RESOLVED & NO LONGER A SUBJECT OF CONCERN-Serene Thin Elk

[Defend the Sacred]

An environmentalist I know has been asked to speak at an event. However, he has just been told that the organizers want to also inivite a young woman named Serene Thin Elk to do the "opening ceremony" at the weekend workshop.

The organizers told him she's Lakota, from Pine Ridge. However, she lives in Cambridge, MA. This page: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/tribal/pubs/tribal1-05.htm says "Serene is from the Sicangu (Rosebud) Lakota and Ihanktonwan (Yankton) Dakota people."

Googling turned up an association with this Nuage group:
http://awakeningintooneness.org/home.php
and some coverage on this site:
http://www.nathpo.org/Many_Nations/mn_blog.html
She was also a past contestant in the Miss South Dakota pageant:
http://www.pageantupdate.net/stateresults5.htm

So, I asked my friend to find out what sort of "opening ceremony" they expect her to do. I said that if she's just there to say, "the weekend has begun", that's one thing. But if she's there as some sort of representative of the Lakota, and is intending to do a Lakota ceremony for this group of (probably all white) people at a paid workshop, that's another matter entirely.

I have referred them to the various statements on protection of ceremonies, but they would like to know if anyone here has met this woman, and what they think of her and of this situation.

Thank you.

[Al's note: changed title of thread to show the questions about her have been resolved. Serene did nothing wrong.]

[earthw7]

Is she related to Gene Thin Elk? or the Thin Elk that i know.

[Defend the Sacred]

Is she related to Gene Thin Elk? or the Thin Elk that i know.

We don't know. This is the problem. We don't know who her family is.

We don't know anything about her but what we've been able to find on the web today. We're gathering information so our friend can decide how to handle this.

[earthw7]

The Thin Elks are a very large family I think there was ten kids in the family so she must come from one of them.
I can't remember that Thin Elk who was in the movie about FBI agent at Pine Ridge with Val Kilmer

Here is a site on Gene Thin Elk
http://www.cnl.org/gene_thin_elk.htm

And it was Ted Thin Elk who was in the movies

[Sthinelk]

Hello all, my name is Serene Tatewin Thin Elk...the Serene you are speaking about.

Although I would have appreciated to have been contacted before my name was put out there on the internet in such a manner, I guess it just happened this way...  It never feels good to have to defend one's name or values, but I would like to offer a few things about who I am as you have inquired on this forum.  I have been in graduate school for three years in MA that is why you see I am living in Cambridge MA.  I grew up in South Dakota with a large tiospaye (extended family) and tiwahe and was raised with the traditions, including the values of respect and honor.  It must be stated here that I have never claimed to perform one of the seven rites of the sacred pipe.  I have relatives who walk in that sacred manner and have never in any way have I EVER claimed to perform or do ceremony, so please inquire further from your source(s).  What you may have misinterpreted is that I often offer flute music at the beginning of many gatherings, which began at a young age back home with family and relatives.  Its unfortunate that information is easily misinterpreted or relayed wrong on the internet, because without the human to human contact things become hurtful fast. 

Pilamaye for your time and for listening, as I only know how to speak from my heart on matters such as these!

Serene

[educatedindian]

Serene, all that has happened on this thread is that someone inquired about you and what you do, and a Lakota answered back with what she knew of your family. Your character has not been impugned in any way, and I don't see any sign you've been hurt or that anyone in here has tried to hurt you.

I thank you for clearing up many of the questions.

[Defend the Sacred]

I am glad we got a chance to clear things up, Serene. As Al said, this area of the forum is just a place to ask questions, it doesn't mean someone is considered a fraud.

One of the organizers of an event at Rowe Conference Center was telling people you were going to do a ceremony before an event there. He was making it sound like it would be a traditional ceremony. Some of the people who were planning on attending the event asked me to ask here if anyone knew you. Some time after I asked here, another friend of ours emailed with you and you told her you were just going to offer an opening prayer, not a traditional ceremony. She was reassured that you were clear on the difference between a prayer and ceremony, and I suggested that a few other people also offer prayers or songs as part of the opening circle.

Again, glad to hear from you. I assume the problem was with the motivations, communication style, and lack of understanding of traditional cultures on the part of  the organizer who was spreading your name around.

[Sthinelk]

Okay thank you both for filling me in a little more on the site's purpose and about the inquiry and how this forum works.  Initially, after reading the questions about me on some foreign (to me) online site called 'new age fraud' i felt the need to clarify some things.  I think I understand where the misunderstanding stems from now.
Anyway, take care and thank you for responding ; )
Serene

[tahcha_sapa]

What you may have misinterpreted is that I often offer flute music at the beginning of many gatherings, which began at a young age back home with family and relatives. 

A gal offering flute music? Like one of those off-to-the-side white guy flutes or the Lakhota kind, traditionally played only by the males? Just curious.

[educatedindian]

Moved to Archives. Thread title altered. NAFPS considers the subject resolved and no longer a matter of concern. Serene Thin Elk did nothing wrong.