Subject: nanews02.024 From: gars@netcom.com (Gary Night Owl) To: Internet Recipients of Wotanging Ikche Message-ID: _ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' 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 02, ISSUE 024 O o O __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, 11 June 1994 O o O ( N E W S ) O This issue contains articles from NATIVE-L and NATCHAT Mailing Lists, Usenet alt.native Newsgroup, FidoNet Indian Affairs Conference and by members of the Invisible Band. <----<<<< >>>>----> 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 archived at the Native American FTP site ftp.cit.cornell.edu in the directory /pub/special/NativeProfs/newsletters; and is being sent to gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us (Gary S. Trujillo) should he wish to include it in his NATIVE-L or NATCHAT lists. "I ask the Great Spirit: 'Let me be the Earth, let me be the wind for my people.'" __ Leonard Crow Dog +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | Indian Pledge of Allegiance | The Indian Pledge of Alleg- | | iance was first presented | I pledge allegiance to my Tribe,| on 2 December '93 during the | to the democratic principles | opening address of the Nat- | of the Republic | ional Congress of American | and to the individual freedoms | Indian Tribal-States Relat- | borrowed from the Iroquois and | ions Panel in Reno, NV. NCAI | Choctaw Confederacies, | plans distribution of the | as incorporated in the United | Indian Pledge to all Indian | States Constitution, | Nations. | so that my forefathers | | shall not have died in vain | Walk in Beauty! Night Owl +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ O'siyo Brothers and Sisters! It is true, there are many reasons for concern among all first people throughout Turtle Island and Mother Earth. There is also many reasons for hope. There are always winds. Winds will always change what they touch. Listen to the winds. Listen to your heart. They will tell you there is much to be thankful for and much to hope for. I will tell you, you can listen to and hear both winds of concern and winds of hope. It is better to listen to the winds of hope and follow the path they lead you on. If enough choose to follow such a path, even the winds must follow. Mitakuye Oyasin! Night Owl , , (*,*) Gary Night Owl gars%owlstar.UUCP@mathcs.emory.edu (`-') P. O. Box 672168 gars@genie.geis.com ===w=w=== Marietta, GA 30067, U.S.A. gars@netcom.com ------------------ clip here for news feature -- 8< ----------- --------- "RE: Bring on the Van-Doos" --------- Date: May-31-94 19:15:00 From: Frosty Deere (frosty.deere@f502.n167.z1.fidonet.org) Subj: Bring on the Van-Doos FidoNet Indian Affairs Conference ANDY RIGA, THE GAZETTE Premier Daniel Johnson hinted yesterday that the province could get tough with Kanesatake Mohawks if they continue expanding their cemetery on dis- puted lands instead of talking to a federal negotiator. The disputed area near Oka, known as the Pines, was quiet yesterday, but Mohawks have vowed to resume work today on tearing up the road leading to the Oka golf course. Describing his government's stance as "calm, serene but firm," Johnson told a news conference he hopes the cemetery flare up can be defused through negotiations. But he warned that Quebec is ready to act if things deteriorate. Johnson refused to speculate whether the Suret‚ du Qu‚bec will be called in to stop Mohawks from using the land, which is also claimed by the town of Oka. A Suret‚ officer was killed when police stormed a Mohawk barricade on the land in 1990. The action sparked the 78 day Oka crisis. "There is no crisis now,"'Johnson said yesterday, but if "anything untoward occurs, the law will be applied." Acting on complaints from Oka Mayor Jean Ouellette, crown prosecutors last week authorized charges against two Mohawks for their part in clearing the land. They are to appear in court July 5. "We have acted speedily, accusations have been brought against two individuals, so justice is following its course," Johnson said. "I'm looking forward to negotiations in good faith between the band council and the federal government. "If anything untoward ever occurs, the law will be applied even-handedly to everyone involved." The situation in Oka has been tense since May 19, when Mohawks began clearing a 400-foot-by-335-foot plot of land to expand their cemetery. The road connecting the golf course to Highway 344 runs between the overcrowded cemetery and the expansion site. Native Affairs Minister Christos Sirros last week appealed to Mohawks to suspend work on the cemetery and enter negotiations with Ottawa. Kanesatake Grand Chief Jerry Peltier has so far snubbed federal negotiator Michel Robert, saying he won't meet with Robert until Ottawa releases hous- ing and administration money promised to the reserve. Peltier couldn't be reached for comment yesterday, but Thursday he said the expansion of the cemetery might be completed and the golf course road completely ripped out by as early as the end of this week. Johnson made his comments at a news conference at a Dorval hotel, where 85 Liberal candidates from across the province met this weekend to prepare for the coming election. --- SLMAIL v4.0 (#1349) Origin: Igloo Station (514) 632-5556 (1:167/502) --------- "RE: Intervention at Kahnesatake" --------- Date: From: Art Horovitch (a.horovitch@genie.geis.com) Subj: Intervention at Kahnesatake Quebec Update June 8, 1994 Montreal, Canada QUEBEC POLICE UNION LEADER CALLS FOR MASSIVE INTERVENTION BY CANADIAN ARMY AT KAHNESATAKE ---------------------------------------------------------- The head of the union representing the officers of the Surete de Quebec has called for massive intervention by the RCMP and the Canadian Army at Kahnesatake. Jocelyn Turcotte, union leader, was quoted by CBC radio today as calling for the intervention to curb the "lawless elements "in the community. He has threatened to pull all the officers out of the area unless such a raid occurs. The union chief said he and his men are tired of being pawns in the political situation in Quebec, where an election is due in the fall. Turcotte said that officers put their life in danger every time they approach the community to answer any kind of call. This follows several incidents on the weekend when police answered a call after the alarm at the Oka Golf clubhouse was triggered around 11 pm on Sat June 4. The SQ responded to the call and found several people running from the club to the adjacent woods known as the Pines. When they chased the burglars, the police reported that shots were fired at them from the woods. Police arrested Guy Cataford, a resident of Kahnesatake, in the woods. He was in possession of an AK-47 assault rifle and was wearing a disguise, according to an article which appeared in the Montreal Gazette. He will be charged with conspiracy to commit murder, and break and enter. The charge of conspiracy to commit murder stems from the gunshots , said prosecutor Francois Briere. When Surete technicians returned to the golf course to find evidence for the incident, they claim that they were shot at with automatic weapons. Cataford will appear in court on June 16. In response to the incidents, and the call for massive intervention by the army, Quebec premier Daniel Johnson said it is the government who decides the policies of the SQ, and not the union. He said that they are doing their job correctly in Kahnesatake, keeping a low profile to avoid incidents, and there is no need for intervention by any outside force. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- GILBERT PILOT ARRESTED IN PROTEST OVER ST.MARGUERITE DAM --------------------------------------------------------- Gilbert Pilot , an Innu chief who has been protesting the construction of the SM3 dam on the St. Marguerite river in Northeastern Quebec, was arrested this morning along with seven of his followers after refusing to move from a road they were blocking. He has been charged with mischief and will appear in court on June 9. More details as they become available. Art Horovitch --------- "RE: Mohawks Support Healer" --------- Date: 94/06/03 19:22 From: James Audlin (Distant Eagle) (j.audlin@genie.geis.com) Subj: Mohawks Support Healer GE Electronic Mail MOHAWKS SUPPORT HEALER, TEACHER DURING SENTENCE FOR GUN SCHEME by Yvonne Daley. Taken without permission from the Rutland (Vermont) Daily Herald, 3 June 1994. Spellings of Mohawk words corrected. Abridged. About 30 members of the Mohawk Nation at Kahnewake travelled to Rutland from their reservation outside Montreal Thursday (2 June) to show support for a tribal healer and teacher who was sentenced for his part in a gun-running scheme. Despite their presence and his attorney's request for leniency, Onerahtase Phillips, a holistic healer and teacher of traditional Mohawk culture in the community's alternative school, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 15 months in a federal prison. U.S. District Judge Franklin Billings also sentenced another Mohawk from the Canadian reservation, Tyler Hemlock, to 27 months in a federal penitentiary after Hemlock pleaded guilty to making false statements on federal gun- registration documents. Two other Mohawks - James E. Cross and his wife Vermonica, both from the Kanienkeh Mohawk Territory near Altona, N.Y. - were previously sentenced in the case. According to court documents, the four defendants purchased between 700 and 900 guns illegally in Vermont from Wayne Reed of Burlington, an Abenaki Indian and licensed gun dealer. According to the documents, Reed met the Mohawks in various locations in Vermont and New York to exchange the guns, bringing with him federal registration forms. Rather than use their own biographical information, the defendants filled out the forms using information they obtained from Burlington (Vt.) area phone books. As a result, hundreds of Vermonters were listed as purchasing the guns - including Burlington doctors and accountants. These guns were in turn sold and distributed further in Canada, where at least 100 were traced to violent crimes that included armed robberies, attempted homicides, assaults and drug offenses. Phillips' attorney, Thomas A. Zonay, had asked Judge Billings to sentence Phillips to only six months, nothing that his role in the gun-running operation was minimal. He was linked to eight of the weapons. Zonay also noted that tribal leaders, family members, fellow teachers, and parents had written the court about the negative impact a long sentence would have on his family and the tribe as a whole. For example, Frank Natawe, secretary of the Mohawk Nation at Kahnewake, wrote that "Onerahtase is a teacher of the Mohawk language and culture. His knowledge is very extensive and much needed, so much that Onerahtase is one of the last persons with this ancient knowledge, which he is presently passing on to our children. If Onerahtase is taken away from us we will be at a great loss, not only for the present time but also for the future of our culture and children. It will be even a greater danger for the survival of our future." Zonay, who had visited Kahnewake, said, "I wish the court could pick up and travel and see for itself how this man is regard and needed." This testimony "shows a man who made a terrible mistake, recognized his true place in his community, and is needed today." Phillips apologized for the crime and "to the people I work with and the kids. I'll never do anything like this again." Judge Billings did not allow a plea reduction for acceptance of responsibility. However he did acknowledge Phillips' important role in the Native American community and gave him a lesser sentence of 15 months of a possible 27 months under federal guidelines. Phillips and Hemlock will be on three years of supervised release after they serve their sentences. The cases have attracted considerable media attention in Canada, where gun purchases are more closely regulated and because many of the guns purchased by the Mohawks were traced to violent crimes. Last year, Abenaki Chief Homer St. Francis acknowledged that Reed had identified himself as an Abenaki. St. Francis, however, said he did not know Reed and did not condone his actions. He was particularly outspoken about the fact that federal firearms officials had allowed numerous gun transactions to take place as part of a sting against the Mohawks. Reed's phone had been tapped and he had been allowed to continue to sell guns to the Mohawk for months before they were charged. At the time, St. Francis said, "I didn't know the federal government was setting Indians up to sell guns. But one thing I know: he's not selling them in our name." --------- "RE: Statement From Some Big Mountain Communities" --------- Date: 3 Jun 94 03:30:59 GMT From: milo@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM (Michele Lord) Subj: Statement From Some Big Mountain Communities Newsgroup: alt.native PRELIMINARY RESPONSE TO THE HOPI REVISED ACCOMMODATION PROPOSAL MAY 7, 1994 We the residents of the communities of Big Mountain, Mesquito Springs, Cactus Valley, and Red Willow wish to notify the Navajo Nation: that we would like to be represented in the negotiation of a settlement of the issues relating to the 1974 Navajo-Hopi Settlement Act; that Lee Brook Phillips has never been authorized to speak of negotiate on our behalf; and that we reject the terms of the new Agreement which we were asked to sign by May 7, 1994. We request the following steps to be taken to allow us to participate in the process of reaching a solution to these issues: that we be allowed an additional 90 days to formulate a counter-proposal to the current Agreement; that the Navajo Nation underwrite the cost of an attorney who we appoint, who can represent our concerns in this process, who is accountable to us, and who will be in communication with us; that all livestock confiscation be stopped while this Agreement is being negotiated; and that presentations and explanations of all proposals and counter-proposals be made at meetings in each of our communities so that all residents of the communities have an understanding of these options. A solution to these problems cannot be achieved without the participation of the residents of our communities in the formulation of these agreements, and the procedures which have been followed up to this time have not adequately provided for this participation. We believe that with the participation and the good faith efforts of all parties an agreement can be drafted which will be acceptable to all parties. For Further Information Contact: Louise Benally Hotevilla, AZ 86030 +*~+*~+*~+*~+~+*~+*~+*~+*~+~+*~+*~+*~+*~+~+*~+*~+*~+*~+~+*~+*~+*~+*+ "When we walk upon Mother Earth, we always plant our feet carefully because we know the faces of our future generations are looking up at us from beneath the ground. We never forget them." -Oren Lyons, Onondaga Nation +*~+*~+*~+*~+~+*~+*~+*~+*~+~+*~+*~+*~+*~+~+*~+*~+*~+*~+~+*~+*~+*~+*+ milo@scicom.alphacdc.com Michele Lord Alpha Institute +*+ +*+ +*+ +*+ +*+ +*+ --------- "RE: Hawai'i Message to the President" --------- Date: Sun Jun 05, 1994 at 15:08 EDT From: PANTHER (panther@genie.geis.com) Subj: Hawai'i Message to the President GE Electronic Mail NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HAWAI'I INDEPENDENT NATION STATE CONTACT: CRAWFORD - 808/259-7206, 5049, 7152 FAX 808/259-9542 E-mail: hawaii.nation@tdp.org June 2, 1994 Message to the President of the United States As the Independent Nation State of Hawai'i, we have satisfied the criteria in order to restore our Nation. We thank you and Congress for Public Law 103-150. We understand what we are doing and are made to feel ignorant by state agents and agencies, as they continue to try and oppress our self-determination. We are ready to speak with you. We have multi-level government plans. We have strong support and the reason is that we are founded in Aloha. As you know, the mayor of this small island has gone beyond his own dignity to try and eliminate a small village of Kanaka Maoli, who we are responsible for. His inane decisions are only a glimpse of what we have to deal with. We want to speak on an intelligent level. The Governor has sent in his spokesperson Harold Matsumoto. Unfortunately, he is incapable of speaking with us because he has no foundation in law. The same goes for the rest of the agents. The Governor has developed a Sovereignty Commission and is now trying to call a constitutional convention offering money to people to participate in the process. This is illegal. It is all illegal. The Annexation came about through a resolution to adopt treaties that were never passed by Congress. The records cannot be eliminated. A formal Communique will follow this release... requesting an investigator as Cleveland had sent. There is no difference between the private business/state agents and Minister Stevens. (The above was received from Scott Crawford for posting on Usenet) *** Please Distribute Freely *** For more information, please write to: hawaii.nation@tdp.org --------- "RE: Verse: Hawai'ian Book of Days" --------- Date: 94/06/05 15:48 From: Kepola (dfsanders@genie.geis.com) Subj: A HAWAI'IAN BOOK OF DAYS, week of June 12-18 GE Electronic Mail A HAWAI'IAN BOOK OF DAYS, week of June 12-18. IUNE (June) (Kaaona) 12 If you would win your heart's desire, you must give your heart to the task of winning it. 13 Give freely of yourself in all endeavors. 14 In all things, turn anger into industry. 15 Even the clumsiest hand can create a thing of beauty. 16 Acknowledge the duality of life in everything you do. 17 Embrace life with joy, and never let it go! 18 All great schemes were born of dreams. (c) Copyright 1991 by D. F. Sanders Me ke aloha i ka nani, ... Moe'uhanekeanuenue (With love and beauty, ... Rainbow Dream) --------- "RE: Verse: Circles" --------- Date: 2 Jun 94 00:13:07 GMT From: andrea@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM (Andrea Lord) Subj: circles Newsgroup: alt.native I think on the internet | an opportunity... and | to listen to... i see newsgroups as circles... | the many voices forming a matrix | of many tongues | from the circle circles can link | of respect circles of many differences..... | that sits a little above culture circles | the problems to be solved gender circles | healing the present age circles | and subject circles | nurturing interest circles | the future .. spiritual circles... | of the matrix.... | becoming... | neutral ground ??? solving circles.. | a healing matrix in cyberspace | --------- "RE: Poem: Tobacco Song" --------- Date: Tue, 07 Jun 94 22:14:30 GMT From: turtle@aicap.s21.com (Turtle Heart) Subj: Sacred Tobacco (Kaw-ii-su) Newsgroup: alt.native Grandmother's faithful shadow is the line between the lines a place such as this where the truth is not stolen but it is not given away red songs thrown like thunder inside a red skin dream-lines other kinds of lines drawn in the golden sands none of them remembered by the sacred wind (Tobacco Song) Turtle Heart turtle@soft21.s21.com American Indian Computer Art Project BBS 619-374-2100 Land of Kaw-ii-su ancestor: Land of Light --------- "RE: Conferences and Powwows - offline" --------- Date: Thu, 9 June 94 08:00 -0500 From: Janet Smith (Evening Star) (jans@genie.geis.com) Subj: Upcoming conferences and powwows not previously posted to Mailing Lists NATCHAT or NATIVE-L GE Electronic Mail =Powwows= This coming weekend - June 10-12 Red Earth, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 405-427-5228 Red Mountain Indian, Ft. McDermitt, NV 702-532-8800 139th Treaty Day Commemoration, White Swan, WA 509-865-5121, ext 328 17th Lower Sioux, Morton MN 507-697-6185 Barrie, Barrie, Ontario 705-721-7689 Powwow in the Park, Little Rock, AR 1-800-228-0936 3rd Honoring our Veterans, Brimley, MI 906-248-3208 Wollomonuppag Indian Council, Attleboro, MA 508-822-5061 Oct 1-2 1st Annual Ball Ground Heritage Days Festival Ball Ground (just north of Atlanta), GA Info: 404-735-4197 July 23-24 14th Grand River Powwow, Chiefswood Park Six Nations Reserve, Ontario, CANADA Info: 519-445-4391 June 16-18 Rebirth of the Traditional Spiritual Gatherings North Carolina Indian Cultural Center Pembroke, NC Info: 910-521-4178 Send notices of forthcoming powwows, conferences and gatherings to: jans@genie.geis.com gars@netcom.com ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ all items below this line have already been distributed by our brother, Gary Trujillo, via the NATIVE-L or NATCHAT mailing lists. --------- "RE: Conferences and Powwows - online" --------- Date: Thu, 9 June 94 08:00 -0500 From: Janet Smith (Evening Star) (jans@genie.geis.com) Subj: Upcoming conferences and powwows already posted to Mailing Lists NATCHAT or NATIVE-L = Powwows and Gatherings from the Internet = =============================================================== Original Sender: wwivgw.ness.com!1-8408 (Deanna #1 @8408) Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Camping Available for Leonard Peltier Weekend! If you're planning to go to the Leonard Peltier Freedom Weekend in Washington, D.C., June 25-26, and want to camp with some of the elders and organizers of the weekend, here's the information you need. Camping will be available at the Aquia Pines Camp Resort, south of D.C. on Interstate 95, in Stafford, Va. The address is 3071 Jefferson Davis Hwy, and the phone is 703-659-3447. The campground is easy to find: it's just off Interstate 95 at exit 143A (Aquia). Go east at the exit ramp, and turn left (north) on US 1 (Jeff Davis Hwy). The campsite will be immediately on your left. Camping fees will be $5.00 per person per night (children 3 and under are free). Drumming will be permitted! If you call ahead, or when you check in, be sure and tell them you are there for the Leonard Peltier rally. When you arrive at the campsite, you'll be given 4-color ribbons to put on your vehicle for the caravan into D.C. Sunday morning. For more information on the weekend, watch this message area. To find out how to help in your area, call: 413-527-3716 ME, NH, RI, VT, CT, upper NY 804-790-0166 NYC, NJ, MD, PA, DE, VA, NC 813-353-2164 SC, GA, FL, AL 614-451-3023 OH, MI, IN, IL, KY, WI 501-945-1026 AK, TN, MS, LA 701-387-4794 ND, SD, MN, NE, MT 816-436-0782 KS, TX, MO, OK 801-272-9128 UT, CO, WY 505-988-3021 NM, AZ 206-471-1670 WA, OR, ID 415-552-1992 CA, NV Peltier Freedom Weekend Office: Bobby Castillo, 415-552-1992 Leonard Peltier Defense Committee: 913-842-5774 Information provided by Virginia's Leonard Peltier Support Groups Posted by Deanna, 1-8408@wwivgw.ness.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= From: Bridget Hardwick Subject: Coquille salmon bake Coquille Tribe has rich history; will host salmon bake in June: Indian dances, information booths, crafts and more are planned, in addition to the tasty salmon, fry bread and sweet corn on the cob prepared for the annual Coquille Indian Salmon Bake on June 25 and 26 on the high school football field. Indian tea will also be served, made "from a special vine that grows in the Bandon area." The salmon bake is a meal rich in tradition of the Coquille culture, with several blessings and ritual of the natives shared with all who attend. A huge firepit serves as a stove for the salmon, with the bones of the first cooked fish of the day thrown into the river in a tribute ceremony. Drummers and dancers from far away places are planning to attend, as well as artists selling traditional jewelry, blankets and art. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= From: Bridget Hardwick Subject: Rose Festival Showcasing the spirit of Oregon as a part of the Rose Festival celebration, the tribal leadership of eight of Oregon's Indian Tribes and their sovereign nations are honored as Rose Festival Grand Marshals in the Grand Floral Parade. The parade can be seen in several states across the US and maybe even on satilite. It will be on June 11 at 10 am pacific time. There will also be "Oregon's Indian Nations & Cowboy Art Festival held at the Oregon Convention Center June 18 and 19. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= From: Daniel Cohen Subject: LAVA WALK Earth Healing Lava Walk Kailua-Kona and Puna, Hawai`i June 10-17, 1994 EEL and ELS present a native American film festival, arts & crafts fair, and Native American culture and sovereignty conference. The events will feature Daniel Black Owl, George Black Owl (Southern Cheyenne), and Sheri Flying Hawk (Micmac). The ELS native American presenter is Celeste Star (Iroquois). The two-night film festival begins at 5pm on June 11 in the Royal Ballroom at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel (808-329-2911). Films include: "Acts of Defiance," a critically acclaimed Canadian Film Board release, chronicles the harsh destruction of sacred lands, trusts and treaties held by the Mohawk Nation. "Kahnesatake" is a chilling account of governmental betrayals and the native American response. "Ishi: The Last Yaqui" is a poignant portrayal of the last remaining member of a northern Californian indigenous people. "The Place of the Falling Waters" documents blatant disregard of native American values and the resulting environmental devastation. The events continue June 13-15 at Kalani Honua (808-965-7828) on the Red Road in Puna. Close to the volcano and in honor of Madam Pele and the rights of native peoples, the healing ceremonies will begin with a sacred pipe ceremony and a prayer for the vision of the Great Spirit. Tribal dances, songs and drumming will be followed by a traditional sunset sweat lodge ceremony and spiritual sweat. All concerned are encouraged to participate in this powerful prayer and all-night vigil to prepare for the Earth Healing Lava Walk. On June 14, native Americans and event participants will walk to the new beach at Kalapana where prayers and offerings will be given to Madam Pele, her islands, her creative spirits, and the energy of the new Earth. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Subject: 7th International Brotherhood Days Summary: A full week of Lakota culture at the Pine Ridge reservation. Having attended the 4th and 5th Brotherhood Days in 1991 and 1992 I am glad to announce you this event next month July. It is very nice to be among the Lakota people and be their guests. You will camp in the beautifull hills of the Porcupine area in South Dakota close to Wounded Knee. Bring your camper, tent or tipi. There will be a tipi camp of the Mountain Men ('strong in the back and weak in the mind'). Here follows the abbreviated text of the flyer I received from the organisation. (Jan Mooij - Amsterdam - The Netherlands) The families of Brotherhood Community invite you and your family to the Seventh Annual INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD DAYS Honoring the memory of Chief Severt Young Bear, I JULY 10-17, 1994 Porcupine, South Dakota, on the beautiful and historic Pine Ridge Reservation July 10-14 Educational workshops July 14-17 POWWOW To receive more information contact: International Brotherhood Days, Inc. or Francis Thunder Hawk 10911 Middlegate Drive P.O.Box 214 Fairfax, VA 22032 Porcupine, SD 57772 (703) 578-5685 (day) (605) 867-1110 250-4161 (nite) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= From: kibby@news.unr.edu (Larry Kibby) Subject: NCAI CONFERENCE The National Congress of American Indians is holding their Mid-Year Session Conference Meeting, June 14, 15, 16, 1994, at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo Hotel in Buffalo, New York. Conference theme is "Land Claims." The National Congress of American Indians is the oldest and largest intertribal organization nationwide representative of and advocate for national, regional and local tribal concerns. For more registration information and general information, contact: Lorenda Sanchez @ 1-800-640-2462 Georgette Horse @ 1-202-546-9404 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Original Sender: Pablo Bellon Mailing List: NATIVE-L +++++++++ WINDS OF THE NORTHWEST ++++++++ Traditional Pow Wow June 4th and 5th at Frank's Landing Community, Wa He Lut Indian School. Nisqually Reservation off of I-5 near Olympia. Grand Entry at 1:00 and 7:00 daily. DANCERS AND DRUM GROUPS INVITED Also: Horseshoes and 3-on-3 Basketball Competitions. For more information call Wa He Lut Indian School (206) 456-1311 -- No Drugs or Alcohol Allowed -- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Original Sender: Pablo Bellon Mailing List: NATIVE-L ARLEE, MONTANA FOURTH OF JULY POW WOW June 29th - July 5th The 96th Annual Celebration!! "In Thanksgiving to Our Past and Present This Celebration is Dedicated to Our Future Generations." June 30th Memorial Ceremony 7:00 pm July 2nd, Drumming Contest Begin July 3rd, Dancing Contest Begin July 4th, Honor Veterans, Indian Mass, Stick Game tournament July 5th, Celebration Grounds Close: 8:00 am For more information contact: Pat Pierre, Mona Ebensteiner, Joann Durgeloh or Margaret Sanchez at (406) 745-3525 -- No Drugs or Alcohol Allowed -- ___________________________________________________________________________ Original Sender: cppnw@web.apc.org Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Human Rights Bulletin 432 Park Avenue South Suite 1103 New York, NY 10016 The First International Conference on Health and Human Rights at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA from 22-24 September, 1994. Organized by the Franois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, the Conference focuses on the critical connections between health and human rights. The Conference will provide a forum for exchanging information and experience about this new field, and will stimulate collaborative networks for research, education and advocacy around health and human rights issues. The Conference will include plenary sessions, roundtables, workshops and educational sessions about health and human rights. Registration is $195 ($225 on-site) and $50 for students. For more information about the Conference, please contact Ms. Susan Roman, Conference Coordinator, at the Franois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, 8 Story Street, Cambridge MA 02138 (USA), tel (617) 496- 4392, fax (617) 496-4399, or E Mail hhrcon@harvarda.harvard.edu. --------- "RE: Books of Interest to Native Americans" --------- Date: Wed, 25 May 1994 14:24:52 -0600 (MDT) From: Steve Brock Subj: The Lakota Sweat Lodge Cards (New Age) Yellowtail: Crow Medicine Man and Sundance Chief The Soul Would Have No Rainbow (Proverbs) Wisdom of the Great Chiefs (Speeches) Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Subj: The Lakota Sweat Lodge Cards (New Age) THE LAKOTA SWEAT LODGE CARDS: SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS OF THE SIOUX, by Chief Archie Fire Lame Deer and Helen Sarkis. Inner Traditions International, Ltd. (Destiny Books), One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767, (800) 488-2665, (802) 767-3726 FAX. 50 cards, illustrated book. $29.95. 0-89281-456-X REVIEW This set, purporting to be the re-creation of the Sweat Lodge (Inipi) Ceremony, is the most blatant rip-off of Native American spirituality that I have ever seen. Lame Deer, who isn't really a chief (he claims he inherited chief status from his father, Lame Deer, but Lakota chiefs are actually selected by the people), has taken elements from the ceremony of purification and made them available to those who will never truly understand their meanings. According to the book, users are to meditate, shuffle the cards, fan them out, ask a question, and choose one. The chosen card will "indicate the issue for reflection as a visual medita- tion," and the user is told to "explore the issue it raises." For a weekly guide, three cards may be drawn. For answers to complex issues, such as relationships, a "four directions spread" is used "to find the circle hidden within the situation." Other spreads are called "Grandfather's Breath," "Tree of Life," and "Morning Star." The remainder of the book is given to a discussion of the meanings associated with each card. The Hochokan Wakan (Sacred Mound) card, for example, signifies reverence, and the drawer of the card is to reflect on the meditation: "I attend to my life with reverence, reverence that comes from the heart." I meditated and shuffled the cards. I fanned them out. I reached for one. I heard a jingling sound. Sounded just like money going into someone's pocket. Then I heard a chuckle. I put the cards away. I believe that I was told not to recommend this set. No sweat. Subj: Yellowtail: Crow Medicine Man and Sundance Chief YELLOWTAIL: CROW MEDICINE MAN AND SUN DANCE CHIEF, as told to Michael Oren Fitzgerald. University of Oklahoma Press, 1005 Asp Ave., Norman, OK 73019, (800) 627-7377, (405) 325-5000 FAX. Illustrated, index, bibliography, map. 268 pp., $10.95 paper. 0-8061-2602-7 REVIEW Recently published in a paperback version of the 1991 hardback edition, Yellowtail's autobiography relates his upbringing, philosophy of life, and the special place that the Sun Dance has in the re-emerging religious lives of the Crow people. The Crow had their own Sun Dance, but it was prohibited from being performed by the U.S. government in the late 1800s and was forgotten by tribal members. When John Collier reversed the policy in the 1930s, the Crow had the ceremony re-introduced by the Shoshone in 1941. In 1969, Shoshone medicine man John Trehero instructed Yellowtail in the ceremony. "Yellowtail" is a rich blend of tribal stories, reminiscences, prayers, descriptions of ceremonies, and pleas for sincerity and a return to traditional values. The book is highly recommended to historians, anthropologists, researchers of Native American religions, and those interested in the Crow tribe of Montana. The book also stands as a commemoration, as Yellowtail passed away late last year. Subj: The Soul Would Have No Rainbow (Proverbs) THE SOUL WOULD HAVE NO RAINBOW IF THE EYES HAD NO TEARS AND OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN PROVERBS, edited by Guy A. Zona. Touchstone Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, N.Y., NY 10020, (800) 223-2336, (212) 698-7007 FAX. 128 pp., $9.00 paper. 0-671-79730-1 REVIEW Native American proverbs, used to impart wisdom and ethical instruction, are part of an oral tradition that has been handed down through many centuries. Many are quite well-known in the white world, such as the Sioux saying "the frog does not drink up the pond in which he lives," or the Nez Perce "learn how to talk, then learn how to teach." This collection of over 300 proverbs, in a small-format edition, is a perfect gift to commemorate a lasting friendship or to give a child (from ages 5 to 12) as a guide to right action. It's also perfect for some enterprising individual to serialize (with permission, of course) on the native newsgroups. Subj: Wisdom of the Great Chiefs (Speeches) THE WISDOM OF THE GREAT CHIEFS, edited by Kent Nerburn. New World Library, 58 Paul Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903, (800) 227-3900, (800) 632-2122 in California, (415) 472-6131 FAX. 76 pp., $12.95 cloth. 1-880032-40-6 REVIEW In the oral tradition of Native people, words are much more important that to whites. When a speech was made it was seldom for jokes and anecdotes, but a time for a momentous declaration. The three speeches in this volume in the "Classic Wisdom" series, are by Chief Red Jacket (Iroquois) on Christianity, Chief Joseph (Nez Perce) pleading the cause of his people in Washington, D.C., and Chief Seattle's (Suquamish) often-quoted short speech in response to being told by Isaac Stevens to move his people. Nerburn has endeavored to trace the sources of the transcrip- tions of the speeches, and has reproduced the one truest to the original. In the case of Chief Seattle's speech, there has been published a reworked "interpretation" of it by a playwright. Nerburn uses, instead, the transcript made by Dr. Henry Smith as he listened to Seattle's words. When there is a dispute about the authenticity of a statement, Nerburn makes note of it. While the speeches have appeared in other publications, the compact format and the perspective and background information by Nerburn make it a perfect gift for any occasion. --------- "RE: Degree Breakdowns by Ethnicity, Gender, etc." --------- Date: 26 May 94 10:47:50 EST From: "David Cole" Subj: FACULTY/GRAD DEGREE BREAKDOWNS BY ETHNICITY, GENDER, ECT. Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) I've seen recent questions for info on Native American students. Thought the following would be of interest, just forwarded to me from another listserv. Subject: Please review these numbers The source for these statistics is the US Department of Education. The statistics are the most current that I could find. I advise you to write them on paper so that you can truly appreciate their significance. Due to different computer monitors and different computer systems, I can't present them in a typical report form. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Point of departure: One of the most hotly debated issues in higher education in the United States is the composition of the faculty in the nation's colleges and universities. From the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s came a number of "Black Studies" departments on college campuses. And from this has come a frequent call for a more diverse faculty. The most vocal students have been African Americans who want more Black faculty. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Statistics: FULL-TIME INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, BY RACE/ETHNICITY, ACADEMIC RANK, AND SEX: FALL 1985 PROFESSOR, male: White non-Hispanic 106,335 Black non-Hispanic 2,058 Hispanic 1,206 Asian, Pacific-Islander 4,395 American Indian, Alaskan 264 PROFESSOR, female: White non-Hispanic 13,533 Black non-Hispanic 801 Hispanic 249 Asian, Pacific Islander 393 American Indian, Alaskan 35 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, male: White non-Hispanic 77,483 Black non-Hispanic 2,595 Hispanic 1,280 Asian, Pacific-Islander 3,451 American Indian, Alaskan 347 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, female: White non-Hispanic 23,147 Black non-Hispanic 1,606 Hispanic 447 Asian, Pacific Islander 679 American Indian, Alaskan 57 ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, male: White non-Hispanic 62,582 Black non-Hispanic 2,923 Hispanic 1,316 Asian, Pacific-Islander 4,240 American Indian, Alaskan 402 ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, female: White non-Hispanic 34,914 Black non-Hispanic 2,972 Hispanic 652 Asian, Pacific Islander 1,229 American Indian, Alaskan 78 DEGREES CONFERRED, BY LEVEL AND RACE/ETHNICITY: 1981-1990 (For school year ending in year shown. Data exclude some institutions not reporting field of study and are slight under counts of degrees awarded.) 1981 1985 1987 1989 1990 BACHELOR'S DEGREES White non-Hispanic 807,319 826,106 841,820 859,699 882,996 Black non-Hispanic 60,673 57,473 56,555 58,065 61,074 Hispanic 21,832 25,874 26,990 29,910 32,686 Asian, Pacific Islander 18,794 25,395 32,618 37,686 39,059 American Indian, Alaskan 3,593 4,246 3,971 3,954 4,338 MASTER'S DEGREES White non-Hispanic 241,216 223,628 228,870 242,756 251,518 Black non-Hispanic 17,133 13,939 13,867 14,096 15,331 Hispanic 6,461 6,864 7,044 7,282 7,905 Asian, Pacific Islander 6,282 7,782 8,558 10,336 10,646 American Indian, Alaskan 1,034 1,256 1,104 1,086 1,108 DOCTOR'S DEGREES (not MD) White non-Hispanic 25,908 23,934 24,435 24,882 25,793 Black non-Hispanic 1,265 1,154 1,060 1,065 1,145 Hispanic 456 677 750 628 783 Asian, Pacific Islander 877 1,106 1,097 1,324 1,282 American Indian, Alaskan 130 119 104 85 102 David Cole Manager, Desktop Services Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244 443-4279 206C Eggers Hall DCOLE@MAXWELL.SYR.EDU --------- "RE: Indian Nation to Indian Nation" --------- Date: 24 May 94 01:21 PDT From: Native Support Network Subj: INDIAN NATION TO INDIAN NATION Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Indian Nation to Indian Nation, Indian Peace Caravan to Chiapas Caravan, as we are, filled with the Spirit, filled with the Love. Be once more with Hope of the Dove. Moments may be life times, at times life ending. But the real home is worth defending. Be cold, be hunger, be nothing. Only the Higher Power sees you as something. O caravan that we are, may be stripped, maybe delayed, but never without the Spirit and the heart of pain. We care, O great people of Chiapas, People oh dignified people of the Land. Know that your lives are all accounted for. Yours, like our yesteryear, we stand with you tall and proud, no matter what. We are the people of the land. We are of this Hemisphere. Mulu'wetam (moo-loo-wee- tom): The first people. In Spirit, Peshanaxii Spirit of the Rainbow As our Hearts mingle through the spiritual hoop we will walk in your native soil together soon in your native way. We are a part of Caravan - The Vision. --------- "RE: Canada to Review Peltier Extradition" --------- Date: 06 Jun 94 00:59 PDT From: lpdccfd@web.apc.org Subj: Canada to Review Peltier Extradition Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LEONARD PELTIER DEFENSE COMMITTEE, CANADA CANADIAN GOVERNMENT AGREES TO REVIEW LEONARD PELTIER'S EXTRADITION June 6, 1994 OTTAWA, CANADA -- In an unprecedented decision, Canada's Justice Minister Allan Rock recently authorized a review of the Leonard Peltier case in Canada amounting to what we hope will be an investigative inquiry into the 1976 extradition which falsely returned Leonard Peltier to the United States on the basis of FALSE and fabricated evidence. After more than 18 years, this breakthrough is the first time the Canadian government has agreed to officially re-evaluate its position. On March 7, 1994, a brief meeting took place between the Justice Minister of Canada Allan Rock and Liberal M.P. Warren Allmand, Chairperson of the Canadian Parliament Justice Committee. Mr. Allmand, a former Solicitor General of Canada, made strong recommendations to Mr. Rock that he establish an independent review of this case in order to be given a true picture of what really happened and how Canada should really be defending this case. Mr. Allmand also made the Minister aware of the submission and recommendations put forward to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples by the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, Canada, to which the commission subsequently agreed to support sending a strong letter to the Minister asking for his "intervention on an important issue that has been on a worldwide agenda for almost eighteen years." Signed by Georges Erasmus, former chief of the Assembly of First Nations and Judge Rene Dussault of the Quebec Court of Appeals, the two co-chair of the government-sponsored, multi-million dollar commission called for an updated, official review of the case. The RCAP was established by the Government of Canada in 1991 in the aftermath of the Mohawk/indigenous crisis of 1990, with a broad mandate to investigate the evolution of the relationship among aboriginal peoples, the Canadian government and Canadian society; to seek reconciliation and solutions to the problems and crisis conditions affecting Canada's aboriginal peoples. Following months of public testimony, the Commission's final report of its findings and recommendations is expected to be delivered to the Canadian government by late 1994 or 1995. The Canadian Leonard Peltier Defense Committee is presently forwarding all appropriate legal and political documents to the Justice Minister of Canada, including other worldwide support along with an official petition recently endorsed by 48 Dutch Members of Parliament expressing great concern for the case as put forward by 60 members of the Canadian Parliament and 55 members of the U.S. Congress. The people of Canada have a duty in bringing the Peltier case to justice. It was in 1976 that Leonard Peltier was arrested in Canada and later applied for political asylum. Eighteen years later after his final appeal was denied in July, 1993, which included an unprecedented intervention by 55 Canadian MPs, his freedom now rests exclusively with the President's approval of executive clemency. All of this places an immense responsibility for all human rights conscious peoples in Canada to now support that a fair review of the extradition takes place and that all findings are presented to the U.S. President along with a formal diplomatic request made for Mr. Peltier's return to Canada and an official objection to the conduct of American authorities during the 1976 extradition proceedings. The LPDC of Canada has been established since 1987 as an autonomous, full-time advocacy coalition lobbying for support from around the world for justice and Leonard Peltier's freedom; always exposing the broader aboriginal struggle and notorious conditions which native people have to endure with constant violations to their rights; labelled as criminals in their own homelands if forced to defend themselves. Hundreds of cases of individual abuses, violations to ancestral land and treaty rights ranging from the racism-induced murder of Leo LaChance in Saskatchewan to the ongoing destruction of ancient nation cultures of the Mohawk peoples; the Alberta Lubicon Cree, the Cheslatta Carrier peoples of British Columbia; the Innu of Nitassinan and others. Conditions continue to deteriorate for the aboriginal peoples of North America! It is with this in mind, that we would like to thank all people who support Leonard Peltier's freedom at this very crucial moment. We would like to remind you again that there has never been any evidence to prove that Leonard Peltier is guilty of any crime! After many years of sacrifice, there remains no doubt in the broader world today that Leonard Peltier remains a political prisoner in his own homelands, forced to endure the inhumanity of a society which has lost its place in the understanding of true justice. Leonard Peltier's case represents an injustice to all aboriginal people that says: If you have the courage to stand up and defend your true aboriginal rights, this is what could happen to you. Unfortunately this is what happened to Leonard and the only way we could ever hope to change this picture at this critical time is to openly support freedom for Leonard Peltier! As soon as we receive further clarification involving the review and other overall developments, we will let people know. We encourage all people to participate in a major public demonstration & vigil in support of clemency on June 26, 1994 in Washington, D.C., organized by the U.S. Leonard Peltier Defense Committee and its supporters. Commemorated worldwide in an appeal for Leonard Peltier's freedom, this day is the anniversary of the June 26, 1975 Incident at Oglala. Please see the enclosed information including a sample letter to the Justice Minister of Canada followed by an account of what's happening now and what you can do; who and how to contact. + + + + For more information, contact: Frank or Anne Dreaver, LPDC, Canada, 43 Chandler Dr., Scarborough, Ontario Canada (tel/fax): (416) 439-1893. E-mail can be sent via APC/Internet to: lpdccfd@web.apc.org. In the U.S., the LPDC, P.O. Box 583, Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.A. 66044 (tel): (913) 842-5774; (fax): (913) 842-5796. --------- "RE: Cheslatta/Kemano Summary and Plea" --------- Date: 07 Jun 94 22:14 PDT From: itc@web.apc.org Subj: Cheslatta/Kemano Summary and Plea Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) HERE'S THE STORY OF THE CHESLATTA PEOPLE AND THEIR STRUGGLE AGAINST ALCAN/OTTAWA and the B.C. GOVERNMENT. And some people ask Indians: "When are we going to stop having to be responsible for things that happened so long ago?" The answer: "When you stop repeating the same patterns in your own era." Read on for but one example: _____________________________________________________ THE RIVER The Nechako River drains the east side of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia and the north-central interior plateau. It is 170 miles long, and is one of the major tributaries of the mighty Fraser River. The Nechako is home to seven species of fish with commercial or recreational value including rainbow trout, bull trout, sockeye and chinook salmon, mountain whitefish, white sturgeon and burbot. Fisheries experts estimate that it supports between a fifth and a third of the sockeye and pink salmon in the entire Fraser River system, the world's richest salmon river. THE PEOPLE Prior to 1952, the people of the Cheslatta Indian Band had a largely self- sustaining lifestyle, based on the fish, game and plant life of their traditional area. They developed extensive herds of horses, cattle and other livestock and cultivated clover and hay as well as vegetables for their own use. While trade with surrounding communities was extensive, contact with government was limited prior to 1952. KEMANO 1 In 1952, the B.C. government granted the Aluminum Company of Canada (ALCAN) the right to all of the water flowing into the Nechako River. ALCAN planned to build a dam, create a reservoir, and then re-direct the water through tunnels to giant turbines at Kemano to generate electricity for its aluminum smelter at Kitimat. To avoid shutting off the river flow entirely, it was decided to use Cheslatta and Murray Lakes as a secondary reservoir to maintain enough water in the Nechako River to support its valuable fish stocks. Cheslatta Lake, however, was where the Cheslatta people lived. THE RELOCATION On March 28, 1952, the decision was made by ALCAN and the B.C. and federal governments to flood Cheslatta and Murray Lakes. Six days later, the local Indian Agent convened a meeting of the Cheslatta people and advised them "to start moving now". Within a week the small dam had been completed and the water had begun to rise. The pressure on the Cheslatta people to surrender their lands was intense. Despite this, the people insisted that certain conditions be met, including the relocation of graves above flood levels, relocation costs, and adequate compensation for lost buildings and other immovable property. These terms were finally agreed to by the Government and the company. The Cheslatta people then trekked northward to Grassy Plains, carrying only the barest essentials. As soon as they had left, contractors hired by ALCAN and the Ministry of Forest moved in and burned all of their buildings to the ground before they could retrieve any of their belongings. Of the many graves situated on the old reserves, ALCAN eventually moved only four. Grave markers were collected and burned. When the people revisited the area several years later, they found that the discharge of water from the Nechako Reservoir had washed away cemeteries that ALCAN had promised would be "safe". The Cheslatta people were forced to retrieve the bodies, bones and caskets of their loved ones from the waters and shorelines of the new reservoir. The Cheslatta people, once a close-knit, stable society, were now scattered in all directions. Their ties to their traditional land had been severed, and their sense of community destroyed. KEMANO 2 In 1983, ALCAN unveiled plans to "complete" the Kemano project by constructing a new powerhouse with four additional turbines. (The recent completion of B.C. Hydro's grid into the area would allow ALCAN to sell any excess power on the open market for the first time, including to the U.S.). The Kemano 2 Project, however, required the diversion of more water from the Nechako River, reducing its flow to one-tenth of its original level at some points. Public hearings were held in various communities, including Prince Rupert and Vancouver, where 84 per cent of submissions oppose the plan. GOVERNMENT APPROVAL ALCAN's plan for Kemano 2 was also opposed by the federal government's own fisheries experts, who saw it as a serious threat to the salmon stocks in the entire Fraser River system. Despite the scientific basis for their position, they were ordered by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the Hon. Tom Siddon to take a more "reasonable" stance towards the company and the project. Siddon met behind closed doors with ALCAN officials and emerged in September 1984 with an agreement to let ALCAN proceed with the project. In the Fall of 1990, opponents of the project went to court to quash the agreement between Ottawa and ALCAN, and to force the federal government to conduct a formal environmental review of the project. Within two weeks of the first application being made to the courts, the Mulroney government passed an Order in Council exempting Kemano 2 from any Environmental Assessment Review Process hearing. THE COURTS In May, 1991, the Federal Court of Canada quashed the agreement Ottawa had made with ALCAN and ordered that a full environmental review be held. In May 1992, the Federal Court of Appeal overturned this decision. In February 1993, an attempt to appeal this latter decision to the Supreme Court of Canada was turned down. (Shortly afterwards, the House of Commons did endorse a Senate-Commons report which called the ALCAN exemption "both illegal and subversive of constitutional government.") A Message from the Cheslatta People: "We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to all of you, who continue to offer your spiritual, political, financial and moral support. It helps fan the flame of hope ... It is a David and Goliath battle since Alcan is a multibillion dollar corporation with very deep pockets. But we can't give up the fight, because the cost of not fighting is even higher..." If you would like to contribute to this fight, please send your cheques to: The Kemano 2 Defence Fund c/o Cheslatta Nation P.O. Box 909 Burns Lake, B.C. VOJ 1EO Canada or deposit directly at any branch of the Royal Bank of Canada, to account #500249-8, Burns Lake branch. Please write Chief Marvin Charlie at the above address if you do make a direct deposit. THE CHESLATTA SOLIDARITY CARAVAN The Cheslatta Solidarity Caravan will leave Ottawa on Monday June 13th and travel across Canada to rendezvous with the Cheslatta people during their annual camp-out on their traditional lands on June 25th prior to its annual flooding by Kemano I. Led by Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chief, Ron George, the Solidarity Caravan will stop in fourteen communities across Canada to conduct workshops, presentations and public forums on the Kemano II project and its impact on the Cheslatta people. Mr. George will be accompanied by members of the Innu, Algonquin, Mohawk and Carrier nations. The Solidarity Caravan and Cheslatta camp-out will be recorded on film by Ottawa documentary filmmaker Sheila Jordan, for broadcast later on television. --------- "RE: Imaginary Indian" --------- Date: Fri, 03 Jun 94 16:55:39 +0000 From: Henning Subj: Imaginary Indian Mailing List: NATCHAT (natchat@gnosys.svle.ma.us) I picked up "Imaginary Indian" by Daniel Francis at the Vancouver airport in May '93 (the Canadian version of R. Berkhofer's "The White Man's Indian"). Yesterday I started reading it (no need to rush, eh?); after the first chapter I had to stop. I can't read and cry at the same time. I wasn't crying out of pity or sadness over injustice - I never did have rose-colored glasses. It was because I was so ANGRY, so angry to learn that I'd been so brainwashed. Angry that in 18 years of school there wasn't a gram of truth when it came to native people. Angry to know that while I thought I was somehow more enlightened, by the fact that I'm "part Indian", I don't always know which are the imaginary-Indians in my head. Angry to be so naive for 32 years. It isn't that I believed everything I was being told. It isn't that I didn't notice the discrepancies between Social Studies class and reality. What I didn't realize was how deep and permeating this propaganda is. If I only had my occasional doubts, but didn't really question things openly, then almost all the other people I grew up with don't have the slightest suspicion that their _Indian_ is imaginary. Here's the rub: people get angry and defensive when you try to tell them their _Indian_ is imaginary. You're challenging their view of the world, creating cognitive dissonance. You make them uncomfortable so the easiest way out for them is not to take you seriously. H. Henning Riebe email: riebe%DTMGmbH@Germany.EU.net --------- "RE: Native American Film and Video Festival" --------- Date: Sun, 05 Jun 1994 20:49:10 -0700 (MST) From: jenny pond-muckerman Subj: Native American Film and Video Festival Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) This past weekend a film festival entitled "Imagining Indians: A Native American Film and Video Festival"...took place at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts in Scottsdale, Az. Some of the events that took place were showings of films such as Victor Masayesva, Jr.'s "Imagining Indians" which is a documentary that examines the ways that Hollywood has appropriated Native American Culture. (Victor Masayesva, was also the festival's artistic director.) Other events included showings by Dr. Manual Pino (Professor of Justice Studies at Arizona State University. His areas of specialization include natural resource development on American Indian land, Indian sovereignty and Indian law. He was in- volved in the occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973 and was on the Longest Walk protesting the abrogation of Indian Treaties in 1978.)..of "Incident at Oglala"..."Thunderheart"...These showings were followed by a panel discussion that included Robert Robideau, Sheila Tousey (lead actress in "Thunderheart") and Norman Brown who is President of the Native American Producers Alliance. Other festival participants were: Tantoo Cardinal, Ava Hamilton, Floyd Red Crow Westerman and Russell Means...The festival lasted for 4 days and showed some 60 plus films..either made by Native Americans or that included storylines about Native American peoples. Topics discussed were: Sound tracks for Indian films, How to copyright your work, Can a white man make a film about an Indian?, Hollywood opportunities for Native Americans, Aesthetics of Native American Film, Intellectual property rights: Can Language, History, Stories, designs and Rituals be Exclusively Owned?, etc. The consensus was that movies such as "Dances With Wolves" are "really about a white man, or a white man wanting to be an Indian, or a white man wanting to be an Indian and passing themselves off as an Indian." Panelist Sandy Johnson Osawa (Makah who is an independent producer and scriptwriter) said that "We have not been able to tell our own story." She said that she felt that she was raised with the tradition of "not singing anyone else's songs." which Anglo moviemakers have been doing to Indians for too long." There is a lot to report about this festival...If anyone would like more information about it then please e-mail me. Also, if anyone has infor- mation about Native Americans and filmaking...please pass it on to me. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks....jenny. P.S. Although I thought that Victor Masayesva's film "Imagining Indians" was truly great...I REALLY liked "Cow Tipping: The Militant Indian Waiter". It's the story of a Cherokee waiter working the graveyard shift in a NYC Cafe who continually finds himself in heated conversations with his customers who insist on sharing their ignorance of Native American's. (Info: USA,video,color, 10 min. Produced and directed by Randy Redroad (Cherokee)). --------- "RE: Native American Alcoholism" --------- Date: Thu, 2 Jun 94 13:24:31 EDT From: Steve Smith Subj: Native American Alcoholism Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) There are many, but here are 15 that target that problem as opposed to more general centers: National Assn for NA Children of Alcoholics PO Box 1876 Seattle, WA 98118 NA Alcohol & Drug Abuse Program Eagle Lodge-AI Alcoholism Rehab. Prog. 1815 39th Ave, No. A 1264 Race St. Oakland, CA 94601 Denver, CO 80206 NA Alcoholism Treatment Prog. SIPI Alcoholism Program PO Box 790-A PO Box 10146 2720 Larpenteau Ave, Bldg 544 9169 Coors Rd, NW Sargeant Bluff, IA 51102 Albuquerque, NM 87114 Chemawa Alcoholism Educ. Center Sioux San Alcoholism Program 3760 Hazelgreen Rd, NE 3200 Canyon Lake Dr Salem, OR 97202 Rapid City, SD 57701 Indian Alcoholism Counseling Seattle Indian Alcoholism Program And Recovery Program 1912 Minor Ave. PO Box 1500, 538 South West Seattle, WA 98144 Salt Lake City, UT 84101 American Indian Council on Alcoholism NA Rehab. Assn. of the NW 2451 w. North Ave 1438 S.E. Division St Milwaukee, WI 53205 Portland, OR 97218 AI Community House Urban Indian Health & Human Services 404 Lafayette St, 2nd Fl. 4100 Silver, SE, Suite B New York, NY 10003 Albuquerque, NM 87108 AI Services, Inc. Winslow Indian Center 735 E. Franklin 407 E 3rd St. Minneapolis, MN 55404 Winslow, AZ 86047 In addition to which, most Health Centers and Clinics maintain an alcoholism/substance program, and many general Centers (with education programs, senior care, crafts, etc.) also have them, but the above seemed more primarily concerned with alcoholism. That ought to give you a start! Steve Smith --------- "RE: Fishing Rights News" --------- Date: Sun, 5 Jun 1994 07:23 PST From: "BRIAN K. GILL" Subj: Fishing Rights News Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Osiyo All, I caught this article in our local newspaper and thought I should pass it along to others. In my area of the country the fishing issue has been just as horrible as in Washington State or Minnesota/Wisconsin. Every year the Yurok and Hoopa Indians have to fight for quotas so as their livelihood will not be destroyed by the overbearing fishery or lumber groups. ****TIMES STANDARD**** Saturday June 4, 1994 Eureka, CA. YUROKS BLAST BOSCO OVER FISHING RIGHTS By David Anderson EUREKA - Yurok tribal leaders defended their fishing rights Friday and blasted former congressman Doug Bosco for disavowing a legal settlement which they say he authored himself. Tribal Chairwoman Susis L. Long said Bosco's alleged reversal of position was probably motivated by his primary campaign to unseat Rep. Dan Hamburg, D-Ukiah, and regain his former seat. "I guess he thinks he'll get some political advantage out of it," she said. "It's too bad, because he was helpful in arranging the settlement when he was still in congress. Bosco declined to respond Friday Night. In an interview on May 27, Bosco blamed federal policies for the decline of salmon in the Pacific Northwest. He specified diversion and Indian fishing allocations. "The real cause for the disaster we face," he said, is "giving 50 percent of the fish to a few small groups of Indian fishermen who catch thousands of fish just as they're going to spawn." As a congressman in 1988, Long noted, Bosco authored the settlement under which the Hoopa Valley Tribe retained the timber on the reservation square, while the Yurok were compensated with what they were told would be a $1 million commercial river fishery in the Klamath River. In fact, Long said, the tribe has never since the settlement had a commercial fishery in the river, and in recent years has not even harvested the 12,000-fish minimum allocation to which it is entitled for subsistence purposes. In a press release Friday, the tribal council accused Bosco of untruthfulness on the issue. "Candidate Bosco's statements are... inconsistent with the position he took when he authored the Hoopa/Yurok Settlement Act," the release said. "His statements reflect a lack of understanding of current issues." "The tribal allocation is assigned after the number of fall Chinook salmon necessary for escapement purposes has been identified," it added. "The allocation issue is independent of the stock status issue." "As one of the primary managers of the Klamath basin fishery resource, the Yurok Tribe cannot let blatant misinformation of this type go unanswered." Almost all Pacific salmon stocks are depressed, the Yurok statement notes, although tribal fisheries have access only to a few of them. The tribes, along with other user groups and state and federal agencies, are working together to restore the runs. In addition to water diversion for agriculture and municipal use, Long said, government policies that have hurt salmon stocks include overharvesting and inadequate protection of spawning streams on national forest and other federal lands during the 1980s. In an unrelated article from the same paper and date: NADER LABELS BOSCO 'TOOL' OF TIMBER INDUSTRY EUREKA - Consumer advocate Ralph Nader raided the Democratic campaign for the 1st Congressional District seat Thursday with a scathing volley at a challenger. Nader blasted former Rep. Doug Bosco as 'tool of the timber corporations," rather than a voice for the North Coast citizens, for receiving a $180,000 annual salary as a lobbyist for Pacific Lumber Co. "Doug Bosco acted as a paid lobbyist for a timber firm," Nader said in a fax statement from Washington, D.C. "That raises serious questions about his independence, and his ability to advocate for North Coast citizens, instead of his narrow interests of a few lumber corporations. (there is more to this article but is unrelated to the above issue) --------- "RE: Initassinan Innu Blockade Hydro-Quebec" --------- Date: Fri, 3 Jun 94 10:41 EDT From: web.apc.org!itc (Jamie Kneen) Subj: Initassinan Innu Blockade Hydro-Quebec Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) /* Written 10:26 am Jun 3, 1994 by itc in web:gen.nativenet */ Attached is a press release from the Innu Coalition for Nitassinan, Mani-Utenam, along with a letter of support (translated from Spanish) from Rigoberta Menchu. Please circulate this information as widely as you can, and please send inquiries and letters of support to the Coalition at the address below. Jamie COALITION POUR NITASSINAN 182 de l'Eglise Mani-Utenam, QC Canada G4R 4K2 Tel: 418-927-2102 Press Release May 29, 1994 The Coalition for Nitassinan Establishes Blockade to Stop Construction of Hydro-Quebec's SM-III Hydroelectric Project Mani-Utenam, on the north shore of the Gulf of St- Lawrence, Quebec - Today, we the Innu traditionalists have begun blockading the access road leading to the construction site of Hydro-Quebec's Sainte-Marguerite III (SM-III) hydroelectric project. We intend to maintain a Peace Camp until the governments of Quebec and Canada rescind their authorisation of the SM-III project. The construction of the access road began on April 18, 1994. The Coalition for Nitassinan denounces the inaction of the Canadian Government which has failed to assume their constitutional and international responsibilities towards the Innu and their land, Nitassinan. The SM-III project only serves as a political campaign tactic for the present Quebec provincial government that is facing an upcoming election. No one, either in Quebec or the United States, needs this mega-development project. The electricity from the project will be exported to the United States. The government of Quebec and Hydro-Quebec are planning to build three large hydroelectric projects on Innu land (SM- III, Ashaupmushuan and La Romaine). The entire ecosystem of unceded Innu territory is threatened by these projects. The SM-III project, which includes the diversion of two tributaries of the Moisie River into a giant reservoir, threatens the salmon of the Moisie River on which the Innu of Mani-Utenam depend. The Innu are challenging the complete disregard of their right to self-determination on their lands. Hydro-Quebec is coming to carry out the systematic destruction of the cultural, spiritual and socio-economic basis of the Innu Nation. The Quebec government's own environmental public hearing board, the Bureau d'audiences publics sur l'environment (BAPE) published a report in June of 1993 which concluded that the SM-III project should be rejected. The Canadian and Quebec governments have completely ignored this report. The Innu traditionalists are thus initiating a series of non-violent actions to block the unjustified SM-III project, a project which constitutes a violation of the Innu's human rights. The Coalition for Nitassinan demands the immediate cessation of all construction related to the SM-III project and seeks respect for the Innu Nation's right to self-determination. We invite the governments of Quebec and Canada to change their ways and adopt a strategy of sustainable development, which the Innu have the firm intention of pursuing in Nitassinan. So far, 12% of the adult Innu population of Mani-Utenam have been charged in Quebec court for their opposition to SM-III. More arrests are imminent. The Coalition for Nitassinan intends to carry out an international boycott campaign of certain economic activities led by Hydro-Quebec as long as the government maintains its sanction for of the SM-III project. Support groups in Quebec, Canada and the United States will hold demonstrations to show their firm opposition to the SM-III project. - 30 - Office of Rigoberta Menchu Nobel Prize Laureate Barcelona, Spain, 26 May 1994 Innu People of the Territory of Nitassinan, Quebec, Canada Innu Brothers and Sisters, In 1993, the International Year of Indigenous Peoples, we observed that the theft of Indigenous Peoples' lands continues. Day after day, in the name of development that does not even reach our own communities, our territories are contaminated, destroyed and desecrated as are our ceremonial sites and our sacred sites. There is a major degradation of the environment and an irrational use of our natural resources. The supposed 'modernity' tramples over our culture, our rights and our Mother Earth. It was with sadness that I heard about the construction of a dam project on the Sainte-Marguerite River in the territory of Nitassinan for which Hydro-Quebec is responsible. This river, which feeds the Innu community through the traditional fishing practices, is now threatened with mercury contamination. The legitimate struggle led by the Coalition for Nitassinan for the respect of the self-determination of the Innu People, however, brings us hope for a better future for our children. Your voice is not alone, it is joined by all who struggle for the dignity of our peoples. Innu Brothers and Sister, we will find the strength of our convictions in unity. A wound in the territory of Nitassinan is a wound in the lungs of our Mother Earth. In unity with you all, Rigoberta Menchu Tum