August 01, 2007

Film on pipe exploitation exploits pipe?

Controversy flares over use of tribal pipe

Swedish film group denies exploitation before film's debutA simmering controversy over custodianship of the Lakota White Buffalo Calf pipe has ignited again as a Swedish film, "Spirits for Sale," is set for screening.

The film deals in part with the exploitation of Lakota sacred sites, items and ceremonies.

Arvol Looking Horse, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe whose family is the traditional keeper of the sacred pipe, has long been a source of controversy among some Lakota who question whether he is using the pipe for commercial purposes.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:53 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Someone named "apache_ndn" posted a lengthy comment here that began:

    "Controversial fraud Hunter and self appointed medicine man buster Dr. Alton Carroll, aka Educated Indian has never made public his Apache parent(s) family name nor has he been able to substantiate his claims on the record that one of his parents or grandparents is of Apache origin. There could be many reasons for this but for the time being he still remains an enigma."

    Since the original posting wasn't about Al Carroll, this comment is irrelevant. It's so long that it detracts from the actual subject of the posting. Therefore, I've deleted it. If Al Carroll's name ever comes up in this blog, then this comment will be relevant.

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  3. Al Carroll's comments on the film:

    I see that same tired article is making the rounds again, endlessly reposted by the same group of Nuage fanatics and racists. This article is a repost originally written by the same old English Nuage racist, John Lekay, who uses his website to promote a hairdresser named Suzanne Dupree who claims to be the "real" keeper of the Lakota sacred pipe. Lekay is the same one who tried to shut down NAFPS, and works with notorious white supremacist David Yeagley, as well as Yeagley supporter John Martin, best known for issuing death threats to a number of Yeagley critics.

    If the source of the article doesn't discredit it, then perhaps the fact that it manages to get almost literally every single fact wrong will. For the record:

    No one is making any money off the Lakota sacred pipe.

    No one ever tried to make any money off the sacred pipe except, ironically and hypocritically, some European Nuagers upset that Arvol Looking Horse would not permit that.

    The pipe never traveled to Sweden.

    No one ever asked for the pipe to travel to Sweden except, ironically and hypocritically, some European Nuage supporters of Lekay and Dupree.

    The film has been highly praised by every Native activist and leader who has seen it. It also won an award at the South Dakota Film Festival.

    The film also was made in conjunction with many respected Native activists and leaders, among them Arvol Looking Horse, Gayle Ross, Andrew Thomas, and a great many Lakota involved in the protection of ceremonies and protecting sacred sites such as Bear Butte.

    Al Carroll

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