From gars@netcom.com Wed May 7 02:21:31 1997 Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 20:43:22 -0700 From: Gary Night Owl To: Internet Recipients of Wotanging Ikche Subject: Wotanging Ikche--nanews05.019 _ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' O ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ O o O / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' O o O / /-< / /--/ /-- VOLUME 05, ISSUE 019 O o o o o O __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, 10 May 1997 O o O KANOHEDA ANIYVWIYA Otapi'sin Atsinikiisinaakssin O o O Es'te Opunvk'vmucvse Aunchemokauhettittea O ( N A T I V E A M E R I C A N N E W S ) This issue contains articles from Nat-Film, Triballaw & Sovernet-L lists; UUCP email; Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty; Newsgroups: alt.native,alt.consciousness,alt.dreams,alt.activism, soc.culture.native,alt.meditation,alt.pagan,apc.indig.info, alt.penpals.forty-plus-yrs 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 may be subscribed to via email by sending a request from your own internet addressable account to gars@netcom.com ++ It is archived at http://www.nanews.org 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 Borries Demeler all _Wotanging_Ikche_ (part a) submissions to AISESnet are archived under AISESnet and can be accessed easily by World Wide Web: 1994: http://aises.uthscsa.edu/94_dis.html 1995: http://aises.uthscsa.edu/95_dis.html 1996: http://aises.uthscsa.edu/96_dis.html 1997: http://aises.uthscsa.edu/97_dis.html This is a searchable index to the AISESnet Discussion mailing list database archive, and the keyword "Wotanging" will retrieve all issues for that year. "Friends, my attachment to my native land is strong -- that chord is now broken; and we must go forth as wanderers in a strange land! I must go -- let me entreat you to regard us with feelings of kindness, and when the hand of oppression is stretched against us, let me hope that every part of the United States, filling the mountains and valleys, will echo and say stop." __ Chief George Harkins, Choctaw +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | 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! There is no "usual" Part B to this issue. I have received no new postings from the Native-L listserver. Part A has been divided to facilitate transfer and distribution through various gateways. Those of you who have contacted this newsletter or myself through the gars@genie.com account please use gars@netcom.com instead. The genie account is being closed and it is my understanding mail sent there will simply fall into a black hole, and no bounce or ping will be returned to the sender. Natives throughout Turtle Island are being assaulted. The trials against Defenders of Shuswap in Canada, the determined effort by Mexico to eliminate the ELZN, New York State's violation of treaties with the Seneca Nation to force collection of taxes are but a few, very few, of the many, very many, violations of Native rights. Recently, a friend came very close to death's door. I passed on a piece of advice elders gave me when I had been similarly spared injury this past November in an accident that should have resulted in fatal or near-fatal injury; and I will share it with readers now. "There is a message in your survival. Pray, pray hard. Give thanks, and seek to understand why you have been spared. Ignore the petty issues of those who are driven by ego, and reach out to help your brothers and sisters." There is some good news! Dr. Clarence Siroky, State Vet of Montana has been fired by the Governor. The Montana Department of Livestock has formally announced there will be no further shooting of the buffalo from Yellowstone! For this let us send thanks on behalf of the Buffalo Nation. Aho! Peace! Night Owl , , Gary Night Owl gars@netcom.com (*,*) P. O. Box 672168 gars@nanews.org (`-') Marietta, GA 30067, U.S.A. gars@igc.apc.org ===w=w=== gars@bellsouth.net Fax: 770-528-9643 gars@juno.com ----------- News of the people featured in this issue ---------- Part A: Usenet and e-mail - Latest Attack on Native Warriors - James Pitawanakwat's Summation - ICWA Amendments - Crown Summation - Interesting Sovereignty Case - Gustafsen: Mainstream News - Mattaponi Reservoir - BIA Armed Intervention - New Moon Prayer - New York State Broken Treaties - Thoughts on Canada & First People - Chief Schindler writes President - Trudell's Judi Bari Speech - Indian School Joins Walk - Historical Opinion - From Delyla Wilson - A Hundred Years Ago - Yellowstone Buffalo - Poem: Something is Wrong - Reservations - Verse: Hawaiian Book of Days - IAIA Federal Funding - Conferences and Powwows --------- "RE: James Pitawanakwat's Summation" --------- Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 16:31:38 -0500 From: "S.I.S.I.S." Subj: Gustafsen: James Pitawanakwat's summation :-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-: May 1, 1997 [James Pitawanakwat is one of 18 indigenous traditionalists and supporters currently on trial in Canada for defending sacred Sundance grounds from attacks by cowboys and over 400 heavily armed police and and army troops. More information on the Ts'peten (Gustafsen Lake) trial can be found at http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/gustmain.html -- S.I.S.I.S.] -------------------------------------------- This is my defence. I have composed a statement to show where my state of mind is. I release another arrow. --------------------------------------- by James (Eyabay) Pitawanakwat, aka: OJ Our people were seen as equals before the Indian Act. My people fought hard with the crown of Great Britain. When the British victory over France was declared, a Royal Proclamation was issued to all British colonies, including Canada. It instructed colonial officials that Indian nations were not to be molested in their possession or enjoyment of their unceded traditional territories. The proclamation recognized that the first Nations were the rightful occupants of the territory now called Canada. Respect the rights of the people to govern themselves without interference. This respect was not charity. The Proclamation of 1763 did not create aboriginal land rights. It acknowledged them as pre-existing. This is told by our elders. Our people were put here to protect our sacred Mother, the land. We were placed on this land by the Creator, with a responsibility to care for her creation. By living this way, we cared for the Earth. For our brothers and sisters in the animal world and for each other. Fulfilling these responsibilities meant we governed ourselves. Canada can only be complete through respect for our rights. Our identities and rights as distinct peoples flow from our relationship with the land and aboriginal title. And this flows from before pre- Confederation period to present. Our relationship with the Crown is one of allies and of equals. Despite this reality, our relationship as equals is not respected and the promises made in the treaties have been consistently breached by the Canadian Governments. Each nation had its own defined territory, language, spiritual practices, economic institutions. It was not vacant or empty. It was not new. It was ancient. We have always been here on this land we call Turtle Island, on our homelands given to us by the Creator, and we have a responsibility to care for and live in harmony with all of her creations. We believe that the responsibility to care for this land was given to us by our Creator, the Great Spirit. It is a sacred obligation, which means the first people must care for all of her creation in fulfilling this responsibility. We have carried this responsibility since long before the immigrants came to our homeland. Each of the seasons brought with it celebrations and reflections through ceremonies and social events. Especially in the summer when the weather was good. Extended families gathered together to honour those who had passed on the year before, and participated in ceremonies like the Sundance and the Ghostdance, potlatches. We practised our spirituality or religion, which is in fact very simple: honour all living creation and maintain our balance of nature. This is told by our elders. Since the arrival of newcomers we faced a holocaust. We struggled to maintain our cultures and distinct societies. We have to hold on to what our destiny is. Our ancestors roamed the plains, the mountains, woodlands. They hunted the woods, fished the fresh and salt waters that are now Canada. The spirits of our people are written on the land. Our land. Their blood stained the sand fighting oppression. We cannot tell a story of somewhere else, we are this place. Our struggle is not about power or greed, it is about understanding and taking responsibility for the land. We see what is being done. A stop has to be done. Violating our sacred mother and the children has been done. The white man calls destruction "progress". More profoundly, we have suffered because of policies geared towards assimilating us and making us conform to the expectations of the growing dominant society that has been built around us. At the time of confederation more than 125 years ago, we had been so weakened and isolated as people that we had very little economic or military strength to ward off what was to come, namely the further dispossession of our sacred mother. Our land and resources. Canada has been built on this history and it has not yet faced its legacy. We have never surrendered our right to be ourselves. We have never abandoned our right to live on our land. Our responsibility for Mother Earth continues. We have been reduced spiritually, culturally and politically. This has been unjust - we have done nothing wrong, except to be who we are, drawing upon our ancient history. This dominance in Canada continues to be the reality of our lives. Too often we define ourselves in relation to this dominance. Our oppression by Canada has taken over our lives and now we must find ways to resist. The descendants of the people who arrived here five hundred years ago took it upon themselves to forge a constitution without us. It became the BNA Act. The federal government gave itself the power over Indians and lands reserved for the Indians "willfully blinding themselves to pre- existing laws that protect us. They did not ask us if we agreed. It just assumed power over our peoples. We must ask ourselves, By what right did they get that power and how have they used it. Canada used its physical power over us, illegally, unconstitutionally, in its own selfish interest. The consequences of that kind of power are oppression and disregard to the first nations peoples' interests. Parliament decided it was to them to decide who is and who is not an Indian. The Indian Act still makes distinctions between Indians and persons. We are in a struggle internally to decolonize ourselves. For many generations our voices were taken away from us and we were told we were unchristian, savages and godless heathens. Our ceremonies and beliefs have been attacked. We know that the Indian Act was passed to control our rights to mobility, particularly in western Canada. It was to break up our traditions and families. Why should we uphold that false law and accept the right of other people to maintain a system of dominance over us? We remember this treatment. Our elders have endured this unfair treatment. We have never relinquished our rights and family values. The Indian Act attempted to destroy many of the basic beliefs of our societies. In beautiful B.C. the potlatch, like the sweatlodge was banned. These ceremonies are a very sophisticated and complex system. The potlatch was hosted by a chief's family. It forged alliances. Clan blankets were worn and songs sung. It is highly symbolic in sharing identity. It was about extending the circle of friendship and gratefulness. Why was the potlatch banned? Was it because the potlatch was seen as pagan, ungodly? The Canadian state authorized the missionaries to stop the potlatch and seized sacred objects and sold them to museums of the world to be displayed as part of the "lost" cultures of North America. What happened to the Proclamation that is still the law of Canada? The Indian Act made our sacred Sundance illegal. It also made the longhouse governments of our Iroquois relatives illegal, stopped the feast for the dead of my people the Ottawa. Many of these ceremonies went underground for many generations. If oppression is our inheritance from Canada, what did we do to deserve this? How did we treat the newcomers from the beginning? When the Europeans arrived they had no land, no shelter, they were barely alive after their long voyages. Since early contact the newcomers relied heavily on our goodwill and protection for their survival in an alien land with a harsh climate. We as first nations have always wanted friendship. Policies devised by the federal and Provincial governments. Policies made it difficult for us to live our lives with dignity and respect in our own homelands. Policies killed, and continue to kill us, or drive us mad or into despair from the injustice. No oppressive regime continues forever, and we will struggle to end it in this country. Although we have had to endure these injustices, we are still here. Because we believe in who we are. The international community is watching Canada, and would applaud an end to Canada's dominant control over the lives of First Nations. Our elders remember agreements with the people of the colonial era. The flag of B.C. is one of them. The two-row wampum of Iroquois Confederacy committed us to a relationship of peaceful co-existence where the First Nations and Europeans would travel in parallel paths down the symbolic river in their own vessels which signifies "one river, two vessels", committed the newcomers to travel in their vessel and not attempt to interfere with our voyage. The two vessels would travel down the river of life in parallel courses and would never interfere with each other. It was a co-living agreement. The two-row wampum captures the original values that governed our relationship - equality, respect and a sharing of the river we travel on. We must steer our own vessels. This is our sacred responsibility given to us by the Creator when we were put here on Turtle Island. As peoples with distinct cultures, languages, traditional governments, territories and populations in Canada, our homeland. I have a spiritual authority to speak for us. Deal with First Nations as equals and end the legacy of dominance that is as outdated as slavery. My hope is that if we can draw upon the wisdom of the old ways and our traditional values, we will have the strength we need. The old ways are the ways of our elders, their wisdom, knowledge and kindness. The elders teach us that these are most important. That their are the ways of the warrior, and lead to good relations. We, as people should relate to each other in the spirit of harmony. We must stay true to the traditional teachings. And restore the respect to women in their rightful position of honour in our Nations. If we embrace our traditional values of respect, compassion, under standing and sharing, and if we apply these values in our relations with each other, they will keep us united and will strengthen our warriors wherever they are. Our Ways of the Warriors, we will approach other people in Canada in the way our ancestors did, with generosity. But we will also resist continued exploitation and dominance. We are frustrated by the injustices done to our people. The imbalance in our relationship between Canadian governments and First Nations. I live with what I saw in the show of force against my people. The governments brought into play a new level of racial contempt and raised the level of racial intolerance and mistrust in this country. We as Native people should be able to celebrate success, victories and progress. We should not be placed in a position where we are grieving all the time due to one injustice after another. Gustafsen symbolizes a continuation of a classic historical dominance called genocide. Our spiritual Elders across Turtle Island teach us that love and compassion are the substance of human respect and understanding. Resistance can be passive. I reject the path of violence. But our collective actions were self-defence. Our Elders remind us that we have a rich heritage and tradition of peaceful co-existence. It is my duty to our ancestors to maintain our stolen lands and keep these traditions for the benefit of present and future generations. The British Crown made alliances with my people. The First Nations were not "conquered". We still have our sovereign nations. The warriors sense is not of confrontation, it offers dignity and does not dishonour anyone. The Warriors sense is about protecting our children from abuse. Stopping tyranny. And about mending broken promises. Traditional society was based upon the principle of consensus. The First Nations do not want the DIA to have control over us any more. We are talking about sovereignty for our people and lands. There is something fundamentally wrong with this country if it cannot recognize the pre-existing rights of the people who were here before Newcomers. Part of our struggle is to deny the Indian Act. But Parliament is not the only problem for us; another is the courts. During this occupation at Gustafsen the Canadian government acted as lawyer, Judge and Jury over our claims. The government has yet to adequately address its own conflict of interests to our claims. The government is, after all, supposed to be trustee for the best interests of the First Nations. The Crown took a hostile position towards these first Nation people in this courtroom. All evidence indicates this. Particularly to the warriors of this family for their acts of defiance. Asking for a peaceful resolution process that is independent from the government. The government has refused to make a commitment to an independent third party resolution process. They violated the concept of equality guaranteed in the Royal Proclamation. A serious breach of obligation to First Nations. Our Elders and leaders want to do something for our children. I think it's important to pour out my feelings so people will have an idea what I think, who I am. And how I believe we can work together to heal our people. I know we have problems, serious social problems like family violence, abuse and suicide, residue from long term plans, residential schools. The mistreatment of first Nations peoples in the Canadian criminal justice system is overwhelming. The statistics speak for themselves. The injustices experienced lost the respect and support by the public and first Nations. For example the problems related to poverty and racism, low self-esteem and suicide are related to the fact that first Nations are not treated fairly by Canadian society. There is absolutely no justification - none whatsoever in a wealthy country like Canada. Our poverty is the most extreme in Canada. A result of the Indian Act. The Elders help me stay strong. It is even less easy to be a First Nations child in Canada because that almost guarantees that you are living in poverty. The enormous pain, despair felt by these children is beyond description. Suicides, attempted suicides and alcohol and solvent abuse are rampant in Native communities across the country. Canadian government has known about our poverty and problems for many years but has done little to address it. For one hundred years they have been told they have no land rights, no resources. The Indian Act made it illegal for our people to hire lawyers to protect our land rights or treaty rights. Until recently, we could not challenge the injustices done to our people in the courts. The Act has undermined the practices of all first nations. This faceless beast has caused great grief and injustices throughout its history. Fundamental principles must be adopted, and respect for our inherent aboriginal title and treaty rights. I want all of our children to have dreams - not bad dreams, but good dreams. Dreams about what they want to become in the future. Their dreams are my dreams. A Quest for freedom. A commitment to ending colonialism. So we all share a struggle for self-determination. We have all been exposed to the Beast that is distorted and unbalanced. It has a history that is premised upon the denial of our human dignity. The price for us has been enormous. We had to endure the silence and not speak of the beast called Genocide, Oppression, the banning of traditions and customs, wars, government policies, disease. The faceless beast has many faces. The most dangerous face is the one that comes with a smile. I have a destiny to pick up my arrows and plunge them into the mouth of the beast that devours our children. A stance had to be made. I had to draw strength from our pride and spirit, to ensure our existence. We have our ancestors to thank because they kept alive our religion and cultures even when these were deemed uncivilized. Most of our people here are involved in movements: they seek freedom. The right to maintain their identity and live on their land and to break free from the chains of colonialism. We know that our future survival depends on our present abilities to secure not only our lands, but also the recognition of our inherent right of self-rule. The world is nearing the brink of destruction, propelled by the same materialistic forces that allowed the colonial powers to view the indigenous people and their lands as objects for exploitation. Some native tribes of Eastern Canada became victims of European contact. They suffered a genocide and will never walk this Earth again. Native nations who have been victims of genocide, condemn the government of acts of genocide but their ears go deaf. We know campaigns of genocide are waged today. Look and listen! Native nations here in B.C. are determined to draw attention to governments that have carried out and continue to carry out campaigns of brutality and violence against them for protecting burial sites and peoples. Think about what we are doing to this planet. The people who can help us are the native people regarding their relationship with the land. We do not exploit natural resources. We preserve them. Exploitation! That endangers our common survival and the survival of future generations who are relying on us to preserve mother Earth for them. We called upon the Prime Minister to help us? What happens, he signs an order to send in the bisons then says the deficit. We believe people have forgotten the importance of protecting the environment for future generations. We need access to our land and resources, given that the majority of our people still earn their living by hunting, trapping, fishing and gathering. The idea that North America was vacant and thus settlers could come and take all they wanted is obviously untrue. Some of our treaties date from an era when provinces were not powerful forces. Not all treaties deal with lands. In some cases the provinces did not even exist. Like B.C.: most of B.C. is still unceded Native territory. My elders teach us that the treaties and agreements did not extinguish Indian title. The British crown's goal was to gain friendship and alliance with the first nations. Today the Crown has acted in a seemingly willful manner to undermine agreements and Laws and treaties that protect the first nations from oppressive forces. Those wounds cannot be healed until we do something. All we were doing was exercising our right under International Law, that right was: when disputes arise, submit any disputes to international bodies and/or to Queen Anne's privy council or Queen Anne's court. The quest for resources by the provincial government stonewalled our demands. Mass suicides in native communities and armed confrontations are the only time when they open their eyes. The illusion of reality is all in Canadian minds. Business as usual. Progress. Their objective is to defang any resistance and steal all what's ours. The reason why the white man went to the moon is because he heard we had land up there. Our societies and culture are older than Canada. Our Elders want an end to assimilation and the misery of poverty. The only real opportunity for first nations peoples to start on the road to recovery is to persuade the Canadian public and governments to respect us and our lands not just as individuals but as distinct peoples with traditional territories that is still rich with natural resources. Who are part of the family of the human race. As Chief Seattle told us many years ago, "the Earth does not belong to man, Man belongs to the Earth. This we know: all things are connected. Like the blood that unites one family. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it". I have children. I see the sparkles in their eyes. I remember that once I had sparkles in my eyes. Those sparkles died because there was no hope for change, poverty crushes the spirit. I don't want my kids' dreams shattered. So I have to listen to the Elders of my generation, and I take their advice very seriously. I want to heal my people and my country, restoring balance and harmony. This is my role as a warrior. The Canadian legal system, it does not work for us, all my people seek is Freedom, the opportunity and capacity to exercise our inherent jurisdiction and self-governing and Justice within our traditional territories. For us that is Justice, this is a reality. We must resist to ensure future generations survive. For the most of five hundred years, Natives have been fighting defensively for their right to exist - for their freedom, their lands, their means of livelihood, their organization and societies, their beliefs, their ways of life, their personal security, their very lives. Those who still remain after so many generations of physical and cultural genocide continue to be oppressed by problems; most of them are created to deny and continue to deny Indians their rights, desires and the ability to build better societies for themselves. This ain't a new fighting spirit, it's been with us. It comes out after mass injustices done to our ancestors who are sleeping. Our existence is here because of resistance. Ever since the white man reached the new world, he has seen or recognized Indian problems, not recognizing that he created them himself. Twenty-five thousand years of Native history cultures cannot and could not be shed at the white man's command. Land, dignity and the means of existence were all robbed by governments. The Whites, with few exceptions, never listen. In their minds the Indians were stereotypes, savages, uncivilized. So they tried forcing them into the mainstream of the dominant culture's way of life. Intent on ridding the native nations of the native way of life. My people the Ottawa midewin lodge people have thrown out the electoral system under the Indian Act. We all have the jurisdiction to protect our people from genocide. Sovereignty is the issue, Canada's the problem. Honour the Royal Proclamation of 1763. Ceremonies like the Sundance need to be protected from cultural genocide. This is the basis of my resistance. We are not militants or terrorists. We are warriors to our people. Our families. Our generations yet to come. If I was asked "if it was worth it" I would answer "I know how my ancestors felt, YES." It was worth it. I thank the Great Spirit. All my relations. We all must relate to Mother Earth to heal what's being done. I believe this then and I believe this now. James Pitawanakwat (Eyabay) :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 ==>>NEW EMAIL : WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html SOVERNET-L is a news-only listserv concerned with indigenous sovereigntist struggles around the world. To subscribe, send "subscribe sovernet-l" in the body of an email message to For more information on sovernet-l, contact S.I.S.I.S. --------- "RE: Crown Summation" --------- Date: Sun, 4 May 1997 18:50:44 -0500 From: "S.I.S.I.S." Subj: Gustafsen: Crown summation (Vancouver Sun, May 2, 1997) :-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-: [Please note: The following mainstream news article may contain information which is misleading or inaccurate. It is provided for reference only -- S.I.S.I.S.] The Vancouver Sun - Friday May 2 Page B4 Kim Pemberton Participants in an armed stand-off with police at Gustafsen Lake must have known lives were being placed in danger, a prosecutor said Thursday. Lance Bernard made the comment in his closing statement at the trial of 18 men and women facing charges ranging from mischief to attempted murder. "All of the accused knew what was going on--they were part of an armed stand-off," he said of the month-long confrontation near 100 Mile House in the Interior. "An armed stand-off is not the kind of event that just happens. There was a conspiracy to commit this mischief." The standoff began the summer of 1995 when native Indians and their supporters refused to leave after being told to get off private land. Bernard told the jury people in the camp shot at RCMP officers on five days. He noted camp leader Jones Ignace, also known as Wolverine, was videotaped while saying any police attempt to arrest anyone would be taken as an "official act of war." "That's a very strong piece of evidence to show they are setting up an armed encampment," Bernard said. He said Ignace, one of two people charged with the most serious offence of attempted murder, was seen in another video telling others in the camp " we're not going to go peacefully." Ignace was also heard saying the participants in the standoff faced a choice of leaving in bodybags or doing 20 years in a federal prison. "No one's going to tell you to put your weapons down. Forget that. It's over," Ignace is heard saying on a tape that was replayed for jurors on the final days of the 10-month trial. Bernard also said there was "overwhelming" evidence to prove people in the camp were armed with assault rifles, other types of rifles and a pipe bomb. Everyone in camp knew police were trying to get them to leave. "But these people remain in solidarity and support of one another," he said. As for the evidence Ignace called during the trial in an attempt to show the land on which the camp was located belongs to natives, Bernard said jurors need not spend a lot of time deliberating that issue. "The laws of BC and Canada do apply and the person or company registered on title as the property is deemed to be the owner. It's that simple," he said. Bernard said the owner clearly is rancher Lyle James, who had served native Indians in July 1994 with a trespass notice after they refused to leave the property. In the past, James had allowed Indians to hold ceremonies on the land. Crown counsel are expected to complete their summations today. The court hears that those who joined in the armed stand-off must have known that lives were being placed in danger. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Letters to the Vancouver Sun -=-=-Defend Indigenous Sovereignty-=-=-Stop Canadian Colonialism-=-=- Free the Wolverine Campaign Spokespeople: Splitting the Sky - Phone/Fax: (604) 543-9661 Bill Lightbown - Phone: (604) 251-4949 :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 ==>>NEW EMAIL : WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html SOVERNET-L is a news-only listserv concerned with indigenous sovereigntist struggles around the world. To subscribe, send "subscribe sovernet-l" in the body of an email message to For more information on sovernet-l, contact S.I.S.I.S. --------- "RE: Gustafsen: Mainstream News" --------- Date: Sun, 4 May 1997 18:56:16 -0500 From: "S.I.S.I.S." Subj: Gustafsen: Mainstream, April 29, 1997 :-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-: The (Vancouver) Province newspaper, Tuesday, April 29, 1997, Page A4c Title: Native fault cops, 'conspiracy' By Holly Horwood, staff reporter The RCMP's actions at Gustafsen Lake amounted to a "Canadian civil war" in which lies, conspiracy and brutal armed muscle were used, a defence lawyer told a Surrey court yesterday. Manual Azevedo also told B.C. Supreme Court jurors that the RCMP were motivated by racism during the 1995 month-long standoff with armed native Indian supporters. "If these was a conspiracy, it was not on the part of the accused," Azevedo said during final arguments in the nine-month trial. "It was on the part of the RCMP and their political masters to once and for all crush this revival of Indian culture at Gustafsen Lake. They were going to go right to the prime minister... This case went to the highest authorities, and that's where the conspiracy lay." Azevedo, who represents spiritual singer Glenn Denault, said there was no criminal intent on the part of those who claimed the Gustafsen ranchland as native territory. He said the police operation spiralled out of control after Aug. 18, 1995, when the RCMP called off the two native negotiators: "At that point the racism which has been institutionalized and is systemic in some institutions took over... it was a victory of tanks over talk." He said RCMP overstepped legal and moral bounds when police: o Conducted covert raids on the native encampment. o Lied to the public about criminal records of those in the camp. o Refused to respond immediately to calls for help from encampment members. o Amassed military-style weaponry, including automatic, high-powered sniper guns and armoured personnel carriers. o Shot at (but missed) a native in an agreed-upon "no-shoot zone." Camp patriarch Jones Ignace, 63, also known as Wolverine, told the court the real issue of native rights has been ignored in the case. "We stood up against the best they had," said Ignace, who is charged with attempted murder after he shot out the wheels of an armoured tank that was chasing him. "Just a few people, and yet we're called terrorists.. . in our own homeland." Crown counsel presents its arguments today. THE CASE ACCUSED: Fourteen native Indians and four non-native supporters. The charges range from mischief and weapons offences to attempted murder of police officers. STANDOFF: In the Cariboo. The month-long siege in the summer of 1995 ended peacefully on Sept. 17. ISSUES: Natives who had permission since 1989 from rancher Lyle James to conduct a "Sundance" spiritual ceremony on the land lingered on. Issues of land entitlement escalated as RCMP called in military weapons and denounced camp supporters as terrorists. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Letters to The Province: :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 ==>>NEW EMAIL : WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html SOVERNET-L is a news-only listserv concerned with indigenous sovereigntist struggles around the world. To subscribe, send "subscribe sovernet-l" in the body of an email message to For more information on sovernet-l, contact S.I.S.I.S. --------- "RE: BIA Armed Intervention" --------- Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 08:00:08 -0700 (PDT) From: Glenn Gehring Subj: BIA armed intervention-Cherokee Nation Mailing List: TRIBALLAW (triballaw@thecity.sfsu.edu) I am writing to inform you of a situation of utmost importance to Cherokee Nation, and all Indian Nations. Most of you are probably aware of the situation, but it is getting worse. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has officially ordered Cherokee Marshals to vacate their offices and cease all law enforcement activities within a week. I am hoping you will take action in attempts to prevent the BIA police from participating in the illegal removal of the marshals and the three justices that comprise our highest court. Before I provide more details, I need to briefly inform you of who I am, and my interest in this issue. I am an ordinary tribal member with no tribal political affiliations. As such, last Friday I drove to Tahlequah, Oklahoma from Ohio where I am a student at the Ohio State University. I went to witness Saturday's impeachment or "court of removal" proceedings. I was shocked and appalled by what I witnessed. This illegal court action, and federal armed intervention, compelled me to seek your help in this issue. This situation began when Principal Chief Joe Byrd came under suspicion for misappropriation of tribal money. It is uncontested that he spent approximately $750,000 of tribal money with his brother-in-law's law firm. This and other questionable transactions prompted the tribal court to grant the request for a search warrant to seize documents from Chief Byrd's office. The Cherokee Marshals executed the warrant. Minutes later, Chief Byrd fired the Cherokee Marshals and the Tribal Prosecutor. Cherokee Nation's highest court, the Judicial Appeals Tribunal, issued an order that the firings were unconstitutional and they must be reinstated. Chief Byrd refused. Contempt of court and other charges resulting from the documents were filed against Chief Byrd and high level administrators. The Cherokee Marshals moved to the Cherokee courthouse where they serve without pay, and Chief Byrd hired new Cherokee Marshals who would be loyal to him. The Cherokee Constitution requires two thirds (10) of the fifteen council members be present for a quorum to exist. Eight Tribal Council members voted to request BIA police be sent to Cherokee Nation without a quorum being present. They also voted to begin impeachment proceedings against the justices. The Judicial Appeals Tribunal later ruled the meeting unconstitutional due to a lack of a quorum. Nevertheless, Ms. Deer of the BIA agreed to send the BIA police, and a date was set for impeachment proceedings. When I attended the "court of removal," armed BIA police were numerous, armed, and very visible. The impeachment proceedings or "court of removal" initially consisted of nine council members, with the ninth stating for the record that the court of removal lacks authority and a quorum. He then refused to participate in the illegal action and left the council chambers leaving eight of the fifteen council members present. The Cherokee Constitution requires a two-thirds majority to impeach. The eight council members changed the rules and said that only a simple majority was needed. There was no defense as the Judicial Appeals Court had already ruled the proceedings unconstitutional and the justices refused to attend. Consequently, it was a "presentation" instead of a court. Even so, they failed to convince me as I searched for substance in their accusations. Nevertheless, they voted eight to zero to impeach the justices. Chief Byrd's spokesperson stated Byrd will soon appoint new justices. Now, the BIA is participating in an illegal attempt to take over our highest court. To put this simply, Principal Chief Joe Byrd came under investigation and fired those investigating him, those prosecuting him, and those who would judge him. Then Byrd subsequently appointed people in those positions who would be loyal to him. For the BIA police to participate in this travesty of justice would be a crime to the Cherokee People, and all Indian Peoples. Please understand that if the illegal marshals, under the orders of an illegal court, along with the BIA police, attempt to execute illegal orders against the legitimate justices and marshals, it may provoke and incite a seriously dangerous situation. It may also set precedence for this kind of action elsewhere. Please help prevent this attempted takeover of Cherokee Nation's highest court by becoming actively involved. Please write President Clinton, Bruce Babbitt, Ada Deer, and anyone else you can think of, to tell them the BIA police should not assist in any enforcement actions against any segment of Cherokee Nation's government. Also, tribal members of Cherokee Nation can sign a referendum petition. Please e-mail me and I'll fax a copy of the petition. Our Constitution must be given time to work. Your Nation may be next! Sincerely, Glenn Gehring Tribal member -- Cherokee Nation (Opinion is my own) --------- "RE: New York State Broken Treaties" --------- Date: Mon, 05 May 1997 07:11:18 -0600 From: taiyi@rocketmail.com Subj: New York State at "WAR" with Indians Due to Broken Treaties Newsgroups: alt.native,alt.consciousness,alt.dreams,alt.activism, soc.culture.native,alt.meditation,alt.pagan,alt.penpals.forty-plus-yrs 3:47 AM 5/5/97 - cc: CNN Good morning: Please forgive the crossposts, but there has been absolutely *no* national, and very little local news coverage of these events. It is imperative that the word gets out! Please forward this to any contacts you have. The media will not become interested until enough people begin to ask, "what's the story here?" Thank-you for your help. ------------------------------------------------------------------ To the media: There seems to be a conspiracy of silence regarding the breaking of treaty, police action, and subsequent uprising at the Cattaraugus and Allegheny Indian reservations in New York. It comes as no surprise to most Native Americans that Treaties are still being broken in the year 1997. It would be wonderful if the institution of governmental racism and actions taken to intentionally cause harm to indigenous people of our own country received the worldwide coverage given to other countries, as does racism directed at other groups in our society, but that is virtually never the case. We hear about Bosnian factions, apartheid in South Africa, Chechnyans in Russia, disenfranchised American Blacks and Hispanics; the list goes on... Perhaps the media ignores the plight of the Indian because there are so few of us, but the fact is that the systematic efforts of government to eradicate Native people *do* exist. Perhaps we do not receive attention from the media because when we are gone, America will not have to face the shame of 400 years of slaughter and broken Treaties that constitute the invisible principles upon which this "Great Nation" was built. A young Onondaga Indian living on a Seneca Reservation in Western New York State has been trying to disseminate the news of this latest governmental action via the internet. If not for her, I would not have heard of this. This truth fails to surprise me. Is there any doubt this story deserves national attention? These are her words. I have removed identifying remarks and headings in order to protect her. She has put herself in harm's way: Dated: Sat, 03 May 1997 13:58:26 -0700 It is always a good sign when people can think openly. One of the reasons I was looking through profiles keyword Native American is because I am an Onondaga Indian living on a Seneca Reservation in Western New York. For the last 4 weeks we have been at "war" with NY State. Gov. Pataki has stopped shipments of gas and cigarettes to native merchants on the reservation because we refuse to charge sales tax and pay it to NY State. You see, being indigenous to these lands, we have treaties that state we are a sovereign land and subject to federal law and Seneca nation law, NOT NY State law. NY State is in violation of these treaties. Our nation was held captive last Monday April 21st, surrounded by state troopers, who wouldn't let people on or off the reservation. This included children trying to get to school, people trying to get to work, and 2 dialysis patients. It is a violation of state law. Because all the smoke shops and gas stations have been forced to close down, there are now 800 adults out of work out of a population of 2,000. This is a disaster. We have held rallies. Peace marches. Sent 2 buses of protesters to the state capital. The Gov.. told our President, Michael Schinler, last Wednesday morning that we could come to an agreement whereby the Seneca Nation would become wholesaler and distributor to the Native retailers, keeping the prices competitive, but with the Seneca Nation keeping the difference to improve the reservation (we are building schools, and already have preK-3rd, and Elderly housing), but by evening the Gov. said "no deal," and even implied that our President was lying about what was said between them. (No I'm not surprised) I am writing to make you aware of what is happening here and to ask that you pass on the news, as we are getting no national coverage. Even when we shut down Interstate 90 last Sunday for 20 hours, the issues didn't get any coverage. The Interstate happens to run across our reservation as do telephone and gas lines. You probably haven't heard about this because there isn't any national coverage. I am asking people to help by calling these national news agencies to ask for coverage of the dispute between the Seneca's and New York State. ABC 212-456-7777 NBC 212-664-4444 CBS 212-975-3247 CNN (fax only) 404-681-3578 Also I ask that you call the White House Comment line. This is a phone service for average citizens to call and express there views on issues, it has an "issue menu" which doesn't include NY vs. the Senecas so you have to press 0 and talk to an aide. Please state that you have heard that New York State is violating Federal Treaties with the Seneca Indians and you would like the President to give it his attention. The number is 202-456-1414. The call should not take more than 3 minutes so the cost should be nominal. This, of course, is more than a tax issue. The issue is that we have a federal treaty and NY State needs to remember this: Native Americans, we exist, STILL, today!!! Thank-you for your time. Nawah Skano (I honor you. You are strong), (name removed to protect source) (PS: You can access one of our local TV web sites at www.wivb.com. Of course, it is slanted and incomplete but you can get a sense of what is going on.) (Author's note: I surfed the local TV web sites, including WVIB in Buffalo, NY, and, not surprisingly, found no mention any of this on their web pages.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dated: Sat, 3 May 97 18:53:08 +0000 All can be documented from local TV broadcasting (I the taped the local news) and newspaper clippings... <> To update you: the troopers are here in force still, at several points around our 2 reservations (Cattaraugus and Allegheny are about 20 miles apart), last night I was in Steamburg, a long forgotten railroad stop, with about 50-70 residents on the border of the Allegheny reservation, the Steamburg fire hall is being used as a command post. There were 35 trooper cruisers there and we understand that there are two patrols of 7 cars each that cruise that part of the border. So that would be 49 cars, or just under 100 troopers. That is just one of the outposts on the Allegheny reservation. On the Cattaraugus reservation, which has Interstate 90 running through it there are double the amount of troopers. Tuesday night 6 young Seneca men took part of the fire from the road side (the state only has the right-of-way 35 feet from the highway and we are burning back from that) and placed it in the median of highway 17. The troopers were watching and taking pictures with night vision equipment and saw what was going on. The young men had put bandanas on their faces to so they couldn't be identified. Within 10 minutes, just under 100 troopers swarmed down into the Indian encampment. This was reported in the Salamanca Press so it is documented. This fire has been burning since April 1st, and there are several Indians who have vowed to keep it burning until the State leaves. I usually take supplies to them such as propane and water. They also need wood because they will not burn tires. I wish there was a way to get this type of stuff donated to them. There have been so many people and even tribes that have written me back to me wanting to help... <> Today, Saturday, we had a protest in Buffalo and tomorrow we will protest the 2 Uni-marts that are still receiving gas and selling gas on the Allegheny reservation. They are allowed to operate because they are non-Native owned. There is a man in Maine named Tim Spotted Wolf who has a Native American radio show that is broadcast on the WWW Mondays 12:00-2:00. I have sent him copies of the newscasts and clippings and he has said he will start reporting on our situation this Monday. You have to download Real Audio to receive this broadcast. The broadcast originates from WRBC 91.5 FM - Radio at Bates College. I really am quite green at this (computing and the internet), so if you know a better way to get the news out than what I'm doing (individually e-mailing profiles of users that reflect an NA interest) let me know. -------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====----------------------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet --------- "RE: Chief Schindler writes President" --------- Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 18:20:45 -0500 From: "S.I.S.I.S." Subj: SENECA: Chief Schindler writes Pres. Clinton (fwd) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 12:03:16 -0400 (EDT) From: FirehairSS@aol.com :-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-: This has just come in, by FAX of the original. I hope you can send it on - if you want a FAX of the copy I have, please let me know, I'll send it to you. There are many who would want to see it, have no eMail capabilities. Without all the support possible, it is something that can happen to anyone of us---Indians, Indian Nations---or, should anyone so decide--all the rest. Contact your U.S. Representatives, whoever, please be heard. Mr. Schmidt (who originated the copy by FAX) quoted Ben Franklin --"Gentlemen, if we don't hang together now, we shall most assuredly hang separately." Firehair--Eastern Tribal People's Support and Coalition Grey Wolf - - Eastern Tribal Rights Assoc. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ April 27 1997 President William J. Clinton The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Clinton, As President of the Seneca Nation of Indians, I am requesting Federal intervention between the Seneca nation of Indians and the State of New York regarding New York's attempt to regulate our commerce within our territorial boundaries. The Attea decision only provides for the pre-collection of taxes on motor fuel and cigarette products sold to non-members. We, as a sovereign nation, maintain we have the right to regulate commerce within our own territorial boundaries as the Canandaigua Treaty of 1794 states"...Now the United States acknowledge all the lands within the aforementioned boundaries to be the property of the Seneca Nation; and the United States will never claim the same, NOR DISTURB THE SENECAS FREE USE AND ENJOYMENT THEREOF..."and the Buffalo Creek Compromise Treaty of 1842 which states: tat the Seneca lands are "...FREE from all tax", which the Seneca Nation of Indians signed with the United States of America. The following is a chronological summary of the events that have occurred since March 1977 which forms the basis for this request and illustrates the potential for further violence on the Seneca Territories, Cattaraugus, Allegheny and Oil Springs Reservations. Chronological Order: March 1997: Discussion between Governor Pataki's office and the Seneca Nation of Indians failed to formulate an agreement before April 1, 1997 deadline that would have allowed the continued sales of gasoline, cigarettes and other tobacco products be Seneca vendors. Reason: Senecas will not agree to language that allows New York State to receive sales and distribution information on a weekly basis. through information sharing our "books" would be open to the State which interferes with our Sovereign rights to self governance by regulating our own commerce within our territorial boundaries. This action indicates that New York State is assuming a paternal role and does not give full faith and credit to the Nation's ability to administer and regulate our enterprises and reservation business. The Seneca nation is in agreement to: 1) Implement it's own Wholesale and Distribution Law, and 2) increase sales prices on gas, cigarettes and other tobacco products; and 3) Maintain records of sales, including : amounts sold, receipts to Seneca businesses, with the intent to control abuses related to "boot legging" of said products. April 2,1997: New York State, through use of New York State Police force, stop and impound gasoline shipments destined to the Seneca Reservations. New York state police presence is excessive around the Cattaraugus and Allegheny Reservations. Within two weeks, tribal and individual gas stations are out of gas, employees are laid off, or hours reduced. April, 1997: New York State Police stated they were "attempting" to regulate traffic on Route 17 in Steamburg, NY. (Allegheny Reservation) while amateur video shown on all local news stations show that Officers had their backs to traffic and were observing a tire fire. Meanwhile, a non-native gentleman from Forestville, NY came around a corner at the speed limit where no State Police were directing traffic. His vehicle smashed into the back of another vehicle and exploded, he was killed instantly. State Police Major Perez alleged that it was due to having to remove debris placed on the highway by Seneca protestors. April 18, 1997: Seneca Nation is forced to lay off over 130 tribal employees as a direct result of loss of revenue from gas and cigarette sales. More layoffs and program cutbacks are expected. Tribal bingo operations report reduced attendance during this crisis, thus loss of more revenues. April 20, 1997: Non-Seneca supporters organized a peaceful protest for Sunday afternoon on the Cattaraugus Reservation. A peaceful protest march was planned for routes 5 & 20 in Irving, New York. Approximately 2000 Indian and non-Indian supporters attended this rally. As marchers walked down onto the New York State thruway, they are confronted by Major Pedro Perez, of the New York State Police. Major Perez attempted to block the marchers and told them to disband and get off the highway. As tempers flared on both sides, physical confrontation followed the verbal exchanges. Twelve (12) State Police and some marchers were injured in the scuffle. Pepper spray was used with the State Police blaming the marchers for using this product. Damages occurred to police vehicles, also. Marchers quickly retaliated by setting fires on the thruway, resulting in the closing of that road over night and similar activity on the Allegheny Reservation closed the route 17 expressway. An additional 300-400 State Police officers were brought into the Salamanca area and the Irving/Gowanda area. April 22, 1997: At 5:00 am, on April 21, 1997, New York State placed this nation under siege with the presence of well over 400 State Troopers which used excessive force to prohibit ingress and egress on our territories with roadblocks at major entrances, lives were jeopardized and civil rights were violated. The State Police and protesters clash in the early morning hours and several Seneca People, including defenseless women, were injured. One woman was knocked unconscious with head injuries inflicted by the State Police. The Cattaraugus Indian Reservation Volunteer Fire Department (CIRVFD) established a "staging area" at the Irving Indoor Arena. Attempts to respond to the injuries resulted in harassment and denial of access to the site at five (5) separate State Police check points. The North Collins ambulance crew attempted to respond and did finally get on site only to be told by the State Police that everything was okay and there were no injuries. State Police had removed the victim to one of the patrol cars and did not seek medical attention for over an hour for this unconscious woman. (Pam Pierce of Irving, NY) Later, Richard Jemison, a Tribal Councillor, was in an altercation with State Police and received a head injury. He was later processed on assault charges. A total of 24 People, mostly Senecas, were arrested and charged. State Police closed the roads to the Cattaraugus Reservation, denying residents passage to their dialysis treatments, doctors access to the health clinics and nurses denied access to their home health care patients. New York State Troopers stopped and searched school buses for weapons, frightening our 3 to 4 year old children and preventing our older children access to education. A Peacemaker Judge for the Cattaraugus Reservation when attempting to leave was told by a State Trooper that he might not be able to get back on the reservation after leaving. As a result, his scheduled court cases had to be cancelled on the Allegheny Reservation, interfering with his ability to conduct his duties. The Laidlaw busing company was denied access to pick up reservation students attending Lake Shore Central School. Silver Creek Central School did not send a bus to pick up reservation students and Gowanda Central School did not send a bus to pick up reservation students, Gowanda Central School closed for the day. On the Allegheny Reservation, Salamanca City schools remained open and utilized alternate routes available to pick up reservation students. By State Police blocking and closing transportation routes to the reservation, it caused further panic and frustration to the Seneca People. The Seneca Nation was informed that a delegation representing the governor's office would arrive in Dunkirk, New York at 4:00 pm wanting to meet Seneca officials, in hopes of resolving the violent and critical situation currently existing between New York and the Senecas. April 22, 1997: Again, State Police stop and search Seneca Nation Head Start buses which were picking up and transporting 3 & 4 year old children to the Head Start pre-school program on the reservation. These small children sat in fear while State Police questioned the drivers and searched for weapons. School buses were again refused entry from the Silver Creek School in the morning and tribal members were not allowed from one end of the reservation to the other as State Police maintained a road block at the thruway overpass on route 438, route 5 & 20. A delegation of Tribal Councilors agreed to meet with Pataki Delegation. Senecas informed the State that gasoline shipments this afternoon must not be impounded since this is for distribution to tribal members only. This action would help relieve some stress among tribal members who have suffered compounded losses since April 1st. A second action the Senecas and the State agreed to was to de-escalate the State Police presence on the Cattaraugus and Allegheny territories to levels prior to the confrontation on Sunday. The State agreed verbally to remove approximately 400 State Police. The Seneca nation promised to increase our deputy marshall force for Allegheny and Cattaraugus territories and work co-operatively with New York State Police to maintain peace within our boundaries. Including stopping the demonstrations and fires along highways and the N.Y.S. Thruway. On the Allegheny reservation, at 9:15 a.m., 81 students staged a walk out from the Salamanca Central School district MIddle and High School in protest of New York's attempt to collect taxes. This included about 64% Native American Students and 36% non-Native supporters. Students congregated at a location along route 17 expressway and started fires and held protest signs. Parents and community members worked quickly to disperse the protest fearing the State Police would retaliate against our children with physical force. No confrontation resulted between the Senecas and State Police regarding this incident. However, the children's actions served as an alarm to parents, school officials and school administration realizing the need to work with our children and help bring them through this crisis. The Seneca Nation and its residents were under siege by New York State Police on Monday morning through Tuesday afternoon April 21-22, 1997. Through a meeting with state representatives and Seneca officials the Seneca nation established control over activities within the tribal boundaries as long as New York state Police forces are reduced. However, the state of affairs between the Seneca nation of Indians and New York State is fragile and the potential for violence and possible loss of human life is very real since no real progress has been made to resolve the underlying issue of New York State's infringement on our sovereignty. As President of the Seneca nation, I am urging you to immediately honor this request for your intervention to assist the Seneca Nation and New York State in resolving this major issue without bloodshed. Urgently submitted, Michael W. Schindler, President SENECA NATION OF INDIANS cc: John Emerson, Deputy Assistant to the President Janet Reno, Attorney General, Dept. of Justice Benjamin Knighthorse Campbell, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Senator Louise Slaughter U.S. Congresswoman :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 ==>>NEW EMAIL : WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html SOVERNET-L is a news-only listserv concerned with indigenous sovereigntist struggles around the world. To subscribe, send "subscribe sovernet-l" in the body of an email message to For more information on sovernet-l, contact S.I.S.I.S. --------- "RE: Indian School Joins Walk" --------- From: "EREC - Fort, Don" Subj: FW: Indian School Joins "Walk to Save Ou Date: Fri, 02 May 97 05:06:00 PDT UUCP email For Immediate Release May 1, 1997 Contact: Paula Rabideaux N.E.P.E.W. Nations for the Environmental Protection of Earth's Waters (Eve) (414) 906-0431 Indian Community School Joins the "Walk To Save Our Waters" (Milwaukee, WI) On Friday, May 2, 1997 at 9:00am., the "Walk to Save Our Waters" which began April 26 at the farm where the white buffalo calf was born and has been heading towards Milwaukee, will enter the Milwaukee area Friday morning. Dewey Schanandore, the Menominee leading the walk, will come through Milwaukee by way of Blue Mound Road and head up State Street where it will meet at the Indian Community School at 3121 W. State St. A meal and gathering are scheduled for 9:00 a.m. where the children of the school, 250+ will be anxiously waiting for the walk. After the meal Mr. Schanandore will talk with the children and tell them about the danger to the waters and about the walk itself. At approximately 10:00am the children will join the group and walk towards Appleton Ave. where the walk will continue to Fond du Lac, WI. Apesanahkwat, Menominee Tribal Chairman, and Ken Fish, Director, Menominee Treaty Rights & Mining Impacts office, will join in the walk as it comes to the school and heads toward Appleton Ave. The walk, over 355 miles, which aims to help raise awareness about the proposed Crandon mine, has been on schedule averaging 17-20 miles a day. The route out of Milwaukee is by way of Appleton Ave. to highway 175 where it will continue to Fond du Lac by Monday, May 5, Oshkosh on Tuesday, May 6, and Appleton on Wednesday, May 7. A hotline has been set up to track Dewey's location as he walks. Each evening as he stops, his location will be recorded at (414) 342-8166 for those wishing to locate and join him walking. For questions call (414) 906-0431, or write to N.E.P.E.W. c/o Siggneauk Interfaith Spiritual Center, 3126 W. Kilbourn, Milwaukee, WI 53208. A concerned group of American Indians in the Milwaukee area have joined under the name N. E. P. E. W., (Nations for the Environmental Protection of Earth's Waters), in an effort to help protect the Wolf River. The word NEPEW is actually a word from the Menominee language meaning WATER. Wade Fernandez, a Menominee member of the group said "Our waters are the blood stream of our Mother Earth. From her womb comes the rivers of life that sustain all her children. If we allow her blood to be poisoned, we are allowing her children--our brothers, sisters, and ourselves--to be poisoned. Water is a symbol of life. Don't let Wisconsin's waters become a symbol of death." Dewey Schanandore, the Menominee leading the walk, said "We have to let our young people know that protecting our resources is the most important thing we can do. There will be no compromise with the corporation, Earth First." "The Menominee are Wisconsin's original residents, our people originated from this area over 10,000 years ago. These waters have sustained our ancestors for this long, it is our duty to protect these waters for the next seven generations", said Paula Rabideaux, a Menominee member of the group. The group has coordinated the walk to gain support and invite others to walk through their area. --------- "RE: From Delyla Wilson" --------- Date: Tue, 29 Apr 97 19:12:55 -0600 From: "J.D.K. Chipps " Subj: From Delyla Wilson UUCP email Subject: Yellowstone Bison Sorry it took so long to respond but life moves quickly. Thank you for the donations you've gathered it has helped a lot. Since I plead not guilty to all charges things are just pretty much hanging around. The killing has slowed dramatically but not stopped. As you probably already know May 1 is the doomsday deadline. All bison in MT will be shot even if they were previously tested, marked and released. We have been trying desperately to put together a protest in West Yellowstone(where a few bison are still out) but have had no luck. Right now our focus is being an very visible force in Yellowstone during tourist season. They did release 107 back into Yellowstone that were being held by Park Officials. 4 are being held in Bozeman for research and are slotted to be killed next fall after they calf and researchers find out if they transmit brucellosis to their calves. The C.U.T. ranch has officially gone up for sale and we are currently starting a campaign to get folks to write their congressional representatives and demand that this property be bought with the Land and Water Fund or by whatever means necessary to expand the Park for winter range. This will never be instituted out of Montana but an act of congress brought up by any congress member can make this happen. This is going to be a major focus of our Park campaign this summer. Please spread the word to your list. Oh yeah May 1st is a Black Arm Band Day in protest of the Yellowstone Bison Slaughter. Wear either a straight Black Arm Band or one with a Bison Stenciled on it to show your outrage. Spread the word. One more thing a bill passed in MT that next year all Bison rounded up alive will be sold to the highest bidder the money going to the DOL. Just another kill em policy by MT. Thats all for now but keep in touch. Delyla Wilson May the Buffalo Roam Free Forever ------------------------------------------------------------------ To the Buffalo Rescue list: I ask two things of the list. 1. Write the President and ask him to intervene and stop the slaughter, now and for the future. 2. Send a copy of this, and all posts I send you to four of your friends and ask them to do the same. We need numbers, significant numbers of people, to write the President and demand that this slaughter stop. This is the only chance we have of making it happen. With the internet that we have available to us, and treating this like a "chain letter", we can secure millions of letters to the president, .....and that can't be ignored. So, just as we have all done with the letters we receive saying "pass it on or suffer the consequences", I am asking all of you on the list to pass this on to at least four people, and ask them to do the same, and have them ask to do the same, and ............., well you get the idea. Otherwise, the buffalo will suffer the consequences. Thank you all for your efforts........We will prevail. (\######/) J.D.K. Chipps \ o ~ / "Wokiksuye Canpe Opi" (^ ^) (Remember Wounded Knee) \*/ http://www.eden.com/~jdkc --------- "RE: Yellowstone Buffalo" --------- Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 17:31:39 -0600 From: stop-the-slaughter@wildrockies.org (buffalo folks) Subj: Yellowstone Buffalo UUCP email Dear Friends of the Bison, Thanks for your support on May 1. I sincerely hope that the public pressure of folks "keeping an eye" on Montana and their actions helps resolve this issue. UPDATE: There are still animals outside the park. Some on Horse Butte, some by Hiway 20 and some by Hiway 191. At this time, we still do not know what action the Montana Department of Livestock will take on these animals. Activists and elders are gathering in Gardiner and West Yellowstone to be first hand witnesses and try and haze the bison back into the park. Last night there was a blizzard in West Yellowstone, so the outdoor work is grueling. I will contact you with a final update when I know more. For now, the best we can do is keep up the pressure (phone calls and letters) that it is unacceptable to kill even 1 more buffalo and send good thoughts. The number of the Gardiner "Buffalo Nation" office is 406.848.9867 This will be the central hub for the coordination of tables all summer in the park and for any legal actions that will need to be taken. Anyone wishing to help this summer at educational public tables can call them. Any activists willing to become involved in direct action can contact the Bison Action Group at 406.586.9141 Any donations are appreciated and can be sent to the Bison Project c/o Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers POB 7941 Missoula, MT 59807 or to the Intertribal Bison Cooperative...check their website for address. This internet campaign and a lot of the activists activities have been volunteer...any help in covering expenses is appreciated. I hope you continue to check in to our web site and stay informed as to current developments in the situation. Tell your friends about it if you have time...the State of Montana still has not changed its stand. I am off to Gardiner so will be gone for awhile. I will be taking a copy of all your names with to show the degree of concern around the nation and the globe. Thanks for your support, black arm bands, letters, prayers and phone calls. I am very encouraged by the large response garnered in 6 short days of this internet campaign. Anyone desiring a copy of the letter and signatures via email need only request it. The activists in the Wild Rockies are very busy trying to defend the last remnants of intact ecosystems and biological diversity. You are a powerful national voice and ally that can help with these issues. The Wild Rockies SLATE is a great site to keep abreast of current grassroot activist issues here. Again, thanks and keep up the good work! a small group of concerned citizens can make a difference! speak your mind! for the earth, su As a final note: Until May 3rd, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is taking public comments on an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) entitled Draft Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management. Even a small number of comments and questions by bison advocates addressed to this document could have significant influence on the issue. email to request details For more information about the plight of the Yellowstone Bison check out this web site http://www.wildrockies.org/bison Mitakuye Oyasin (All My Relations) --------- "RE: Reservations" --------- Date: Sun, 4 May 1997 22:05:32 -0400 (EDT) From: BSparks777@aol.com Subj: Reservations UUCP email My friend, Although this issue is complex, the initial fault of the "system" was the desire to isolate the native nations. Almost all of the treaties contain the language "and those that reside therein" to determine citizenship. The act of establishing borders was not to be confused with a racially based place to basically imprison people. One of the elders once said the problem with the reservation system is that we became so reserved we stopped being a nation, and there lies the true harm of the reservation process. Are we a nation with A FLAG, A LANGUAGE, AN ECONOMY OF OUR CHOOSING? No. We are something not defined and subject to economic degradation based on foreign supervision. One of the first issues facing the Cherokee nation that was heard by the Supreme Court when the Georgia Militia invaded and burned entire towns stated that the United States had the obligation to protect the Cherokees and the state of Georgia had committed a criminal act. Chief Justice John Marshal ruled in favor the Cherokee and then President Andrew Jackson said Marshal wrote it let him enforce it. President Jackson's life had been saved when a Cherokee warrior took an arrow aimed at him. He never learned his lesson. The precedent was set for the eventual practice of breaking every treaty and every rule of law on every reservation and continues today as is seen in the current battle for economic independence by the Seneca nation. We were ordered to these places and confined without freedom of religion, , speech or movement. We were denied the right to teach our children and imprisoned when we refused even the most basic order. Our warriors were executed and our widows were subjected to a life without respect. The reservation was ruled as a territory of occupation and was never allowed to become a center for national pride and a place of peace. Our traditional governments were outlawed and our people denied the right to reorganize ourselves. The reservation system was placed under the jurisdiction of the War Department and became the basis for prison camps around the world. Our nationhood was replaced with this false system. From withholding of rations to the use of smallpox infested blankets we were driven to extinction. But a few survived and stand today so that we may still do the ceremonies and speak the truth. The most disgusting part of the paragraph is the part that says we have a hard time leaving the reservation to find jobs as if that was our life's goal. The practice of economic policy from on high made it impossible to stay and that was no accident. We must return to the believe that our ground is sacred, our ways are based on truth and all people who join us will be respected and judged from their heart. From the Great Law of Peace to the ways of the Sacred Pipe we must stand with pride from our place on the planet and continue to speak the truth. Our boundaries are our nation and each inch lost is another part of us taken from our Mother from the Paha Sapa to the Blue Ridge this country will never know it's own beauty until the first nations are respected and our stories are told. Today people are moving back to these prisons and as one elder said what does that say about the outside world. I hope that when you travel across a border into what little we have left that you will always honor our ways and respect the people. All my relations --------- "RE: IAIA Federal Funding" --------- Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 22:49:41 GMT From: wasicuwin@qed.net (Sandy Sunderland) Subj: IAIA Federal funding up for review Newsgroups: apc.indig.info,soc.culture.native,alt.native I just spoke with Della Warrior, the Director of Development for the Institute of American Indian Arts. The IAIA is scheduled for a congressional review in the next few weeks to determine the amount of federally appropriated funds it will receive for the 1997-8 school year. As many of you may know, the increases in tuition last year meant that many talented young Native artists were unable to attend. The school will drastically cut tuition costs next year and hopefully the enrollment will increase to normal levels. Please get a letter or post card out to any of these member of the appropriations committee or if they have a local office near you, give them a call and ask them to continue strong support from the Federal government through an annual appropriation. Address the correspondence to: The Honorable (name of the representative) Committee on Appropriations U.S. House of Representatives Washington DC 20515 Members of the appropriations committee are: Bob Livingston (Chairman), Robert Aderholt, Henry Bonilla, Sonny Callahan, Randy Cunningham, Rosa De Lauro, Tom DeLay, Jay Dickey, Norman Dicks, Chet Edwards. Vic Fazio, Thomas Foglietta, Michael Forbes, Rodney Frelinghuysen, W. G. "Bill" Hefner, David L. Hobson, Steny Hoyer, Ernest Intook, Jr., Dixon Julian, Marcy Kaptur, Jack Kingston, Joe Knollenberg, Jim Kolbe, Tom Latham, Jerry Lewis, Nita Lowey, Joseph M. McDade, Carrie Meek, Dan Miller, Alan Mollohan, James Moran, John Murtha, George Nethercutt, Jr., Mark W. Neumann, Anne North, David Obey, John Olver, Ron Packard, Mile Parker, Ed Pastor, Nancy Pelosi, John E. Porter, David Price, Ralph Regula, Harold Rogers, Martin Olav Salvo, Jose Serrano, David Skaggs, Joe Skeen, Louis Stokes, Charles Taylor, Todd Tiahrt, Esteban E. Torres, Peter Visclosky, James T. Walsh, Zach Wamp, Roger Wicker, Frank R. Wolf, Sidney Yates, C.W. Bill Young I'm sorry I do not have the e-mail addresses for these but you may have it for your district's representative. Sken:nen kenhak Sandy --------- "RE: Latest Attack on Native Warriors" --------- Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 04:23:07 -0700 From: The Manitoba Warrior Society Subj: Latest Attack on Native Warriors UUCP email From the Globe and Mail: A key spiritual leader and head of the Mohawk Warriors during the 1990 Oka crisis was arrested Monday along with five others after two morning raids to break up a suspected smuggling ring. Loran Norman Thompson, 49, of Racquette Point, N.Y., was charged with smuggling tobacco, cigarettes and liquor. Mr. Thompson's daughter Tina, 27, and son-in-law Edward Roundpoint, 25, of the Akwesasne aboriginal reserve were also arrested and face similar charges. Police said the raids netted $250,000 in cash, 1974 litres of liquor, 900 kilograms of tobacco and 14,300 cartons of cigarettes. The raids involved 50 RCMP officers, along with several members of the Akwesasne reserve police force. The raids were also assisted by Canadian and U.S. custom agents, Revenue Canada personnel and investigators from the Ontario Provincial Police, Cornwall police and New York state police. Four other Akwesasne residents are sought by the RCMP. The Manitoba Warrior Society http://manitobawarriors.home.ml.org --------- "RE: ICWA Amendments" --------- Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 16:30:13 -0500 From: berryj@okway.okstate.edu (John Berry) Subj: RE: ICWA(FWD) ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- From: Seathl Ollgaard Date: 4/17/97 3:16 PM This is an analysis of the current situation on ICWA amendments. Check out our web site at: http//www.nicwa.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONGRESS LOOKING AT TRIBAL ACCESS TO FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION ASSISTANCE FUNDS UNDER TITLE IV-E Developed by the National Indian Child Welfare Association April 1997 Legislative Background Representative Bill Richardson (D-NM) introduced a bill that would provide financial assistance under the Title IV-E Foster Care and Adoption Assistance program to Indian children placed in foster care or provided adoption assistance services by their tribe. The bill, H.R. 261, was introduced on January 7 and was referred to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources. Title IV-E is under the Social Security Act. Under existing law Indian children placed in foster care by their tribe are not eligible for these entitlement funds unless their tribe has an agreement with the state for pass through of these funds. Only 50 tribes have such agreements. Testimony on the need to provide Indian children and tribes greater access to this important program was provided to the Subcommittee at a hearing on February 27th by Terry Cross, Executive Director of the National Indian Child Welfare Association. Mr. Cross told the Subcommittee that while tribes were providing high quality services to their children, efforts to develop foster care and other forms of permanent placements were hampered by limited resources. He also described how other methods of giving Indian children access to these funds were unsuccessful for both tribes and states. Advocates for Indian children are hopeful that the Subcommittee will include a version of H.R. 261, Richardson's bill, in their adoption bill when it goes to a vote in the week of April 14th. The Subcommittee is reviewing a version of H.R. 261 which contains the following elements: Extend the Title IV-E entitlement to tribal placements in foster and adoptive homes which meet eligibility requirements. Authorize tribal governments to receive direct funding from DHHS for administration of the IV-E program. Recognize tribal standards for foster home licensing. Allow the Secretary of DHHS flexibility to modify the requirements of the IV-E law for tribes if those requirements are not in the best interests of Indian children. Allow the Secretary of DHHS to modify IV-E matching requirements in recognition that tribes, unlike states, have not previously received funding to build the type of service delivery systems available to the states, and permit other federal and state funds to be used for any required tribal match. Continue to allow tribal-state IV-E agreements. Develop DHHS regulations in partnership with tribes and others with expertise in the child welfare field. Background on Title IV-E The Title IV-E Foster Care and Adoption Assistance program is a federal entitlement program that was enacted in 1980. Eligibility for benefits from this program are an entitlement for children who qualify based on income-related criteria. Fiscal year 1997 expenditures for Title IV-E are estimated at $4 billion and expected to rise in the coming years. The program provides financial assistance for foster care, adoption and related placements, as well as administrative, training and information systems development expenses related to these out-of-home placements. It also helps fund programs which assist older children in foster care as they transition to independent living. The current law provides assistance for children who are placed by state courts, but not for children placed by tribal courts, nor does it authorize tribal governments to administer the program directly. Only if a tribe has an agreement with a state can a tribe administer the program or can tribal children placed by a tribal court receive assistance. These Title IV-E agreements are discretionary for states and most states have not entered into them--even when tribes have made requests. Consequently, tribes are forced to either surrender custody of their children to states to receive these funds or, in many cases, place children in homes without financial assistance. Where Title IV-E agreements between tribes and states exist, both parties have found them to be problematic. Not surprisingly, a 1994 report by the Office of Inspector General's office documented that Indian children receive very little assistance through the Title IV-E program. With Congress looking seriously at changes in federal law regarding foster care and adoption it is imperative that tribes be involved in the discussion of how those changes will affect Indian children. Tribes wanting to advocate for access to Title IV-E should write their Congressional representatives in the House and Senate and ask that the version of H.R. 261 being considered by the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources be included in any adoption bill that is being considered. Currently, the Senate Finance Committee is also considering a comprehensive adoption bill, S. 511, that could be a likely vehicle for tribal Title IV-E amendments. For more information contact David Simmons at (503) 222-4044 extension 19. <-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-> DATE: April 11, 1997 TO: Tribes and Advocates for Indian Children FROM: National Indian Child Welfare Association RE: Introduction of Congresswoman Pryce's ICWA Amendments While many of us have hoped that the controversy surrounding the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and threats to it would go away, apparently Congresswoman Pryce and other members of Congress do not feel this way. Instead, it appears that Congresswoman Pryce is again drafting ICWA amendments that will no doubt seek to restrict eligibility for ICWA protections and limit the ability of tribes to intervene in child custody proceedings that involve their children. Her strategy for getting these amendments through the House of Representatives will most likely focus on attaching her amendments to another adoption bill which has broad support, both in the House and in the Clinton Administration. Currently, this adoption bill, H.R. 867, is in the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources. Congresswoman Pryce will have at least three opportunities for getting her ICWA amendments attached to this adoption bill. The first one could happen during the Human Resources Subcommittee mark up (vote) of the adoption bill during the week of April 14th. The second opportunity could come during the Ways and Means Committee full committee mark of the adoption bill during the week of April 21st. The third opportunity, and maybe the best opportunity for her, could occur when the adoption bill comes to the House floor for a vote. Under this third scenario she will most likely seek a special rule from the House Rules Committee, of which she is a member, that would allow her to ask for a floor amendment on her ICWA language or include her ICWA amendments in the adoption bill before it goes to the House floor. This third scenario was played out last year when ICWA supporters in the House were forced to seek a floor amendment that would remove her language from an adoption bill on the floor of the House. Now that we know the threat is real, what can we do? First we must not underestimate the power of Congresswoman Pryce and others to be successful in their attempts to undo the ICWA. She has many supporters, both Republican and Democrat, for her effort. Secondly, we must not overestimate the power or ability of our supporters to protect the ICWA. Last year the Pryce ICWA amendments passed the House and would have passed the Senate if it had not been for a mammoth effort on the part of Senator McCain, Senator Inouye, tribes and advocates for Indian children. The effort this year must be at least this big if we are to succeed in protecting the ICWA again. The third thing we can do is support Congressman Young and Miller's ICWA bill - H.R. 1082 (Senator McCain is also expected to introduce an ICWA bill like the Young/Miller bill very soon). While many of us would like to see ICWA completely left alone it is probably not realistic to think that we can protect ICWA without proposing some changes. The key here is to support changes to ICWA that we think are positive, were developed by tribes and address the issues that are being brought up in Congress in a reasonable manner. The Young/Miller ICWA bill does all of these, though it is not without some compromises. Tribes and advocates must respond now to the ICWA threat. Every advocate and every tribe must be involved in contacting their Congressional delegation to educate them on the merits of ICWA and their support of the Young/Miller ICWA amendments - H.R. 1082. This involvement must be much more than just a letter or a phone call. You must make a commitment to actively work with your Congressional members to help them understand the following information. This may take several contacts and/or visits. The history behind why ICWA became law. Who ICWA applies to and who it does not. What is different about the political status of Indian children than other minority children (citizens of sovereign tribal governments). How tribal intervention works for the best interests of Indian children and Indian families (helps young families make informed decisions about the placement of their child; promotes family involvement in children's lives and provides a pool of foster care/adoptive homes that are well suited to the child's needs). The types of services your tribe has to offer Indian children and families who fall under ICWA. Why the Young/Miller bill is the best reasoned approach to the concerns about ICWA in voluntary adoptions (helps add certainty to the adoption process for all children who may initially be considered as Indian - who does and who doesn't ICWA apply to; sets realistic time limits on tribal intervention in voluntary adoptions - 90 days from notice; helps weed out fraudulent practice in adoption - criminal sanctions for those who willfully or knowingly violate provisions of the ICWA which is the leading cause of disruption in Indian adoptions; and the Young/Miller bill received broad support in and out of Congress last year - Clinton Administration, Federal Bar Association, Catholic Charities, Child Welfare League of America, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and North American Council on Adoptable Children) Tell a short personal story of success with the ICWA that shows how it can work when it is allowed to. If each one of us makes this commitment to not let up until each one of our Congressional members understands this information we will win. ICWA will be protected and our children will have the opportunity to have a permanent home and know their family and community. Let's win this battle and let everyone know that our children and families are sacred and not to be sacrificed for any quick fixes. For more information contact staff member David Simmons at (503) 222-4044 extension 19. --------- "RE: Interesting Sovereignty Case" --------- Date: 30 APR 97 08:46AM From: "KING,JOHN" Subj: INTERESTING SOVEREIGNTY CASE UUCP email STATE, ASSOCIATE TRIBAL JUDGE, TRIBAL COURT OF THE THREE AFFILIATED TRIBES OF THE FORT BERTHOLD INDIAN RESERVATION, et al. v. A-1 CONTRACTORS et al. certiorari to the united states court of appeals for the eighth circuit No. 95-1872. Argued January 7, 1997 -- Decided April 28, 1997 ===============================================Vehicles driven by petitioner Fredericks and respondent Stockert collided on a portion of a North Dakota state highway that runs through the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The 6.59 mile stretch of highway within the reservation is open to the public, affords access to a federal water resource project, and is maintained by North Dakota under a federally granted right of way that lies on land held by the United States in trust for the Three Affiliated Tribes and their members. Neither driver is a member of the Tribes or an Indian, but Fredericks is the widow of a deceased tribal member and has five adult children who are also members. The truck driven by Stockert belonged to his employer, respondent A-1 Contractors, a non Indian owned enterprise with its principal place of business outside the reservation. At the time, A-1 was under a subcontract with LCM Corporation, a corporation wholly owned by the Tribes, to do landscaping within the reservation. The record does not show whether Stockert was engaged in subcontract work at the time of the accident. Fredericks filed a personal injury action in Tribal Court against Stockert and A-1, and Fredericks' adult children filed a loss of consortium claim in the same lawsuit. The Tribal Court ruled that it had jurisdiction over Fredericks' claim and therefore denied respondents' motion to dismiss, and the Northern Plains Intertribal Court of Appeals affirmed. Respondents then commenced this action in the Federal District Court against Fredericks, her adult children, the Tribal Court, and Tribal Judge State, seeking a declaratory judgment that, as a matter of federal law, the Tribal Court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate Fredericks' claims; respondents also sought an injunction against further Tribal Court proceedings. Relying particularly on National Farmers Union Ins. Cos. v. Crow Tribe, 471 U.S. 845, and Iowa Mut. Ins. Co. v. LaPlante, 480 U.S. 9, the District Court dismissed the action, determining that the Tribal Court had civil jurisdiction over Fredericks' complaint against respondents. The en banc Eighth Circuit reversed, concluding that the controlling precedent was Montana v. United States, 450 U.S. 544, and that, under Montana, the Tribal Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the dispute. Held: When an accident occurs on a public highway maintained by the State pursuant to a federally granted right of way over Indian reservation land, a civil action against allegedly negligent nonmembers falls within state or federal regulatory and adjudicatory governance; absent a statute or treaty authorizing the tribe to govern the conduct of nonmembers driving on the State's highway, tribal courts may not exercise jurisdiction in such cases. This Court expresses no view on the governing law or proper forum when an accident occurs on a tribal road within a reservation. Pp. 4-20. (a) Absent express authorization by federal statute or treaty, tribal jurisdiction over nonmembers' conduct exists only in limited circumstances. In Oliphant v. Suquamish Tribe, 435 U.S. 191, the Court held that tribes lack criminal jurisdiction over non Indians. Later, in Montana v. United States, the Court set forth the general rule that, absent a different congressional direction, Indian tribes lack civil authority over the conduct of nonmembers on non Indian land within a reservation, subject to exceptions relating to (1) the activities of nonmembers who enter consensual relationships with the tribe or its members and (2) nonmember conduct that threatens or directly affects the tribe's political integrity, economic security, health, or welfare. 450 U. S., at 564-567. Pp. 4-7. (b) Montana controls this case. Contrary to petitioners' contention, National Farmers and Iowa Mutual do not establish a rule converse to Montana's. Neither case establishes that tribes presumptively retain adjudicatory authority over claims against nonmembers arising from occurrences anywhere within a reservation. Rather, these cases prescribe a prudential, nonjurisdictional exhaustion rule requiring a federal court in which tribal court jurisdiction is challenged to stay its hand, as a matter of comity, until after the tribal court has had an initial and full opportunity to determine its own jurisdiction. See 471 U. S., at 857; 480 U. S., at 20, n. 14; see also id., at 16, n. 8. This exhaustion rule, as explained in National Farmers, 471 U. S., at 855-856, reflects the more extensive jurisdiction tribal courts have in civil cases than in criminal proceedings and the corresponding need to inspect relevant statutes, treaties, and other materials in order to determine tribal adjudicatory authority. National Farmers' exhaustion requirement does not conflict with Montana, in which the Court made plain that the general rule and exceptions there announced govern only in the absence of a delegation of tribal authority by treaty or statute. See 450 U. S., at 557-563. Read in context, the Court's statement in Iowa Mutual, 480 U. S., at 18, that "[c]ivil jurisdiction over [the] activities [of non Indians on reservation lands] presumptively lies in the tribal courts," addresses only situations in which tribes possess authority to regulate nonmembers' activities. As to nonmembers, a tribe's adjudicative jurisdiction does not exceed its legislative jurisdiction, absent congressional direction enlarging tribal court jurisdiction. Pp. 7-13. (c) It is unavailing to argue, as petitioners do, that Montana does not govern this case because the land underlying the accident scene is held in trust for the Three Affiliated Tribes and their members. Petitioners are correct that Montana and the cases following its instruction--Brendale v. Confederated Tribes and Bands of Yakima Nation, 492 U.S. 408, and South Dakota v. Bourland, 508 U.S. 679--all involved alienated, non Indian owned reservation land. However, the right of way North Dakota acquired for its highway renders the 6.59 mile stretch here at issue equivalent, for nonmember governance purposes, to such alienated, non Indian land. The right of way was granted to facilitate public access to a federal water resource project, forms part of the State's highway, and is open to the public. Traffic on the highway is subject to the State's control. The granting instrument details only one specific reservation to Indian landowners, the right to construct necessary crossings, and the Tribes expressly reserved no other right to exercise dominion or control over the right of way. Rather, they have consented to, and received payment for, the State's use of the stretch at issue, and so long as that stretch is maintained as part of the State's highway, they cannot assert a landowner's right to occupy and exclude. Pp. 13-16. (d) Petitioners refer to no treaty or federal statute authorizing the Three Affiliated Tribes to entertain highway accident tort suits of the kind Fredericks commenced against A-1 and Stockert. Nor have they shown that Fredericks' tribal court action qualifies under either of the exceptions to Montana's general rule. The torturous conduct alleged by Fredericks does not fit within the first exception for "activities of nonmembers who enter consensual relationships with the tribe or its members, through commercial dealing, contracts, leases, or other arrangements," 450 U. S., at 565, particularly when measured against the conduct at issue in the cases cited by Montana, id., at 565-566, as fitting within the exception, Williams v. Lee, 358 U.S. 217, 223; Morris v. Hitchcock, 194 U.S. 384; Buster v. Wright, 135 F. 947, 950;and Washington v. Confederated Tribes of Colville Reservation, 447 U.S. 134, 152-154. This dispute is distinctly nontribal in nature, arising between two non Indians involved in a run of the mill highway accident. Although A-1 was engaged in subcontract work on the reservation, and therefore had a "consensual relationship" with the Tribes, Fredericks was not a party to the subcontract, and the Tribes were strangers to the accident. Montana's second exception, concerning conduct that "threatens or has some direct effect on the political integrity, the economic security, or the health or welfare of the tribe," 450 U. S., at 566, is also inapplicable. The cases cited by Montana as stating this exception each raised the question whether a State's (or Territory's) exercise of authority would trench unduly on tribal self government. Fisher v. District Court of Sixteenth Judicial Dist. of Mont., 424 U.S. 382, 386; Williams, 358 U. S., at 220; Montana Catholic Missions v. Missoula County, 200 U.S. 118, 128-129; and Thomas v. Gay, 169 U.S. 264, 273. Opening the Tribal Court for Fredericks' optional use is not necessary to protect tribal self government; and requiring A-1 and Stockert to defend against this commonplace state highway accident claim in an unfamiliar court is not crucial to the Tribes' political integrity, economic security, or health or welfare. Pp. 16-20. 76 F. 3d 930, affirmed. Ginsburg, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I'm not sure that I can disagree with the reasoning of this case, but am distressed with the precedent. I think it behooves us to draft our agreements with state and federal governments well, and to anticipate what we are giving up by not reserving jurisdiction over torts, and criminal matters, occurring on AI lands. Kanyotathae John King --------- "RE: Mattaponi Reservoir" --------- Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 20:24:24 -0400 (EDT) From: WoodOwl@aol.com Subj: A letter in opposition to the Mattaponi Reservoir UUCP email Gary, you have run past articles about how building the Mattaponi Reservoir would violate centuries-old treaties with the Mattaponi Nation. Attached is a letter from another who opposes the Reservoir on scientific grounds. I hope you can find room to publish it. Thanks. Woodowl Subj: Mattaponi Reservoir Date: 97-04-29 04:36:16 EDT From: TCRubino@worldnet.att.net (Thomas C. Rubino) To: woodowl@aol.com The following is an editorial or letter to the editor. It is long, but there are many complicated issues. The hope is to inform the public adequately so their letters to the Corps are scientifically supportable, so some depth on these issues is necessary. Please don't cut it to death. If space is a problem, perhaps it could be published in segments? Please include the mailing address to the Corps in each edition. Any questions, please feel free to call me at # at end. Thank you for your support on this issue. How Can I Help To Save The Mattaponi River? By Thomas C. Rubino Many people have asked, "How can I help to save the Mattaponi River?" The Corps of Engineers has a public comment period open now. Your letters sent to the address at the end with specific questions and concerns must be examined by the Corps as part of their .permitting mandate. Here is some of my research for some topics in those letters. Remember, the reservoir in Gloucester (VA) was defeated, and we can kill this one, but it will not stop without your help. The letters must arrive at the Corps by May 26, 1997 to be of use. I am opposed to the King William Reservoir. It puts the Mattaponi River at risk by not addressing key issues that effect the health of the river. The permittee has produced an Environmental Impact Study used by the Corps of Engineers to assess the risk to the environment. The salinity model used in the study is outdated and dangerously simplistic. Several key environmental issues are ignored. There are modern salinity models available that could address the impact of the proposed reservoir with greater depth, but those were not used. The population in the region is expected to grow by 25%, yet this reservoir would add over 100% to the area's water storage capacity. The permit allows selling this abundant water resource to any municipality, business, or entity in or out of the region. The salinity model employed in the proposed King William Reservoir EIS is based on a one dimensional twenty year old computer model. Many modern three dimensional salinity models are available that use a more dynamic approach to examine river environments. Several factors set in motion in a computer simulation to determine their interrelationships and impacts on the river environment. These factors may include fisheries issues such as the movement of fish eggs, fish food, and shellfish larvae. Hydrological issues are commonly studied including water temperature, the effects of wind, silt & sand sedimentation, and fresh water input from streams and springs. Sensitive fishery and botanical areas are identified and specific impacts on these areas are considered. However, only dissolved salinity is studied in the model employed in the EIS. The following examples of 3D models in use around the country. VIMS has developed a 3D hydrodynamic model that includes a sediment transport model, and a water quality model which can be applied to a wide variety of environmental problems in estuaries and tributaries including the James, York and Rappahannock Rivers. ODU has a 3D Chesapeake Bay model that includes wind stress, tidal forcing, runoff/precipitation and solar irradiance. Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association offers a 3D model that is studying shellfish larval transport and the salinity stratification of the York River. It The USGS has a 3D model Lake Pontchartrain that studies salinity and wind stress on Lake Pontchartrain, La. region. The University of South Florida is conducting the Tampa Bay Oceanographic Project using a 3D model to study Tampa Bay, Florida. Scripps Institution of Oceanography is using 3D modeling of the salinity field in the San Francisco Bay using wind effects, evaporation and surface stress coupled to a model of the atmosphere to predict intertidal salinity variations. Local variations of salinity are not addressed in the model. The model assumes that salinity is equally mixed, shore to shore, top to bottom. This is inaccurate and may be a dangerous oversight. The shad return every year to spawn up the streams and pools off the main flow of the river. These streams are used as nurseries. They are fed from fresh water side streams and springs in addition to the main channel. Massive freshwater withdrawals from the main channel will leave the water in these streams considerably fresher than that in the main channel. Shad return to their home streams every year to lay their eggs. If the eggs and fry are transported from the streams by rain or wind into the main channel these infant shad may be exposed to fatally high salinity levels. By mistakenly assuming the salinity to be mixed throughout the entire river volume, the permittee is not assessing the true salinity changes that will occur when fresh water is removed from the main channel. The interrelationship of local salinity, wind effects, and sensitive fishery zones are commonly addressed in modern 3D models, but they are not addressed in the model used in the EIS. Huge withdrawals of fresh water from the river are allowed, as high as 75 million gallons per day (MGD). The permit prohibits withdrawals when the river is flowing at minimum levels. However, water flowing above those minimum flow rates may be withdrawn. This will certainly increase the average salinity rates. These salinity increases are likely to have significant environmental impacts. The EIS concludes that these minimum levels are safe. How can minimum levels be safe? Even without the reservoir, the fish in the river have greatly reduced their populations over the years. In many species it is difficult to determine what levels are safe. If plants and fish are exposed to the wrong concentration of salinity, they will die. The State has invested substantial taxpayer resources in restocking the shad fishery in the James and the Pamunkey Rivers. In the past the native shad populations statewide have been devastated by massive pollution and poor environmental management. They use Mattaponi Shad breedstock because they are the healthiest population in the State. Eggs are removed and hatched artificially at the State Fish Cultural Station in King & Queen. Any permitted devastation to this valuable resource would contradict years of effort and tax dollars invested in restocking these shad. The reservoir's intake pipe is located in the middle of the traditional shad spawning grounds. As water is removed from the river, it will wash down the pipe and leave the fish behind, like spaghetti at the bottom of the strainer. The increase in the concentration of shad at the intake pipe will provide an abundant food supply for an increasing predator population. A published study warns about similar intake designs, "One drawback of low-velocity screening systems is that they can cause the migrating fish to slow down to such an extent that they become vulnerable to predators. .. .The predators may linger in the shadows of the low-velocity screening systems, awaiting their opportunity for an easy meal. This problem has surfaced on the Columbia River, where squawfish gobble up 6-8-inch salmon smolts as they head downstream." Counting on Fish Protection by Leslie Lamarre, EPRI-Journal/jan-feb-95. The problem of predator species destroying valuable fishstocks is documented on other low velocity screening systems, yet there is no study of predators in the EIS. Fish food is another issue left unstudied. An assistant chief of the Mattaponi Tribe warned about the fish food. The narrow openings in the intake screening may filter out the shad fry and juveniles, but assuming they are bigger than the food they eat, the screens will not filter out their food source. Won't their food be lost down the intake pipe? Where are the studies that address this problem? The issue is not studied in the EIS. There is a significant population of the endangered species, Sensitive Joint Vetch on the Mattaponi at Melrose Landing that is likely to be living in as high a salinity as is possible for that species. If so, a minor shift in salinity may prove fatal to this colony. The permittee concludes that no significant salinity impact will be caused by the removal of a mile of river water per day, but that conclusion collides with logic. A modern 3D model could be tuned to more accurately addresses the salinity impact to this particular population, but only a cursory examination of the impact is provided in the EIS. The massive daily removal of fresh water is likely to disturb the temperatures at varying depths in the river in the area of the intake pipe. Temperature alteration will disturb the natural levels in which organic debris float. Top feeding fish who feed on debris that normally float may find their food is now on the bottom where it is out of their reach. Fish eggs that are normally transported safely along the middle of the river may now sink into the habitat of the hungry bottom predators. A modern 3D model typically studies temperature variation and effects on organic debris transport; the EIS does not address temperature changes. The result of backflushing has not been adequately addressed in the EIS. Backflushing will occur when the intake screens are cleaned by forcing massive amounts of water and compressed air backwards through the filtering screens. Debris entrained on the filter surfaces will be forced into the water during backflushing. What will this material be composed of? Will seeds of undesirable species that are entrained by the intake filters be released into the water in high concentrations? There is a significant population of the endangered species, Sensitive Joint Vetch which lay just 500' from the intake pipe. It is one of the largest stands of this species in the state, composed of 4-500 plants. Will an aggressive seed concentration settle on and overgrow the SJV? Modern 3D estuarian models could address the relationship of debris content, backflushing sedimentation, and wind born seed settlement, but the issue of backflushing impacts are not in the EIS. Wind loads are another issue commonly addressed in modern salinity models. NOAA weather data can be included in modeling to predict the wind before an event. If the wind is blowing toward the Sensitive Joint Vetch during backflushing, aggressive seeds may be blown toward them. Adequate modern modeling would deal with these complexities. The EIS does not. With the modeling of wind stress, there might be a simple restriction on backflushing if the wind is blowing toward the SJV beds. Without it we will have to impact the joint vetch before we realize a problem exists. The EIS states, " Long-term noise impacts on ambient noise levels would result from the operation of pumping stations." P 5 - 85. Main Report Vol. 1. Yet no noise studies appear in the EIS. Impacts of noise are related to background noise already in place. For example, a firecracker going off at a tractor pull would have little environment impact; however, a firecracker going off in a church service would be a startling environmental event. The area around the pump station is extremely quiet. The cliff where the pump house is to be built is locally known as "Echo Point", because even whispers can be heard great distances from there. The effect of noise at night has a severe cultural impact, yet the pumps will be allowed to operate all night. Anadromous fish are believed to respond to the sound of falling water to select spawning and early rearing habitat, yet no studies address the danger that the shad will not be attracted to the pipe to lay their eggs. What effect will noise have on the Bald Eagle nest? No study addresses the cultural effect of noise on the Mattaponi Tribe who consider the silence sacred. This quiet of the river is one of the key cultural and aesthetic instream beneficial uses that residents, and boaters enjoy about this resource. How can we assess the environmental impact of this noise or design noise reduction into the system if we don't even study it? Cohoke Creek Watershed is the area that will be engulfed by the proposed reservoir. The Cohoke is miles of rich woodland and wetland habitat that provide fertile spawning and rearing habitat for herring, shad, eels, turtles, and many other species. The Cohoke Creek is an important spawning and rearing habitat for the Chesapeake Bay. The dam will deny the Creek its natural rhythms of precious water. The permittee proposes hideous scenarios to protect the downstream Creek habitat with fresh water releases from the reservoir in flow patterns that do not even resemble natural rhythms. Miles of habitat will be lost. It is said that the permitting of this reservoir would result in one of the largest losses of wetlands ever dedicated to a single project in the Chesapeake Bay. 1526 acres will be flooded; 437 acres of wetland habitat will be lost forever. Synthetic wetland will be a poor substitute. To developers, wetlands may look like wastelands, but to Mother Nature they work like nurseries. We simply cannot pour this precious ecosystem down the drain. Please write a letter in your own words voicing your concerns. Keep the issue scientifically supportable. Letters must arrive by May 26, 1997. The river needs your help. Thank you for your support. Address letters to: Pamela K. Painter Norfolk District Army Corps of Engineers 803 Front Street Norfolk, Va. 23510 by Thomas C. Rubino King & Queen, Va. TCRubino@Worldnet.att.net phone & (set up) fax 1 804 769 0464 From: "Thomas C. Rubino" To: Subject: Mattaponi Reservoir Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 21:59:36 -0400 --------- "RE: New Moon Prayer" --------- Date: Sat, 3 May 1997 20:25:00 -0400 From: "flattery" Subj: New Moon Prayer - May 6, 1997 UUCP email Every new moon in 1997 at 5 am in Ashland, Oregon (and other parts of the U.S. and world, 8 est, 7 cst, etc), we will be praying for Unity. All are asked to join in this prayer time, and share this information with others in your local communities as we hope this will be a growing prayer circle for the sake of the Sacred Hoop and all our Relations. We will continue praying for the Elders, the Buffaloes, the Sun Dancers, Respect, Sobriety and Sovereignty. Our focus for prayer this month are the Children and our Grandmother Earth. When we speak of the 7th generation, our concern is for what we are leaving for them. Balance produces health, the 7th generation deserve a balanced world. We give them a voice so that people can understand that we have to leave them a clean place to live with clean waters to drink. It is the only way. It would be good if people would listen, we have been here a long time, and maybe we know something. We also want to give a voice to the children who have suffered or are suffering from child abuse, those that turn to alcohol and drugs. We pray for the power of the Grandmother to advocate for children in cases of abuse. Grandmother's are the carriers of the culture and can help by teaching the children their traditions, values, and language. The young ones are strong when they know who they are. Mitakuye oyasi(n), Dave Chief Oglala Lakota, Sun Dancer and Elder _________ ___/ / / / / \_ \ _\__\__/\__ / --------- "RE: Thoughts on Canada & First People" --------- Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 21:51:04 -0700 From: Norm Leech Subj: Some thoughts and ideas on Canada & First People Newsgroups: soc.culture.native,alt.native Some thoughts from Sechelt on: The way things are - It is my experience that each and every First People, band, family and person has at least one, and generally several tales of government or corporate sponsored oppression. - First People are being driven toward the edge of a cliff. - I believe we must make a stand before we fall into the sea of nothingness. - This is our land. We belong here and have nowhere else to go. No longer can we stand by and watch as intruders and thieves sell our resources and foul our beds. It must stop. - In current negotiations we bargain from a disadvantaged position. What could possibly motivate the government and corporate interests to settle? Any settlement costs them potential money and resources. The status quo is preferable because it means business as usual, or more correctly, it means business at an accelerated pace in order to extract maximum profit BEFORE any settlement is reached. Thus, the most profitable and economically efficient course of action for government and business is not to sign while there is still profit to be made. We need to bargain from a position of power. - The new battleground is economic. Politics and the justice system of the ruling class are not in our favour. We have little power or influence in those realms. Our only recourse is the field of economic battle. Our aim must be to eliminate the profitability in the destruction of our land, our cultures and of our selves. I believe we have the power to shut down the economic engines of this oppressive society if we must. It may be the only way to get the attention of our oppressors. Strategies - Nothing is possible without the support of the people. Awaken them. - We must be absolutely sure of our position and of our message. There can be no wavering or backtracking. The message must be simple, righteous and indisputable. Success depends on transmitting the essential message in an effective manner. - We must maintain the high road. The causes must be noble, the motivations sacred and the ends and means completely justifiable without doubts or questions. These facts and arguments must be thoroughly thought out, researched and documented before any action commences. - Planning is more important and effective than action. - Violence is never the preferred end or means. - Document personal, factual accounts of injustice and oppression. As I have said, each and every person in our nations has several stories to tell. Document them. Consider it the gathering of evidence in the case for public opinion. Practice sound legal tactics in that case. Leave nothing to chance. Your case must be airtight and irrefutable. No shadows of any doubts may exist. This is a case we cannot afford to lose. - Not only must each individual action be planned meticulously but groups or campaigns of actions must be orchestrated down to the most minute detail. - Establish contingency plans. There should always be a detailed plan B and at least skeleton plans C and D. - Learn by your own and the mistakes of others. Document your actions. Debrief your actions and plans. Discuss what worked, why or why not and revise current and future plans. - Study the strategies and complexities of chess. it contains valuable lessons. - Learn the rules and loopholes of the system in which we operate. - Maintain the security and integrity of your organization. You are only as strong as your weakest link. - Apparent disunity is extremely counter productive. Never speak ill of your brothers or sisters. You work for your enemies in those cases where you do. If you do not support the actions of other First People then speak only to them about it, nobody else, especially not the media. - Maintain the pressure. Relax at your peril. Counterstrikes can be swift and deadly. Anticipate them, see them coming and prepare for them. - The national day of protest was a start. April 17 was an opportunity to voice a loud and clear message. Were we effective? Governments and Corporations - The enemy is the impersonal and faceless governments and corporations of the world. We must battle those faceless, inhuman entities with the faces, voices, stories and histories of actual people, our children, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandparents. How can the profit motive withstand when it is held directly responsible for the immense and unending suffering of the First Peoples of the world. - Always be David; never be Goliath. When people face organizations, the people are David, the organization is Goliath. Be people, not a bunch of people. - Never square off against people, only against faceless governments, the military, the police, or corporate interests. If you face people then your organization becomes Goliath. Avoid this at all costs. Fold your hand if you must. Know when to recognize an untenable situation. Networking - Share your knowledge. You cannot win all by yourself and if you do, what will you have won and for who? - Network. - First Nations and aboriginal people of the world share common histories and struggles against oppression. Alliances and support networks must be pursued worldwide. The technology exists. We must use it or be left in the twentieth century while the governments and corporations divide up our land and culture in the next millennium. - Collaborate and cooperate with your neighbours. You must create allies and support networks. Try not to compete with your neighbours. This means much more than just neighbouring Bands. Establish and maintain strong and working relations with all neighbouring communities. They are not our foes. We need their support. - Never place all your valuable resources in one area. Spread your people around and use your network of contacts effectively. The Media - Understand the way things work. Media manipulation is the art of government, corporations and their enforcers. Do not let them hold you at a disadvantage. The battle for public opinion is a life or death struggle. - We must use careful and effective strategies. Media access must never be severed. Our message must be transmitted as far and as wide as the propaganda that is used against us. No action can be successful without careful and meticulous planning. - Always maintain communication links. Cell phones, Email, the Internet and satellite links are very useful items. Plan your media campaign thoroughly. - The international stage is much more effective than any local media coverage. - Never allow yourself to be isolated. Always maintain offsite and alternate spokespeople. - Choose your spokespeople wisely. Don't let them distract from your clear simple message - Remember the message. Keep the message alive. Never forget the message. - Choose your battles wisely. Do not ever let yourself be shown in an unfavourable light. Understand the principles of damage control and spin doctoring. Know when to quietly fade away to fight another day. Learn to be a media guerilla. Gain valuable experience and expertise from the example of Greenpeace. - Economic warfare is the battleground and the influence of public opinion through the skillful management of the media is one of our most effective weapons. Other things - Abandon backward thinking and beliefs. - Question everything, especially those things that 'go without saying', that are 'unquestionable' or are 'givens'. - Abandon the imposed constraints of government under the Indian Act. There must be better ways, find them and use them. - Ensure governance models place women in a place of honour and power. Norm Leech Stl'atl'imx national Residing in Sechelt territory --------- "RE: Trudell's Judi Bari Speech" --------- Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 14:24:41 -0400 From: ishgooda@tdi.net Subj: John Trudell's Judi Bari Speech UUCP email Friends, A thous