A flyer from an event taking place in Florida beginning on January 24, 2015, was sent to me about "Iron Eagle" AKA Jose A. Hurtado. It is available to the public at:
http://valenciacollege.edu/PJI/documents/Master1.08.14.pdf"You are invited to an Evening with Iron Eagle: Chiricahua Apache Medicine Man"
"5:00-7:00pm
Mead Gardens
1500 South Denning Drive, Winter Park 32789"
"The evening with Iron Eagle launches our week-long Conversation on Justice.
Iron Eagle is a traditional Sun dancer who studied under Bear Paw (Apache Medicine Man) & Two Tree (Lakota Medicine Man). His grandfather and mother, both Chiricahua Apaches, taught him the Traditional and Spiritual ways of the Native Americans. (Note: emphasis mine) Join us for teachings, music and dance as we come together in community to prepare for our conversations on justice. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and flashlight to the event and wear comfortable shoes for walking through the gardens. Children and families are welcome."
There is another "Iron Eagle" AKA "John Sanchez" & "Frank Sanchez" discussed previously in the NAFPS forums but this is another person entirely. The claims of the "Iron Eagle" presented in this flyer from Florida are problematic for several reasons. His real name was not disclosed on the promotional flyer but, apparently, it is Jose A. Hurtado and that name is listed in CorporateWiki (
www.corporationwiki.com)- dated January 24, 2012, filing - as "Joe Iron Eagle Hurtado-Jose A, Vice President" of Tanahuachi Nac Inc.
My questions to this forum are these:
(1). Is anyone familiar with a "Lakota Medicine Man" named "Two Tree"? Has anyone heard of anyone using the "Two Tree" name?
(2). Has anyone heard of "Bear Paw" the "Apache Medicine Man" mentioned in the flyer? (Incidentally, when the name "Bear Martinez-Roberto" is double-clicked on the Tanahuachi Nac Inc. site in CorporateWiki, the link opens to a page that states "Bear Paw Martinez-Roberto is the President of Tanahuachi Nac Inc.") The name "Bear Paw" may actually refer to someone named "Roberto Martinez"; assuming that Jose A Hurtado is "Joe Iron Eagle Hurtado-Jose A" and that these methods of spelling one's name are a common and accepted practice in filing these documents.
(3). The FaceBook page "Iron Eagle Joe" is, apparently, Jose A. Hurtado. It states that he is from "Aoulef." If you look it up, it is in Algeria. Of course, anyone is free to say almost anything these days -
especially on FaceBook. Is he actually from Aoulef? If not, where was he born?
(4). Does anyone know if he is an enrolled member of the Chiricahua Apache tribe? If he is not, what were/are the names of his grandfather and mother who, according to the flyer, were/are members of the Chiricahua Apache tribe?
(5). In the event that "Iron Eagle" is not an enrolled member of the Chiricahua Apache tribe, does Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644) apply in this particular case?
The law unambiguously states:
"The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644) is a truth-in-advertising law that prohibits misrepresentation in marketing of Indian arts and crafts products within the United States. It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian Tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States. For a first time violation of the Act, an individual can face civil or criminal penalties up to a $250,000 fine or a 5-year prison term, or both. If a business violates the Act, it can face civil penalties or can be prosecuted and fined up to $1,000,000."This forum is the appropriate place to bring the kinds of questions that his claims inspire. If he is, actually, an enrolled member of the Chiricahua Apache he should be able to prove it and not hesitate to provide proof of his tribal enrollment. Surely, the organizers of the event have checked out his claims and have verified that not only is he who he says he is but that he is also an enrolled member of the Chiricahua Apache tribe. Or have they? Perhaps the NAFPS can intervene on behalf of the Native American community and establish whether or not the college hosting this event has done an adequate check of his claims. If he can prove that he is an enrolled member of the Chiricahua Apache then the people attending this event can participate and enjoy the program and activities - the various workshops, his musical performance and the opening/closing ceremonies - with the confidence that, indeed, he is an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe.
Is he a fraud if he cannot support his claims and provide proof of them in the way that all bona fide Native Americans enrolled in federally recognized tribes are required to provide in order qualify for benefits (such as the Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood that the Bureau of Indian Affairs provides to enrolled members of federally recognized tribes)?
The issue is of the entitlements claimed by Native Americans and required by the federal government to provide to enrolled members of federally recognized tribes but, more so, the concern of NAFPS is one of cultural misappropriation by those who attempt to defraud the public and deprive, through deception, enrolled tribal members of access to their own cultural resources.
These are legitimate concerns of the Native American community. Native Americans making claims must be prepared - and required - to provide legitimate and valid proof of them. These are reasonable demands.
The event will begin January 24, 2015.
The flyer provides the name and email address of a contact person for the Peace and Justice Initiative committee in the event that anyone has questions.
