Michael Vargas

[Ingeborg]

Well earthw7, I like to say it's nice to make your electronic acquaintance.  I'd also like to point out that I have done nothing to you or your people.  In addition I was born here just as you.  So I suppose I could ask you the very same question regarding what's wrong with you people, but I don't like to make sweeping generalizations and it's a senseless question anyway.  I would much rather ask you questions that are far more meaningful.

I'd also like to point out that I came her to share my opinion of an individual that appears to be a point interest here.  Not to accused, nor to be contentious.

I'm impressed. A mere four posts to your name and look at the wealth of entitlement, superiority, and racism in this one....

All I ask is a civil conversation, as this is what you will always have from me.

If your above post happens to be an example of what to expect of you in the way of civil conversation, I suppose I'd hate to see you getting rude.

[Lime Tree]

Paleface,

If you say that you have done nothing wrong, you speak as an individual person.
But we are also part of a culture.
The conversation between different cultures is sometimes not civil. When the Dutch wanted wealth form Indonesia, they were not civil toward the Indonesians. The Dutch were civil among themselves, yes.

You made electronic acquaintance with some one form a culture that was trodden down and abused. So she speaks from a culture that has good reason to be angry and to mistrust. That is very different from your position.
I suppose it is very difficult for you to see that she as an individual is speaking is a very gentle voice.
So please, do your best to see the culture that she is speaking from. A spokesperson is very different form an individual of your own culture.

P.S.: You say that you were "born here". I see that you have one hour of time difference with me - that would place you in England, Europe - not in South or North Dakota.

Cheers

[earthw7]

I am in North Dakota are you close to me?
Come and visit me I would welcome a visit to my reservation.
I find that when we speak about why this is so wrong people get upset.
I use to wonder why people felt it was ok to take another culture. I found that this
started with the Romans as they went across Europe conquering the different nations
and incorporating their culture into their culture. This is the oldest form
of colonialism, then this was adapted by the English who can claim Roman descent.
The concept spread across our land.
First the outlawed our ways then in 1978 they said Oh maybe you can pray in the open
now without going to jail. Then in the 80s we had white people to see our ways because their lives
were a mess, so they started taken a little here and a littler there, making short cut not doing it the way
it has been done for thousand of years, they made up things like Moon camps for women (whoever heard)
this because they could not make their women behave and stay home at that time of the month.
Then they make up words like AHO and they have new title of things Oh wait everyone is a pipe carrier NOT!
In a camp of a 100 you have one pipe carrier these people dont even understand the meaning.
What i have problem with is when we stand up to say this is wrong the white people shoot back
i was born on this land too! Our we are really humble (rolling eyes) they are poor too!
They want to tells us how they from their opinion think everything is done right.
Then they want us to be these peace loving people but that is not who we are. We are warriors!
So if i sound upset I am It is ceremony time and i see the people suffering for our communities and then
we have these people playing indian who do nothing for our people.
So I am sorry if i sound upset I am, It seem i spend so much time explaining to deaf ears about why this is so
wrong, then i watch as these so called ceremony leaders do bad things but the people around them are so
enchanted with them they cant see what we see, so they attack us.
1. They make comments like your people lost so much of your culture and we are here to save the culture
2. I have a right as an american
3. we doing this in a good way even though we have moon camps, posters, fund raiser, charging money
4. A person can go to the sundance and next years he is running a dance instead of going though all the right
5. I went to inipi-sweat lodge now I am a sweat lodge leader not!
I could go on but i know those who steal our ways will not listen 

[debbieredbear]

Here is something I don't get. Why is it that some people feel so entitled that they think they can tell someone how authentic something is, when they are not part of that culture or religion. I mean, really. Would they tell Catholics that some guy who was not raised Catholic, did not convert to Catholicism, never went to seminary to be a priest, was still a Catholic priest because he was so "humble"?? Or that, yes, he did participate with a fraudulent priest but since he was a good man, he must be real?? I hate to break it to the people who feel so entitled but YOU don't get to have a say in this. Earthw7 does because it is HER way of life. SHE was raised in this culture, not you. Get over yourself.

[Defend the Sacred]

"Paleface,"

Just because you feel calm when you say these things doesn't mean they are civil. If you understood more of the culture you would understand how racist and offensive you sound. Even your name sounds like you took it from a racist, Hollywood fiction fantasy about Cowboys and Indians, and the racist way those films have Natives speaking.

You came here saying you are planning on going to a fake, exploitative, culture-harming white people "sun dance." Not that you were here to find out whether or not this was a good idea, not that you were here to find out how to make amends for even considering supporting these fraudulent exploiters. So people gave you information, and you got insulting because you have no idea what you have just walked in to, and you apparently lack the compassion or knowledge to understand why this is not neutral ground, not theoretical.

It doesn't matter if you and the exploiters you are hanging out with seem calm and humble. They are participating in cultural exploitation, and since they don't know what they are doing, they are causing spiritual harm to you and everyone else who trusts them. It may take you years to see what harm they've done to you; you may never see it. Please listen to the people here who've been where you are now. Please read the pinned threads on the forum and the basic information about why this kind of racist, cultural exploitation is wrong. Finding the compassion and patience to do that, to really take in the words of the people whose culture you want to benefit from, will provide you with far more spiritual benefit than playing Indian.

[Defend the Sacred]

I'd also like to point out that I have done nothing to you or your people. 

If you participate in fake, white people "sun dances," if you decide your opinion as a cultural outsider and member of the dominant, oppressor class, is more important than those who maintain the culture you want to vulture from, yes, you are doing harm.

[winyan8]

I know this Vargas, I can answer your questions.  Paleface, he is always on his best behavior when potential sheep for his flock are around.  Sorry to burst your bubble but my advice is if you want to live a good life and avoid trouble and sickness in your family, stay away from this guys and his circus.   Earthw7, he is not enrolled anywhere because he is mexican, and his family is roman catholic. 

[AClockworkWhite]

WHY do these fakers always end up being involved in that Reiki BS? SMFH. That crap has ZEROOOOOOOOO to do with Native ways. Disgusting. And so are these so-called "sundances" which are attended predominantly by non-Natives and for money. If I decided to do an Aborigine ceremony for $$$$, it would be just like those travesties- absolutely no spirit or meaning whatsoever. In fact, what it does actually draw is negative spirit and energy. It brings that into this world, it doesn't ward it off. It's like pointing a gun backwards at yourself and pulling the trigger. I am part of a tribe that had Sundance since before the time of Christ. I am a direct descendant of Arrow Keepers and know what makes that ceremony what it is. Sacrifice. Not commerce. Not talking. In fact, there is very little speaking at real events. There are so many now among other tribes that even ones put on by Natives FOR Natives are diluting the meaning.

[winyan8]

Just because he has a bundle doesn't mean there's any medicine in it and even if there were those spirits don't have to work with him, and because of what he is doing they don't work with him,  Crowdog saw that with his own eyes.  I guess as long as someone is willing to sell medicine there will always be someone stupid enough to buy it.

[earthw7]

My people of the Lakota and Dakota people are the care takers of this land, we have roots growing out of our
feet, we can tell what has happen on our land for thousand of years, we have a belief system that lives with the earth.
What is wrong with my people? first we had people come to our country who came for resources at any cost, to promote
their way of life and destroy anything in their path, Today we look around and see what has happen to our people, due to the government
removal of our children, our homelands, the laws made against our way of life and spirituality, We have survived in our own homeland as the poorest
people in the United States, we still have to fight everyday just to live, we have a belief system which help us survive what has happen to us
and still is happening and even as do our best survive we have people coming for the last strength we have our spirituality.
We watch as our water, wildlife, spiritual sites, families, homes, air and the center of our being is being destroyed. 
What is wrong with my People? I will tell we are warriors and will fight to protect our ways from the abuse of frauds, who would steal everything
from a people who only held out their hands in friendship. I ask you what kind of god do you follow that allows that.
So No I am not one of the peace loving-harmony and joy persons I am a warrior who will fight to protect my way of life.

[OneNationMyAss]

Im curious if this Michael Vargas credibility is stil being questioned.  I have seen and heard things with my own eyes and ears that I find pretty appalling.  I will keep to myself if no more research is needed on him. 

[ShadowDancer]

Im curious if this Michael Vargas credibility is stil being questioned.  I have seen and heard things with my own eyes and ears that I find pretty appalling.  I will keep to myself if no more research is needed on him.

Yes, more research is needed. If you have information you want to share, please do so. This is a research thread. 

When there is incontrovertible evidence that someone is a fraud the thread is moved to the Fraud area of the forum.  Even there threads are updated as new information is comes to light.

[OneNationMyAss]

Well I will start with this newspaper article where Michael is quoted as saying he is not Native American.  I am still trying to put all that I know into some legible form. 


http://m.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/in-quest-of-a-lost-connection/article_015a1b74-1afe-5ff0-ac46-7b3308159b14.html?mobile_touch=true


https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-108485B1F2E9A4E3.html

[OneNationMyAss]

Now this he claims to not be "full blooded"




https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-10848F541D9D3F52.html

[OneNationMyAss]

Ok.  Here goes.  I will try to remember all that I can and describe to the best of my ability.  Obviously I'm open to questions about anything.  This is going to be in 2 parts.  The first part will be tgings I've heard or interactions directly with Vargas.  The second part will be things relayed to me via Vargas wife.  I had heard a lot about Vargas and at first believed him to be the real deal.  The more I learned the less that appeared to be true.  After his wife asked me to forever delete the "bonnet selfie" because it could be bad for him if the wrong people saw it.  I knew something didn't smell right.  I was under the impression each feather represented a major accomplishment.  Not another shirtless selfie sent to some impressionable young woman.  Any way.  After that I contacted a friend from northern Indiana who is Miami.  I showed him photo and described how he runs an Indiana "sundance". He laughed and shook his head and told me there is no suck thing as a Indiana sundance run by a Mexican.  He gave me this website and lo and behold there was Vargas name.  So here I am.


I met his wife a little over a year ago and we started a relationship.  This was before I knew she was married and before I knew who M Vargas was.  After a few months I was contacted by Vargas.  In the phone conversation he claimed to me that he was "a very powerful Lakota chief and medicine man. With very powerful friends who could make my life miserable ". He threatened to bring spirits down on me and to come after me with his tribe.  The next claim he made was that when a chief gets married (keep in mind this is before he bought his Bonnet and Chiefs r us) they make some serious pacts with their wife. He claimed to have made a medicine that they both ingested that bonds them for life and if anybody were to be with the Chiefs wife the two of them would be stricken with a 4 generation curse.  He asked if I had children and I said yes. He told me he was sorry but myself and my son were both doomed by this Lakota 4 generation curse and there was nothing he could do about it.  Besides the first interaction he had threatened to fight me. Stalked me around town. He showed up at my house to fight me until he saw I was twice his size and he tucked tail and ran away like a scared boy.  He had his horse removed by a neighbor for neglect.  Not feeding and watering.   He doesn't take care of his land.  Grows marijuana near his sweat and round house.  Holds sweats and ceremonies on weekends. Paleface..:who I've heard his wife use the same name claims he doesn't accept money.  Evident by old worn out dodge. But I know for a fact he is paying to live on a close to 200,000 dollar property.  Has multiple cars. Paid thousands of dollars for hair implants...because you can't pass as Indian without long ponytail.  Image is everything. He claims to be a clairvoyant but can't see that his wife cheats on him all the time and lies about it all. Even when faced with reality he doesn't believe it.  Claims he made a swimsuit as a child and it looked like a breechclout so he must be native. Then later claims he has dreams about being native so it must be true.  He has harassed and stalked, sent police to my house as harassment. 


His wife who is a very impressionable young woman. Half his age.  Adopted at birth low self esteem.  Instantly fell for Vargas.  Now believes she is an Indian too. Her mixed black and white son claims he is Native American.  She has claimed he sexually assaulted her.  (Forced himself on her) she claims he has worked miracles and cured cancer yet in the same Breath says she doubts his ability and seeks to be freed from him.  Claims his pot use clouds his ability to perform sweats and ceremonies.  He has physically assaulted her on the way to a sweat.   She admitted he had accepted money for sweats.  The frauds and white hippies all argue amongst themselves here who is doing these ceremonies the right way and the wrong way.  And followers flip flop between each other.  It's a circus from what I hear. The pictures I've seen from their "sacred nations culture center sun dance" that's now held on private property every year looks like a bunch of middle age white guys in costume on a camping trip.  They may have good intentions but I think they are playing with fire. 

Lastly.  And I'm sure I've forgotten some things. Although if I can remember I'll add in later.  Just yesterday. Vargas and wife threatened me with a protective order if I continue to try and expose him as a fraud   Which I have in writing.  It's like the cherry on top.  He has always been full of threats.  I have voice recordings of him threatening to harm his wife and I.  Not waking a very spiritual path of you ask me.  Any way I'm sure he'd be happy to answer any questions you all may have as well. 

His contact info:  Michael Vargas is on Facebook. Email is blkhorse61@icloud.com
Address: 9500 Gilmore ridge rd Nashville Indiana
Also can be found in Facebook under Sacred Nations Cultural Center Inc
And Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/sacrednations/posts/524357137741671

*removed phone number at ONMA's request