--------- "RE: Maintaining Traditions in Prison" ---------

Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 20:50:19 -0700 (MST)
From: cdm@azstarnet.com (CDM)
Subj: Maintaining traditions in prison

Four Winds Eagle Society is a Native American non-profit organization founded by Pierre Blue Horse, Rosebud Sioux pipe carrier and Sun Dancer, traditional Rosebud Sioux medicine man George Godfrey Sr., and Asa Primeaux, Sr., of the Yankton Dakota Sioux.

Founded in 1980, the organization was created to uphold and preserve Native American culture and heritage and to promote the social, educational and religious goals of traditional Native American life.

At this time, Four Winds Eagle Society is seeking contributions to pay the travel expenses of traditional medicine men willing to hold sacred ceremonies for incarcerated Native Americans within the federal prisons.

The Society undertakes long-term projects pertaining to the objectives of the Native American/Lakota way of life of the sacred pipe, the basis of which is passing along this traditional way of life from generation to generation. The only means of perpetuating the traditional walk of life for Native Americans within the federal prison system is for the provision of permanent cultural mechanisms which impart key aspects of traditional beliefs and heritage.

An essential feature of this traditional walk of life for Native Americans within the Federal Bureau of Prisons is to have access to traditional Native American medicine to conduct spiritual sweat lodge ceremonies with spirits who will heal, guide, protect and strengthen the Native Americans. This is the primary responsibility of the medicine men.

The relative success of medicine men traveling to the federal prisons from the Indian reservations to do these spiritual ceremonies may be gauged by quantifying the increasing knowledge and measuring the qualitative benefits through the preparation of critical cultural traditions, and increased knowledge and reliance on Native American language and identity, which increases the cultural affinity of successive generations and reduces personal and cultural isolation and drift.

The incarcerated Native Americans can achieve their goals of harmony and wisdom and knowledge through the fostering of traditional life perspectives with the sacred pipe. Within these ceremonies is a walk of life the Native Americans live as a way of life.

If you would like further information about the Society, its goals and current needs, email Pierre Blue Horse, c/o: cdm@azstarnet.com or cdm@azstarnet.com

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