So I originally posted a version of this post under my intro. But after looking around the forum a bit, it seems I should post in here, research needed. To my knowledge, the people individually mentioned here do not claim any native blood, they just have no shame in the promotion of the "pan-indigenous" points of view, and no shame in charging money to teach an "earth based spirituality", which is language that makes me squirm because it doesn't sit right with me. I've also included some general themes I see repeated/popular amongst herbalists.
People using the word "shaman" as part of their title/business promotion.
Although I know "shaman" isn't a term commonly used by First Nations in North America, the term is still troubling because of the implications of and assumptions carried with the term of some mystical and magical powers associated with indigenous or "earth centered" spirituality/religions.
Charging money for sweats and other ceremonies.
Conducting ceremony for a fee- or for free- when it is done outside of the ceremony's cultural/community/nation context.
The concept of "Re-indigenization", coined or promoted by Jesse "Wolf" Hardin, self styled herbal "animist" philosopher who seems to write as though the First Nations of North America are no longer here an that only "in the past" did generations of people grow up and live in the same area, with an inherent connection to the flaura, fauna and "spirit" of the area. Notice in his guide for "connecting" to place, he does not advise to learn about or get to know, or contribute efforts to the struggles of the indigenous people; to him, the indigenous are all in the past, gone, "mythological". And apparently, only white people object to other white people "re-indigenizing" . Him and his wife "Kiva Rose" seem to have invented the philosophy/world view/spirituality- whatever you want to call it- referred to as "Animism", which as far as I can tell is just regurgitated "transcultural" "earth religion", developed in part to help those who were once vegetarians justify eating meat. (Lol, smh)
http://animacenter.org/blog/?cat=56Walter "shantree" Kacera. Teaches shamanic herbalism, used to charge $ for sweats, don't see any currently advertised. Maybe was told by local FN not to run sweats? He does live in London, ON which is close to the reserves of Chippewa, Munsee and Oneida. He offers healing retreats in S. America, teaches Ayurveda and offers workshops such as "Shamanu: Earth Wisdom". I cannot find anywhere what "Shantree" actually means, nor do I know what "Shamanu" refers to, though I did not do a search on this. A search on "Shantree" only provides links to Walter Kacera and perhaps a reference to shan tree (a kind of evergreen, perhaps?) that grows in an Asian mountain range. His wife, too, Lorena Bosquet-Kacera teaches "eco-creativity" and it is advertised that her "deep-ecology" spirituality teachings are based on "indigenous wisdom". A few names of her mentors are mention here in her bio prepared for the "Heartwood Gathering" which apparently takes
place annually in Ontario:
http://www.heartwoodgathering.ca/teachers-2015.html Lorena is, apparently, the inventor of "Shamanu: Earth Wisdom". I have extended family members who attended one of Walter's sweats, but as my sister says of her inlaws, who are Dutch Canadians, "they won't come to the rez to visit family" Here's his Walter's website:
http://www.thelivingcentre.com/cms/There is also a question related to another teacher, or husband and wife team at the Heartwood Gather, that is Conrad Richter (owner of Richter's Herbs) and his wife Aku Dunyo Richter who, the information says, is from Ewe tribe in West Africa. I am really not qualified enough to know or comment about the validity of these statements, but if you follow the link to the gathering info, there is much to go on research wise under bios/workshop info for both Conrad and Aku.
These kinds of things disturb me because they are wrong. Also because as a herbalist, and as someone who does believe that some of the human race (some because some- indigenous people- already have knowledge of how to live in a goid way) needs to find a better way to live on this planet, the people mentioned here are not doing this in the right way as they are just ripping off and mixing up diverse practices and then regurgitating it as something new. I know the hurt it causes to people I know and love, as well. I think shugganosh need to find their humility before their find their "earth spirit" and become "master teachers" of it. With humilty their path would be vastly different. I find I cannot in good conscious participate in gatherings and events faahioned/advertised in this manner and so I just won't. I want to be able to speak publicly about it in some way, either on my own website or perhaps in the Ontario Herbalist Association newsletter which is, apparently, now being revived. I don't imagine to get much support from other herbalists, though, as it will be their business and reputation which will be called into question. So I want to be sure I have done my research and have firm ground to stand on.
Thank-you for having this forum.
Joanne
