To go back a day to ita !'s comment about Sleepy Hollow. There an actual Mohawk Community Center about a 2.5 hour drive from Tarrytown NY [link] I'll bet using the siren the Ichabod and Abbey could have made it there in an hour.

The "spiritual leader" of that community actual Mohawk Shaman. With a really impressive CV. Http://www.mohawkcommunity.com/tomscorner.html

If that did not work, they cold have moved the reservation and community center closer to Tarrytown. While they were at it they could have done a few more minutes of internet seaches to get more authentic information about Mohawk Shamanism (which does in fact have a huge component centered around dreams).

• They named the Iroquois tribe
• Abby didn't look anything up--she knew who was a shaman when Ichabod said he needed one
• The Mohawks traditionally live in wigwams not teepees

I have never said there's anything wrong with using a given non-Anglo culture in a story (that would be pushy of me). I did say they were wrong enough for this Unamerican to spot it, and they also did the 1st convenient ethnic accessory magical minority member thing.

Mohawks are Iroquois. Mohawk is one the nations in the Iroquois League.

I was not criticizing you. I was backing up your point. I was pointing out the writers could have done five minutes of research and avoided the problem you pointed out.

Despite the magical Native American bullshit, I was pleased to see that so many of the speaking roles in that episode were non-white women. The therapist, the paramedic, Abbie and Jenny. Then there's John Cho, Orlando Jones, and I think the guy who's Abbie's ex is Latino. It's a very non-white show.

Mohawks are Iroquois. Mohawk is one the nations in the Iroquois League.

My ignorance is showing!

I was pointing out the writers could have done five minutes of research and avoided the problem you pointed out.

Ah, I thought you meant the characters had done research. My apologies.

If I were writing it, I'd have Abby approaching the shaman/car dealer with, "Hey, John, remember how you used to tell me about Mohawk hoodoo back in high school?"

Shaman/Car Dealer: "Yeah...."

Abby: "Well, I was wondering... if you know a guy who'd know something about that. I, um, have some questions."

Shaman/Car Dealer: "Well... actually -- oh hell, just follow me to the damn sweat lodge already. I'll fill you in on the way."

(pause)

"By the way, how do you feel about anthropods?"

I can see a scene about hunting down a shaman being the first thing to go, though, when editing a script.

You could have shown it coming up in a Google search in the same 30 seconds it took Abby to tell Crane the Shaman would not be what he expected. It could have been a very funny scene if it was Crane googling Mohawk Shaman New York (it actually takes more than that to yield the result I found, but as you point out it has to move quickly) and then say "This Google you showed me is truly a wondrous thing". If they needed the time, the could have cut out the clumsy "Crane was righteous when it came to Native America rights" dialog. Or given that this would have eliminated the whole Geronimotors thing, they could have had the Shaman not need to to brought up to speed.

"We are here for ..." "I know. It was told to me. You will have to go into a special guided sleep. We don't have a sweat lodge here, but there is a hot tub in the physical therapy room that is not in use at the moment, so that will have to do. "

The showrunner should totally hire me as a consultant.

Were those tents belonging to the Mohawks? I'd assumed that they were in an American/Colonial camp and the Native American's were the guests. Because, y'know, tents.