NAC and Non-indians

I read the following newspaper article printed in the Salt Lake
Tribune, this past Sunday, June 10, 2001. I would like you to note
that David Hamblin is not native. I have been following the story.
This is his opinion, there are other factors not related in his story,
that Native American members of NAC don't sanction the "selling" of
peyote during ceremonies, and charging an "offering" as this guy has
been doing.

Normally at NAC meetings the majority of those that attend are
Natives with a few non-Indians who participate. In relation to this
story, a native american road chief has been chastized and advised by
the body of native NAC members that teaching and training non-natives
to run meetings will result in the misuse of the practices, such as
happened in this case. The road chief has been shunned by his own
people and has left Utah for another state, he was told by everyone
that his teachings were wasted, and as a result a renegade group is
using NAC as a cover to operate under their own umbrella. One of the
concerns voiced was that such use by non-Indians will result in the
taking away of basic fundamental native religious rights from Native
Americans in their practice of their NAC beliefs.


The circumstances of this incident are being discussed by natives
throughout the country in NAC meetings, two weeks ago it was
discussed in Chinle, and last weekend in Macy, Nebraska, where
Natives from several reservations travelled literally days to attend
the NAC meetings and gatherings. This weekend those who attended in
Nebraska are going to NAC meetings on Oklahoma, Wyoming, Nevada and
Oregon, with each person going back to the their own homeland to
discuss the matter as NAC meetings in the coming weeks throughout
Indian Country.


It seems that when non-Indians get involved in traditional teachings,
native practices, religion, traditional rites and ceremonies they
come with the desire to observe, offering words of respect and
kindness, as they become acquainted with the people, they involve
themselves a little at a time, preparing a sweat, the meal, chopping
wood, preparing the smokes, and eventually want to participate in the
meeting itself taking on a small insignificant role and then become
more involved with the operation of the meeting. In time they begin
to advise those their how the meeting should be run, and become an
expert in the area, and begin to mix their own idealogies with native
beliefs. The end result is like this case, where this "psuedo-
practitioner" bought his own tipi, and set up his own site and became
a religious leader with his own following, where the people in
attendance were not natives at all. These abuses when they occur have
a negative fallout on all native people.


These rogue practitioners do more harm that good, and I would
encourage native people to consider carefully the inclusion of non-
Indians in traditional ceremonies, native religious practices and NAC
meetings. In consideration of this story posted from Utah newspapers,
it is one man's opinion, who is not native, Indian or a member of
NAC. As for myself, it concerns me that native ways are twisted and
turned for naught, the selling of native beliefs is carried out in a
carnival atmosphere with clowns who make fools of us.

Johnny Rustywire