If a Flute Maker Marries You, is it Valid?

Well I have no idea.  And honestly, I've never thought about it.  But Hawk Littlejohn, who, according to Wiki, is perhaps the greatest Native-American flute maker, married a couple in in a two-day ceremony back in October of 1989.  He was also a medicine man, and according to Wiki again, served as an adjunct professor at UNC's medical school.  Given the recent academic issues at UNC, this Deac will refrain from making a comment about that particular position.

In any event, the couple that married, sadly, divorced.  And the divorce was subject to a recent appeal found here. 

The actual holding of the case isn't that interesting: appeal of an alimony award while an attorneys' fees order is pending is interlocutory and subject to dismissal.

At the trial court level, however, Judge Leslie found that she did not need to reach the issue of whether Hawk Littlejohn's ceremony was valid, because when the couple renewed their vows in a "traditional" church, the defendant-husband was estopped from denying the validity of Hawk Littlejohn's ceremony.

So what's the take away?  I have no idea, but it gave me a chance to post a picture of a Hawk, and a Littlejohn: