Greetings,
I found your website recently and want to clarify any misunderstandings or misrepresentations about my life work that your contributors seem to have. My work is the culmination of 20 years of research, study and practice. I also want to express my gratitude for your good work of checking people out and ensuring that their credentials are legitimate; and for trying to provide informative resources for people who are exploring either their roots or other traditions.
I am in the process of making sure that specific changes are made to the authorized book about my life you refer to on the site with both the author and the publisher. These changes should eliminate any misleading or incomplete information that could lead to certain assumptions that are not accurate.
The following should answer any queries about my ancestral heritage:
My adoptive father was Keith Leroy Meints. Keith was half Cheyenne River Sioux and half German. He was raised in Culbertson, Nebraska. My birth mother is Matilda Anne Goodrich who was married to Keith. She is of English, Irish and Apache descent.
When I was 21, Barbara Means-Adams (Russell Means’ second cousin) adopted me through the Lakota ceremony of Hunkapi…the making of relatives. She passed the women rituals on to me so that I could teach them. Barbara passed away in 2005.
Her son, and my hunka brother, is Mel Adams. His wife is an attorney, Lisa Adams. Mel had a New York pizzeria in Chadron, Nebraska and won the Minority Small Business Champion of the Year award from the SBA in 2012. Mel grew up following the traditional Lakota spiritual teachings. We all thought that was pretty wonderful. He is well regarded in the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Lisa is in house legal counsel for the Oglala Sioux Tribe. They are both remarkable people. I love and admire them so much. And there is James, Mel’s brother, who has a transmission shop in Chadron, too.
My name, Char Sundust, breaks down as follows: Char is short for Charlotte, which means, “strong woman” in England. Sundust was the name given to me by Keith, and it means, “passing one with the sun above all other obstacles.”
I also was given the Lakota name, napé wašté win, by Barbara Means Adams. To receive this name a ceremony was held. I love that she called me this. It means good hands woman.
This name impacted my work, which is to help people of many different lineages, because that is my background. My students carry lineages such as Yupik, Swedish, Mexican, Jewish, Japanese, English, Irish, Colville and Apache. For example, tonight I am teaching a class on relationships. I will open the class with a prayer and a poem from one or more of these diverse traditions, and then we will look at our criteria for being in a relationship. What are our requirements; and then, whether we are that person with those particular qualities (A Neural Linguistic Processing (NLP) exercise, I became a certified NLP practitioner because I appreciate the positive change I see in individuals through the NLP methods) This results in more self-respect and self-esteem. I also finish with a poem or prayer. This is an example of how and what I teach.
The core focus of my work is mentoring and educating diverse people from different cultures and of different age groups through my programs that are housed by Bastyr University in Kenmore Washington. I help others connect with their own lineage through seeking the common ground among us all.
Among the cultures we examine are Shinto, Christian, Mayan, African, and indigenous cultures including the Lakota and Apache – but only those passed on from Barbara and Keith. I practice and teach only what I have been given permission to which includes: drumming, singing and sharing about symbols and where they are found in different traditions, and their unique and common meanings. However, a lot of knowledge has been passed on to me that I do not share
In 1992, Barbara and I collaborated with Charles Jefferson on a cd project (IYAYE) for Everyone Has a Song productions.
I teach a program called “Spiritual Identity and Applied Spirituality” to empower others to connect with their own lineage to practice spirituality from a deeply personal place. I have developed a method of working with dreams and their meanings in a residential program called Dream Work. I also teach a year-long course on leadership and mentoring. I developed an internship program for mentors with experiential processes to assist others in reaching the next level in their personal and professional lives.
I support the Robert and Solana Natives Rising storytelling tour. I have been an advisory member on this board since its inception.
I am also on the board of Village which provides prenatal and birth services so all mothers have the best possible care.
I support Longhouse Media because I believe in the work Tracy Rector is doing in assisting indigenous peoples to use media as a tool for self-expression, cultural preservation and social change.
If there is any further information that you require, please contact me at: charsundust@comcast.net.
Sincerely,
Char Sundust
