Kiesha Crowther

Kiesha Crowther (b. 1978) aka Little Grandmother is an artist and poet from Sanford, Colorado who claims to be of Native American descent. Her website states she was initiated as shaman at the age of 30 by a Native American elder and that she is a Wisdom Keeper of the tribe of many colors. However, the details of this story change over time and are adapted to what is exposed. At least temporarily, the account of her alleged initiation as a shaman had disappeared from her website, but is again availalbe in a different section of her web presence. According to this representation, Crowther claims to have been informed per phone call by an indigenous elder by the name of "Falling Feather" about her being a shaman and to have received the mission of founding a "Tribe of Many Colours".

Crowther also performs indigenous ceremonies for cash for a mostly white and European audience, which is similar to asking money for a mass. Further, she engages in the 2012 hype and other New-Age esoterics. Background checks revealed neither she nor any of her ancestors are known in the Salish community where she claims to have her roots. She even suggests in one video that she is the reincarnated White Buffalo Calf Woman of Lakota spirituality, a claim sure to outrage the Lakota nation who hold the prophecy sacred.

Her actions and claims are not welcome to the Native American community. The Salish Elders issued a statement as follows:

"The Culture and Elders Committee of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of
the Flathead Reservation protect the intangible cultural resources of the tribes
including language, songs, stories etc.

No tribal Elders or elders have met with nor do they condone the claims and actions made by
Kiesha Crowther.

She is not their 'shaman', she has no right to claim this title and the Elders and elders
of CSKT of the Flathead Reservation would like her to cease and desist immediately from making
such false claims that erode the traditions that members of the CSKT Culture and Elders
Committee are trying to preserve.

The posting of this statement came with the permission and urging of the Salish elders.
Anyone doubting this message's authenticity can contact the Flathead Reservation:
http://www.cskt.org/about/contactus.htm"

As a poet, Mrs. Crowther claims to have been awarded the title of Poet of the Year in 2003, 2004, and 2005 in separate cities. The “awards” are given out by the International Society of Poets, a pay to publish outfit that will include you in vanity editions for twenty five dollars each. Further, her website claims she has a veterinary degree. However, this degree comes from an online diploma mill.

Activities in Europe

Supposably during 2012, Crowther moved to the Netherlands to live with her new partner, although her website still says her place of residence was Santa Fé. Since then, her events take place mostly in the Netherlands as well as in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

In Europe, Crowther continues to claim descent resp. membership in indigenous nations and still employs the legend of her mother being a Salish-Sioux. Her assumed name of "Little Grandmother" sometimes also gets mentioned in Lakota language, as e.g. in a promotional article dated 2014, in which this gets rendered as "Ci'kala Uci'". Other claims contend Crowther was a member of one "Continental Council of Indigenous Elders" resp. was recognized by said council as a "shaman". The council, however, is a Newage association of plastic shamans.

Crowther sells so-called "Intensive Workshops" on the "Four Elements as well as a multi-part training as an "earth healer". Additionally, she is selling seminars like "Swimming with Dolphins" taking place at the Azores at a price of € 1,550, a seminar "Shamanic Journeys" at € 425 plus another € 50 for food, and apparently for the first time, Crowther sells seminars in the Republic of South Africa in 2014.

In 2013, she operated an alleged support action for Fukushima; participants were expected to "program rock crystals with love" and send them to Japan via mail. In this context, there were accounts of Crowther having received support by Japanese scientists:

Little Grandmother succeeded in meeting the highest ranking authority in Japan. The scientists in Fukushima are prepared to work with the informed rock crystals and put them directly into the water tanks.... YOUR CRYSTALS.

Radioactivity after all is just a form of energy. And what is the highest form of energy existing on our planet...? It makes no sense if we want to "fight" radioactivity, one can only chime in to a system which is so strong, clear, and pure that everything else is subordinate resp. integrates. There are parallels to the biochemistry of the human body in this example, but this would lead too far.

For the German language market, Crowther is a member of promotional and vendor's internet platform Momanda where also a group has been established for her which presently (August 2014) has some 390 members.

Versions of this article in other languages

• Deutsch: Kiesha Crowther