Laura Dorn AKA Windwalker and the MCW, Wind Spirit Drum

[BlackWolf]

WIND SPIRIT DRUM is a husband and wife duo who share their Eastern Woodland Native American culture and music through their flute and drum performance art. They perform traditional songs and stories in language and English. The husband and wife duo are allegedly Eastern Band Cherokee and claim a few other Tribes.

 

http://www.windspiritdrum.com/Home_Page.html

WINDWALKER
Windwalker, Head drum, flutist and vocalist and is fluent in many traditional instruments and musical genre's. She is a Native American healer and a licensed massage therapist and is of Mic Mac, Lenape, Cherokee and Oglala Lakota Sioux descent.

SPIRIT BUFFALO
Spirit Buffalo, of Mic-Mac and Cherokee heritage, is the groups resolute drum and drum keeper. Spirit Buffalo is a published creative writer, illustrator and musician.
He is a Sundancer and Sundance chief. He is the Lenape Nations 2nd Chief. He is proudly a Vietnam Vet.

[BlackWolf]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEXv1xRU1Uo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiZorMHgdWQ&feature=related

The group recently completed its first music video, TRAILS OF TEARS, shot on-location in Magdelena, New Mexico with Nammy nominated film-maker/editor, Chris Crosby, musicseenPROductions and Jason Cochran, Skysirrico Productions.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=61886173

This is their music video “Trail of Tears”.  Notice the guy who goes by the name “Spirit Buffalo” walking around with the breast plate and  bone choker necklace on with the bow and arrow in his hand?  This video depicting the Trail of Tears is a disgrace and an embarrassment to those of us that actually do have ancestors that Walked to Trail of Tears.  In the entire sixteen minute I didn’t see much at all that accurately depicts the Trail of Tears.  Our Cherokee ancestors didn’t walk around carrying powwow drums and chicken feather fans during this time, nor did they sage themselves.  And from what I know, the other Tribes in the Southeast that were removed West didn't either.

[BlackWolf]

They also give “Medicine Wheel Workshops” as some sort of a part time endeavor.

http://www.windspiritdrum.com/Medicine_Wheel_Workshops.html

Renowned 3rd generation Native American healer,
WINDWALKER and husband, Edoal Spirit Buffalo during a recent lecture.
March 2010


Workshops may include:

Hands on Healing, with well renowned 3rd generation
Native American healer, WINDWALKER

Body work with native remedies.

Lectures on native healing proprieties.

Shamanic visioning thru song and native drumming.

Private performance by traditional drum performance group, WIND SPIRIT DRUM

Balance your daily life and learn to heal yourself!!

Join us!!

And

IN ADDITION TO CONCERT PERFORMANCES

WIND SPIRIT DRUM
offer services for the following:
•   Lenape Spirirts Medicine Wheel Workshops. Teachings on how to balance your daily life and learn to heal yourself
•   Home parties, providing entertainment immersed in Native American culture.
•   House Blessings
•   Lectures on Healing properties, including Women's Health and Healing parties
•   Licensed Ministers for Native American weddings, children's blessings and funerals.
•   Native American educational storytelling for all ages. Teaching at schools, libraries and civic organizations
•   Siminars on massage and the ancient ways of reflexology
•   Including traditional fact finding services.
•   Drum making classes
•   Native American music scores and performances

[BlackWolf]

They also appear to be involved with this charity called Blue Sky Charities Group located out of New Mexico.

http://blueskycharity.org/

Also, you may make a donation by personal check or money order, payable to BSCG.  Please mail your support to:
Blue Sky Chairities Group
1412 Del Norte Blvd, Grants NM 87020

[Epiphany]

http://www.studiowestmanagement.com/rep.htm

Wind Spirit Drum, managed by Studio West Management.

[Epiphany]

Windwalker's last name is Dorn.


November 27, 2013 12:00 AM

SOMERSET — Windwalker Dorn travels all over the country with her group "Wind Spirit Drum" to share cultural awareness and education of the Native American culture.

But last Thursday, she made a special visit to the North Elementary School where she did a presentation to the kindergarten class her granddaughter is in and at an assembly for more students.

Students in the kindergarten class of Tracy Rayray sang songs, told stories, played instruments and learned a lot about the Native American culture from Ms. Dorn last Thursday.

"My aim is for education about Native American history and it being so non segregated," Ms. Dorn said. "My goal really is to teach the children how to work together and be together in every aspect and get them ready for life."

Ms. Dorn's granddaughter, Avarie Tupper, is a student in the kindergarten class.

Ms. Dorn is part Mic Mac, Cherokee and Lanape, which were the first tribes in North America that were known as "the keepers of the new dawn" and the first to encounter the Europeans. She told the students that her regalia is made of deer and elk.

Ms. Dorn lives and performs in California and also lives in New Mexico. She has worked with the handicapped, children, veterans and the American Cancer Society.

Ms. Dorn was visiting her daughter, Rebecca Litchfield, and her daughter Avarie, and canceled some concerts so that she could do the presentation at the North Elementary School. Ms. Litchfield helped her mother with the presentation.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131127/PUB05/311270328

[Epiphany]

As a medicine Woman, I have studied under my maternal Grandmother
from the age 4 yrs old..then throughout my life I have had many other Medicine people teach me their ways...I am world renowned because of her...I am very honored...All my relations...

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/wind-walker-dorn/72/b24/742

[Autumn]

They seem to be focusing mostly on their music now.  Their Wind Spirit website is down and the Blue Sky charity website is down.  She has a healing Facebook page, but it has not been posted on since August 2012.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Windwalker-Healing-Sessions-and-Workshops/119980288126857

Where to begin? These videos left me feeling a little . . . not sure what's the right word. I had no idea Wind Spirit Drum was so iffy.

Windwalker is Cherokee, Lenape, Mi'kmaq, Oglala Lakota. Spirit Buffalo is Cherokee and Mi'kmaq. They bill their music as Eastern Woodland. Why are they dressed like they're Plains or Southwest Indians? Buckskin, turquoise, a bone breast plate, Navajo blankets?

Yes, Windwalker is talented. I don't speak Cherokee, so I can't say how accurate her use of the language is.

Why they chose New Mexico for the location for the Trail of Tears video defies logic. It loses all credibility. They used a long-stemmed white rose as a Cherokee Rose. The real thing probably wasn't avalable in New Mexico. If they'd filmed their video where the Trail of Tears actually took place, they'd have had an abundance of Cherokee Roses. They grow wild all over the southeast from North Carolina/Georgia all the way to Oklahoma. We even have them here in Texas.

Spirit Buffalo is a sundancer and sundance chief. He's the Lenape's 2nd Chief. A little confusing . . . He's a Cherokee/Mi'kmaq who is a sundancing chief of the Lenape?

Windwalker is a Native American healer and a licensed massage therapist.

http://woodlandindians.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=8649

[milehighsalute]

hahahahaaha spirit buffalo and windwalker....i been making fun of them over last 3 years

me and my friends sing their stupid hey lopa loma song because its so annoying and cheesy....and that video is good for a laugh

a few inquiries to james swan, joanne spotted bear ect.....i found out blue sky charities never donated a single cent to the oglala tribe, and all their fundraising is for "pine ridge" (why oh why is it ALWAYS pine ridge?)

their regalia is dumb looking and not even close to tribe specific

and spirit buffalo claims to be a lenape sundance chief

windwalker claims to be "turkey clan mother" of the mic maq....whatever that means....she sure wears alot of bronzer

pisses me off that people actually buy their music and think its authentic..........if i want to hear ndn music gimmie some joe tahonnie jr or some cozad or even some yellowbird

avoid at all costs

[Epiphany]

I believe they are Edward and Laura Dorn, don't know yet what Laura's birth surname is. At one time they lived in Datil, New Mexico - that location helped me connect some dots, along with piecing together clues on Facebook and elsewhere. Laura's prior husband was Jameson Litchfield.

Windwalker Dorn is walking on air these days. And she has great tidings of joy for Datil and environs.

http://mountainmail.blogspot.com/2010/12/datil-singer-to-ride-float-in-rose.html

Ms. Dorn was visiting her daughter, Rebecca Litchfield

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131127/PUB05/311270328

Jameson W. Litchfield ... former husband of ... Laura Dorn of Datil, NM. ... daughter: Rebecca R. Litchfield

http://www.hathawayfunerals.com/obits/obituaries.php/obitID/822765

[Epiphany]

In a 2001 brief news bit she was Laura Windwalker Dorn, from Lisbon Ohio.

Dorn in an interview (as Windwalker) for someone's 2003 thesis said her family denied NDN heritage and she did not find out she was NDN til later in life. The author also notes that Dorn's hair is noticeably dyed a darker color. http://shelf1.library.cmu.edu/HSS/a986155/a986155.pdf

She is said to have been somehow involved with the United Eastern Lenape Nation in the past.

She claims she is a third generation medicine woman, I think through her mother, and maternal grand mother.

In her stepfather's 2010 obit she is Laura Beth Dorn. http://www.hathawayfunerals.com/obits/obituaries.php/obitID/548603 Her mother's birth name Bertha B. McCann. If I've pieced this all together correctly, not seeing any recent NDN heritage.

She says she is a licensed massage therapist, that should be verified before paying her for a massage.

Her husband Edoul Spirit Buffalo, who I believe is Edward Dorn, says his NDN heritage is through his mother, of  Maine. I can see the Maine connection, but not NDN.

About that charity:

Carl Blackhawk Patton
carl@blueskycharity.org
http://www.blueskycharity.org

Wednesday May 6, 2009
9:52 AM
Osiyo! Just wanted to introduce myself. A great friend of mine, Windwalker Dorn, who is a board member of our nonprofit charity, asked me to introduce myself. She met Patrick Doyle last weekend in Taos during filming of a music video, and a subsequent appearance on your radio program. She was so excited to meet the great people at your station! Our charity, Blue Sky Charities Group, provides humanitarian aid, and improved educational opportunities for Native American children. Please let me know if you have a specific group of children that need clothes, toys....We have been helping the children in New Mexico (Socorro), and Pineridge (S.D.). Bless you! Carl Patton

http://198.143.160.42/~patri695/NativeRadio.com/images/guestbook/guestbook-14.html

Blue Sky Charities Group was a Virginia corporation, president Carl O. Patton.

[Diana]

I started to skim over that thesis, and when I saw the author thanking those people with newage phony baloney Indian names I stopped. Was this thesis published?? I hope not.


Diana

[Epiphany]

I started to skim over that thesis, and when I saw the author thanking those people with newage phony baloney Indian names I stopped. Was this thesis published?? I hope not.


Diana

I'm curious if she asked for anyone's legal names, seems like that would be important for her work. But maybe I'm wrong, maybe for informants this is fine?

Don't know anything else about the thesis, found it when looking for info on Windwalker, and just skimmed through quick for that info.

[Diana]

I started to skim over that thesis, and when I saw the author thanking those people with newage phony baloney Indian names I stopped. Was this thesis published?? I hope not.


Diana

I'm curious if she asked for anyone's legal names, seems like that would be important for her work. But maybe I'm wrong, maybe for informants this is fine?

Don't know anything else about the thesis, found it when looking for info on Windwalker, and just skimmed through quick for that info.

I started reading her thesis and it's obvious she was totally clueless. I'm too tired tonight I'll read some more tomorrow. I also looked up  Laura windwalker Dorn's great grandparents on her mother's fathers side, they are from Ireland and England.

Diana 

[educatedindian]

I started to skim over that thesis, and when I saw the author thanking those people with newage phony baloney Indian names I stopped. Was this thesis published?? I hope not.

Diana

This was an undergraduate student's senior thesis, not from a master's program. Still, the most basic academic research says you need signed releases from those you interview, and she'd have the legal names of all involved.

The student, Christine Strellec, actually dissects groups like the UELN pretty well, shows them to be blustery and unconcerned with much of anything besides people with distant claims or outright pretenders trying desperately to convince themselves. UELN leaders demanded everyone address them as "honored chiefs" and constantly ranted about "lack of respect." That must get tedious real quick...

Dorn actually said to Strellec over the phone prior to meeting that she feared how obvious it was she did not appear Native. Strellec wrote for several pages how defensive all these pretenders were about their appearance.