PAGE 2 of MAIC's RESPONSE

But it fits within the pattern of discrimination existent at Hot Springs National Park that amounts to institutional racism against Native Americans that apparently has the support of the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior.

In this, AIHSC is a tool of the government, wittingly or not, in preventing Native Americans from exercising their legal rights. That’s particularly ironic since this anonymous and unidentified organization claims the title of "American Indian Heritage Support Center," actively engaged in doing the exact opposite!

We would ask the reader consider each MAIC charge in this document and our response before making any decision about our being a tool of the government or if we are genuinely concerned with the preservation of American Indian heritage.  Since MAIC admits that it is composed of many ethnic groups, we fail to see how any discrimination against American Indians can exist.  

It seems to us mighty coincidental that an anonymous web site claiming to represent Indians is attacking the ONLY Native American organization dedicated to protecting this sacred site from the government and preserving its character as a Native American sacred site, particularly when 80 percent or more of the references cited on this web site are National Park Service personnel who are named in papers filed in protest by MAIC with the government as the very same individuals barring Native American access to these sacred grounds.

Our website is no more “anonymous” than any other. Only two Hot Springs NPS personnel were mentioned as a courtesy for their responding to our information requests. Their responses to our requests are no different than they would be for any other inquirer or researcher. Any actions they have taken in the past or might take in the future are of no concern to AIHSC. Another example of MAIC’s disinformation pattern.

If it’s any solace to MAIC members, it very well could be that if a court were to determine that Fernandez and Blaeuer were acting beyond their official capacities in publishing a libel against MAIC via this web site, they could be personally liable for damages.

It’s possible, too, that Fernandez and Blaeuer could be putting the U.S. Department of the Interior at legal risk, as well, for damages for their conduct if a court determined that it were improper and committed under color of their authority as federal officials. Only a court could determine that, however.

But the inclusion of their asserted claims and viewpoints forming the basis of the document is certainly curious for what should be disinterested government officials in a matter involving Native Americans and their legal rights, particularly in an active case involving allegations of government discrimination denying indigenous peoples their religious freedom rights.

MAIC states that the organization is made up of individuals of all ethnic groups and different beliefs. Therefore, how can there be a singular denial of, or discrimination against, American Indians of their religious freedom rights? AIHSC supports the religious freedom rights of all, but not at the expense of the American Indian by exploitation and misappropriation.  

What better way to undermine assertion of those rights than attacks from a "seeming" third party that purports to protect Native heritage?

The question then becomes, do higher officials in Park Service and Interior Department know of these activities and support them? Given the fact that the discriminatory acts are ongoing, the evidence would seem to support the argument that they do and, hence is in fact a policy of the government whether formally written or not. The acts creating a hostile environment toward free religious _expression of Native Americans speak for themselves.

If MAIC has a complaint against the NPS, then that complaint should be directed towards the NPS. 

The Specific Claims

From time to time, MAIC, like any other organization, has been the subject of verbal or written attacks by disgruntled individuals. It’s best not to respond. Manataka has nothing to hide; its activities are open and public.

The Manataka web site is clear in stating MAIC’s purpose and open in publishing its activities, members, etc. But this attack is the most painstaking, detailed and systematic to date, with considerable potential -- and difficult to calculate actual -- damage to MAIC and its members.

Although MAIC might consider AIHSC’s review an attack, it is actually a review of their claims that is made to inform and protect others. AIHSC states that it is up to the individual to make their own conclusions as to the validity of either position.

We submit that the possibility exists that MAIC is damaging it‘s own members by misleading them to think that they are connecting with a true heritage. For example, both the Cherokee Nation and Eastern Cherokee have stated that legitimate Cherokee descendents who are not enrolled in one of the federally recognized tribes should not affiliate with these type groups. They should work to find their legitimate roots within the Nations. There are organizations within the Nations, or associated with them, that are in existence for that very reason. For example, The Cherokee Nation Historical Society holds excellent Genealogy Conferences every year in Tahlequah.

Some of the allegations on the AIHSC web site are so incredible, twisted and outright false misrepresentations, giving only one point of view (to discredit MAIC and maliciously malign its purpose and members), that to credibly respond to them is impossible – along the lines of "have you stopped beating your wife?"

As with any subject, other valid sources of information should always be looked at for confirmation. The view that we gave is in response to MAIC’s claims - the reader has two point of views to examine, theirs and ours. It will be the reader’s decision to make about who is “twisting and making outright false misrepresentations". The question “have you stopped beating your wife is easily answered with “I have never beat my wife“.

For example, it starts off stating that MAIC is a fraud organization that has "long been noted among many traditional American Indians and organizations as an exploitative and misleading corporation that is causing damage to both legitimate American Indian peoples."

How can a non-profit organization that is dedicated to honoring, preserving and protecting a Native American sacred site, with a mission of educating the public about Native American ways, and more 854 Web pages and 3,598 printed pages posted for that purpose, and ranks of dedicated volunteers (with no paid staff) performing that function in countless ways over the years, "exploitative," "misleading," in any way somehow not "legitimate" and "causing damage" to Native Americans?

Trolling and taking pages from other sites does not indicated that MAIC is dedicated to honoring or preserving anything, but merely a method to draw people to their website through search engines.

The Cherokees of Kentucky Chickamauga recently wrote us: "They have used two items from our newsletter, Green Corn, without our permission or that of the person who submitted these items for use in Green Corn only. They published her story and her name with the pieces. In looking at their newsletter - I always wondered why it was all different fonts and styles. I can see from what they published from our newsletter, that they went to our site and copied/pasted what they wanted. It's the same font, same style, down to the bold titles and italics. Our site and our newsletter are both protected by copyrights, and it says so on both. I wonder now how many other sites have been compromised by them."  As a result of the Cherokees of Kentucky Chickamauga contacting Mr. Lee "Standing Bear" Moore to complain about this, Moore retaliated with threats and demanded an "honor gift". 

These actions are not much difference from the act that MAIC took in deliberately labeling the title page of Manataka’s site to read “WELCOME - AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE SUPPORT CENTER AIHSC” in a server located in Canada. Thus MAIC’s website comes up for anyone conducting a Yahoo search for our organization. We submit that this is just one example of the deceit MAIC practices.  Try it yourself, then go to WHOIS for the site and see what MAIC has done .

Perhaps it hard for some to understand why AIHSC takes the position it does on MAIC. However, we are not alone in our stand in these matters. We suggest that the reader who is unfamiliar with the problem do a web search for spiritual theft,  cultural theft, or plastic shaman.  These sites will help to better understand why we consider MAIC to be exploitative, misleading, and causing damage to the American Indian.  

All our activities are open and explained, with full public participation invited. All tribes are welcome and our links with other Native American organizations and peoples is extensive, and cordial.

Who are the "many traditional American Indians and organizations" referenced? They aren’t the traditional American Indians who are MAIC members or the representatives of various tribes that have visited Manataka and gifted MAIC with sacred objects and tokens of appreciation over the years – including letters of support and thanks.

Many are the very same that MAIC claims have visited and participated in MAIC activities. These are all named throughout the site if MAIC really cares to pay attention. Included are those which outright deny they participated as claimed, such as the Seneca-Cayuga of Oklahoma and the Saginaw Chippewa. Others, such as the Osage, state that they have no connection with MAIC and that if any representative from their tribe did attend MAIC an event in the past they did so under false assumptions. The Cherokee Gourd Dance Society is referenced, they said that they were “suckered” and would never go back. Others contacted include the Seneca of N.Y., Six Nations of Canada, the Southern Ute, the Dakota-Lakota-Nakota Human Rights Advocacy Coalition, and the UKB. Some were not contacted, such as the “Ocali Nation" (The Ocali Nations Intertribial, Inc) because they are not real American Indian groups or individuals.

The AIHSC web site seems upset that non-Native people are included and welcome as members and even leaders of MAIC, as if a policy of exclusion toward white people would somehow give legitimacy to the organization.

Therein lays one major crux of the issue. The organization calls itself the "Manataka American Indian Council", which implies that it is a council consisting of American Indians. Councils give consultation and advice about matters, and are usually a administrative or governing body. In essence, MAIC is claiming through it’s name that it is composed of, and gives advice and governance to, American Indians. An organization using the term Structural Engineer in its name would be expected to be composed of structural engineers, an organization using the term Physician in it’s name would expected to be composed of physicians. Neither would be expected to have individuals outside of those professions as members.

As we stated on our website, Manataka and its members are free to do and believe in whatever they wish. However, we do not concur that this includes many of the statements and actions they take as an “American Indian Council.” Included in this is MAIC’s attempts to conduct NAGPR activities, which it has no lawful Federal or State right to do.

Non-Indians often play a critical role in many areas working with, and for, American Indians. This is highly valued. AHIC itself invites non-Indians who share our values for membership. This is stated in our Bylaws and on the internet. However, we do not call ourselves an American Indian tribe or council, merely a support organization.

While some traditionals hold such views, we do not. We believe that placing divisions between people is a common trait of the dominant culture and not of Indian ways. We are non-discriminatory and open to all people, all related, as stated in Lakota, mitakuye oyasin, or the Cherokee (Tsalagi), gus dii dada dv ni. We are one, one tribe, one people, all related.

See our previous comment. The term “mitakuye oyasin” is being misused here, an all too common event by non-Lakotas and non-Indians. As Mike Two Horses has written, it has become a mistranliterated “New Age buzzword” and that “The use of these two words in the kind of stand-alone mode that is so common now removes their true meaning, and turns them into a meaningless code phrase to announce that a non-Indian is "down with" us, among other equally meaningless uses.”

The AIHSC web site is also obviously not written by Native peoples, or at least those practicing traditional ways, regardless of the name it gives itself, for its displayed ignorance regarding Native spiritual beliefs and attempts to link Manataka with "fringe" groups, labeling some traditional Native ways erroneously as "New Age," and even, conversely, and somewhat ironically, condemning MAIC from a "Christian" perspective.

All present AIHSC members are enrolled in federally recognized tribes. We recognize fully the difference between the various tribal cultures and traditions and that which has been either bastardized or invented by New Age and other groups. We did not call the other groups “fringe“ groups - many are now found in the mainstream. But, and this is important, they do not represent genuine American Indian practices.

Notice how MAIC, who claims a non-Indian membership of many ethnic groups and religious beliefs, continuously tries to tell Indians how they are ignorant of their own culture and traditions. 

For example, how can AIHSC not know that "Great Mystery" refers to the Great Spirit? God? Creator? Or not know that "grandfathers" refer to the beings of the Earth and sky that are bigger spiritually than humans – as in the Tsalagi (Cherokee) Grandmother Sun and Grandfather Moon? Or grandfathers (stones) used in the Asi/Inipi (sweat lodge)? Such ignorance shows AIHSC itself as a "fraud" organization if it claims to live up to the name it has given itself of "American Indian Heritage Support Center." How can it "support" Indian "heritage" without knowing the basics of Native American spiritual beliefs and practices?

We can support American Indian heritage exactly because we do know the basics of American Indian spiritual beliefs. Each tribe, group, and location differ in this, and their deities are not a stereotyped “Great Mystery”. Nor do we mix them, such as the sweat lodge of the Plains and sweat lodge of the Cherokee, as in MAIC’s use of Asi/Inipi above. While the Cherokee did sweats, sweat lodges are not part of the traditional Cherokee religious practices. While we do know the basics, and specifics of our individual tribes, we do not know everything about all tribes. There is too vast of a variety. Is this ignorance? Perhaps it is to a point. However, we do have the intelligence enough to see little red flags pop up and talk to tribal people about their traditions when there is suspected misappropriation.

Spiritual misappropriation is only part of the problem when groups attempt to mix tribal customs. Different tribes have different beliefs and taboos. It’s all too easy for an individual in a group such as MAIC to break those taboos. For example, wearing parts of a bear as a necklace or other part of clothing is offensive to the traditional Kiowa. For them the bear is a brother, and wearing bear parts is the same as wearing parts of your brother.

It is a shame for the AIHSC web site to be casting a stone at the dead spirit of such a wonderful American Indian as Benito Gray Horse who honored and watched over Manataka during the early part of the last century despite tremendous discrimination against Native Americans in this region at that time – his widow isolated and left to fend for herself in her elder years.

We believe that the shame is entirely MAIC’s for using Benito Gray Horse’s name to further their own purpose. AIHSC did not cast any stones, but gave publicly available information on Mr. Gray Horse’s interesting history. Some of this information comes from his own letter writing and the past business he conducted. Bringing his widow into the picture is uncalled for.

And it is reprehensible for the AIHSC web site to be holding people up to ridicule because the "American Indian Heritage Support Center" apparently doesn’t understand the nature of bestowed Native names.

Ernie Eagle Water Bird Garza is a full-blood Jicarilla/Coahuilteco Apache who was given his name by his grandfather. Samantha Sweet Water McIlaney received her name from a Cherokee spiritual elder after days of fasting and prayer. Don Silent Bear Warren is a deaf and disabled man who got his name during Seneca ceremonies in New York. Most people come to Manataka with their own names. Those who do receive a name from a visiting spiritual elder through Manataka are bestowed the name only inside the sacred circle during ceremonies lasting several days. Anyone involved in this custom understands very well the way of gifting a name is not taken lightly. Many have waited many months to several years for spirit names. Some are never given a name -- as this way is not under our control.

There is no ridicule here. Each American Indian tribe has it’s own naming practices and patterns of names given. In addition we did not associate any of the names with the legal White cultural names of individuals. That many people use some Indian sounding names thinking that they are genuine and in accordance with a tradition is a sad commentary on how some organizations mislead those seeking connection with an American Indian heritage.  It is MAIC that apparently does not understand the nature of such names and naming practices. We have yet to identify any "spiritual elder" who is associated with MAIC to be a genuine  spiritual elder. 

Making jokes of these sacred ways is also not something to be taken lightly.

Whose sacred ways? The sacred ways of an MAIC Elder Council Member who is an “Ordained Universal Life Church Minister“? It is the misappropriation, stereotyping, and bastardization of American Indian ways that are the things that should not be taken lightly.

To Answer Some of AIHSC’s Claims:
Manataka is not associated with pagan, Wiccan or so-called New Age groups: We do welcome all people, of all beliefs, all races, and all nationalities. We do not discriminate against anyone on the basis of race, creed or national origin. Indeed, MAIC, seeking to protect the Place of Peace, where all tribes were welcome, seeks to follow that path honoring the Medicine Wheel of the four races: black, white, yellow and red. All are members of the five-fingered tribe.

Some of the major MAIC players are heavily associated with neo-Pagan or New Age groups, despite MAIC’s denial. Danny Jones, Director of Native Americans Of South Arkansas and former member of Manataka’s inner circle, quit the organization because of what he termed a connection with New Age, Buddhism, Paganism and Witchcraft.

One prominent member of MAIC’s Elders Council and other MAIC programs makes his living giving workshops on Harner Method of Core Shamanism, soul retrieval, psychopomp, extraction of spiritual intrusions, distance viewing/healing, sacred geometry, “the ancient teaching of the Mer-Ka-Ba“, and “energy medicine” training. All of which are New Age and none of which have anything to do with American Indian practices.

Mr. Moore himself has been associated with William Scott “Blue Otter” Anderson and his “Prophecy Keepers”. For those who are unfamiliar with Anderson or his Prophecy Keepers, the group deals with the paranormal (including UFO‘s). Anderson’s own scams are many, including the promotion of the establishment of an “Indian Nation” on a South Pacific Island to set up a bank and issue bonds to “buy back pieces of our ancestral homeland here in Turtle Island (North America)”.

We submit that Mr. Moore’s theory of aliens in starships blasting caves in Hot Springs mountains for sacred crystals is exactly a New Age concept.

Manataka is also prominently linked, mentioned or referred to in many New Age, Wiccan, and neo-Pagan internet groups. If Manataka wishes to remain independent of these, then they should ask that they be removed from such groups.

The use of the Medicine Wheel in their above paragraph is one other example of MAIC’s stereotyping and misappropriation. The Medicine Wheel is not a pan-Indian object, but regulated to specific tribes and areas. The spokes of a Medicine Wheel can vary up to as many as at least twenty-eight. The very mention of black, white, yellow and red races shows how recent the origin of MAIC’s concept is.