I recommend moving Silverbird to the Fraud section.
First of all, according to this site (info on musicians and their work), his real-life name apparently is
Reuben Ortiz:
http://www.faqs.org/copyright/human-relations-in-educational-organization-a-basic-text-in/ Roses in the winter
Document number:
V3401D604
Date of Recordation:
August 1, 1997
Entire Copyright Document:
V3401D604 (Single page document)
Date of Execution:
July 23, 1997
Registration Number Not Verified:
PAu 484-712 (1982)
Title:
Roses in the winter / By Rudy Martin and Reuben Ortiz (or Oritz) a.k.a. J. Reuben Silverbird. PAu 484-712 (1982)
Emphasis added by meA search for „Reuben Ortiz“ revealed he and some of his brothers had a band by the name of „Silverbird“ - the LP shown at this site is from 1972.
http://rateyourmusic.com/lists/list_view?list_id=14505&show=100&start=500 Entry no. 560
Silverbird
Gilbert Ortiz -
Mark Ortiz -
Reuben Ortiz -
Then Reuben Ortiz is mentioned twice in a 1965 issue of Billboard:
http://books.google.de/books?id=MykEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT137&lpg=PT137&dq=%22reuben+ortiz%22&source=bl&ots=MFZtV-BskE&sig=Ly-5eQeG_Dk36x8JvBiqXt44Fkk&hl=de&ei=p4RyTPjcKY3yOeWPtZ0O&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBQQ6AEwADgo#v=onepage&q=%22reuben%20ortiz%22&f=falseAt page 16, there is an article which reads:
“Coronados Expand - New York. The Coronados, RCA Victor group, have formed Recording Artists, Inc., to develop and record new talent. Steve Ortiz will be the talent scout for the new organization with Reuben Ortiz supervising recording and Ginger Ortiz acting as executive secretary.“
At page 44 of the same issue, there is a photo with the following caption:
“WMCA good guy Jack Spector greets RCA Victor Records artists the Coronoados at a recent record hop at Our Lady of Grace Church, New York. From left, Reuben Ortiz, Spector, Ginger Ortiz, and Steve Ortiz. Their latest release is „Cu Cu Ru Cu Cu Paloma“.“
Amazon offers the following item:
http://www.amazon.com/Silverbird-Broken-Treaties-Reuben-Ortiz/dp/B0033SML6W [qote]Silverbird-Broken Treaties
Reuben Ortiz (Author), Joerey Ortiz (Author), Perry Ortiz (Author), Steven Coronado (Author), Gilbert Ortiz (Author), Ginger Coronado (Author), Mark Ortiz (Author) | Format: Vinyl[/quote]
…................
An Australian magazine published an article with biographical details in 2006:
http://www.ravemagazine.com.au/component/option,com_mamblog/Itemid,116/task,show/action,view/id,1518/ J. Reuben Silverbird 'Walk in Beauty' Sacred Peace Concert (Thursday, 05 October 2006) Written by Jaya Lewis
J. Reuben Silverbird is coming to Australia in September/October: the son of a Nedhni Apache / (Chippewa) Medicine Wise Man, and Cherokee Medicine Woman, Reuben was born blind. His parents were highly recognized and praised by thespians, singers and musicians, from the regions based in the southwestern states of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. His Mother (a singer and healer) and Father (a performer in music and acting) had fruitless visits with Eye Specialists; finally, they brought their son back to a Traditional Medicine Man, and performed a sacred Indian Ritual - the four-day ‘Blessing-Way Ceremony’ (faith in the Creator, prayer, and incorporating hot water bathing into the ritual from thermal springs, from a holy place in New Mexico). At the age of four and a half, Reuben’s sight was restored. From this day forth, Reuben was considered a miracle-child. In having been born blind, the young Reuben Silverbird developed the deep intuitive ‘spiritual’ energy early in his life; it was shortly after his sight was returned to him, he witnessed a horrific accident involving his Mother - he began to have the first of several visions that would change and further deepen his path, an became the precursors into his deeper understanding of the world of spirituality.
There is plenty of evidence of Silverbird selling ceremonies for years meanwhile. He has taken part in several esoteric congresses in Europe, sold sweatlodges in hotels and for a company offering incentive programmes, he has been doing seminars and lectures on ndn spirituality as well as „aura readings“, and performed at least two „Indian marriages“ for European – errrm: celebrities of lesser rank. Silverbird furthermore has long-term connections to the Unification Church of so-called Reverend Sun Myung Moon.
Silverbird has been active in Austria – where he has been living since 1999 -, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands; most recent fraud activities seem to have started in Australia (with alleged Cherokee Bobby Runningfox – mentioned here e.g. in:
http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=2058.0 ). As the price tags for the Australian 'retreats' are most impressive, I'll start with these:
http://www.reubensilverbird.com/Retreat.php Join J. Reuben Silverbird in an extremely powerful 2 1/2 day residential retreat. Learn about Apache teachings and experience a traditional Native American Inipi (Sweat Lodge) Purification Ceremony. Indian Nations equate the Ceremony as one that "intermingles and conveys the lifeblood of the world" and it is a spiritual experience unlike any other.
Reuben presents his workshops with a sense of humour, love and a deep connection to Great Spirit. He has helped many people become liberated from their own fears and experience more success in all of their life.
At the retreat, Reuben will share "Native American History, Past and Present" with you, talk about "Shamanism vs Native Medicine", explain the "Origin of the Inipi (Sweat Lodge)" and introduce you to the "Power of Mind over Body".
[…]
The highlight of the retreat is a traditional Inipi (Sweat Lodge) Purification Ceremony and you will be involved in hands on preparation, before experiencing the physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of purification. [...]
The investment in yourself for this unique and inspiring retreat is:
$1,197.00 per person
$2,194.00 per couple
(payment plans available)
Reuben will be available for private consultations and Intuitive Aura Readings after the retreat. 25 minutes @ $50.00, Book now as numbers are strictly limited.
Silverbird is already addvertising another 'retreat' for 2011:
http://lightworkers.org/event/106418/native-american-retreat-united-nations-peace-ambassador-j-reuben-silverbird Start date:
3 Jun 2011 - 2:00pm - 5 Jun 2011 - 6:00pm
Where:
Australia
Location or City:
Solitude Retreat, 3376 Nerang Murwillumbah Road, Numinbah Valley Qld 4211
Once in a lifetime opportunity![/quote]
Silverbird will be assisted by these two persons:
http://www.spiritual-retreat.info/About-Facilitators.php Cherokee Bobby Runningfox
Born in California, Cherokee medicine man Bobby Runningfox is an intuitive healer with an amazing accuracy, and has helped people all over the world on a physical, emotional and psychological level. On his Native American journey, Bobby was guided by his grandmother and uncle, both powerful medicine people, who greatly influenced his life path.
Connected to spirit, Bobby teaches people to live in the moment, heal the past and not to worry about the future, how to bring harmony to themselves and others around them. His journey now is to awaken those beings that want to see. Heal those who really want to learn to heal themselves. Love those who allow themselves to be loved. People come from far and wide to attend his enlightening workshops, taking home some of the incredible knowledge Bobby Runningfox has to share.
Bobby is also an accomplished musician, playing Native American music as well as his own compositions to modern tunes. Bobby has played in concerts with J. Reuben Silverbird and engages his audience through live music, song and dance.
Walter Smith (Walks on Wind)
Born in Nottingham, England, shamanic healer Walter Smith has studied with Celtic Shaman, Druid and Wiccan Pagan law. An acknowledged master of many modalities, he has added innumerable advanced techniques to his studies, which have drawn people to him from all over the world.
He has been exposed to Native American culture and Shamanism with many Elder Teachers along the way, from Apache, Cree, Cherokee, Lakota and Iroquois.
Walter is a shamanic healer, regressionist and intuitive channel, Hoop Drum Maker, facilitator and recording artist. He is also the Keeper of the Fire for Lloyd Yellowbird of the Cree Nation (when in Australia), Elder J. Reuben Silverbird, Nedhni Apache/ Cherokee and Peace Ambassador to the United Nations and Bobby Runningfox, Cherokee Medicine Man.
Two of Silverbird's publications are sold by an esoteric project. The first title is a lecture Silverbird gave at an esoteric congress in Basel/Switzerland:
http://www.auditorium-netzwerk.de/AutorenAutorinnen/Silverbird-J-Reuben:::4_258.html Silverbird, J.: Healing Powers of Music, Dance, and Song – Insights into Indian Art of Healing
Lecture at Basel PSI-Days, 8th World Congress for Spiritual Healing: „This Life – Healing Different“ from November 10-13 at Basel. […]
prices start at EURO 13.95 incl. VAT plus shipping
Silverbird, J. Reuben: Healing with the Power of Music and Mind – Indian spiritual Healing
prices start at EURO 21.95 incl. VAT plus shipping.
Amazon describes Silverbird as a 'distinguished spokesman for Native Americans':
http://www.amazon.com/World-Our-Eyes-American-Creation/dp/B0000007ZQ Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
J. Reuben Silverbird, a Navajo-Apache, is a distinguished spokesman for Native Americans. He is a board member of the American Indian College Fund and the American Indian Museum in New York, as well as The President of the Annual American Indian Nations Powwow. He has lectured on American Indian topics throughout the country and has appeared on numerous television programs.
The World in Our Eyes: A Native American Vision of Creation also features the haunting Native American flute performances of J. Reuben Silverbird's son, Perry Silverbird, as well as Sioux singers and drummers from South Dakota. The sounds of the seasons were recorded by Mark Lineberry who composed and performed the background music.
Product Description
The World in Our Eyes: A Native American Vision of Creation, celebrates the wisdom of America's indigenous people through myth and music. Conceived and produced by J. Reuben Silverbird and Rob Russo, this two-disk set features an artful combination of narration, traditional Native American performances, environmental sounds and synthesized landscapes that capture the essence of our country's most ancient heritage. The Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, Apache, Cheyenne, and Pawnee nations are separated by geography and language, yet share beliefs about the origin of the universe. Silverbird has distilled these insights of Native American cultures into a powerful and poetic narration.
"I'm constantly asked at lectures and performances about what Indians believed as far as the birth of the world was concerned," says Silverbird, who frequently speaks about Native American concerns around the country. "Despite the differences between tribes, they all have common symbols: the Great Spirit, Sky Father, Earth Mother, the circle, the rain, the eagle. Although some of us have tried to keep many of our sacred myths and ceremonies secret, I think that projects like this one will help non-Native Americans to understand Indians better."
[…]
Silverbird has been selling sweatlodges at the premises of Austrian hotels for some time already:
http://www.tiscover.com/at/guide/50775at,de,SCH1/objectId,ACC120878at,season,at1,selectedEntry,pict/pict.html The site of an Austrian hotel describing the activities they offer for their guests. Among the activities mentioned is: "Sweatlodge ceremonies with the Apache „Reuben Silverbird“.
Another hotel with a more precise ad at page 4:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:N_h74Db8m5QJ:www.truevenue.com/media/conference_hotels/austria/niederoesterreich/krainerhuette/Downloads/Incentiveprogramme.pdf+%22reuben+silverbird%22&hl=de&gl=de THE SWEATLODGE – PURIFICATION CEREMONY
with Reuben Silverbird
As is usual with the Apache, you will participate in a Sweatlodge Ceremony – Purification Ceremony. The sweatlodge will tape place at sunrise (5.30 a.m.) or sundown. Lava stones will be heated and taken into the sweatlodge by a helper of Reuben Silverbird. The sweatlodge is made of willow poles tied to each other forming an igloo-type structure. This sweatlodge is then covered with blankets and a tarp on top.[...]
As soon as all participants are placed, the fireman will bring stones […] The rounds are dedicated to various issues. The sweatlodge will take a holistic effect on body, vital energy, and mind. Additionally a strong spiritual dimension.
Flat fee: EURO 1,100.00 plus VAT
Silverbird also made appearances at various esoteric congresses in Europe. One of them was the so-called New Peace Movement in 2006, attracting well-known esoteric figures. They even published a VIP list at their site:
http://www.new-peace.com/index.php?id=283 The entry on Silverbird reads:
„Apache/Cherokee/Navajo, actor (Spirit of Pocahontas – narrator – Disney Production), musician (e.g. with Diana Ross, Eartha Kitt, Oliver Shanti), author, leader of seminars etc., UN peace ambassador; lives in Vienna.“
This event was advertised widely in the German language esoteric scene.
Another report on the above mentioned congress:
http://www.eso-garden.com/index.php?/weblog/C4/P15/This report mentions Silverbird, Kachinas Kutenai, Lightning Bear John Colbert, Devalon Small Lages, Standing Eagle having made appearances as speakers. The article presents a photo of Silverbird with Kachinas Kutenai.
Silverbird also participated in the Congress Spirituality and World Peace in 2003, together with Kohfink (Tacansina), Kachinas Kutenai, Standing Eagle, Devalon Small Legs. Silverbird did a 60-minute Welcome Blessing Ceremony:
http://www.avrecording.de/suw03.htm According to a site Silverbird maintains, he also took part in the Congress „Art of Healing“ in Graz/Austria in 2004:
http://www.silverbird.us/ cf. Gallery, fifth entry from top.
A list of participants is published here:
http://www.kidmed.de/forum/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=6094 .Participants include well-known esoterics like Chris Griscom. Apart from Silverbird, they had, Francis Mitchell, a Navajo medicine man, and „Tacansina“ J.-Michael Kohfink, Wa-Na-Nee-Che
Eso congress in Basel/Switzerland in November 2006:
http://www.psi-tage.ch/kongress_programm_samstag.html Silverbird appeared in four lectures/workshops, e.g. with the Guadarramas.
Another field of activities for Silverbird is events organized by Unification Church run by the so-called Reverend Moon (his followers are widely known as 'Moonies'). In researching Silverbird, I found reports on Silverbird having taken part in their events and activities from the year 2000 to 2010.
The oldest article mentioning Silverbird as a participant in an event is in a publication of Unification Church: Unification News – The Newspaper of the Unification Community, dated March 2000, Vol. 19, No. 3.
http://www.weltfriede.at/20030901.htm This is a report on a congress in 2003 organized by the „Interreligious & International Federation for Worldpeace (IIFWP)“, an organisation founded and maintained by Mun's Unification Church. The report says:
At the end of the congress, the Indian Reuben Silverbird, living in Austria, spoke about his experience as a peace ambassador and the many meetings he had during travels to Seoul, Milan, or Paris: „Every time I read the certificate on the wall, I feel challenged to commit myself more“. Chosen participants of this conference, among them the Indonesian ambassador, received the certificate of appointment as an ambassador of peace.
This paragraph seems to indicate that Silverbird's impressive title of an ambassador was rather bestowed by the Unification Church (and not by the UN) in the first place.
And this one is rich:
http://www.vereinigungskirche.de/ In an article (presumably dd. 2004) titled „European peace ambassadors give „peace crown“ to Rev. and Mrs Moon“, they write:
They were supported by four religious leaders: Rabbi Ernö Lazarovits from Hungary (Judaism), Dr. Rev. Hart from Great Britain (christianity), Sheikh Mamadou Ntchara from France (Islam), and Elder Reuben Silverbird from Austria representing the pre-Christian European Religions“.
Emphasis mineA UC article covering Moon's world tour from Sept 12 to Dec 23, 2005:
http://www.weltfamilie.at/Aktuell.htm„ […] Austrian Home Ministry banned the Moons from enterin the country and therefor from the possibility to found the Federation for Universal Peace in person. Still the Austrian branch of Universal Peace Foundation was founded on Dec 18 at Park Hotel in Schoenbrunn. In his laudation, Elder Reuben Silverbird pointed out that Austria may be in a position to ban the Moons, but not their thoughts and words […]“
This one is not dated – another lecture given to a suborganisation of Unification Church in Vienna/Austria. Silverbird claims cooperation with known fraud Sun Bear:
http://www.herzundhand.at/familientradition.htm J. Reuben SILVERBIRD (Native American)
Our aim of enabling cultural exchange brought Mr J. Reuben SILVERBIRD to our premises as a representative of the Native Americans. He is a descendant of three Indian peoples. He drew a moving picture of the inner riches of a culture [sic] which seen from the outside is so nondescript. […]
In many parts in films,. he again and again experienced the lot of the Indian peoples' heroes who approached the „White Man“ in trust to be disappointed cruelly so often. Eventually, he was called to develop an „Indian Village“ in Europe. It seemd to him the fulfilment of a dream he had with his good friend Sun Bear: creating a place of encounters with genuine Indian spirituality. He became ambassador of this Indian village at the park of Schoenau castle. […]
Silverbird is mentioned at a Moonie site from Norway:
http://www.enhet.no/nyheter2.php Reuben Silverbird, Ambassadør for den europeiske indianerlandsby.
The article is about a mass meeting in Seoul in 2000, and Rabbi Lazarovits mentioned above here gets mentioned as an alleged member of the Central Council of Jews. Silverbird is mentioned as an „ambassador for the European Indian village“.
http://www.tparents.org/unews/unws0103/wcsf_selig_report.htm Silverbird attended another Moonie meeting in 2001, as per Unification News for March 2001..
He signed a petition issued by the Moonies in 2009:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/goto/signatures Name: J Reuben Silverbird on Sep 22, 2009
Silverbird's signature was the 17th of a total of 545.
On June 6, 2010, Silverbird again attended an event organised by Unification Church:
http://www.famfed.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123:vermaechtnisdesfriedens&catid=57:berichte The Memorial Festival of Ascension and Unity
as well as the
Celebration of True Parents’ 50th Wedding Anniversary
was held in Vienna on June 6th, 2010, at the Headquaters of the Unification Movement of Austria.
[…]
Ambassador of Peace, Elder Reuben Silverbird, played flute music for a meditation prayer, followed by a prayer by Ambassador of Peace, Dr. Tigani, from the Muslim faith. […]
The Moon Movement/Unification Church has been mentioned here before, as there are other ndn persons whom they use for advertising and promoting their activities. Therefore, I also put up a thread on them here:
http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=2862.0 .
