Luke Jones, Washington DC
l_jones@pnl.gov
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Original Sender: Jacqueline.F.Keeler@Dartmouth.edu (Jake)
Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us)
[ This article relayed from the Usenet "soc.culture.native" newsgroup ]
Reprinted without permission from Ward Churchill's _Fantasies of the
Master Race_.
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AIM RESOLUTION
Sovereign Dine' Nation
Window Rock, AZ
May 11, 1984
WHEREAS the Spiritual wisdom which is shared by the Elders with the
people has been passed to us through the Creation from time immemorial;
and
WHEREAS the Spirituality of Indian Nations is inseparable from the
people themselves; and
WHEREAS the attempted theft of Indian ceremonies is a direct attack
and theft from Indian people themselves; and
WHEREAS there has been a dramatic increase in the incidence of
selling of Sacred ceremonies, such as the sweat lodge and the vision
quest, and of Sacred articles, such as religious pipes, feathers, and
stone; and
WHEREAS these practices have been and continue to be conducted by
Indians and non-Indians alike, constituting not only insult and
disrespect for the wisdom of the ancients, but also exposing ignorant
non-Indians to potential harm and even death through the misuse of
these ceremonies; and
WHEREAS the traditional Elders and Spiritual leaders have
repeatedly warned against and condemned the commercialization of our
ceremonies; and
WHEREAS such commercialization has increased dramatically in recent
years, to wit:
- the representation of Cyfus McDonald, Osheana Fast Wolf, Brooke
Medicine Ego, and Dyhani Ywahoo, all non-Indian women representing
themselves as "Sacred Women," and who, in the case of Cyfus McDonald,
have defrauded Indian people of Sacred articles;
- A non-Indian woman going by the name of "Quanda" representing herself
as a "Healing Woman" and charging $20 for sweat lodges;
- Sun Bear and the so-called "Bear Tribe Medicine Society," who engage
in the sale of Indian ceremonies and Sacred objects, operating out of
the state of Washington, but traveling and speaking throughout the
United States;
- Wallace Black Elk and Grace Spotted Eagle, Indian people operating in
Denver, Colorado, charging up to $50 for so-called "Sweat Lodge
Workshops;"
- A group of non-Indians operating out of Boulder, Colorado, and
throughout the Southwest, and audaciously calling itself "Vision Quest,
Inc.," thereby stealing the name and attempting to steal the concept of
one of our most Spiritual ceremonies;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Southwest AIM Leadership
Conference reiterates the position articulated by our Elders at the
First American Indian Tribunal held at D.Q. University, September 1982,
as follows:
Now to those who are doing these things, we send our third warning.
Our Elders ask, "Are you prepared to take the consequences of your
actions? You will be outcasts from your people if you continue these
practices" . . .Now, this is another one. Our young people are getting
restless. They are the ones who sought their Elders in the first place
to teach them the Sacred ways. They have said they will take care of
those who are abusing our Sacred ceremonies and Sacred objects in their
own way. In this way they will take care of their Elders.
WE RESOLVE to protect our Elders and our traditions, and we condemn
those who seek to profit from Indian Spirituality. We put them on
notice that our patience grow thin and they continue their disrespect
at their own risk.
--- Jacqueline.F.Keeler@Dartmouth.edu