> You say that you "can not support those who would ban all non-
> Indians from our ceremonies..." etc. That is fine for Your Own
> Personal Tribal Ceremonies, Beliefs & Religion. One Indian can
> not speak for all Indians. If you & your tribe/tribes want to
> share your religion/s -- that is your business, right & gener-
> ousity. My tribes religions are not open to negotiation to
> non-tribal members.
IMHO Amy has a several import points here. She is correct in
stating that no one Indian or group of Indians can speak for all Indians,
yet we see so many trying to do just that. I believe that Amy was
speaking to my comment when she quoted "can not support those who would...."
Amy's point that one can not speak for all, was the point I was trying to
make. I can not support those who want to ban all non-Indians from our
ceremonies. That is to say, I do not want to be told by other Indians (or
non-Indians) whom I can sweat, Sundance, or other wise pray with. A lot
of "Indian" people and groups are trying to do just that. Amy said that
her tribes (Pawnee and Yakama) are not open to outsiders. Yet I have been
invited to both Pawnee and Yakama ceremomies. I have seen non-Indians
invitedand present at Pawnee ceremonies. I think the important point here
is that those individuals and groups who do not want to have non-Indians,
mixed bloods, non-tribal members, or for that matter anyone they don't
want present have the Right to exclude those. IMHO they do not have the
right to tell other Indians or groups that they must also. I can not
support the efforts by some local and national Indian groups to do exactly
that. In short I think Amy and I agree.
> I would be pleased if you could also support
> me & my tribes in retaining the sanctity of our religions by
> keeping them ours ( or more rightly, remaining the children of
> our religions) -- just as I will support you & your tribes desire
> to share & teach your traditions.
Again I will support Amy and her various groups right to be
exclusive, just as I support those who in my own tribe wish to be
exclusive. I will also defer to those who are willing to consider
"outsider" participation. However, I can not and will not support those
who try to sell, mis-represent or pervert my religion or that of others.
In this last case it does not matter to me if these hucksters are Indian
or non-Indian.
Mitakuye Oyasin
Jay
Cecala Ptehincalaska - Calf
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