Native Americans Fight Culture Thieves
September 08, 1993|By Jean Latz Griffin, Tribune Staff Writer.
For more than 20 minutes, Charlotte Black Elk and Pa'Ris'Ha went toe to toe with each other at the art exhibit of the Parliament of World Religions last week, debating whether Pa'Ris'Ha and others like her were stealing the culture and religion of Black Elk and all Native Americans.
Pa'Ris'Ha, a leading member of the national White Buffalo Society who says that her grandmother was an unregistered Cherokee, had just finished a workshop on "Wisdom of the Elders: The Path of Unconditional Love."
She brought with her a very old Native American woman, whom she called "Grandma Chips," who sang traditional songs, chanted and told stories. Pa'Ris'Ha also talked about the importance of the sacred pipe. In fact, she said, everyone should have such a pipe, or cannupa, in their homes.
And after the workshop, her assistant, Bashie English, handed out folders of information on workshops that were available through the speakers' team of the White Buffalo Society.
Among the offerings were "Living and Loving It at the Top: . . . Be among the Top 5% of Wealthy People in the World," "Dance of the Shaman" and "Medicine Wheel Teachings." The society also holds sun dances.
Pa'Ris'Ha says she believes she has the right to do this because she draws on her Native American and Polish ancestry to tap into what she believes to be a heritage common to both: respect for the white buffalo, the use of the pipe, and the love of one Creator Spirit.
But to Black Elk, an attorney from South Dakota who works to protect the sacred sites of Native Americans and to obtain the return of Native American lands, what Pa'Ris'Ha and many others are doing is wrong.
"It is a crass exploitation of our culture and tradition," Black Elk said. "For her to take something that is so sacred to us as the White Buffalo Woman, who brought the sacred pipe to the Lakota people, and use it the way she does, is exploitation and desecration."
Pa'Ris'Ha responded: "I don't see how you can rip off God. Spirit is Spirit." And she told Black Elk: "If we are doing it wrong, come and show us how to do it right. Don't judge from a distance."
Last week, as more than 6,000 participants streamed to the Palmer House from all over the world, Native Americans held key roles. It was, in part, a reflection of a recent boom in interest in all things Native American-books, movies, seminars, college courses, crafts, jewelry and, in what many call a "desecration" of their most sacred traditions, attempts to imitate Native American spirituality through vision quests, sweat lodges and sun dances.
These attempts are disturbing to Native Americans, they say, because unlike Christians and others, they do not proselytize. They do not want anyone else to join their religion. They respect other religions and want only respect for their own.
And because they spend entire lifetimes understanding and becoming worthy to perform sacred ceremonies that have been handed down through generations, they do not consider the current quickie imitations the highest form of flattery, but a frightening attempt to rob them of what is rightfully theirs.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1993-09-08/news/9309080108_1_native-americans-sacred-pipe-charlotte-black-elk
