leave indigenous knowledge alone bogus new agers

It's just a sweat lodge so what's the problem.

"A 38-year-old New York woman who died after sitting in a sauna-like sweat lodge at a scenic Arizona resort was an avid surfer and hiker who was "in top shape," took self-improvement seriously and had a passion for art, a family spokesman said.

Brown was one of two people who died Thursday evening after being overcome in a crudely built sweat lodge during a spiritual cleansing ceremony at the Angel Valley Retreat Center.


Authorities on Saturday identified the other victim as 40-year-old James Shore of Milwaukee.


Nineteen other people were taken to hospitals, suffering from burns, dehydration, respiratory arrest, kidney failure or elevated body temperature. Most were soon released, but one remained in critical condition Saturday.
 
Yavapai County Sheriff Steve Waugh said Saturday his detectives were focusing on self-help expert and author James Arthur Ray and his staff as they try to determine if criminal negligence played a role. Waugh said Ray refused to speak with authorities and has since left the state. No charges have been filed.
 
Ray rented the resort to hold a five-day "Spiritual Warrior" retreat that promised to "absolutely change your life." Ray has held similar retreats at the resort in the past. Participants, whose ages ranged from 30 to the 60s, paid between $9,000 and $10,000 to attend this year's event.


Between 55 and 65 people were crowded into the 415-square-foot sweat lodge during a two-hour period that consisted of eight 15-minute rounds and various spiritual exercises led by Ray, Waugh said. After each round, the flap to the crudely constructed structure was raised to allow more heated rocks to be brought inside."
 
Indigenous religious and spiritual activites have many seen and unseen aspects to them. A sweat lodge isn't a sauna - there are all sorts of rituals and respects that must be completed. And it is the same with our maori culture here. That is why a tattoo isn't a moko. And that is why new-age bogus historians like brailsford must leave our traditions and knowledge alone.
 
They don't know what they are doing.

Hat tip - Native Unity Blog

Interesting development here a bit of tweet-cleansing going on