Ematezu! Greetings!

[Niome]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the forum and for my inclusion.

My name is Naomi (pronounced Niome) Archer. I'm coordinator for the Four Directions Solidarity Network (www.eswn.org). We are a network of both native and non-native people working on sovereignty and traditional culture preservation.  Our work right now is centered in Turtle Island, and in Europe (see below).  I live outside one of the epicenters of appropriation - Asheville, NC.

I'm a traditional member of the Iladurarrak people - an indigenous people of Europe. You are invited to read about my people at www.intuitivepath.org.  Along with work here on Turtle Island, I travel to Europe, which is the Land of the Wind, to awaken people there about our indigenous ancestors who are calling to us now in this time of change. 

I'm also an adopted member of Cante Tisa - the Strongheart Warrior Society of the Oglala Lakota Nation.  Duane Martin Sr. is my big brother.

Thanks,
Naomi Archer

[educatedindian]

Welcome. Found the site pretty interesting, esp this part:

http://www.intuitivepath.org/respect.html
"Ohizko Iladurarrak Herria offers support to traditional Indigenous nations in their efforts to preserve and protect their culture, sacred objects, and sacred places from appropriation, commercialization, and desecration."

I have no idea if you face similar problems to what we discuss in here, but hope you don't.

[Niome]

Yes, we do actually. And other Indigenous European cultures do as well - Saami, Irish Celt, Basque, Norse, Gaelic, etc. 

You might have seen that Harner-ites are over in Europe too.. and have "shamanic" foundations.   There's all kind of crazyness around Celtic culture and spirituality, much of it dissing the local populations that still maintain language and some traditions.  Same with Norse(asatru).  There's all kind of role-playing going on and ill use of sacred sites.

And this same idea.. that all of Europe's Indigenous traditions can be somehow condensed into "Celtic spirituality" or "Ecelectic Wiccan" or whatever name they come up with. This summer at the US Social Forum I confronted a woman that was using a certain fertility symbol of ours without any understanding of its traditional use. I wanted to rip it off her neck.  No clue.

What I've seen in Europe is most people just really don't understand their Indigenous history despite some local place-based folklore, historical knowledge and place-based connection.  All the wars, Roman Empire, Christianity, population movements have had dire consequences, including with the remaining indigenous populations like the Basque and Sorbs.  I believe its one of the reasons why mainstream Euros are so quick to romanticize "Native American spirituality" (sic).

But people are hungry for real connection... they understand that there is meaning to their ancestral traditions that go beyond what they find today.  The awakening is helping people to realize these things still exist.. and are active in their lives. 

Anyway...
Naomi

[frederica]

Are you the same as Naomi Archer, Four Directions Relief Society, Spiritual Activist from Ashville North Carolina?

[Niome]

Hi Frederica,

Yes, I am the same Naomi Archer of Four Directions... though we changed our name from Four Directions Relief Project to Four Directions Solidarity Network back in Jan 06.

Have we met before? Did you participate in our work in Louisiana?  You can see what we are doing now at www.eswn.org.
Naomi

[frederica]

No, we never met, I just remember reading some of your blogs a year or so ago, wondered if you were one and the same.

[Niome]

I'm wondering why you chose to call me "someone with a big imagination"?

That wasn't very kind.  If you have concerns about me - you are welcome to give me a phone call right now.

Naomi

[frederica]

Sent a message

[Moma_porcupine]

Hi Niome and welcome

I looked over your website and found it interesting , but I also wondered about some things .

Basicly , I like the idea of what you are doing , but I feel unsure if it is really practical .

Participating on this message board,  the pattern that most often stands out to me is the huge hunger for "ceremonies" and uplifting "ideas", but these ideas and ceremonies aren't really connected with peoples real lives, histories, or the majority of people living in peoples real life general community .

It looks like you are trying to do something about this ;

http://www.intuitivepath.org/sovreign.html

How do we bring people together in a place-based way?

# Do we explore the purchase or donation of land within our traditional homeland for our community? Will people migrate back to this homeland? How do we deal with issues of immigration and naturalization?

# How do we create a traditional community? What does that look like? To what extent do we implement the traditional social systems that keep our people alive and healthy?

From what I have seen , trying to create or recreate a community apart from whatever is the general norm of the surrounding culture brings with it a lot of problems . Real indigenous communities seem to have based themselves on providing the practical necessities of life in a sustainable way . Out of this it seems a harmony develops , and a shared cultural understanding of how to maintain this .

"Alternative " communities are different in that they seem to alway be based on
people gathering around an idea or set of ideals , which are different then those of the general surrounding culture .

Agreeing on what these ideals should be , when people come from different backgrounds seems to be next to impossible . When this agreement happens, there is often a rather rigid set of rules that excludes a lot of what is normal behavior in the surrounding mainstream culture, and a charismatic leader is what maintains obediance. So these alternatives tend to be idealistic more than realistic , extremist more than mainstream cultural norms , and cult like in their structure  .

I don't like to discourage people from trying to create supportive interconnected and healthy communities , but I think it's important to recognize that the problems that come up when people try and create or recreate alternative communities are very real . The hopes and dreams that lead to the creation of alternative communities are often largely in the imagination , and their lack of connection with the real world often causes them to fail .

So though I'm not sure why Frederica made the comment she did , and she can speak for herself on this , I had the same thought, though in a different way .

I see you are involved in doing what looks like some very real and practical problem solving , such as trying to assist in helping people who were affected by hurricane Katrina  and these things I wondered about are just to do with your efforts to recreate ancient traditional Basque communities .

You seem to be involved in the social issues in the States , which made me wonder if you live in France or Spain , or if you are trying to recreate these ancient traditional communites from the US ?

[Moma_porcupine]

Oh... I see you advertise yourself as a Moaene shaman and charge people money to go on explorations with you ...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KWZ/is_8_6/ai_n15734291

New Life events
New Life Journal,  August, 2005 

Asheville, NC Sacred Heart Healing Circle Retreat, August 19-21 An experiential weekend journey to restore your Sacred Self.  Rediscover the joy and compassion that results from walking your path aware and alive! Retreat setting near Asheville. Contact INTU: School of the Intuitive Path. Call 828-230-1404 or visit
www.intuitivepath.org

----------
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KWZ/is_7_6/ai_n15674219

New life events
New Life Journal,  July, 2005 

Asheville, NC Shamanic Retreat at Linville Gorge: Explore sacred cliffs and old-growth forests in this magical area 90 minutes northeast of Asheville. $180. Led by Moaene shaman Naomi Archer. Additional walks and classes throughout July.
Call 828-230-1404 or www.intuitivepath.org

From your old website pages ;
http://web.archive.org/web/20050204050329/www.intuitivepath.org/shaman.html

"The passage above is an introduction into the night that changed my life. On this night, I finally stepped into the calling and was initiated into the shaman's path by the Spirits.

Shamanism is a phenomena that spans geography, culture, time and religion. The word "shaman" originated with the native people of Siberia but nearly all indigenous cultures and many modern spiritual pathways recognize the existence of people with the ability to walk or live between the human world and the Spirit world. In some cultures, two-spirit or gender diverse people are recognized as naturally having this ability.

The pictures to the right are an expression of what my death/rebirth experience felt like. You can read more about this amazing night, and my other experiences here.

During the night of my initiation, the Spirits gave me a task: I am to help awaken humans that have forgotten the face of their ancestors and their connection to all things. And I am also to help awaken the Earth who has grown sick because she is not honored or cared for properly."

http://web.archive.org/web/20050204065325/www.intuitivepath.org/workshops.html

SINCE 1998, I have had the pleasure to train over 5000 people representing more than 500 organizations on diversity and progressive issues including presentations at 11 universities.

In that time, I've developed a collection of progressive workshops that addresses critical topics around peace and social justice, gender and sexuality, people-centered organizing, and ethical media relations. Recently I've added workshops on shamanism and rediscovering nature's voice. 

http://web.archive.org/web/20050213142151/http://www.intuitivepath.org/summary.html

# The Shaman's Path
Shamanism is a phenomena that has spanned world culture, time, and religious teaching. Shamans traditionally are considered to walk between the human world and the spirit world, using their gifts to teach and heal. Today, there is a rebirth of awareness around shamanic "tools" such as spirit journeys and soul retrievals. What exactly is a shaman? How does one get to be a shaman? Explore more of a fascinating path in this educational workshop.

This introductory workshop, given by a practicing shaman, is excellent for academic settings, spiritual retreats, or conferences.

# Rediscovering the Voice of Nature (outdoor sessions)
Concrete roads, cell phones, and super-sized menus are visceral reminders of how our earth senses have been dulled by modern life. In these outdoor retreats, participants will have a chance to rediscover the voice of nature and the spiritual awakenings such connection affords. Retreats combine silent listening and active participation to stir the
energy of the earth and awaken the sacred inside.

Sessions are half-day, full-day or overnight weekend camping retreats, scheduled in local parks or in some of America's most beautiful wilderness. Led by a professional naturalist, outdoor guide and practicing shaman.

Also included is workshps on ;

Peace, Justice and Civil Liberties

Basic Gender and LGBTQ Education

Diversity and Team Building

Safe Sex/Healthy Sexuality

Some (?) of what you are up to looks positive , but advertising yourself as a shaman and offering to teach this in workshops for money , really makes me wonder what your real values are ... ??

Personally , I doubt this sort of presentation in commercial workshops is going to help bring back the Spiritual aspects of any indigenous culture .

[frederica]

Mostly based on the Aquitanian language did I think it was a stretch of the imagination. Talked to a friend who is from Barcelona, his wife is Basque. She says they are not related. He says the language is really not available. There are some references to it in Latin and Greek literature but nothing written , and they found a few words in the north and tried to compare them to Basque, but they are not related to any language in the Iberian area, even Basque. He also said at one time they were trying to compare the Basque language to the Vikings. So, little is known about the Basque, I guess which causes a lot of specutlation. They are mostly Rh-negative though.

[Niome]

(Al's note: Personal attacks and childish remarks removed.)

I came here in a good way, willing to be open about who I am, share what I do, and  how I live.

Ironically, I came here to check out NAFPs, to see if this is a good organization that would be effective to collaborate with in the future.

We (Four Directions and Cante Tisa) are planning an educational forum on appropriation here in Asheville and thought you might be allies. I passed on the Action Alert - which I was asked to write by Cante Tisa - about the police beatings in Omaha to see what kind of solidarity that might create.

I've been told that I "do good work" with Indigenous activists and spiritual people but yet that the information about the Iladurarrak just isn't (can't be) believable.

The implied messages in all of this is that I must be a really good liar to fool all these good people, or I must be totally deluded to believe it myself.

(Al's note: Not too credible threat removed. Basically, "I'll sic my Native buddies on you iof you don't stop talking about me.")

I came here in a good way. And I'm going to leave in a good way, with a story.

Earlier this summer while I was doing an educational tour in Germany, I was invited to meet the Sorbs, an Indigenous Slavic people who now live in southeastern Germany. They gave me a short tour of their area including a wildlife sanctuary, a place to stay and some really good food. It was a real blessing. Tzori, the Bird People were always present and supportive.

In the evening, I had a chance to do a presentation for them. About 60-70 people attended. I was able to voice support for their sovereignty and their culture in traditional ways they weren't used to - and empower pride in their hearts about who they were and protecting their lifeway in the face of many of the same challenges that Indigenous people face all over the world. I told them they weren't alone.

At the end of the evening, they asked me to sing a song. So with my drum I sang the Connection Song - which was given to me by Eku the sun, Haize the wind, the Rock People, the Water People, and Bende - the Mountain. The heartbeat of the drum... she was strong, and the place went wild. Elders were smiling, and some people moved to tears. People left proud and strong - their hearts moved.

This is the power of my people, and I am blessed that I can honor my Ancestors with helping to awaken the traditional spirit in others -not just in Europe, but arm-in-arm with my Indigenous brothers and sisters on Turtle Island too.

So, in a good way - you can attack me all you want. You can try to find holes in what I say or express - but the truth of my work is clear - in who I can call Brother and Sister, in my relationship with the Great Spirit (Amalur) and my Ancestors, and how I come and leave here. That's me.

Naomi Archer
Iladurarrak Herria (www.intuitivepath.org - soon to move to its own site)
Founder, Coordinator Four Directions Solidarity Network (www.eswn.org)
Adopted Member, Cante Tisa, Strongheart Warrior Society of the Oglala Lakota Nation

[Ingeborg]

In a good way?

Earlier this summer while I was doing an educational tour in Germany, I was invited to meet the Sorbs, an Indigenous Slavic people who now live in southeastern Germany.

This is not quite correctly put (and not all Naomi did in Germany). The Sorbs are an ethnic minority in Germany, living in the East (former GDR), but they are not an indigenous population. They have a special minority status in Germany (protected status for language, culture, etc.), same as e.g. the Danish and Friesian minorities.

I could not find any report about Archer having met Sorbs, or reports about lectures she gave to Sorbic organisations, however I found the following:


http://www.was-bewegen.de/frame.php

 was bewegen e.V. - Verein zur Förderung emanzipatorischer Jugendarbeit, 39108 Magdeburg

This is an organisation working with children/youths, situated in the East, but in a different federal state than the one the Sorbs live in. The camp advertised at their site took place in June, and Archer was to speak there. Their announcement reads as follows:

"Naomi Archer is a co-founder of the Four Directions Solidarity Network (www.eswn.org), an indigenous solidarity network which has both indigenous and non-indigenous members from all four directions who keep traditional indigenous knowledge and to offer tools to enable a return to a sustainable relation to earth. Her work is supported by her deep, traditional relation to her indigenous ancestors from North-Western Europe. [...]

Through her work and her commitment towards indigenous rights, she has earned acceptance into the Stronghearts Civil Rights Movement, a traditional movement for sovereignty which is at home in the Oglala Lakota Community of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Since more than ten years, she is an activist for human rights and social justice, before that she was a biologist/ecologist, responsible for endangered species and an ecological planner for state and private-owned groups. [...]"



Here is another ad for the same summer camp, but with quite a different wording which I find remarkable:
http://www.kalender.solid-web.de/index.php?monat=8&jahr=2007&region=0&thema=0

"July 21- August 4, 2007 - Nature-Wilderness Camp

Description: Who never thought they'd like to live like the Indians?

Spend the entire day in nature, live in a tipi, play music at the camp fire in the evening, or listen to old stories, see the world from the back of a horse, try to shoot with bow and arrows and other Indian sports, gather herbs to prepare tasty meals and try one of the ancient Indian crafts. Whether wood carving, pottery, weaving, beadwork [translator's note: aren't we speaking about 'ancient'?], working with soap stones, basket weaving, doing sand paintings.... there is something for everybody.

For all who take an interest, there will be much information about the life of the Indians in accordance with nature.
Persons who would like to plunge into the life of peoples close to nature and try out this way of life, will find opportunity to do so at Biesebad (Osterburg).

The Youth Camp will take place from July 21 to Aug 4 and is sponsored by financial aids of the federal state and will additionally give various information on nature and its protection."


And this is something that shows the success Archer had in parts of her German tour. I am delighted to forward this:

http://www.ostblog.de/2006/06/staatliches_chaos_und_organisi.php

"UPDATE June 13, 2006: Ooops .... someone seems to have put a bad apple into the organisers' basket there. There was an outburst of anger during the second part of the lecture. Lecturer Naomi Archer (common ground collective) who made an appearance as a self-appointed "intercessor of indigenous persons" was meant to speak about the hurricane Katrina. Instead, she tried to indoctrinate the audience with some neo-heathen esoteric garbage, to be followed by a sharp delimitation against the French Revolution and praise of the "true values and origins of Europe". A person from the audience, after listening intensely, denounced these points of view as highly infested by 'voelkisch' ideas and affirming a 'Blut und Boden' [blood-and-soil] ideology and of an uncritical use of neo-fascist terminology of so-called ethno-pluralism."

[Moma_porcupine]

I also wondered about this ;

http://web.archive.org/web/20060527171425/www.intuitivepath.org/faq.html

QUESTION: What happened to the Moaene?

ANSWER: The semi-nomadic hunter gatherers were assimilated and displaced by Neolithic agricultural societies beginning around 4500 BCE in Northwest Europe. As time went on, the scattered tribes took refuge in the Pyrenees mountains of France and Spain (the modern Basque people)  (con..)

QUESTION: What kind of people will join your group?

ANSWER: We believe that people joining this cultural renewal will fall roughly into three groups. 1) People of European heritage seeking to heal the wounds of modern living through a more direct relationship with their heritage. 2) People moved or compelled by the Spirits and Ancestors to help facilitate the renewal of this tribe. 3) Neo-pagans of various groups seeking a more direct, ancient connection to the Old Ways.

QUESTION: Do you have a tribal home ground or gatherings?

ANSWER: Unfortunately at this time we do not have a tribal home ground. We expect new tribal members to be located in Europe, the US, Australia, and in other countries. As we gain numbers, we will schedule regular gatherings.(con...)

Naomi resides at the Hawk's Rise sanctuary in the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina (USA)

And then there is this ...

http://web.archive.org/web/20071029164834/http://www.intuitivepath.org/sovreign.html

So what does sovereignty mean to the Iladurarrak? How does this idea of self-determination and sovereign land apply to a reawakening Indigenous culture on the European continent? (con..)

# What are our claims to land and cultural resources? (con..)

# How do we legitimize our claims in such a hostile environment? We will face hostility from 'modern' European people and governments, and potentially from other Indigenous people who do not recognize our awakening. How do we deal with this hostility?

# How do we manage the fact that people of Iladurarrak heritage still live within our homeland, though they probably do not honor this heritage? What culture do they maintain? (con..)

How can we respect them? How can we learn from them? (con..)

You mean you have concerns that the real indigenous Basque people might be hostile that you are imagining THEIR land and THEIR cultural resources and THEIR sovereignty belong to your imaginary tribe  ?

I think you are right to be concerned about that .

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/548545.stm

 The Basques have been fighting to protect their language and culture for thousands of
years. They are fiercely proud of their history.

They have been occupying their corner of Europe with its lush, green valleys and rugged
coastline, since well before Roman times. (con..)

The Basques assert their unique cultural identity No-one knows where they came from. Their language, known as Euskera, has no clear links with any other known language and was spoken long before all of the Indo-European languages  in the rest of Europe.

The protection and promotion of Euskera has always been at the heart of the Basque
struggle.

It sounds like the real Basque people are going through quite a struggle to maintain their real identity and real culture . I doubt an world wide group imagining they are a tribe of ancient hunter gatherers is helping ...

http://intuitivepath.org/contact.html

Naomi Archer is a traditional awakener or Esnatuat of the Iladurarrak. She was chosen in the traditional way, and continues to reawaken language, songs, symbols, and culture for sharing with people of European heritage.

 Your earlier webpages make it sound like you had a personal vision , and based on this you believe you are a shaman of a long extinct , hunter gatherer tribe which you are trying to recreate . Which makes me wonder how you were "traditionally chosen" ? 

And then you feel attacked because people point out your "tribe" seems to be largely in your imagination ?

I know it is really hard to live surrounded by a culture which leaves you feeling islolated and empty , and I respect the impulse to create something better , but escapism and fantasy aren't A GOOD WAY to do it .

How I see it is , real indigenous cultures begin with practical harmonious sustainable relationships , and these relationships happen in the environment and community,  people REALLY live in . Not in peoples imaginations . 

Sorry if this isn't what you want to hear .

[earthw7]

I have to wonder why she put adopted by an organization??
I'm also an adopted member of Cante Tisa - the Strongheart Warrior Society of the Oglala Lakota Nation.

This give her NO RIGHTS in my nation. I read her site and wonder what the heck is this woman doing? She don't speak for me.