Anyone who claims to be taught by Elmer Running....

[Mo]

At least a year ago there was a website made for Elmer. He is a legitimate spiritual leader for the Lakota. The website maker seemed a bit naive about the outcome and as most here could have predicted, things turned bad. Here is whats in its place. Just thought it should be noted in case anyone comes up claiming Elmer Running is thei9r teacher.


http://www.norbertrunning.com/

Thanks to all who have helped Elmer

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Elmer Running's website has been taken down from the internet. While I had great hope that this would help spread a positive message to others about the pipe way, and get some much needed financial support for Elmer, it has, in fact done just the opposite.

Donations to Elmer have been less than $200 sent in 3 years (mostly from sundancers). Yet, fools-who-call-themselves-wisemen have used information on the site to steal thousands of dollars from people, proclaiming that Elmer trained or endorsed them in some way.

This has come back on Elmer in a negative way and may even force his involvement in legal actions. I can't even come close to describing how much this sickens and angers me.

I ask that all of us spread the word through our personal contacts and address books to let everyone know that Elmer does not endorse nor train ANYONE INCLUDING HIS OWN RELATIVES, in in doing ceremony. Please also remind people that anyone who charges money for a ceremony is illegitimate. Perhaps we can at least limit these Grifters' opportunity to steal in the name of tunkasila.
 

[chiefytiger]

As a person who walks on the red road ,he should have never done that he first place ,nor allow to have a website and it serves him right doin that ,just goes to show that ppl like him shouldnt do that ,it came back on him ,a lesson he should take in consideration .

[RezDoc57]

Yes, it is sad that his hocoka has been abused for so long. I have actually never met Elmer or Norbert, but have spoken to Norman when Elmer gave him the hocoka as Gilly has been a disappointment and has taken to using pajee for ceremony. I sat with Gilly over ten years ago, and watched him play Indian for the wasicupi win sitting at his feet, and smoke his brains out with pajee. I have heard that when Elmer passed the hocoka to Norman, the next Sun Dance was destroyed by the Wakinyan and the Winds. Yes, his dream of a hocoka for all people has been abused and desecrated. And yes, he was considered to be a legitimate wicasa wakan by most people back home on the Rez. But most Lakhota were and are angry at him for sharing the sacred ceremonies with people that he did not personally know and trusted people that were false and led him astray. And they were neither Indigenous, whole or part, and they tried to bring their medicine and mix it with his medicine. I personally believe that he is paying the price for trusting the wasicupi and giving selflessly to all people. But he is also human and is not some nuage guru, and makes mistakes and is paying for them. 
Since I am mixed-blood, I am cautious about ceremony, with whom I sweat, with whom I pray. It is hard enough to be accepted by my Indigenous brothers and sisters, so I always am quiet, work on my humility, not "chase the medicine".  I work in our urban Indigenous community out here in the Bay Area, and plan to return home to South Dakota after my internship. Let us all hope that Elmer can find peace and freedom from the culture vultures that have "destroyed" his hocoka and walk his Red Road with his real tiospaye and community.