Subject: Wotanging Ikche--nanews04.013 From: gars@netcom.com (Gary Night Owl) To: Internet Recipients of Wotanging Ikche Message-ID: _ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' O ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ O o O / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' O o O / /-< / /--/ /-- VOLUME 04, ISSUE 013 O o o o o O __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, 30 March 1996 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 TRIBALLAW, ARM-THE-SPIRIT, & NATIVE-L listservers; AISESnet; UUCP & Genie email; Newsgroups: apc.indig.info,bc.general,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. Thanks to Don Rayment ,don.rayment@uptowne.com, Wotanging Ikche/ Kanoheda Aniyvwiya is being redistributed via a listserver. If you would like to receive Wotanging Ikche via the listserver, you can send a message to listserv@uptowne.com and include, in the body of your message "sub wotanging.ikche " Thanks to Marc Becker and David Cole issues of Wotanging Ikche/ Kanoheda Aniyvwiya are being archived at a World-Wide-Web site. The URL is http://web.maxwell.syr.edu/nativeweb/journals/nanews "Go into the Black Hills, the hills given to the Indians, forever, in the 1868 treaty. As if the white men could give away something that never belonged to them." __ Faith Spotted Eagle, Yankton Dakota +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | 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! Much of this issue is devoted to Leonard Peltier and the Parole Commission's denial of parole. This denial came in spite of parole being recommended. This denial came in spite of several admissions by government officials that Leonard had been tried with false testimony, that the government had failed to prove he had committed the crime he has been imprisoned over twenty years for, and in spite of the fact his behaviour has been exemplary. The only path left for Leonard Peltier's release is Presidential pardon. I pray in this time of Presidential election campaigning and political upheaval the President of the United States will not prove to be as cowardly as his contemporaries in the justice department. I pray our people will make it known this is not a thing we can accept. I believe we have come to a place where we must make it politically expedient to the President to release our brother. 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=== ----------- News of the people featured in this issue ---------- Part A: Usenet and e-mail Part B: NATCHAT and NATIVE-L lists - Peltier Denied Parole - Conferences and Powwows - online - ATS: Leonard Peltier Denied Parole - Keweenaw Bay - Statement of Leonard Peltier - Traditional Hopi Sinom Face Extinction - Get-Well Cards for Peltier - Lubicon: Environmental Destruction - Leonard, Hope, our People - Tlahtokan Aztlan Meeting - Destruction of Creek Mounds - Legal Victory - Western Shoshone Tribes - Nuxalkm and Supporters Taken Hostage - Comanche History...revised - Poem: Soul - Verse: Hawai'ian Book of Days - Conferences and Powwows - offline --------- "RE: Peltier Denied Parole" --------- Date: Wed, 20 Mar 96 18:15:56 GMT From: lpdc@idir.net (Lisa Faruolo) Subj: Peltier Denied Parole Newsgroups: alt.native On the morning of 3/20/96 at approximately 12:00 noon Leonard Peltier phoned the LPDC headquarters to read the letter he received from the United States Parole Commission denying his bid for parole. The letter stated that the attending parole officer overstepped his bounds during the interim hearing and that the interim hearing should have dealt solely with any new developments within the two years since Leonard's initial hearing. They also stated that they still believed that he was culpable, despite the government's concessions during the hearing on December 11th. LPDC will post the letter in full later in the day. PLease voice your outrage! Call the Parole Commission at 301-492-5952, fax 301-492-6694 --------- "RE: ATS: Leonard Peltier Denied Parole" --------- Date: Fri, 22 Mar 96 03:38:25 -0800 From: Arm The Spirit Subj: Leonard Peltier Denied Parole Mailing List: Arm The Spirit Parole Denied To Leonard Peltier - March 20, 1996 The following is the text of the United States Parole Commission's letter of denial to Leonard Peltier: Leonard Peltier: No change in continuing to a fifteen year reconsideration hearing, December 2008. Reasons: The December 1995 hearing led to a re-examination by the hearing examiner of the issues beyond the normal scope of an interim hearing, including the previous findings made by the Commission that you participated in the execution of two FBI agents. The limited purpose of an interim hearing under 28 Code of Federal Regulations 2.4 is to determine whether circumstances that have changed since the last hearing warrant a different decision. The Commission declines to reopen your case to re-examine your role in the offense since there are no significant changes regarding information on this issue from the information presented at your last parole consideration. You have not given a factual, specific account of your actions at the time of the offense that is consistent with the jury's verdict of guilt. Considering either theory of your participation in the crimes outlined by the government at the trial, the Commission therefore has no reasonable basis to find an explanation of the facts concerning the agents' execution other than the version presented by the government. See 28 Code of Federal Regulations S2.19C. The government has not changed its position that circumstantial evidence presented at your trial established your complicity in the executions of the agents. Their circumstantial evidence described in several of the decisions of the Eighth Circuit rejecting your appeals supports the previous findings that you participated in the executions. A full consideration of your case will not be appropriate until your 15 year reconsideration hearing. Appeal Procedures: The above decision is not appealable. 3/18/96 National Commissioners, Document Number DNJ OJ Referral pg 101 The above decision is a clear and blatant example of a complete disregard for justice. The USPC states in this decision that regardless of the information brought back to them from the Parole Officer presiding at the December 11th hearing, and despite the favorable recommendation that officer made following the government's distinct concessions that no direct evidence exists against Peltier nor do they have a clue as to who was culpable in the deaths of their agents, that it is more convenient to keep an innocent man in prison than to deal with the controversy and impropriety that may erupt regarding this case. They even go as far as stating that Leonard has never given a factual account "consistent with the jury's verdict of guilt". How can an innocent man give a factual account of guilt when he is not responsible?!? Rather than face the FACTS of Peltier's outrageous incarceration, the USPC would rather scold its own employee for overstepping his bounds where they should commend him for his social conscience. Still a mystery: The Parole Officer who made the favorable recommendation has since lost his position within the USPC. VOICE YOUR OUTRAGE United States Parole Commission--Phone (301)492-5952, (301)492-5821, Fax them at (301)492-6694, (301)492-5307, (301)492-6516, (301)492-5525, Fax Janet Reno at (202)514-4371, (202)514-4507, phone (202)514-2001, (202)514-4195, Deputy AG Jamie Gorelick fax at (202)514-0467, (202)514-4699, phone (202)514-2101, Call the White House Chief of Staff fax(202)456-2883, Legal Counsel to President fax (202)456 1647, White House Comment Line at (202)456-1111 and Contact your elected officials. PLEASE DON'T SIT BY WHILE JUSTICE IS BURIED! ACT NOW! To keep better informed on this case and other important issues regarding Native rights, prison reform, indigenous events, and political prisoners, Subscribe to the LPDC newsletter by sending $12.00 for a one year subscription (6 issues) to: LPDC, Box 583, Lawrence, KS 66044. ++++ stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal ++++ ++++ if you agree copy these lines to your sig ++++ ++++ see http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/spg-l/sigaction.htm ++++ +++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++== Arm The Spirit is an autonomist/anti-imperialist collective based in Toronto, Canada. Our focus includes a wide variety of material, including political prisoners, national liberation struggles, armed communist resistance, anti-fascism, the fight against patriarchy, and more. We regularly publish our writings, research, and translation materials in our magazine and bulletins called Arm The Spirit. For more information, contact: Arm The Spirit P.O. Box 6326, Stn. A Toronto, Ontario M5W 1P7 Canada E-mail: ats@etext.org WWW: http://burn.ucsd.edu/~ats FTP: ftp.etext.org --> /pub/Politics/Arm.The.Spirit --------- "RE: Statement of Leonard Peltier" --------- Date: Sat, 23 Mar 96 04:03:00 UTC 0000 From: a.horovitch@genie.com (Brave Star) Subj: Statement of Leonard Peltier Genie email "STATEMENT OF LEONARD PELTIER 3/20/96 Greetings My friends and Supporters, I want to take the time this day to thank you for your diligence, dedication and support and also to extend my wish for peace and justice. Over two decades have passed without resolution of the events that led up to and transpired on June 26th, 1975. My heart still aches for the families who lost loved ones, of your lives quashed prematurely. When you pray today, please include these families. No one had to die on June 26th. I will remember that day always as a tragedy. Three young men, three lives that held promise, were extinguished from the world because of the terrifying and narcissistic power vested in the FBI by the United States government. For years the struggle in Pine Ridge, South Dakota escalated in seriousness as the FBI intervened, armed and trained cruel men, GOONs with sophisticated weapons. It escalated as the FBI turned it's back on traditional people as they were murdered and assaulted, as their houses were burned to the ground and their children and grandparents abused. We were asked by the Tribal elders to go to Pine Ridge and help these frightened people in such desperate need of assistance. We did not ask to be assaulted or murdered. We did not want to meet violence. We simply wanted to be there for our People. Twenty years later I remain incarcerated despite the government's concessions that no direct evidence exists against me to prove I am guilty of anything other than being on Pine Ridge in 1975. I am n prison because I believe that we must stand up for those less fortunate, that our voices should be heard for the voiceless. I remain behind bars because I represent 500 plus years of repression and I am locked away because the FBI and US government would rather cage an innocent man who meant something to the Movement than pursue anyone else. Today you make a sacrifice to call attention to me. I cannot thank you enough for your good will and courage. Please remember my call to peace and justice. We must be better than violence. We must be better than them. May the Creator keep you safe. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Leonard Peltier Brave Star --------- "RE: Get-Well Cards for Peltier" --------- Date: Wed, 20 Mar 96 09:39:41 GMT From: jonto@falcon.cc.ukans.edu (jonto) Subj: Request for Get-Well Cards for Peltier Newsgroups: soc.culture.native Hello everyone. Leonard is doing much better. He has had surgery on his knee which is doing fine, and as of yesterday he is no longer taking pain medication for his jaw. In the beginning he was being "put under" in order to do rehab on his jaw. This would have been extremely painful without anesthetic, but it only lasted a week and now things are looking good as far as that goes. He probably won't have to have any more surgery if the jaw continues to improve as it has. Letters and cards of encouragement would be very nice though. No one likes to be laid up in the hospital, especially when they can't have many visitors. Leonard is no exception. His address is: 89637-132 Springfield Medical Facility 1900 W Sunshine Box 4000 Springfield MO 65808 Don't expect and immediate reply, though. He is a bit behind after being laid up for so long. But he does read all mail as it comes in, and would very much like to hear from you. -Todd Hiatt, LPSG/KU --------- "RE: Leonard, Hope, our People" --------- Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 14:41:08 -0600 (CST) From: freedom@prairienet.org (Freedom Heart Rising) Subj: Leonard, Hope, our People I understand why there are those who do not believe that Leonard will ever be granted freedom. I understand those who have no faith in the Justice System. I certainly have no faith in it, myself. I see so many innocent people being imprisoned because they are minorities; because they are poor; because the blame needed to be put somewhere. This happens to the poor and impoverished in people of all colours. I _must_ believe that there is hope for Leonard being freed! THEY WANT ME TO GIVE UP HOPE!!! I cannot do the work I do, if I do not believe it will ever touch anyone, or do any good. I sit here listening to "Songs for Leonard Peltier", and I feel the need to speak of the others. Anna Mae Aquash, who was murdered after Leonard was imprisoned. The FBI cut off this woman's hands, and sent them to Washington, supposedly for identification, even though the FBI agent who said he would see her dead within the year was present, and knew damn well who she was. They said she froze to death. They threw her body in a unmarked grave, and threw her hands in as well. And when her People found out about this, they had her body exhumed. The FBI said cause of death was that she froze to death. When her body was exhumed, it was found that she had been shot in the back of the head, execution-style. The FBI did not see this? Every time I think of this, I weep in anger, and grief. And I want to scream, at the things they have done and continue to do to our brothers and sisters. Anna Mae Aquash. Count one... John Trudell, co-founder of AIM. He burned an American Flag. His family was murdered for this act. His mother-in-law, his wife, and his three children were burned to death, when the house they were in was burned to the ground. He says "it was an act of war." I agree. Count 6 more - including Trudell, who though very much alive today, has suffered greatly. Joe Stuntz: he was killed at Pine Ridge on the day that the two FBI agents were shot. His murder was not even investigated. He was an Indian. That says it all. Count one more. Wesley Bad Heart Bull: was stabbed to death by a white man who said " I'm going to kill me an Indian". Wesley's mother was seized and beaten on the courthouse steps by men policemen who said she was "yelling obscenities." Count two more. Raymond Yellow Thunder, who was severely beaten by two white men, for "the fun of it", and was then stripped from the waist down, and paraded before a patriotic gathering at an American Legion dance in Gordon, Nebraska. He was then thrown into the trunk of the white men's car. They rode around town for 45 minutes before dropping his body at the Laundromat. He staggered to the jail, and slept the night there. The next morning, he returned to the used car lot where he lived, and he died there. Alone. Count one more... Elsie Flood: Beaten to death. Count, count, count... Buddy Lamont: Shot during the Siege of Wounded Knee in 1973. Death not investigated, not accounted for. Indian. I can write pages of names...names of Indian people killed, tortured, beaten, slaughtered, day in and day out, all over this land. I WILL NOT FORGET!!! Count hundreds, count thousands. Count, count, count. ++++++ People forget that there was a war going on on Pine Ridge Reservation. By the time the Traditionalists asked AIM to come and protect their people, there had been _so_ many of them killed - and none of the deaths were ever investigated. The people on that rez were being threatened, and they were terrified. It was war. There were deaths. Those who were there that day, fired their weapons after they had been fired upon. IT WAS A WAR!!! It seems that if the white man does not declare it, it is not a war. Well, the Indian Wars are never over, because we are never protected or treated as equal. Leonard is not guilty. So many of us know and believe that. But there is so much work to do. And if I give up hope, then I cannot work effectively for my People - for all people. As long as there is life, there is hope. Leonard has not given up, and we should not either. He is behind bars- we who are out here have to fight for his freedom. And if we are to do that, then we have to believe we are fighting for something that is possible. That because we do not give up, will not give up, will not let all of those deaths have been in vain, and all the years of Leonard's life that have been taken from him be for nothing - nothing - that we will succeed. For all those who have died, been shamed, been tortured...for Anna Mae, for Wesley Bad Heart Bull, for Buddy Lamont, for John Trudell and family, for Elsie Flood, for Joe Stuntz, for the hundreds that were murdered... for those who are suffering and dying every day... ...for Leonard - we must _not_ give up hope. And we must keep fighting for what is right not only for our People, but for people everywhere. Thanks for listening. Nvwhtohiyada: (peace): Freedom Heart Rising ============================================================================= Freedom Heart Rising Tsalagi (Cherokee) Free-lance writer; Freedom/LPSG freedom@prairienet.org "The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." --William James-- --------- "RE: Destruction of Creek Mounds" --------- Date: Fri, 22 Mar 1996 05:27:54 GMT From: edjakubo@garnet.acns.fsu.edu (Eric Jakubowski) Subj: Destruction of Creek Mounds, Macon Georgia Newsgroups: apc.indig.canada,soc.culture.native,alt.native I am posting this for a friend. Follow-ups can be addressed to him. He has given permission to copy, distribute, and post the following message in any lawful public place. Thanks for your attention Eric Jakubowski, Ph.D. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MVSKOKE CITIZENS & CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS One of the best preserved historic and cultural sites of our people's times in Georgia and Alabama is the Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, Georgia. It consists of the Ocmulgee Mounds, associated with our Big Spring Tribal Town, and a site called the Lamar Mounds, about two miles south. The smaller Lamar Mounds site is about five hundred years older than the Ocmulgee Mounds, which were occupied some five hundred to one thousand years ago. The Ocmulgee/Lamar site is open year round and special permits to hike back to the Lamar site are available to any Muscogee Indian who requests one at the Museum office. Permits are required to prevent grave-robbing. The large and beautiful Ocmulgee Mounds have been turned into a National monument and preserved as a national historic and cultural site. The small Lamar Mounds are preserved but not developed for tourists. Access to the Lamar Mounds is by trail from the south end of the Ocmulgee Mounds site. The Museum has been visited by many Muscogee elders in recent years as several communities have sponsored bus trips to the old lands in the southeast. Several elders have gotten permits to take the trail to the Lamar mounds. The Museum is also visited by hundreds of college students and thousands of public school students each year. The nearby mounds include a rare double-platform mound built onto the side of a hill, a mound built over a corn-field so freshly harvested, which the rows of plantings were found during excavations for the base of the mound, and rarest of all, the earth sheltered meeting house (of the several discovered in the Southeast, this is the only one which has been restored). About five years ago, a proposal was made to build an interstate highway through these sites by the Georgia Department of Transportation. Reason being, this was the shortest connection to the highways running east and west out of Macon Georgia. HOWEVER, BYPASSES HAVE ALREADY BEEN BUILT TO CONNECT THESE ROADS! Four years ago, the Muscogee Creek National Council, in a rare unanimous vote, approved a resolution opposing the construction of the interstate because of the possible destruction of archaeological evidence in the area between the two sites. In 1995, the National Council again voted unanimously to approve a similar, longer resolution condemning the installation of the interstate highway. Currently, a private developer and a Georgia County Commissioner have contacted our Nation Council through former Creek Nation chief Claude Cox. They appeared before our National Council and asked for these resolutions to be repealed. OUR TRIBAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER WAS NOT PERMITTED TO SPEAK AT THAT MEETING. Last week (week of March 9, 1996), fourteen members of the National Council went to Macon Georgia, as guests of the private developer. While Council members were there, they met with the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. HOWEVER, NO ONE MET WITH THE STAFF OF THE OCMULGEE NATIONAL MONUMENT WHO HAVE CUSTODY AND GUARDIANSHIP OF THESE ANCIENT SITES! Soon, there will be several National Council members who want to repeal the earlier resolutions citing the resolutions make Creek Nation look bad and the Georgia County Commissioner, the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration are going to do what they want to do regardless of Creek Nation's resolutions. THEY ARE VERY WRONG!!!! The FINAL decision as to whether this site is of cultural and historic significance is up to the Creek Nation National Council. The decision has been made again and again by a unanimous vote...NO CONSTRUCTION THROUGH THE LAMAR MOUNDS OR ANY MOUNDS AT OCMULGEE!!!! In fact, our traditional National Council and Chiefs tried to preserve this site by a Treaty in 1806, keeping these very lands while the other lands east of the Ocmulgee River were given up. Some Representatives have already stated the land is just a swamp. Others say there was no ceremonial grounds there, so it's not significant. HOWEVER, that swamp has already give up small pieces of evidence about the 500 years that separate the two sites. Until the ENTIRE relationship between the sites is understood, NO EVIDENCE SHOULD BE THROWN AWAY OR COVERED FOREVER! Someday, you or one of your descendants will visit these sites with a child in order to show them the marvelous and amazing work of their ancestors, to talk with them about centuries and changes to explain things you were taught to believe and to repeat stories handed down to you. TAKING THAT WALK, TALKING ABOUT THINGS WHICH MAKE YOU AND ALL OF US VERY SPECIAL, AND SHARING WITH A MUSCOGEE CHILD. WILL THAT CONVERSATION TAKE PLACE WHILE WALKING BENEATH AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY BRIDGE? Only our National Council can undo the work of other councils of a year ago, four years ago, and 190 years ago. Only you can give voice to the need of our people now and in the future to visit this special place that show the greatness of our past. This decision will set a precedent for other sites just as special. Opposing the construction of the interstate bridge in Macon is the first site which has been reviewed by the National Council and in specific format and language designed to meet federal criteria, been designated as CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT and therefore REQUIRING federal protection. In this process, no one may speak for us. Our Tribal government alone can decide if the Ocmulgee/Lamar sites deserve this protection. Although there are thousands of other sites which deserve tribal protection, and I hope they all receive it someday soon, Ocmulgee/Lamar is the first site to gain full tribal protection. SHALL OCMULGEE/LAMAR ALSO BE THE FIRST SITE TO LOSE TRIBAL PROTECTION? I fear a great injustice is about to be done. Please join with me and discuss this with a Representative or drop a letter or postcard to: Creek Nation National Council P.O. Box 580 Okmulgee, OK 74447 Thank you. Robert Trepp Muscogee Indian #12047 Locv Poka Town, Beaver Clan Rt 2 Box 203 Beggs, OK 74421 1-800-333-4433 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eric Jakubowski, PhD edjakubo@garnet.acns.fsu.edu 70244.2027@compuserve.com Website--http://garnet.acns.fsu.edu/~edjakubo/index.html Disclaimer--FSU and I don't speak for or represent one another. Complaints can be addressed to gatekeeper@hell.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --------- "RE: Legal Victory" --------- Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 22:56:28 -0700 From: sky@indirect.com (Sky Crosby) Subj: Legal victory UUCP email DINEH ALLIANCE March 18, 1996 NEWS RELEASE "To all other individuals and support groups/NETS, we need to have the eyes of the world upon us at this time. We are needed of FAX ATTACKS, letters to the editor, letters to your Senators, Representatives, Congressmen/women, and NETWORKS. Also, write to the key individuals, governments (departments/agencies) listed at the bottom of this update. This request is of the utmost urgency!" Dineh Alliance is pleased to announce a victory in the case of the Kayenta mine permit renewal appeal; a special thanks to Administrative Law Judge Ramon M. Child, who saw the merits of our case on Monday, March 11, 1996. Of course, we expect Peabody Western Coal Company (PWCC) to appeal this decision so your continued support to the Dineh Alliance Legal Fund in care of our fiscal agent: Don't Waste Arizona, Inc. 6205 S. 12th Street Phoenix, AZ 85040, is greatly needed and sincerely appreciated, (memo: "Legal Fund"). DINEH ALLIANCE VICTORY: DOCKET NO'S. DV 95-3-PR AND DV 95-4-PR, MARCH 11,1996 "By reason of the commonality of issues, law and remedies sought", the two cases were "consolidated for purpose of decision and will remain so consolidated for all purposes unless severed by Order duly issued herein. 43 CFR 4.113." STATEMENT OF THE CASE The matters came on for hearing at Flagstaff, Arizona on a hearing calendar on August 22, 1995 and were heard separately at that place during the course of that week; a special Saturday session (8/26/95) was ordered to accommodate the lengthy testimony. THE ISSUES The issues that were determined were: A. Was Peabody Western Coal Company (PWCC) required to obtain written consents to mine from petitioners as a condition precedent to renewal of the permit? B. Was there a pattern of willful violation of mining regulations such as to bar renewal of the permit? C. Were there such violations of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) as to bar renewal of the permit? D. Had PWCC sufficiently complied with the terms and requirements of prior permit AZ-0001C to warrant renewal thereof? E. Was there such a failure of Special Condition 1 of permit AZ-0001C as to warrant denial of renewal of said permit? F. Was OSM's failure to make a supplemental National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review of environmental effects of PWCC's subject mining fatal to renewal? G. Was OSM required to make written findings as to issues B, C, or D as a condition precedent to renewal of permit number AZ-0001C? THE FACTS Peabody's predecessors in interest obtained coal leases from the Navajo and the Hopi tribe in 1964 and 1966. The leases cover a large coal deposit in the western part of the Navajo reservation known as Black Mesa. PWCC began surface coal mining operations on Black Mesa in 1972 in two separate coal mining operations known as the Black Mesa Mine and the Kayenta Mine. The Kayenta Mine produces approximately 7.5 million tons of coal each year, resulting in approx. $45 million in royalties paid by PWCC to the Navajo Nation annually. On August 3, 1977, Congress enacted the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Public Law No. 95-87 Stat. 445, codified as amended at 30 U.S.C. s 1300 (c) (1988). These standards largely constitute what is known as the "interim program" and were implemented by regulations set out at 30 CFR Parts 710 and 715. Under this regulatory scheme, an operator such as Peabody could continue mining under existing permits, as long it complied with the performance standards in the "interim program." Congress also enacted performance standards for Indian lands for what would later become known as the "permanent program." these standards are set out in section 710 (d) of SMCRA, 30 U.S.C. s 1300 (d). OSM promulgated final regulations to implement this program for Indian lands in 1984. 30 CFR Part 750. A permittee under the "interim program" could continue mining, provided that the permittee complied with applicable performance standards and submitted an acceptable permit application for the permanent program. PWCC applied to renew Kayenta Mine Permit AZ-0001C on March 3, 1995. That permit expired in five years from the date it was granted unless renewed pursuant to application by the operator. See section 506 (b) and (d) of SMCRA, 30 U.S.C. s 1256 (b) and (d) (1988). Because there were objections to the renewal OSM was required to pursue the procedures called for at section 513 of SMCRA, 30 U.S.C. s 1263 (1988), and held a public hearing on June 10, 1995 where, among other protestors and supporters of renewal of the permit, the petitioners appeared and voiced their objections to the renewal of the mining permit. Thereafter, on July 6, 1995, OSM issued permit AZ-0001D, its renewal of the former permit AZ-0001C. "The Navajo Nation with head offices in Window Rock, Arizona, near the New Mexico State line shares very little of the $45,000,000.00 annual royalty from the mine, or benefit therefrom, with the members of the Navajo Nation who reside in the proximity of the mine. Thus, while the Navajo Nation benefits from the proceeds of the mining, the unhappy fact is that its members who live near the mine suffer from the effects of that same mining." "The suffering is illustrated by the numerous and frequent complaints raised by the petitioners herein the effect that mining by Peabody has (1) caused ground water to dry up, (2) caused remaining ground water to become polluted causing the death of sheep, (3) caused the air breathed by them and their animals to become polluted and dirty with coal dust to the health detriment of themselves and their animals, and (4) blasting pursued by Peabody in mining operation, in addition to disturbing the peace and tranquility, has caused broken glass and windows, objects to fall from shelves, cracks to develop and appear in their dwellings and buildings and their very persons to be dislodged from furniture they may be occupying at the time of the blast." "To these oft reported complaints OSM's response has been that petitioners have produced no scientific data, ergo the complaints are not supported by scientific evidence and are justifiably discounted. Indeed, OSM has gone so far as to make an award to its team of government employees who investigated a claim and made a finding that the Native Americans, petitioners herein, had produced no scientific evidence to support their claims. OSM's response in investigating petitioners' blasting complaints, in part, is to say that petitioners' buildings are of native design and construction. OSM also permits Peabody to follow mining methods which undercut the surface, and which must eventually, after reclamation, cause sinkholes to appear." "Thus, notwithstanding OSM is a bureau within the United States Department of the Interior, the Secretary of which is the legal trustee and has trust responsibilities to the Native American tribes and their members, OSM appears to view its responsibilities to be one of arms-length dealing with the Indian while protecting the interests of the mine operator." PWCC and OSM assure the petitioners there is no cause for concern regarding the use of the (Navajo) N-aquifer;it is also the claim of PWCC, accepted by OSM, that by reason of the depth of the aquifer and the geology of the area, water removed from the aquifer has no affect on presence or lack of it of water on the ground surface. However, a study published by Ron Morgan, Water Rights Hydrologist, in June 1993, causes one to "seriously question such assurances." FINDING OF FACTS 1. Factual findings set forth elsewhere in this Decision are here incorporated by reference as though again specifically restated at this point. 2. Petitioner "K" resides within the Kayenta Mine permit area. She was born there, owns her house and her family has lived and grazed livestock there for generations. 3. Petitioner "K" has never given consent for Peabody to mine coal in the permit area nor within 300 feet of her dwelling. 4. The renewal permit number AZ-0001D permits mining of coal within 300 feet and indeed right through the ground beneath Petitioner "K's" dwelling. 5. Neither Peabody's original permit application for operation of the Kayenta Mine, nor the application for renewal of permit number AZ-0001C contain written consents from petitioners to surface mine. 6. Between March 1993, and October 1993, Peabody mined over four sites containing 11 human remains, and completely destroyed four midden sites. 7. Peabody knew or should have known that there was a high probability that the disturbed sites would contain burials. 8. OSM considered the sites listed in Appendix F of the Peabody submission to be highly likely to contain human remains. 9. OSM failed to review all of the information available to it, specifically the information provided in the NAGPRA Report that Peabody had mined over four sites containing 11 burials and destroyed four midden sites, in its review of Peabody's application for renewal. 10. Special Condition 1, as modified by the settlement agreement, required OSM to review the condition at the end of the five year term of Permit AZ-0001C, which was July 6, 1995. OSM was likewise required to determine whether any permit revisions are necessary to further structure or clarify the process. OSM did not fulfill these obligations as part of its review of Peabody's permit renewal application. 11. As of the date of renewal, no sacred or ceremonial site committees had been established by the tribes as required under Special Condition 1. OSM knew that the condition had not been implemented in these respects. 12. Special Condition 1 was not meeting what OSM claims was its intended purpose to foster communication concerning sacred, burial and ceremonial sites. 13. OSM had before it when it acted on the renewal, but did not discuss it in its decision, evidence that Special Conditions 3 and 4 have not achieved their intended purpose of protecting prehistoric burials. If mining continues without further investigation, up to an additional 100 such burials will be disturbed. 14. OSM "categorically excluded" Peabody's permit renewal application from NEPA review, thus failing to consider its environmental effects. 15. OSM failed to make findings: (a) whether Peabody was in compliance with the existing standard permit conditions for the Kayenta Mine which incorporate the environmental protection standards of the SMCRA statute and regulations, or (b) whether Peabody was in compliance with the air and water environmental protections of SMCRA at the Kayenta Mine. 16. Peabody mining activity at the Kayenta Mine has caused diminution of water quantity at the ground surface level. 17. Peabody mining activities at the Kayenta Mine have caused adverse effects to water quality and the pollution thereof. (a) Black grit is observed when water is poured from a container or allowed to puddle. (b) Water containers must be covered to prevent coal dust from contaminating the water therein. (c) Sheep have died from drinking the water. (d) Surface water is discolored and coal can be seen on the surface. (e) Oily contamination of the water is visible. (f) Livestock is dying from contamination. (g) Sheep and goats have died within four hours of drinking water from Moenkopi Wash. (h) Contaminants found in water at Wide Ruins by OSM. (i) U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes potential water pollution. 18. Peabody mining operations at the Kayenta Mine have caused blasting damage to petitioners. 19. Peabody mining operations at the Kayenta Mine have caused air pollution to the health detriment of petitioners and their animals. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 1. The Hearings Division of the Department of the Interior has jurisdiction of the parties and of the subject matter of these proceedings. 2. Conclusions of Law set forth elsewhere in this decision are here incorporated by reference as though again specifically restated at this point. 3. Indian land, even though held in trust by the Federal Government for the benefit of the tribe and its members, is nonetheless private land and does not thereby become public land. 4. Petitioner "K" and other similarly situated petitioners are "surface owners" for purposes of the owner consent requirement of section 510 (b) (6) of SMCRA. 5. Peabody was required by law to submit the written consent of Petitioner "K" and other similarly situated petitioners to surface mine and to do so in its permit application or in application for the renewal thereof. 6. Peabody was required by law to submit with its permit application or renewal application the written consent of Petitioner "K" and other similarly situated petitioners to mine within 300 feet of their dwelling. 7. Permit number AZ-0001C was not a valid permit, because it was issued absent supplying with the application therefor written consents from surface owners or owners of occupied dwellings within 300 feet of proposed mining activities. 8. OSM was without jurisdiction to grant renewal permit number AZ-0001D absent written consent of Petitioner "K" and other similarly situated petitioners as surface owners and owners of occupied dwellings within 300 feet of proposed mining operations. 9. Peabody's actions referred to in paragraphs 6 through 9 of the Findings of Fact, herein, should have viewed by OSM as willful. Whereupon, OSM should have issued a preliminary finding to that effect and deferred action on Peabody's permit renewal application until the issue was resolved pursuant to the procedures outlined in 43 CFR s 4.1350 et seq. 10. OSM's failure to review Special Condition 1 breaches the Settlement Agreement pertaining thereto and invalidates the permit renewal. 11. Applications for surface mining permit renewal are not "categorically excluded" from NEPA simply because they are renewals rather than original applications. OSM erred in so constituting the law. 12. PEABODY'S MINING ACTIVITY HAS VIOLATED SMCRA. ORDER Mining Permit Number AZ-0001D is hereby vacated and set aside and the application therefor is DENIED! NEWS RELEASE MARCH 19, 1996 The recent ruling by Administrative Law Judge Ramon M. Child, handed down on Monday, March 11, 1996, is hailed as a landmark decision for the residents of Black Mesa, Arizona, who are represented by Dineh Alliance, a party to the official proceedings. Dineh Alliance filed an appeal on the Kayenta mine permit renewal in July, 1995; the U.S. Office of Surface Mining (OSM) and Peabody western coal Company (PWCC) are named in the appeal, brought about because of PWCC's current outstanding violations on both of it's Black Mesa mine sites. Non-compliance of permit requirements will result in a request for a temporary restraining order. At issue is the possible shutdown of PWCC's Kayenta mine site operation and the serious negative impacts that will follow. Dineh Alliance has proposed a collaborative effort to establish a Solar Energy Conversion Plant on Black Mesa that will bring long-lasting economic strength and other perpetual benefits to our Navajo Nation, as well as long overdue environmental justice. Also at issue is the fraudulent on-going "mediation" and the continued forced relocation of Dineh residents living on the Hopi Partitioned Land (HPL) under the guise of the "Accommodation Agreement" (Agreement), the latest lease proposal. The "Agreement-In-Principle", the Agreements predecessor, has been rejected by the Navajo Tribal Council (NTC) in December 1994. Dineh Alliance is calling for a special session of the NTC before the regular spring session to address these and other concerns before the people; the Navajo Nation (and the Hopi Tribal Council) must now recognize and acknowledge the residents of Black Mesa--those affected by the mine sites and those on HPL. A demonstration calling for this and for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the U.S.OSM to fulfill their trust responsibility to the residents of Black Mesa is scheduled for Friday, March 22, 1996, at the BIA SW Area Office located at Third and Hill streets in Gallup, New Mexico, beginning at 11 AM to 3 PM. A press conference will be held at 1:00 PM at the same address. Thank you. INCLUDE IN YOUR LETTERS/FAXES/E-MAIL/PHONE CALLS/SMOKE SIGNALS: + The illegal and immoral land grab that is behind the coal issue is also behind the forced relocation of traditional Dineh people who have lived on Black Mesa all their lives; the latest lease proposal, the "Accommodation Agreement" (Agreement), is fraudulent for every option available to the Dineh people leaves them with no recourse or due process and gives the Hopi Tribal Council (HTC) the legal means to sue for eviction. + The forced relocation, continued harassment, and intimidation of Dineh residents on Hopi Partitioned Land (HPL) must end. Public Law 93-531 (The Relocation Act of 1974) must be amended and the Dineh people on HPL must be given a permanent solution, not a 25, 50, or 75 year lease agreement. + Attorney Lee Phillips DOES NOT represent the people of Black Mesa! His campaign to obtain the required signatures of 75 percent of the people on HPL is marked by deceit. Many elders who do not speak or understand the English language were tricked into signing the Agreement by Phillips and his associates. He must be removed from the negotiations immediately. + The scheduled Senate Hearings on the "final draft" of the Agreement is going to held in Washington, D.C. on March 28, 1996; this is UNACCEPTABLE! How can the people ever hope to have meaningful input and participation in the "mediation" process...the meeting must be postponed or moved to the southwest, either on Big Mountain or in Phoenix, AZ. + When Navajo Nation President Albert Hale met with U.S. President Bill Clinton, Senator John McCain,(Chr., Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs), and members of Congress, they all stated there would be "no forced evictions". + The religious concerns regarding water, burial, sacred sites, and other issues are not resolved. + Request an Ethnographic Study on HPL--under the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 106, the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Endangered Species Act. The Hopi Tribal Council must avoid imminent harm, desecration, and destruction of Dineh Traditional Cultural Properties (TCP). + The coal issue is directly linked to the relocation effort; the Navajo Nation must take notice of the plight of its own people on Black Mesa, AZ, and hear their call for a "special session" of the Navajo Tribal Council (NTC) before or after the regular spring session. The NTC must also reject the Agreement as it did the Agreement-In-Principle. ++KEY TARGETS FOR YOUR LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGNS...THANK YOU!!++ + U.S. President Bill Clinton + U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW (DoJ Attorney Katherine Hazard) Washington, D.C. 20500 U.S. Department of Justice **(202)456-1414, 6266 Constitution Ave. and 10th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20530 **(202)514-2001 + The Honorable Dave Lombardi United States Magistrate Judge United States District Court, 9th Circuit Court 501 W. Broadway, Suite 1770 San Diego, CA 92010 + Navajo Nation President Albert Hale P.O. Box 3000 Window Rock, AZ 86515 **(520)871-6352 + Ray Russell, Director + Hopi Tribal Chairman Ferrell Secakuku The Navajo-Hopi Land Commission P.O. Box 123 c/o P.O. Drawer 2010 Kykotsmovi, AZ 86039 Window Rock, AZ 86515 **(520)734-2441, 6648(FAX) **(520)871-6441 + The Honorable Senator John McCain Chair, Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 ** Phoenix District Office: (602)952-2410 ** D.C. Office: (202)224-2235 "In beauty it will be finished..." --------- "RE: Western Shoshone Tribes" --------- Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 19:21:21 -0800 (PST) From: Alan Mandell Subj: Western Shoshone Tribes Mailing List: TRIBALLAW (triballaw@thecity.sfsu.edu) Just an update from what is happening in my backyard. FOR RELEASE TO THE PRESS: ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE BATTLE MOUNTAIN BAND COUNCIL OF THE TE-MOAK TRIBE OF WESTERN SHOSHONE Gelford Jim, Chairman of the Battle Mountain Band Council of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone, announces that the Council is prepared to sue both Lander County and the federal government to protect the rights of Tribal members to exercise their religion in the Rock Creek, area. The Rock Creek area is part of a larger site that is known as the Tosawihi homelands. This area contains hundreds of important religious, cultural, and burial sites that have been used for thousands of years by the Tosawihi people, also known as the White Knife people. Descendants of the Tosawihi are members of the Battle Mountain Band and continue the traditions and religious practices of their ancestors in the very same locations within the Rock Creek area. Although, Lander County is intent on destroying the Rock Creek area, Chairman Jim believes that "legal action can save destruction of Rock Creek" and he vows that "the Council intends to intervene legally at every step of the process that the County and the U.S. Department of Interior must follow before the dam can be built." Lander County has applied for a permit to build a dam and create a reservoir from the US Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM). BLM has caretaker responsibilities over the land where the dam and reservoir is proposed. In addition to legal action, Chairman Jim said that the Council has requested the United Nations to designate the Tosawihi homelands area as a World Heritage Site. Felix Ike, Chairman of the Te-Moak Tribal Council reported that he and his Council support this request. Chairman Jim also said that he will assist the Battle Mountain Band Council in their quest to prevent the destruction of the Tosawihi homelands. Davis Gonzales, the Te-Moak Tribal Administrator and the Chairman of the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada issued a reminder that President Clinton, by Executive Order, requires federal agencies such as the BLM to work with Indian Nations on a government to government relationship. As yet, BLM has not conducted the required consultation with the Battle Mountain Band Council or any of the Western Shoshone Tribes involved in this case. The Battle Mountain Band Council is represented by Nevada Legal Services in Carson City. Carol Yeatman is the attorney handling the case. Ms. Yeatman is the Senior Attorney in the Indian law program of Nevada Legal Services. She received a J.D. from Northwestern School of Law, a law school with an environmental program ranked number one in the country. Ms. Yeatman received environmental law certification from this program after working in the environmental field for 15 years. Ms. Yeatman said that she believes that the Tosawihi homelands will be preserved but only after very lengthy and expensive legal actions. Ms. Yeatman said that instead of spending the money on attorneys fighting over the many legal issues involved, the County residents would be better served if the Lander County Commission spent their money on something tangible the residents could actually use. --------- "RE: Nuxalkm and Supporters Taken Hostage" --------- Date: Sat, 23 Mar 1996 11:49:26 -0800 From: Stephen Samuel Subj: Nuxalkm and Supporters Taken Hostage Newsgroups: bc.general,alt.native Starting with Early morning Raids Thursday, March 21, the RCMP arrested 14 Ista demonstrators, including 3 Non-native FAN supporters. The raids all appear to have taken place on Nuxalk territory in and around Bella-Coola. _______ The following was taken from the verbal reading of a press release on the matter: ______________________ The RCMP raids which started at 6:30am, Today (March 21/96) continued throughout the morning. They resulted in 14 people being detained. Included 11 Nuxalkm and 3 fan activists being taken captive. All people being sought were under colonial arrest warrants and were arrested on Nuxalk territory. 8 people under that same colonial warrant have eluded police. The people that have been detained, appeared in Colonial (BC Supreme) court Thursday at 4:30pm and will be detained until April 29. There will also be one appearance on March 29, -- a pro-forma appearance. Of the 3 hereditary chiefs, only the elder chief Nuximlayc (Lawrence Pootlass), has been arrested. the other chiefs -- Qwatsinas (Edward Moody) and Slicxwliqw' (Charles Nelson) are still free. _____________________________ This is an NON-official release by Stephen Samuel (876-0426) For up-to-date information call The Nuxalk Nation Government House of Smayusta Tel: (604) 799-5376 PO Box 8, Bella Coola B.C. Fax: (604) 799-5707 V0T 1C0 For Online Info, try: Forest Action Network (fan@alternatives.com) And on the thirteenth, a beautiful, burning-hot day in October [1943], I was myself arrested. At six in the morning -- that hour so beloved of all secret police officials -- I heard the bell ringing rather loudly, and saw below our Seebruck Gendarme, a good soul, who explained apologetically that he had come in performance of what was for him the unpleasant assignment of conveying me to the Army jail at Traunstein. -- Fritz Reck-Malleczewen (1884-1945), "Diary of a Man in Despair" -- Stephen Samuel email: samuel@wimsey.com Phone: +1 (604)876-0426 WWW: http://vanbc.wimsey.com/~samuel "...And I am, naturally a bone-deep believer in NAZIism. Yes, Reck, I know abou the terrible mistakes that were made, There are places where the dry rot reaches right down into the ground. But I know that these mistakes are not fatal." -- NAZI pilot, Sept. 1939 --------- "RE: Comanche History...revised" --------- Date: Wed, 20 Mar 1996 14:27:10 -0500 From: jsd@dickshovel.com (Jordan S. Dill) Subj: Comanche History...revised UUCP email O'siyo, Gary... Can you pass the word re the following?: Am inviting all to visit the following web site: http://www.pobox.com/~jsd/ComancheOne.html so as to review and comment on a Comanche History presently in progress. Many of you may have noticed that this history of the Comanche was withdrawn for several weeks in February/March, 1996. During that time it underwent a substantial revision with the help of Dr. Thomas Kavanagh, Curator of Collections of the William Hammond Mathers Museum at Indiana University. Dr. Kavanagh, an anthropologist, ethnohistorian, and long-time member of the Comanche Tedapukunu (Comanche Little Pony Society), has spent many years of painstaking research into Comanche history and addressed many problem areas in Comanche culture and history. During the current rewrite, he graciously provided both his time and insights, and to say we are grateful for this would be an understatement. Dr. Kavanagh's new book from the University of Nebraska Press, Comanche Political History, 1706-1875: An Ethnohistorical Perspective should become a classic and is a "must-read" for anyone seriously wishing to learn more about the native peoples of the Great Plains. He has other materials related to the Comanches and other Great Plains peoples on his web pages: http://bronze.ucs.indiana.edu/~tkavanag/home.html Comments from all concerning the Comanche and the other Histories available at this site (http://www.pobox.com/~jsd/Compacts.html) (Catawba, Mahican, Cherokee, Narragansett) would be appreciated. Nvwhtohiyada... Wounded Knee Home Page http://www.pobox.com/~jsd/WKmasscre.html First Nations/First Peoples Issues http://www.pobox.com/~jsd/firstnations.html Main Page http://www.pobox.com/~jsd/www.html --------- "RE: Poem: Soul" --------- From: Lightbear@aol.com(Lightbear/Christiana V.L. Christie) Date: Wed Mar 20 20:56:27 1996 ] Subj: Soul SOUL My soul travels through time and space, but it always comes back to me. It is never too far away to come back and comfort me, even when I've cut it off without so much as a letter. My soul loves me when I don't. It comforts me when I can't. It nourishes me when I won't. My soul believes in all of my being, there is Spirit. My soul works in ways I can't begin to understand. It travels in realms I think I dream about. It inhabits the universe and beyond for purposes I can only guess at. My soul knows what I think I don't know, And is patient until I will listen to what it knows. It loves me enough to wait, if it must, until I think I have the time. It has all of eternity to work with. Lightbear/Christiana V.L. Christie --------- "RE: Verse: Hawai'ian Book of Days" --------- Date: 96/03/20 22:21 From: Debra F. Sanders (dfsanders@genie.geis.com) Subj: Verse: Hawai'ian Book of Days Genie email A HAWAIIAN BOOK OF DAYS, week of March 31-April 6 MALAKI (March) (Nana) 31 Build to preserve, not to destroy. APELILA (April) (Welo) April was the last of the 6 months in the Hoo-ilo, or Winter, period of ancient times, which ran from November through April. 1 The earth's magic is a gift of wonder. 2 Never abandon your dreams. 3 Memories dwell within the soul. 4 Return to the places of childhood -- there is your cycle renewed. 5 Happiness and fulfillment are found only in our own hearts. 6 Age cannot hinder the joyful spirit. (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, 28 Mar 96 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 Genie email From: Jan Rockwell Iron Subj: Region III Conference--more info AISESnet General List American Indian Science and Engineering Society AISES Region III Conference Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado April 18-21, 1996 "BALANCE.... KEY TO THE FUTURE" We as Native people must constantly strive to maintain a balance: a balance between our culture, as the first peoples of this land, and one of integrated technology in today's society. How do we as Natives live in balance in both worlds? How do we maintain our cultural/tribal identities and yet survive in the dominant society? * * * * * * * The AISES-CSU student chapter extends an invitation to all Region III AISES members to participate in this upcoming conference. We are still working hard to provide you an enjoyable and educational gathering. CALL FOR PRESENTERS We are still soliciting technical papers for presentation at the Conference. Presenters may be Elders, community members, undergraduate, graduate, or professionals. Total time for each presentation, including questions, will be 50 minutes. Please send abstracts or workshop ideas for review to: Ron Hall (970) 491-8653 rchall@vines.colostate.edu Debra Reed (970) 491-1332 dreed@ceao.sacc.colostate.edu The deadline for submissions is April 8, 1996. The text should be no more than 200 words and contain the following information: * Author(s) & Bio * Mailing Address * Organization or School * E-mail Address * Audio-visual equipment required * Phone Number REGISTRATION The registration fees are as follows: Professional. . . . . . . . . . . $100 Chapter Advisor . . . . . . . . . . 50 College Students. . . . . . . . . . 35 Non-Members/Spouses . . . . . . . . 50 Please submit your registration forms by April 3, 1996. Checks or money orders should be made payable to: CSU AISES Box 713, Lory Student Center Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523 Registration will include: Thursday brunch Thursday dinner Friday continental breakfast Friday banquet Saturday continental breakfast 2612 S College Ave Fort Collins, CO 80525 (970) 226-2600 POW-WOW The 4th Annual Northern Colorado Intertribal Contest Pow-wow will begin with Gourd Dancing at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, followed by Grand Entry at 1:00 p.m. The powwow concludes on Sunday, April 21. CODE OF ETHICS !! THE ENTIRE CONFERENCE WILL ABIDE BY THE AISES CODE OF ETHICS !! ------------------------------------------------ From: Judy_M._Gobert@skc.edu (Judy M. Gobert) Subj: Graduate School Prep Program AISESnet General List THINKING OF GRAD SCHOOL? IMPORTANT INFO INCLUDED BELOW ! ! PLEASE READ AND PASS ON. GROW (GRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY WORKSHOP) Intensive Graduate School Prep Program workshop: JUNE 9 - 29, 1996 This program provides an opportunity for Native American Undergraduates studying Science, Math, Engineering and Technology to explore and prepare for Graduate School PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED LIMITED ENROLLMENT ROOM AND BOARD PROVIDED $25.00 HOLDING FEE, RETURNED UPON ARRIVAL CONTACT: JAYMEE BICK, COORDINATOR SALISH KOOTENAI COLLEGE All Nations Alliance for Minority Participation P.O. BOX 117 PABLO, MT 59855 (406) 675-4800 ext. 241 (406)675-4801 FAX E-MAIL: zetra_wheeler@skc.edu DEADLINE FOR PRE-REGISTRATION: APRIL 19, 1996. ------------------------------------------------------- From: jhassell@edcc.ctc.edu (Jay Hassell) Subj: Pow Wow: Lynnwood, Washington (10-11 May 1996) I would like to advertise our Pow Wow as follows: By State- Washington Month: May Date: 2nd weekend PowWow event: Sponsored by Indian Heritage School & Hosted by Edmonds Community College : Annual Pow Wow City: Lynnwood Phone #: (206) 640-1538 May 10-11 (Fri 7-12pm,Sat 12-5 & 7-12pm) Annual Pow Wow event- Indian Heritage School & Edmonds Community College Pow Wow ---------------------------------------------- From: Art Coulson <72650.3712@CompuServe.COM> Subj: Native Voices event, Rochester, NY Native Voices Symposia on Contemporary Native American Issues March 29-20, Rochester, N.Y. All events free and open to public Friday, March 29 - 8 p.m., Room 1-101, Dewey Hall, University of Rochester Keynote Address: Dr. Alfonso Ortiz (San Juan Pueblo), noted author and anthropology professor, University of New Mexico Saturday, March 30 - 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eisenhart Auditorium, Rochester Museum & Science Center, East Avenue, Rochester, N.Y. *Legal and Economic Issues *Understanding Native History *The Collegiate Experience for Native Americans *Perspectives on Healing Speakers will include: Harold Monteau (Chippewa-Cree), Director, U.S. Indian Gaming Commission Jane Mt. Pleasant (Tuscarora), Director, American Indian Program, Cornell Francis Frazier (Cheyenne River Lakota), FNP, Cattaraugus Health Clinic Edward Starr (Eastern Cherokee), Assistant Professor, University at Buffalo ---------------------------------------------------- From: br975@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (John S. Brack) Subj: 20th Annual Odawa Pow Wow (May 24-26, 1996) "Honouring First Nations Circle" Friday, May 24 to Sunday, May 26, 1996 At Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Everyone Welcome - come and have a great time! Feel free to spread the word! Host Drum:Stoney Park Singers (1993-94 World Champions) Honourary Drum: Red Shadow Singers Hanisha Singers Lake of the Woods Singers Hoop Dancer: Gordie Odjig Head Female Dancer: Karen Olsen Head Male Dancer: Alvin Copenace Master of Ceremonies: Peter White, Clarence White Honourary Guests: Gordon Tootoosis (North of 60) Elders: Robin Greene, Kathleen Greene, Lillian Pitawanakwat, Alex Skead, Marie Peters, Angus Pontiac Annual Odawa Pow Wow location: Ottawa-Nepean Tent & Trailer Park 411 Corkstown Road Nepean, Ontario, Canada Annual Odawa Pow Wow Rain-out location: 50 Cedarview Road Nepean, Ontario, Canada For information call: Doug Comegan (613)728-0537 Odawa Native Friendship Centre 396 MacLaren Street Ottawa K2P 0M8 Office Hours: Mon.- Fri., 9:00 am to 5:00 pm E.S.T. Tel.:(613)238-8591 Fax:(613)238-6106 May 24-26:(613)828-7428 No Drugs No Alcohol No Drugs -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//-- 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: Janet Smith, Debra F. Sanders, Lisa Faruolo (LPDC), Brave Star, Jordan Dill, Freedom Heart Rising, Lightbear/Christiana V.L. Christie, Todd Hiatt(LPSG/KU) Robert Trepp(via Eric Jakubowski), Todd Hiatt, Sky Crosby, Alan Mandell, Stephen Samuel, Glenn Welker, John Hascall, Tamera Crites Shanker(Release), --//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//-- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Part B of this newsletter (not included) has already been distributed via the NATIVE-L or NATCHAT mailing lists. --------- "RE: Conferences and Powwows - online" --------- Date: Thu, 28 Mar 96 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 Genie email Subj: Native American Men's Gathering (Colorado, 31 May - 2 June 1996) From: whtbison@usa.net (Richard Simonelli) Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) White Bison is facilitating a large Gathering of Native Men to take place in Colorado on May 31, June 1 and 2, 1996. Would it be possible for you to announce the Gathering on NativeNet. Attached is an announcement. White Bison has a new web site at Our e mail is Thanks very much for your help. --------------------------- February 21,1996 Indian Men's Gathering White Bison, a non-profit American Indian organization, invites Indian men to attend A Gathering of Native American Men. The Gathering will be held in the Pike National Forest in the Rocky Mountains, just 60 miles west of Colorado Springs, Colorado on May 31, June 1 and 2 of 1996. This gathering is about healing Indian Men and supporting them in their efforts to once again walk the Red Road. Elders from several nations will be performing ceremonies to honor our Veterans and welcome them back in a traditional way. The Elders will be talking to us about our role as Indian men. The Elders will give us seven philosophies or teachings which will help us to rebuild our families and communities. Indian men will be asked to join in a commitment to live by these philosophies. Women, children or families of participating Indian men are invited to attend in support of the men. Here's an opportunity to share ceremonies and exchange ideas so we can strengthen the cultural growth of our Indian children. Come prepared to camp and cook out for three days. Registration for the Gathering costs $10 per person. The Native men's gathering is proudly alcohol and drug free. Register early to reserve a campsite. For more information contact: White Bison, Inc 6755 Earl Drive, Suite 108 Colorado Springs, CO 80918 Phone: (719) 548-1000 See you in Colorado in June. ----------------------------------------------- Subj: Powwow in Plano, TX, April 12-13 [via LSMTP - see www.lsoft.com] From: mendina@utdallas.edu (Tony A.T. Mendina) Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Announcing: The Second Annual Native Peoples of Texas Festival and Dance Contest in Association with the American Indian Veterans Society Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13, 1996 Pow Wow Pavilion, Collector's Antique Mall, East 15th St., Plano, TX $8,000 in prize money to be awarded to places 1,2 and 3. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Native Peoples of Texas and the American Indian Veterans Society of North Texas are dedicating this dance to all our troops serving in Bosnia and all other active military service personnel. May they always remain out of harm's way through their belief in God, Duty, and Honor. We want them to know that our country loves them, "Lest We Forget." We are looking forward to a wonderful time to be had by both the audience and the participants ---------------------- The Basics- Divisions: Tiny Tots, Children, Junior, Senior, Golden Age Registration: 3:00 PM Friday through 3:00 PM Saturday Judging: Point System; Points given for both Grand Entries, Friday and Saturday Evenings Drums: Northern and Southern drums appointed by the Society Admission: Free; please bring your lawn chairs! NO alcoholic beverages or drugs will be permitted! Not responsible for lost or stolen items! ---------------------------- Information Contacts- Powwow Director: Frank "Kiowa Jim" Tongekeamha After 6 PM: (214) 333-3908 Location and Vendor Coordinator: Doris Lieber Days: (214) 422-4794 Hotel/Motel Coordinator: Sue Hitzemann After 6 PM: (214) 422-9930 ----------------------------- From: jfarr@hal-pc.org (John Farrington) Subj: Gathering Of Nations Pow-Wow Schedule for the 1996 Gathering Of Nations Pow-Wow, Albuquerque NM, on the University of New Mexico campus. This information (see copyright notice at end) extracted from the Gathering Of Nations Internet page at: http://www.atiin.com/gathering.of.nations and re-posted with permission. For information write: The Gathering Of Nations Pow-Wow, P.O. Box 75102 Albuquerque, NM 87194 or call (voice) 505-836-2810, (fax) 505-839-0475. --------- "RE: Keweenaw Bay" --------- Date: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 22:23:03 -0500 From: jhascall@up.net (John Hascall) Subj: Re: Letter From Father John Hascall re Keweenaw Bay (Michigan) Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) Original Subject: Keweenaw Bay Indian Community - Facts Ahneen Brothers and Sisters, I am writing in response to the falsehoods written by Joseph P. O'Leary and posted by wbeaver@great-lakes.net on Tuesday, March 05, 1996. Before I begin, I would like to introduce myself and Fight For Justice (FFJ). My Indian name is Gwai'a kosse inini (stands tall for the people) and my birth name is Jerry Lee Curtis. I am an Ojibwa full blood of the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa and was born and raised here within the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC). In early 1994, some questionable actions of the Tribal Council were brought to my attention. I began to research these matters and found some very intriguing things. The deeper I dug, the more I would find. Soon thereafter, people were asking questions of the council, questions to this day that remain unanswered. Sometime in 1994, O'Leary and Dakota started to push a gaming corporation, a corporation that would find itself on the Dec. 94 KBIC election ballot. I protested diligently against such a corporation. Furthermore, I challenged members of the council on numerous occasions to publicly debate this issue and defend their positions on it. Guess what? They declined each and every time. They told the people to vote on it, and if passed, they would then explain to the voters what it was they were voting on. As the election drew nearer, I was approached by a great number of members of the community to run for office in the upcoming election. I decided to run. If the people had that much confidence in me to represent them, why not? I was voted in, along with three incumbents, and the corporation was voted down. Much to the dismay of the electorate, Dakota and O'Leary decided to disallow the election, for reasons I will disclose in detail in the near future. FFJ was in the making. At the start, FFJ consisted only of tribal members and their families. This soon changed however, as word spread throughout the surrounding communities and Indian Country of the injustices that were being committed against tribal members by a bogus, unprincipled Tribal Council, led by Fred Dakota and his Attorney, Joseph P. O'Leary. I will address these events in greater detail at a later date. At this time, I will address only one issue: The role of Prof. Laurie Whitt, the subject of unfounded accusations by Attorney Joseph P. O'Leary. Your time, attention and support, past and present, is greatly appreciated by all in our continued struggle here at KBIC. Dr. Laurie Anne Whitt is an associate professor of philosophy at Michigan Technological University (MTU) and the spouse of Attorney Alan Clarke. Mr. Clarke is one of a team of lawyers that has come to the aid of FFJ. Dr. Whitt, having become aware of the injustices committed against members of this community, has lent untiring, compassionate assistance to our cause. For this assistance Dr. Whitt deserves commendation from persons of conscience, not the abuse she has received from Attorney O'Leary. O'Leary appraises Mr. Clarke and Dr. Whitt by his own standards. While he claims to be in the "trenches" of Indian Country, his trench is a $70,000.00 a year silk-lined trench. For this money he produces both abuse of persons of conscience, and the embarrassing, bloated praise for his boss that you have seen in this forum. At $70,000.00 a year it is understandable that O'Leary has no conception of people that are willing to donate their time, skills and energy for the sake of social justice and human rights. Yet, that is the fact: Mr. Clarke and Dr. Whitt have neither accepted, nor asked for any compensation for their assistance, professional or personal. Unlike O'Leary, Mr. Clarke and Dr. Whitt receive nothing in the sense of financial compensation for their time and energy spent in helping FFJ. Donations received by FFJ are not applied toward Mr. Clarke's or Dr. Whitt's expenses. They are applied towards church bills, i.e., heating, electric, phone, fax and copying paper, toner etc. All donations are used to help defray expenses incurred by those of us granted sanctuary by the church. The gratitude shared by FFJ and their supporters towards the church, Fr. John and the parishioners for granting sanctuary, cannot be expressed enough. This same gratitude is extended to Bishop James Garland, Marquette Diocese, for his full support of Fr. John Hascall's efforts in these most difficult of times. May the Creator guide and protect each and everyone of you. Dr. Whitt is no stranger to human suffering and injustice. From August 15 - 31 of 1995, Dr. Whitt and Mr. Clarke were serving as International Human Rights Observers for the "Consulta Nacional por la Paz y la Democracia" in Mexico City, Mexico. The date of the takeover was August 21, 1995. Note the dates. Dr. Whitt and Mr. Clarke were in Mexico at the time of the takeover. Furthermore, they had no prior knowledge of the takeover, nor did they become involved with FFJ until the end of the first week of October 1995. We hope the foregoing provides you with sufficient perspective to appraise Attorney O'Leary's credibility in the matter of his bought-and-paid-for abuse of Dr. Whitt and praise for Fred Dakota. This message was written and posted by Fight For Justice. The views expressed herein are those of the undersigned, and are not necessarily those of the Catholic Church and/or Fr. John Hascall. Megwetch (thank you). Signed, Gwai'a kosse inini/Jerry Lee Curtis, Nibi-quay/Doreen Baron, Wah-da-Kay/Alan White-Six Nations Cultural Observer, Wabinimiki/Colin Van, Alice Curtis, Janice Shalifoe, Janice Halverson, Miskwi-Adanaqout/Paul Halverson, Rooster O'Rouke, Kenneth Bressette, Donald Carlson, Ralph Bressette, Donna Bressette, Rita Cloud, Delores Gonzalez, Cindy Loonsfoot, George Madosh, Linda Rabitaille and Myrtle Tolonen (Ga-win-de-o'quay) Spirit Woman --------- "RE: Traditional Hopi Sinom Face Extinction" --------- Date: Wed, 20 Mar 1996 14:26:44 -0500 From: shomrona@aol.com Subj: traditional Hopi Sinom face extinction (Arizona) Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) TRADITIONAL HOPI SINOM ARE FACE EXTINCTION HOTVELA, Arizona--The traditional Hopi Sinom village of Hotvela, located on Third Mesa on the Hopi Reservation, is under assault. Hopi traditionalists are battling the imposition of unwanted development and modernization in their village. These unwanted developments and modernizations are being funded by U.S. federal funds. At issue are the current construction and digging of a sewer line and wastewater lagoon and proposed housing projects. The sewer project, which is currently underway, has generated intense controversy. Digging and construction are desecrating sacred areas and shrines. The sewer pipeline interferes with the path the Creator uses to travel through Mother Earth. The disruptive effects of this sewer project are prophetic of the Day of Purification foretold in Hopi prophecies. Standing at the western base of Third Mesa, the sewer pipes can be seen protruding underneath the petroglyphs that mark the path of the Creator. The Village of Hotvela was founded in 1906 by the Mongwis (traditional Village Elders) to be a traditional and sovereign village for those people who follow the ancient Hopi traditions. This aboriginal jurisdiction originates in the Covenant made many centuries earlier at Oraibi with Maasaw--Creator and Caretaker of this world--and is evidenced by the stone tablets the Creator gave directly to the Hopi. Hotvela is a place of refuge for members of this original Hopi Covenant. The founding of Hotvela came as a result of the persecution and eviction of the traditionalists from their original Village of Oraibi, both by the progressive faction of Hopis who embraced the white man's way of life and the U.S. government. According to Chief Dan Evehema, who is now 105 years old and one of the founding members of Hotvela, "Hotvela is the last holy consecrated, undisturbed traditional Native American shrine to the Creator." Hopi prophecy states, according to Chief Dan Evehema, that, "this sacred shrine must keep its spiritual pathways open." Chief Dan Evehema lives and works, where he has for the last 90 years, on his small farm in Hotvela. He is properly called "Grandfather." He is the spiritual head of his clan and village, among the highest of the clan Fathers, and principal spokesman for the Elderly Elders who are the Keepers of the Great Covenant made with the Creator around 1120 A.D. The Covenant made between the Hopi Sinom and the Creator entrusted the Hopi Sinom as the keepers and protectors of Mother Earth, not only for the Hopi but for all of mankind. Consequently, Hopi Sinom traditionalists are generally opposed to modernization and the constant encroachment of dominant white society. Hotvela is the last remaining Hopi village with an almost complete cycle of Hopi religious ceremonies--which has been diminished in other villages as a result of assimilation. The unwanted improvements, including the sewer project, that are currently being forced upon this Village sound the death knell to the traditional Hopi way of life. Traditional aboriginal sovereignty, the denial of most modern amenities, and complete faith in the Creator's ability to care for His people, are the central tenets of the Hopi faith and spiritual way of life. The Hopi Sinom are challenging the modernizations in federal court. In a statement to the federal district court for the District of Arizona, Chief Dan Evehema stated, "Our Hopi Elders were willing and embraced the way set out by the Creator. The People of Hotvela are the last of the Hopi Sinom to follow these traditions of our Elders. We pray for balance on earth, to live in peace and leave a beautiful world to the children yet to come. As a member of the Men's Society Grandfathers, who have been charged to pray for the people and all life on earth never forgetting anything or any one in our ceremonials, our prayers are to have a good happy life and plenty of soft gentle rain for abundant crops. We, the Elders and traditionalists of this village, want to keep Hotvela in the same way we found it, in the way that the Creator instructed." Because of the controversy surrounding this sewer project, the traditional Hopi Sinom are also embroiled in an insidious internal battle. A progressive faction of Hopis, led by the Hopi Tribal Council and allegedly speaking on behalf of the autonomous Village of Hotvela, sought federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) dollars to fund the sewer project. The federal funds were granted, and Indian Health Services (IHS) was designated the lead agency. The traditionalists made every attempt to thwart the efforts of these progressives. They wrote letters to the Hopi Tribal Council. They reminded the Council that the various villages of the Hopi people are historically autonomous and that the Council does not represent their interests. Moreover, the traditionalists requested, on numerous occasions, that the progressives meet and speak with the traditional elders of Hotvela before going forward with these projects, a request that was never heeded. When the digging and construction of the sewer project began, and the first prayer feathers were dug up and discarded by IHS workers, the traditional Hopi Sinom sought assistance outside of Third Mesa. On November 28, 1995, The Hopi Sinom filed a lawsuit in federal district court against IHS, EPA, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Hopi Tribal Council and the Hotvilla Board of Directors. The complaint alleged that the named defendants violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) by reviewing, approving, funding, contracting for, and beginning digging and construction of the wastewater treatment lagoon and sewer line for the Village of Hotvela without preparing an environmental impact statement, as required by NEPA. IHS was the lead agency in implementing the NEPA process to review the impacts of the construction of the sewer projects five acre, facultative pond and the installation of approximately one and one-half sewer outfall pipeline in and around the fields, ruins, religious shrines, and homes of the Hopi people. The sewer project was funded by an EPA Clean Water Act Grant for $759,500. The traditionalists sought a temporary restraining order in district court, which was denied. The district court, although acknowledging the ongoing disruption and desecration of religiously significant areas in Hotvela, based its decision, in part, on its belief that a sewer must be a good thing--no matter what the consequences. The Hopi Sinom appealed this decision to the Ninth Circuit and are currently awaiting a ruling by that court. The Hopi Sinom are being represented, on a pro bono basis by Phoenix attorneys Howard M. Shanker and Tamera Crites Shanker in this matter. A Traditional Hopi Legal Defense Fund has been set up to accept donations to help defray costs of this litigation. The Fund is being administered under the the non-profit umbrella organization, Don't Waste Arizona. Supporters of the traditional Hopi Sinom have been continually threatened and harassed. One Hopi woman who has provided technical support to the traditionalists has received death threats against herself and her children, as well as threats against her home and truck, because of her support and belief in preserving the Hopi traditionalist way of life. The attorneys who have spear-headed the litigation on behalf of the traditionalists have also received similar threats. Other impacts have also been felt by the people of Hotvela. According to Emery Holmes, Hopi Sinom medicine man, "there has been an increase in illnesses such as strokes, not related to sanitary practices, since the digging and desecration has begun. These illnesses are a direct result of the desecration of religiously significant sites, Mother Earth, and the installation of the sewer line and wastewater lagoon." According to attorney Tamera Crites Shanker, "the narrow legal battles that are being fought in court right now do not address the greater issues at stake. The Hopi Sinom are facing cultural genocide at the hands of the progessives and the U.S. federal government. The traditional Hopi Sinom are facing extinction. The ramifications of such destruction, according to Hopi prophecy, will be global." According to Chief Dan Evehema, "Once Hotvela is forced to assimilate to the wishes of outside government entities, by the acceptance of these unwanted conveniences, the Hopi way will have no home and will disappear forever." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tamera Crites Shanker, c/o Law Offices of Howard M. Shanker, 141 E. Palm Ln, Suite 201, Phoenix, AZ 85004, (602)252-6504 --------- "RE: Lubicon: Environmental Destruction" --------- Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 08:34:50 MET From: h440t4@star1.boku.ac.at (Schwarzbauer Peter) Subj: Canada - Environmental Destruction Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) GRAction (GLOBAL RESPONSE NETWORK) #1/96 Cultural and Environmental Destruction/Canada February 29, 1996 "I hope people will understand we're trying to survive from day to day and need all the help we can get from the general public. It's a battle against time. We realize that and the other side knows that." - Bernard Ominiyak, Lubicon Lake Indian Nation Chief Global Response Quick Response Network members are asked to write letters to help stop the destruction of an indigenous culture and the exploitation of its natural resources by multinational corporations. For more than 60 years the Lubicon Lake Indian Nation has been struggling for official recognition of its aboriginal land rights in northern Alberta, Canada. Because of the remoteness of their lands the Lubicon never signed away or lost their lands in war and were able, until 1979, to peacefully pursue their traditional hunting and trapping way of life. In 1979 an all-weather road was built into Lubicon territory. Massive oil and gas reserves had been discovered in the area and, armed with provincial government leases, major oil companies moved onto Lubicon homelands, drilling more than 400 oil-wells within a fifteen-mile radius of the Lubicon community. Industrial development devastated Lubicon society and its subsistence economy. Moose, the staple of the Lubicon's diet, fled the area, along with most of the smaller animals which formed the basis of the trapping trade. Alcoholism, birth defects, suicides, a tuberculosis epidemic and other medical problems were experienced by the Lubicon. Meanwhile the gas and oil companies realized more than $8 billion in revenues from their operations on Lubicon land. The Lubicon have received no royalties from the oil and gas operations. Daishowa, a Japanese-based multinational paper manufacturer was granted leases in 1988 to clear-cut almost the entire traditional Lubicon territory. Despite objections from the Lubicon, Daishowa and its subsidiaries began logging operations in 1990. In 1991 Lubicon supporters began a nationwide consumer boycott of businesses carrying Daishowa paper products. Daishowa responded with legal action, seeking and obtaining an injunction to stop the boycott. Daishowa remains poised to begin clear-cutting the rich stands of easily accessible hardwoods on Lubicon lands. In yet another challenge to the Lubicon and their environment, Unocal, a United States-based oil and gas corporation, has built a sour gas processing plant within three miles of a proposed Lubicon reserve. The sour gas plant processes hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, chemicals associated with cancer and respiratory and skin disease. The Lubicon have asked that Unocal relocate its plant away from the reserve. Unocal has refused and the plant continues to operate directly upwind of the reserve site. Requested Action - letters/phone/fax to: Jean Chretien/Canadian Prime Minister -Remind Mr. Chretien that, while $8 billion in oil and gas revenues have been extracted from Lubicon lands, the Lubicon live in poverty; -Express concern that since the arrival of industrial development on their lands the Lubicon's traditional way of life has been plagued with alcoholism, suicides, still-births, birth defects and tuberculosis; -Demand that the Canadian government negotiate fairly with the Lubicon Nation to ensure that its legitimate land rights are guaranteed; and, -Stress that, until the Lubicon have achieved a fair settlement of their land rights, multinational companies such as Unocal and Daishowa must immediately cease their exploitation of the Lubicon's natural resources. --------- "RE: Tlahtokan Aztlan Meeting" --------- Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 16:45:07 EST From: gwelker@mail.lmi.org Subj: Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) "There is a place that the Spirit of Truth has prepared so that it shall be from there from which will be born the Liberation of the Indigenous Peoples It is called AZTLAN, which means Paradise and it is where the Spirit of Truth lives." Coronel Rafael Guerrero, Division del Norte. With these words, the Yaqui Elder Rafael Guerrero foresaw the re-emergencing our generation of the prophecy and the path to the destiny of Aztlan. Now, though the Coronel has gone on to the spirit world (he achieved his rank under Francisco Villa in the Mexican Revolution), the work of uniting the indigenous nations of Itzachilatlan - the great Turtle Island of the Western hemisphere, has advanced dramatically over the past few years. In 1990, In Quito, Ecuador, we participated in the First Continental Encounter of Indigenous Nations and Organizations, hosted by the native nations of Twantinsuyo in the Andes. In 1993, the second continental Encounter took place in Temoaya, Mexico among the Otomi. Invoking the Spirit of the Eagle and the Condor, a continental indigenous alliance of organizations and nations has begun to emerge. CONIC - the Council of Indigenous Nations and Organizations of the Continent has projected our next gathering among the Maya of Guatemala for later this year. Within the organizational framework of CONIC, the Indigenous Peoples Alliance has been charged with establishing the Continental Alliance within the northern territories of the continent. A call goes out for a reunion of the Indigenous Nations of Aztlan to convene in Izkalotlan, Aztlan (phoenix, arizona). This gathering will focus on our relationship with the indigenous autonomous regions of Mexico and the continent. It is of the utmost importance that our indigenous autonomy, as the genesis of all rights and obligations, be recognized as the foundation self-determination of the indigenous peoples. There will be attending representatives of the General Council of the indigenous autonomous regions of Chicapas, Mexico. A representative of the Mohawk nation of Kahnawake will also be in attendance. We will be discussing the relations of indigenous peoples alliance and the council of indigenous nations and organizations of the continent, indigenous free trade, and other matters vital to maintain of autonomy as native nations. For more information contact TONATIERRA at (602) 254-5230. tttt zzzz ii nn nn tttt zzzz uu uu nn nn ii tt z ii n n n tt z u uu n n n ii in tlanextia in tonatiuh tt zzzz ii nn nn tt zzzz uu nn nn ii "la piel del jaguar ya adornaba el suelo, y hoy es noble ,,,,, armadura de mi * pueblo. como ferroz guerreros defendiendo la tierra, zapata vive y sigue en pie de guerra" "transgresores de la ley,">> tijuana no>>>>>>>>>>>> , / | | Source: jose MCLR List "Research.Latino" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Comments from NativeNet listowner, Gary Trujillo (gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us): I have written to Glenn Welker, who posted this article, asking for the address and subscription instructions of the listserver that handles the MCLR list and have not gotten a response after several days. I suggest, though, that he or Jose (see above) are the best sources of that information. ÿ