The Deadly Month of June: New Age Sweat Lodge Season
IN MEMORIUM
Please talk a moment to remember the victims of the exploitation of our culture in your prayers:
Liz Neuman, 40 of Minnesota was the third victim of James Arthur Ray’s plastic sweat lodge in Angle Valley, Arizona.
Kirby Brown, 38, from Westtown, N.Y died in James Arthur Ray’s sweat lodge on October 9, 2009
James Shore, 40, from Milwaukee WI died in James Arthur Ray’s sweat lodge on October 9, 2009
Lawrence Catholique 52, from a Chipewyan First Nation's community near Yellowknife died February 9, 2009 alone in a sweat lodge in which he used wood embers
Reverend Karen Blomberg 54 died July 21, 2008 in a Vision Quest conducted by Wilderness Rites of Ashland, Oregon Anne Stine of was responsible for the group that was selling "elder" certificates.
Rowen Cooke 37, Melbourne Australia died in a sweat lodge 2004
Kylie Watts, 30 Byron Bay in New South Wales died in a sweat lodge in 2003
Kirsten "Kris" Babcock 34 Redding, California died in a sweat lodge in 2002
David Thomas Hawker, 36, of Union City, California died in a sweat lodge in 2002
Gordon Reynolds, 43 of Twickenham, West London died in a sweat lodge on November 21, 1996
Kelly Rice, 35 of Austin, Texas, housekeeper and masseuse, died of accidental heatstroke inside a sweat lodge 1993
Ronald Delgado of Santa Barbara California was killed in Archie Fire Lame Deer's 'Vision Quest' on July 12, 1980
Lawrence Catholique A 52 year old First Nation's man from a Chipewyan First Nation's community near Yellowknife. He died alone on February 9, 2009 in a sweat lodge in which he used wood embers.
The Sweat Death Syndrome has become so prevalent around the world that American journal of forensic medicine and pathology has published an article about it.
Dehydration and Heat-Related Death: Sweat Lodge Syndrome
Byard, Roger W. MBBS, MD; Riches, Karen J. BSc, MBBS
"There are also a number of features that characterize this particular sweat lodge syndrome, including prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures in a relatively uncontrolled environment, failure to ensure adequate hydration, failure to appreciate the significance of loss of consciousness, use of ineffective alternative methods of treatment, and delay in seeking appropriate medical care. Unfortunately, the adoption of rituals and practice from other cultures may not be a completely safe undertaking. Participants in this type of activity must be cognizant of the types of medical problems that may arise. Individuals with significant cardiovascular disease, those who are taking certain medications that predispose to hyperthermia, or those who have had large amounts of alcohol should not enter sweat lodges."
ACTIVISM:
Please don't let their deaths be forgotten. If you have time, please consider grass roots organizing to educate people about and/or protest Sweat Lodges in your area.
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