NAFPS Forum

We´re trying to put together a list for the European Tour on how to identify a fraud. It will be translated and handed out to the audience.

Al, here´s the text from the book. (Guess that´s the list you meant?)  

1) Real elders, spiritual leaders, or whatver they are claiming to be  do not engage in petty personal attacks on their critics.

2) They do not get their inner circle to threaten lawsuits or legal action at the slightest criticism. If their character and actions are good, this alone will win out and be a shield for them from their critics.

4) For that matter, they don't immediately send out members of their inner circle to infiltrate and try to disrupt places on the net where they are criticized.

5) Real elders don't claim to be trained in other tribal traditions than their own.

6) They also would not mix and match Indian and pagan traditions and then turn around and deny it.

7) They would not use their (alleged) Indian blood to win acceptance or as a badge of legitimacy.

8. Charging for ceremonies, esp high prices or a set price, taking mastercard, visa, paypal, or any other online payment services.

9. "Putting out a shingle", advertising their services or soliciting for their business online, or having seminars or workshops claiming to teach or train you in spirituality.

10. Sexual exploitation of their followers and others, including, rape, molestation, pretending or claiming sex is part of a ceremony, demanding or pressuring their followers for sex.

11. Stereotypes or racist images about Natives, such as claiming we are "Noble Savages," "dying out," "helpless" without white help, have "secret knowledge," or incapable of carrying on traditions without outside or white help.

12. If most of the people coming to them are not Native. Teaching or claiming to heal primarily outsiders instead of their own communities. Being based far away from the scrutiny of Native eyes.

For the flyer I'm writing up, 6. will be changed to:
Mixing and matching or presenting as Native traditions elements which are obviously non-Native, including but not limited to paganism, Christian mythology, Tarot, Astrology, Tai Chi, Hinduism, pop psychology, stories about Atlantis, Mu, or the Lost Tribes of Israel.

I'll likely change the order of these when I write up the final version of the warning. Have I left anything out, anyone?

How about claiming to be an adopted member of a tribe or claiming to speak on behalf of a nation by which you are unrecognized as a member.

Found a list I posted at Shaman Debunk. Some of these overlap with ones already posted.

1) Being An Imposter (usually white passing as NDN, but sometimes light skinned Blacks do as well).
EG-Harley Reagan, red haired Irishman passing himself off as aCherokee from a non-existent reservation, or as (believe it or not) Mayan.

2) Posing as a Medicine Person or Elder, when not recognized as such. Latest example is Benny Lebeau, a Shoshone who up and declared
himself a medicine man.

3) Pretending non-NDN elements are NDN, including but not limited to: Atlantis, tarot cards, astrology, End Times, runes, white
supremacy, Black supremacy (yes, some have done one of these two), Islam, conspiracy theories, UFOs, crop circles, sadomasochism, ritualistic gay sex, Tantra, Chakras, Reincarnation, etc.
Latest example-Nicholas Spence pretending Gaia, a European pagan deity, is part of San Juan Pueblo beliefs.

4) Charging *any money whatsoever* for ceremonies or teachings. Some NDN medicine people do expect materials for the ceremony to be paid for, and that's not nearly the same. Many NDN belief systems say even offering or demanding money ruins a ceremony. Esp demanding a
set price, according to some belief systems.
Too many examples to mention, but again Nicholas Spence is the latest example. Calling it a "medicine camp" and pretending people are paying money for anything other than ceremonies is not going to
fool anyone. They aren't paying for a fishing trip.

5) Sexual abuse or exploitation, including rape, child molesting, or fabricating non existent ceremonies to trick others into sex.
EG-Morgan Maez, calls himself Eaglebear and claims to be a Geronimo descendant. He has a ceremony to "cure fear of being gay." Naturally
it involves mutual oral sex.

6) Posting details of ceremonies online, or transmitting anything other than the most general teachings any way besides face to face. Considered improper in NDN traditions.

7) Invented histories, such as many of the fake Cherokee would be tribes.

8) Pretending all indigenous traditions are the same. EG-Michael Harner.

Here's what I wrote up as the list to hand out, everything grouped under 10 points followed by the humorous list floating around the net. Let me know if you think any changes should be made to it. Esp those of you in Europe, if there's any words which aren't clear or don't translate well or use American figures of speech.

Ten Signs That They Are New Age/Shaman Frauds and NOT Real Native Medicine People.

1) Real Native Medicine People do NOT charge any money AT ALL for ceremonies themselves. Some may ask for materials for a ceremony to be paid for.
They do NOT charge a set price.
They do NOT charge using Visa, Mastercard, or Paypal. That is especially crass and offensive.
Most Native beliefs say even offering or demanding money ruins a ceremony.

2) Real Native Medicine People do NOT pose as someone they are not.
They are NOT Whites posing as Natives, such as Harley Reagan, a red-haired Irishman who poses as Cherokee and Mayan.
They are NOT Whites posing as "adopted??? members of a Native tribe, such as Mary Grimes/"Mary Thunder" does. Actual adoptions are RARE, and they do NOT mean the person can do ceremonies.
They are NOT Asians posing as Natives, such as Roy Steevensz/"Littlesun,??? an Indonesian posing as a Hopi medicine man.
They are NOT Natives who pose as Medicine People when they are not, such as Roland Williston/"Rainbow Eagle,??? a Choctaw who poses as an Anishnaabe medicine man.

3) Real Native Medicine People do NOT pretend non-Native beliefs or practices elements are Native, such as:
Reincarnation, Atlantis, Mu, Tarot Cards, Astrology, Runes, Knights Templar, the Holy Grail, End Times or Apocalyptic prophecies, the Lost Tribes of Israel, Runes, white supremacy, Black supremacy, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Taoism, conspiracy theories, UFOs, crop circles, sadomasochism, ritual gay sex, child molesting, Tantra, Chakras, Gaia or other European pagan gods, psychology or human potential movement.
NONE of these have ANYTHING to do with Native beliefs.

4) Real Native Medicine People do NOT sexually abuse or exploit others, including rape, child molesting, or inventing non-existent ceremonies to trick others into sex, such as Morgan Maez/"Eaglebear??? and Harley Reagan/"Swiftdeer??? have done.
Absolutely NO Native ceremonies require sex.
Absolutely NO Native beliefs think child molesting or incest are OK. Native people are much STRICTER in their rules against child molesting or incest.
Absolutely NO respected Native Medicine People would pressure their followers into sex.
Absolutely NO Native Medicine People would be respected in their communities if they spent a lot of time chasing women or committed adultery with married women.

5) Real Native Medicine People do NOT post or teach details of ceremonies online, or anything other than the most general teachings any way besides face to face.
It is NOT right to teach Native ceremonies using books.
It is NOT right to teach Native ceremonies using the internet.
It is NOT right to teach Native ceremonies at workshops or seminars.
It is NOT right to teach Native ceremonies using videotapes, DVDs, CDS or CD-roms, or cassetes.
It is NOT right to teach Native ceremonies to people outside of Native communities.
This has NOTHING to do with race or racism. Non-Native spouses and friends who live in Native communities take part in ceremonies all the time.

6) If most or all of their followers or clients are not Native, they are FRAUDS.
If they advertise their services, they are FRAUDS.
If they solicit for customers or followers online, they are FRAUDS.
If they have seminars or workshops teaching ceremonies, they are FRAUDS.
Real Medicine People live in and practice in Native communities.

Pt. 2

7) Real Medicine People have good character.
They do NOT take part in petty personal attacks on their critics.
They do NOT threaten their critics with lawsuits.
They do NOT send their inner circle to intimidate or disrupt their critics.
They do NOT have security forces or boydguards to silence critics.
If their character and actions are good, this alone will be a shield for them from their critics.

8) Real Native Medicine People do NOT spread stereotypes or racist images about Natives. They do NOT claim Natives are "Noble Savages," "dying out," helpless without white help, have "secret knowledge," or are not able to carry on traditions on their own.

9) Real Native Medicine People do NOT pretend all Native traditions are the same, such as Michael Harner and the "shamanism??? movement do.
They do NOT claim to be trained in other tribal traditions than their own, such as Roland Williston/"Rainbow Eagle" does.

10) Real Native Medicine People do NOT call themselves by titles or names that Native people do NOT use and that have NOTHING to do with Native traditions such as:    
"shamans,??? "avatars,??? "ascended masters,??? "pipe carriers,??? "reverend mothers," or "dons.???
All of these are labels that outsiders use, NOT Natives.
Real Native Medicine People do NOT use ridiculous and stereotypical names such as:
"Rainbow Eagle,??? "Beautiful Painted Arrow,??? "Thunder Strikes,??? "Tony Dreamwalker,??? or "Ines Laughing Wind.???
Real Native Medicine People have "ordinary??? first names such as Leonard, Dan, or Joe.
Real Native Medicine People may have Anglo last names, French last names, Hispanic last names, or last names which are in their Native language.
Real Native Medicine People often do NOT use their "Indian name??? in public because that would be disrespectful to their traditions or to the person they were named after.  

Indian Humor: Top Ten Signs your "Medicine Man" is Really a Scam Artist
10. He tries to sell you your own personal mile of the Red Road.
9. His traditional herbal medicine is really just crushed up Tylenol.
8. His Sundance is sponsored by Frito-Lay.
7. Suddenly, all his ceremonies seem real familiar after you watch the movie "Billy Jack" again.
6. The only tribal nation he is with is Donation.
5. Rich ladies from California are convinced he needs a different colored brand four-by-four truck for each of the four directions.
4. Not only does he have a website, but the address is www.sellout.com.
3. The only thing in his pipebag is a portable credit card machine.
2. In order to attend one of his sweats, you need to contact Ticketmaster first.
1. His sacred white buffalo reeks of spray paint.

Quote from: vikinglady on April 02, 2005, 04:15:33 PM
We´re trying to put together a list for the European Tour on how to identify a fraud. It will be translated and handed out to the audience.

Quote from: educatedindian on April 18, 2005, 12:44:24 AM
Here's what I wrote up as the list to hand out, everything grouped under 10 points followed by the humorous list floating around the net. Let me know if you think any changes should be made to it. Esp those of you in Europe, if there's any words which aren't clear or don't translate well or use American figures of speech.

I'd like to see an updated, general version of such a list, without any example names mentioned. In Scandinavia, I need such a list to refer to when dealing with gullible followers of any and all frauds, whether they come from North America or elsewhere. Most of their audiences will not have heard about most other names, and a lot of (unnecessary) explaining will have to be done.