Joanne Shenandoah

[kosowith]

I have had several people send me questions about an upcoming event in Belgium - (http://www.hetparkske.be/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=68) 

This is a very New-Age organization that sponsors spiritual weekends and workshops.
The weekend advertised for May has lots of "special activities" from dream reading, past life regressions, energy reading, understanding and using the Mayan calendars and 2012 information, lots of Druid workshops, dance therapy, etc, etc.

but it also lists as headliners Joanne Shenandoah, George-Kanentiio, and Doug George. (all listed as Mohawk or Iroquois)  People in the Netherlands and Belgium want to know why they are working with these new ager people and if this is a common practice for them.  Does anyone have any information on this?

The site is in Dutch, but some of the highlights (translations) are: 

Spiritual Week-end, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May 2009
Provincial Vormingscentrum of Easterly-Silly http://www.provant.be/leren/vormingscentra/provinciaal_vormings/)
Experience a taste of the many beautiful things that the New Spirituality has to offer. 

A weekend to spoil yourself and learn. We wish that this week-end experience may contribute to your personal welfare, joy, creativity and consciousnesses-development.  This week-end offers programs for adults, teen-agers and children.  Each day you can experience 3 - 4 workshops of your choice.  It is special week-end because on 9 May the full moon coincides with the world-wide Buddha Wesak festival. On Saturday there will be a full moon meditation with the Masters of Light. 

On 10 May, Mother’s Day, we will start the morning with a Mother Maria-meditation.
For those who wish to spend the night you can rent simple rooms at the Provincial Vormingscentrum


Concert  May 9 with Joanne Shenandoah
After concert Full moon-ritual for the men

10 May:  Opens with a Mother Maria meditation (groups event)
6:00 pm closing ceremony in group (together with Joanne Shenandoah) singing songs and the Iroquois Prayer of thanks 

International guests
Joanne Shenandoah,  an American-Indian singer Iroquois with a miraculous voice and beautiful spiritual songs. She will give a concert on Saturday evening 9 May.  Joanne Shenandoah will also close the week-end on Sunday with spiritual songs and the Iroquois Prayer of thanks. 

George-Kanentiio - Mohawk Iroquois, one of the native American peoples attending He is a renowned lecturer, author, journalist and film-counsellor concerning the Indian culture and history.  He will give a lecture (in English) on  'The Iroquois Prophecy” and the “Peacemaker.” 

Doug George is member of the Iroquois Confederation of the Bear.  He will share the divine story Peacemaker and tell how the teachings and the formation of the Iroquois Confederation

Susan Broerson (Netherlands)  is doing a number of medicine wheel sessions for all ages - including how to paint one. She mentions how she was chosen to do this work by the earth grandmothers and was taught by her many "Indian friends and grandparents" Speaks of being taught and "chosen" by Jamie Sams.  She also offers sweatlodges during the weekend.

Another workshops is on how to make and use a talking stick, contact a totem animal, construct a dream circle,

anyway it is all too much to list here.

The main questions from those in the Netherlands and Belgium is if the Mohawks know who/what they are working at and if so, do they condone or actively agree with all this ??
 

[shkaakwus]

People have to make a living (believe it or not).  My recommendation:  Go see and hear these three folks, then leave.

[piya]

I know that Joanne, is in Brussels, 9th/10th May, then to Germany and Switzerland. It seems to me as far  as she is concerned, she is just going to perform and doing what she does best, entertain.

[ny1]

One thing I've heard is that Joanne Shenandoah supports Ted Silverhand but i don't have any written info to back it up.

[kosowith]

First I am not in Belgium, and if I were, at the stated $180.00 (US) per person to attend, it would be a bit expensive to go just to hear what they have to say and then leave.  Plus they are very specific about what they are offering and who they are.  They advertise that this is a spiritualist retreat where a person can experience, or as they state "taste" all types of spirituality,  including, but not limited to sweats, reading, color therapy, aroma therapy energy reading and balancing, past life regressions, Mayan calendar readings, Tibetan prayer dances, the list is long and varied.

According to her press information she is very busy these days, so it does not look like a case of "having to do a new age conference in Belgium to make a living" and anyway, the only question people were asking is,  does Joanne know that the advertisements here say that she is going to be a prime part of the listed spirituality "ceremonies" and prayers. 

[piya]

I wouldn't have thought she would be aware of the advertisments. Only knowing she is going to do a show.

Be interesting to find out

[Adept]

I wouldn't have thought she would be aware of the advertisments. Only knowing she is going to do a show.

I´m not sure what Joanne and her husband will perform?
I just found that websites:

DOUGLAS M. GEORGE-KANENTIIO was born and raised on the shores of the Kaniatarowanenneh (St. Lawrence) River on the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. An award-winning writer and journalist, he has served the Mohawk Nation in numerous capacities, including as a land claims negotiator, a co-founder of Radio CKON, and the editor of the news journal Akwesasne Notes. He is the author of the books Iroquois Culture and Commentary and Skywoman: Tales of the Iroquois. From 1996 to 2002, he was a member of the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian. He once had the honor of bearing the Olympic torch. He resides on Oneida Territory with his wife, the singer Joanne Shenandoah.

----------------
Being asked to sing at the opening of the Parliament of World Religions was in- deed an honor. I was there representing other native people across America, but also to bring the beautiful message of our “prophecy.” That song says we are to awake and stand up and be counted, for we are being recognized in the spiritual world. Certainly all religions have that in common. Looking back at the Parliament and my experiences in South Africa, I think about the beauty of the land, the beauty in the souls that we met, and the beauty of the messages, which were so simple but profound. Especially when it came to com- paring cultures and religions, ah, there were so many similarities. One of my favorite memories was being on the hillside listening to the Dalai Lama talk about how we are responsible for ourselves and for our families and for our na- tions. It made me think that’s what that song was all about. To hear that in such a simple and beautiful way just verified for me that we were on the right path, we were thinking along the same lines. And not necessarily just for me, but all the native peoples of America. It’sa beautiful message that no matter where we come from, no matter what age or race or religion, we all have a right and responsibility on this Earth. To do that through music is a very beautiful thing for me. It’s like the birds have their responsibility to sing, and the stars and the moon and the sun, they shine; the wind blows, everyone has been given a special gift. Singing is mine.

JOANNE SHENANDOAH, GRAMMY AWARD–NOMINATED SINGER, WIFE OF DOUGLAS GEORGE-KANENTIIO, 2001
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10373/10373.ch05.pdf

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http://www.joanneshenandoah.com/Joanne_Shenandoah/PERFORMANCES.html
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http://translate.google.de/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pow-wow.ch%2Fstartseite.htm&sl=de&tl=en&hl=de&ie=UTF-8
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http://translate.google.de/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brother-tschortsch.de%2Fhp428%2FJahresprogramm.htm&sl=de&tl=en&hl=de&ie=UTF-8
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http://www.conferencerecording.com/newevents/pwr24.htm
http://www.conferencerecording.com/aaaListSearchResults.asp
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Perhaps should someone give Joanne a sufficient notice by email of that new age conference in Belgium, so probably she give the answer?!?

[educatedindian]

One thing I've heard is that Joanne Shenandoah supports Ted Silverhand but i don't have any written info to back it up.

Seems like they're at least on friendly terms. Silverhand claims he foretold her success. But then he also claims he advised Elvis.
http://articles.latimes.com/1997/jul/06/news/mn-10142

There's also a NAFPS thread on Prophecykeepers where Wm Anderson claims Silverhand booked a show for her. BUt then again, if he's the source....

My impression over the years of listening to Shenandoah is that she's very accepting of all types and doesn't want to believe anything bad about anyone. I don't know if it's realistic to expect a singer to research all the people who book her. I'm sure plenty of performers have played at places that, for example, are clubs owned by organized crime.

BTW, Kanentiio is her husband, isn't he?

Looking at the topics they'll be speaking on, I'm reminded of when Annika booked me to speak to Nuage groups in Sweden, trying to give them a bit of truth for a change. It worked wonders since so many of them had just never heard anything except twink nonsense and were hungry for a bit of truth. I think we got thru to as many as 70-80% of them at most places. I imagine most of them going away from these speeches knowing about Iroquois roles in American deomocracy and the UN, not looking to buy another seminar on power animals.

[WINative]

Doug George-Kanentiio is all one person and that is her husband.

What's the story with Ted Silverhand though? I haven't seen a full posting on him just mentioned in a few posts? Is he listed under any categories??

[Unegv Waya]

I've been fortunate enough to share the stage with Joanne Shenandoah on a few occasions.  All I can say is that she certainly does not seem like one who would support anything she discovers is wannbe based.

She is an international artist who performs at all sorts of events.  Some of these are no doubt arranged for her by her agent/promoter.  I would imagine that things are not any different for her than they are for any performer/artist of any genre.  Many shows and arrangements are made without consulting the artist.  Once one signs a contract one is given an itinerary and has little to no choice but to fulfill the obligation regardless the venue.

[PATRICK LAVALLEY]

Hello,
I had the pleasure of meeting Joanne, her sister and mother. She is an entertainer, it is how she makes her living. In the non-Native world entertainers sponsor, perform or appear at events that maybe in hindsight they wouldn't, we cut them some slack in the media and move on. I was back-in-the-day in the editorial dep't of Aboriginal Voices Magazine, and I need to say, I have never heard of Joanne supporting new age ideals. I do know that she will take the opportunity to teach People about her culture (as much as anyone can teach People of foreign cultures can). She has always been an honourable emmisary of her community. In fact I have many arts/entertainment/political/cultural friends who know her personally and have known her for over twenty years and I have never heard a negative word spoken against her. If she decides to entertain New Age People, and earn herself some Euros, I say all the power to her. If this event was the only stop on a European tour, then maybe we can look sideways at her motives, but even then I feel her accusor is grasping at straws. I also have the understand that her mother, IS a Clan Mother.
As for her husband: Doug George IS KANENTIIO, it is his Mohawk name, they are not two separate People. Although I am not Mohawk or of any Hodenosaunee nations, I am a historian and I can say that there are only a handful of non-Royanneh who have a better understanding of Mohawk history than KANENTIIO Doug George! Between the two of them, I think they can handle themselves with dignity and and authenticity whether they are entertaining Hari Krishnas, Mormons or the Pope.
Meegwetch