The Metis people were always the subject of careful scrutiny by both indigenous people and whites alike. In the old days, at a point of crisis, there was always a question about where their loyalties would reside. I know that many Metis today find their loyalty with the indigenous people and stand firm on that ground. Others like Paul Modde, (a.k.a. Kia'i)seem to bring back the feelings of mistrust between the different factions. I was standing at the Vancouver International Aboriginal Festival after the closing ceremonies when a group of indigenous powwow dancers and singers commandeered the microphone, and explained to the audience that remained, just how badly organizer and promoter Paul Modde screwed them! I myself was surprised to notice that elders, dancers, and singers were buying bottled water from vendors. I was very surprised that that Paul had not made arrangements to provide water for these respected guest! I knew how I was being treated but I have never been to a powwow where the elders, dancers, or singers have been treated with such disrespect! Apparently, these powwow folks were also being screwed financially by Paul. My experience with Paul goes back to a brief interview he did with me on his radio show about two years ago. He had been playing songs from American Holocaust and requested a phone interview. Last spring he contacted me via e-mail about the Vancouver International Aboriginal Festival he was planning for 8/30, 8/31, and 9/1/2002. He expressed interest in me performing at this event but said he could not offer money for airfair. He said he would have me picked up at the airport and provide me with clean room and meals. We talked back and forth about the fact that plane faire for me would be a big investment. I explained to him how big a decision this was considering my plane ticket would equal about 15 hours if studio time. I am in the middle of recording a new album at this time.

He assured me that I would be given a time slot during the festival and that he expected large crowds. Indeed, had i been allowed to perform, I would of played to several hundred people. This would of been one of the largest crowds, at a powwow event, that I had ever performed for. I was certain I would sell a lot of CDs! He assured me I would be picked up from the airport and given a clean place to stay. The following are quotes from my conversations with either Paul or Chief Verna Benson that will show that Paul Modde lied to me and others on several occations and that, indeed, he had screwed others along the way!

When I returned from Vancouver I tried repeatedly to contact Paul Modde with out success. It was apparent that he was blocking my e-mails so I contacted Verna Benson. I asked her to lobby Paul to reimburse me for my plane faire and other expenses. (You can read my letter to her and her reply in full on this page). Verna says, " I am just as angry as you are, he is not an honourable man at all....I do believe he was trying to do something bad to our people....He kept me in the dark just as he kept you in the dark right to the last moment."

Verna was refering to Paul promising to put me on stage and canceling several times through-out the festival weekend. She then tells me that the "Plaza of Nations refuses to work with him too." She welcomed my letter and gave me the impression that I should move forward to expose Paul to as many people as I can. Verna states, "...he speaks from his white heritage and not metis." She also brings up the fact that the elders were not provided with a simple request like water, which confirms what I observed at the festival. I saw dancers, elders, and singers paying vendors for bottled water all weekend long! She goes on to say, "...I am terribly upset about the was Paul treated most of the aboriginals in the event."

The next communication from Verna she complains that Paul printed her e-mail from our site and is "threatening me with the information I gave...." What is this treat he made against her for telling the truth? If he is honest and not guilty of any of our claims why would he threaten her? She goes on to state that Paul owes her money too! Verna was concerned and asked that I remove her letter from this site. I wrote her that as chief she was doing the right thing exposing Paul for the kind of person he is and stopping him from continuing to "huckster" anyone else, especially any more indigenous people. On Thursday 9/26/02 I went to a local book store and coffee house to check my e-mail and found one from Paul dated 9/25/02. He says, "Since u have not responded to my e-mail concerning the board willing to reimbrse your airfare etc we can only assume you are not willing to accept out offer. Copy of this email has been sent to relevant city officials as well as derogitory remarks made from your supporters. We offfered to settle this matter u refused. There fore there is nothing more we can do." This was the FIRST E-MAIL I received from Paul since my return from Vancouver. It is clear he only wrote this to make it look like he had made an attempt to settle for the "city offical's" sake. Once again he is trying to "huckster" everyone involved. I wrote him an e-mail right back 
informing him this was the first I heard and that reimbursement was what I was seeking. He never contacted me again

Meanwhile Verna contacted me and said, "He is Paul-he is not sensitive to people." She complains that she is being hurt by all this and that Paul is taking it out on her. On 10/2/02 Verna contacts me again and sends me a copy of an e-mail she received from Paul. In this e-mail Paul refuses to pay her what is owed to her and cuts her off from contact. Apparently she was promised by Paul to be paid 3500.00 at the end of the festival for depts she incured. Paul was also using her as a taxi and refused to pay outstanding parking tickets that she received while assisting him with festival 
business. Apparently this festival made money and Paul is not willing to pay his debts now that it is over.

While I was in Vancouver Paul made arrangements with his roomate THE NIGHT I arrived in town for me to stay at her home. Paul rents a room from Susan Wagner. I must say if it had not been for Susan and her children my stay would of been miserable! However, Paul must have done the "huckster" on her too. Susan works for CITY DRIVE a local Vancouver paper and she informed me that Paul managed to get over a 1000.00 of "free" advertising say he woudl do this or that in return, including passes to the festival for her children and the staff at CITY DRIVE. He never did give them the passes. Although Susan's house was a very nice old Vancouver home, you got the idea this aging man was not in very good shape money-wise. He lives in one room in the back of the house off the kitchen. I guess he saw dollar signs and a big profit margin with the festiva

It is clear to me that many performers were invited because frankly Paul didn't have a clue who would show and who would not. He had promised me a written paper, (JUly 10th, 2002), contracting me for a performance and asked me to sign a waver for some folks who would be filming. None of this was ever produced. I happen to meet the women who was to film and she had nothing good to say about Paul because he was going to charge her to film. So Paul was going to make money from all the performers and none of us would ever get paid. As early as June 3rd I asked Paul for dates and times of my performance(s). He asked me to be patient and that they were still working out the schedule.

At one point he wanted to know "...what does booking your flight have to do with the time (yo)u are on stage?" I explained that if this was not going to be a business trip then I could not afford to go. Again I was assured that I would be given a good time slot and that it would be a large crowd to play for.

Finally, I must admit; their is a sucker born everyday and my time in Vancouver proves that I am one of them. The only condolence I have is knowing that I am not alone. The damage this trickster did to everyone involved will be a long time in healing. In posting this information and trying to reach as many people as I can, I hope to stop Paul Modde from doing this to anyone else!

Those of you who know me know I consider myself the same as the Lakota Winkte. One of the things winkte did was to give people sacred names. Huckster Paul Modde I introduce to you!