Yes, he is doing ceremonies in Europe; I found events with him in Austria, Germany, Belgium
and the Netherlands. As far as I saw, he seems to present himself not as a white person, but
as a Lakota - a or sometimes even *the* Lakota medicine man. Although this could be explained as us Europeans misinterpreting McCullough all the time, I also found an interview
of McCullough done in Belgium, in which he in fact presents himself as a Lakota, an AIM
member, an activist, and medicine man.
This is from an esoteric forum from Austria - please not the claim of having been adopted:
http://forum.wurzelwerk.at/index.php?PHPSESSID=e3745ff5575c581c273047e56df96b82&topic=3053.0Shadow_Viper (Guest)
"Who's interested in meeting a Lakota Elder?
October 15, 2005, 19:44
Greetings,
well, there's the possibility that an elder I know may be able to come to Vienna for 1 or 2
days of consultations (talking circles). My question is who would be interested in such an
event? For traveling expense resp other expense for this elder so that he can stay here
(rent for a room, food etc) we will have to ask for about EURO 30-50 per person. The more
persons take an interest and participate, the less we will be able to ask per person. Due
to space available, participation will be restricted to a max of 30 persons per daily event.
ATTENTION: this does not mean we 'sell' things - it just that I don't have the money to pay
the entire travel expense for him. When he comes, he will of course teach us during these
events and pass on his experience he was able to gather since he walks on the Red Road.
A few details about him:
His name is Steve McCullough and he is the Sundance Chief of Salt Fork Sundance for many
years, the first sundance which was done East of the Mississippi. He is also a pipe carrier
and a ceremonial leader after the Lakot tradition. He was adopted by the Chasing Horse
family who are descendants of the famous Sioux leader Crazy Horse. Steve was with the
American Indian Movement (AIM) right from the start and participated in the occupation of
the Wounded Knee Memorial in 1973 in which Native American activists were fighting FBI and
US army soldiers due to violations of civil rights and similar violations. Steve also leads
sweatlodge ceremonies resp. Vision Quests, Sundance, and Pipe Ceremonies. He is a
person I personally hold in high esteem, not only for what he experienced and for his
abilities, but more so because his not egotistical and humble nature. This will be the first
chance we get in Austria to come into contact with him. If everything goes well, it is highly
possible he will come again to do ceremonies like e.g. sweatlodges for us in central Europe.
Udiyvli Galegi
the Shadow Viper"
.............................
http://home.arcor.de/wildbison/8.htm"On June 3, 2005, a white buffalo was born in Shelby County (USA).
Buffalo Crossing Restaurant & Family Fun Ranch.
In a 90 minut ceremony, the calf was given the Lakota name "Cante Pejuta" (Medicine Heart).
As a symbol for unity, peace, and hope for all nations: red, yellow, black and white, Steve
McCullough interpretes the birth of "Cante Pejuta". Steve McCullough lead the ceremony and
thanked the Creator for this gift."
...................
http://reiki-schmetterling.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!62C0D0B17695AD16!1008.entry"I just remembered I meant to show you a photo of Steve MC Cullough [sic].
Like I said in another entry Steve is the medicine man from Dakota USA who comes to visit
Elli twice every year to do sweatlodges with us. Steve leads the annual Salt-Creek-Sundance
in America and supports his people and at the same time is so humble one can hardly
describe it. I love this person very much. I am looking forward to see him again in autumn.
his time I will ask Steve for a healing, too."
http://reiki-schmetterling.spaces.live.com/photos/The last two photos show McCullough.
.......................
This is the interview:
http://www.alcyone-vzw.be/dagallemaal2004.html"An Article from "Hello all". March 2, 2004
Medicine Man Stephen McCullough leads Indian ceremonies in Flanders
'I don't mean to mission anyone, but the ways of our forefathers can help you,
too'
He fought during the occupation in Wounded Knee, then put down the arms and became an
outstanding medicine man. Stephen McCullough lives according to the traditions of his
people, the North American Lakota Sioux Indians, and gets invited to Europe regularly to
lead rituals. 'As Indian spirituality is universal and can contribute to save the planet', he
explains. [snip explanation of WK1]
In 1973, the Wounded Knee Memorial was occupied by Indian activists who stood up for
their own culture and the protection of their forefathers' sacred places. The American
government hit back hard. There was a bloody encounter and in its aftermath, several
armed confrontations with American police happened in various Indian reservations. In one
case, two FBI agents were shot during a raid. An Indian, Leonard Peltier, is still doing a
lifelong term in prison for this. "A murderer", according to FBI which still today resists Peltier
being let free, although no evidence has been presented. "A political prisoner, the Indian
Nelson Mandela", say North American sympathizers. [...]
An outstanding Lakota medicine man, Stephen McCullough, will come to Belgium to lead
certain rituals, among them the sweat lodge, a ceremony of cleansing and healing, and the
initiation ritual vision quest. McCullough is a 'pipe carrier', a man who has the gift of making
contacts to the spirit world and to help other people with this. Before, Stephen McCullough
was a commited Indian activist. 'I lived on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota and
little by little discovered our cultural heritage', he explained when I met him for a sweatlodge ceremony in Flanders. 'The book 'Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee' by Dee
Brown, published in 1970, changed my life completely. I became conscious of our culture, of the importance of the life vision for the whole world. Three years later I participated in the
armed occupation of Wounded Knee. I was armed all the time, too. In this time, there was
murder and rape on all reservations, not seldom by police or by militias supported by
police. When I could not stay deaf to the call of the pipe, of spirituality, I put down the arms
for nonviolent activism. It was daring at that time, but with the actions about the Black Hills
where it was about protecting of ceremonial sacred grounds and Indian burial grounds, I
and others proved that one can get respects and results without arms, too.'
How did you discover that you must work with this Indian spirituality?
I never asked for this. I negated the call as long as possible. Then I got a medicine bag from
someone. I didn't want this. I was an armed activist. I gave the bag to a medicine man I was
a friend of. Taking a detour, the bag came back to me. I saw that this was my fate, my call.
So I took up the pipe and began to lead ceremonies. Also the Sundance. The government
tried to boycott us with this for years. But I really resisted against the call. After my activist
time, I saw quite a different future for myself. I meant to think of myself. To earn good money. To find a wife, to have children and grandchildren. So it was certainly not my ambition to become a medicine man. I retreated into nature for four days to think. The spirits came to me and asked me to trust in their support and protection.
Of course you had hallucinations after 4 days of sacrifice.
No, I did not hallucinate, it was a real contact with the spirit world. As an aside, we don't use
hallucinogenic substances in our tradition. I was told to make a wish, as a token that the
spirits meant well. I asked for the protection of my father-in-law who was in hospital and
was very sick. His kidneys were blocked, he was almost blind after a stroke, and had survived a heart failure. My father-in-law has been a died-in-the-wool atheist for all his life.
He recovered quickly and wanted to go home. He lived for years and dedicated these
years to Creator. This convinced me. Through contact with the spirit world I can really help
people. Every day I see the work of the spirits about me.
Why is Indian spirituality relevant for Europeans?
Because it is a universal philosophie, no religion. The only reason it is seen as a religion is
for fiscal and other practical reasons. It is a way of thinking and a way of life, based on
respect for all life and all natural elements. From the conviction that everything is one. There
is BTW a really beautiful and simple Lakota prayer with the title "Mitakuye oyasin", "we are
all related". This is a philosophy which can help everybody to lead a decent life in dignity,
whether they are Indian or European, African or Asian. At the same time, it is more than a
way of life. Through our ceremonies, we get into contact with the spirit world, the world of
our ancestors who can help, heal and protect us. This does not mean all problems will be
solved with this. We must do something about it ourselves. Besides my spiritual occupation,
I lead a normal life as a husband and father.
We find such spiritual traditions all over the world. What makes the Indian spiritual traditions
so unique?
Many original spiritual traditions, e.g. that of European druids, were decapitated by
Christianity. But our tradition has been passed on by one generation to the next for centuries
and remained undefiled. From the end of the 15th century America has been colonized and
they tried to break our culture. This almost happened, but not completely. There were
always persons who, underground if need be, protected our culture and passed on traditions and ceremonies. Therefore we are in contact with the well of our culture. This can
be an advantage for others, too. This does not mean I don't respect the values of other
cultures or spiritual currents. When I lead a ceremony in Flanders, I first ask the agreement
of nature and of the earth here to be able to work. I don't want to mission. I don't want
followers. I want to help people and make them face life in a certain way. Everyone can walk
the Indian path. Even someone who believes in something different, a Catholic, a Protestant
or Muslim, can be called to do Indian spirituality. This depends indeed on the Great Spirit
and the help of our forefathers.
If spirituality is so strong, why is the genocide of your people not prevented?
Up to Wounded Knee the Indians have often won against white armies. We fought with the
same military means, had modern guns. But the murder at Wounded Knee withdrew a
definite strike of massive resistance against the white government. About 24 years later,
World War 1 set the whole world on fire and set armies against each other with gas,
machine guns, tanks, and planes. When there was still a broad Indian resistance, the
American government used means to eradicate us. Seen in perspective, this protected our
people. Now we must go and spread the message of peace and respect for mother earth
to all human beings.
Not all Indian representatives are happy about this. Some think that it should be forbidden for non-Indians to do ceremonies like the Sun Dance.
I am convinced that the elders who have kept traditions alive and passed them to us
understand openness. At least as long as it happens correctly and with respect. But there is
also another side. From the 60ies, interested Europeans came to Indian reservations to
learn about traditions. They were welcomed by our people, treated as family. Some have
abused this. They made films, wrote books, took names, used Indian images and symbols,
called themselves a therapeut and earned much money with this. This exploitation was
wrong and we don't want to have it. But this does not mean we will exclude ourselves
completely. The movement for Indian rights received much support from the outside during
the last decade. There is no colour or race for the spirits.
You believe in the bond between nature and man. Nature is endangered all over the world.
Is there a way back?
We are still a unit with nature and with the spirit world. I have placed my sacred altar at many
different places of the world. Also at places where plants were dying and waters were
withour life. With the help of the spirits and a greater awareness of the local population,
such places can become viable again. This can happen everywhere. Same with humans.
There is war and violence all over the world. Does that mean we must not try and do
something about this? The more people are aware of our relationship with creation and life
as a way to learn respect, the closer we come to an unification of the planet. Mitakuye
Oyasin: we are one. If I can contribute a little bit, I have fulfilled my life's mission.
DOMINIQUE TRACHET"
