Welcome
to the
Scam Alert:
As strong Native American women, we are tired of being silenced by sugary-sweet Nuage apologists, so we're exercising OUR right to free speech! We're sounding the alarm on Nuage swindlers!
Their victims fall into two categories: the greedy and the gullible. The greedy seek to make a bundle and the gullible believe the most fantastic stories. There's a lot of Nu-agers exhibiting those qualities, so they are targeted by con-artists. Most of the perpetrators listed have been doing this for years. Many of them hang around legitimate Native communities like sharks, looking for any little detail that can make them look credible and help them polish their cons. They're all very, very good at what they do, which is LIE!!!
Everyone of the women on this Wall of Shame are fully knowledgeable of Native American objections to their "teachings", yet they continue to prostitute Native American spiritual ways for their own selfish gain: either personal or financial. They have shown no regard for the spiritual well being of either the Native American people objecting to them or the Nuagers whose money they take. They have repeatedly ignored the many protests from Native Amercans all over North America telling them over and over again that they find their tactics objectionable and urging them to stop the co-opting their indigenous spiritual traditions. But Nuage profiteers just don't listen.
Because they are no threat to the status quo, white society will never prosecute them. So, the only way to stop them is to EXPOSE them! In an effort to inform a gullible public, We have assembled this collection of female con-artists. I believe that to educate the public about the methods of swindlers is to empower them to make informed decisions. If you are a Nuager or a seeker, beware! The following Nuage gurus are making fortunes from cultural theft and racist demeaning practices:
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Calls herself "Lodge Mother" of the extremely offensive "Sweetgrass Lodge", it waslocated at: www.sweetgrasslodge.org, but it's been made slightly less ridiculous at http://www.weavewoman.org/grdmoms/index13.html
Around 1992 she started selling "Native American Graphics" as a Cherokee. She was exposed as a fraud, but re-emerged a year later, now claiming to be Lakota (that damn Dances with Wolves!) Once again, she was quickly exposed as a fraud. A year later she re-emerged again claiming to be a registered[sic] Ojibwe of the Butterfly Clan. (BIG MISTAKE!) This one is a real slow learner.
She used the phrase "Mitakuye Oyasin" through-out her web pages and referred to an image of Kokopelli as "Grandma". She used the artwork of Native American artist Debra Hiatt on her pages to help give her made-up Indian practices credibility. The so-called libelous, defamatory remarks she alludes to are actually complaints from Native Americans upset with the use of the sweetgrass braid to promote a Lynn Andrews, "Sisterhood of the Shields"-type con game. She steals this cultural object in the racist belief that she should be able to take whatever she wants and use it to promote her own huge ego and her sappy graphics.
After September 11, 2001 she went nuts trying to force NDN activists to watch what they say. She even tried to make people believe she had ties to the CIA. She made several irrational attempts to punish protestors by writing to the Presidents of various Universities. Click here for details.
Well Turtleheart has finally got the recognition from the Native American community that she's wanted for so many years - she made it to the Native America's Most Wanted List It just goes to show - be careful what you wish for.
Earth Circle Association
"Earth Circle, under the direction of Charlie "Red Hawk" Thom Sr., an allegedly "full-blooded Native American spiritual leader and medicine man from Northern California" offers the Sweat Lodge Ceremony to the public at various locations. Earth Circle claims to be a tax-exempt, nonprofit educational organization, yet 'membership' costs run between $75.00 and $700.00.
Sandra Matchen aka Sally Hardwick
Matchen is the owner of Whispers in the Wind website. (She wasforced to take it down about a year ago)
She is the daughter of mixed blood who falsely claims to be a Lakota elder. In reality, she promotes the fraudulent teachings of Wallace Black Elk. A former stripper at 'Sid Kings - Crazy Horse Bar', Sally was raised by White red-necks in Texas. She formed a fake charity called Walking Eagle Network, which purported to help the "destitute people of Spring Creek Community on Rosebud Indian Reservation, in South Dakota" and embezzled thousands of dollars from unsuspecting people who thought they were making donations to help impoverished American Indians. Like many other exploiters who have been exposed, Sally claims to have court records, a report from a private investigator, newspaper articles, etc... to prove her innocent. Nevertheless, she has been banned from the Rosebud S Reservation for her profiteering from her fake charity. For a transcript of the lengthy battle she has started against her detractors, Click here.
Rev. Josianne Antonette
A most offensive attempt to completely assimilate Native American Spirituality into the whitest-of-the-white, squeaky-clean-Christianity. The 'Reverend' promotes an "inter-faith sweat lodge" for men and women. She is actually a nurse, born in France. Like so many other crooks, she claims that a near death experience in 1964 lead her to the "self realization that led her to incorporate traditional Western psychology with her own native Shamanic traditions and mother earth spirituality." Now she's charging $275.00 for "Awakening the Soul" classes.
Carol Hannagan
For just under $1000 you can take a Sacred Journey to Sedona Arizona Hannagan claims to use the drum to enter the spiritual world by inducing a theta brain wave state. Any with $325.00 woman can join the Sacred Women's Circle and participate in a sacred pipe ceremony or a face painting ceremony. For the more well-helled wannabe, there's Vision Quests at a cost of $795.00. All the packages are endorsed with glowing testimonials from people using pseudonyms such as Snow Flower, Blossoming Flower, and Blue Feather.
Jeanne Marie Troge
Author of the extremely silly RavenFire Newsletter Troge offers a variety of unbelievably ludicrous workshops. Offerings include, Celtic Shamanism, rattle and drum making workshops, Mandalas as tools for healing, Reiki, and soul retrieval. "In this workshop we will learn about the four techniques of healing of indigenous peoples, discover where you are on your spiritual path, and experience a soul retrieval This workshop is for those of you who have been successful in working with your power animals and journeying. The Intro. to Shamanism class is a prerequisite.
"
Brooke Medicine-Eagle alternately claims to be Crow, Metis, Lakota or Ojibwe depending on the occasion. And she can provide you with a very fishy license and registration for any of the above. It doesn't contain her real last name, Edwards, and if you examine it closely there a parts which have been covered with white-out. She claims to have been given the vision of the "Flowering Earth Trainings". The vision has proved to be very lucrative. She runs a New Age resort at the Blacktail Ranch in Montana where she offers training in something she calls Wakantia. She encourages followers to become a Earth Mage. She conducts private telephone consultations at $100 per hour, or you can attend a "confluence" for around $2000.00. She spends her summers in Montana, but like all true Indians, must go to Arizona to "winter." Currently, she is promoting a practice called "skywalking" where one learns to leave the physical body and walk with the ancestors. A prolific fundraiser Brooke is currently raffling off an Eagle Wing Pouch She plans to open a resort on "The Crow Reservation." She has become so popular with the GnuAge that the Sonoma County Free Press issued an ALERT about her.
Linda Heron Wind
F.O.B. (Friend of Brooke's) Linda Herron Wind is the proprietor of The Changing Woman Vision Quests Camps
and the Mystery School which claims to teach these skills: "Basically the skills are those which allow the human to fuse with the Light Body and function as a fifth dimensional being. There are seven basic areas: spiritual attunement; knowledge of the mysteries; love mastery; manifestation; soul travel; mission fulfillment; and transcendence. Each of these involves experiential awareness, life integration, and initiatory tests."
In case you were wondering, "How Can I receive DNA activation over the telephone?" Linda has been looking for you. And if you're wondering What's the most asinine thing I can spend $100.00 on Linda's ready to meet your needs.
Mary Elizabeth Thunder
She claims to be adopted Lakota pipe carrier Like so many others, she justifies her exploitation as the result of an "afterlife experience." She claims to have been dancing the traditional Sun Dance since 1982. For a price she will ordain you as a 'Lightworker'. In order to keep her spiritual retreat nice and tidy, she is currently seeking donations for lawn-mowers. Everyone knows, a well manicured lawn is an ancient, traditional practice.
These days Mary's very busy taking spiritual tourists to Peru and charging them $3000.00 to communicate with Max the crystal skull - a big hung of sub-optical grade quartz that supposedly communicates with 'star people' from other gallaxies. Max has become something of a New Age "rock star" with the woo woo crowd.
Amylee has been running a big scam at the Michigan Womyn's Music festival for years. She's just an old hippie from Kent State, but she's found a way to milk the Lesbian/Feminist community for millions over the last three decades. She used to run the old Lynn Andrews "Sisterhood of the Shields" scam. Followers are encouraged to break ties with family members and friends who are suspicious of her constant requests for $300.00 for permission to make a shield. She also runs a fake non-profit nature preserve in Ohio.
Amari Magdalena
Institute for Shamanic Synthesis
Another plastic medicine woman who went through past lives regression and found spirit guides to tell her to move to New Mexico and start looking for that sucker that's re-born every minute. She explains the mystical power of shields as follows:
"Between the Tonal and Nagual Axis lie four different powers--energy centers called shields. Like shields of the warrior, these energies help us survive the material world through integration of the lessons of the four cardinal directions. Awareness of their presence in everyday life provide tools for resolution of life's challenging issues (especially relationships)"
Need something to keep your sacred rays in? Need to get youreggs cleansed? Got money to burn for: Nescafe Instant Shamanic Workshops, Earth Based Spirituality for Clark Kent Medicine Women, 21st Century Cross Cultural Synthesis the Shamanic Path, Advanced Awareness, & Application, Lakota Rain Drop therapy, Pipe Ceremony, Self-mask experience
, the Process Changing Woman Gateway, the Celebration of the Wiseblood Passage, Shamanic Shields, Shamanic Card reading, , Soul Retrieval and Recapitulation, Shamanic Tarot reading, or Keys to Wholeness Vacation Programs for Teens. Just add Apparently, you can just add "Shamanic" to any old con-game and you're ready to start exploiting!
What's next? Anyone for Shamanic three-penny ante?
For the indignant, a convenient comment form is thoughtfully provided.
Shaman Neeshanha
Her real name is Kat Lonegran. She's originally from Deleware but she's claiming to be a shaman of the Ojibwe and the Cherokee. She seems to be undaunted by all the Ojibwe and Cherokee who keep telling her they don't have shamans. She's a real marketing genius. She was selling a Shaman Kit online. You could go through
"shaman training class" in as little as two months for only $250.00 The e-mail is neeshanha@aol.com if anyone
wants to contact this person to see what's up. uses the She uses the signature "Mitakuye Oyasin".
Bear Visions has an entire page on her antics.
Cherokee Visions
"Psychic and spiritual counsel to the stars!...Love...Life...Romance...Finance...Dream Interpretation...Spirit Guides...Connection to 'the Other Side'...Answers...~Where Reality Meets Spirituality~
"
She's at it again. After being virtually shut down by
C.A.T. (Cherokees Against Twinkies) She's still charging $10 per question by e-mail and $25.00 for telephone readings.
Sheila Alexander Alich
FoxFire Institute - Cortez, Colorado
Don't let being a German stop you from exploiting Native Americans! Sheils, a German hobbyist herself, will teach you to be a professional shaman in only 106 1/2 hours! This twinkie is particularly offensive since she preys on Germans who hate themselves and their legacy. It seems that the German youth would rather be anything but German, and they will pay any amount of money to a charlatan who can sell them another identity.
Peggy Ischy at the Cortez, Colorado school, is taking on line applications for prayers. Just type in your illness, give out your credit card number and she will pray for you.
If you still have any dignity left, Carola Bongert and Carlos Rieder will take care of that. For a grand, they'll teach you how to make your own drum and encourage you to run around naked in the woods with it acting like a fool.
Lyn Roberts-Herrick
The Dreamchange Coalition This one's a shamanic/intuitive energy healer. She claims to works with Budhist inspired psycho-therapy. She also claims that she has been initiated by Siberian and Ecuadorian shamans, and has undergone extensive personal training with the Andean and Siberian Birdpeople Shamans. She published channeled book (oh how unique!) The Good Remembering which she claims is channeled by a "Starry Brotherhood." Yeah right! She's completely off her nut, so she fits right in with the psychiatric community.
Do you have 'issues' with Corporate American? Don't bother organizing politically, just shape shift it!
"Dr. Eve Bruce, a surgeon who heads up a plastic surgery clinic in Baltimore, not only believes in shape shifting and shamanism; she includes them as part of her practice." Maybe you could get your butt lifted and get really spiritual all in one visit!
Visit beautiful Camp Ronoma in Michigan where you can embark on a 5 day apprenticeship and emerge a Shaman. Then you can go on to Shapeshifting into Ecstatic Power Personal and Global Transformation
If you live in Michigan, it's important to claim to follow a 'Shaman' from thousands of miles away. Members of Dreamchange coalition claim to follow Ipupiara, (aka Dr. Bernardo Peixoto)a Brazilian shaman from the Uru-e-wau-wau people, who make their home along the Rio Negro in Brazil. (Who's gonna check?) Get a load of theseThree Shamans (more like Stodges) who, for the bargain price of $2900, will lead you on your journey to spiritual fulfillment.
Drumming Circles
Lyn Roberts-Herrick, is taking full advantage of the September 11th tragedies, to make a fast buck. If you feel bad, Ipupiara is available for cleansings and healings on an individual basis. For $100 he'll spend an hour Of course, if Ipupiara feels that progress cannot be made, or if you're getting too suspicious, he will ask that the sessions be discontinued and take a hike with your money.
Sara Annon
Global Elders.com
A Hispanic/Anglo from Santa Fe, NM using allegedly Peruvian techniques will take you on a journey to an alternate reality ( Luckily for her, it's a short trip). For $195.00, you can buy a "Direct Experience of the Alternate Reality" through Ceremony using Ritual Body Postures and Peruvian Whistling Vessels.
Iris Behr
Hidden Creek Ranch in Idaho
" Iris was the President and one of the major
shareholders of an automotive related manufacturer of electrostatic spray painting and paint circulation equipment in Michigan."
So of course she's qualified to mess with your soul. It seems the merger and buy-out of her company inspired Iris to buy Hidden Creek Ranch, located on 570 and surrounded by 250 square miles of National Forests. Isn't it amazing how many twinkies used to be part of Corporate American.
"We conduct what we call the 'General Pipe and Sweat Lodge Ceremonies' allowing participants to learn what many ancient earth cultures have in common."
Holistic Education and Roping classes, all at one place! Western Dance Night, Roping Lessons, Entertainment around the Campfire, and Pipe and Sweat Lodge
Ceremonies to boot. They even have a form where they ask where you heard about them. :)
The Earth Keepers
Need your Saliva Tested? Got a burning interest in Vibrational Therapy, Crystal Layouts, or Whole Brain Management? Need your DNA healed?
You should be able to find it in this assortment of mixed nuts from, where else? Sedona, Arizona?
Francie White
Windrise Spirituality Center in Metamora, Michigan
A Jungian psychotherapist, Francine decided she could make more money collecting $395.00 for Sweat Lodges that help women overcome eating disorders. Has anyone ever seen an anorexic Native woman?
Little Deer (aka Maribeth Theisen)
Protests from various Native groups have forced her to add a disclaimer " PLEASE NOTE
THAT HER SEMINARS ARE BASED ON GENERAL SPIRITUAL OR
PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND DO NOT INCLUDE ANY
TRADITIONAL TEACHINGS."
Rainbow Medicine Lodge (Jan and Peridot)
Divination, The Oracles, Vision Quest, the Tarot, Psychic and Intuitive Reads, Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Meditation--Private channeled readings are $35.00. You may pay through PayPal.
Silent Eagles Haven
Have a comment? Send her an e-mail at: deeszoo@westnet.com.au
Wolf Moondance
Popular author with the New Age because of her obsession with all the colors of the rainbow. Got a problem? Learn how to treat it with purple!
Swan Storm (FOB)
The author of Seven Arrows. She is very upset about the Lakota Declaration of War. Like most frauds, they will attack any one who threatens their ability to make an easy buck - even legitimate elders.
This is Hey Whaterver Storm's wife. She claims to be ? how convenient ? Metis. Right now, she's busy conducting workshops called The Zero Chiefs and the Feminine. Zero Chiefs are supposedly women from the Cheyenne Nation, but sometimes they?re Mayan -- like when it's more kewl to be Mayan.
Shawna Carol
founder of the SpiritSong Center She's been running Sweat Lodges at the Sirius Rising retreat center.
"Each person will be initiated into the practice of singing their essence song,
which we call SpiritSong. No previous singing experience necessary. It promises to be a magical week of deep play and song, complete with pond for swimming."
If they advertise a workshop with: "...as seen at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival" it's a sure indicator of complete crap. $475.00 Sweat Lodges or attend a Woman's Rebirth Initiation Weekend.
Extra Shameful Kooks and Crooks
Ku Istan
Apparently having a degree and looking a lot like Madame Blavatsky entitles you to lighten the wallets of the gullible 'two-spirit' community.
Trishuwa
Yet another instant-pipe carrier with a whold gaggle of pseudo-feminist sweat lodge groupies.
This one offers a An Earth-Centered Correspondence Course where you "learn how to create your own personalized ceremony." The irony escapes her.
She appears to be one of the few hucksters who hasn?t read our checklist. She offers tarot readings for $75.00,
"Trishuwa consults the Tarot for your healing and enlightenment. Using a Medicine Wheel spread the cards are windows to revelation and wisdom."
You can see how committed this one is to lightening the wanabii wallet by her statement, "those that are called, is an additional cost of $500 ? $700."
The site is full of the usual buzzwords that indicate fraud "spiritual intention of the altar and the Pipe Bundle". This one?s pretty arrogant. She claims that sacred ceremonies not relayed to legit NDNz are "each person's birth rite" and later refers to them as each person?s "your bite right" Non-NDNZ say the darndest things!
Read about how caring and loving she was when confronted by REAL NDNZ!
Please support this groups efforts by offering your constructive criticism.
For more information, please read our Checklist of Exploiter Characteristics
*******An Excellent Resource*******
Native America Calling Spirituality Abuse: An Invisible Crime
First aired on Thursday, January 30, 2003
"Medicine men and women throughout our Native communities serve many very important roles including the retention of our Native cultures and languages and providing mental and spiritual healing. They are revered as wisdom keepers and protectors of our people. Unfortunately, some have abused their roles by victimizing the people who come to them for help. Is the abuse of spirituality completely turning people away from traditional means of healing? How does one know if a traditional healer may have negative intentions? Are there signs we should know of? Guests include Arvol Looking Horse Babette and Ray ?Skip? Sandman from Fond Du Lac, John and Sandra Witherspoon of Charlevoix, MI, founder of Great Lakes Origins from the Bois Forte band of Ojibwe and Mimi Sa Grand Portage Rez and advocate of culturally competent therapy."
We need to re-empower our people to stand up and say NO! to spiritual abuse.
Making their abuse known takes the power away from the abusers.
Exposing them is the most powerful thing you can do!
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Unfortunately, the list of exploiters grows longer every year. For a list of exploiters who are holding sweats this summer who are NOT entitled to do so, CLICK HERE.
Please support the cultural activists who are losing the battle to preserve the integrity of Native American Spiritual practices. Every time you confront someone who attends one of these sweats, it helps to stop the destruction of our spirituality. Even the smallest statement challenging spiritual abuse will help to force people to think seriously about this issue.
Gidinendamin Miskwaagamiiwizaaga'iganing.
Gigashkendamin. giwii-minjimenimaanaanig.
You are the
to learn about these sleazy
exploiters since January 26, 2004
Thank you for your interest.
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****NEW!!!!
Starting in the Spring of 2008 we will be sending out a newsletter with information about the newest frauds and fakes. Until then, post questions to our new message forum and have REAL NDNS give their opinion of the individuals who claim to sell our spirituality.
Be responsible. Check out your shameons claims by contacting LEGITIMATE tribal leaders. CLICK HERE for the 2007 list of tribal leaders.
Coming in the next newsletter -
an updated list of authentic Native political and spiritual leaders arranged by Nation
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last updated February 27, 2008
Our New e-mail address is: stillshameons@gmail.com
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CREDITS:
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