Subject: nanews03.020 From: gars@netcom.com (Gary Night Owl) To: Internet Recipients of Wotanging Ikche Message-ID: _ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' O ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ O o O / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' O o O / /-< / /--/ /-- VOLUME 03, ISSUE 020 O o o o o O __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, 20 May 1995 O o O O o O K A N O H E D A A N I Y V W I Y A O ( N A T I V E A M E R I C A N N E W S ) This issue contains articles from AISESnet & NATIVE-L Mailing Lists, Genie (General Electric) & UUCP email, Usenet newsgroup soc.culture.native & alt.native Articles appearing have been previously posted for public dissemination and/or permission for inclusion has been secured. Letters of authorization are on file. A list of those granting permission to repost their words in this issue are listed at the end of part A. I thank each of you for allowing your words to be shared with the people. <----<<<< >>>>----> This newsletter is a way of keeping the brothers and sisters 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 part A is being sent to the NATIVE-L mailing list, one of the NativeNet lists managed by Gary Trujillo (gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us). It is also echoed on AISESnet, IND-NET, and EIRP listservers and archived by AISESnet. Thanks to Marc Becker, mbecker@uclink2.berkeley.edu, issues of Wotanging Ikche/Kanoheda Aniyvwiya are now being archived at a World-Wide-Web site. The URL is http://ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu/~marc/journals/nanews/ This is a test site, and at some point in the future the location of these files will change. Thanks to Phil Duran, duranp@wsuvm1.csc.wsu.edu, issues are now being archived at the Washington State University gopher in the following directory: gopher.wsu.edu /WSU Campuses Info /Public Services /Native Peoples "The white man, who possesses this whole vast country from sea to sea, who roams over it at pleasure and lives where he likes, cannot know the cramp we feel in this little spot, with the underlying remembrance of the fact, which you know as well as we, that every foot of what you proudly call America not very long ago belonged to the red man. The Great Spirit gave it to us. There was room for all His many tribes, and all were happy in their freedom." __ Chief Washakie, Shoshoni +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | 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! As I put together this issue I am reminded of all the things I have to be thankful for. I have enough to eat. This is not true of all our brothers and sisters, especially many elders. Pray for them. Cry for them. Help them. I go to powwows and celebrate with others in the Circle. This is not true for many of our ancestors who lived in fear of arrest just for speaking their own language. Still, they kept our traditions for us. Remember them in your prayers. Cry for them. Thank them. I can roam about and speak to others I wish. I offer my prayers in the way I was taught. This is not true of our brothers and sisters in the iron house. Pray for them. Cry for them. Help them. I am clean and sober. This is not true of many of our brothers and sisters who hide their emptiness and pain with drugs and alcohol. Pray for them. Cry for them. Help them. Peace! Night Owl , , Gary Night Owl gars@genie.geis.com (*,*) P. O. Box 672168 gars@netcom.com (`-') Marietta, GA 30067, U.S.A. gars@igc.apc.org ===w=w=== NativeNet Node 90:133/2501 FidoNet 1:133/2501 ----------- News of the people featured in this issue ---------- Part A: Usenet and e-mail Part B: NATCHAT and NATIVE-L lists - NA Woman Prisoner In Isolation - Conferences and Powwows - online - UPDATE on Leonard Peltier - Death of an Eagle - Black Mesa Permaculture Project - Innu and Canadian Justice System - Mathcamp - USIA Syllabus Initiative - Poem: Woman On a Stone - Holy Wind and Natural Law - Verse: Hawai'ian Book of Days - Conferences and Powwows - offline --------- "RE: NA Woman Prisoner In Isolation" --------- Date: Sun, 14 May 1995 12:51:06 -0800 From: amt@teleport.com Subj: NA Woman Prisoner In Isolation, Denied Spiritual Access Newsgroups: soc.culture.native,alt.native For more info on this issue and others concerning Native Americans, music, the environment and other global community projects - check out URL http://www.teleport.com/~amt/PlanetPeace ---------------- Planet Peace ---------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Native American Woman Prisoner Held in Isolation, Denied Spiritual Access By Nash Araiza In February of 1995 Loretta Hill, a young Klamath/Paiute woman being held at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center Isolation Segregation Unit, requested spiritual support from a representative of her Paiute Tribe. Nash Araiza, a S. Paiute, is a State of Oregon Department of Corrections Spiritual Advisor (OSP) to Native Am. prisoners. Nash has not been allowed to facilitate the sacred pipe ceremony in spite of Loretta's pleas. Nash has been department certified as Spiritual Advisor the last three years, has Level 5 Access which allows him to access DSU (Disciplinary Segregation Unit) and Death Row; he has met all security standards that are required, for the past 4 years. He also meets with and facilitates the sacred pipe ceremony for Death Row prison inmate, Ernie Lotches, (SID # 3649258) a Klamath Modoc. Loretta was denied her original request for ceremony and traditional medicine (cedar & sage) and instead given medication (Prozac) by the prison doctors and returned to the general population. Within 2 weeks Loretta was returned to the isolation unit facing charges of felony assault and possession of a weapon. Nash believes that the medication was a direct influence on her actions and the denial of her spiritual needs; a critical factor leading to her present situation. To this date Loretta has not been allowed the ceremonies guaranteed by the Religious Freedom Act and the First Amendment. Loretta and her spiritual advisor have requested letters of support and inquiry as her spiritual needs are urgent. All cycles of her Native womanhood have been taken from her through medication and the denial of her traditional ceremonies. Her spirit cries for help. She is being taken away from her people. "I am in the hole at this time, but if at all possible to get a prayer ceremony done, I would be grateful." This statement was made to Attn. Barbara Creel, of Native Am. Program, Oregon legal Services. She can be contacted at: 1-800-546-0534, (503) 223-9483. Loretta Hill, SID # 8541159, is currently being held at Oregon Women's Correctional Center, 2809 State St., Salem Oregon, 97310-0500 in the isolation - segregation unit. You must include her SID # 8541159 in all correspondence. She would very much appreciate any letters of support for her situation and for all NA prisoners being denied access to their ceremonies, OUR CEREMONIES! Her spirit pleads: "I don't care how it happens, just so it happens soon.! You may also direct letters to Loretta to this e-mail address and we will be sure they reach her: amt@teleport.com. Please contact the following to show support and relief for Loretta: Father Michael W. Sprauer, Administrator Religious Services. Oregon State Correctional Institution, 3405 Deer Park Drive, S.E., Salem, OR 97310. Phone (503) 373-0100, Fax: (503) 378-8919. Chaplin I. Smith Oregon Women's Correctional Center, 2809 State St., Salem Oregon, 97310-0500. Phone: (503)373-1552 Rebecca Prinslow, Assistant Superintendent Oregon Women's Correctional Center, 2809 State St., Salem Oregon, 97310-0500. Phone (503) 378-2379, Fax: (503) 378-8370 Jeff Premo, Security Manager Oregon Women's Correctional Center, 2809 State St., Salem Oregon, 97310-0500. Phone: (503) 378-2708, Fax: (503) 378-8370 -- URL: http://www.teleport.com/~amt/Planet Peace -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Nothing Real Can Be Threatened. Nothing Unreal Exists. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. --------- "RE: UPDATE on Leonard Peltier" --------- Date: 17 May 1995 04:24:41 GMT From: lhellwi@interaccess.com Subj: UPDATE on Leonard Peltier Newsgroups: soc.culture.native 12 May 1995 From the Law Office of Kunstler and Kuby 13 Gay Street New York, NY 10014 212-924-5651 For Release on Monday Morning, May 15, 1995 Leonard Peltier, a Native American who is serving two consecutive life sentences for the murders of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on June 26, 1975, will, on May 15, 1995, file a motion with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit for the opening of his appeal. The reasons for such an application are contained in the attached papers. Peltier was one of four Native Americans accused of these crimes. Two of his co-defendants were acquitted in 1976 in Cedar Rapids, IA, to which their cases, as well as that of Mr. Peltier, had been transferred because of anti-Indian prejudice in the Dakotas, while charges against a third were dismissed for lack of evidence. After the Cedar Rapids acquittal, Peltier's case was mysteriously transferred to Fargo, North Dakota, and assigned to a judge known to be extremely prejudiced against Native Americans. On April 18, 1977, he [Peltier] was convicted by a Fargo jury of the two homicides. Later, it was discovered that the FBI had unlawfully suppressed a firearms report stating that the rifle attributed to him could not possibly have fired the fatal bullets and which totally contradicted the trial testimony of an FBI firearms expert. Now, the appellate court which affirmed his convictions on the basis of a misconception that a prosecution witness had placed the defendant near the dead agents' cars on the day of the homicides, an impression that was not corrected by either his lawyers or the government, is being asked to open the appeal. Mr. Peltier is represented by William M. Kunstler and Ramsey Clark of New York, NY, both affiliated with the Center for Constitutional Rights, a New York-based legal and educational foundation, Carl Nadler of Washington DC, W.Lee Hill, of La Jolla, California, and Bruce Ellison of Rapid City, SD. For further information, please contact Lisa Faroulo at the Peltier Defense Committee, 913-842-5774, or this office. [NOTE: If you would prefer to save phone charges, please feel free to email any questions you might have to me at lhellwi@interaccess.com. If I can't answer the question directly, I will get the answer for you and respond. Thanks! Lisa Hellwig] Attachment #1 United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Judicial Circuit United States of America v: No. 85-5192 Leonard Peltier, Appellant MOTION TO OPEN Upon the affidavit of Ronal P. Lessard and the affirmation of William M. Kunstler, both duly executed the 18th day of April, 1995,and all the proceedings heretofore had herein, appellant respectfully moves this Court to permit the opening of his appeal for the purpose of presenting new and significant material as set forth in the aforesaid affidavit of Ronald P. Lessard, whether the within application is styled or designated as a motion therefore, or for a Writ of Error Coram Nobis, which could result in the Court's reconsideration of its decision of September 11, 1986, affirming the appellant's conviction, or for such other and further relief as may be just and proper in the premises. Dated: New York, NY April 1995 Lawyers Attachment #2 United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Judicial Circuit United States of America v: No. 85-5192 Leonard Peltier, Appellant Ronald P. Lessard, being duly sworn, deposes and says: 1. I am a member of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee and in charge of the Washington, DC office thereof, which is designated as the Leonard Peltier Freedom Campaign. 2. I have been engaged in such activity sine November of 1994, and I have made it a point to study all of the legal and other materials relating to Mr. Peltier's case. 3. In March of 1995, I telephoned Senior Circuit Judge Gerald W. Heaney in Duluth, Minnesota, who had authored the first two of the opinions in Mr. Peltier's appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. 4. During that conversation, I asked Judge Heaney whether there as anything else that could be done legally for Mr. Peltier. He replied that he thought, in his second appeal, that Mr. Peltier had changed his version of what happened on the day of the killing of the two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. 5. He told me that he thought that Mr. Peltier had originally maintained that he had not been down near the agents' cars when they were shot. Now, he said, he understood that the trial evidence showed that he was indeed down at the cars at that time, a fact that, in his opinion, made all the difference to him. He recommended that I review the past proceedings in this case when I maintained that something was wrong if he understood that Mr. Peltier's position had changed to state that he was down at the cars but had fired in self- defense. He further stated that he couldn't understand why the defense had changed as indicated above. 6. As a result of this conversation, I listened to a tape of the oral argument of the second appeal in 1985. During that argument, Judge Heaney questioned William M. Kunstler, Mr. Peltier's appellate attorney, about the fact that Norman Brown, a government witness, had testified "of having seen Peltier and Robideau and Butler at the scene at the automobile." [NOTE: This tape was made by Mr. Peltier's supporters and is available for the Court's consideration if it desires to check the accuracy of the quoted material in this affidavit. Every effort has been made to quote accurately from that tape.] 7. Judge Heaney asked Mr. Kunstler: "At what point did the defense first become aware of the September 24, 1975, teletype, that outlined in some detail the interviews between Brown and the FBI agent?" Mr. Kunstler replied that "[W]hen the Freedom of Information Act material, '79...80, prior to filing our habeas. It came with the FOI Act material." Judge Heaney: The teletype had not been made available to the defense at any time before that, right? Mr. Kunstler: That is correct. It is, uh...I call it FOIA or Freedom of Information Act material, and that came via the lawsuit. I don't know the exact date, but it came long after this court affirmed the conviction. Judge Heaney: In that memorandum...Brown speaks of having seen Peltier, Robidea and Butler at the scene of the automobile. Mr. Kunstler: Near the agents' cars, that's correct. Judge Heaney: Near the agents' cars. And he said that he specifically recalled that Leonard Peltier was armed with an AR-15 or an M-16. Mr. Kunstler: That's correct. 8. Under further questioning by Judge Heaney, Mr. Kunstler mistakenly agreed with him that Brown did indeed so testify. Judge Heaney: Now I know...was Brown called as a witness? Mr. Kunstler: Yes. Judge Heaney: And did he substantiate the testimony ..uh...at trial that he gave,uh, that was... Mr. Kunstler: He did, except... Judge Heaney: Summarized in this. Mr. Kunstler: He did, except that he said it had been extorted out of him, he'd been tortured... 9. Unfortunately, neither Judge Heaney nor his two colleagues were informed that Norman Brown had not testified at the trial that Mr. Peltier was down at the cars when the agents were shot, but that such testimony was only given before the grand jury. Q. In the grand jury you testified that you saw Leonard and Dino and Bob down by the cars, isn't that a fact? A. Right. *** Q. Did you ever see Leonard and Dino and Bob down by the cars on June 26th, 1975? A. No. Trial Transcript, pp 4808-09. *** Q. When you testified before the grand jury that you saw Leonard and Bob and Dino down by the agents' cars, where did you get that information from? A. FBI Q: Did you ever see that on June 26, 1975? A. No. Trial Transcript, p 4812 10. Despite this testimony, Judge Heaney, again during oral argument, stated: "But let me put it to you this way, you still have attempted to point out who testified that they saw Peltier, Robideau and Butler at the automobile and that these people were shot at short range, with a high velocity weapon, and Brown testified that, while he was watching there, he heard three shots. Now, how do we, how do we get around that because you exposed the duress that Brown and the other witnesses were..." 11. Mr. Kunstler then replied that "there were scores of other people there, too, and we have indicated in the footnote in our original brief... there were scores of people down there and I mean scores, there were names given, the material we got from the Bureau shows, and a lot of which was suppressed, that there were scores of other leads. This we raised on direct appeal, there were scores of those people there." 12. However, he failed to rebut Judge Heaney's observation about Brown and mistakenly let it stand uncontradicted in the record. 13. Judge Heaney consistently accepted the untrue fact that Brown had placed Mr. Peltier, along with Bulter and Robideau, down at the cars when the agents were shot and Mr. Kunstler did nothing to dispel that misconception. Toward the end of the latter's presentation, Judge Heaney said: "...these two Indians were positively identified by Brown, were Darrell Dino Butler and Leonard Peltier. Brown at this time redirects his attention towards responding officers and shortly thereafter hear approximately three shots [when] the agents' vehicles were fixed upon." Mr. Kunstler replied: "Shortly after, I think that's what we all recall. And when you look at the briefs, you'll find that there were literally scores of people around the vehicles." 14. There were no transcripts of either Mr. Peltier's trial or that of Robideau and Butler available to the court up to and including the oral argument. Your deponent has no knowledge as to whether the court was ever furnished the transcripts in question. 15. If indeed Judge Heaney was mistaken as to the nature of Brown's testimony at the trial and this error played any role in his decision denying Mr. Peltier a new trial, then simple and elemental justice would mandate a reopening of this appeal for further consideration by the Court. Mr. Peltier has been incarcerated some nineteen years and this Court has already found that the FBI was guilty of considerable misconduct during his prosecution and that the trial judge committed serious and significant evidentiary errors. A misconception by this Court of the evidence below relating to Norman Brown might well have tipped the scales against appellant in an extremely close case. (signed) Ronald P. Lessard Attachment #3 United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Judicial Circuit United States of America v: No. 85-5192 Leonard Peltier, Appellant William M. Kunstler, an attorney duly admitted to practice as such in the courts of the State of New York and admitted pro hoc vice in this Court, hereby affirms, under the pains and penalties of perjury, as follows: 1. I have been associated with appellant as appellate counsel for almost twenty years and I am submitting this affirmation in support of the relief prayed for in the accompanying Motion. 2. I have been long convinced that this Court has agonized over this case and that its decision of September 11, 1986, reported as 800-F2d 772 (8th Cir. 1986), cert.den.484 U.S. 822 (1987), affirming his convictions was rendered with considerable misgivings and uncertainty. That uncertainty may well be augmented by the Supreme Court's recent decision in Kyles v. Whitley, No. 93-7927, 57 CrL 2003 (4/19/95), reversing a Louisiana death penalty conviction because of the withholding by the prosecution of Brady material, not dissimilar to what happened to appellant as previously determined by this court. The majority opinion discussing the "[F]our acts of materiality," under United States V. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667 (1985), might well compel this Court to reconsider its reliance on its analysis and interpretation of Bagley in deciding appellant's 1985 appeal, 800 F-2d at 774-75. 3. I also know that Senior Circuit Judge Gerald W. Heaney has, in a letter dated April 18, 1991, since recommended in writing to the President, through Senator Daniel Inouye, that appellant's sentence be commuted, stating that the FBI was as guilty as appellant in the events of June 26, 1975 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation that led to the agents' deaths and that of Native American Joseph Stuntz. 4. There can be no doubt that, as stated in this Court's said opinion, that "the prosecution withheld evidence from the defense favorable to Peltier," 800 F2d at 775, "the district court's evidentiary ruling clearly hampered the defense in its efforts to point out inconsistencies in the ... lab reports," Ibid at 777, fn 3, and "there is evidence in this record of improper conduct on some FBI agents..." Ibid at 778. 5. The court also determined that the testimony of trial witnesses "indicate very strongly that he [Peltier] was down by the bodies when the shot was fired. These inferences were of course strengthened by the trial testimony that Leonard Peltier was one of the only three individuals seen down by the bodies that day." 800 F.2d at 779 6. During oral argument on October 15, 1985, Senior Circuit Judge Heaney questioned me as set forth in the accompanying affidavit of Ronald P. Lessard. 7. Because I had not tried appellant's case, I did not correct Judge Heaney as to his mistaken assumption that Norman Brown had testified at Mr. Peltier's trial and placed him down at the cars at the time the agents were shot to death. I must take full responsibility for my failure to do so but my error should not, in the slightest, be permitted to prejudice a defendant who has spent so much of his adult life in prison. 8. However, I had no idea that Judge Heaney would give this assumption such significance in reaching his decision to affirm appellant's convictions. It was only when mr. Lessard recently revealed to me the contents of his recent telephonic conversation with Judge Heaney that I realized that my failure to respond correctly to his question about Norman Brown left the distinct impression that the defense agreed that the latter had testified at the trial that appellant was down by the cars when the agents were fatally wounded. Incidentally, the government did nothing to correct the record on this score. 9. I have listened to the tape recording of oral argument and verified that I failed to inform Judge Heaney that Brown had not so testified at the trial but only before the grand jury. In fact, at the trial he stated that he had never seen appellant near the cars at the crucial time. 10. Had I known how strongly Judge Heaney, and perhaps the entire bench, felt that Brown had put appellant by the cars, I would have raised this issue years ago. When I listened to Mr. Lessard, I realized that my answers to Judge Heaney during oral argument regarding Norman Brown's alleged testimony were not only incorrect but served to convince him that Mr. Peltier was, along with co-defendants Robideau and Butler, present at the place were the agents were shot to death. 11. There comes a time in the life of every human being, official or otherwise, when he or she must, as Circuit Judge John Wisdom once remarked, "grasp the nettle." Singleton V. Jackson Municipal Separate School District, 348 F.2d 729, 730 (5th Cir. 1965). This is indeed such a time and Judge Heaney now must, in the name of essential decency, search his memory and his conscience. Leonard Peltier must not be permitted to end his days in custody if, in truth, his appeal was decided on a basic misconception. I take full responsibility for not furnishing Judge Heaney with the correct information about Norman Brown's real testimony at appellant's trial and I could not live with myself if I did not exert my energies to do what I now can to end appellant's torment. 12. If Judge Heaney was influenced by his belief that Norman Brown had testified at appellant's trial that he had seen the latter down by the cars at the time of the agents' deaths, then he owes it to himself, Mr. Peltier, and our professed standards of fair play to now come forward and own up to a crucial misconception that tipped the scales against my client. 13. Circuit Judge Heaney and his colleagues now have the power to do more than merely urge that appellant's sentences be commuted, something that has not occurred and probably will not occur during the present Administration, but to stand up and say, if it be true, that the panel took into consideration in reaching its decision a misconception that seriously affected and flawed it. Honorable, sensitive and caring human beings can do no less. 14. I do not know the precise nature of the available relief but Mr. Lessard was informed by a court clerk that, while a motion for reargument was not proper, one to reopen the appeal would lie. I am certain that, in view of Mr. Peltier's long period of incarceration and the justice of his cause, a suitable --------- "RE: Black Mesa Permaculture Project" --------- Date: Sun, 14 May 1995 12:44:04 -0800 From: amt@teleport.com Subj: Black Mesa Permaculture Project on Navajo/Hopi Reservation Newsgroups: soc.culture.native,alt.native NOTE: THIS WORKSHOP IS FREE TO NATIVE AMERICANS! Here is an upcoming workshop/intensive for those interested in Permaculture. It will be held on the Navajo/Hopi Reservation and is a project of Indigenous People living on Reservation lands. For more info on this project and other issues concerning the environment and Indigenous Peoples - check out URL http://www.teleport.com/~amt/planetpeace ---------------- Planet Peace ---------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Black Mesa Permaculture Project 4th Annual Dryland Permaculture Intensive Design Course on the Navajo/Hopi Reservation, May 27 - June 4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Permaculture, or permanent (agri)culture, means working with natural forces - wind, sun, and water - to provide food, shelter, water and other needs with minimum labor and without depleting the land. Permaculture is a holistic approach based on traditional agricultural practices. The Black Mesa Permaculture Project is a project of Indigenous People living on Reservation lands on Black Mesa in the Four Corners area of the Southwest with assistance of concerned support groups and persons. Permaculture techniques allow people to diversify and increase flora production, to restore eroded lands, and to make more efficient use of resources. We feel that this project will help us and other Native Americans integrate self-reliance and cultural values. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4th Annual Intensive Design Course ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Instructors The course will have three instructors, two of which are local Native Americans. Justin Willy and George Crittenden have both taken certified permaculture courses and are currently enrolled in an ecoforestry program. George has several years previous experience in fire suppression and reforestation while Justin has taught hands-on classes and consulted on permaculture projects in the Black Mesa for five years. Both are working on projects in their local areas and have been doing consulting work and giving presentations to schools and local groups on the Black Mesa for nearly three years in an attempt to expand the role of permaculture in healing the land. Dan Dorsey, the primary instructor for the first three workshops has a degree in forestry and has studied regenerative systems for over ten years. In addition to residential landscapes, he has designed sustainable projects for Tucson City Parks and Recreation, the Tucson Community Food Bank, and the Tohono O'Odham Indian Nation. A well-known speaker in the Tucson area, Dan emphasizes strategies for water harvesting, re-vegetation of damaged areas, and integrating people with a sustainable environment. This complete course will provide you with a permaculture design certificate. Workshop fees promote scholarships for indigenous people. Bring: camping gear, food, rain gear, notebooks, and work gloves. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Objectives 1. Conduct surveys of site-specific soil, water, water-shed conditions, locally occurring native plant species, to provide a base of information for planning permaculture systems. 2. Continue presentation of annual, comprehensive, hands-on permaculture courses on reservations which are open to the public and free to Native Americans. 3. Set up a tree grow out program for planting in spring and fall. 4. Design and construct with each family appropriate runoff water diversion and collection structures, and /or spring developments, to enable the family to make optimal use of available water resources. 5. Work with each family, level bordered or terraced fields, and organic or garden plots in which collected runoff waters will be used for irrigation. 6. Work to build solid fertility in their permaculture plots with locally available organic materials. 7. Select and plant an appropriate mix of perennial trees, shrubs, grasses, and herbs with food or medicinal value. 8. Plan and construct additional soil and water conservation and permaculture structures, including runoff plots for annual plantings, greenhouses to extend the growing season, and erosion control structures. 9. Collect and ensure the survival and availability of traditional varieties of seeds and cultivators. 10. The use of appropriate technology training will build all the needed skills and capacities in permaculture system design and construction so that the instructors and consultants will be primarily Native American. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Registration To register, send your name, address, and phone number along with $250.00 or non refundable $50.00 deposit to: Black Mesa Permaculture Project, PO Box 26195, Tucson, AZ 85796. Make cheques payable to Black Mesa Permaculture Project. -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- Nothing Real Can Be Threatened. Nothing Unreal Exists. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- -- URL: http://www.teleport.com/~amt/planetpeace --------- "RE: Mathcamp" --------- Date: Mon, 15 May 1995 12:46:19 -0600 From: markf@google.dr.att.com (Mark Felton) Subj: Mathcamp Mailing List: AISESnet Discussion List (aisesnet@victor.umt.edu) Once again our group is preparing for the Native American Mathcamp that is held at the Colorado School Of Mines. We have a number of internal projects planned and are working on some external projects. The external wish list includes: 1> Looking for internet contacts with expertise in Rockets, Robots and Solar & Wind Energy to serve as internet (email) contacts for Teachers. 2> Looking for contacts in the following areas that could assist with establishing internet hookups a> Broken Bow, Ok b> Norman, Ok c> Marty, SD d> Sells, Az 3> The Big Wish -> On a recent show on U.S. Natl. News a group was shown that was having student follow the migration of a butterfly using the internet. The result were posted on a Webb Site. We are looking for something similar to do in cooperation with other Native American summer projects. One possible idea is to pass a message through the net and have student add a line in their native language with a translation. I am looking for other suggestions or additions. All ideas are welcome. I am also looking for any groups that would be interested in participating in this project. Our Math Camp is in June. Regards, markf --------- "RE: Poem: Woman On a Stone" --------- Date: 21 Jul 1994 19:49:34 -0500 From: turtle@aicap.s21.com (Turtle Heart) Subj: Woman On a Stone Newsgroup: alt.native There is a brave woman I have seen her sitting upon a stone warmed by the Sun her hands hold the hard hot stone her hands are strong I was far away swimming in the waters turning over and over playing in the sun I saw her near the water I saw her heart through the water it was shining it was bright it was the kind of thing you would notice it was a light near the water it was a good day to be in the water........... -- Turtle Heart turtle@soft21.s21.com (Ahnishinabeg) American Indian Computer Art Project BBS 619-374-2100 Land of Kaw-ii-su ancestor: Land of Light --------- "RE: Verse: Hawai'ian Book of Days" --------- Date: 95/05/13 16:10 From: Debra F. Sanders (dfsanders@genie.geis.com) Subj: Verse: Hawai'ian Book of Days GE Electronic Mail A HAWAIIAN BOOK OF DAYS, week of May 21-27 MEI (May) (Ikiiki) 21 The wind and the rain join together to create life. 22 Life always reveals new possibilities. 23 Feast upon the riches of the land. 24 Follow the paths of the stars, and you will never be lost. 25 When the wind has come full circle 'round the earth, it returns to the place of its beginning. 26 The full moon reflected upon the ocean weaves a night of ancient magic. 27 No act of kindness ever goes unrewarded. (c) Copyright 1991 by D. F. Sanders Me ke aloha i ka nani, ... Moe'uhanekeanuenue (With love and beauty, ... Rainbow Dream) --------- "RE: Conferences and Powwows - offline" --------- Date: Thu, 18 May 95 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 From: Duncan Perrote To: American Indian Discussions Rochelle Two Bulls Drum Contest sponsored by Family May 26, 27, 28 & 29 For more information call Karen Smith (307) 2716/2726 8 am to 5 pm or Helen Brown (307) 332-2258 Hope some of you can make it! Duncan Perrote Wind River Reservation EIRP ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Univ. of Wyoming Wind River Extension washakie@coopext.cahe.wsu.edu Ms. Duncan Perrote, Director Family Living Agent Ms. Mary Lou Wickstrom, Administrative Assistant PHONE: (307) 332-2681 FAX: (307) 332-2683 ====================================================================== From: "SPURLOCK" Gary, I would like to tell you that I enjoy your news letter each week. I have a listing for you. I belong to the American Indian Association of Florida and we are sponsoring a benefit dance to raise money on May 20, 1995. It will be a mini powwow with dancing and a potluck dinner. It will be held at the Central Florida Fairgrounds on West Highway 50 in Orlando, Florida. There is no admission charge, but donations will be accepted. Grand entry is at 1:00 and dinner is at 5:00. We are encouraging everyone to come out and enjoy the day. We will be under cover in case of rain. No vendors setups-just a great day of dancing and socializing. Also we are having our 9th Annual Powwow November 3,4,5, 1995 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds as well. I would appreciate it if you could list this in your newsletter. For any questions on the mini powwow please contact Michelle McRae at 862-9676. For question with the annual powwow- vendors contact Clara Spurlock at 407-299-1207 or for information contact Artie McRae at 407-862-9676. Thank-you Lisa Spurlock ========================================================================== From: Pine Ridge South Dakota Subject: Lakota Family Walk/Run The 3rd Annual Lakota Family walk/run will be held in Pine Ridge Village, Pine Ridge, SD on June 3, 1995. This event, sponsored by the Pine Ridge Cooperative Extension Service, United Dairy Council of the Upper Midwest, and the Pine Ridge Youth Coalition, was designed as a family activity promoting the importance of health and exercise. If any of you are in the area, come join in the fun! A pancake feed will be following the race at the Billy Mills Hall. Registration will begin at 8am-9am with the race starting at 9:30am. You may contact the Pine Ridge Extension Office at (605)455-2266 for more information and/or to register. You may also e-mail us at pineridg@coopext.cahe.wsu.edu -John Mills Extension Agent-Agriculture Pine Ridge Reservation ========================================================================== From: John Berry Subject: Article Submission for W.I. SiYo Gary, I hope this can make the next issue before the Conference has started. Submitted at the request of Jeff Harjo, OSU. John Berry -------------------------------------------------------- NATIVE AMERICAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION 11th Annual Conference May 24-27, 1995 Bismark, ND Registration Onsite: NAJA members $175.00 Students $ 50.00 Non-members $250.00 Job Fair/Exhibitors $200.00 HQ Hotel Radisson Inn Bismark (701)258-7700 or (800)333-3333 TENTATIVE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Sunday, May 21 Professional staff & students arrive to begin work on the Student Newspaper Project Monday, May 22 NAJA Board of Directors Arrive Tuesday, May 23 12 Noon to 1:30pm NAJA Board of Directors Luncheon 2-5pm NAJA Board of Directors Meeting Wednesday, May 24 12 Noon-8pm Registration outside Dakota Ballroom 2pm Opening Prayers and tobacco ceremony--United Tribes College Powwow Grounds--invitation only. 5-6pm NAJA Opening Ceremony, Welcome song, colors, invocation, opening speech Karen Lincoln-Michel NAJA president. Welcome remarks from Governor of ND, Mayor of Bismark, David Gipp-United Tribes Technical College President. Introduction of ND tribal leaders. Recognition of NAJA board - Nancy Butterfield NAJA vice-pres. speech Adjourn victory song 6-8pm NAJA reception, Thursday, May 25 8am-8pm registration 8am Shoot Out-contest for Photographers begins today. 8:30-9:30am New NAJA members continental breakfast, intro. & welcoming by NAJA board member, brief announcements, 1994/95 Board report released. Sponsored by Dallas Morning News 9am First issue of NAJA student newspaper distributed. 10am-12 Noon Plenary Session: "A Contract with Whose America?" 12:30-1:45pm Luncheon M.C. Loren Tapahe, invocation by ND rep., CBS rep. to speak, George Benge keynote luncheon speaker, Paul DeMain and Patty Loew to recognize and talk about student video proj., Kara Briggs the student newspaper proj., Patty Talahongva the NAJA student video proj. Sponsored by CBS 2-3:30pm A. "Health Care Issues in Indian Country" Moderator Rita Pyrillis; B. "Native Opinions -- Who Needs Them?" C. "Investigative Reporting in Indian Country -- Using the Freedom of Information Act" D. "Improving Your Writing Skills" E. "Marketing Native Publications" F. "Photographer's Role in Native Communities" G. "Ask Better Questions to Get Better News" 3:45 - 5:15pm A. "Innovative Ways to Cover Tribal Government" B. "Gaming Issues in the Media" C. "Gays and Lesbians: Does Diversity Mean Color Only?" D. "Native News Wire Service for Native Media" E. "Video Editing on Computer" F. "How to Write for the Ear" G. "Native Writers Talk About Writing" 5:30-6:30pm Roundtable discussions w/ seasoned journalists for students and people considering a journalism career. A. "Roundtable Mentoring for Television Reporting" B. "Roundtable Mentoring for Print Reporting" C. "Roundtable Mentoring for Print Photographers" D. "Roundtable Mentoring for Radio" 6:30pm Nominations Close for NAJA Board of Dir. 6:30-7pm Social Half Hour 7-9pm NAJA Silent Auction, M.C. Mark Trehant, invocation Paul DeMain; Presentations by NY Times & Time Warner, Sponsored by Time Warner 9:30pm Casino bus tour - Prarie Knights Casino, leave casino 1:30am Friday, May 26 8am-Noon registration 8:15-9:45am Unity '99: Reaffirming Strength in Diversity - issues in hiring and retention among journalists of color. 10am - 12 Noon Plenary Session: "Mainstream Media: Storytellers or Mythmakers?" 12:30-1:45pm Luncheon #2 M.C. Minnie Two Shoes; Kenneth Ryan - Dir. of Native American Studies Program, Slide Show "Walking with Indigenous Peoples", presented by Pat Locke, Mary Annette Pember, Dale Kakkak; Sponsored by Wotanin Wowapi of Montana 2-3:30pm A. "Covering Native American Religion" B. "Exploring the Information Superhighway" C. "The Coverage of Indian Child Welfare Issues" D. "Covering Anti-Indian Groups" E. "Newsroom Issues Related to Covering Your Own People" F. "Basic Photography" 3:45-5:15pm A. "Radio Critique Sessions" B. "Struggles for a Free Press in Indian Country" C. "Lighting Techniques in Photography" D. "Non-Natives Covering Native Issues" E. "Tribal Productions: Finding Their Place in the Mainstream" F. "Public Relations" G. "Hollywood Images of Native People" 5-8pm NAJA Elections 6:30-7pm Social Half hour 7-9pm NAJA Awards Banquet 9pm - Midnight Entertainment - Sherman Alexie & Jim Boyd, Song Catchers Saturday, May 27 8:30-9:45am "Pictures of Our Nobler Selves: American Indians in the Mainstream Media" 10am - 12 Noon Membership Meeting and Breakfast Buffet 12 Noon - 5:00pm Society of Newspaper Design (SND) Short Course on Newspaper Design 2-4pm Tours of Bismark 5:30pm Buses depart from Radisson for Ft. Yates Powwow 10:30pm Buses depart Ft. Yates for Raddisson FOR MORE INFORMATION: NAJA (612)874-8833 or: E-Mail NAJANUT@AOL.COM ======================================================================== From: "Thomas A. Ferguson" Subject: End of the school year K I T I G A N Z I B I A N I S H I N A B E K I J I G O N P I J A S H I G ! T R A D I T I O N A L P O W W O W Location: Kitigan Zibi's School grounds, Algonquin Indian Reserve As usual the non-native would turn things up-side down for some unknown reason. This is wrong --> "River Desert Band", is a French translation. The "Garden River Band" is how the Omamiwinini, which translates to Algonquin, and Anishinabe, translates to Indian, translate their own words into English. Maniwaki, Quebec, Canada. Dates: Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, 1995. Admission: Free. E V E R Y O N E W E L C O M E ! Day 1 & 2 - 6:00 a.m. Sunrise Ceremony Breakfast (to be purchased) 12:00 p.m.noon-Grand Entry Drums (Honorarium for invited drums. Will do what we can for others.) Dancers (Honorarium for dancers in regalia) Day 1 only - Parade and Children's Presentation before noon. Day 2 only - 4:00 p.m. Giveaway 5:00 p.m. Closing Ceremonies and Activities Rough Camping is available to anyone interested. For more information, please call Pauline or Annette at 819-449-5449 (long distance). N O A L C O H O L N O D R U G S ========================================================================= -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//-- Notice of Copyright Clearance by Contributors: The following have granted permission for their original articles to be reposted in order to help mend the Sacred Hoop: Debra F. Sanders(Kepola), Janet Smith, Roman Bitsuie via Navajonation, Brookie Craig via Cliff Drake, Nash Araiza via Planet Peace, Mark Felton, Andrea/Planet Peace, Turtle Heart(Mending the Sacred Hoop with song poems), Julian W. James, Alan Dixon, Andrew Lakritz(Press Release), Lisa Hellwig --//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//-- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ all items below this line have already been distributed by our brother, Jay Brummett, via the NATIVE-L or NATCHAT mailing lists. --------- "RE: Conferences and Powwows - online" --------- Date: Thu, 18 May 95 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 listserv groups = ===================================================================== Subject: U.W. Pow-Wow cancellation (fwd) Original Sender: pali@u.washington.edu (Pauline Shafer) Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Dear Brothers and Sisters on the Red Road, We at U.W. had to have our powwow cancelled this year due to lack of funding in higher education. The universities that hold powwows often contribute about half the cost. But for various reasons that did not happen this year. The powwow committee is hard at work to ensure that the powwow occurs next year. A date for April 26, 27, 28, 1996 has been penciled in for us but cannot be written in stone until after the new academic year begins. We are applying raffle ticket sales towards funds for next year's powwow. With everyone's support and prayers we will be able to bring the U.W. powwow back in '96. I sent out a posting a while ago concerning the cancellation, but wish to remind everyone so no one makes an unnecessary trip. We are very sorry for the disappointment and wish to thank those who still support our raffle with items and ticket sales. Thank You Pauline Escudero-Shafer Spokesperson for First Nations @ U.W. ======================================================================== Subject: Environmental/First Nations Final Program Original Sender: greenweb@fox.nstn.ca Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Learneds - Environmental/First Nations Final Program The following session will be held at the 1995 Learned Societies Conference at UQAM (Universite du Quebec a Montreal): The environment and the relations with First Nations / L'environnement et les relations avec les peuples autochtones (A joint session of the Socialist Studies Society and the Environmental Studies Association of Canada) Monday 5 June / lundi 5 juin, 09:00-12:15, room A-1930 Coordinator: Peter Penz (Environmental Studies, York) E-mail address: ES_PPENZ@Orion.YorkU.CA This session features a presentation by David Orton of his Discussion Paper "Rethinking Environmental-First Nations Relationships." This is an all-morning session. The first part will be a panel discussion/round table. The second part will be a wide open public discussion. The panel discussants, so far, are: - Chief Ron Ignace - Hari Sharma (Sociology & Anthropology, SFU) - Peter Penz (Environmental Studies, York) The Discussion Paper consists of the following Green Web Bulletins: # 43 - Rethinking Environmental-First Nations Relationships (Published in Canadian Dimension and in the Earth First! Journal) # 44 - The Wild Path Forward: Left Biocentrism, First Nations, Park Issues and Forestry, A Canadian View (In press with Wild Earth magazine, to be published in the fall of 1995.) # 45 - Fisheries And Aboriginals: The Enclosing Paradigm. # 46 - Limitations of a Left Critique and Deep Dilemmas in Environmental-First Nations Relationships. (In preparation, available soon.) The complete set of papers may be bought at the Learned Societies Conference (UQAM, room Aquin 2615), or from the National Office of the Socialist Studies Society (Jesse Vorst, University College, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2M8). Price $4.00. To receive these papers free via e-mail, please send your request to: greenweb@fox.nstn.ca =============================================================================== Xref: netcom.com muc.lists.indians:1579 Original Sender: Indigenous Environmental Network Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) SIXTH ANNUAL INDIGENOUS ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK PROTECTING MOTHER EARTH CONFERENCE -- JUNE 19-22, 1995 SIXTEENTH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL INDIAN TREATY COUNCIL CONFERENCE -- JUNE 23-25, 1995 HOSTED BY THE CHICKALOON VILLAGE ATHABASCAN NATION CHICKALOON VILLAGE, ALASKA. MILE 78 GLENN HIGHWAY NANA SOO NENNA NAT SKA GON DEN - WE ARE THE ONES WHO REPAIR THE LAND. SPECIAL GUEST - DR. MIGUEL ALFONSO MARTINEZ, SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR THE U.N. STUDY ON TREATIES, AGREEMENTS, AND CONSTRUCTIVE ARRANGEMENTS WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: ALASKA REGIONAL IEN CONFERENCE OFFICE PH. 907.745.0505 FAX 907.745.0606 IEN NATIONAL OFFICE PH. 218.751.4967 FAX 218.751.0561 EMAIL ien@igc.apc.org IITC ALASKA OFFICE PH. 907.745.4482 FAX 907.745.0606 IITC INFORMATION OFFICE PH. 415.512.1501 FAX 415.512.1507 ====================================================================== Original Sender: odell@shrsys.hslc.org (Lorraine O'Dell) Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) This is a little last minute but .... New Jersey American Indian Center presents the 10th Anniversary Pow Wow & Festival - May 1995 Friday, May 19 - 10 am to 9 pm, shows 10 am and 7 pm Saturday, May 20 - 11 am to 9 pm, shows 2 & 7 pm Sunday, May 21 - 11 am to 6 pm, show 1 pm Rain or shine - free parking & camping for Native American people at the Old Bridge Ice Arena, Route 516, Old Bridge, NJ Chairperson: John Running Deer Co-Chairperson: Al Quiet Wolf I expect to be a volunteer at the host table. Come by and say hello Lorraine O'Dell Voice (home): 908-249-7850 Director Voice (office): 908-873-8700 Franklin Township Library FAX: 908-873-0746 odell@hslc.org ==================================================================== --------- "RE: Death of an Eagle" --------- Date: Thu, 11 May 1995 17:08:54 EDT From: BTRU93D@prodigy.com (MR CLIFF C DRAKE) Subj: Death of an Eagle Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) From: BROOKIE CRAIG (BTRU93A@prodigy.com) Recently, I went to the Warm Springs reservation in Oregon and then to the Federal Eagle Repository in Ashland Oregon. You probably never heard of Nathan Jim, Jr. He was a Yakima Indian who was arrested for illegal possession of Eagle Feathers and parts, by the Feds a couple years ago. He languished in fed jail for l4 months awaiting trial and was finally put on probation for this heinous crime. His lawyer appealed it under the new Religious Freedom act which guarantees Native Americans the right to eagle feathers to practice their religious ceremonies and again lost the appeal..He killed himself fearing that (in his mind) it would mean that the feds would rearrest him and sentence him to jail again. This so moved his prosecuting US Attorney that he grabbed a bundle of eagle feathers at the Fed Eagle Repository (yes..our tax dollars at work) and drove to the reservation so they can use them for Nathan's spirit sending ceremony (burial) but arrived too late so Nathan didn't even get a feather in death. I decided to continue the challenge to the Feds and drove to Ashland Oregon where they keep dead Eagles (yes..its true they have a Eagle repository there) and with much dread and fear (we NA do not TRUST the feds, having felt their wrath many times in the past) and trembled my way through the door fully expecting the worst. I was met at the counter by a little old lady who is a volunteer there. While holding my Bureau of Indian Affairs ID card in one hand and my Cherokee Tribal Registration card in the other, I tried to remember my Ancestors who would want my voice to be strong and proud. I stood a little taller and I said, "I want a Eagle Feather which is my right under the Religious Freedom Act." I expected a lightning bolt to come down but instead saw a gentle smile as she softly said, "Of course," walked over and handed me a a packet of federal forms to fill out with instructions to send in to the Portland office of the US department of Wildlife management. I smiled as I read that I will have to have signed references from another Elder and Verification from the Bureau of Indian Affairs AND my Tribe to prove that I am, indeed a REAL Indian. References even for a Eagle Feather. She asks..."Do you want a Bald or a Golden Eagle?" CHOICES!?!? I'm not prepared..."Do you want just a wing..or talons..or the head...or the whole eagle?" WHAT?!?!?! I come in expecting to be arrested for asking for ONE feather and they're offering me the WHOLE bird!?! I am confused by the offer and She sees that I'm unprepared for them offering me choices of parts of this sacred bird and smiles her suggestion that perhaps I might want to look at the drawings of the parts of the bird, circle what I want and include it with the forms...I am defeated instantly by her gentleness. I ask her how they send an Eagle to me and she replies through the U.S. Mail..THE MAIL!?! I cannot envision receiving a dead Eagle through the mail and smile at the thought that I might owe postage due upon receipt. Walking out the door I turn my head and see a stuffed Eagle, sitting silently perched proudly, in a glass cage, on display in the main lobby and overwhelming sadness fills my heart as I realize that another Eagle fell from the sky...a man, also fearful but who stood up for his beliefs, who will never be remembered by anyone for a cause that no one really cares about I guess...and the thought of his falling in vain fills me with a sense of profound grief, for our People believe that the Eagle is the sacred Messenger who brings the messages from our Creator...The thought hits me that no one will hear that message for the Eagle plunged to Mother Earth and perhaps mankind might have had a chance to have heard something sacred, but now...will never know. There is something terribly tragic in that. I hope someone hears this message and cares about Nathan Jim, Jr. and the Eagle who fell from the sky. There is something inherently evil in a country, founded by dreamers escaping religious persecution, when it's people are filled with such fear that they kill themselves over what is a basic right of religious freedom. --------- "RE: Innu and the Canadian Justice System" --------- Date: 10 May 1995 19:08:43 +0200 From: adixon@sunweb.UUCP Subj: Canadian Justice System & The Innu Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Beyond Low-Level Flying: The Innu and the Canadian Justice System In early May the Federal Government announced that they had accepted most of the recommendations of the Environmental Assessment Panel concerning low-level flight training by NATO countries in Labrador and north-eastern Quebec. The Innu, over whose unceded traditional lands this training has take place now for about 10 years, were not surprisingly deeply opposed to the recommendations of the panel. The Panel had arrived at their recommendations after conducting a public hearing process to evaluate an Environmental Impact Statement that the Dept. of Defence released about a year ago. The Innu and their supporters had boycotted this process for a number of reasons, and saw the public hearing process as a whitewash of what had already been decided. The hearings and the process behind them is complex story, and to really understand what went on and the implications of the decision, it is important to put it in the context of the recent history of the Innu, and the many other challenges to their way of life that they are facing. The following article and interview are from a report by a Peace Brigades International North America Project (PBI-NAP) team that is spending three months in the Innu communities of Sheshatshit and Davis Inlet to look at the "structural violence" that the Innu experience, particularly from the Canadian legal system. >From our brochure: "PBI seeks to establish international and nonpartisan approaches to peacemaking and to the support of basic human rights. We challenge the belief that violent institutions and warfare inevitably must dominate human affairs. We seek to demonstrate that as international volunteers, citizens can act boldly as peacemakers when their governments cannot." For more information about PBI's North America Project, contact: Alan Dixon 27 Third Ave. Ottawa, ON K1S 2J5 (613)230-4123 adixon@web.apc.org (note: our next training for field volunteers is planned for August 11-17, 1995, in Ontario somewhere.) --------- "RE: USIA Syllabus Initiative" --------- Date: Thu, 11 May 1995 09:44:42 -0400 From: alakritz@usia.gov (Lakritz, Andrew) Subj: USIA Syllabus Initiative Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) ANNOUNCING A NEW AMERICAN STUDIES INITIATIVE AT THE USIA For Immediate Release: The US Information Agency is undertaking a new American Studies Initiative in connection with its WEB/Gopher page, to place the latest curricular information at the finger tips of scholars, teachers, and students worldwide. Five years ago, the Division for the Study of the U.S. within the USIA organized a syllabus project in American Studies, directed by Professor Alan Davis of Temple University. Scholars from all over the U.S. were asked to donate their American Studies syllabi to the project, and the office received hundreds of responses. These materials have recently been made available to the Salzburg Seminar, in Austria, for use in American Studies workshops, but the original intent was to make the material available to Fulbrighters going overseas who were being asked to teach courses outside their routine teaching duties. The materials would function as a teaching resource for those who could not otherwise get such materials on short notice. Now these syllabi are out of date, and we are hereby calling for the academic community to respond again to this "call for materials." With the new technology available, we have the capability to expand our reach even further, making available world-wide materials that would otherwise simply not exist. These materials will be available to anyone with Internet/e-mail access. Users without access to Gopher or the web will be able to acquire the syllabi easily by sending simple commands via e-mail to a file storage facility. With this project we are looking to expand our reach in another way: we'd like to have scholars of American Studies contribute their materials from wherever they teach, whether in the U.S. or outside. We are especially keen to see materials from all regions of the world, where ever there is an interest in the study of the U.S. We particularly encourage materials that call for a comparative approach, either between the U.S. and one other country, or placing the U.S. in a context among several countries or within a region. By American Studies, or the Study of the U.S., we mean all disciplines that have a major U.S. component, including political science, history, literature, economics, business, cultural studies, women's studies, African American studies, music, law, architecture, geography, art history, urban history, material culture, interdisciplinary American studies, ethnic studies, immigration, among many others. The idea is for this resource to be both inclusive and expansive. The syllabus archive will be housed and made available in two locations: (1) the raw files will be placed on a file server associated with H-AMSTDY; (2) the archive will also be made available on the World Wide Web in enhanced electronic form through the American Studies Electronic Crossroads (ASEC), the WWW site for the American Studies Crossroads Project. All contributors to the archive will receive notice at an appropriate time about where the files are and how one can get access to them. Please forward this message to your colleagues who might also have an interest in contributing to this project. If you would like to contribute material to this archive, please follow the steps listed below. 1. Submit a cover page indicating name, address, institution, position, phone, fax, and e-mail address, and a list of academic specialties and interests. 2. Submit a syllabus (with any collateral material, including exams, bibliography, position papers, lecture notes, definitions, annotations--whatever you use in class that either exists in electronic format, or can be scanned into such a format), one that includes a descriptive title, name of instructor, date of course, and a paragraph placing the course within the context of the departmental or interdepartmental curriculum. Remember that the more useful syllabus will be the one that is clear and specific to audiences beyond your classroom. 3. If possible, submit these materials on disk (WP5.1 is the preferred format) as well as in hard copy format. Or, you can send them to me over the Internet. Send materials to: Dr. Andrew M. Lakritz, Scholar-In-Residence Division for the Study of the U.S. United States Information Agency 301 Fourth Street SE, Room 252 Washington, D.C. 20547 (Telephone) 202-619-5951 (FAX) 202-619-6790 e-mail--> ALAKRITZ@USIA.GOV --------- "RE: Holy Wind and Natural Law" --------- Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 10:41:13 -0700 From: Navajo Nation Subj: HOLY WIND & NATURAL LAW/DINE' Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) From: Navajo Nation NAVAJO-HOPI "LAND DISPUTE" UPDATE: APRIL 21, 1995 This is paper written by Roman Bitsuie at the request of the Dine' families residing on Hopi-partitioned Lands. The families had made repeated requests to a representative of the Dine' Cultural and Spiritual Society for a document explaining the Dine' concept of Natural Law. These requests went unanswered three times, so Roman was asked to take a shot at it. What follows is what he wrote. It is an attempt to explain some of the core concepts of Dine' religion to white people. I asked Roman if we could put it out on the net, he said go ahead. Fair use applies, but if you want to put this into a printed document, especially one for sale, please call Roman at (602) 871-7166, or E-mail this address, to get permission. Thank you. jn NATURAL LAW and NAVAJO RELIGION/WAY OF LIFE April 21, 1995 For the past two decades a group of Navajo families have been resisting an act of Congress to relocate them from their homes in the center of the Navajo reservation pursuant to the Navajo/Hopi Land Settlement Act. (P.L. 93-531). They have always maintained that moving away from their land would prevent them from practicing their traditional religion and eventually lead to the dissolution of their culture. In 1988, the families who are resisting relocation initiated legal action through Manybeads, et al v. the United States of America, arguing that forced relocation violates their right to the free practice of religion. Because of the inextricable ties that link traditional Navajo religion to the land, it can be argued that forcibly moving these families is outright religious persecution. The challenge that Congress and other officials have faced when dealing with the "land dispute" between the Hopi and Navajo people is the problematic role of religion. In order to understand why so many people do and will continue to resist relocation after more than twenty years of constant pressure, we must come to an understanding of what their religion is. There is no word in the Navajo language for what we refer to as "religion," defined by Webster's Dictionary as "man's expression of his acknowledgment of the divine." The reason why this word does not exist in their language is simple. their way of expressing acknowledgment of the divine is a way of living. Traditional Navajo religion is not something that can be abstracted from or examined apart from traditional life in general. When traditional life is dissected by Western methods of categorization usually only the rituals and ceremonies are labeled 'religion.' These moments of sacred time, however, are but portion of the all-encompassing world view and philosophy of life that constitute the Navajo idea of 'religion.' The rituals and ceremonies carried out by traditional people are such an integral part of their daily routine that they themselves describe their religion as life itself. Even today, in these modern times, there are many Navajo people who still live in accordance with the traditional religious teachings. This is particularly true for those people living on the "disputed lands" of Black Mesa. These people, who live without many of the conveniences we take for granted (i.e. running water, electricity, paved roads) continue to survive in the harsh desert climate by following the teachings their ancestors have passed down from time immemorial. These teachings, the world view that emerges from them, the ceremonials, and living according to teachings are all what they consider to be 'religion." While all of the particulars about traditional Navajo religion are so complex that many different anthropologists have written immense volumes on the subject there are a few basic ideas that may seem foreign to our Western, Judeo-Christian way of thinking, yet only require a willingness to understand to recognize their validity. It is natural for us, based on Western rules categorization, to think of religion as something that we can reserve for particular days or places. We tend to divide time and place into spaces that are either sacred or secular. The other division is western religion is based on a system of thought where divine actions take place not according to rules but according to the desire of a Supreme Being. This Supreme Being is essentially unknowable by human beings, who cannot predict or influence what He does. This sets western religion apart from day-to-day life, science, and cause-and-effect reasoning. The traditional Navajo viewpoint, in contrast, does not make such clear cut distinctions as it sees the earth and all that exists in the natural world as manifestations of the sacred. The traditional teachings explain that the material world is replete with spiritual meaning and significance. This holistic approach to the world implies that all things in life are connected to one another and interact according to a natural order. Navajo religion dictates not only observing this order, but living in accordance with it based on a premise similar to the law we learn in high school physics which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. That is to say, that the people believe that any disruption they make in the natural order will eventually result in irreparable damage to their environment and themselves. Failing to observe and imitate this universal order is an infraction of natural law, resulting in mental and physical illness for the individual and their family and will ultimately lead to the world's demise. Maintaining this equilibrium is a religious obligation they must meet by living a life that is in balance and harmonious with creation. Thus, the people who live according to the teachings are not so much concerned with a hereafter, but with the here and now, and with keeping themselves and the world in balance for future generations. They truly believe that if they abandon the practice of their religion the Hopi, the Dine and all the world is in danger of destruction perhaps by fire. In the traditional Navajo view, life is a constant cycle of growth, death and new life, that flows in a circular motion - all things must begin and end at the same point. For instance, a person's umbilical cord is buried at birth and when that person passes away he is return to the Earth the same way. The religious teachings offer a guide for daily living that flows with the cycles of the days and seasons. The teachings say that each quadrant of the day, as well as each season of the year, hold in them specific lessons for living a complete and whole life. Many of the elders continue to live with this ideal in mind. They rise at dawn and offer prayers and corn pollen to the spirits in return for clear thoughts and guidance in the days events. The rest of the day-light hours are intended to be time for building work ethics and responsibility so that one can both take care of their livestock, provide for the family and in turn build self-reliance. They reserve the evening hours for enjoying the fruits of the day's labor and for gathering the family together to strengthen familial bonds. The darkness of night is a time for rest and contemplation of the spiritual realm and the natural order of the universe which humans should strive to imitate. The seasons of the year continue this cycle on a larger scale, as do the phases of one's life. In addition to the mandate of living in accordance with natural law, Navajo religion is "site-specific" - that is to say the people have particular places which serve as the foci of religious activity. There are sites, including the whole of Navajo territory, that are significant to the entire Nation, as well as to individual clans (extended families). These are places where: an event in sacred history (such as those mentioned in the creation story) took place; people can communicate with the supernatural to ask for protection or healing; medicinal plants or ceremonial materials can be gathered or places where something supernatural occurred. It is because of the ties to these religiously significant places that these families are unable to move to another location with the same kind of ease as nontraditional people. The land in which the Navajo Nation lives is defined and bound by four sacred mountains and four rivers. Their land within these boundaries is the place they call "Din'e Be keyah," meaning "Navajo land." (the Navajos call themselves the Dine, "the people".) These boundary mountains and everything on the land between them are sacred. According to the traditional teachings, it is only on this land that the creator intended the Dine to live and all that they need to survive would be provided for within its borders. It is here that the people known to us as the Navajos developed the unique culture which defines who they are today. Here is where their history as the Dine began, long before they became the Navajos. Here is where all of the stories of their religious lore took place. This land within the four sacred mountains is their Jerusalem, Mecca or Bethlehem. Din'e Be keyah, like these great religious centers, is truly beloved by the people, yet it is not sufficient for the Navajos to make an occasional pilgrimage to it. Their teachings dictate that they must live on this land and care for it, as well as the plants and animals which were bestowed upon them as gifts from the creator and other the other holy beings. The story of their genesis, passed down verbally from generation to generation, is at the heart of their religious teachings. The creation story tells of the people's spiritual journey through several 'lower worlds," to emerge onto the site where they now live. Along the way, the people were confronted with disasters resulting from their own wrongdoings such as adultery, corruption and fighting. The effects of these past mistakes were no small disasters. The end result each time was the total destruction of that world. The people had to learn from each mistake and develop methods of cooperation with each other and their neighbors (including members of other nations, such as the Hopi). They also had to learn to make contributions to the community in order to continue their survival as a group. They had to learn to achieve a level of balance within the human society between men and women, just as they perceive the natural order of the universe to be one of balance between the male and female forces of nature. They were offered guidance through this journey by spirit-beings called the Holy People. Those Holy People who aided the people in those early days continue to reside in specific locations around Din'e Be keyah, and are available to aid those who know how and where to communicate with them. These Holy People are not omnipotent deities to be feared or awed, but to be respected and honored because they embody the essence of the natural order, and can help the people to achieve this equilibrium within themselves. In addition to describing how the Navajo's forebears came to be, the story also explains the methods by which individuals (and families) who have fallen out of balance can return to equilibrium through various ceremonials and rituals. More importantly, however, the teachings explain how not to fall out of balance by respecting all of creation and living with it, rather than in opposition to it or vying for dominion over it, and by respecting the four elements of life and destruction; earth, wind, fire and water. They people also learn that by making daily offerings of corn pollen and prayers to the Holy People at the places where they reside they can continue to maintain balance and harmony. One of the greatest difficulties for those involved in making the legal decision on this "dispute" has been recognizing that, based on their religious teaching, the traditional Navajo have a very different view of the earth itself from the dominant culture. They believe that the earth, as the source from which all life comes, is the mother of all people and a living being herself. She, like any other person, has organs, which are various geological formations and veins and arteries, which are rivers and streams. If too much of her insides such as water, coal, and other mineral, are removed then she will eventually, yet assuredly, die as would any human whose had their vital organs removed. If, however, the land is cared for and respected properly, it will continue to provide for the people. With the earth as a spiritual mother, the traditional people see their family as a complicated network that includes the Holy People, the livestock and certain other animals in addition to their human relatives. A Navajo child is incorporated into this network even before birth through a Blessing Way ceremony. After the child is born, the umbilical cord and afterbirth are returned to the earth in a special place around the home site to ensure that the child will nurtured by their spiritual mother for the rest of his or her life. That spot will always be sacred to that child. As that child matures, each phase of his or her growth - the first laugh, the first steps on the earth, puberty and marriage - will all be celebrated through ceremony. Each ceremony prepares them for their role in the community and renews their connections to the family and to the land. Just as Din'e Be keyah is sacred to the whole of the Navajo Nation, each family's home site and certain areas around the home are sacred. These are places where events in that family's own beginning took place. These are places where the umbilical cords of every child in the family and the bones of every ancestor have been buried for generations. The elders know the places where they can acquire the necessary materials for healing ceremonies and make prayers and offerings to the Holy People. If the people are forced to move away from their land, and thereby denied daily access to the sacred places around their home sites they simply cannot practice their religion freely. If they cannot make the offerings to the holy people on a daily basis, or even in times of dire need, they will be denied the clarity and peace of mind necessary to live out the day. If they cannot ensure the protection of their ancestors bones and their own umbilical cords their connection to their history and familial ties will collapse. Everything about the way the traditional people live strives to recognize and repeat the order they see in the universe. All of the people, for example once lived in the circular structures now generally reserved for ceremonies. Called a hogan (meaning house) these structures replicate Din'e Be keyah in it's entirety. Just as Dine'tah has four mountains, one in each of the cardinal directions, the hogan has four main post to correspond with each mountain. The door to the hogan faces east, where things begin, and has a fire place in the center, from which life emerges. Safely hidden in each hogan is a 'medicine bundle' containing soil and the sacred minerals from the four boundary mountains. All ceremonies require the use of this re-creation of the Navajo world. Because the families live in widely dispersed unites, ceremonies are crucial for maintaining family bounds. When people are relocated, usually there is no room for, or permits granted to build a hogan. When the ancestral lands are lost, so is the family 'church,' and with it is lost their sense of hope for their own future for that their descendants. The sheep and livestock hold a central role in traditional Navajo life, and the religious teachings explain that they are gifts from the Holy People that need to be cared for in return for sustenance. The people include the livestock in their thoughts and prayers for their family. The people's relationship with the animals is one of reciprocation, where the animals will provide wealth and sustenance in return for care and protection. The loss of these animals, as with the loss of land, damages the people's sense of pride in themselves and their ability to provide for their families on their own. In brief, the traditional religion of the Dine', the Navajo people, places everything in an orderly, but complex web of existence. Every aspect has purposes and meaning. Every effect has a cause and every cause has an effect. They see their world as bound by natural markers, and all that exists within these boundaries is intimately related to one another. All life and geological formations are animated and connected by means of life giving holy winds. The same winds that bring life to humans give life to the four sacred mountains and surround each home site. The holy wind like everything else in Din'e Be keyah obeys natural law. For instance when the BIA erected fences on Star Mountain, it resulted in a weakening of a holy wind which originates at that point. The fences cause certain adverse forces to enter the sacred mountain from the north, east and south, literally pinching the source of the holy wind. It was to prevent the disturbance of this holy wind at Star Mountain that a Din'e medicine man attempted to block the fencing with his body, and spent time in jail for his act. All of the animals have their place in the order of the world and have been placed there to serve a purpose explained in the sacred mythology. It is the people's role of to be the stewards of the land and to live in balance with the rest of the creation. For those who are resisting relocation, leaving the place designated as their home by the creator would also mean that they could not fulfill their duties as caretakers of the land and of their mother earth. Care- taking of the earth is both an obligation to reciprocate the earth's nurturing of the people and a way to maintain the balance of the universal order and the forces that generate and re-generate life. This balance cannot be maintained if they allow the earth's natural state to be disrupted. Not only would they suffer but the continuation of the life process in general would be hindered. The traditional Navajo religion, like all religions, provides meaning and ascribes value to the lives its adherents. It is their religious teachings that have enabled them to survive in the arid desert land and will, if allowed, will be their path into the future. Their religious obligations to the earth and to their family and community is their purpose of life. All of these things that are important to them spiral back to the land itself. The land is the center of their orientation in experience and the base of their sense of reality and identify. To separate them from it would cause them to lose contact with all that is sacred and holy to them. To force people to live such a life or meaninglessness is religious persecution and a condemnation to a slow death, for believing in and practicing their religion is living. When we recognize the religious persecution is, by definition, the infliction of pain and suffering on a group of people because of their religious beliefs, then there is no doubt that forced relocation is indeed this.