He appears to me to be both fully Native, and fully an all-out New Ager. From
http://www.prophecykeepers.com/pathfinder1.html
"Jim PathFinder Ewing (Nvnehi Awatisgi), 52, is an enrolled member of the Southern Cherokee Tribe & Associated Bands in Texas, an Elder of the Manataka American Indian Council (Hot Springs, Ark.), a member of the Bear Clan Medicine Society (Russelville, Ark), a Bear Dancer (Yona Galisgisgia) and Water Pourer with training in Shamanism, Reiki and other forms of energy medicine.
He alternates living in Buffalo, Texas, at the tribe’s Ceremonial Grounds, and in Lena, Mississippi, where he practices, teaches, and holds Bear Lodge (Asi/Inipi) and leads a monthly Drum Circle, a prayer ceremony honoring the Native American Medicine Wheel.
A Registered Karuna Reiki® Master Teacher, Usui/Tibetan Reiki Master Teacher and sponsor of workshops by The Foundation For Shamanic Studies, he writes a monthly newsletter (“Keeping In Touch …”)..."
As for "Even if he is Native, he probably shouldn't be teaching or writing about his beliefs. Most tribes want to keep these things private, not make them public.", one Native elder I knew (now deceased) like to write books and share her wisdom. Her view was much more traditional than trendy new-age. Is there anything wrong with sharing knowledge?
Actually, this guy is not an Indian and is a fraud and culture vulture. Please go to http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=1398.0 and read about him. Also while you're there put "Manataka American Indian" in the search engine.
And yes, it is wrong to share knowledge with non-Indian people. A "real" traditional Native would never do that.
Thanks for the correction on the New Age fraud guy. I should have known by the "Pathfinder" name: seemed stereotypical. My mistake was not looking deeper than the real-looking tribe/etc names.
Real Indians have diverse views. I've met some who love to share their wisdom and knowlege. It's not a monolithic thing where all Native elders/etc are like Masons with secret rites, never broken, all like lodge brothers in lockstep.
Oh hells yeah, he's a fraud. For one thing, there's no such thing as "the Southern Cherokee Tribe & Associated Bands in Texas" as the Cherokee were forced out of here by the Texas Militia in 1839. For another, there is no Cherokee "Bear Clan" and if this guy knew even what you can find out about traditional Cherokee beliefs on the internet he would know that.
There's nothing wrong with sharing a tribe's knowledge if the tribe gives you permission. But there is something wrong if the tribe withholds permission.
It's like telling a business's trade secrets or a family's personal secrets. It's generally not the individual's (moral) right to decide.
If we're talking about someone's personal knowledge or wisdom, that's a different story. But a healing ceremony usually belongs to a clan or a tribe, not a person.
Rob, the one elder I was thinking of who shared a lot of knowledge was honored by her tribe... a real tribe... during her life and beyond. She shared a lot, but I think also kept a lot of specific sacred ceremonies in confidence too.
Writerfella here -- And there is a reason for that. When writerfella's Spider Clan Kiowan antecedents realized that their original cultural directions both had been diverted and shattered by EuroMan's incursions and genocide, then their medicine knowledge had become dangerous to any and all who would receive it as their heritage. Spider lore directs that it must be used for good and NEVER for evil nor personal gain nor with personal umbrage. Certainly it would work but would exact the same effects upon the invoker. A decision was made that only the safest and most innocuous incants would be transmitted to the young inheritors and that the bulk of it all would die with the parents. Thus whereas writerfella's great-great-great grandfather might transmogrify rattlesnake venom into a rattlesnake itself, or take grass and earth and sputum and spiderweb and turn those into an actual spider, such powers were not passed along. Why? Because they saw their children destined to become like EuroMan himself, wearing the same clothing, and the same shoes, and going to the same schools, and speaking the same language. And they knew that EuroMan uses and misuses and abuses and exploits anything he comes to know for himself. writerfella regrets such decisions but he also is wise enough to know that it came true... All Best Russ Bates 'writerfella'
He appears to me to be both fully Native, and fully an all-out New Ager. From
ReplyDeletehttp://www.prophecykeepers.com/pathfinder1.html
"Jim PathFinder Ewing (Nvnehi Awatisgi), 52, is an enrolled member of the Southern Cherokee Tribe & Associated Bands in Texas, an Elder of the Manataka American Indian Council (Hot Springs, Ark.), a member of the Bear Clan Medicine Society (Russelville, Ark), a Bear Dancer (Yona Galisgisgia) and Water Pourer with training in Shamanism, Reiki and other forms of energy medicine.
He alternates living in Buffalo, Texas, at the tribe’s Ceremonial Grounds, and in Lena, Mississippi, where he practices, teaches, and holds Bear Lodge (Asi/Inipi) and leads a monthly Drum Circle, a prayer ceremony honoring the Native American Medicine Wheel.
A Registered Karuna Reiki® Master Teacher, Usui/Tibetan Reiki Master Teacher and sponsor of workshops by The Foundation For Shamanic Studies, he writes a monthly newsletter (“Keeping In Touch …”)..."
As for "Even if he is Native, he probably shouldn't be teaching or writing about his beliefs. Most tribes want to keep these things private, not make them public.", one Native elder I knew (now deceased) like to write books and share her wisdom. Her view was much more traditional than trendy new-age. Is there anything wrong with sharing knowledge?
Actually, this guy is not an Indian and is a fraud and culture vulture. Please go to http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=1398.0 and read about him. Also while you're there put "Manataka American Indian" in the search engine.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it is wrong to share knowledge with non-Indian people. A "real" traditional Native would never do that.
Anonymouse
Thanks for the correction on the New Age fraud guy. I should have known by the "Pathfinder" name: seemed stereotypical. My mistake was not looking deeper than the real-looking tribe/etc names.
ReplyDeleteReal Indians have diverse views. I've met some who love to share their wisdom and knowlege. It's not a monolithic thing where all Native elders/etc are like Masons with secret rites, never broken, all like lodge brothers in lockstep.
Oh hells yeah, he's a fraud. For one thing, there's no such thing as "the Southern Cherokee Tribe & Associated Bands in Texas" as the Cherokee were forced out of here by the Texas Militia in 1839. For another, there is no Cherokee "Bear Clan" and if this guy knew even what you can find out about traditional Cherokee beliefs on the internet he would know that.
ReplyDeleteYes, you should be wary of anyone with a phony-sounding name such as "Pathfinder."
ReplyDeleteLocal Crank beat me to it, but the only recognized Cherokee tribes are in Oklahoma and North Carolina.
There's nothing wrong with sharing a tribe's knowledge if the tribe gives you permission. But there is something wrong if the tribe withholds permission.
ReplyDeleteIt's like telling a business's trade secrets or a family's personal secrets. It's generally not the individual's (moral) right to decide.
If we're talking about someone's personal knowledge or wisdom, that's a different story. But a healing ceremony usually belongs to a clan or a tribe, not a person.
Rob, the one elder I was thinking of who shared a lot of knowledge was honored by her tribe... a real tribe... during her life and beyond. She shared a lot, but I think also kept a lot of specific sacred ceremonies in confidence too.
ReplyDeleteWriterfella here --
ReplyDeleteAnd there is a reason for that. When writerfella's Spider Clan Kiowan antecedents realized that their original cultural directions both had been diverted and shattered by EuroMan's incursions and genocide, then their medicine knowledge had become dangerous to any and all who would receive it as their heritage. Spider lore directs that it must be used for good and NEVER for evil nor personal gain nor with personal umbrage. Certainly it would work but would exact the same effects upon the invoker. A decision was made that only the safest and most innocuous incants would be transmitted to the young inheritors and that the bulk of it all would die with the parents. Thus whereas writerfella's great-great-great grandfather might transmogrify rattlesnake venom into a rattlesnake itself, or take grass and earth and sputum and spiderweb and turn those into an actual spider, such powers were not passed along. Why? Because they saw their children destined to become like EuroMan himself, wearing the same clothing, and the same shoes, and going to the same schools, and speaking the same language. And they knew that EuroMan uses and misuses and abuses and exploits anything he comes to know for himself. writerfella regrets such decisions but he also is wise enough to know that it came true...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'