Have three spectators write down the name of famous people, somebody that everybody would know, that are alive on a slip of paper and one name of a famous person, someone that everybody would know, that is dead. Warn them not to put down the names of truly evil people like Hitler or Stalin. Have them fold the papers into quarters and mix them up.
Explain that the Navajo Indians believe that a persons name is one with their spirit. However, the Navajos did not have a written language, it was only when colonists encountered them that their words were phonetically transcribed using the Latin alphabet. As a result, the Navajo would never write a persons name down because it took part of that persons spirit.
Take each paper one a time and waive it over the flames. Close your eyes to sense the spirit of the person who's name is written down. Declare that the first one is a person that is alive. Hand it to a spectator to open the slip and confirm that the person is still alive. Do the same with the second slip. With the third slip you sense nothing. Comment that it is strange and go to the fourth slip without opening the third slip. Sense that the person named on the fourth slip is alive. Have a spectator verify that the person is indeed alive. Then explain that you want to see if there is a connection between a person's name and their spirit.
"The Navajo believe that to summon a spirit there are four essential elements - fire, smoke, sky and earth. In their language, ko', lid, ya and ni'. You wrote down the name, so I want you to put it into the fire. As the smoke rises to the sky, think of the name but don't say it. [As the paper catches fire, you chant] ko' lid ya ni', ko' lid ya ni'. To bring the spirit to earth you must combine earth with the fire and the smoke. [you grab some dirt and throw it on the fire and as the fire glows purple and crackles you chant] ko' lid ya ni', ko' lid ya ni'. Can you sense a presence? I sense a presence. [Close your eyes and say] Yá'át'ééh ak'is [which translates hello friend - don't explain what it means, let them ask afterwards]. I sense the spirit of a man, who died In his 50s. He died almost a hundred years ago. His name is Erik, but he is known by another name. He says that he couldn't escape death..."
You go on to talk about the famous person without saying their name until it is clear who it is. Then say "Ah-sheh'heh tchin'dihou" [thank you spirit - again, don't explain what it means] and then throw some leaves on the fire and reverse the chant, "ni' ya lid ko', ni' ya lid ko', ni' ya lid ko'. Close your eyes and bow your head, part in respect and part in exhaustion. Hopefully, everyone packed a change of underwear.
Or you could have a selected card come to the top of the deck repeatedly every time someone snaps their fingers until your fellow campers yell, "make it stop."
CAVEAT: This is the type of effect that you need to do correctly. It can't be played off as a joke or a trick. You can't put it between two card tricks. It should stand alone. It has to be presented as real. You need a strong believable character. You also need a backstory of how you know this. The most believable is that you read a book on Navajo beliefs and ceremonies. If the people you are camping with don't know what you do during this school year, explain that one of your friends is Navajo and you met his grandmother who would tell amazing stories.
