The Pan-American Indian
Association
(PAIA pronounced Pah-ee-ah)
First, we’d like to thank the Native American
Co-op/Indian Information and Trade Center, POB 27626, Tucson AZ 85726-7626 for their years of dedication in
providing vital American Indian information to the world at large.
Who was the PAIA Founder? Chief David Piercing Eyes
Turnbull (1930-2007), of Susquehannock heritage, who was well known and
respected from the laymen to presidents and kings. A visionary riding the wave
of prophesies.
Why was the PAIA established? To provide a HOME for the
disenfranchised, disinherited individuals, whether full, mixed blood or
non-native. A Brother/Sisterhood patterned in the knowledge of the First
Nations, to share those positive attributes in the mainstream culture, to
understand the importance of honesty, integrity, responsibility and reverence
for all Living Beings, and to help others escape the consequences of negative
attributes, such as hostility, bigotry and isolationism. In the 60’s, the age
when the children of European settlers began to ask the American Indian for
guidance, seeking spiritual wisdom, in order to walk in ‘right relations’ with
their fellow man and upon Earth Mother. Chief Piercing Eyes seen that many ‘new
comers’ could not satisfy U.S. and Tribal government requirements. Therefore,
the process for acknowledgement as an American Indian religious body began in
the 70’s; the true test of “endeavor to persevere” and finally in May 1984 the
PAIA received that Federal acknowledgement. Today the PAIA has 5000+ members in
all 50 states and 18 foreign countries.
What is the PAIA purpose? To provide a platform to
explode the nearly universal myth that any one race, religion or political
system is inherently superior to some or all others, the PAIA has programs that
provide any seeker with materials to assist him or her on their personal
journey.
Programs:
The
Book of Rites is the Official Tenet for PAIA Native American Church.
The Quest of the Shield is a self-discovery
program learning our connections to family and community.
The Order of Native
Practitioners is a one-year program based on the individuals knowledge of Native Spirituality and their real life-experiences. A Certificate of Completion w/ID and Red Sash are awarded upon completion. Order of Native Practitioners goal is to eventually provide Chaplains and/or the incarcerated with a quick
list of Native Practitioners in their area.
Teaching Fellowship is an annual-to-annual almanac
for monthly celebrations and other activities.
The PAIA Members Co-Op Catalog & Membership
Information pamphlet is our mailed to inquiries.
The Prison Prayer Circle Fellowship is a Universal
and Convenient Guidelines to Assist the Chaplainry Services, Volunteers and the
Incarcerated to establish and/or reorganize Prayer Circles within the penal
system.
The Pan-American Indian Association still strives
with great effort to continue the mission set forth by the Founders, from the
first newsletter ‘Tribal Advisor’ to the present day ‘Whirling Rainbow – Voice
of the People’, which is the longest-lived member supported Native American
publication in the United States. Regardless of the years of support for
American Indian issues our peaceful efforts have been met with great resistance
from American Indian and Caucasian alike who continue their unjustified and
prejudice attacks.
The Pan-American Indian Association will continue
into the future remembering the words of Chief Piercing Eyes, “Do what’s right,
even when no one is watching.”
Rev. White Bear Barnard, PhD
Principal Chief
Pan-American Indian Association