Cultural Fraud Alert

Native American watchdogs are warning people about an increase in
spiritual frauds and phony medicine men — which are leading to
anything from financial scams to rapes and even murder. Darren
McCathern, a spokesman for Comanche Lodge in Oklahoma, says the
problem of false medicine men and Native American teachers isn't
limited to just the west.

"In the last year or so there have been several instances of sexual
assault and rape in connection with fake medicine men. "One case
recently resulted in the conviction of a man in New Mexico that was
guilty of hurting a pregnant woman with child, where he then left
her for dead in the desert.

"This was done as a result of convincing the poor woman to undergo
some type of fake nude healing ceremony that ultimately led to his
conviction for rape," he said.

"The more informed the public is to these types of issues, the safer
they are."

John Gisselbrecht, a spokesman for the Native American Resource
Research & Cultural Center, in Kalispell, Mont., says he's concerned
about visitors and residents to the area who are being taken
advantage of in the name of Native American spiritual and ceremonial
walks of life across the United States. "We've had a number of
medicine men/women and `presto' spiritual leaders come to our
attention. Their practices are absurd and some border on criminal,"
he said.

McCathern and Gisselbrecht offer the following tips to help people
determine if those people teaching are legitimate or if they are
fakes and wanna-be Native Americans.

1) There are never, under any circumstances, any charges or forms of
payment for true Native American ceremonies or instruction. If
anyone requests payment in monetary or material goods, they are a
phony and you should run away as fast as you can. They cannot find a
single native culture anywhere that takes money or donations for
spiritual services or teachings. It is, however, a respectful
courtesy to assist with travel expenses when bringing in an elder
specifically to perform a ceremony.

2) If there are any sexual connotations or expectations up to and
including a coed nude ceremony in sweat lodges, you have stumbled
into the web of a sexual predator. There is no such thing as a nude
coed ceremony.

3) If the person leading the ceremony is mixing ceremonies such as
the adding of crystals or gemstones to the use of traditional native
ceremonial tools (such as drums or rattles), or peyote use in
conjunction with the use of the sacred pipe, they highly suggest
that you talk to a traditional elder. Native American traditional
ceremonies are not a mix-and-match, anything-goes game.

4) There are no priests, shamans, kings, queens or princesses in the
Native American culture. And those who claim to be are silently
scoffed at. No matter what you are told, it is OK to question where
their teachings originated and by whom and by what nation their
authority was given.

"Without exception, the elders we have spoken with all say, `Check
out your spiritual teacher's traditional background,'" Gisselbrecht
said. "If they claim to carry animal `medicine' they are not
traditional."

Gisselbrecht also said there are those who have conveniently found
unsanctioned Native American people, some of whom are still
practicing drug users and alcoholics, to portray themselves as
medicine men, shaman, priests, lodge leaders, bundle keepers, and
pipe carriers. Beware, he cautions, these people are dangerous.

McCathern and other Native American watchdog groups urge consumers
to check out credible sources before becoming involved in Native
American ceremonies.

"These are not games and when not done correctly can result in
injury or death, not just looking silly," Gisselbrecht said. Be
respectful of Native American spirituality and ceremony for your own
safety and, if for no other reason, to not insult the elders.
"These men and women, who have practiced these ceremonies most of
their lives, are deeply concerned when they see their sacred ways of
life prostituted," Gisselbrecht said.

"Attempting to mimic these ceremonies with an `anything goes
attitude' is not a spiritual path, but one of disgrace and a display
of lack of education. One Sunday Mass does not a pope make. One
sweat lodge does not a medicine man make."