Consumer Alert on Raymond Naeyaert, aka Raymond Redfeather

INTERNATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN AND
WORLD FLUTE ASSOCIATION
A Musical and Education-Based Organization Whose Goal is to Foster the Advancement,
Appreciation, Preservation, and Understanding of the Native American flute,
as well as other world flute traditions

Consumer/Retail Alert on Raymond Naeyaert
(Raymond Redfeather)

Who: Raymond Naeyaert, a.k.a. Raymond Redfeather

Company: Heartwood Flutes
Address: P.O. Box 3549, Santa Cruz, CA 95063
Phone: 719-989-8079
E-mail: spectrum.audio@yahoo.com

Over the years, INAFA has received complaints about Raymond Redfeather’s business practices. Most recently, INAFA has received numerous new complaints. At the request of the complainants, INAFA is printing their complaints against Raymond Redfeather. Some have lost hundreds of dollars to Raymond Redfeather, while others have lost thousands. It has been made known to us that Raymond Redfeather has disconnected the phone number that was listed on his Web site and he has also taken down his Web site. INAFA is in no way connected with Raymond Redfeather and he is not a member of the organization, nor are we as an organization making any formal charges or accusations against him. A sample complaint about Raymond Redfeather is as follows:

From Bob Stevens of Salt Lake City, Utah (mtbiker62@comcast.net): “It was suggested that I contact you to report a failed flute-purchase transaction I paid to Raymond Naeyaert (Redfeather) in May 2008. Since he has obviously refused to provide the contracted/agreed-to construction of the flute I ordered/paid for from him, I thought you may want to know that he is not reputable and in fact has even refused to respond to the Paypal Resolution Center's efforts to collect my funds from him. Documentation to support my accusation/claim is available upon request, as it has been detailed and documented by Paypal. Both his payment request and my cleared payment records were copied and pasted from my Paypal account. They can verify the claim if that is necessary. They have said that they will continue to do their best to monitor any activity by Raymond to then pursue collection. I am reasonably certain, given the veiled and thoughtful comments by various people that Raymond Redfeather has done this to several others, which can only have some reflection on the rest of the Native business community which does reputable and honorable business transactions over the Internet and otherwise. So, I forward this information to you to do with as you see fit. I, nor Paypal, ever received a response from Raymond Redfeather.”

From the United Kingdom: "Hello, like many others, I love drumming and flutes. Four years ago I met Raymond Redfeather in the UK where I live. He's great. I ordered and paid for two flutes. I never got them, he hasn't made them. Last year Nov 2007, I found out he was in Brighton Festival UK. After eight hours of travel and a lot of expense I went to see him honorably without any anger. He took my hand and made an oath in front of people in the teepee, that he would make and send me my flutes. I would have preferred to talk in private, it was his choice. I took Raymond Redfeather at his word, and I'm sad to say he hasn't even contacted me. He's had my money, address, phone number and emails. Nothing. There are others in the same boat as myself and they are very angry. They have given up, my Spirit hasn't!

What is the best suggestion to deal with this? How can I get Raymond Redfeather to honor his word or give me my money back?"

D.H. from Canada: I contacted Raymond at the time after a workshop with him fell through that I paid $50 to attend. He did offer to refund my $50. Instead, I felt rather badly for him and offered to buy a commissioned flute from him rather than have him refund my money. We agreed my workshop fee would be applied toward the commission of a new flute which was to be made of yew wood (he informed he would put a special piece of this wood aside for me) and was to be an E minor, 6-hole flute with a walking cougar fetish with paw prints going up the flute. The total price was to be $260, again with my initial workshop fee being applied toward it. I immediately paid Raymond the remaining sum through Paypal and looked forward to my new flute. Since that time, I have received no emails or phone calls from Raymond, in spite of attempts on my part to contact him. I never received the promised flute from Raymond, nor a refund of my monies paid. The part that really pains me is that Raymond was the first person from which I bought my first flute and had bought 3 or 4 from him since. Now, for me they are just wallhangers, as after this experience I no longer play any of his flutes because to me they are just bad medicine in light of what happened to me!!!

M.S.: January 19, 2009: Just to let you (INAFA) know of another Raymond Redfeather victim. I ordered a flute from Raymond Redfeather, and he called and requested that I send payment through PayPal to speed up the order. Of course, I never received the flute. I’m 72 years old and should have known better, but trusted him to provide a flute for the money. I even purchased his video on flute making. It is a shame that people out there still prey on the innocent, even old fools. - M.S.