KM Sachem Refuses to "Bless" questionable "ONAC Churches"
As many may well know, in addition to ONAC Kautantowit's Mecautea Sachem Joy Graves being blessed with the gift of her own independent branch of Oklevueha Native American Church (ONAC) in the fall of 2013, Sachem Graves was also blessed and confirmed as a "Healer" in the Oregon courts thanks to the testimony on record given by James Warren 'Flaming Eagle' Mooney, but since then, what many may have overlooked, is that Mooney had yet again entrusted Graves with special honors within the church, including the ability to Bless an independent branch into literal existence!
Though this was a task up until recently was only performed by James Mooney himself, having declared Graves as Sachem (Chief) of her own independent branch, essentially affirmed Graves ability to do so. "As far as Kautantowit's Mecautea is concerned, James said Graves is equal as is he in his position in over and of our mother church" notes two Kautantowit's Mecautea members. "It was no surprise that Graves was called upon for missionary work blessing new independent Oklevueha churches.
Graves was covered by local media while blessing a church in Hunington Beach Febuary 23rd for Bill and Marla James, two well-renoun frontline cannabis freedom-fighting activists in southern California, especially for the most recent turned viral raid of their Dispensary in Santa Ana just a few months before, the one where police were found eating medables and enjoying a free illegal high thanks to hidden cameras. "I was honored to bless an independant branch of Oklevueha to the James', their heart and drive has always been toward that which is right as well as to the defense and preservation of plant and patient"
Honored indeed Graves says she felt, for she had herself grew up in Santa Ana and literally claimed this strip of Hunington as her childhood stomping grounds. "I was always sickly as a child growing up here" Graves said, "It's nice to not only know but actually see the positive impact and benefit Oklevueha Native American Church can have here in the community that I in my heart will forever consider my home".
But, that honor would soon come to an end when Graves would be taken to a pending church branch in Lomeda and asked to formally bless it into existence as an Independent branch of Oklevueha. "I could not in good consciousness bless what I was taken to as an Oklevueha church" says Graves, "It was if anything at all, a dispensary that lacked even effort to present itself as a dispensary."
What was found when paid a visit to on April 20th 2016 in Lomeda, was "A party more than anything else." Visitors describe a very basic set-up of a common dispensary, consisting of shelves, a cooler, and a scarce supply of cannabis infused products. Employees were hard to decipher from the member guest/patrons, wearing nothing that mathed nor deplicted them as being staff employees. "The girls working the counters were wearing low cut skin-tight tank tops and daisy duke shorts"noted ine of the churches legal team, "And not one thing was present to link what was going on there to any sort of an Oklevueha Native American Church".
Other than a banner-like sign out front noting that the building was in fact an ONAC, the only things found inside relating to the churches spiritual practices were the sage wand and alablone shell used previously by ONAC member David Gaskin for formalize them as a Native American Church. "Aside from that, the only thing resembling the native belief or cultural system Might be in the 3 neon pink dream catchers which were the absilute Only decor anywhere on any wall. What was on their wall as the focal art attraction, was the churches name spray-painted in grafitti."
Ultimately, Graves declined formally blessing Lomeda's Oklevueha Native American Church along with 2 others in the southland for the same reasoning and encouraged all of them to either "Bring their presentation and functioning up to an honorable standard, or to find another ONAC healer authorized to bless them". Despite lacking Graves blessing, the three facilities continue to open and operate, enlisting members and selling sacramental cannabis hand over fist daily. Members note that these church dispensaries are in fact asking for higher amounts than local dispensaries, but too that if the person does not meet the laws and criteria for qualifying as a medical patient, they would otherwise not be able to buy, have or use the sacrament herb at all, so overall more of those coming in are happy than are not within the state of California.
