot of the people who fawn over him are non-indian. He teaches the worship of himself to all fools who suffer him gladly. Wilson's soul must run deep with the sewage of his chosen actions!!
Karen
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Apparnelty he's still around. Showed up on a program called Haunted History on H2 or the second History Channel. Calls himself the official spiritual leader of the Nez Perce now. Does that mean the Cowlitz no longer claim him? But elsewhere he points to his enrollment and he shows up on Cowlitz calendars.
The Nez Perce are part of the Colville tribal rez and govt, along with eight other tribes all crammed together by the feds originally. I went to grad school with a Colville woman. She told me there was a Catholic mission on the rez and that's it.
The good news is his website is still down, the address now bought up by a sports site. Bad news is Wilson is on youtube doing his medwheel stuff and giving talks around WA state on H Storm's fraudulent ideas. Also a site has him as a storyteller now claiming "Iroquois" blood (no mention which of the six) and others and that he has clans internationally.
http://www.turtleislandstorytellers.net/tis_washington/transcript_r_wilson.htm
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Yeah, *Ol' Roy moved down to the Portland area when the Cowlitz people started getting ready to build a casino. Before he left, he did some strange things, including having his current wife tell people that as a shaman, no one was to photograph him. Or paint him. Because he's so holy, yanno? Some of his followers, finally figured out that he stole his medicine wheel from sunbear, and now they have their own "teaching circles" using sunbear's stuff. One of them calls himself "red buffalo" and does his schtick in Belfair, Wa. I was told by a Cowlitz person, who knows his tribal traditions, that until Ol' Roy's bud's on the council are off the council, they won't be able to boot him off the rolls, even though they have his genealogy. Which shows he's not Cowlitz, or NDN. He was born on the Yakama rez, apparently. And he claims that he was THEIR spiritual leader. He was a methodist minister on that rez for awhile. I am thinking he may have been a minister at either the Colville rez (NE Washington State) or on the Nez Perce Rez (southern panhandle of Idaho). In his flea infected brain, I guess that makes you their "shaman."I wish, whoever did his genealogy would post it on the internet.
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Storyteller and Honorary Cowlitz Chief Roy I. Wilson
Learn the teachings of the ancient medicine wheel from Honorary Cowlitz Chief Roy I. Wilson. Each ongoing meeting will focus on a point of the wheel to better understand your human and spiritual self. The medicine wheel is the oldest form of knowledge and Earth based spirituality known on the planet. It has a history and presence all over the globe that goes back forty thousand years and is still practiced and growing in a time of need in today's world. It is interesting to note that you will find all religions, Western and Eastern in these teachings. In these teachings you will find your own way by learning to work with your spirit guides and animal helpers. A daily practice, you will find your balance and life force energy center to help guide you to a more focused way of life..
Our community currently has dozens of clans learning the medicine wheel all over Washington State and around the US,and Internationally.
http://www.meetup.com/ravenhousehealing/ (http://www.meetup.com/ravenhousehealing/)
Knowing his middle initial helps a lot with research. Hopefully someone who already has worked up his genealogy will make it available, I'll see what I can come up with too.
His middle name is Irwin. He's busy:
The tribe's spiritual adviser, Roy Wilson, performed a smudging ceremony - burning sage and spreading smoke across all four corners of the land. It symbolizes the spirits of tribal ancestors coming home to rest, Wilson said.
"Today our hearts are touched. This is a sacred day for many of us, all of us. The ancestors, the old ones - they are here and rejoice with us," Wilson said, his voice trembling with emotion.
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_659ea43e-9fbf-11e0-88af-001cc4c002e0.html (http://tdn.com/news/local/article_659ea43e-9fbf-11e0-88af-001cc4c002e0.html) (2011)
As the son of an Indian father and a non-Indian mother, Roy has spent much of his life examining the connectedness of Christian and Native American beliefs.
Mt St Helens Native American Tribe Folklore http://www.mtsthelens.net/MtStHelensNet/Native.html (http://www.mtsthelens.net/MtStHelensNet/Native.html)
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Yes, he is busy. He passes the hat for "love offerings" and his groupies call him "grandfather". He claims his Indian name (which he probably gave himself) is "Bear That Talks Much". One of my friends says it should be "Bear who Bullsh*ts Much".
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Roy I Wilson married Cherilyn in 1993, he was 65.
http://m.kitsapsun.com/news/1993/apr/06/for-the-record/ (http://m.kitsapsun.com/news/1993/apr/06/for-the-record/)
(edited out possible false lead)
More on what Roy says about his ancestry:
http://www.indianaffairs.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/text/idc-001707.pdf (http://www.indianaffairs.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/text/idc-001707.pdf) Anthropological Technical Report Cowlitz
In 1995, Roy said his great grandmother was Felicia Pechet.
As a Skloutwout descendent, Roy I Wilson is distandly related to Cascade families such as Marsha William and Ronald Aalvik. While he is a metis descendent, his father was enrolled at Yakima.
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More on the ancestry claim:
One child, Peter Garrand (-1854-3873) married Felicite
Pichet, who, records indicate, was the Indian daughter of a
métis couple at Cowlitz Prairie. Their son, William Rae (b.
1876) was raised by the non-Indian family of Ben Wilson
after Felicite's remarriage.2 His grandson, Roy I. Wilson,
was General Council President until 1982
http://www.indianaffairs.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/text/idc-001707.pdf (http://www.indianaffairs.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/text/idc-001707.pdf)
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hmmmm, it does not say she was Cowlitz, just "metis", so I am wondering what tribe she was related to, and how much NDN she was.
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Here's better context (the pdf is a bit hard to work with) :
The fourth category includes the descendants of Cowlitz
métis and Indians who resided in the Cascade Mountains and
the Dalles. All were descendants of Lucy Skloutwout (1830—
1902), a Lower Cowlitz woman, and Louis Garrand, a French
Canadian contemporary of Simon Plamondon, Sr. Lucy later
also married John Weiser. Descendants from both these
marriages are part of today's petitioning group. Of their
children, six were descended from the first marriage, with
Louis Garrand.
One child, Peter Garrand (-1854-3873) married Felicite
Pichet, who, records indicate, was the Indian daughter of a
métis couple at Cowlitz Prairie. Their son, William Rae (b.
1876) was raised by the non-Indian family of Ben Wilson
after Felicite's remarriage.(2) His grandson, Roy I. Wilson,
was General Council President until 1982.
(2) The 1917 Census (#2809) of the Yakima Reservation shows
William Wilson living at the Yakima Reservation, with four
children, including Roy E. Wilson (b. 1909) .
Nothing else in this document for Felicite Pichet. Am I reading this right, is this saying Roy E. Wilson born 1909 is supposed to be the father of our guy Roy I Wilson?
The categories referred to are "social categories".
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1910 Roy E Wilson with parents William R and Clara Wilson and 3 siblings in California, everyone listed as white
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Roy E Wilson 1912 with father William R Wilson and same 3 siblings.
William R Wilson Head abt 1876 Male Yakama (Yakima) Washington
Eva Wilson Daughter abt 1896 Female Yakama (Yakima) Washington
Gladys Wilson Daughter abt 1901 Female Yakama (Yakima) Washington
Ruby Wilson Daughter abt 1905 Female Yakama (Yakima) Washington
Roy E Wilson Son abt 1909 Male Yakama (Yakima) Washington
(this lists tribe and agency, originally from Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940, online at ancestry.com)
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1920 federal census family in Yakima, all listed as white
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Roy I Wilson born about 1928 Washington state, 1930 in census LA California, with parents Roy E & Ethel M Wilson. Everyone in this census listed as white
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1940 federal census Roy E Wilson & family in California, everyone listed as white
Photo from a public tree on ancestry.com of Roy Edward Wilson , uploaded here for research
(update: Roy E Wilson is on quite a few Indian Census rolls as Yakama, as is his father in some records)
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This definitely looks like Roy I Wilson. Do you know when it was taken? If this is Roy E, then maybe Roy I does have ndn blood. It's just curous that when he introduced himself to the Indian center in Kitsap County, he said he was a white man without "one drop" of Indian blood. So if he knew alll along he had Indian blood, why say he didn't? And if you ever talk to him, it is clear he thinks like a white man. He once spoke at the local church and kept referring how "the Indians" did this or that. One of my friends who was there, and is white, said it was weird. Other people speaking at the church about their culture or religion that day said "we" do this or that. Roy was talking as though he had no connection. And the story he told was flat out strange. Some cobbled together story about how "the Indians" would go out ion their canoes and give gifts at Christmas time. Before they were Christianized.
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The photo said to be of Roy E Wilson is undated, I'm thinking the clothing and hairstyles of the women look like 1950s 1960s?
From poking around on ancestry.com - his father Roy E Wilson was on Yakama rolls. But he didn't always identify himself as NDN through out his life. Although for instance in the 1940 census I don't know if census taker wrote down what they thought was identification or if each person on census contributed their own self identification.
From info on the U.S., Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 database:
Only persons who maintained a formal affiliation with a tribe under federal supervision are listed on these census rolls.
Is it possible that "formal affiliation" doesn't necessarily mean NDN descent?
In the Anthropological Technical Report Cowlitz - Roy I Wilson is described as metis descent, with a father "living at" the Yakima reservation. Also this:
Some métis criticized Roy Wilson and others on the Tribal council who added American Indian symbolism to the practice of
Christianity, and who conducted some ceremonies.
No matter what, Roy I Wilson's behavior sounds horrible. I wonder why there are such contradictions in his behavior. I don't know how anyone could trust him.
Is it possible his self identification changes according to how he is currently marketing himself?
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Oh, I know for a fact iot changes. When he was first in Kitsap County, he was a white Christian minister, wioth a wife who he said was "part Indian." When he left the church, or was kicked to the curb, it was under a cloud and within months he was a "shaman." He went down to the sundance at Mt. Hood and pledged. After he pledged, he went striaght into the arms of his girlfriend. In front of his wife. She tossed him out. He never did sundance, BTW. Just pledged to make himself look more spiritual for his paramour.
And if that picture was taken in the 50's or 60's, it may actually be Roy I Wilson. Since he was born in 1928, he would have been in his 20's or 30's. Was probably a minister on the rez at that time.
There is one other thing, Roy I was enrolled before federal recognition was granted. And a friend told me that some tribes that were fed recognized around the same time, had looser standards for enrollment before recognition.
One last thing. In the 80's, the State of Washington had this idea. They wanted to do something good, but did not understand how some things work. They asked the tribes to appoint "medicine men/women" who would be officially recognized by the state to perform weddings and go into prisons etc. I suspect that because he was a minister, that Roy I was appointed to his position. I know 2 people who were appointed here in Suquamish. One did something that ultimately embarrassed the tribe and they decided that it was silly to have official "medicine men" as people in the community already knew who was and who wasn't. So Ol' Roy was probably named that because he was a mionister. And because he was a minister, he actually knew nothing of the culture and spiritual traditions. I will give him this: he is a pretty good biblical scholar. Which is why he relates everything tribal to the bible. However, as a minister, I give him an F for his, er, zipper problem.
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I'm thinking that photo is actually of Roy I Wilson too. Same nose, same lift of head.
I was wondering about that fast turn around of marriages. He remarried just a few days after his first divorce came through. Of course, that can happen for benign reasons, but what with his "zipper problem" - not so benign.
Hopefully more people read through this thread and elsewhere on forum so they know that people have actually become ill after attending Roy Wilson's "medicine wheel tribe" meetings. And that he has been known to try to inappropriately grope women. To do this while in the role of authority as minister or "shaman" is extra heinous.
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Roy I. Rochon Wilson was an elected leader of the Cowlitz Tribe for three decades and is the author of more than 30 books, including several histories of the Cowlitz Tribe. He is a retired ordained Methodist minister and current spiritual leader of the tribe. Wilson lives near Winlock.
http://www.chronline.com/records/article_15b9c01c-f3e6-11e1-a8d6-0019bb2963f4.html (http://www.chronline.com/records/article_15b9c01c-f3e6-11e1-a8d6-0019bb2963f4.html)
http://www.chronline.com/records/article_5800b22a-e372-11e1-9b6b-001a4bcf887a.html (http://www.chronline.com/records/article_5800b22a-e372-11e1-9b6b-001a4bcf887a.html)
He's currently doing an ongoing series for The Chronicle newspaper of Lewis County, WA - two examples above.
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I know his current wife is at least his 3rd. The one before the present, was with him before he left the last one. I was feeling sad for her that he had so blatantly cheated on her and a friend said, "Well, he cheated with her on his first wife, so she knew he was a cheater." Such a great minister. NOT! I have also heard of people getting sick from his teachings. And from his sweat ceremonies. He encourages the men and women to wear bathing suits. In a mixed sweat, not a good idea. One woman asked my friend why she would feel worse after being in a sweat with him. My friend said she should feel b etter, but she should not sweat with Roy.
And that reminds me, he used to have a brochure that described ceremonies he would gladly do for you. A brochure! Anyway, for a "vision quest", one must bring a blanket, a book or too, a journal and at least 2 gallons of water. ?? Sounds like camping to me. And for a pipe ceremony one should "Potlatch" the "shaman" when requesting it. POTLATCH?? REALLY?? Funny, the people I know who would do a pipe ceremony would do it for a small offering. Like tobacco and maybe some cloth.
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Below are direct quotes from Roy that should be noted in this discussion (from the Turtle Island Storytellers website):
I was born with an Indian father and a non-Indian mother. I have Cowlitz blood, Chinook blood, Yakama blood and Iroquois blood.
I also for many years have served as the tribal spiritual leader in the old tribal traditional ways.
He then went on to explain about the medicine wheel supposedly being the greatest of 'Indian teachings', and how it can heal the world, etc. I don't understand how he can claim that the medicine wheel is part of Cowlitz 'old tribal traditional ways'.
if I go to churches and speak in churches, I may come right out and let them know that, though the Great White Father had played his role in oppression of Native Americans, the greatest oppressor of the Indian people ever had has been the Christian Church
Words from the minister himself.
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When challenged about his medicine wheel being identical to sunbear's---which sunbear admitted to making up in a letter to a friend of mine---Ol' Roy said it was "just a coincidence" that his medicine wheel was the same as sunbear's. You see, he had a vision.
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I'm reading through the book We Are Cowlitz - A Native American Ethnicity by Darleen A Fitzpatrick, published 2004. The Washington State Library has a copy that the public can check out (I have it right now but will return soon)
The book is frustrating, the index is extremely poor, lots more on Roy is in the book than the index would lead you to believe. I don't know how highly this book is regarded among Cowlitz themselves. I ended up ignoring a lot of the author's interpretations and focused on the oral history quotes themselves.
If you get a copy of the book read pages 194 - 196. Roy is not universally well thought of. His spiritual and ceremonial claims are considered suspect, and the process of his discovering his lineage is also suspect. He's made claims for TV that certain places are archaeological sites that need blessing by him but local people would say he is wrong - no graves there, and besides his style of "blessing" and his claimed visions are weird and backwards.
Pages 209 - 211 Roy shows the author several clothing items with bead work he has done. He said the "symbolism is borrowed", he asked her if she knew the book Seven Arrows and specifically if she knew the story of the Mouse. He also asked her if she read the book about Black Elk.
Roy's use of the name Rochon in his own name looks to be a link to his past claimed lineage. His past lineage claims look a little slippery, I've seen several different versions, in this book his lineage is claimed through Augustine Rochon who is said here to have had children with Lucy Skloutwout a Cowlitz woman (eventually known as Lucy Weaser). Augustine eventually married Celeste, they were a well known family in the area, Celeste chose the name for Toledo, Washington. In other places I've seen his lineage claimed through a different route to Lucy (through Louis Gerrard).
But Roy has also stated that he is not at all NDN (check earlier in this thread).
So he can market himself as wise Grandfather with supposed authentic local knowledge to non NDNs. I think people need to take responsibility for properly vetting anyone they accept as a spiritual leader. I definitely don't think it is racist to question Roy. The way I see it - if I as a white woman fawned over and set up Roy as a Great Holy Teacher - I'm eventually to blame too. I would be engaging in white privilege racism in my ability to assign spiritual status to anyone I find convenient. Instead of doing the actual work of living in a community, serving and helping, and learning as I go along. I know a lot of us white folks are ignorant and conned by fraudsters, but eventually we really do need to get a clue.
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If this is the first time you've read academic books aimed solely at other academics, I don't blame you. The writing is fairly dense and so concerned with theory that everything else gets lost. Found the book previewed online. Here's what Cowlitz have to say about Wilson:
p. 194 describes Wilson doing a blessing at Koapk, a Cowlizt village dug up by archaeologists. Wilson thought most Cowlitz would be upset because of graves being disturbed. Local Cowlitz were not, said there were no graves there. Wilson did a blessing in Chinook, using a rotation adopted from Plains tribes. Wilson tried to take part in a Lummi smokehouse but the Lummi rejected him and his wife. Wilson is also quoted as saying "The Indian culture is a small part of my life, too small..."
p.195 describes a traditional named Joe Peters as putting Wilson in touch with Mary Kiona. A Cowlitz named Jill talks about Wilson at length:
"Wilson ain't no more a chief than a man in the moon...When he came up here from California, he was a white man when I first saw him, and then all of a sudden he became an Indian preacher and a medicine man and everything else. Going to [Koapk] we were laughing because that place he went to and said it was a fishing hole and some damned thing and had him on Tv blessing it. Nobody in the Cowlizt Tribe even knew about it but he, and he from California."
Later on:
"...the ceremony he performed wasn't worth two cents. It didn't mean nothing to me. We just laughed at him. Pustin, he's a white man."
[Pustin means white, as in from Boston.]
p.209 describes Wilson in detail as someone trying to remake Cowlitz beliefs through what he understands (or believe he does) about Plains beliefs, esp the Seven Arrows fraud. "The signs that are of interest to Wilson are generalized and stereotyped."
p. 210 describes Wilson wearing a jacket to powwows that had a design in beadwork imitating the Plains wheel of life. The two of them talked in detail about Seven Arrows.
That's all that's available for preview. http://books.google.com/books?id=PpaSbEGmOaEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
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That reminds me. He used to follow a friend of mine around. She is unenrolled, but of Nez Perce heritage. Two Nez Perce ladies in Seattle, knowing her mother's family, took her under their wings and taught her how to dance Nez Perce style. So Roy started copying my friend's dance style! If you saw her dance, and you saw Roy dance, it would be obvious. So she and I privately call Ol' Roy "He Dances Like A Nez Perce Woman." :P
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If this is the first time you've read academic books aimed solely at other academics, I don't blame you. The writing is fairly dense and so concerned with theory that everything else gets lost. Found the book previewed online. Here's what Cowlitz have to say about Wilson:
p. 194 describes Wilson doing a blessing at Koapk, a Cowlizt village dug up by archaeologists. Wilson thought most Cowlitz would be upset because of graves being disturbed. Local Cowlitz were not, said there were no graves there. Wilson did a blessing in Chinook, using a rotation adopted from Plains tribes. Wilson tried to take part in a Lummi smokehouse but the Lummi rejected him and his wife. Wilson is also quoted as saying "The Indian culture is a small part of my life, too small..."
p.195 describes a traditional named Joe Peters as putting Wilson in touch with Mary Kiona. A Cowlitz named Jill talks about Wilson at length:
"Wilson ain't no more a chief than a man in the moon...When he came up here from California, he was a white man when I first saw him, and then all of a sudden he became an Indian preacher and a medicine man and everything else. Going to [Koapk] we were laughing because that place he went to and said it was a fishing hole and some damned thing and had him on Tv blessing it. Nobody in the Cowlizt Tribe even knew about it but he, and he from California."
Later on:
"...the ceremony he performed wasn't worth two cents. It didn't mean nothing to me. We just laughed at him. Pustin, he's a white man."
[Pustin means white, as in from Boston.]
p.209 describes Wilson in detail as someone trying to remake Cowlitz beliefs through what he understands (or believe he does) about Plains beliefs, esp the Seven Arrows fraud. "The signs that are of interest to Wilson are generalized and stereotyped."
p. 210 describes Wilson wearing a jacket to powwows that had a design in beadwork imitating the Plains wheel of life. The two of them talked in detail about Seven Arrows.
That's all that's available for preview. http://books.google.com/books?id=PpaSbEGmOaEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
The author uses the phrase "as you know" often along with "as we know", that makes sense now that I understand this is an academic book aimed solely at academics.
Those excerpts gleaned through google books cover the info on Roy. The book is also worth reading for local history and politics along with info on Cowlitz kinship groups. Roy in past claimed that he was part of the Descendants of Kiscox group, origins of that lineage diagrammed out on pg 136 of book.
On pg 211 he says that his mother, non-NDN, was the daughter of a Methodist missionary to the Yakama. Combine this with his past statement that he isn't NDN at all - maybe that is the truth about his lineage: white Methodist missionaries to the Yakama.
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On pg 211 he says that his mother, non-NDN, was the daughter of a Methodist missionary to the Yakama. Combine this with his past statement that he isn't NDN at all - maybe that is the truth about his lineage: white Methodist missionaries to the Yakama.
I think this may be true. I also think that he may have deliberately said or implied that the one pic is of his father, to back up his claim of being NDN. If that WAS his father, his father would have been in his 50's and that pic does not look like a man in his 50's. To me.
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Since Roy's case happens to combine my interests in genealogical research, Washington state history, and fraudsters - I've been working more on it. Here's what I've come up with:
Roy's past lineage claims all have to do with his paternal grandfather William Ray Wilson (1876 - 1942). Claim is that William Ray was actually the son or grandson of a Cowlitz woman and a French Canadian man, and that he was given to a white man Benjamin Wilson to foster.
1880 federal census Whitman, Washington lists 4 yr old William R with his father Benjamin P Wilson, both white.
In 1895 William Ray Wilson married Clara E Hodges in Whitman, Washington. His parents are listed as B P Wilson and Parthena Fay. Everyone white.
http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/DigitalObject/View/1739F62FDA0BB177C19EDC56337B6F56 (http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/DigitalObject/View/1739F62FDA0BB177C19EDC56337B6F56)
(His mother Parthena Fay Wilson had died earlier in 1880, before the 1880 census was taken.)
From about 1912 - 1932 William Ray Wilson, wife, and children (including Roy I Wilson's father Roy Edward Wilson) are on Indian Census Rolls, Yakama. He is listed as Indian on his war draft registration too during that time. In 1932 William, his wife, and two children are each listed as 1/4 in the degree of blood census section.
Reservation agents made the decisions as to who would be on the census rolls. Indian census rolls were often used as a basis for property rights. About 1930 census rules changed, much more information on each person was then collected. http://www.archives.gov/research/census/native-americans/1885-1940.html (http://www.archives.gov/research/census/native-americans/1885-1940.html)
That region was going through a huge population boom, like a gold rush boom town. In this case it was a "fruit rush", all about the irrigated high production fruit orchards. Railroads, and vastly expanded irrigation of farm land meant there was a lot of work to be had and money to be made.
Before and after that time the Wilsons were identified as white.
So Roy's past lineage claims could be true, or false. He's also said that he is not NDN at all, but he still uses the bio:
I was born with an Indian father and a non-Indian mother. I have Cowlitz blood, Chinook blood, Yakama blood and Iroquois blood.
http://www.turtleislandstorytellers.net/tis_washington/transcript_r_wilson.htm (http://www.turtleislandstorytellers.net/tis_washington/transcript_r_wilson.htm)
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Medicine Wheel Studies
Learn the teachings of the ancient medicine wheel from Honorary Cowlitz Chief Roy I. Wilson. Each ongoing meeting will focus on a point of the wheel to better understand your human and spiritual self. The medicine wheel is the oldest form of knowledge and Earth based spirituality known on the planet. It has a history and presence all over the globe that goes back forty thousand years and is still practiced and growing in a time of need in today's world. It is interesting to note that you will find all religions, Western and Eastern in these teachings. In these teachings you will find your own way by learning to work with your spirit guides and animal helpers. A daily practice, you will find your balance and life force energy center to help guide you to a more focused way of life..
Our community currently has dozens of clans learning the medicine wheel all over Washington State and around the US and Internationally.
Raven House offers teachings in Shamanic Journeying, Soul Retrieval, Medicine for the Earth workshops, ceremonies, Drum Circles, Reiki (teaching and sessions), Sound Healing, Purification Ceremonies, Vision Quest (done with respect and permission), Healing with spiritual light, spiritual counseling, field trips, gong and singing bowl concerts.
We are committed to doing the healing work that is needed in todays environment with trained teachers to create a global web of life for the next seven generations.
About us
Kyle and Maureen, both of Native American decent, took and interest in their ancestry, and cultural heritage at an early age.
Kyle is a tribally registered Metis, Red River French Canadian, Walla Walla, and Cherokee by decent. With ancestors who inhibited the Columbia River for thousands of years as Walla Walla natives. His grandmother, Lizette Walla Walla, seven generations back saw Lewis and Clark come through the area. The French Canadian side were trappers and boatsman with the Hudson Bay Co. at Fort Vancouver ( Columbia District ) and Fort Walla Walla ( Snake District ) on the Pacific NW Coast. Columbia district, in the early 1800's. They were some of the first settlers in the Oregon Territories with a colorful family history.
Kyle is a Shamanic Practitioner, Counselor, Life Coach, Teacher who participates in sacred ceremonies, facilitates purification and other ceremonies, and is a pipe carrier.
Kyle is also a Antique Native American Art Dealer working with investors, collectors, dealers, Tribes and Museums. Owning Plains Pacific Gallery for twenty five years performing appraisals, consulting, acquisitions, placement, and restoration. His specialty is locating sacred objects and returning them to the people and bringing them back to life.
Maureen is also Red River Metis and of Blackfeet, Anishinaabe/Ojibwa decent with family members still carring on the old ways of being bundle keepers, pipe carriers and medicine people in the Great Lakes, Sault St. Marie region.
Maureen studied with William Rand founder of the International Center for Reiki Training www.reiki.org and is a Professional Member of the ICRT as a Reiki ART/Master practitioner/teacher.
*ART ~ Advanced Reiki Training
Maureen is also a Shamanic Practitioner, Alchemy Practitioner, Intuitive Counselor, Vibrational Sound Therapist, participates in sacred ceremony, lodge pourer and a pipe carrier.
Their studies include currently working with indigenous tribal elders from around the globe, The Foundation for Shamanic Studies, Micheal Harner, teachers training with Sandra Ingerman, Claude Poncelet, Chief Lelooska, Honorary Cowlitz Chief Roy I. Wilson, Annishanabe, Ojibwa, Peruvian Elders and many other tribal elders.
Raven House Healing Center was founded by Kyle Ward and Maureen Browning in 2005 and is located on ten sacred acres near Castle Rock, WA. in the foot hills of Mt St Helens where ceremonies are held, classes and workshops are taught, lodge, Vision Quests and other teachings are held. There is a general campground, therapy room, trails, and a Ceremonial Coastal Long House is being built.
from the About Us section of http://www.meetup.com/ravenhousehealing/members/ (http://www.meetup.com/ravenhousehealing/members/)
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Well, well, well. Roy is in trouble:
https://tdn.com/news/local/wilson-i-am-innocent/article_3651a0f8-bda2-5e5f-8f79-d7035a107c9a.html (https://tdn.com/news/local/wilson-i-am-innocent/article_3651a0f8-bda2-5e5f-8f79-d7035a107c9a.html)
He lost his "shaman job":
Wilson, 91, is spry and energetic, and he’s eager to show the artifacts of Native American history he keeps at a museum on the property. But recent events have strained the Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s relationship with its former spiritual leader and left him “heartbroken.”
And may be dis-enrolled:
ilson said Wednesday that some of the tribe’s powers-that-be want to expel him from the tribe. (He appears before the Cowlitz Tribal Council on Saturday, but the potential consequences were unclear.)
Generally, I am upset by disenrollment. However, since I do not believe that Wilson is Cowlitz, or even Indigenous, I hope the tribe kicks him to the curb.
If you read the whole article, it's ugly. And he blames it all on his wife.
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https://tdn.com/news/local/wilson-i-am-innocent/article_3651a0f8-bda2-5e5f-8f79-d7035a107c9a.html (https://tdn.com/news/local/wilson-i-am-innocent/article_3651a0f8-bda2-5e5f-8f79-d7035a107c9a.html)
[…] If you read the whole article, it's ugly.
Unfortunately, from Europe we only get this (from many minor U.S. newspapers):
451: Unavailable due to legal reasons
We recognize you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore access cannot be granted at this time. For any issues, contact frontdoor@tdn.com or call 877-767-5187.
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This is from a different source:
http://www.chronline.com/crime/charges-filed-in-winlock-animal-abuse-case/article_05e921f2-ef8c-11e8-8721-8fde806efeff.html (http://www.chronline.com/crime/charges-filed-in-winlock-animal-abuse-case/article_05e921f2-ef8c-11e8-8721-8fde806efeff.html)
A Lewis County couple has been charged with one felony and five misdemeanors after investigators say they found a pony in so much pain it had to be put down and a number of dogs living in squalid conditions on their property.
Roy I. Wilson, 91, and Cherilyn M. Wilson, 68, both of Winlock were charged with one count of first-degree animal cruelty and five counts of cruelty to animals, a gross misdemeanor.
Neither have been taken into custody.
The couple’s property on Dorning Road was under investigation in September, The Chronicle previously reported. According to reports, a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy, code enforcement officers and a veterinarian found the house was filled with dogs. Reports indicate that, while the house was worse for wear from the numerous dogs living inside, most of the animals appeared to be in adequate health.
However, the vet noted in his report: “The dogs housed in the barn were also living in disgusting conditions. Their runs, inside and outside, were heavily soiled. Their water bowls, while filled, were contaminated with food/dirt, and one had a dead rodent in it. Again, these conditions would be unacceptable by any reasonable person observing them.”
Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said the misdemeanor counts leveled against each suspect were regarding the dogs found in the barn. The lone felony was regarding the pony, which was allegedly found to have been suffering from a hoof condition that made movement painful.
“Laminitis is a very painful condition,” according to court documents. “The owner admitted not seeking attention for her for at least several years. As a result, (the pony) had been suffering for many years. Her conditions of limping and laying down are enough for the average person to identify enough of a problem that should be addressed by a veterinarian.”
Roy Wilson signed the pony over to county authorities during the search, and the pony was put down on the spot, with Roy Wilson saying he would dispose of the body properly.
During an interview with a deputy, Roy Wilson allegedly said Cherilyn Wilson previously kept dogs and some other animals at a spot in Kitsap County, however, he said, deputies and humane society personnel took them away in September.
Roy Wilson was previously known as a spiritual advisor of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, since then, Cowlitz Tribe Secretary David Barnett said he has left that post along with any other involvement with the tribe, and has been asked to appear before the Cowlitz Tribal Council.
“It’s been a long time coming. Tribal members have complained about this behavior for years. … So it’s a relief. I hope that there is a way that all the animals currently in his house are removed, and that they could find a good home for them,” said Barnett.
He added later: “I wish something was done early. It’s horrible. His actions are horrible, and that’s not the Cowlitz way.”
Meagher was unable to advise whether any of the animals on the property had been removed. As of Tuesday, no preliminary appearance for either had been scheduled.
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Thank you for quoting in full, debbieredbear!
The link itself gives me the same response as I reported in my previous post earlier today.
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In one article, Wilson said the tribe was considering disenrolling him. I hope they did. He told so many people he was white and then suddenly he's a tribal member and a shaman. I don't think so.
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So just a quick update. Roy's wife plead guilty in February and got 6 months of, basically, probation. And Roy will plead guilty and be sentenced. Some spiritual leader.
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And Roy will plead guilty and be sentenced. Some spiritual leader.
There is a Facebook group, where I found an update one day after the previous posting in this thread:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/73108902666/ [Roy Wilson's Rainbow Tribe Medicine Wheel]
About This Group
Description
To follow the teachings of Grandfather Roy "Bear-Who-Talks-Much" Wilson and his vision of the Medicine Wheel.
To share, explore and learn.
To create bridges between "religions" thru understanding.
To show reverence to all.
Marsha Williams
March 15 [2019]
Roy's final court appearance was March 13. In an agreement between himself, his attorney and the prosecutor, Roy plead and was found guilty of a gross misdemeanor with regard to the horse and two misdemeanors related to the other animals.He was assigned jail time of 364 days, suspended; payment of some court-related fees; and restricted to owning one dog and one cat (his wife can have her own one dog and one cat). I believe the judge, Roy's attorney, and the prosecuting attorney acted with compassion and accorded Roy the respect he has earned over a lifetime of good works.
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It wasn't their last court date. They just plead guilty to misdemeanors in Kitsap County, WA. For animal abuse. Same deal as before, only allowed 1 dog and 1 cat each. But this included dog grooming restrictions: no more than 2 hours for Ol' Roy and 3 hours for his wife. It was all started her grooming business was not licensed.
His followers will still defend him.