Changes

Ortiz does not have a particularly comprehensive range of seminars or ceremonies which again points against his claims regarding an indigenous and medicine person status. He seems to do predominantly lectures and seminars, but also sells sweatlodge ceremonies. His pricing, however, is certainly noteworthy due to the exorbitant amounts charged: so e.g. participation in a sweatlodge done during an incentive trip in an Austrian hotel was € 1,100 plus VAT!<ref>http://www.larimarhotel.at/de-indianisches-medizinrad-workshop-silverbird-276.htm accessed 24/06/2013</ref> In Australia, sweatlodges with Ortiz were sold at $ 1,197 per person resp. $ 2,194 per couple.<ref>http://www.reubensilverbird.com/ accessed 23/06/2013</ref> This indicates Ortiz will also do mixed sweatlodges which is not in accordance with indigenous traditions. The usual range of prices asked by most Plastic Shamans is less than 10% of these amounts. Customers do not only face being grossly overcharged: since Ortiz does not have any links to indigenous cultures and has had no formal training as a medicine person, he will not be in a position to do anything but a mere imitation of this ceremony, and not be able to judge whether participants are in appropriate health or whether they need to leave the lodge. Participating in Ortiz' sweatlodges may thus present a danger to attendants.  

Ortiz does not have a particularly comprehensive range of seminars or ceremonies which again points against his claims regarding an indigenous and medicine person status. He seems to do predominantly lectures and seminars, but also sells sweatlodge ceremonies. His pricing, however, is certainly noteworthy due to the exorbitant amounts charged: so e.g. participation in a sweatlodge done during an incentive trip in an Austrian hotel was € 1,100 plus VAT!<ref>http://www.larimarhotel.at/de-indianisches-medizinrad-workshop-silverbird-276.htm accessed 24/06/2013</ref> In Australia, sweatlodges with Ortiz were sold at $ 1,197 per person resp. $ 2,194 per couple.<ref>http://www.reubensilverbird.com/ accessed 23/06/2013</ref> This indicates Ortiz will also do mixed sweatlodges which is not in accordance with indigenous traditions. The usual range of prices asked by most Plastic Shamans is less than 10% of these amounts. Customers do not only face being grossly overcharged: since Ortiz does not have any links to indigenous cultures and has had no formal training as a medicine person, he will not be in a position to do anything but a mere imitation of this ceremony, and not be able to judge whether participants are in appropriate health or whether they need to leave the lodge. Participating in Ortiz' sweatlodges may thus present a danger to attendants.  

Apart from his limited repertoire in lectures, Ortiz also sells and performs „Indian weddings“ for persons of rather modest celebrity status, so e.g. for an Austrian soap opera actor <ref>http://www.moz.de/artikel-ansicht/dg/0/1/25205 accessed 23/06/2013</ref> and for Austrian singer „Waterloo“ Hans Kreuzmayr<ref>http://www.exclusiv.li/?TabId=4889 accessed 23/06/2013</ref>. Kreuzmayr apparently is fascinated by Indians and has played the part of „Winnetou“ at the „Karl-May-Festival“ at Winzendorf, Austria in 1999<ref>http://karl-may-wiki.de/index.php/Johann_Kreuzmayr accessed 24/06/2013</ref>, but also believes to be Lakota and, in 2009, published a book titled „The secret knowledge of the Lakota“, to which Ortiz has provided a preface. Kreuzmayr comments. „Chief Silverbird is my mentor, he has taught me the knowledge of his people. Eight years ago, he acknowledged me as an Indian. This was a great honour for me.“<ref>http://www.exclusiv.li/?TabId=5917 accessed 24/06/2013</ref> How a person wrongfully claiming to be Apache, Navaho, and Cherokee may teach „secret knowledge“ of the Lakota will remain Kreuzmayr's and Ortiz' secret.  

Apart from his limited repertoire in lectures, Ortiz also sells and performs „Indian weddings“ for persons of rather modest celebrity status, so e.g. for an Austrian soap opera actor <ref>http://www.moz.de/artikel-ansicht/dg/0/1/25205 accessed 23/06/2013</ref> and for Austrian singer „Waterloo“ Hans Kreuzmayr.<ref>http://www.exclusiv.li/?TabId=4889 accessed 23/06/2013</ref> Kreuzmayr apparently is fascinated by Indians and has played the part of „Winnetou“ at the „Karl-May-Festival“ at Winzendorf, Austria in 1999<ref>http://karl-may-wiki.de/index.php/Johann_Kreuzmayr accessed 24/06/2013</ref>, but also believes to be Lakota and, in 2009, published a book titled „The secret knowledge of the Lakota“, to which Ortiz has provided a preface. Kreuzmayr comments: „Chief Silverbird is my mentor, he has taught me the knowledge of his people. Eight years ago, he acknowledged me as an Indian. This was a great honour for me.“<ref>http://www.exclusiv.li/?TabId=5917 accessed 24/06/2013</ref> How a person wrongfully claiming to be Apache, Navaho, and Cherokee may teach „secret knowledge“ of the Lakota will remain Kreuzmayr's and Ortiz' secret.  

===Activities on Newage Congresses===

===Activities on Newage Congresses===

Since at least 2004, Ortiz' participation in various Newage Congresses, posing as a „shaman“, is still well documented in the internet. He made an appearance at the 2006 Congress „Weltfriedenskongress: Spiritualität und Weltfrieden“ [World Peace Congress: Spirituality and World Peace], besides established Plastic Shamans like Kachinas Kutenai, Devalon Small Legs, and John Colbert a.k.a. Lightning Bear<ref>http://www.eso-garden.com/index.php?/weblog/C4/P15/ accessed 23/06/2013</ref> who, in 2000, had been sentenced by a German court of justice: Colbert had sewed up the vagina of a young woman, a minor at the point in time, in a fake ceremony invented by him.<ref>http://www.agpf.de/lightningbear.htm acessed 23/06/2013</ref>  

Since at least 2004, Ortiz' participation in various Newage Congresses, posing as a „shaman“, is still well documented in the internet. He made an appearance at the 2006 Congress „Weltfriedenskongress: Spiritualität und Weltfrieden“ [World Peace Congress: Spirituality and World Peace], beside established Plastic Shamans like Kachinas Kutenai, Devalon Small Legs, and John Colbert a.k.a. Lightning Bear a.k.a. Pushican<ref>http://www.eso-garden.com/index.php?/weblog/C4/P15/ accessed 23/06/2013</ref> who, in 2000, had been sentenced by a German court of justice: Colbert had sewed up the vagina of a young woman, a minor at the point in time, in a fake ceremony invented by him.<ref>http://www.agpf.de/lightningbear.htm acessed 23/06/2013</ref>  

During the Congress „The Art of Healing“ organised in Graz, Austria, Ortiz appeared along with plastic shamans „Tacan'sina Miwatani“ a.k.a. [[Jürgen-Michael Kohfink]] and Wa-Na-Nee-Che in 2004. In 2006 he also participated in the 24th Basel PSI-Days' 8th World Congress for Mental Healing.<ref>http://www.auditorium-netzwerk.de/AutorInnen/S-T/Silverbird-J-Reuben:::4_5454_258.html accessed 23/06/2013</ref> In 2011, Ortiz took part in the 2011 Bleep Congress in Stuttgart as a lecturer.<ref name="bleepkongress">http://www.bleepkongress.de/referenten-2011/j-reuben-silverbird accessed 23/06/2013</ref>

During the Congress „The Art of Healing“ organised in Graz, Austria, Ortiz appeared along with plastic shamans „Tacan'sina Miwatani“ a.k.a. [[Jürgen-Michael Kohfink]] and Wa-Na-Nee-Che in 2004. In 2006 he also participated in the 24th Basel PSI-Days' 8th World Congress for Mental Healing.<ref>http://www.auditorium-netzwerk.de/AutorInnen/S-T/Silverbird-J-Reuben:::4_5454_258.html accessed 23/06/2013</ref> In 2011, Ortiz took part in the 2011 Bleep Congress in Stuttgart as a lecturer.<ref name="bleepkongress">http://www.bleepkongress.de/referenten-2011/j-reuben-silverbird accessed 23/06/2013</ref>