> If there is a Native American (or non-native or non-American) reading
this
> who wishes to argue that this is all just A-OK, feel free to try.
>I'm hopping mad about this!

I'm not Native American, but I lived with a Native American for a year
or so and I was able to visit the people from here to the Nez Perce in
Lapwai ID to the Sioux in Rosebud and Pine Ridge SD. I also have friends
in Montana (Blackfeet) North Carolina, (East Cherokee) Iowa, (Osage/Kaw)
and New York (? I don't remember). I never met a single person who wanted
to profit from the illegal sale of Eagle Feathers. I hate to generalize,
but most who use Eagle feathers for ceremonial purposes feel it is
necessary to gather their own or be gifted for their deeds. This problem
dates back to the 1850's with the dichotomy between the traditionalists
and the "Hang around the fort Indians". The traditionalists want nothing
to do with the federal government or their Bald Eagle Repository (Which I
visited when it was still in Ashland, OR.) And the hang around the fort
Indians tend to play things the governments way. The profit takers, I
believe, are catering to the nu-agers and the wanna-be's, the faux
buckskin wearing, beaded blondes that charge hundreds for sweats and more
for feathers. I saw a dyed turkey feather in Cody WY on sale for $180
dollars. Can you imagine what an Eagle feather would sell for?
I'm raving too much to make sense, but let me close by saying that the
Native Americans and the Eagles got along just fine until us white folks
started messing things up. I'll ask my friends what they think about
this.

==========================================
Only when the last tree has been cut down,
Only when the last river has been poisoned,
Only when the last fish has been caught,
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten. (Cree saying)
==========================================
Cliff Drake
Ballard, WA
Birder at Juno.com


On Mon, 25 Nov 1996 13:11:12 -0800 (PST) Burton Guttman
<guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu> writes:
>
>Dennis Paulson wrote about the sting operation that caught people
>dealing
>in eagle parts and concluded,
>
>> If there is a Native American (or non-native or non-American)
>reading this
>> who wishes to argue that this is all just A-OK, feel free to try.
>I'm
>> hopping mad about this!
>
>I was hopping mad about it, too, when I heard the report on NPR a few
>days
>ago. But I want to be sure we know where our anger should be
>directed.
>>From the NPR report and the report Dennis sent on, my impression is
>that
>this is not primarily something being done by Native Americans for
>their
>religious purposes but, rather, a trade being carried out by
>non-Indians
>to feed the desires of other people to have "authentic" Native
>American
>artifacts. The NPR report was mostly an interview with one of the
>women
>from FWS who was involved in the operation, and I don't think she
>mentioned Native Americans as being involved. But I get a message of
>mixed guilt here. For instance,
>
>> >Posing as traders of Indian artifacts, undercover agents were
>> >able to infiltrate a commercial trapping ring. They were told
>> >that in one pueblo during last year's winter migration, more than
>> >60 eagles were intentionally killed . . .
>
>and later:
>
>> >The
>> >investigation revealed that the illegal feathers were being sold
>> >to make popular Native American-style items such as fans, Kachina
>> >dolls, and bustles. Many of these items were sold to trading
>> >posts, collectors, tourists, and individuals participating in
>> >pow-wows.
>
>So apparently at least some Native Americans are involved in both the
>selling and the buying, but I'd like to get more information about
>the
>extent to which this is either an Indian or an Anglo operation. Does
>anyone know more?
>
>Burt Guttman guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu
>The Evergreen State College Voice: 360-866-6000, x. 6755
>Olympia, WA 98505 FAX: 360-866-6794
>
>Reunite Gondwanaland!
>
>