Scott contacted us. First is his email followed by my response.
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Good Evening Mr. Carrol,
Praying this transmission finds you and your family in health.
Several years ago, my name was placed on the New Age Fraud website by a Native activist who I have never met nor has ever participated in the traditional ceremonies I conduct. I desire my name to be expunged from the site but have not known whom to contact nor how to proceed.
A few months ago, fortuitous circumstances placed me in touch with Sky Davis who informed me of the procedure - namely to have the Chiefs who witnessed my Wapaha (Bonneting) ceremony by Chief Leonard Crow Dog Sr. contact her...she provided me with your e-maill address and directed me to communicate with you.
Recently returning from the Lampasas, TX Sundance, Chief Michael Hull (intercessor), Chief Houston and Chief Richard Grimes were present at the Wapaha ceremony in June of 2003. All three attended this year's Dance and have agreed to contact you. Since the latter two do not employ the internet, please provide a telephone number in order for them to speak with you directly.
As for the others in attendance in 2003, Chief Phil Crazy Bull and Chief Luciano Perez have journeyed Home to the Spirit World.
Chief Marvin Swallow did not attend this year and Chief Horse has not been at the Dance since 2005. I do not have current contact information for them.
Trusting the words and truth of these three ceremonial leaders and men of honour will be sufficient to fulfill the criteria.
If you have questions or require clarification, please feel free to contact me - best by telephone as I soon depart for another Sundance.
Wopila Tanka (Great Thanks) for your assistance in rectifying this matter.
Blessings & Gratitude,
Phillip
Chief Tsunka Wakan Sapa
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Hello Mr. Scott,
Our contact information has always been on our website and you could have easily contacted us at the start.
We always welcome any additional information which can clear these matters up and would gladly post any statement of yours. You are also welcome to join and post it yourself and answer any questions from members.
Your being placed in the Fraud category was not due to any one person. All persons placed there have shown themselves to either misrepresent who they are and what they do, sell ceremonies, or abuse their followers, or some combination of these.
In your case you falsely claim to be enrolled with the CNO and to be a Lakota chief with "rights" to sell Lakota ceremonies. Sometimes you says CNO descent and this may perhaps be more accurate. But traditional Cherokee don't do sweatlodges, and they certainly don't falsely claim any right to do them. And no one has any right to sell them, period.
You also have distinctly New Age rather than traditional beliefs and practices. You believe in the Toltec nonsense propagated by the original New Age exploiter Carlos Castaneda, a fraud who led a very destructive cult that has spread more lies about Native people than any group outside of Hollywood. Your followers, such as the ones who organized your San Jose ceremony selling, are also New Agers and "lightworkers."
As for Crow Dog, he has done much good for his people, but his frequently making any white New Age twinkie a "chief" is wrong and very destructive.
I could not be less impressed by you claiming one of those non-Native New Age twinkies, Michael Hull, as supposedly a "chief" who makes you legitimate.
Hull is a fraud and exploiter, a longtime associate of fellow fraud Mary Grimes, another imposter calling herself "Mary Thunder" who claimed a vision after hallucinations during a stomach stapling operation to control her weight problem. (The account of this came from an actual Lakota, Mike Two Horses.)
I personally protested Mr. Hull's theft of public funds, misrepresenting himself as an American Indian and a "chief" to speak at American Indian Heritage Month at an event at a public university. This was taking public funds by deception.
Endorsement of you by another of the Grimes, Richard, is equally unimpressive and downright damning.
We have also received an account by a former follower describing exploitation, being expected to give up any and all monies to you.
If you want to be taken off the list, it would be fairly simple to do so:
Stop your exploitation and fraud.
Stop selling ceremony.
Return all the money you have taken.
Learn Cherokee tradition rather than that of an unrelated tribe.
Publicly apologize for all the harm done.
I remain open to further discussion from you or any of the other persons you mention.
I should also tell you that any and all emails between us will become public so that all can see what was said. Phone and email addresses will be removed of course.
Sincerely,
Al Carroll, moderator
