チーフルッキングホースから WPPD2004 のメーリングリストに届けられたメッセージ（原文のまま） アリゾナのニューエイジ・スウェット・ロッジで起こった悲劇的な事故に関して

As Keeper of our Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle, I am concerned
for the 2 deaths and illnesses of the many people that participated in
a sweat lodge in Sedona, Arizona that brought our sacred rite under
fire in the news. I would like to clarify that this lodge and many
others, are not our ceremonial way of life, because of the way they
are being conducted. My prayers go out for their families and loved
ones for their loss.

Our ceremonies are about life and healing, from the time this ancient
ceremonial rite was given to our people, never has death been a part
of our inikag’a (life within) when conducted properly. Today the
rite is interpreted as a sweat lodge, it is much more then that. So
the term does not fit our real meaning of purification.

Inikag’a is the oldest ceremony brought to us by Wakan Tanka (Great
Spirit).19 generations ago, the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Oyate (people),
were given seven sacred rites of healing by a Spirit Woman – Pte San
Win (White Buffalo Calf Woman). She brought these rites along with
our sacred C’anupa (pipe) to our People, when our ancestors were
suffering from a difficult time. It was also brought for the future
to help us for much more difficult times to come. They were brought
to help us stay connected to who we are as a traditional cultural
People. The values of conduct are very strict in any of these
ceremonies, because we work with spirit. The way the Creator,Wakan
Tanka told us; that if we stay humble and sincere, we will keep that
connection with the inyan oyate (the stone people), who we call the
Grandfathers, to be able to heal our selves and loved ones. We have
a “gift” of prayer and healing and have to stay humble with our
Unc’i Maka (Grandmother Earth) and with one another. The inikag’a
is used in all of the seven sacred rites to prepare and finish the
ceremonies, along with the sacred eagle feather. The feather
represents the sacred knowledge of our ancestors.

Our First Nations People have to earn the right to pour the mini
wic’oni (water of life) upon the inyan oyate (the stone people) in
creating Inikag’a - by going on the vision quest for four years and
four years Sundance. Then you are put through a ceremony to be painted
- to recognize that you have now earned that right to take care of
someone’s life through purification. They should also be able to
understand our sacred language, to be able to understand the messages
from the Grandfathers, because they are ancient, they are our spirit
ancestors. They walk and teach the values of our culture; in being
humble, wise, caring and compassionate.

What has happened in the news with the make shift sauna called the
sweat lodge is not our ceremonial way of life!

When you do ceremony - you can not have money on your mind. We deal
with the pure sincere energy to create healing that comes from
everyone in that circle of ceremony. The heart and mind must be
connected. When you involve money, it changes the energy of healing.
The person wants to get what they paid for; the Spirit Grandfathers
will not be there, our way of life is now being exploited! You do
more damage then good. No” mention” of monetary energy should
exist in healing, not even with a can of love donations. When that
energy exists, they will not even come. Only ‘after’ the ceremony,
between the person that is being healed and the Intercessor who has
helped connect with the Great Spirit, the energy of money can be
given out of appreciation. That exchange of energy is from the
heart; it is private and does not involve the Grandfathers! Whatever
gift of appreciation the person who received the help, can now give
the Intercessor what ever they feel their healing is worth.

In our Prophesy of the White Buffalo Calf Woman, she told us that
she would return and stand upon the earth when we are having a hard
time. In 1994 this began to happen with the birth of the white
buffalo, not only their nation, but many animal nations began to
show their sacred color, which is white. She predicted that at this
time there would be many changes upon Grandmother Earth. There would
be things that we never experienced or heard of before; climate
changes, earth changes, diseases, disrespect for life and one another
would be shocking and there would be also many false prophets!

My Grandmother that passed the bundle to me said I would be the last
Keeper if the Oyate (people) do not straighten up. The assaults
upon Grandmother Earth are horrendous, the assaults toward one
another was not in our culture, the assaults against our People
(Oyate) have been termed as genocide, and now we are experiencing
spiritual genocide!

Because of the problems that began to arise with our rebirth of being
able to do our ceremonies in the open since the Freedom of Religion
Act of 1978, our Elders began talking to me about the abuses they seen
in our ceremonial way of life, which was once very strict. After many
years of witnessing their warnings, we held a meeting to address this
very issue of lack of protocol in our ceremonies. After reaching an
agreement of addressing the misconduct of our ceremonies and
reminding of the proper protocols, a statement was made in March 2003.
Every effort was made to insure our way of life of who we are as
traditional cultural People was made, because these ways are for our
future and all life upon the Grandmother Earth (Mitakuye Oyasin –
All my relations), so that they may have good health. Because these
atrocities are being mocked and practiced all over the world, there
was even a film we made called “Spirits for Sale”.

The non-native people have a right to seek help from our “First Nation
Intercessors” for good health and well-being, it is up to that Intercessor.
That is a privilege for all People that we gift for being able to have
good health and understand that their protocol is to have respect and
appreciate what we have to share. The First Nations Intercessor has to
earn that right to our ceremonial way of life in the ways I have explained.

At this time, I would like to ask all Nations upon Grandmother Earth to
please respect our sacred ceremonial way of life and stop the exploitation
of our Tunka Oyate (Spiritual Grandfathers).

In a Sacred Hoop of Life, where there is no ending and no beginning!

Namah’u yo (hear my words),

Chief Arvol Looking Horse,
19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle.