CJ Whitedeer

[educatedindian]

Got a request about him. Not much of an online presence except a few FB posts.

Some really obvious red flags, claims to be a Cherokee medicine man living in Arizona. Here he's claimed to be the Cherokees' only white priest.
http://www.thingsunseen.co.uk/on-the-borderline/man-with-deer-eyes/
The audio link he says he's from Tahlequah, teaching people in AZ claiming Cherokee heritage.

This link says he was from New Jersey.
http://policelink.monster.com/member/Redsky?comment_page=40&gifts_page=2&profile_quiz_result_page=3

[wolfhawaii]

I listened to the whole interview. Interesting that he states he is from Tahlequah yet he pronounces it strangely and has no Tahlequah accent. Also I can categorically state that he is not the only "White Priest" of the "tribe". He didn't use a Cherokee word in his entire interview. Also, if he really was what he claims, why is he not in one of the traditional communities helping those in need? I call BS.

[BTDUWOTF]

I studied with CJ Whitedeer. My birth name is Michael Selvaggio. My Cherokee name is Bear That Dances Under Water Around The Fire.  I now state that C J Whitedeer is authentic and any appearance to the contrary is purely superficial. It is expected and recommended to be suspect in all regards. I am here to attest to him being a true medicine person. About twenty years ago
C J performed the first authentic Tsalagi wedding in over 140 years in Virginia with the blessing of the Cherokee Nation. It was a great healing. He was given the freedom to teach to those outside of the tribe. He is a true human-being that is a Rosetta stone not the a set of laws in granite.

[AClockworkWhite]

A damn shame when only whites are defending the Internet honor of yet another self-proclaimed sham-man. Bet this guy can't even name who Cherokee leaders were at the time who would have given their "full blessing" to an event like that, if it even. Needed such sanction. That's another red flag right there. In fact, the profile above me is "recommended" to be suspect.

[educatedindian]

I studied with CJ Whitedeer. My birth name is Michael Selvaggio. My Cherokee name is Bear That Dances Under Water Around The Fire.  I now state that C J Whitedeer is authentic and any appearance to the contrary is purely superficial. It is expected and recommended to be suspect in all regards. I am here to attest to him being a true medicine person. About twenty years ago
C J performed the first authentic Tsalagi wedding in over 140 years in Virginia with the blessing of the Cherokee Nation. It was a great healing. He was given the freedom to teach to those outside of the tribe. He is a true human-being that is a Rosetta stone not the a set of laws in granite.

Mr. Selvaggio...first off, that remains your name. Did CJW give that silly other name? It's trying way too hard to be poetic and spirchul. It's funny to picture a bear dancing underwater...and of course the water would put out the fire. So many goofy mixed metaphors.

Mr. Selvaggio, I'd appreciate hearing how you met CJW, what he taught you, etc. It'd be a much better way to evaluate him than simply saying, "I swear to you all he's authentic."

Some more obvious red flags include saying "the Cherokee nation" blessed him. Which, allegedly, of the three recognized tribes? And how, supposedly? A statement, words from a leader?

There's also no way to prove the claim about a wedding, can't prove a negative that there have been no Cherokee weddings during that time. Where in VA was this, who, and what makes you think it was authentic as opposed to say a Christian wedding, or one done by a justice of the peace, between Cherokees? You do realize, I hope, that many traditional Cherokee are also Christians.