Shailey Tripp

[naparyaq]

Hello, friends. It's been a long time since I posted.
Here's a diversion from the battling that no one seems to be winning.

Well, you all know who Sarah Palin is, right? The latest scandal rocking the Alaska world is a woman who claims to have been a prostitute that Todd went to regularly. (But it's really confusing, because she also seems to feel she had more of a personal relationship, an affair?, even though he paid her money for doing the naughty thing. There were allegations of Todd somehow being involved in a prostitution ring and press releases by the Anchorage Police Department.
Even better, she claims that she gave Sarah Palin a massage during the time that she would have been very very pregnant with her last child (the Down Syndrome child that she held up like Lion King during the McCain presidential campaign), massaged her abdomen and that she didn't appear to be pregnant. Which confirms the speculation that she faked the pregnancy to cover for a pregnant teenager or some other more nefarious reason. The back story for those out of the loop - during the time that Palin was governor of Alaska and 7 1/2 months pregnant, she traveled to Texas for a conference. Her water broke in the middle of the night and started labor. Did she go to the nearest hospital? No. She went to the conference the next day and gave a speech at lunch time. Then headed for the airport to catch a flight back to Alaska. She traveled 10 hours with a layover in Seattle, and arrived back in Anchorage at 11 pm.  So then did she go to the hospital? No. She hopped in the truck and headed up the highway, past the only major hospitals in Alaska, to a small hospital in her home town of Wasilla. More than an hour from Anchorage in the middle of the night on icy roads. So then she delivered a 6.8 lb baby. With a known heart defect and Down Syndrome. Was the baby rushed to the neonatal unit in Anchorage? No. Mom and baby went home the next day and Sarah took the baby to work with her two days later.

Anyway, so she's been in National Enquirer, who dropped the breaking story, as well as Alaska news and bloggers' pages.
Now she's got her own blog and is taking questions. Too funny, you have to pay to ask a question and get an answer through PayPal. Boy, she's got some good stories.
Unfortunately, her accounts of things are getting more and more... um, exotic, and she's revealing that she's a skilled liar. You know the kind - evasive vague answers that you can't quite get clear and pin down. No direct answers to anything. Intentionally misunderstanding the question. Rephrasing and changing the subject, answering something that wasn't asked.

Here's where it gets good. Today, she is not only a spiritual leader to "chiefs" in Alaska, but she's also a Pipe Carrier! Yep, that's right. She's not Lakota and doesn't claim to be. In fact, her home page says: "I am Indian and Cajun (not American Indian)."
And of course, she say's "All My Relations."

If there's anything at all even remotely truthful to her stories, this is going to make news somewhere. They are the AlaskaKardashians running for president of the United States.

Todd Palin's hooker is a Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Oyate Pipe Carrier.

Great.
 

[naparyaq]

The exchange where she reveals she's a Native American "spiritual leader":

Shaytripp -
A thought about Todd Palin just occured to me while I was answering a question from my Drugs in the Valley post. Todd is native but I never thought of him this way. Ever. Maybe Todd has a sexual addiction problem and runs away from his spiritual self to his heritage. To me, this make s alot of sense about many things I have wondered about for many years. So this is my prayer, Tonkashula, Watchimawcaw (phoentically spelled) help Todd find himself back to you and back to himself. Help him to find how he connects in the world and that he can right the wrongs he has done and help him realize that each day can be a new start. God watch over him, and his family keep them healthy and strong. May they all find peace. May he find his spirituality and his people again. All my relations.
 
Apollo - Todd is not Ogala Sioux and cannot "find himself back" to ethnic heritage-based spiritual philosophy and mysticism that isn't his own. But I get what you mean.
Todd has no foundation in Eskimo spirituality. I doubt he even has an inkling of awareness and certainly no source to go to, even if he did.
What you mean is Yuuyaraq, The Way of the Human Being.
He has a centuries-old tradition of European Christianity from his English, Dutch and German grandfathers.
Be really careful here, Shailey. You're walking into Plastic Shaman/Star Child stuff that you don't understand, doesn't belong to you, and are not your stories to tell.
In your spiritual journey, I suggest this: http://www.newagefraud.org/
You have no right to say All My Relations when you don't know what that means and under what circumstance that might be appropriate. Generally used, it's nothing more than misused jargon to lend credibility to non-Native Americans hokey con artist, new-age sales pitch of generic "Native American" spirituality.
There ain't no such thing. Each indigenous North American culture is completely different and separate, with distinct spiritual practices. It's like saying Baptists and Mormons go to the same church, practice the same rituals and believe the same things.
But I appreciate the intent of your good wishes blessing. That's nice.
There is so much magic, color and significance in San?tana Dharma, ?ruti, and Smriti, which belong to you ethnically.
Sadguru Sant Keshavadas: "Truth is One, many are the names."

Shaytripp -
I have every right to say it and the people in Alaska would feel that way about me too.

Apollo -
Alaska Natives don't adopt Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Oyate culture and language, don't say "All My Relations." Ever. Or "Aho" or "Mitakuye Oyasin."
No need. Vibrant rich cultural heritage and beliefs of their own.
Lakota who believe Mitakuye Oyasin, don't say it in English.
If you're a pipe carrier, then you must be Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Oyate. If I've got that wrong, I apologize, my mistake. You said: "I am Indian and Cajun (not American Indian),"
You're absolutely right - you have the right to say whatever you want.

[naparyaq]

A bit of background about this woman. She got to Alaska from somewhere as a military family. It's hard to figure out, but it sounds like she settled in Alaska as an adult, married an Alaska guy, went back and forth to Louisiana or Alabama (or somewhere). She's around 30 years old and boasts an astonishing resume of education, even though her primary adult career is prostitute. She was arrested for prostitution in March 2010, when the connection to the husband of presidential candidate Sarah Palin came out.

After the National Enquirer started the story and then dropped it, a blogger presented "interviews".
http://shesnohockeymom.blogspot.com/2011/02/shailey-tripp-interview-follow-up.html
And now (surprise!) they're both mounting on-line blog begging campaigns.

A compilation of her claims to Lakota, from her blog.  shaileytripp.yolasite.com/blog.php

"Many times I was invited into villages to talk to women and children about health and hygiene. So I have seen first hand what I am talking about through the eyes of those directly affected by the drugs and drug labs."

Reply: Health and hygiene aren't topics that rate bringing speakers into bush Alaska. Very expensive, big 'wish lists' for speakers/educators/workshops on specialized topics, and limited resources that have to be prioritized. Education staff in the school districts and CSCs (Community School Committees) are trained to teach that in regular curriculum.
What was the program that delivered this? Who invited you? What villages?

Shaytripp -
"Also my children attended a native school that was open to the public. I personally was a substitute teacher for a few years in the Mat-Su valley. The village chiefs or medicine men or spirtiual leaders and advisors invited me themselves."

Note: There's no "native school" in Wasilla or anywhere on the road system in Alaska. There is an Alaska Native Charter School in Anchorage. It just opened. The timing of her story and the ages of her children make it highly unlikely that they attended it.

Shaytripp - "I would give talks in the communities to raise awareness fo women's needs, childrens needs, etc. I was not paid for it.
...I also did this for several native communites , mainly for the Lakota community and some other Native Alaskan events. I am considered a part of the native community even though I am not native. this is becuase I attend a sweat lodge and participate in many Indian events, causes, problems, communities, art, etc. Also I did not say I went into the Interior of Alaska, but have been invited. I have worked closely with many many cultural groups in the Valley area through Anchorage. I am sure many people if called to would vouch for that. The standard which is not low by any means for which Natives invite you in there community can not be measured by "white" American standards. These talks I refer to alsways begin spiritual and ceremonial before we can even begin to talk. this type of talking is sacred and many rules have to be respected. In a sense I was a spiritual leader."

My parents were adopted into the Lakota Nation. they are pipe carriers and take this role seriously. Through their associations and relationships I have formed my own. I am not a "healer", and I am not a spiritual leader, but I do have my own power and this has been acknowledged by many.
(emphasis mine)

[naparyaq]

Does anyone connected to the "Lakota community" know who this is?
She looks Native in appearance, but says herself "I am Indian and Cajun (not American Indian)."
Is it possible that she IS Native?
Here's her photo: http://shaileytripp.yolasite.com/

Here's one of the National Enquirer photos:
http://tinyurl.com/4nd6b7k

Thoughts, anyone?

[educatedindian]

Obviously this gives Tripp even less credibility than before. There's threads in here from Lakota pointing out the obvious (to Native people) but which aren't nearly so well known among nonNatives- that supposedly adopted absolutely do NOT have any right to do Lakota ceremony. Period. No ands, ifs, or buts.

Her website includes her begging for money and discussing her own drug use and those of people around her. She seems quite troubled to me. Outside of the exchange you posted, I couldn't find any other places she claims to be a shaman or teach Lakota ways. Obviously no genuine Lakota would appoint or even want a troubled young prostitute and drug user as a medicine woman because every single one of those (troubled, young, etc) are reasons enough by themselves to not want her.

[naparyaq]

Thanks for the response.
After a little more exploring in the last few days, it turns out to circle back to Eklutna, White Eagle and Whirling Rainbow, "GrandMother Drum" thing. ...(sigh)...of course. Predictable. Alaska's just not big enough.

Here's how it's working out:
Lonnie Prairie Chicken (for real, I think) -  Oglala, Strong Heart Drummers "drum keeper", self-identifies as a descendant of Crazy Horse. He hangs with White Eagle and supports Holzwarth.
http://www.whirlingrainbow.com/donations.htm

Prairie Chicken lives in Wasilla; he's buddies with a Larry Lawes, a white guy who is possibly Shailey's father. Larry drums with Strong Heart Drummers and "sings" in Lakota. This could be how he came to consider himself a "Lakota Pipe Carrier." His picture shows he's definitely not Hindu (or East Indian of any kind).

Larry is intimate friends with a Terri Boswell, a member of Citizen Potowatami Nation (Shawnee, OK). There was a Potowatami gathering in Alaska this summer hosted by Eklutna. Terri Boswell was in some kind of naming ceremony, accompanied by Larry Lawes. Terri claims to do "an annual Sun Dance with Lakota and Ojibwe." Terri is a woman.
http://www.potawatomi.org/pubinfo/HowNiKan/HowNiKan-May2010LR.pdf

And of course, Shailey Tripp is a Reiki Master.

Man, am I feeling inadequate. I'm just a Native; no magic, no special powers. Nothing happens when I wave my BIA card around in the air.

But, question here...
How come if these people are all endowed with the secrets of the Himalayas and the Kamasutra, Native American Shamans and medicine people, how come they have to resort to prostitution and panhandling? How come they don't just blink money into their bank accounts?

"Tonkashula, Watchimawcaw"(sic), Shailey.