Looks like he's been getting even worse, and you and some others've been doing your best to stop him. Has he made himself a pain in the ass disgrace to Anishannabe too, or just every NDN in the Midwest?
http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:b1l_b1RcD1oJ:www.powwows.com/gathering/printthread.php%3Ft%3D10636+%22great+lakes+band%22+netz&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1"Tom Iron Eagle 05-28-2003 11:48 AM
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Been Telling People about this Fake for Years
Tom Netz is a man in Ohio that claims to be American Indian. In the years that I have known of this man he has claimed to be:
Cherokee, Seneca, Lumbee, Shawnee, Deleware-Lenape, and now Potawatamie.
He also claims that he is a "Medicine Person" taught and trained by Granmother Twyla Nitch of the Seneca nation and he shows people a certificate of study with her.
For over 11 years he said that he was Lumbee and was appointed the "Chief" of the Great Lakes Band of the United Lumbee Nation of North Carolina and America.
Now as many should know - the ULN of NC and America is not real Lumbee or real Indian. They are a fake group that has been around for sometime now (over 20 years). They are based in California.
Many, many years ago a real Lumbee started a group for Lumbee outside of NC in the South. But something happened and the group fell apart. Sometime later and in some way some people in California revised the group but they had nothing to do with the real Lumbee in NC or any real Lumbee in the South. They claimed to be Lumbee because there is a population of Lumbee on the West Coast from the Lumbee Migration after WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
This ULN has no connection to the Real Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and the real Lumbee via LRDA and The Tribal Council have been trying to shut these "fakes" down for sometime. It is a lot of work getting rid of fakes but it is happening.
This past year Tom Netz was finally caught in many of his lies and was told that he could not claim the title "Chief" by AIM and others. He did something terrible at a powwow in Indiana and was asked to stop saying that he was a "Medicine Person" also.
But just when it looked like that would be it, he was able to smoke some people and claim that he was duped by the ULN for over 11 years and he resigned. So for 11 years he claimed that he was Lumbee and now he says he was never Lumbee.
Just recently at an event in Ohio this past Spring he claime that he was Potawatamie.
But Tom is not even Native, yes it took awile but some research finally showed it. One it came from his own family that they are just of German Ancestry (this directly from his own mother, father, and sister) and two it came from himself to his friends before he "became Indian" a few years ago.
Be very cautious of this man!
Tom Iron Eagle 10-01-2003 11:24 AM
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Anything?
Hey anything new on "Chief Soft Shell Taco Nutz?"
Have not heard/seen "hide nor hair" of him or his goings on.
Did he do the Tiffin Heritage Festival?
I know that he usually does the Living History Event Mississinewa in Indiana in October. If the weather is nice I will try and make it and let the site know of anything.
WhoMe 10-06-2003 04:34 PM
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Is this the Southern Singing forum?
What does any of this have to do with southern singing?
Tom Iron Eagle 10-06-2003 08:57 PM
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Yes this is the Southern Singing Site.
And what better place to let people know about a man named Tom Soft Shell Turtle Netz who plays himself off as a Native American with a Southern Style Drum?
Musically, Tom Netz is not a very good singer, in fact I would say that he is just plain terrible. He can not carry a tune much less even find the pitches to resemble a melody. His concept of tempo is like some people's driving (pick a speed any speed or pick a lane any lane). And rhythm, please it more like a game of hide and seek.
Culturally, he is not Native and that can be a bother to some. But the biggest problem is that he lies that he is Native.
That is why this thread is here. So all the Singers will know and be on the look out.
DANCINGEAGLE 10-12-2003 09:07 AM
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Seems to be a lot of this going around. I know a man going around in Va claiming to be the chief of the Red Cedar Band of Eastern Cherokees. He even had his own drum group.
He was confronted by a member of the Cherokee tribe about this but he continued to stake his claim. The funny thing was, that, when he was at a p/w and the guys from the Cherokee Rez in NC (Andy Grant, Osceola Redshirt, and Will Tusca) were there, he would never come up and introduce himself as chief then.:confused:
Too many frauds out here and they need to stop, whether they are singing, dancing, or what ever.:mad:
Tom Iron Eagle 11-25-2003 06:17 PM
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News?
Was Tom Netz at the Adrian Powwow?
I was hoping to make it that Saturday, but alas could not, the usual emergeny and health problems arose as they always seem to do on weekends.
I did however recently talk to a friend of mine from Salamanca that is "dying to talk" to Tom Netz. My friend hates Twyla Nitch and anyone that she "teaches."
My friend is actully hoping that Tom Netz will show up at some event that he is at for the next up-coming year. That would be some fireworks to see and hear!
Tom Iron Eagle 12-04-2003 03:03 PM
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Confrontation
Not sure about others......but......
I would confront the man head on, again as I have done this before - many years ago and this would be why the man does his best to avoid me.
But why wait till I see him some say? And I agree as I have confronted him over the phone and via mail and even e-mail. But that was a long time ago. And with the phone and regular mail that can only be done that once as it can be percieved as harassment if it continues.
Due to the circumstances at the Mississinewa Event, I was unable to confront the man. There was never a time that children and other young ones were not around. And believe me this typed of confrontation needs no children and young ones around!
I know that my Salamanca friend wants to confront Tom Netz about his "so called Seneca heritage, teachings, ways, and family."
Tom Iron Eagle 03-01-2004 12:14 PM
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News
In another thread several were asking what was being done about Tom Nets and his All My Relations Drum.
I mentioned that I have confronted the man at times and even written him as well as sent letters to organizations about him.
Well, I got some news today. It woud appear that my letters to Clear Springs, IN and Columbia City, IN were received; but the letters to Ft. Ancient and MIssissinewa were marked RETURN TO SENDER.
One can assume that Ft. Ancient and Mississinewa are tracking these posts or just don't want to listen. Hopefully the letters to the other two places were received and read.
Anybody doing anything?"
