There are eight questions here with answers. The last two Q&A are very important, because they deal with what the prisoners want you, the reader, to understand the most about them and their struggle. At the very end is a letter from Randall 'Shield Wolf' Trapp, one of the plaintiff inmates in Trapp v. Dubois. If you'd like to get in touch with any of these men, please e-mail me and I will get permission to release their real names (*) and addresses to you.

You can also find names and addresses of Native American Prisoners needing penpals at my Native American Penpal page.

Alex Montana, direct descendant of the Noconi and Penateka bands of the Comanche Nation. Incarcerated in Texas: Prison officials have a tendency to strip an individual of his/her identity. In my case, while prison officials have not succeeded in doing so, the lack of religious and spiritual programs for Native Americans on a whole creates an environment where Native American spirituality is accorded less acknowledgment and/or respect as a legitimate religious faith requiring the equal protection that other faiths in prison are given. This type of unequal protection makes it even more difficult for Native prisoners to overcome the racial prejudice and discrimination, at the hands of the prison officials, in their struggle to practice the religious culture associated with Native Americans.

'Ravens Voice', direct descendent of the Ani'tsa'lagi (Cherokee). Incarcerated in Washington State: In our system here, we all (full bloods and other breeds) have had to continually stress the need for Native peoples to practice, observe, and participate in ceremony, fast, sweats and other areas of our spirituality. It is a way of life, not some pseudo religious practice. The DOC officials here seem to think that they know how it is that we are to practice and observe our spiritual beliefs. They purposefully create internal policies and directives to restrict, inhibit, and interfere with our practices and beliefs. As Native prisoners practicing our 'faith' we are continuously under fire because of our implements, our herbs, roots and barks, our pipes, drums and lodge areas. Our 'personal privacy' in all these things is totally non-existent. We have no privacy to even use the toilet. let alone perform and partake in Sweat Ceremony, Pipe Ceremony, etc. There is always someone in a state blue uniform, totally ignorant of the prison's policies, not to mention federal and state laws allowing our practices and involvements, who comes along and violates the particular practice or Ceremony. We are constantly stressed over our personal 'Sacred Items' (their terms), and must have violated by means of institutional inventory, each rock, feather, piece of hide or implement of our personal or Circle's use so that they can find ways to restrict, inhibit and further disrespect our ways and each of us as individual, intelligent thinking human beings. To be more specific would be to get into legal arguments and it's well known that when the two (Cultural spirituality and Constitutionality) collide, there are wars both on and off the battlefield.

Chris 'Black Crow' Bousquet, Wampanoag descent originally (adopted into a white family as a baby - so he's not sure of his exact Native descent). Incarcerated in Massachusetts: It is all about religious freedom - the giving and taking of sacred items, personal things and Council items. There is also the mental torment - of making one feel less worthy, less than whole ... for the prison officials want the control - to squeeze us down, to oppress us, to make fun of us to fill their egos.

'Owisnii' Oswiiguh', Sandusky Seneca/Mingo-Zaishta, Member of the High Swan Tribe (Blue Snake Clan). Incarcerated in Washington State: Ban of head bands, except for those with Eagle or Buffalo design. Refusal to put in proper toilet in lodge area. Men have to use the porta-potty design, leaving them without privacy of any kind. Religious items are left up to the non-Indian Chaplain to decide if they are sacred or not. Fry bread, when blessed, is sacred and for ceremonial purposes, but whenever Indians receive it, the entire institution gets it too, ruining the sacredness of it. Personal hair is very important and has a lot of power, but we are not allowed to keep ours when we cut it.

Pierre, Iroquois Seneca (Turtle Clan). Incarcerated in Washington State: The continued harassment behind allowing us all our sacred rights. From sweats and pow wows to smudging in our cells.

'Lone Wolf', Apache. Incarcerated in Washington State: Personally, I feel that we don't have the proper amount of time on Sweat Day to do the ceremony in the proper manner. Three and a half hours isn't enough time, without rushing, to do things completely. Often we don't have time to have our Pipe Ceremony. Whenever a Native goes out to smudge, he is harassed by the police and the smudge area is located in a common smoking area where the verbal negative is prevalent and one feels like he is on stage for the rest of the population. We have been forced to make our four seasonal fast available to the whole population in so far as our traditional food (fry bread) is served to the whole population. No other group has its spiritual or religious foods served to everyone. I explained to a female officer about our spiritual beliefs concerning a woman being in the lodge area when on her Moon Period. At the time she said there was no disrespect in what I told her. But two hours later, after she talked to the white Chaplain, she infracted me for sexual harassment. There were three Native Americans present when I talked to the officer and all wrote witness statements, but it had no bearing on the outcome of the hearing.

Sean Maney, Yankton Sioux. Incarcerated in Washington State: White men have no understanding of our spirituality. They believe the only religion is 'their' religion. They look at our circle as some type of modern day "gang thing." We can't wear our traditional red head bands because of the color. They will never understand an ancient religion such as ours. They show us this all the time, in one way or another.

'One with Fire', Apache. Incarcerated in Washington State: Over an eight year period of time I've been in different prisons, and I have seen most of 2000bb Religious Freedom Act overlooked at different times. It seems prison officials try to make inner institutional policies work in their favor by overlooking federal laws if they can get away with it.

Alex Montana: Sweat Lodge Ceremonies and smudging are prohibited. A medicine pouch is allowed, however, it must be kept within a prisoner's locker, inside his cell. Nevertheless, many unit wardens do not adhere to institutional policy in this regard. Also, a prayer Pipe Ceremony is allowed, however, it is only conducted indoors, in either an enclosed booth or locked cage, and only permitted once per week, at the discretion of unit officials. Note: many wannabes participate in the Pipe Ceremony under these conditions.

'Ravens Voice': If I am willing to have my spirituality and personal privacy invaded, my ceremony and practices 'observed,' then and only then am I allowed to participate in these activities. I am allowed, to a point, to possess many of the implements of my spiritual practices, but I am oppressed and restricted both (I feel) illegally and immorally, because if it's not 'their way' it's no way at all, and this is simply and clearly unjust and ethically wrong and a direct attack upon my 'chosen religion' (hate that terminology for my culturally sound practices and beliefs!).

Chris 'Black Crow' Bousquet: Smudging, Pipe Ceremonies, prayer, meditation, listening to music and solstices. Long hair is allowed as long as there's no appearance change. Otherwise, we must pay for a new I.D. Head bands are worn by the older members ... new members are harassed.

'Owisnii' Oswiiguh': Long hair is allowed. Medicine bags are generally not worn because of problems with a few of the guards, who, in most cases, do not realize the powers of them (that the power will sometimes go out totally by their handling or that it will go into them in a bad way). I could go to all of the ceremonies, but I refuse (as many Elders do) to contaminate myself, our medicines, or our power by association with street Indians whose main idea of sacred is to two-face and deny Elders entry without bad words, if those Elders are Christian, Shakers, etc., or if they do not agree with the generic teachings of book Sioux ... or disagree in the running down and casting bad feelings and words to some of the Brothers who are in prison for any crime of a sexual nature ... in fact, shunning them when they should be helping those Brothers. The crime should be left in the courtroom of the white man's place, not carried into prison for so-called BROTHERS to cut down their own kind of people by race.

'Lone Wolf': We have the Sweat Lodge on Saturdays from 12pm to 3:30pm. No special Pipe Ceremonies are allowed or done. We can have long hair, wear head bands (of certain colors or designs). Medicine bags are permitted, but subject to inspection if asked. No beaded necklaces or chokers are permitted, unless worn during ceremonies. I wear a medicine bag and an eagle headband.

Alex Montana: To the best of my knowledge, not one Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice (TDCJ-ID) Unit has a Native American spiritual advisor. Unit Chaplains fall into the category of Protestant, Catholic, and Muslim. If a Native prisoner wishes to consult with a medicine man/spiritual advisor, he must do so by placing the individual on his visitation list, consulting with the individual during visitation hours in the visiting room.

'Ravens Voice' Here you touch on a very VERY sore subject. Especially with this man. Because ... the Chaplains that work for the Dept. of Corrections are little more than just a glorified title of 'Chaplain' from 'officer'. Yes, there are local Native peoples that 'volunteer' a DOC contractual amount of time to the prison facilities in this state. Does the DOC Chaplain honor or respect my Native spiritual views? Absolutely not!! He is neither a minister or even a "holy" person in my book or in many, many others' either. He is instructed to inhibit, to agitate, to restrict and to make life miserable for the Native American prisoners who practice our beliefs. My relationship with Jesus people is naught. It is truly the hidden design of this particular Chaplain that, if your "religion" is not DOC, then he does not recognize it and does little to encourage or assist you in it. Biased? Yes he is. Absolutely and totally. His views and beliefs or none Occasionally (but rarely) our outside 'advisor' does perform ceremony for us.

Chris 'Black Crow' Bousquet: We have no Native Chaplain. We have/had our medicine people come in and get the Circle started. When they are not here, inmate Randall Trapp runs it, and if not him - then myself. Medicine people come when they can. One is sick right now and can't come. Another comes once a month.

'Owisnii' Oswiiguh': The Chaplain respects and honors my views as much as he possible can, under existing circumstances. I believe the Chaplain is doing good. He is not Indian. He respects my personal spiritual views, but does not necessarily agree with them.

Pierre: We have a Native Chaplain who works under the Christian Chaplain. Our Native Chaplain is constantly stepped on, disrespected and dismissed out of turn.

'Lone Wolf': A white Nazarene Chaplain is in charge of our spiritual program. My relationship with him - he leaves me alone and I leave him alone. There isn't, as I see it, any use in getting in a spitting contest with a snake.

'One with Fire': As far as I am concerned, the Chaplain here tries his best to take things away from us and tries to tell us what medicines we can and can't have for our personal bundles. I don't think he cares about our way of life or what it means to an Indian person. To me, it's a way of life, not a religion, and it's a very sacred way of living life - to be in balance with all of creation. I believe he would like to see more taken from us. He believes our spiritual ways are satanic.

Alex Montana: My spirituality has been a part of my life always. And I have always preferred to follow the traditional ways of my people, something of which I am very proud.

'Ravens Voice' I grew up learning the ways of not only the old, but the contemporary Native. I traded with many of the various tribal reservations, hunted and gathered, grew my own food, and lived in the mountainous areas of the Northwest. I have traveled to the Southwest and visited the Native peoples there. There are those who come to prison, having grown up in the urban cities and small towns, who have little or no understanding or idea of their 'roots'.

Chris 'Black Crow' Bousquet: I did not know about it. I was raised by whites. I discovered it while in prison. It has changed my outlook, yes - closer to my Native roots and also to how life is supposed to be as a human being.

'Owisnii' Oswiiguh': I grew up with it. Closer and more respectful of all religions not like mine. It brings old power closer each day.

'Lone Wolf': I've practiced my Native spirituality for over 25 years both in and out of prison. It has brought me into closer contact with myself and with humans in general.

'One with Fire': I have practiced it all my life. It has made me a better person to live the old ways. It is when I stray away from the ways that I get out of balance with all that is. That's when I get in trouble. It has brought me closer to the Creator and helped me to be a better person in life and to become in balance with all things around me.

Alex Montana:Most other prisoners support me in the struggle. Prisoners know, as a precept, the success of even one prisoner against prison officials opens the door for similar challenges of institutional policy.

'Ravens Voice' Honestly, many are very resentful of my knowledge, of my spiritual centeredness. They are biased in their Christian upbringing and the cultural genocide that has been pounded into their heads since birth. They are prejudiced and make daily half hearted plays for the gate (release through their 'prison bible thumping'). We, as Native peoples, desire only to be left to our ancestral ways...

Chris 'Black Crow' Bousquet: Most treat me okay because I'm big. When in spirit, people have to respect you at the moment.

'Owisnii' Oswiiguh': Some are resentful. I am treated with respect by most others and with minimum respect by the street Indians.

'Lone Wolf': Most prisoners respect Native American spiritual rights and don't have negative comments about it.

'One with Fire': Overall, I feel that most people accept us for who and what we are.

Alex Montana: Native prisoners have a tendency to be more spiritual in their religious beliefs, recognizing that their race is more attune with creation and nature itself. Native prisoners have a greater sense of how religion can benefit character and build greater pride in one's race. Native prisoners do stick closer together, and not so much because they are not many in some prisons but rather, because of the bond affiliated with Native Americans in overcoming adversity and joining in a common cause of struggle.

Chris 'Black Crow' Bousquet: Most feel that we want too much - to be special. When we really don't want much at all.

'Owisnii' Oswiiguh': The difference is, that even those street Indians have the residue of the old ways in their blood and although they do not use it in a good way, they know they have it. Some stick together, but they do not do it out of mutual respect, in most cases, but just to have a 'gang' behind them. A safety thing for them. Most Elders and a few of the youngsters seem to group at times, to discuss traditions and the old ways of power from various tribes. Indians are the least violent faction in the prison systems.

'Lone Wolf': A common background in which we all believe in honoring Mother Earth and in giving back and sharing. In some cases, we do stick closer together but some lines are drawn according to what a person is locked up for. There isn't much violence at all at this place. Brothers have a tendency to put their own down and point fingers and talk about each other. This goes against most tribal beliefs. What does being a convict have to do with being an Indian and walking in balance? They should be helping each other and reaching out a hand to a Brother.

Sean Maney: One thing about us Brothers is that we're always there for each other. We keep our problems in the Circle.

'One with Fire': Most Indian people who walk a true red road stick close together and try to help others to do the same. They try to help each other grow stronger spiritually and keep culture and traditions from being forgotten and lost.

Alex Montana: The Native American religion deserves the respect and recognition of other mainstream faiths. When Native prisoners are denied a reasonable opportunity to practice the respective religious beliefs of their tribe, they are effectively being denied to live their lives according to the culture and tradition of their ancestors. For the Native American, religion and culture are inseparable. We are prisoners, true, but we are Native Americans above all, and as anyone who believes in God, we also love the Creator, and only wish to worship Him as our ancestors did, as we were taught.

Chris 'Black Crow' Bousquet: We are not asking for much. People should get off their high horses and listen - maybe they'll learn something.

'Owisnii' Oswiiguh': That we need spiritual assistance at all times. We are generally in need of medicines and we need people with law training to speak for us without charging us a lot of money. We need mail of a good kind always. We are a people not used to walls for the most part and we need prayers in the old way to help us, as we cannot help ourselves very much in here. We need them to not let the Creator abandon us.

Pierre: We need spiritual leaders to step in and take a more active role.

'Lone Wolf': To understand that this isn't the 16, 17 or 18 hundreds and that we have a right to our heritage and spiritual beliefs. Just because it isn't written in a book, a lot of the whites in charge think we're making it up. They look at us like some kind of freaks because we honor rocks and trees and grass and all kinds of life.

Sean Maney: To know that we're keeping our traditions alive and learning to pass it on to the young ones.

'One with Fire': They shouldn't look down on us because we messed up and got locked up. Keep praying for us - that we stay strong and that we heal while we are in prison, if we are drug addicts or alcoholics or just spiritually broken down. Remember that most of us are pretty good people who made some bad choices in life and that a lot of the people locked up got here because of being suppressed and kept down as a minority people. This caused them to turn to drugs, alcohol, crime, etc. There need to be more places for Brothers and Sisters getting released from prison to go if they don't have anyone else to go to.

Alex Montana: What I would like to see Native people do on the outside is petition local legislature to pass a bill that would mandate prison systems to make the appropriate accommodations to allow Native prisoners to practice the basic tenets of their religion based upon a number of prison systems that already have such spiritual and religious programs in place.

'Ravens Voice': Native peoples in the free world can pull together to do what is right. Do what is necessary to further secure the rights of Native prisoners to re-learn who they are, who their people are and not be such a willing part of the denial and the 'turning their backs to' the Brothers, Sisters and Elders that are incarcerated. We know that we strayed away from our red and white roads. We are the last that need to be daily reminded of our own mistakes and the weaknesses that were the results of our own downfalls. Modern prisons have little concern for our bettering ourselves as Indians and only in their design are they (correctional people) caring of our learning to function. They take away even our personal rights to think and do for ourselves. For our people and ourselves to look after each other. They take from us all our incomes, even our clothing and our food at times. We must function as minions of the Big Brother syndrome and if we do not come to their way of thinking, we are left to rot in here. Letters ... YES please. Postage .... please. There are publications and such that would be most welcomed but most of us depend upon only ourselves as most out there are too worried where their next fix or drink is going to come from. People outside have little idea how difficult it is to survive. Particularly Native prisoners. Without the support of our people, we really have no opportunity to rise above the ideals that continue to land us in these places. All donations of anything that comes as gifting or of the kindness of the peoples' hearts, is most welcomed and graciously accepted and gratefully received.

Chris 'Black Crow' Bousquet: Yes, people can write letters. Not too many do. Maybe they're having hard times themselves. Money for postage and international publications - yes. Tapes for music, videos to learn from. We especially need volunteers to come in.

'Owisnii' Oswiiguh': Lobby for more human rights for Indian prisoners. Make an effort to find out the REAL facts about Indian convictions and prison treatment by the Americans. Tell all Brothers to BE Brothers to each other and not two-faces. I would like to receive the Oklahoma Indian papers, but not the Cherokee kind.

Pierre: We don't need money ... we need spiritual support!

'Lone Wolf': Write letters to our Congress people, the Governor and the Dept. of Corrections. Send medicines which are always in need. Help with legal representation.

Sean Maney: Keep us in their prayers because they are in ours.

'One with Fire': I would accept and answer any letters from people who want to write, who want to share their knowledge and teachings, and who want to be a pen-pal ... if they are on the red road path in life.

My name is Shield Wolf. My mother is Mic Mac and my father is Cheyenne and German. I'm one of those blue-eyed Indians. I've been told I can't be Indian because of this. Don't take that serious because I don't. I understood by your words that you've dealt with a similar ignorance from whites as well as Indian people. There is something I've learned from Spirit a long time ago, and that is - ignorance is just food for the self-importance of the individuals who practice it, and in Spirit it does not exist. Don't try to fight it. Have compassion for those who are of it for they are truly lost...

I have been in prison for going on seventeen years. When I first came here, there was no such thing as an Indian Circle. All they had was your basic hypocritical Christian crap. Ever since I was told I would have to prove my Native descent, I made a decision that I never would. You see, I grew up in the white man's world, not as a white man but as an Indian who didn't really belong. Even as a kid I never denied my blood. I had to deal with ignorance on that level for most of my life. At times it made me stronger and at times it made me weak. My uncle told me how it was, why we called ourselves Catholic - that it wasn't because we were but because we had to survive. I know that there are those of Indian blood who ended up believing that lie, but my uncle and my mother weren't two of them. My grandparents left Burnt Church back in the early 1900s as a matter of survival. To the day my mother died, she longed to be with her people, but the circumstances wouldn't permit it.

Here in Gardner, we began our struggle for a Circle back in 1989. Back then things were much different. That is, those in power then didn't want to make waves, so we were allowed to practice with very little restrictions. We even had permission to build a sweat lodge But as soon as permission was given, it was taken away. Since 1989, there have been five new administrations in power, and with each new administration came more restrictions and outright racism. There are a lot of examples I can give you since it was my responsibility as peace keeper of the Circle to deal with these people on whatever level the situation called for.

When we first began, correctional officers would make ignorant comments or noises (like slapping their mouths and saying "woo woo woo") when we were doing our morning prayer - same kind of crap I had to deal with as a kid. Anyway, after a while of dealing with it, I finally lost my patience and cornered one of them and I let him know that what he was doing was disrespectful and that he wasn't going to do it anymore. I do believe that he saw my determination, because from that time on we were treated with more respect from most of the correctional officers.

Now you would think that that was half the battle, but it wasn't even scratching the surface. See, correctional officers are not administrators. Administrators are the ones who make the rules and give the orders. Don't get me wrong, there are correctional officers who are just as ignorant and arrogant as the administrators, but there were some who were disgusted by the mistreatment we had to deal with. That is to say that some correctional officers would warn us beforehand of shakedowns directed at the Circle. We've had our Pipe, smudge and herbs confiscated time and time again, as well as our regalia. You see, Sister, these people don't have a clue as to what sacred means. The Spirit has taught us to be patient. This is a very hard lesson to learn as well as to live, but we found that there is no healing in hating them. Our Elders ( Medicine Story and Slow Turtle) taught us that hate and anger are sicknesses that have no place in Spirit.

Anyway, to answer some of your questions, we are allowed smudge and Pipe. We have requested Sweat Lodge many times and have been denied. We currently have a law suit pending. You asked what the authorities have done to make me feel less worthy as a Native American or to take away my Spirituality. All I can tell you on that is this: it's crazy to think that their ignorance is focused with purpose, because it's not. The sickness that controls their kind goes too deep to think that it has purpose. To answer your question, they have done many things, and in my chaos I have reacted in ways that confirmed my pre-conceived attitude. But from Spirit, by the Wisdom of our Ancestors and the teachings of our Elders, I know that I was 'out of touch'. I don't want to give you the idea that I'm saying 'give them all a hug to make it better'. I'm not. I'll take it to the death on any level, but not out of anger or hatred ... but because it is what the Spirit deems proper.

Walk in Beauty ... Walk in Peace . . . . . . . . . In the Spirit, Shield Wolf