Sylvia, in the thread on John Colbert/Pushican/Lightning Bear, said this:
"I found the info about Dhyani Ywahoo (and then some, googling her name together with "fraud"). Considering that I went to the Sunray's annual "Elder Gathering" for the last three years, I guess I haven't changed that much. *LOL* What a disappointment.
What I don't understand is that Native Americans -- and other indigenous people -- who seemed to be very sincere to me, can associate with that woman.
At the Elders Gathering, for example, there's always one Abenaki GM, Nanatasis Bluto-Delventhal, who seems very traditional; she usually does moontime teachings for women there. No fancy New Age content... only oral teachings, nothing written down... she says she doesn't take any money for teachings, ever... only asks that participants help to pay her expenses if she has to travel so that she at least doesn't LOSE money.
...among the other "regulars" at the Elders Gathering are Mayan elders from Guatemala; a very quirky and childlike GM from Mexico who is just wonderful; Mike Bastine (Iroquois), who spent some time traveling with the late Mad Bear, and GF Warren Ramey (forget what nation he was from).
Both Mike and Warren are very interested in "nuage" stuff as well -- from earth mysteries and earth changes to ascension of consciousness, 2012, etc. Then again, they have never claimed that what they're talking about are pure, traditional Native American teachings, nor have they ever claimed that they are in any way or shape representing their tribes, and I think as long as they don't, it's totally fine."
Problem is, I doubt they are who they say they are, at least some of them.
Mad Bear Anderson was widely considered to be a fraud himself, so Bastine is at least suspect, not the least for calling himself Iroquois. That's not a tribe, it's the outsider's term for Haudenosaunee or Longhouse (including non-Iroquois like myself who use the term.)
Almost all the ones Sylvia mentioned come up here, and at very few other places on the net.
http://www.sunray.org/20th_Native_American_Elders__G/20th_native_american_elders__g.html"NANATASIS BLUTO-DELVENTAL, ABENAKI
Turtle Clan Mother/ Abenaki
Sits as Elder on several Councils in Vermont & Nationally
Shares Abenaki Turtle Clan Moontime Teachings with women
Healer who works with herbs, massage therapy, Reiki, & Therapeutic Touch
Involved with Ceremonies & Counsels people"
I did find a Cheryl Bluto Delvental who is Abenaki. She's part of an Abenaki band. While they're not frauds, the Abenaki band is relatively recently created, in the 1970s.
"MIKE BASTINE, ALGONQUIN
Mike is from outside Buffalo New York, but his ancestors are Algonquin from Maniwaki, Quebec. As a child, most of his time was spent observing and relating to the natural world. Then meeting up with Mad Bear, Tuscarora Indian traditional teacher, a great blend of worlds began."
There's that lie. mad Bear was not at all traditional.
"Mike’s Algonquin birthright flavored with the Iroquois wisdom through Mad Bear, has inspired Mike to speak his knowledge."
So he's identifies as Algonquin but is claiming to teach Iroquois ways from a Tuscarora wo was very non traditional.
"TATA RICARDO & NANA JUANA, CENTRAL AMERICAN
Tata Ricardo Maye, following his father and grandfather as Tata, is Priest and Spiritual Guide for the Indigenous people of Central America and the Caribbean."
Amazing! Spiritual leader for all the Maya, Taino, Carib, Miskoto Garifuna, and dozens of other tribes in a whole region?
"Nana Juana Escobar is the Priestess of the Nahuat Pipiles of El Salvador, Central America."
Priestess for an entire nation with millions of NDNs? Yet they have time to sell ceremonies to whites in Vermont?
"ABUELA MARGUERITTA NUNEZ-GARCIA, MEXICO
...Abuela Margarita belongs to the Native Council of Elders of America and has participated in numerous aboriginal gatherings in Mexico, Brazil, Peru, the United States, Canada, and Europe. She takes part in the Sundance, Earthdance, Moondance, and other ceremonies, including sweat lodges and vision quests on a regular basis."
I don't see any description at all of who her people are. "Mexico", with tens of millions of NDNs and hundreds of tribes, is a pretty vague claim.
Another one that Sylvia mentioned and that is on Fisher's site, Warren "Redwing" Ramsey:
At Fisher's site he's listed as Tsalagi. In older discussion in here, the Cherokees in here mention that's usually a label people who've recently discovered their Cherokee ancestry are far more likely to use. Cherokees raised in the culture generally call themselves Cherokee.
From this article:
http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2002/9/23/149732.html"Elders Momfeather Kaelble Erickson and Grandfather Warren Redwing Ramey, leaders of the Southern Band of the Cherokee"
There are about half a dozen outfits calling themselves some variation of Southern Cherokee, most with dubious histories, and recently formed.
Another mention of him:
http://www.route-one.com/GetDayEvents.asp?Month=November&day=18&year=2006&weekday=7"Coping with Sudden Earth Changes
Saturday, November 18 1-5 p.m. The Turquoise Marble Teaching Center and Grandfather Warren Redwing Ramey will be presenting Coping with Sudden Earth Changes by Dwight Sands. Learn strategies and techniques to feed yourself and stay warm and dry during possible disruptions of our normal food and energy supplies."
That sounds closer to a survivalist seminar.
Sylvia also mentioned "Mayan elders" which is also how Fisher's site describes several people. That sounds more like an outsider's description. Mayans are several dozen languages and thousands of communities across half a dozen countries. A Mayan elder would be more likely to say they are a Quiche from village X.
In Latin America, it's a common scam for mestizos to pose as NDN elders to fleece white Americans and Europeans of their money. I don't know for certain what those IDd as Mayan elders are. Short of contacting people in whatever communities they claim, it's hard to say. Since net access is almost nonexistent. Heck, most don't even have running water. That's part of why many exploiters have begun targeting Latin American traditions, they're less able to fight back.
