Wallace Black Elk
Black Elk: Sacred Ways of the Lakota
New York : Harper & Row, 1990.
Genre: Nonfiction
Description: 93 p. ; 24 cm.
Co-author : William S. Lyon.
Black Elk, Wallace.
Oglala Indians--Religion and mythology.
Shamanism--Colorado.
Audience: Adult
ISBN: 0062505238


PRO:
CON: Confused with the historical figure Nicholas Black Elk Oglala Lakota


INTRODUCTION:
Well known fraud in the Native American community
Referred to as a Plastic Medicine Man・he is of Lakota descent, but he is not as
important as he claims to be and he’s not of the same band.
Unimportant ・not privy to Secret Native Wisdom・


Con artists selling his own made up version of Native Ceremonies for profit.

BIOGRAPHY:
Real name Wallace Black Elk Cow Sicangu Lakota
Calls himself Black Elk to be deliberately deceptive
Claims aliens built the pyramids ・to please the Art Bell crowd
Claims he taught Albert Einstein the theory of relativity
Claims to be a Lakota Shaman・raised on Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota
Calls himself a Spiritual Interpreter・Claims to be the NA representative to United
Nations, was present at wounded knee and passed the A I Religious Freedom Act
STYLE: First person narrative
Claims to be direct transcription of Wall’s words over a ten year period (promoted as
anthropological field work) Wallace’s teachings of the Earth People Way
PLOT:

FLAWS:
Unbelievable accounts many spiritual events and brags about his abilities ・something a
legitimate elder would never do. A Native person would never travel all over the
world promoting himself, asking for money or speaking of his visions・
This would be considered a private, individual thing ・not something to be exploited and
marketed to the highest bidder. Was charging $100/person for lectures conducting
sweat lodges and sun dances for non Indians Spiritual hipsters.

Only those truly ignorant of Native ways would believe that his life was one spiritual
encounter after the other
Why wasn’t his gift realized early in childhood ・why wasn’t he part of a living native
community
European belief that there is one Shamanic・practice and that it can be taught to many
disciples -- like you to teach a class
Claims to teach his ways through out Europe ・Native American Spirituality is specific
to place It’s ridiculous to take it to France, Japan and Egypt


FACTS:
Wallace is not as he has claimed, a traditional Lakota elder.

Condemned by traditionals since 1980 (as a sell out since he has blood)
Quote from Charlotte Black Elk, granddaughter of the real Black Elk: Wallace treats
native ceremonies like a vacation to the Bahamas・
CONCLUSION:
Fools people into thinking they can draw on Native American traditions to fill the void
Promises to give the reader insights into the mysterious realm of Native American
Spirituality --- this is cruel and exploitive
No outsider will ever have access
Exploits vanity of some and genuine need to fill a spiritual void in others.
Lies to reader ・promises an inside glimpse at secret Lakota life ・this isn’t possible
through a book


MAIN POINT: Do not buy this book and do not recommend it to others
Should be studied by criminologists not given any credibility

CARLOS CASTANEDA

Carlos Castenada: The Sorceror's Apprentice

http://www.oocities.org/nafps_00/CarlosCastenda.html
The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Sorceror
By Carlos Castenada (Anthropology degree)
Published as a Thesis by University of California Press in 1968

PROS: None
CONS: It's a HOAX

INTRODUCTION:
One of the biggest draw backs to being a Native American living in the Southwest is that
Anybody who claims to be a "child of the sixties" will talk incessantly about this book
Guru of the Psychedelic Counter-Culture

Use of psychedelic drugs to get real spirtchul
FACTS:
Claimed that Don Juan was a pseudonym used to protect the identity of his informant
(Gees you think?)
Casteneda was always deliberately vague about his true identity

Supporters seem to come from a Joseph Heller novel proclaiming "He lied to bring us the
truth" PLOT:
Meets Don Juan
The necessity of the self to die - Christian concept not an Yaqui one

BIOGRAPHY: Castenada was born in 1925 in Cajamarca, Peru
Traveled to Nogales, AZ
Wanted to study traditional use of herbs
Claimed to have met Don Juan Matus, A Yaqui teaching from the Toltec traditions
Claimed to be introduced to Jimson Weed, Petyote and Psyilociben
Halucinations included talking Coyotes, huge insects, Columns of Light that sing ・
I hate when that happens

Younger readers: Remember the Simpson's Episode where Homer eats the weird Chillie?
Historical note:
First twinkie to claim copyright infringement --
Started acting like he owned the cultural property of the Yaqui

CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW:
Treats main character like Jesus figure or prophet
Speaks as if there is only one way to obtain enlightenment
Native elder would not have revealed secrets and certainly wouldn't have spoken to
Casteneda in the context of Christianity - traditional elders usually reject X
Sees himself as a disciple so it's permissible to write down the gospel - Reveals European views

FLAWS:

Don Juan uses; Jargon, slang, not authentic Yaqui speech patterns

Promoted magical passes that he wanted to teach to initiates - as Europeans do Native American elder would work with a few people individually, giving each on only what they needed - no cookie cutter spirituality - no mass marketing to many, many initiates.

CONCLUSION:
He set out to create a big hoax - he knew exactly how to market his 'composite'

The work is cunning - He wanted the title and he wanted fame and he knew exactly what to say to get it
Selling over 8 million copies amounts to nothing more than censorship to the Yaqui people.
Whites chose to remain so ignorant of Native practices that it is possible for hoaxers to propose the most outlandish practices and Whites have no framework to work with that would allow them to question - easy to palm off Kung Fu as authentic Yaqui ceremonial practices

MAIN POINT: Instant spirituality through drugs - still a popular concept today
A Separate Reality
PROS:
CONS:
INTRODUCTION:
FACTS:
PLOT:
CONCLUSION:
MAIN POINT:
The Eagle's Gift
PROS:
CONS:
INTRODUCTION:
FACTS:
PLOT:
CONCLUSION:
MAIN POINT:

BROOKE MEDICINE EAGLE