Hopefully my web sight will be operational with two weeks.
I provide culturally relevant insights drawn from personal experiences. The rising global in terest in indigenous knowledge necessitates caution when selecting trustworthy sources f or indigenous ceremonies and rituals. A significant number of women in three Canadian pr ovinces have been assaulted, with victim counts exceeding prior estimates. The Fifth Esta te highlighted the plight of 'The Circle' survivors, a group led by Nathan Chasing Horse, o n December 2nd, 2023. These incidents unfolded within the Tsuut'ina Nation in Calgary, r evealing long-hidden secrets. The community has endured suffering due to Nathan Chase Horse's actions, which I chronicled 17 years ago.
The exploitation of Indigenous girls and women by various spiritual leaders is a grave con cern. These individuals, in need of guidance, placed their trust in these leaders for help. R egrettably, this is not a singular event but a recurring issue that has persisted throughout my life. The problem continues even after Nathan Chasing Horse's arrest, with others emu lating his exploitative and manipulative behavior towards those seeking healing or attempt ing to recover lost cultural practices. They are in pursuit of an ancient prophecy or validation for their culture and language, stripped from them through Indian residential schools, f oster care, day homes, and adoption.
Indigenous peoples are confronting numerous challenges tied to our identity. Traditional c eremonies, like healing prayer rituals, play a crucial role in addressing the wounds of colo nization and fostering the resurgence of our cultural identity. These rituals are pillars in ou r journey to reclaim our heritage. Our community seeks individuals capable of meeting our emotional needs. While many young men find comfort in Yuwipi ceremonies, there are als o those who exploit our indigenous community for their own gain.
My website aims to be a sanctuary for those seeking affirmation in their pursuit of healing through prayer meetings. It's a place to find comfort in trusting one's instincts, especially i f they feel ceremonies may not be suitable for them or if they sense exploitation. The site is dedicated to helping people recognize the importance of strong allies, both for and amo ng indigenous communities. Its purpose is to define what constitutes a good ally and to of fer direct communication with me for those who have inquiries. As an artist, activist, and e lder, I offer various services, including crafting tobacco, smudge kits, and necklaces, as w ell as providing land acknowledgments and participating in anti-racism initiatives, youth e mpowerment, and commemorations for Indian residential school survivors.
I first met Nathan Chasing Horse on the HBO set of "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" in 2006. Prior to this, I hadn't taken part in yuwipi ceremonies, though I knew they were prac ticed in my community and others in the north. My upbringing was filled with tales from m y mother and other relatives about these ceremonies being a path to reclaim our cultural identity, but also with cautions against potential exploitation by those leading them. Nath an Chasing Horse's persona did not appeal to me; it echoed the roles played by my male r elatives, who performed sweats and Sundance ceremonies to gain support, often from wo men. Nathan's conduct, especially towards women who were infatuated with him, was par ticularly disturbing. I later realized that their infatuation was similar to limerence—a profou nd psychological attachment that often necessitates extensive psychotherapy to understa nd such persona creation. Nathan Chasing Horse had crafted a persona of a cultural reviv alist, sharing songs and rituals. The purpose of maintaining this website is to address trau ma, especially childhood trauma, and to challenge the persona Nathan Chasing Horse has created—one of cultural reclamation and sharing. He labeled anyone who opposed him a s jealous. This contrasted with my relatives' practices, where acting on one's prayers invol ved challenges. It wasn't easy for my relatives to face relapse and recover from childhood trauma. Understanding this is crucial. Medicine people should emerge from within our ind igenous communities, and our people must be aware of the assaults they have endured. T his process is somewhat akin to the 12-step program, which involves finding allies and support.
In 2011, I wrote a blog post about finally speaking with my niece. I had begun blogging fou r years earlier, but a computer issue caused me to lose my previous work, necessitating a restart in 2011. My focus was on the challenges I encountered and on raising awareness a bout a predator exploiting cultural rituals and ceremonies in many indigenous communitie s. I felt responsible for bringing this predator into my community, having arranged his cer emonies and rituals at $5,000 per session. I participated in seven of his Yuwipi ceremonie s, attended several of his sweat lodges, and one Sundance. I watched his supporters, met newcomers, and questioned his actions. Although I supported him until fall 2007, suspici on arose a year after meeting him, leading to confrontation. I confronted his followers at a sweat lodge, but they did not believe me. I challenged a support group of women who ha d sought Nathan's help for their teenage daughters, but again, I was disbelieved. Since Na than Chasing Horse was an American citizen, I had to wait for his return to Canada in fall 2 007 before I could report him to the police. My actions were due to the disbelief I faced an d the lack of responses to my emails sent to various organizations that had promoted Nat han Chasing Horse, seeking validation of his credibility as a youth worker. Despite disclos ing my niece's sexual assault to many, the support from the community was absent, influe nced by the persona he projected as a spiritual leader held in high regard.
It took me decades to come to terms with my own sexual assault, and six years for the ca se to reach court. This experience taught me the importance of supporting other victims o f sexual assault—simply being there and offering them eight minutes to be heard. I know t he pain of not being believed, and through my website, I strive to ensure my readers and t hose who email me feel believed and understood. Despite the two decades it took for the perpetrator to be apprehended, and for the young women, some as young as eight, to co me forward and file a complaint, I am profoundly grateful that I was able to maintain my Blog.
I'm an elder my. name is Marina Ann Crane My. childhood name is Haphan Kinyewakan - F lying. Holy. I am knowledge keeper of indigenous truths. My spiritual practices are Dakota, and I focus on healing through traditional teachings.
People do source me out via email or through my social media platforms. I book appointm ents for talks in public forums and on zoom conferences. I sell smudge kits and smudge n ecklaces, book tarot card readings and I am a Reiki Master. I am retired.
Prior to being featured on the Fifth Estate, I spoke freely about my experience with Natha n Chasing Horse; however, today, I find that must schedule interviews via zoom on this toa particular topic.
My marketing:
• zoom meetings $150 per hour
• tarot card reading $30 per 10 minutes
• smudge kits 15g $55 per kit
• smidge necklaces $45 per necklace
• land acknowledgement $300
• Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Sessions $300
• guest speaker price varies including hotel room, car rental, mileage, Honorarium • Reiki healing $180 per one hour session
• Reiki Teaching level one, level two, level three (Negotiable)
• Commissioned Acrylic and Oil Painting (Negotiable $3,000 - $6,000)
Keywords:
Nathan Chasing Horse, Murdered and Missing Indigenous People, Yuwipi Ceremony, Sweat Lodge Ceremony, Healthy Human Sexuality, Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Land Acknowledgement, Tobacco, Sweetgrass, Sage, Cedar, Smudge, Tarot, Reiki
Elder Marina Crane (Hapan Kinyewakan) is a Knowledge Keeper, Spiritual Guide, and Hold er of Indigenous Truth who identifies culturally as Sioux. Her spiritual practices are Dakod a, and her home is Tsuu T'ina First Nation. As a visual artist whose practice focuses on he aling through traditional teachings, Marina's artistic spirit is guided by Kinyewakan (Flying Holy)
As a child, Haphan Kinyewakan was fluent in the Sioux language. The first day she arrived at school, the child’s teacher informed Haphan Kinyewakan that her new identity was Ma rina Crane from that day forward. Attending Indian Day School, Residential School, and cit y schools strengthened her resilience and ignited her social activism. Marina confronts ra cism through lived experience, bearing witness by naming it so that humanity may heal fro m the damage oppression has inflicted on culture and identity.
CERTIFICATIONS
Aug 2009 – May 20 14
Supportive Counselling Certificate – Mount Royal University – Calgary, AB
Behavioural Strategies Certificate – Mount Royal University – Calgary, AB
Children’s Mental Health Certificate – Mount Royal University – Calgary, AB
Conflict Resolution – Year-long program – Course Completion – Mount Royal University – Calgary, AB
Reiki Master/Teacher Levels 1, 2, 3 – Dr. Alishia Mahmud Alibhai, PhD (Psychology) – Ca lgary, AB
Indigenous Addictions Services Certificate – Nechi Institute – Calgary, AB
DEGREE
Bachelor of Fine Arts – Alberta College of Art and Design – Calgary, AB Aug 1998
Major in Painting – Minor in Drawing
Bachelor of General Science – Utah Valley University – Orem Utah, USA – May 1987
Major in Social Science – Minor in Science
Aug 1994 – Aug 1980
WORK AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Elders Ways of Knowing - Planet Youth Spring 2022 Working with Youth Workers in establishing Youth Elder Programming Miskanawah.ca
Elders Knowledge Keepers - Calgary Anti-Racism Strategies
habituscollective.ca
Elders Guidance Circle – Indian Residential School Memorial - Fall 2022 Nov 2021 – Present
Working with Parks Foundation, City of Calgary Parks, and the City of Calgary, Indigenous Advisors provided consultation on land allocation for Indian Residential School Memorial.
Mountain Standard Time Performance Art
Board of Directors – Director r 2024
Board of Directors – Interim Chair pt 2023
Moh’kinstis Public Art Guiding Circle – City of Calgary ne 2023
Working with City of Calgary to decolonize the city’s Public Art processes
July 2021 – Ma Sept 2022 – Se Aug 2018 – Ju
Indigenous Art Residency – Artist in Residency – City of Calgary Aug 2018
Mar 2018 – The Residency was under the umbrella of the Moh’kinstis Public Art Guiding Circle
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity – Banff, Alberta Nov 2018 – M ar 2020
Elder and Knowledge Keeper for Visual and Performing Arts Programs
SELLING ONLINE -
Smudge kits grinded, milled into a fine combination of Tobacco, Sage, Cedar, Sweetgrass . Picked by indigenous peoples with land acknowledgments protocol labelled within the br anding of the product packaging. (15g smudge)
• $55.00 per Smudge Kit
• Smudge Kit with Smudge Necklace per set $100
• orders over 30 kits & necklace combination $75 per combination
