Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1993 18:31:54 +0200
From: Thomas Eriksson <nephilim@solace.hsh.se>
To: ceci@lysator.liu.se


TENTH MEETING OF THE TRADITIONAL ELDERS CIRCLE 
LONEMAN SCHOOL, WHITE CLAY DISTRICT
PINE RIDGE, LAKOTA NATION, SOUTH DAKOTA
JUNE 21, 1986
 
COMMUNIQUE NO. 9
 
The traditional Circle of Elders is composed of the respected leaders,
medicine people and elders of Native American communities throughout
the Great Turtle Island of North America and islands of the Western
Hemisphere.
 
It is they who are entrusted with the health, well-being and spiritual
needs of the aboriginal peoples and nations of the Western Hemisphere.
It is they who serve as guides and teachers for their nations and are
concerned for the welfare of the coming generations.  They are the
Grandfathers and Grandmothers of nations who still carry the original
instructions, ceremonies and medicines of the Native peoples of these
lands.
 
These people do not sell, trade or barter the sacred ceremonies for
profit.  Phillip Deere has been the only Elders Circle representative
to be delegated to represent us internationally at a conference in
Rome, Italy in 1982.  BE ADVISED THAT WE HAVE AUTHORIZED NO ONE TO
REPRESENT THE ELDERS CIRCLE INTERNATIONALLY FOR SPIRITUAL PURPOSES OR
FOR FUNDRAISING.
 
We, the Traditional Elders, again speak to the general public and
announce that people of our respective nations are complaining that
their ceremonies, pipes and sweatlodges are being violated by
NON-NATIVE individuals AND Native American individuals who purport to
be "medicine people".
 
This is a violation of our human rights, group rights, and a violation
of our religious freedoms.  The exploitation of the sacred symbols of
our ceremonies causes pain and distress among our people, and
denigrates the fundamental instructions of our cultures and teachings.
 
We cannot prevent people from throwing their money away on so-called
"Indian ceremonies" but we can challenge those who misuse our sacred
pipes, sweatlodges, and ceremonies.  So now once again we DEMAND that
these violations cease.
 
                               Ho lena hecetu kte lo;
                               Pila mayaye lo.
 
                               The Traditional Circle of Elders