Sedona Sacred Earth

I spent a day with Clint and Allen from Sedona Sacred Earth I was recommended them by Sedona Chamber of Commerce I am a travel writer from the UK and was over in Arizona writing a couple of stories I did not know what to expect when I began the day with them I am deeply interested in Native American culture From the moment I first met Clint in a cafe in Sedona I knew I'd met a man who genuinely knew his stuff He is extremely informed and passionate about Native American culture He is willing to impart this knowledge but does so in an interesting way, rather than just filling you with too many academic facts Allen too is fascinating to talk to, and hearing him sing and chant, was deeply moving I also had my two young children with me, who are less interested in Native American culture (they are two and four!), but Clint and Allen were very patient and engaging with them

This guided experience on the sacred land of Sedona will change your life! I have been out several times with Sedona Sacred Earth and each time I deepen my connection to the land, the history and the true spirit of SedonaI've done other touristy things in Sedona and "jeep" tours but they don't begin to compare to the individualized experience you get with Clint FrakesHis huge number of positive reviews and deeply moved clients tell the storyThis is life alteringI've sent somewhere around 12-friends and family members to trek with Sedona Sacred Earth and each one of them has come back profoundly moved by their experiencesTHIS IS SPECIAL and you won't find it anywhere elseEach tour is customized for the needs and wants of each personAll levels of fitness and age are accommodated graciouslyAll levels of Spiritual exploration are honoredIf you are wondering if you should, wonder no moreThis will be the highlight of your trip

The complainer has made unsubstantiated allegations and no laws were brokenShe has not provided any evidence of her claims and her entire motivation is to injure my business reputation for unknown reasons that I cannot address or appease in any wayShe is disturbed and has been harassing me for weeks, and has slandered me in multiple public forums and lied to various agencies and authorities, causing me distress and considerable time and expenseAll services provided to her were of highest quality and all guides behaved appropriately and honorablyAttempts were made to contact her before her protracted harassment campaign, and an offer was made for a partial refundShe declined to respond to a generous refund offer and chose not to answer the callsInstead, she went on a malicious propaganda campaign that has caused me much grief and damage far beyond the price of her Hopi tourTo reward this behavior with any further monetary compensation or the slightest bit of attention at this point is to encourage slander, despicable dishonesty and moral depravityShe should in fact be reprimanded and punished for the damage done to me and my business thus far Hopi tours do not happen on "Park" groundsResidents of Hopi Land are free citizens and are not required to gain permits to have guests in their homes, or to share their wisdom, culture, dances and storiesAll guides are licensed and registered with the Hopi tribe anywayNo meal was "sold"; it was given, and all donations to our generous hosts for their efforts are voluntaryThis is not a typical tour or service, but an arrangement to access a privileged cultural experience in a rare context that few people ever witnessThat they chose to devalue this and then assault the reputation of the people that worked so very hard for their benefit is congruent to the low character that they are exhibiting inn this relentless slanderous campaignShe should be ashamed of herself for assaulting me in this fashion [redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
The Hopi Tour was provided on Hopi land and food was provided at a private residence for sale, illegally, according to Hopi Law (Violating Ordinances and 12)
We were not informed of the illegal nature of the tourWe also did not know that the agency/Sedona Sacred Earth Private Tours can not legally guide tours on park grounds (no RR Guide Permit)My Mother-in-law felt tipping was necessary, even when not totally satisfied, because there were more tours to followShe felt pressure to keep people happyThe average rating, over-all, was fairSome tours showed more effortSome, little planningWe expected more.
All four members transported have the same view of the tours and the events reportedI will not engage in personal attacks, just present facts.
Regards,
*** ***

The complainer has made unsubstantiated allegations and no laws were broken. She has not provided any evidence of her claims and her entire motivation is to injure my business reputation for unknown reasons that I cannot address or appease in any way. She is disturbed and has been harassing me for weeks, and has slandered me in multiple public forums and lied to various agencies and authorities, causing me distress and considerable time and expense. All services provided to her were of highest quality and all guides behaved appropriately and honorably. Attempts were made to contact her before her protracted harassment campaign, and an offer was made for a partial refund. She declined to respond to a generous refund offer and chose not to answer the calls. Instead, she went on a malicious propaganda campaign that has caused me much grief and damage far beyond the price of her Hopi tour. To reward this behavior with any further monetary compensation or the slightest bit of attention at this point is to encourage slander, despicable dishonesty and moral depravity. She should in fact be reprimanded and punished for the damage done to me and my business thus far.
Hopi tours do not happen on "Park" grounds. Residents of Hopi Land are free citizens and are not required to gain permits to have guests in their homes, or to share their wisdom, culture, dances and stories. All guides are licensed and registered with the Hopi tribe anyway. No meal was "sold"; it was given, and all donations to our generous hosts for their efforts are voluntary. This is not a typical tour or service, but an arrangement to access a privileged cultural experience in a rare context that few people ever witness. That they chose to devalue this and then assault the reputation of the people that worked so very hard for their benefit is congruent to the low character that they are exhibiting inn this relentless slanderous campaign. She should be ashamed of herself for assaulting me in this fashion.
[redacted]

What a wonderful experience! Clint F[redacted] took my group out on a beautiful spiritual Sedona adventure. His experience growing up with a Native American tribe makes him the perfect source for Native culture, education and interpretation. A man named Allen came all the way down from the Hopi reservation to share his traditions and beliefs as a healer. They customized the tour expertly to tailor to our needs. They concluded the tour with beautiful drumming, singing and a walking mediation. Thank you to Clint and special guest Allen.

This is in response to [redacted]’s complaint of the tours provided by Sedona Sacred Earth on 3/14 to 3/17, 2014. A thorough investigation of the tours in question was made and the two guides that gave the tours (in addition to myself) were interviewed at length. It was determined that Ms....

[redacted]’s rendering of the incidents and overall tenor of the tours in question is both inaccurate and fraudulent. We found that there were too many both explicit and logical contradictions to take her claim seriously, and furthermore that she misrepresented the facts in so gross a manner that we could not begin to understand what her motive is, or even the actual grounds for her complaint. Our sad determination was that she suffers from severe emotional/psychological imbalance and that we were targets of an irrational rage, after the fact. Furthermore, we found it perplexing that she would attempt to malign the reputation of the company and its guides and could find no reasonable foundation for her claims whatsoever.
     A close review of her narrative in this complaint exposes a muddled, incoherent sequence of scarcely related topics, but what we found disheartening is the deliberate fabrication/falsification of facts and actual events (or non-events) strictly composed to malign our business reputation (why, we still do not know). Her story also demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of the information presented to her on the Hopi tour.
    Regarding the scathing negative review that Ms. [redacted] posted on [redacted], we have no control over what [redacted] posts, or their criteria for removal, but it is most likely the case that she violated their guidelines, or even fraudulently posted a second review (there were two) under an additional alias. She mentions the tour guides by their full names and even listed their other places of employment among other potentially harmful indiscretions. I heartily urge those evaluating this dispute to question whether or not the same mentality is operative in this present matter, and whether or not she is simply trying to inflict damage to the reputation of the company for reasons known only to herself.
     We at Sedona Sacred Earth would also like it known that a courtesy call was made to her even before any public complaints were registered to see how her final tour went, and that she did not respond. Ms. [redacted] did not at any time contact us with any indication that she was dissatisfied, and in fact led us to believe quite the contrary by leaving large cash tips with each of the guides on every single tour. If she had contacted us in a civil manner, we would have given her concerns thoughtful consideration. Instead, she attempted to smear our reputation with every possible public agency and travel forum while disseminating distorted facts and fraudulent claims. We feel it is a considerable ethical breach to resort to such tactics without attempting to first contact our office for some amicable resolution. Furthermore, she went out on a fourth tour (she states in this document that her first two tours were “fine” and “excellent”) after what she is now claiming was a sub-standard experience that resulted in serious physical injury. We only ask that the Revdex.com review her letter and notice the incongruities indicated above. In fact, almost every single assertion she makes is refutable, as is her overall claim for re-compensation in this document.
    I will address each of her assertions below:
 
Sedona Sacred earth received only $2670 from Ms. [redacted] for the four tours. This was made in two [redacted]l payments. She will not be able to provide receipts for more than that amount. Any payments she made to vendors or guides in Indian country are transactions that reside outside of Sedona Sacred Earth’s agreement with Ms. [redacted] and should be taken up with the appropriate parties. She was instructed that those are separate transactions when her reservations with our company were made.
Regarding Ms. [redacted]’s restricted diet and meal. She was instructed that she should bring some foods that she could eat (we made a stop at the local market in Sedona before traveling up explicitly for this purpose). While we did request a vegetarian version of the traditional Hopi food that was offered that day, and the request was overlooked, other food options were offered and she refused them. The rest of the group ate heartily and seemed to enjoy the food very much. It must be noted that the meal is only part of the experience that was provided during the lunch. We were invited into a traditional Hopi home and were given generous and gracious treatment by out hosts, and her attitude was a bit arrogant and critical--and contrary to the spirit of the day which was all about cultural exchange and appreciation. It must be understood that this is not a typical tour, but a cultural immersion on an Indian reservation. These are humble and gracious people and they did everything they did to try and make Ms. [redacted] comfortable, which she apparently scoffed at. Had she asked me to help her procure additional food items, I would have gladly done it. I checked in with her repeatedly and she repeatedly told me that she was fine—even smiling. Her concern about my eating habits seems odd and a desperate attempt to make me look bad to the reader. Everyone in the group was offered as much as they wanted to eat and drink.
Ms. [redacted]’s grievance, at its heart, seems to be with the culture she claims she wanted to see and meet. She was told in advance that there were protocol and customs different than that of her own culture and she agreed that this was to be expected—yet she argues with the interpretation of cultural artifacts from a highly esteemed traditional Hopi elder! These are people that have lived on that very land for 1000-3000 years and she claims here to know more about it than the Hopi. At this point I want to make it clear that she and everyone in the group were treated with kindness and patience and absolute attentiveness and every effort was made to provide them with a special experience.
Regarding the claims that Mr. Talayumptewa “yelled” at her: this is sheer fabrication. Nothing of the sort happened, as I was with him the entire time. Ms. [redacted] appears to have objections to spiritual and cultural practices of the Hopis, but she requested to be taken to the Hopi reservation to learn about them.
Ms. [redacted]’s claim of sustaining physical injury do to “doors being too heavy” in the vehicle is ridiculous. We were in a 2014 GMC Acadia with electronic doors and trunk buttons, and I was more than willing to assist with any and all physical matters.
After speaking with the guide for the Monument Valley tour, it has been made clear that the tour she claims to have missed due to me “not getting the times right” was offered and entirely possible for her to have experienced. It was only required that they wait 30-40 minutes. They chose to skip this option in favor of moving ahead to the next part of the tour. The tour guide, [redacted] (ph: [redacted]), will testify to this. Everything that was offered in the Monument Valley tour was provided.
I did not call her “multiple times” or “badger” her in any way. I made one (normal procedure) courtesy call before I even knew she was upset, and a second call after I read a ludicrous [redacted] review, asking her to reconsider the unfair/untrue review and even attempt to come to some resolution at that point. Both calls were made in a friendly, even and civil tone.
 
     In short, by her own admission, the first to tours were good to excellent, therefore clearly do not require compensation. The third Hopi tour was not to her liking—but largely due to her disapproval of the culture itself and a small mishap on her lunch. All services offered for the fourth tour were provided, even though she declined one of them. Given that she resorts to repeatedly lying in this account, and has cost me much time and some expense in dealing with a number of public smears that she has issued so far, I cannot entertain the thought of any financial compensation to her beyond the value of her missed lunch, which was around $15. Furthermore, Ms. [redacted] seems to me to be of the sad variety of people who lash out against others from some severe inner pain and discontentment within the emotional/spiritual poverty of their lives, and that somehow I was chosen as the object of her wrath. This was completely undeserved as I posed no affront to her whatsoever, and was professional, generous and accommodating in every matter. She should be ashamed of herself for the trouble these claims have caused me.
     I heartily urge the referee of this dispute to study the incoherent pattern of Ms. [redacted]’s complaint and the improbability of being injured opening a car door, or being shouted at by a Hopi elder. Please note as well her inaccuracy of the purchase price and the fact that [redacted] removed her public complaint on their own volition and via their own criteria. Thank you for reading my side of the story.
 
Cordially,
[redacted]
Owner, Sedona Sacred Earth

I spent a day with Clint and Allen from Sedona Sacred Earth. I was recommended them by Sedona Chamber of Commerce. I am a travel writer from the UK and was over in Arizona writing a couple of stories. I did not know what to expect when I began the day with them. I am deeply interested in Native American culture. From the moment I first met Clint in a cafe in Sedona I knew I'd met a man who genuinely knew his stuff. He is extremely informed and passionate about Native American culture. He is willing to impart this knowledge but does so in an interesting way, rather than just filling you with too many academic facts. Allen too is fascinating to talk to, and hearing him sing and chant, was deeply moving. I also had my two young children with me, who are less interested in Native American culture (they are two and four!), but Clint and Allen were very patient and engaging with them

The complainer has made unsubstantiated allegations and no laws were broken. She has not provided any evidence of her claims and her entire motivation is to injure my business reputation for unknown reasons that I cannot address or appease in any way. She is disturbed and has been harassing me for weeks, and has slandered me in multiple public forums and lied to various agencies and authorities, causing me distress and considerable time and expense. All services provided to her were of highest quality and all guides behaved appropriately and honorably. Attempts were made to contact her before her protracted harassment campaign, and an offer was made for a partial refund. She declined to respond to a generous refund offer and chose not to answer the calls. Instead, she went on a malicious propaganda campaign that has caused me much grief and damage far beyond the price of her Hopi tour. To reward this behavior with any further monetary compensation or the slightest bit of attention at this point is to encourage slander, despicable dishonesty and moral depravity. She should in fact be reprimanded and punished for the damage done to me and my business thus far.

Hopi tours do not happen on "Park" grounds. Residents of Hopi Land are free citizens and are not required to gain permits to have guests in their homes, or to share their wisdom, culture, dances and stories. All guides are licensed and registered with the Hopi tribe anyway. No meal was "sold"; it was given, and all donations to our generous hosts for their efforts are voluntary. This is not a typical tour or service, but an arrangement to access a privileged cultural experience in a rare context that few people ever witness. That they chose to devalue this and then assault the reputation of the people that worked so very hard for their benefit is congruent to the low character that they are exhibiting inn this relentless slanderous campaign. She should be ashamed of herself for assaulting me in this fashion.

I spent a day with Clint and Allen from Sedona Sacred Earth. I was recommended them by Sedona Chamber of Commerce. I am a travel writer from the UK and was over in Arizona writing a couple of stories. I did not know what to expect when I began the day with them. I am deeply interested in Native American culture. From the moment I first met Clint in a cafe in Sedona I knew I'd met a man who genuinely knew his stuff. He is extremely informed and passionate about Native American culture. He is willing to impart this knowledge but does so in an interesting way, rather than just filling you with too many academic facts. Allen too is fascinating to talk to, and hearing him sing and chant, was deeply moving. I also had my two young children with me, who are less interested in Native American culture (they are two and four!), but Clint and Allen were very patient and engaging with them

What a wonderful experience! Clint F[redacted] took my group out on a beautiful spiritual Sedona adventure. His experience growing up with a Native American tribe makes him the perfect source for Native culture, education and interpretation. A man named Allen came all the way down from the Hopi reservation to share his traditions and beliefs as a healer. They customized the tour expertly to tailor to our needs. They concluded the tour with beautiful drumming, singing and a walking mediation. Thank you to Clint and special guest Allen.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

The Hopi Tour was provided on Hopi land and food was provided at a private residence for sale, illegally, according to Hopi Law (Violating Ordinances 17 and 12).

We were not informed of the illegal nature of the tour. We also did not know that the agency/Sedona Sacred Earth Private Tours can not legally guide tours on park grounds (no RR Guide Permit). My Mother-in-law felt tipping was necessary, even when not totally satisfied, because there were more tours to follow. She felt pressure to keep people happy. The average rating, over-all, was fair. Some tours showed more effort. Some, little planning. We expected more. 

All four members transported have the same view of the tours and the events reported. I will not engage in personal attacks, just present facts. 

Regards,

This guided experience on the sacred land of Sedona will change your life! I have been out several times with Sedona Sacred Earth and each time I deepen my connection to the land, the history and the true spirit of Sedona. I've done other touristy things in Sedona and "jeep" tours but they don't begin to compare to the individualized experience you get with Clint Frakes. His huge number of positive reviews and deeply moved clients tell the story. This is life altering. I've sent somewhere around 12-15 friends and family members to trek with Sedona Sacred Earth and each one of them has come back profoundly moved by their experiences. THIS IS SPECIAL and you won't find it anywhere else. Each tour is customized for the needs and wants of each person. All levels of fitness and age are accommodated graciously. All levels of Spiritual exploration are honored. If you are wondering if you should, wonder no more. This will be the highlight of your trip.

This is in response to [redacted]’s complaint of the tours provided by Sedona Sacred Earth on 3/14 to 3/17, 2014. A thorough investigation of the tours in question was made and the two guides that gave the tours (in addition to myself) were interviewed at length. It was determined that Ms....

[redacted]’s rendering of the incidents and overall tenor of the tours in question is both inaccurate and fraudulent. We found that there were too many both explicit and logical contradictions to take her claim seriously, and furthermore that she misrepresented the facts in so gross a manner that we could not begin to understand what her motive is, or even the actual grounds for her complaint. Our sad determination was that she suffers from severe emotional/psychological imbalance and that we were targets of an irrational rage, after the fact. Furthermore, we found it perplexing that she would attempt to malign the reputation of the company and its guides and could find no reasonable foundation for her claims whatsoever.

     A close review of her narrative in this complaint exposes a muddled, incoherent sequence of scarcely related topics, but what we found disheartening is the deliberate fabrication/falsification of facts and actual events (or non-events) strictly composed to malign our business reputation (why, we still do not know). Her story also demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of the information presented to her on the Hopi tour.

    Regarding the scathing negative review that Ms. [redacted] posted on [redacted], we have no control over what [redacted] posts, or their criteria for removal, but it is most likely the case that she violated their guidelines, or even fraudulently posted a second review (there were two) under an additional alias. She mentions the tour guides by their full names and even listed their other places of employment among other potentially harmful indiscretions. I heartily urge those evaluating this dispute to question whether or not the same mentality is operative in this present matter, and whether or not she is simply trying to inflict damage to the reputation of the company for reasons known only to herself.

     We at Sedona Sacred Earth would also like it known that a courtesy call was made to her even before any public complaints were registered to see how her final tour went, and that she did not respond. Ms. [redacted] did not at any time contact us with any indication that she was dissatisfied, and in fact led us to believe quite the contrary by leaving large cash tips with each of the guides on every single tour. If she had contacted us in a civil manner, we would have given her concerns thoughtful consideration. Instead, she attempted to smear our reputation with every possible public agency and travel forum while disseminating distorted facts and fraudulent claims. We feel it is a considerable ethical breach to resort to such tactics without attempting to first contact our office for some amicable resolution. Furthermore, she went out on a fourth tour (she states in this document that her first two tours were “fine” and “excellent”) after what she is now claiming was a sub-standard experience that resulted in serious physical injury. We only ask that the Revdex.com review her letter and notice the incongruities indicated above. In fact, almost every single assertion she makes is refutable, as is her overall claim for re-compensation in this document.

    I will address each of her assertions below:

 

Sedona Sacred earth received only $2670 from Ms. [redacted] for the four tours. This was made in two [redacted]l payments. She will not be able to provide receipts for more than that amount. Any payments she made to vendors or guides in Indian country are transactions that reside outside of Sedona Sacred Earth’s agreement with Ms. [redacted] and should be taken up with the appropriate parties. She was instructed that those are separate transactions when her reservations with our company were made.

Regarding Ms. [redacted]’s restricted diet and meal. She was instructed that she should bring some foods that she could eat (we made a stop at the local market in Sedona before traveling up explicitly for this purpose). While we did request a vegetarian version of the traditional Hopi food that was offered that day, and the request was overlooked, other food options were offered and she refused them. The rest of the group ate heartily and seemed to enjoy the food very much. It must be noted that the meal is only part of the experience that was provided during the lunch. We were invited into a traditional Hopi home and were given generous and gracious treatment by out hosts, and her attitude was a bit arrogant and critical--and contrary to the spirit of the day which was all about cultural exchange and appreciation. It must be understood that this is not a typical tour, but a cultural immersion on an Indian reservation. These are humble and gracious people and they did everything they did to try and make Ms. [redacted] comfortable, which she apparently scoffed at. Had she asked me to help her procure additional food items, I would have gladly done it. I checked in with her repeatedly and she repeatedly told me that she was fine—even smiling. Her concern about my eating habits seems odd and a desperate attempt to make me look bad to the reader. Everyone in the group was offered as much as they wanted to eat and drink.

Ms. [redacted]’s grievance, at its heart, seems to be with the culture she claims she wanted to see and meet. She was told in advance that there were protocol and customs different than that of her own culture and she agreed that this was to be expected—yet she argues with the interpretation of cultural artifacts from a highly esteemed traditional Hopi elder! These are people that have lived on that very land for 1000-3000 years and she claims here to know more about it than the Hopi. At this point I want to make it clear that she and everyone in the group were treated with kindness and patience and absolute attentiveness and every effort was made to provide them with a special experience.

Regarding the claims that Mr. Talayumptewa “yelled” at her: this is sheer fabrication. Nothing of the sort happened, as I was with him the entire time. Ms. [redacted] appears to have objections to spiritual and cultural practices of the Hopis, but she requested to be taken to the Hopi reservation to learn about them.

Ms. [redacted]’s claim of sustaining physical injury do to “doors being too heavy” in the vehicle is ridiculous. We were in a 2014 GMC Acadia with electronic doors and trunk buttons, and I was more than willing to assist with any and all physical matters.

After speaking with the guide for the Monument Valley tour, it has been made clear that the tour she claims to have missed due to me “not getting the times right” was offered and entirely possible for her to have experienced. It was only required that they wait 30-40 minutes. They chose to skip this option in favor of moving ahead to the next part of the tour. The tour guide, [redacted] (ph: [redacted]), will testify to this. Everything that was offered in the Monument Valley tour was provided.

I did not call her “multiple times” or “badger” her in any way. I made one (normal procedure) courtesy call before I even knew she was upset, and a second call after I read a ludicrous [redacted] review, asking her to reconsider the unfair/untrue review and even attempt to come to some resolution at that point. Both calls were made in a friendly, even and civil tone.

 

     In short, by her own admission, the first to tours were good to excellent, therefore clearly do not require compensation. The third Hopi tour was not to her liking—but largely due to her disapproval of the culture itself and a small mishap on her lunch. All services offered for the fourth tour were provided, even though she declined one of them. Given that she resorts to repeatedly lying in this account, and has cost me much time and some expense in dealing with a number of public smears that she has issued so far, I cannot entertain the thought of any financial compensation to her beyond the value of her missed lunch, which was around $15. Furthermore, Ms. [redacted] seems to me to be of the sad variety of people who lash out against others from some severe inner pain and discontentment within the emotional/spiritual poverty of their lives, and that somehow I was chosen as the object of her wrath. This was completely undeserved as I posed no affront to her whatsoever, and was professional, generous and accommodating in every matter. She should be ashamed of herself for the trouble these claims have caused me.

     I heartily urge the referee of this dispute to study the incoherent pattern of Ms. [redacted]’s complaint and the improbability of being injured opening a car door, or being shouted at by a Hopi elder. Please note as well her inaccuracy of the purchase price and the fact that [redacted] removed her public complaint on their own volition and via their own criteria. Thank you for reading my side of the story.

 

Cordially,

Owner, Sedona Sacred Earth