Hello all .
I have been giving this a lot of though and it isn't as straight forward as it would appear at first glance .
First of , just what do you mean why Pow-wow Painted Wolf ? Here in Canada , a Pow-wow can be any gethering of First Nation People and may have very little Spiritual meaning to it . It can be little more then a family gathering and sometimes is . You could have a " Pow-wow " where everyone there are Catholics . So they would not place as much importance on the items being sold .
As for the Spiritual value of the items , I understand what you are saying and agree . To a degree .
I agree that a " truely " Spiritual item should be just that . But many of these things are little more that toys , which in it's self can take away from the true meaning of the items . However , take the " turkey feathers " for excample . Not is there a matter of the cost of paying for the real item , which some may not be able to afford , but if they are only going to be used to hang on a wall or from the mirror of a car , then I think that it is a good thing that we are not wasting Eagle feathers on them . The important thing , I think , is that the people buying them know that difference .
This is a problem that goes beyond Pow-wows I believe . With all respect to the beliefs of the First Nation People { not I am not one } . Many customs have gotten very expensive . So , what do we do ? { I mean people in general here } . We can either cease to follow those customs , or we can find cheaper ways to follow them . Yes , I agree that something is lost along the way .
But life is change and we have to change with it , like it or not . If you are First Nation , then you know what you have to go through just to get an Eagle feather these days .
Or what most would have to go through { I have two setting beside me now , which an Eagle gave me and I have sent another to a friend , but I am happy to say the the Eagle still flys
} So personally I am glad that they are not selling Eagle feathers .
As to how far selling a culture go before it goes too far .... well , I guess that is something we each have to decide upon ? There is a demand , And that demand will be filled . Either by " Plastic Shamans " or by others . That is the only real choice . Which will fill that demand ? I am sorry if I sound hard . I wish it were otherwise , but we live in a hard world . And I don't think there are any easy answers . But know that they are only selling " toys " and that they can not take that which they don't understand . They can not sell you , your People or your Spirit .