Charlatan:

• A mountebank or Cheap Jack who descants volubly to a crowd in the street
  
• An empiric who pretends to possess wonderful secrets...
  
• An assuming empty pretender to knowledge or skill
  

WKZO AM 590 radio in Kalamazoo, MI., has been featuring, every Fri. from 1 - 2 pm, a Mr. Dale Hyatt who purports to address critical Native American issues and asserts that he speaks for ALL Native People. Hyatt's stance is dangerous to the general listening audience in that the resultant consensus is that he is a Native American and spokesperson for Native American issues

Hyatt is not recognized as a Native American, yet continues to claim himself as Lakota and/or Cherokee. Hyatt was previously banished from Native American gatherings across Michigan for acts and conduct which Anishnaabek found to be insulting and disgraceful.

As a result of his banishment, Hyatt started a hobbiest club "Two Worlds Intertribal Lodge," where 40-60 members elected him as "chief." Through his club, Hyatt performs caricatures of religious functions such as: namings, sweats, Eagle feather presentations and other ceremonies.

Hyatt uses this radio broadcast to promote himself, his lodge and to strengthen stereotypes of Native Americans.

During live broadcasts Hyatt has falsely stated that no Natives were visiting Michigan prisons, nor addressing the issues of reburial and repatriation of First Nations remains. Accordingly, he says, he has been forced to become a champion for Native rights. He has also associated our sacred medicines with marijuana stating, "they give you a relaxed, mellow feeling."

WKZO fully backs Hyatt in spite of the consistent community outcry and direct contact from tribal and organizational leaders demanding that he be taken off the air.

Continue to support his banishment from our tribal and community gatherings. Write letters of protest to the station manager, William Wertz, Fax # 616-345-1436. Please do not call the station during show time.

Request tribal and organizational leaders to write letters of protest.

Sign and help circulate petitions demanding Hyatt be taken off the air.

For more information call: Anne Bush 616-792-9650 or Clarence Syrett at 616-684-5606.

William Wertz
Station Manager

Dear Sir,

I would hope that you would have the decency to preface the program by Dale Hyatt with the caveat that the preceding program is fictional. The claims made by this man are false, he represents only himself and no native people. The man does not speak for me or mine.

Linda LeMonde
Ishgooda
Wendat

At 03:15 PM 5/17/96 EDT, you wrote:

Linda:

I'm in receipt of your fax regarding Dale Hyatt. I acknowledge that "he does not speak for you or yours." However he does assert - each week on-the-air - that he speaks for himself and his lodge and specifically does not claim to speak for all Native Americans.

I repectfully will not preface the program with "the preceeding is fictional." I continue to invite diverse opinions and other voices on the show, including inviting the 2 elders who have challenged Hyatt. This is not the Dale Hyatt show; it's a show for and about Native Americans.

Hyatt is being tried and convicted without proper Native American procedures and in anybody's tradition that's an injustice!

Bill Wertz

PS: Is your "The trees, speaking one to the other said' Watch out for the axe handle, he is one of us, you know" a veiled threat? I am reporting this to the proper authorities and I trust you meant no harm by it.

Dear Sir;

What you have read is my signature file, not a threat, and it accompanies all email that I send.

It is a warning to beware of wolves in sheeps' clothing. As you may have noted it DOES apply in this instance to your mister Dale Hyatt, whether of native ancestory or not. Those who seek to divide us as a people often claim to "be" one of us.

Mr. Hyatt "is" the axe handle in this reference.

If the moaccasin fits - wear it.

Sken'on
Ishgooda
Wendat

Friday, September 20, 1996 was the last regularly scheduled hour long broadcast on AM590 WKZO Radio of guest Dale Hyatt.

AM590 WKZO Radio will, from time to time, continue to broadcast news of interest to Native and Non-Native Americans regarding Native American news in and around the Kalamazoo area; Native American news will not, however, be a regular weekly feature on AM590 WKZO Radio.

I am formally requesting that all negative E-Mail from you regarding Dale Hyatt cease immediately. Furthur I formally request that your "hate E-Mail" site asking people to E-Mail me or WKZO be terminated as, again, Dale Hyatt is no longer a regular guest on WKZO.

In conclusion it is sad for me to note, for the record, that I and WKZO Radio have always had an open door to any dissident views on our Native American programming as noted by our "actions" not our "words." Sadly the only interests your group seems to have as an agenda is fostering hate withing your own people. You have effectively "shut down" one of the very few "open forum" lines of communication for the Native American community.

Interspersed throughout the following letter you will note Ishgooda's repsonse:

Wertz says...

This is in response to your E-Mail to me.

I appreciate your concern regarding Dale Hyatt on WKZO Radio. Unfortunately most of you sending me E-Mail have never heard the show and only know that which you are fed from those who are literally out to get him. There are 2 major issues here.

Ishgooda:
We are in process of transcribing the statements in question for posting. Let Mr. Hyatt condemn himnself by his own words

There are 2 major issues here.

Ishgooda:
The Tribal Judge of the Lakota people Isaac Dog Eagle has stated that Mr. Hyatt is not Lakota.

The Cherokee do not recognize Mr. Hyatt either, as was researched by Daniel Walking Stick.

These papers were presented to you in the meetings you have had with the parties involved, yet you refuse to acknowledge their validity. Why? Does it not serve your purposes to do so?

2. The real issue is a "personal issue between Hyatt and 2 elders." The Pokagon Band (the Band who received Federal Recognition last summer) was asked by 2 elders to ask WKZO, by formal resolution, to take Hyatt off the radio. They did so, but we talked and continue to talk. Then the elders did what, within the Native community, isn't right. They told the Pokagon Band Council to "not be involved" which led Pokagon Chairman Matt Wesaw to "formally withdraw the Pokagon resolution and offerred a formal apology, on-air, to WKZO Radio.

Ishgooda:
Mr. Wesaw was asked to intervene and did so. He was not asked to be continually involved and was not. He stepped aside with apologies as his role as mediator had ended. Don't twist the situation.

Ishgooda:
You may have failed to read the posting we sent you? The elder involved, Ann Bush has had her number listed on the net since the beginning of this fiasco for people to be able to confirm for themselves what the situation is. The elder Rose is in her 80's. Would you subject her to further harassment beyond that of Mr. Hyatt's original confrontation with her? I think not. We protect and honor our elders and will continue to do so.

This is a very sad situation and is, in reality, one terrible mis-justice.

Ishgooda:
It's Talk Radio obviously.

Ishgooda:
Where are the on-the-air dissenters? You have refused to permit "the people" air time, intimating that this is suppose to be a postive show, ergo no criticisms.

Native American issues are not your issues. Get the man off the air and stick with things that you know.

Bill Wertz
WKZO Radio

On June 16, 1996 Statio Manager Wertz reiterated his support
for the First Nations Imposter