Preamble

Much is being said and believed by some about misappropriation regarding the Purification and Renewal Ceremony. In the ways of tradition, counsel and input would be sought regarding what may or may not be true about such judgements or beliefs. Sadly, that traditional way of seeking counsel from those who steward those traditions among us has not been recognized or employed in this regard.

It is not in keeping with the LKS way to speak unsolicited about such things or to interject in a manner that could create confrontation. That being said, we find ourselves at a time when direct truth telling is necessary in order to provide context and invite conversation in a good way.

Trust in the good faith of what we do has been called to question in what appears to be a resistance to productive dialogue, or perhaps a simple ignorance of a better way to address this question.

We seek to develop this dialogue on the basis of what is true about what MKP and the LKS offer in the way of the Purification and Renewal Ceremony.

It is good for men to have questions that arise from the fullness of understanding and not solely from what could be the shadow of judgment that lacks knowledge of this way.

Purification and Renewal Ceremony: What is true

Why is this done on the NWTA?

In the past, the New Warrior Network introduced a ceremony pieced together from a few men’s experiences of traditional ceremonies, without any traditional teaching or permission. One might say here was an intuitive recognition that men needed to be grounded and cleaned up after such an ordeal.

Some New Warriors judged that the pieced together ceremony was misappropriation of traditional indigenous practices and reached out to a man with traditional experience for counsel. Over a period of time the Purification and Renewal Ceremony protocol was drafted by New Warriors.

The Purification and Renewal Ceremony was modeled on the All Nations tradition template. The All Nations ceremony was shared by indigenous elders who saw the need among other indigenous and non-indigenous people for the grounding and purification of the sweat lodge ceremony. What we do is not a traditional ceremony and only happens on an NWTA, this is our agreement and teaching

In their wisdom those elders also saw the danger in non-indigenous people participating or attempting to duplicate traditional Inipi “sweat lodge” ceremony and thus was born a lineage and tradition of ceremony that could be used and shared by all people. The teaching is that “NO ONE OWNS CEREMONY”.

What was sought, in a traditional way, was whether what was drafted and brought for consultation with the Chief, would be “okay” to do. That man was a traditionally appointed Ceremonial Chief of the Oglala band of the Lakota, whose lineage is directly connected to the All Nations tradition as well as his own Oglala traditions.

At the Chief’s direction a group of men would be needed to steward this new protocol and teach the ways of this ceremony in accordance with its All Nations ceremony roots. This is what was specifically and unequivocally said to be “okay” for the LKS to offer on the New Warrior Training Adventure weekends.

The LKS honors our stewardship of the P&R Ceremony in accordance with the instructions from the Ceremonial Chief.

The LKS maintains continuous and traditional relationships of gratitude, respect and generosity with the people and lineage from which this authorization arose and continues with the support of the family and of our Friend the Chief’s successor, the current Ceremonial Chief. He encouraged that we teach and model generosity in all that we do. We seek to always honor that teaching amongst the LKS and within MKP. His gift to all of us was embodied in his life of teaching and modeling give away.

Cultural Misappropriation: What can be said to be untrue about accusations that MKP and the LKS are committing an act of “misappropriation” through the use of the P&R Ceremony

It has been said that the LKS does not have the permission from “Indian Country” to utilize the P&R Ceremony.

What is misleading about this statement is the absence of the understanding that there is no central authority over Ceremony amongst indigenous people. It is not part of their tradition to tell one another how to conduct or to share ceremony. It is for those who carry those traditions among their people to determine how and what is okay to share. This was done in keeping with tradition in a good way.

It has been said that MKP is an “echo chamber” and that “outside” authority should be brought in to consult and offer perspective to address the problem.

That has happened, multiple times over the many years since the adoption of the Ceremony. The Chief was directly involved in observing and advising what and how we developed. He eventually attended the NWTA and became a New Warrior. His successor, the traditionally appointed Ceremonial Chief in his traditional lineage, has been in attendance at the LKSI Gathering prior to covid and continues to be consulted and approves of what we do. To the best of our knowledge there is no other authority over such approval.

The outside perspective and permission exists, denial of this truth is confounding and harmful to the men of this organization. This way of creating discord does not honor the traditions of indigenous people, the schism that has been created is not in service to the good of the people but rather serves only to reinforce the judgments of those who claim ownership over that which can not be owned.

It has been said that what we do is wrong and is misappropriation.

There are men who hold traditional teachings, some indigenous and some non-indigenous. It is among these men that it was understood when tobacco was offered in the way that it was to a Ceremonial Chief of his people, that his words and answers were in fact the appropriate authority to address this very issue more than two decades ago. The issue of misappropriation was addressed in a good way, in accordance with tradition by those who understood what must be done.

It has been said that MKP Institutional and LKS leadership have not done the work needed to address the issue of misappropriation

That is at best an uninformed judgment that fails to acknowledge the facts of our history and the continued development of care and attention towards maintaining the agreements and permission that was given.

Seeking to subjugate what has been done by the LKS and the Institution of MKP, in the only way it could have appropriately been achieved, to the misguided notion that some know best because of a supposed “elevation in consciousness” over others, reeks of an egoism that seeks to dominate through an ideology crafted to reinforce beliefs that are not congruent with the reality of what has been accomplished.

It is with the confidence and mutual trust of our traditional relationships that we assert there is no misappropriation regarding the Purification and Renewal Ceremony

It is our steadfast position that the Purification and Renewal Ceremony is an example of cultural Appreciation and not misappropriation

In service,

Raymond Desaulniers Ryan Gatlin

LKS International Headmen