Naytowhow Refused Entry To United Kingdom

Friday, November 06, 2009 at 12:42

 

 

A well-known First Nations storyteller from Sturgeon Lake says he’s worried about what is going to happen with fingerprints that were taken from him by London airport officials.

 

Joseph Naytowhow was recently barred from entering the United Kingdom.

 

Naytowhow says he was told it was because of an honourarium he was set to receive at a Scottish festival.

 

He was detained for four-and-a-half hours at London’s Heathrow Airport, where his picture was taken along with his fingerprints.

 

Naytowhow says he isn’t sure what all the fuss is about.

 

“It was documented in the letter that was sent to me that I would be getting some money. They were going to pay me an honorarium and a gift of 1,500 (British) pounds. I guess to them it’s quite substantial, but as a guest storyteller, you never know what you’re going to get. You get gifts of any kind, right?,” he says.

 

Naytowhow says the entire experience was very traumatic, and he doubts he’ll go back any time soon.