_ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' O ( N A T I V E A M E R I C A N ) O o O ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ O o O / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' O o o o o O / /-< / /--/ /-- VOLUME 01, ISSUE 012 O o O __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, 12 June 1993 O o O ( N E W S ) O <----<<<< >>>>----> This newsletter is a way of keeping the brothers and sisters of the Invisible Band and those who share our spirit informed about current events within the lives of those who walk the Red Road. It is hoped that our presence will be rewarded with a Native American RoundTable on GEnie. "Our religion is the traditions of our ancestors -- the dreams of our old men, given them in the solemn hours of night by the Great Spirit; and the visions of our sachems, and is written in the hearts of our people." -- Chief Seattle, Dwamish O'siyo Brothers and Sisters! I am grateful for contributions to this issue of Wotanging Ikche by members of the Invisible Band. This always adds to the value of this newsletter. Let me share parts of recently received letters. It gives us hope because there are many fires being lit on the electronic landscape by others who share our beliefs. From: Michael Aho! Good to hear from you. It's always great to hear about Indians getting things going on the net. Sometime soon, I'm setting up an FTP or Gopher site where people can logon and pick things up at their convenience. If you would like to put your newsletter there, please let me know. Where are you from? I'm Choctaw, from Oklahoma, going to school in New York, and getting ready to head to Wisconsin for a teaching job. Soon, Mike O'siyo Mike! > Sometime soon, I'm setting up an FTP or Gopher site where >people can logon and pick things up at their convenience. >If you would like to put your newsletter there, please let me know. Please let me know as soon as 'whatever your site is' is a reality. One of the areas I SysOp on GEnie is the Internet-RT and your periodic listings would be a _must_ for me to post periodically. As I noted in my original letter, Wotanging Ikche is largely a compilation of news posts. However, there are some Band specific articles and some original material. Perhaps I need to just send you the next issue and let you judge its worth for yourself. >Where are you from? I'm Choctaw, from Oklahoma, going to school My family roots are clouded. I was born in New Mexico. My Mother's family was from Tennessee, so it is a bit remarkable my Native American ancestors are Siksika (Blackfoot). I now live in Durham North Carolina with the light of my life. She is of Tsalagi ancestry. Both of us are mixed blood, but have chosen The Way. Wado! Hinhan Hepi From: duke!gnosys.svle.ma.us!gst (Gary S. Trujillo) Greetings. Thanks for your message. This discussion about bringing alt.native to an end has resulted in my getting a few messages from people like yourself, who I never would have known about otherwise. I'm glad to make your acquaintance! > I am a SysOp on GEnie, where we have a band of Native Americans, and > hope to (soon) have a RoundTable (SIG) for Native Americans. For > my brothers and sisters there I have been producing a compilation > of articles gathered from newsgroups like alt.native, web.native and > others as I find appropriate ones. You might be interested to know that I am the facilitator of web.native on the IGC (PeaceNet/EcoNet) system, which is a sister system of Web in Toronto, which created that conference originally. All web.native materials are also available now in soc.culture.native. > The newsletter I produce (with > full credit to the originating authors) is titled _Wotanging Ikche_. > It is only available via GEnie email. I don't care to get into the > hassel of redistributing to other sources and possibly creating news > loops. Thanks. > Mitaquye Oyasin! Hinhan Hepi Likewise. Gary -- Gary S. Trujillo gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us Somerville, Massachusetts {wjh12,bu.edu,spdcc,ima,cdp}!gnosys!gst Mitaquye Oyasin! Night Owl ------------------ clip here for news feature -- 8< ----------- --------- "Re: The Grocery Bag Program" ---------- From: Spirit Woman, via James D. Audlin Subj: The Grocery Bag Program All my Relations, both Native and non-Native, Hear my cry! My heart is heavy with the knowledge of how our Native people are living on the reservations. I have visited some a while ago, and saw with my own eyes some of the conditions, however, I have been painfully reminded recently by the news accounts about the illness that afflicted and killed several Dineh (Navajo) people. It came out, finally, that it is believed that the syndrome was caused by rodent droppings, and the LAST word was from the government, advising the people to stay away from the mice!! How utterly absurd!!! Can ANYONE "stay away from" mice and rats? They populate areas where access to food is easy and abundant. In the case of slums and reservations, I do not refer to "abundance" as pertaining to a lot of food for the people, but for the rodents that find no barrier to overcome in reaching it. The Natives on most reservations must store large amounts of dry goods and draw from that until the next government "dole", or until shipments from charitable people can be made. They have no grocery stores as we do. Their food is not fresh. They have very little means for actual air-tight storage. By this, I mean containers, such as Tupperware or Rubber Maid to keep out the pests. Therefore, the rats come, sit and eat, depositing their droppings into their beans, corn meal, rice, and other dry foods. They are defacating on their dishes and tableware as well. These people cannot "stay away" from the mice any more than you can. But we can HELP. I have been in touch with our Regional Chief, Distant Eagle, and the Director of the Adopt a Native Elder and the Grocery Bag Programs, Linda A. Myers, who works directly with the Dineh people. They asked that I write this letter and relay the needs of our brothers and sisters. Linda has asked that we organize drives in our own areas to collect Tupperware and other plastic sealed containers. This is the most basic and immediate need, on order for them to store food and kitchen utensils away from the mice. Also, while we are all concerned for our environment, she feels that because of the water shortange and unsanitary conditions, we should send paper plates and cups, along with mouse and rat traps. She asks that anyone wishing to donate canned goods please send a donation by check or money order instead, because it is so costly to ship heavy canned goods. All donations of materials or money should be sent to: The Grocery Bag Program c/o Linda A. Myers Box 3401 Park City, Utah 84060 Chief Distant Eagle has asked that all Free Cherokee Bands [including the Invisible Band, which is why I am relaying this letter to you --D.E.] join us in this effort. He asks that people in their own regions take responsibility, alone or through their local Bands, for their own drives to collect Tupperware etc., and shipments. But, PLEASE DO HELP! Call me for more information on collection of donations at (203) 445-1923. Anyone who knows the history and the plight of the Native Americans on the reservations can understand. They are not in a position to help themselves in most cases. They need and rely on the love of all Brothers and Sisters everywhere. This, the Great Spirit has asked, and I, Spirit Woman, ask of you with all my heart; let the Sacred Hoop be joined and encircle our relations with love and prayers. Wado!! Spirit Woman, Band Chief, Hede Heweche' Moon Band (of the Free Cherokees) CC: Duncan Sings-Alone, Principal Chief Distant Eagle, Regional Chief Singing Waters, Snake Band Chief Rainbow Newmoon Shootingstar, Wild Potato Band Chief Medicine Hawk, Osprey Band Chief Blue Flame Moon Wolf, Many Walks Medicine Council Chief Long Man, Editor, THE NEW PHOENIX Richard Carlson, Editor, THE EAGLE Robert E. Brown, Editor, POW WOW --------- "Re: Abenaki Electronics Company" ---------- From: A.HOROVITCH Art Horovitch Sub: Abenaki Electronics Company A local newspaper in Swanton, Vermont reported this week on the possibility of the Abenaki tribe setting up a factory in Swanton to produce electronic devices which protect sensitive electronic equipment against voltage surges. Chief Homer St. Francis told the governor's Commission on Native Affairs that the tribe has the chance to obtain the patent on the device from a company in Essex, Vermont. He said American Voltage Devices of Essex would produce the device under a federal government contract as a minority business. The company has a number of other devices that the tribe may be interested in producing once they set up a manufacturing plant. It is hoped that this will bring more jobs into the area for both whites and Natives. An article in the same paper reported on the great success of the state's first Abenaki Heritage Week. Organizers say the state- wide celebration was so successful, they will plan for more visitors and more activities next year. The Governor's Commission on Native Affairs heard glowing reports from it's members involved in the activities. John Edwards, a commisssion member said, " I have heard nothing but positive feedback." He said he got a real sense of family and community, a "really good feeling ", at the opening event. Chief St. Francis said he was told by the Franklin County sheriff's office that it was the best gathering they'd ever worked in terms of crowd behavior. Commission member Dee Brightstar said Abenaki presentations were made to 4,000 schoolchildren around the state during the week. Jeff Benay, who is head of the Title IV Indian Education for Swanton schools, said his office has been inundated with phone calls for information on the book "Finding One's Way", a fictional account of a young Abenaki boy exploring his heritage as he grows up, and for more educational materials about Abenaki culture. --------- "Re: Cree Chiefs on Quebec Separate" ---------- From: A.HOROVITCH Art Horovitch Sub: Cree Chiefs on Quebec Separate The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, which is holding hearings across the country, heard last week from Cree Chiefs in Quebec, regarding their status should Quebec separate. They have called for a clear statement now by the federal government that the Cree and their lands will not come under Quebec jurisdiction in that eventuality. Romeo Saganash, deputy chief of the Grand Council of the Crees, said, " Where is Canada now when our rights are threatened in the context of Quebec's possible secession from Canada? We have come to this commission to ask that Canada honor it's legal obligation to protect us and to state clearly: If the Crees don't want to become part of a new State of Quebec, they don't have to." Saganash said that a report released by the Quebec National Assembly last fall is "specious" and logically inconsistent. The report states Quebec's borders would remain unchanged after separation, basing this on the Canadian constitution. However, it continues that since fedral responsibilities toward aboriginal people are set out in the constitution, Quebec would not be bound by them after separation. The chiefs asked the commission to reject the recommendations of the Quebec report. Saganash also asked the commission to study the question of how Canada can ensure the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement will be respected if Quebec separates. "Quebec and canada will either have to respect the perpetual federalist nature of the treaty or the treaty will fail with all the consequences for Quebec that this would entail ", he said. Chief Saganash did not make clear what he thought those consequences would be. --------- "Re: Virus in Southwest Attacking Navajo" ---------- From: S.FISHER2 Sharon D Fisher Sub: Virus in Southwest Attacking Navajo O'siyo, Night Owl! I know there are lots of articles on this very upsetting and disturbing epidemic, but thought you might be interested in another offering. This is from the June 11, 1993 Atlanta Journal/Constitution, and was written by Mike Toner, a Staff Writer. Don't know if you can use it or not, but I wanted to give something back for all the wonderful work you do in getting this newsletter out to all of us in the Invisible Band. Osda! Sherry NEW, DEADLY VIRUS TYPE EMERGING? Clues mount in outbreak in Southwest by Mike Toner, Staff Writer The deadly respiratory illness sweeping the Southwest appears to be a newly emergent disease caused by a type of virus which, until now, has never been a publich health threat anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said Thursday that there is mounting evidence that the mysterious illness discovered on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona is caused by a new, unusually deadly type of hantavirus, a family of rodent-borne viruses previously liked to human illness only in Asia and northern Europe. As federal and state researchers raced to pinpoint the specific virus and the rodents responsible for spreading it, there was fresh evidence that the outbreak was continuing. The number of cases has reached 25, including a 22-year-old Indian woman who on Wednesday became the 13th known fatality. Disease Risk Highlighted James M. Hughes, director of the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, said the outbreak dramatically demonstrates "the potential for new infectious diseases to emerge at any time within the United States" - a danger underscored earlier this year by the outbreak of food poisoning in several Western states and the discovery of a disease-causing parasite in the Milwaukee water supply. As a class, hantaviruses are not new to researchers. The first such rodent-borne virus was identified in Korea 15 years ago. To date, at least three types are known to cause human disease. Thousands of U.N. troops were infected by hantaviruses when they served in Korea during the 1950s. But until now, human illness associated with the viruses has been contained to Europe and Asia. Even there, the known viruses don't have the devestating effects on victims' lungs that is characteristic of the current U.S. outbreak. "The syndrome we are seeing here is quite different from that which is associated with any previously known hantaviruses," Dr. Hughes said. "That's one reason we think this is probably a new organism." Anti-virul drug rushed in Early use of the anti-viral drug ribavirin has been successful in treating other hantavirus infections, and authorities say it is currently being used on an emergeny basis to treat victims of the latest outbreak. Hantaviruses were on the "long list" of infectious agents the CDC originally planned to test for when it entered the investigation several weeks ago. Dr. Hughes said the agency's Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases made the initial identification of the suspect viral family from blood and tissue samples from the victims last week. The virus does not appear to be capable of spreading from person to person. Rather, humans appear to be infected by breating aerosolized particles from the urine and feces of infected rodents. Officials explain that windblown dust, or dust stirred up by human activity, may resuspend the virus in the air long enough to infect victims. Health authorities say that ones the host has been identified, any rodent-control program must be balanced against other concerns. Desert rodents also carry fleas that carry the organism responsible for Bubonic Plague. Widescale extermination could eliminate the fleas' preferred host and force them to seek other hosts - such as dogs and livestock that are in closer contact with humans. ---------- "Re: Apache Sacred Mountain Under Siege" ---------- From: bill@phony25.CC.UTAH.EDU in igc:soc.culture.native Subj: Apache Sacred Mountain Under Siege Electronically reproduced with permission from: Native Support Network P.O. Box 146 Philo, CA 95466 (707) 895-3736 Write or call for a copy of the newsletter! APACHE SACRED MOUNTAIN UNDER SIEGE ---------------------------------- The San Carlos Apache people in southeastern Arizona are battling for their cultural survival. Their most sacred mountain, Dzil nchaa si an (Mt. Graham), is being desecrated by a telescope project (the "Columbus" Project) of the University of Arizona and the Vatican. In the 1860's Western Apaches from several bands were placed on the San Carlos Apache reservation with orders not to leave. In 1873 Dzil nchaa si an was removed from the San Carlos Apache reservation by Federal executive order. By 1903 other executive orders had reduced the reservation by one million acres. These executive orders removed Dzil nchaa si an from Apache control and made access to the mountain more difficult. Mt. Graham is located within the Pinalenos mountain range and is under the control of the US Forest Service (USFS). Since 1870, half of the forest of the Pinalenos was cut. Oak groves of special value for acorn gathering were destroyed. The Apaches were never consulted, nor were they ever informed by the US Forest Service of any actions. The Apaches had no political tools to protest, and not until 1948 could the even vote in Federal elections. Despite the passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (in 1978) and the National Historic Preservation Act, the Forest Service did not contact the Apaches when it issued a permit to the astronomical consortium to build a testing station on Mt. Graham. A Native American shrine was bulldozed during the placement of a temporary station erected for the project. The Apache people are now in court pleading to stop a project which government lawyers claim has been exempted by Congress from all US cultural survival and environmental laws. A special rider lobbied by the University of Arizona (UofA) was slipped in during the final hours of the 1988 Congress. According to UofA lawyers, this rider exempted the project from the Native American Religious Freedom Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. These laws require environmental impact studies and consideration of cultural and religious values. The 1988 rider's passage - the culmination of a million dollar lobbying effort - bypassed public hearings and testimony. An open public review process would have revealed the project's profound cultural and environmental problems. The UofA and the Vatican have ignored every plea of the Apache elders, spiritual leaders, and Tribal Council. But others have heard. All of UofA's US collaborators have abandoned the proposed project, including Ohio State, Harvard/Smithsonian, University of Texas, University of Chicago, National Astronomy Observatories, Cal Tech, and NASA, calling the project an affront to cultural and biological diversity, and recognizing that superior sites are available elsewhere. Mt. Graham highlights the vulnerability of Native American sacred sites to being trampled nationwide in the white man's courts. The astronomer's lawyers are now citing cases from US law where US courts have _legally_ destroyed the sites of Indians: (1) the Havasupai in their effort to protect their sacred Red Butte and Havasupai Falls from Uranium mining desecration and destruction, and (2) the Navajo and Hopi efforts to protect their sacred San Francisco peaks from ski lifts and other Forest Service developments. The Forest Service plans for a tourist center at the Big Horn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming deeply offend a dozen Plains tribes. These all involve Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management public lands expropriated or piecemealed from reservations or ancestral lands. The Apache Survival Coalition sorely needs your contribution to halt the course of Apache cultural extinction. It will require our efforts both in and out of court. But we will prevail. We will never give up our opposition to this desecration. America is changing, and your help can stop this cultural annihilation. The Board of the Apache Survival Coalition consists entirely of Native Americans, Apache elders, Apache Tribal Council members, and Apache spiritual leaders. WHAT YOU CAN DO --------------- Send contributions to the Apache Survival Coalition, PO box 11814, Tucson, AZ 85734, or contact them for more information on how you can help. Call or write your Congressional representatives. Urge them to contact the US Forest Service to STOP the COLUMBUS PROJECT ON MT GRAHAM. -- Bill Faulk bill@phony25.cc.utah.edu -- ---------- "Re: AIM Protest" ---------- From: coyote@latrans.alphai.org in igc:soc.culture.native Subj: AIM Protest Original Area: CS_POLIT Original To : All (1:128/112) ==================================== American Indian Movement of Colorado ==================================== National Notice --------------------------------------------------- 1993 Nations' Restoration of Our Sacred Instruments --------------------------------------------------- at: Garden of the Gods Colorado Springs, Colorado The American Indian Movement of Colorado Springs will host a national demonstration in the continued effort to restore and protect the dignity of our sacred instruments. All AIM directors, security, members, supporters, and their families are invited and urged to be present. Please call us with the number of people from your group to attend, or for directions and more information, at 719/380-0996 or fax 719/473-8103 or write to P.O. Box 25292, Colorado Springs, CO 80936. ---------- "Re: Urgent Appeal re:Inupiat" ---------- From: cfuv in cdp:web.native Subj: Urgent Appeal re:Inupiat To all Indian nations Greetings Masii Cho to all my brothers and sisters! The Inupiat People of Point Hope Alaska have survived thirty years of nuclear testing on their unceded territories,by the Atomic Energy Commisson of the American Government. If you support the Inupiat peoples fight for survival, contact them at9073682330.In sokidarity with all nations who have survived the indian hoocaust across this great land Turtle Island. In spirit shawnee of the Dene [reply via cfuv@sol.uvic.ca]