Suraj Holzwarth aka White Eagle Medicine Woman

[educatedindian]

Number 20 on the first search also. And a couple other sites pointing out she's a fraud are in the top 20 on both searches, including a youtube link, a Peltier support group denouncing her, and threads at American Indian Tribe forum and another for the Eastern Band.

Liked this one.

------------------
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=110535182
Nice try… but the Onkwehonwe have been fooled too many times to buy into yet another pretentious act of reconciliation.

Let's look at this another way: If someone was fighting for the life of their company/organisation/cash cow, does it stand to reason they'd slap their foreheads, ask "What was I thinking" and immediately cease the offending practice simply because they were asked (or told) to stop because it was 'offensive' or 'disrespectful'?  Not likely.

Suraj Holzwarth may indeed wish for peace.  She most certainly wants the First Nations to back off and let her shuffle around with her stage show - but to believe she's going to stop on her own volition is being naïve.  She needs to be shut down by having her base of support and credibility whittled away to nothing.  'Leaders' are nothing without 'followers' and groups involving money are hollow without cash support.

Holzwarth knows this and from the many cancellations of her traveling show, she's seeing her ersatz and bastardised version of 'Native spirituality' rapidly swirl down the crapper.  Hence, the desperate email calling "… for a Community Peace Circle to address these interests heart to heart".

Plus (from a decidedly cynical vantage) just think of the door receipts from all those people who show up to get inside and express their 'interests'.  Holzwarth's been in this business long enough to know once the cash is in hand, people can say or believe whatever they want.  She'll just move on to the next venue and repeat the process, bolstered by the controversy and attention she's drawing.  No such thing as bad publicity in the entertainment industry.

If she wants to be confronted and have her preposterous methods and beliefs systematically and publicly deconstructed, so be it.  We will be waiting for details that specifically explain "… the heritage of members of the Whirling Rainbow Foundation, concerns about the funding of ceremonies and events, use of ceremonial items, as well as questions regarding the origins of the teachings, ceremonies, and songs of The Whirling Rainbow Foundation and GrandMother Drum International Peace Project."

After she has demonstrated absolutely no convincing proof of her Native ethnicity… or that she hasn't personally profited from her ceremonies or events… or shown that her teachings, ceremonies or songs AREN'T liberally lifted from Native culture… the only possible act she could do to redeem herself in the eyes of those she has disrespected would be to publicly destroy her 'Grandmother drum'.

You know as well as I do, that's just not going to happen.  To do so would repudiate years of work and organisation, not to mention openly admitting she's been wrong and has been fleecing thousands of people over the past few years.

CEO's know a graceful gesture – even in the face of obvious culpability – leaves more doors open than it closes.  It's more of a weak "We tried, but those irrational critics wouldn't listen to reason" tactic of turning culprits into victims.  It won't work.

Holzwarth's Michigan charade comes too late (if she's listening to our Native opinions, then why hold the event at all?) and her altruistic invitation lacks any sincerity in its intent ("You can speak your minds, but I'm going to do as I like anyway").

Hopefully, there'll be a peaceful, respectful exchange of ideas in Michigan. 

And hopefully measurable results will be forthcoming as a direct consequence of this exchange.  Lacking results, let the chips fall where they may.  The Creator has a way of sorting such imbalances out and aberrations in nature eventually fade away.  OUR spirituality is based on centuries of proof, not scripted performances, and no amount of feathers, drums or chanting will magically reveal secrets of celestial knowledge.

Regardless of any dialogue, here's a direct message to Suraj Holzwarth and her followers:

"Stay out of Haudenosaunee Territory.  You are not welcome and are trespassing if you show up in our Traditional lands."

7:56 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment
 
 
 
Friday, April 25, 2008

 White Eagle Medicine Woman (redux)
Current mood:  thoughtful
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Think about this for a minute.

Suraj Holzwarth may have unwittingly helped expose the rampant theft of First Nations culture.

Yeah, it's theft all right.  Sounds better when 'appropriated' is used but in the end, the 'appropriation' of lands, history, culture and spirituality all amount to nothing more than theft.  Theft is stealing.  Theft is disrespect. 

Theft is wrong.

Suraj Holzwarth isn't just a common thief, she's a pretty good con artist as well.  Anyone who can carry off years of fleecing hapless innocents (or not) and rake in enough cash to live in Alaska and travel the world must be either doing something really right – or really wrong.  Given the intensity and expanse of the current outrage by Natives and non-Natives over her traveling extravaganza, she's not doing something right.

Now, you know as well as I do that Holzwarth is far from being the only thief playing this I-Am-A-Native-Child-Of-The-Universe game as these pretentious acting 'companies' are operating around the world.   "Our spirituality sucks, so we'll take yours".   It's nothing new.   Aboriginal People have been ripped off for centuries in one form or another… and still are.

But this new moccasin telegraph known as the internet has opened up a real wormhole for these charlatans.  You can run, but you definitely can't hide if you want to run a business because the internet is the altar of commerce as well as the social dossier of the international community.  We First Nations are the masters of adaptation out of necessity - and we've adapted quite well to this new medium.

We started discussions on issues of abuse and misuse which have spanned sports mascots to corporate branding to the co-opting of our culture.  We've opened dialogues that have demonstrated our common concerns, our hopes and our unity.  From all corners of Turtle Island, all Aboriginal People are logging in, informing and learning.  Not bad for a group of people who are too often disparaged and seen as 'uneducated'.

Holzwarth has been repeatedly informed, asked and now told, to cease her fictitious persona and 'teachings' as a matter of truth and respect.  She has ignored the requests and demands and continues to operate with impunity.

I suspect that's all about to change, thanks to the perseverance and pride of a People who have said, "Enough".  The possible legal ramifications of breaking laws ranging from the possession and transportation of protected raptor feathers to questionable non-profit status to outright fraud will ultimately be determined in a non-Aboriginal judicial system.

From the Aboriginal perspective, she's already been charged, tried and convicted.

Now that her traveling shows are being cancelled left and right due to the collective voices of those she has stolen from, her infamy is rapidly cancelling any shred of credibility she may have enjoyed in the past.  Her erstwhile fan base is getting the message as well, but more importantly, she has dramatically increased visibility of the blatant injustices that have been heaped upon the First Nations for far too long.

We needed a poster child for the campaign to stamp out ignorance and disrespect.  Holzwarth really delivered.

[coyote]

I for some reason ended up on their mailing list and was pretty creeped out.... so I've been lurking and trying to figure out what to do with the information and direct line. I hope I can continue to pass info along....

[Half-Wolf]

These are the things WE wanted in Michigan, but were not allowed to undertake.  We have a VERY strong voice, but our respect determines our actions also.

If she wants to be confronted and have her preposterous methods and beliefs systematically and publicly deconstructed, so be it.  We will be waiting for details that specifically explain "… the heritage of members of the Whirling Rainbow Foundation, concerns about the funding of ceremonies and events, use of ceremonial items, as well as questions regarding the origins of the teachings, ceremonies, and songs of The Whirling Rainbow Foundation and GrandMother Drum International Peace Project."

After she has demonstrated absolutely no convincing proof of her Native ethnicity… or that she hasn't personally profited from her ceremonies or events… or shown that her teachings, ceremonies or songs AREN'T liberally lifted from Native culture… the only possible act she could do to redeem herself in the eyes of those she has disrespected would be to publicly destroy her 'Grandmother drum'.

So, we will continue and pursue locating information and share it with the community.  If she is going to show up somewhere, please let us know, (you can send me a message here and I will contact you), we have people in places all over that can help organize and get people to show up to STOP this abuse of our culture, and heritage.

[Superdog]

More slickness and slyness I'm noticing.  Quietly a new page has cropped up as part of the Whirling Rainbow website.

http://whirlingrainbow.com/globalprojects.htm

It's a button on the bottom of the home page.  There's a claim that 10-15% of all programs and workshops goes directly to full SCHOLARSHIPS(sic) in every community they visit. 

That claim is followed by an ambiguous list of "Donated Performances, Workshops, Conferences and Funded Projects"

LOTS of confusing ambiguity in this claim.  The "donations" apparently are Holzwarth appearing.  She even has the Gathering of Eagles listed as a donation recipient.  Doesn't say what she donated.  It reads:  "June 26-29, 2008 Donation-Gathering of the Eagles, SUT Gathering, Black Hills, South Dakota"

The IRS must be calling and she's attempting to confuse their investigation.  Whoever's in contact with them should let them know her listing is new AND doesn't include any detail.  Looks like she's trying to say that letting a few people in for free at her performances constitutes a donation.

Easy way to write off 10-15% of her profits in the books.

Sketchy at best.

Superdog

[bls926]

Thanks for posting that, Superdog. Decided to copy/paste the whole page. Couple things caught my eye. Have questions about that first paragraph. Which non-profit groups, what individuals, preserving traditional knowledge and wisdom of indigenous people? What has she done for the environment or social justice?

She lists Pine Ridge as being a recipient of funds and clothing in January 2008. Does anyone know if this really happened? And if so, what was donated?

Is she saying her performances in Weymouth, MA were donated? Maybe, to offset all the bad press she received after that event.

As for donating her performance at Bear Butte . . . What performance?

Looks like she's done quite a bit with the schools in Alaska. That's not a good thing. I sure wouldn't want her around any of my grandchildren. From this list, Holzwarth makes it look like half her performances have been donated. We know what she charges for her performances. That's a lot of money that's being collected. So even if she isn't charging her hosts, she's making plenty from tickets sales. On top of that, in some cases she has asked for donations to help get her and her troupe to the performance. These "donated" performances sure don't qualify as a non-profit foundation.


THE WHIRLING RAINBOW FOUNDATION GLOBAL PROJECTS

The Whirling Rainbow Foundation donates funding and services to countless non-profit groups and to individuals focused on preserving traditional knowledge and wisdom of indigenous peoples, environmental and social justice causes and earth sustainability.

We also collaborate with other spiritual groups, healing centers, international peace and environmental conferences, and non-demoninational churches.

ORGANIZATIONS WE SUPPORT and REGULARLY COLLABORATE
The Global Peace Foundation www.globalpeacefoundation.org
Earthdance www.earthdance.org
Otomi Elders 8,000 Drums www.indigenousuniversity.org/sacred_drums.htm
Blue Planet Run Foundation www. blueplanetrun.org
The Love Foundation www.thelovefoundation.com
Alaska Whole Life Festival
World Puja Network www.worldpuja.org
Center for Conscious Living http://www.newthoughtccl.org

SCHOLARSHIPS
10-15% of every program and workshop is given in full scholarships to those in need of healing and empowerment in every communities we visit.

DONATED PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND FUNDED PROJECTS

2008
January- Funds and Clothing Donation: Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota
March 22, 2008 Donation to Blue Planet Run Foundation for World Water Day
April 5-6, 2008 Talking Circles and Portal Activation, Weymouth, Massachusetts
May 11-14, 2008 Spirit Film Festival Tel Aviv, Israel
June 5-9, 2008 Lev Tahor Festival Sacred Music Festival Tel Aviv Israel
June 26-29, 2008 Donation-Gathering of the Eagles, SUT Gathering, Black Hills, South Dakota

2007
Jan 19-23, 2007 International Conference on Shamanism, Sante Fe, NM
Feb 14-21, 2007 GMD Ceremonies with Tarahumara, Copper Canyon Mexico
February 24, 2008 Youth Choir-Our Lady of Guadalupe Prayerformance, Tula, Mexico
March 3, 2007 Community Reconcilation Ceremony, Oaxaca, Mexico
March 16, 2007 Community Drum Ceremony and Drum Donation- Mayan Elders Iximche, Guatemala
March/ April/ May 2007 Original Seed Corn Project- Iximche, Guatemala, Tarahumara, Copper Canyon. Seed preservation given to Seeds of Change, The 13 Indigenous GrandMothers Council, Rogue River Seed Bank, Ashland, Oregon.
Seed and Plant Santuary and Salt Springs Seeds, Vancouver Island, Canada.
May 11-14, 2007 World Sound Healing Conference, California
May 17-18, 2007 The Crystal Conference, Ashland, Oregon
September 28-30, 2007 Seward Music Festival. Seward, Alaska

2006
Jan 13, 2006 Drumunity at JOB Corps School, Palmer, Alaska
April 7, 2006 MIRACLES AND THE RETURN TO LOVE, Anchorage
August 2006 -Alaska State Fair: Daily Performances

2005
June 24-26th, 2005 Awakening Native States: A Celebration and Benefit for The CenterRing – Portland, Oregon. GrandMother Drum Prayerformance and Opening Ceremonies
June 21, 2005 Ashland's 7th Annual World Peace and Prayer Day, Jackson Wellspring Ashland, Oregon. Opening Ceremonies.
April 22-24, 2005, International Wesak Festival at Mt. Shasta, California.
The GrandMother Drum conducted opening ceremonies.

2004
September 17-19, 2004 Earthdance 2004 Laytonville, California –Three
day festival of Global Peace. Opening ceremonies to set new World
Record "Drums of Peace" with 4,600 drummers/ Mending the Hoop Healing Activations.
February 20, 2004-Anchorage Winter Cities Festival-Egan Center, Anchorage, Alaska- Performance.
January 25, 2004 -Anchorage Folk Festival- UAA, Anchorage Alaska.
Performance.

2003
May 2003 National Sorry Day Gathering, Lismore, Australia- performance and speech.
May 2003 BIG DRUM Interactive Performance Concert and Drum Workshops
April 2003 Anzac Day Parade- Performed with local Aboriginal Cultural Group and won "Best Community Float"- Alice Springs, Australia.
April 2003 Annual Aboriginal Women's Law and Culture Gathering, Papunya, Australia. Participated in raditional ceremonies.
April 2003 Community Reconcilation Ceremony and Cross Cultural Gathering–with Adnyamathanha Aboriginal communities of Igawarta and Nepabunna, Australia.
March 2003 Community Reconcilation Ceremony and Cultural Gathering with Ngarrinjeri Aboriginal Community-Meningie, Australia.
March 2003 World Peace Gathering, Maccelsfield, Australia- Opening Ceremonies
February 2003 Eagle River Elementary, Eagle River, Alaska- Magic Bundle Storytelling- 4 grade class. Interactive singing, drumming and dancing. February 2003 Chugiak High School, Eagle River, Alaska- Magic Bundle Storytelling grades 9-12. Interactive singing, drumming and dancing.

2002
August 2002 Native Summit on Fish, Wildlife and Environment, Anchorage, Alaska Closing Ceremonies.
August 2002 Children's Interactive Drum and Dance -Natutset Athabascan Native Culture Camp, Nondalton, Alaska.
August 2002 5th Annual " We the People" Native March and Rally, Anchorage- Opening and Closing Ceremonies for over 5,000 marchers.
June 2002-BIG DRUM Interactive Performance Closing Concert- Sydney, Australia.
June 2002-Children's Interactive Drum and Dance-Girrawong Preschool- Purfleet Aboriginal Community, Taree, Australia.
April 2002 Children's Interactive Drum and Dance -Mitijulu Aboriginal Boys School- Ayers Rock, Australia.
April 2002 International Full Moon Wesak Festival–Ayers Rock, Australia-Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
April 2002 6th Annual Spiritual Unity of the Tribes Gathering –Swan Hill, Australia Opening Ceremonies and Mending the Hoop Healing Ceremony.
Reconcilation Parade and Healing Ceremony- Pejar Aboriginal Land Council-Goulbourn and Wombeyan Caves, Australia.

2001
October 2001 Inner Light Conference, Anchorage, Alaska -Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
August 2001 "We the People" Alaska Native Subsistence March, Anchorage-Opening Ceremonies.
June 5, 2001 Million Steps for Peace March- Palmer, Alaska. First Opening Gathering of the GMD Project.

http://whirlingrainbow.com/globalprojects.htm

[bls926]

Current Schedule

May 12th - June 15, 2008- Israel and Egypt

June 17, 2008- West Yellowstone, Montana
Language of One: Metatron Graduation Ceremony

June 18-21, 2008 - West Yellowstone, MT
The Gathering of One, Global Eden Event

BACK HOME IN ALASKA!
August 9, 2008- Homer, Alaska
GrandMother Drum Prayerformance

August 10, 2008- Homer, Alaska
Illuminating the Sacred Heart Teachings

August 14-19, 2008 Homer, Alaska
Morning Dove Lodge: Shamanic Women's Healing Ceremonies Launching of the Rainbow Fire Dream Lodge.



The Gathering of One, Global Eden is still listed on her schedule, but we know she isn't going to be there those five days. Holzwarth and the Grandmother Drum will be in the Bozeman/Livingston area with Monica RavenHeart instead.

Spiritual Unity of Tribes, Gathering of Eagles has been removed from her schedule.

[Superdog]

One more thing to point out.  The Gathering of Eagles is on her list of donations....but the event hasn't happened yet.  Wonder how that works???

Guess she's saying that she's donated something to the planning of it.  Anyone in contact with them??  What exactly was her "donation" I wonder.

[Half-Wolf]

I notice she seems to not mention anything about Michigan.  I wonder if she is afraid we will bust her on that account too so she is afradi to lie about it.
I will check into some of these other claims and if they are falacies, I will let EVERYONE know.  Including the ones who can do something about it.
Since she donates 10-15% in scholarships we have the cars that attended her in Michigan on video as everyone knows, so we can do a rough count and let the IRS know and they can then track her scholarship donation.

[Nichinerd]

Well I did a search about this woman and came across this:

http://www.islandnet.com/~eagleye/archives/pdf/63/63-27.pdf

I've tried to find more info.  Obviously she's spread her b.s. to Canada.....I feel sick. 

[ska]

Hello Nichinerd,

Thanks for the link to the article on island.net.

Do you know anything about the Sun Dance that goes on on Vancouver Island, around Campbell River?

best, ska

[Half-Wolf]

We still need to stop this woman, but to so this we need to know where she is going.  This is the week of Yellowstone.  Is there anyone out there trying to stop her?  We know where she is at the Buffalo Vision encampment.  Let's not forget.  Weymouth was a costly experience that is still an ongoing court battle for one of our warriors and 3 of his companions so it isn't over for them.  It should not be over for her either.  Are there no others to take up the fight and stop this abuse?  Yes if we stop her others will show up to fill her shoes, but soon they will realise we are serious and will not give up, we will continue to assert our rights.  This would not be over if it were a christian religion, she would be jailed, as she would with any other religion except ours, why?  Because we were considered less than human for so many years?  We were taught by the non-natives to be ashamed of our heritage, yet our beliefs survived because our ancestors taught us to be proud of all they had learned and passed on to us.  Now we are letting people steal this from us and abuse it, when it is all we have that is still ours, still intact as it was handed down for centuries, generations of our people died to save this culture and we are going to let it be taken and used for profit.  I will continue to fight even if I do the fight alone, but I know I am not alone, I know there are still others like Hartman and his people who will stand and fight for their beliefs, I only hope there are some in the Yellowstone area who will continue this fight.

[frederica]

Earth said to let her know when she arrived in that area, she would get the word out.

[Half-Wolf]

She is supposed to be there this week.  She is doing her "private" thing.  She tried to keep her event in Michigan "private" too, but we were there.

[bls926]

Holzwarth is in Montana June 17 - 21. We know it's on private property, somewhere outside of Bozeman. I don't think anyone has been able to find out exactly where. Monica RavenHeart has been less than co-operative. Of course RavenHeart thinks it's a private one-day ceremony and Holzwarth has sold tickets to a five-day event. Wonder what will happen.

Holzwarth will be at Bear Butte, South Dakota June 26 - 29, but only as a private individual. She's removed the Spiritual Unity of Tribes/Gathering of Eagles from her website schedule. From what I've heard, she was told not to advertise this event, that she couldn't play her drum or wear her regalia while there, and could only participate as a private individual. There are people in the area who will be there, so we'll know what really takes place.

[Half-Wolf]

Monica's cell phone number is on her website, and from her phone number you can get her latitude and longitude.