Mystery Guest Dishes Dirt on the Teaching Drum

A dear reader chimes in on the post "What's the problem here? Why "New Age Fraud" Fits Tamarack Song to a T" with alleged drug arrest and child support information s/he says was found in county court records. While none of us here are close enough to Rhinelander, Wisconsin to go down to the court house and confirm the info, we found the comments worthy of front paging as they fit a pattern of dirty secrets so prevalent with all things Teaching Drum.

Anonymous' comments reminded us of the rumors that used to swirl around the house and the camps about the first few Yearlong classes Tamarack ever held. Due to Tamarack's complete incompentence and lack of outdoor leadership experience, the first Yearlongs were said to have been nothing but drug and booze parties in the woods. The story was that he actually kicked the students off "his" land! He did finally manage to put a stop to all the wild parties and give the program a little more structure, but just barely. The rumors that constantly dog Tamarack Song and his school are a direct result of Tamarack's intentional mystification of his origins and training and relationships - a sure sign of a guru/cult leader if ever there was one. There's no trail of accountability. No one can verify anything he asserts.

As for the child support tip from Anonymous, again it's not something we ourselves have confirmed, but it dovetails with a rumor once prominent at the house and camps. Apparently Dan Konen waged one of the most bitter custody battles that Oneida County Wisconsin has ever seen. The settlement gave Konen possession of Wabibineshi (Morning-Bird, aka Rabin, aka Bub, aka Dan Konen's white child with the Ojibwe name). The court battle was so acrimonious, it was said, that people in the town of Three Lakes were shocked beyond belief that such a seemingly peaceloving man could be so violent. Of course, only Konen's former wife can confirm the scuttlebutt. Since we have not contacted her, take all reported here with a grain of salt and make up your own minds.

That Dan Konen avoided the Vietnam War does not appear to be in question: he pretty much says as much in the only book he has ever been able to get published by someone other than himself - and that was way back in 1994! Anonymous took issue with Tamarack wearing military style garb - to convey militancy apparently - yet never having served in the armed forces. While we would not encourage military service in any of this country's race wars, we do agree that it is wrong to don the garb of the imperial forces to try and look all badass. It's kinda like a white person shaving his head to the skin, then enjoying the sense that others perceive him as a dangerous skinhead to be given a wide berth. In any event, the time is long past since white peaceniks wearing military gear was seen as subversive.

Here are the relevant comments:

Anonymous said...
Perhaps just informing the people of Konens past in Tigerton WI with the Posse .... Or the fact he was a Vietnam conscience objector, yet proudly stands in photos from his school of ill repute wearing military clothing! Or perhaps the drug raid in 2007, where an arrest was made at the Teaching Drum! He is a Koresh or Rev. Moon brainwashing wannabe!! Need to know more??

1/15/2008 2:15 AM

Anonymous said...
Someone needs to ask Konen why is he in such poor health, if living is way is so healthy? Maybe all that mosquito training now makes him in need of his cardiologist?? It sure wasn't from working hard, that drone is too busy mating. Dude, lay off the sex and shrooms!

1/15/2008 2:23 AM

Nemeses said...
Wow Anon! With tips like that, you so need a better name than Anonymous. We'd like to front page your findings, but can you tell us where/how you found the information?

And yes, yes, yes! We'd like to know more.

1/15/2008 10:04 AM

Anonymous said...
Much came from MANY hours reviewing public court records, and years of trying to reveal the core of this slime! Recent court records show the income he "claims" to draw from the "school" as he receives child support from his exwife! OH what a man!! Dorothy must be so proud of her son!! As far as the drug bust, Oneida County Sheriffs Dept.

Since we're talking about Tamarack's hypocrisy, it seems like a good time now to resurrect the Banishment issue to illustrate how cult-minded the Teaching Drum circle is. Back in Fall of 2005, one of our contributors confronted Tamarack's racist refusal to stop calling himself and his followers "Natives," as well as his refusal to expose his students to authentic Ojibwe history, culture, and contemporary people at his "school" - which would reveal just how far his overprivileged customers are from real Native Americans. The confrontation resulted in the Banishment of the person who dared to challenge Tamarack, which just goes to show that his claim to respecting "truth-speaking" is as phony as everything else about him. Confront him and he will ritually kill you off. Note that not one of the Teaching Drum's sycophantic, transient bootlickers (including Warrior Glenn) stood up against this blatant act of racist, sexist censorship:

To: teaching_drum@yahoogroups.com
From: "Tamarack Song"
Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2005 14:28:21 -0600
Subject: [Teaching_Drum] A death in our group

Greetings to my Kin,

As an elder of the Circle, this person has been asked to inform everyone that "Teresa" has Passed Over (died). In her life she had brought us a tremendous gift -- an awareness of the preciousness of Truthspeaking. She had also struggled with recognizing that what really matters is not what we do, but how we do it. This made it very difficult for her to speak the truth of her heart and honor the truths of others. She has chosen to Walk On, so that she would no longer torment her people, and so that she could reconnect with who she really is, and find healing. If and when that happens, she will come back to life and return to gift her Circle with the intrinsic beauty of her person and the balance that she walks. We will then hold a great celebration, welcoming her back as a long-lost sister.

As her kin, we support her in her Passing Over by recognizing that she has become invisible. Her spirit will want to linger, because it finds comfort here among us. This is good and necessary, because it gives us the opportunity to participate in her journey by consciously sending her off. If she stands in front of us, we are to look through her; if we hear her voice, we are to ignore it completely, so that her spirit will not be fed. If a "From TF" e-mail comes, it gets deleted without even opening it. Any acknowledgment at all, of her existence, will keep her here, rather than embarking upon her healing journey.

"Teresa," we are grateful for your time with us and we honor you for the powerful teachings you have brought us. We wish you blessings on your walking, and we await your return.

Mashkigwatig w Nagamon nindizhnikaz, Gookookoo neen dodemTamarack Song, Owl clan,on behalf of the Teaching Drum CirclePlease visit our website at http://www.teachingdrum.org/

A year later, the guru sends the following e-resurrection notice to the Banned One, which she kindly forwarded to us:

"Tamarack Song"
Subject: Folded Wings
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2006

Greetings ***,

When I first met you, I recognized something you couldn't disguise: the quick flash of connection that shot from your eyes every time you keyed on to something that resonated with you. As quiet as you attempted to be, I still learned much about you. We got to know each other, even though it didn't -- couldn't -- happen in typical fashion.

Yes, there was all the standard stuff I picked up on. And then there was the quality I've seen in only a few people spawned by this culture -- an organic awareness of one's essential self that was neither stomped out nor did it need to be revived by some conscious process. Was it some genetic anomaly, or perhaps an early-learned adaptation or self-protective mechanism that allowed you to remain functional and at the same time not lose yourself?

The reason didn't matter; I just felt blessed for the privilege of knowing you. Obviously we were intended to meet and join our energies in some way, and I'm still convinced of that. I am inviting you to come and join our Circle. We would be honored to have you.

Tamarack

Well, sorry you hypocritical Creep, you cannot have her back; she belongs to us now, and we thank her for her unwavering support. May her terrible experience be a warning and a lesson to us all.

Follow-up 1.17.08: More tips from Anon:

Check out the: Wisconsin Circuit Court Access web page also known as CCAP. This has all court records from all counties in the state of Wisconsin. These are all open to the public! Konens Case # 1994FA000090 and 1994A000090 , Oneida County. Also in search of his many bogus appearances, is the hearing where he had his named changed. And where did this money come from?? Konen moved here with no pot to piss in, now he has more then the working man!!

1/17/2008 2:02 AM

Go to it, Dear Readers! Phonies can lie, but they can't hide their court records.