Jacque Garneau AKA Grandmother Red Leaf

[educatedindian]

Got a request about her. This is the bio she has posted numerous places online:

"Grandmother Red Leaf is a Cherokee / Choctaw tribal elder, spiritual teacher and Mythkeeper. She was appointed as Greatly Beloved Woman of the Tsalagiyi Nvdagi (lifetime appointment) and also served as Wisdom Keeper for 15 years. She serves as Clan Mother for the Eastern Circle of the 7th Fire and has been designated as a ‘Keeper of the Fire’ (She Who Remembers). Grandmother Red Leaf has served as North Carolina’s Cultural Consultant and is a member of many other cultural and educational associations. She has received 34 awards for her contributions to education, including one from the United Cultural Convention of the United States of America. Enrolled with Eastern Cherokee Immigrants and with the Metis’ Nation in Canada, Grandmother Red Leaf is deeply committed to sharing the beauty of her heritage with others. She has taught Native American history, culture and art forms for almost forty years, from university to kindergarten. She has spoken around the country, is a published author, and is listed in the Who’s Who in the World in the 21st Century. Grandmother Red leaf lives in the mountains of Yancey County, NC."

The first thing that jumped out at me was "Eastern Cherokee Immigrants"?

I don't see any sign of her selling ceremony, but she does teach about Cherokee culture, and charges for her speeches. Sometimes also workshops like this one on beekeeping.
http://www.goddesstempleashland.com/temple/center-for-sacred-beekeeping

This conference, including fraud Oscar Miro Quesada.
http://www.shambhalamountain.org/programs/view/1820

This site she lists her last name as Garneau in her memorial to a dubious "teacher" Twyla Nitsche.
http://www.wolfclanteachinglodge.org/guiding.html

She has spoken at universities.
http://theapp.appstate.edu/archives_03_04/09-23-03/news/multicultural.html
http://archives.mountaintimes.com/mtweekly/2005/0324/water.php3
http://www.nccei.org/spring/west-spring-2003.html

----------
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KWZ/is_10_8/ai_n21118592/
"1) Notes from Grandmother Red Leaf on this prayer: "If I remember correctly, this prayer was originally written by Michael Garrett. My Chief also uses this same prayer, and many Native People use this same prayer."

 (2) Notes from Grandmother Red Leaf on this prayer. "This prayer comes from our Texas Cherokee (Tsalagiyi Nvdagi) where I am enrolled and you see we refer to "The White Road" instead of "The Red Road" My Principal Chief is Chief D.L Hicks. I am also enrolled with the Tsaiagi Nation Kituwah--Cherokee Early Emigrants--Principal Chief, Nancy Long Walker."
--------

Garrett has his own thread about questionable claims he's made. Both "tribes" she describes are unrecognized. The Texas Cherokee do have some genuine Cherokee among them, notably their Chief Hicks, but also many with dubious claims. Earlier in the article she says she speaks the Overhill dialect. The Overhill are another group with their own thread.

Again, she's certainly not the usual type we look at. The request I got wanted to know if she is an elder like she claims. A lot would depend on how valid these groups she's a part of are.

[nemesis]

I don't see any sign of her selling ceremony, but she does teach about Cherokee culture, and charges for her speeches. Sometimes also workshops like this one on beekeeping.
http://www.goddesstempleashland.com/temple/center-for-sacred-beekeeping

I cannot comment on Jacque Garneau but the Goddess Temple offering the bee keeping course looks very dubious, as does the bee keeping course itself, as the sole recommending reading material is listed as "Shamanic Way of the Honey Bee" by Simon Buxton  

While some aspects of the course appear to be concerned with bee keeping, other aspects such as ecstatic dance and "goddess training" appear to be, er, something else.

This is Graell Corsini, a "priestess" and a co-director of the newly founded Goddess Temple Ashland



Photo taken from the many interesting photos on her FB page here
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1775662773&sk=info

I have taken a good look through her photos and it appears that she is part of a newage group whose activities include relatively harmless pastimes such as dressing up as fairies (complete with plastic pointy ears) but also possibly less harmless activities relating to "goddess trainings".  

It is fairly clear that the bee keeping training on offer includes some sexual elements, specifically re the "nectars" mentioned in the discussions beneath some of the photos on Graell's FB page.  These "nectars"  - also referred to by Buxton and his cult - refer to female bodily secretions as health enhancing and possessing magical qualities.   I have insufficient data to be able to say for certain which body fluid is referred to in this particular group as different "tantric" / sex cults advocate different fluids - in MISA it is urine, in other cults... well let's just say it is usually a very intimate and personal fluid relating to a lady being very excited - I appreciate that this is a fairly conservative board and I don't want to offend anyone by going into too much detail.  

just found this page
http://www.goddesstempleashland.com/temple/moon-lodge
They consider menstrual blood to be "sacred mead" - I mention this just as an example, this attribution of sacredness to usually taboo bodily fluids is not remarkable for cults involved in "tantra" and sex magick and there are legitimate Taoist traditions that share some beliefs with respect to the sacredness of certain body fluids.  

Graell's FB friends include quite a few people involved in THB and the sex industry, however that does not in itself indicate that Graell is a recruiter or involved in THB herself.  It does indicate that people involved in THB are aware of her group and have, at the very least, started to make contact via FB, and that is cause for concern.  

Other people involved in the Goddess Temple Ashland

Jumana King-Harris - priestess and co-director
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1077663429

lots of friends involved in the sex industry and THB including Baba Dez Nichols

This "temple" looks different to most of the other "tantric" and "goddess" temples I am used to checking out inasmuch as this one appears to have more 80s style feminism, dressing up as fairies, archery etc. - the kind of playful activities to be found in some wombyn's / wimmins neo-pagan groups IME - but only with added sexual / erotic content, "goddess" trainings and lots of links (at least via FB) with dubious / criminal people involved in the commercial sex industry and THB.  

I think that the fact that both co-directors of this "temple" have many FB friends and associates involved in THB is extremely concerning, even if they are completely naive as to their friends' activities, which, frankly, I doubt  very much.  

I hope this is helpful


eta

they say this about sex

SEX: We regard sex  as inherently sacred and really more powerful than probably any of us know.  It is a Divine Mystery of Union, and has hidden within it the seed of eternal life, and the same spark that first gave rise to all of Creation.   At least, it can be that.  It can also, obviously (and culturally) be manipulative, confusing, and fraught with complication and pain.  We encourage practices and ways of relating that value intention rather than unconsciousness, personal integrity, honor and transparency.   We are certainly a community that views the body as a temple and values embodiment.  Sacred sexuality is one aspect of a fully integrated practical, ecstatic mysticism that we wish for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, choices around relationship or abstinence. etc.  The union with a beloved Other is a mirror of the Sacred Marriage within.  That said, we are not a tantric temple, we do not offer sensual massage or erotic services or education of any kind, and we never will.  It’s just not our calling.  We do at times offer counsel around Sacred Marriage, conscious communication, authentic intimacy and relating, empowerment, and personal healing, all of which will spark profound changes in your experience of sexuality if you allow it.  In accordance with one of only a very few guidelines that we absolutely insist upon, men and women who serve at the Goddess Temple of Ashland are not permitted to engage sexually in any way with visitors to the temple.   Hopefully, your experiences at the Goddess Temple will help you to know yourself well, to come present with your embodiment, to connect with Mother Earth, and  to discover the impeccability of your own truth, so that you can bring this cultivation to whatever you choose to do, whether it’s plant a garden or make love to your partner.   In the end, it’s your own reverent connection to the Divine through your loving, through your touch and approach with a loved one, your sense of honor and respect, and your own commitment to healing that will open the doors to sacred sexuality.   It’s all within you, no intermediaries necessary!

source:
http://www.goddesstempleashland.com/about-2/founding-members

so, they do run workshops on sacred sex, however they are not a "tantric temple" and do not offer any sexual or sensual services to visitors.  However they do maintain friendships with people who do offer such services and run "tantric temples" so I feel very uncertain as to what might be going on,  One to watch I think

[Cetan]

If she is Cherokee/Choctaw besides the "Eastern Cherokee Immigrants" red flag how can she be enrolled Metis in Canada?