_ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' VOLUME 13, ISSUE 030 / /-< / /--/ /-- __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, WOTANGING IKCHE - Lakota - Common News Wotanging Ikche and Native American News Copyright c. 1996-2005 nanews.org Aboriginal/AmerIndian Perspective about the First Nations of Turtle Island July 23, 2005 Abenaki Temaskikos/grass cutter moon Klamath Speluish/return from harvest moon Potawatomi We'shkitdaminkese/moon of the young corn Lakota Canpasapa Wi/Moon When Chokecherries are Red Kiowa Tagunotal p'a san/little moon of deer horns dropping off +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Much more happens in Indian Country than is reported | | in this weekly newsletter. For daily updates & events | | go to http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm | +-------------------------------------------------------+ Otapi'sin Atsinikiisinaakssin -- Blackfeet -- News for All the People Ni-mah-mi-kwa-zoo-min -- Ojibwe -- We Are Talking About Ourselves Aunchemokauhettittea -- Naragansett -- Let Us Share News Kanoheda Aniyvwiya -- Cherokee -- Journal of the People O Es'te Opunvk'vmucvse -- Creek -- People's New News O o O Acimowin -- Plains Cree -- Story or Account O o O Tlaixmatiliztli -- Nahuatl -- News O o o o o O Agnutmaqan -- Listuguj Mi'kmaq -- News O o O Sho-da-ku-ye -- Teehahnahmah -- Talking Birchbark O o O Un Chota -- Susquehannic Seneca -- The People Speak O Ha-Sah-Sliltha -- Ditidaht Nation -- News of the People Ximopanolti tehuatzin, inin Mexika tlahtolli -- Nahuatl -- For you we offer these words It-hah-pe-hah Ah-num pah-le -- Chickasaw -- Together We Are Talking Dineh jii' adah' ho'nil'e'gii ba' ha' neh -- Navajo Nation -- What's Happening among The People News Okla Humma Holisso Nowat Anya -- Choctaw -- People(s) Red Newspaper Hi'a chu ah gaa -- Pima -- The stories or the talk of the People s ch mA mL tL squee Lux -- Okanogan -- News from the People Native American News -- Language of the Occupation Forces ++>If you speak a Native American language not listed above, please send us your words for "News of the People." We'd rather take up this whole page saving these few words of our hundreds of nations than present a nice clean banner in the language of the occupation forces who came here determined to replace our words with their own. email gars@nanews.org with the equivalent of "News of the People" in your tribal language along with the english translation <================<<<< >>>>================> This newsletter is produced in straight ASCII text for greatest portability across platforms. Read it with a fixed-pitch font, such as Courier, Monaco, FixedSys or CG Times. Proportional fonts will be difficult to read. <================<<<< >>>>================> This issue contains articles from www.owlstar.com; www.indianz.com; www.pechanga.net; Frostys AmerIndian, Indian Trust Listserve, Rez_Life and Native American Poetry Lists; UUCP email IMPORTANT!! ----------- In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, all material appearing in this newsletter is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for educational purposes. <================<<<< >>>>================> 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@speakeasy.org ++ It is archived at http://www.nanews.org <================<<<< >>>>================> +-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --+ + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + | As historian Patricia Nelson | | Once a language is lost, it is | | Limerick summarized in "The | | gone forever | | Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken | | * Of the 300 original Native | | Past of the American West... | | languages in North America, | | "Set the blood quantum at | | only 175 exist today. | | one-quarter, hold to it as a | | * 125 of these are no longer | | rigid definition of Indians, | | learned by children. | | let intermarriage proceed as | | * 55 are spoken by 1 to 6 elders;| | it had for centuries, and | | when they die, their language | | eventually Indians will be | | will disappear. | | defined out of existence." | | * Without action, only 20 | | "When that happens, the federal | | languages will survive the next| | government will be freed of | | 50 years. | | its persistent 'Indian problem.'"| | Source: Indigenous Language | +-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --+ | Institute | |http://www.indigenous-language.org| This issue's Elder Quote: + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + ======================== "Our dead never forget the beautiful world that gave them being. They still love its verdant valleys, its murmuring rivers, its magnificent mountains, sequestered vales and verdant lined lakes and bay, and ever yearn in tender, fond affection over the lonely hearted living, and often return from the Happy Hunting Ground to visit, guide, console and comfort them ... And when the last Red Man shall have perished, and the memory of my tribe shall have become a myth among the White Men, these shores will swarm with the invisible dead of my tribe." __ Chief Seattle (Sealth), Suquamish and Duwamish +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | 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 +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | Journey | In the summer and early fall | The Bloodline | of 1998 the Treaty Unity Riders | | rode a thousand miles on horse- | For all that live and live by law | back, carrying a staff and | We Stand, we Call, We Ride | praying each step of the way. | For All that fear and fear by sight | | We Hear, we Listen, we Ride | These prayers were offered for | For all that pray and pray by strength| each of us, and that the Unity | We Feel, we Move, we Ride | of all Peoples might happen. | For all that die and die by greed | | We Hurt, we Cry, we Ride | Tatanka Cante forwarded this | For all that birth and birth by right | poem on behalf of all the Unity | We Smile, we Hold, we Ride | Riders that we might stop and | For all that need and need by heart | ask if the next words we say, the | We Came, we Went, we Rode. | next act we make is for the good | | of the People or is it from ego | Treaty Unity Riders | for self. +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ O'siyo Brothers and Sisters! Just when I think I have dealt with one more blow from the Yonega and my resolve will carry me and my beautiful half-side only so far. Just when I think the chaplains at the prisons have shown their insensitivity and ignorance to a point that even baffles me. Just when I have planted my staff and said, "enough".... along comes a gift from Creator to remind me why I do some of the things I do, and what a gift it is to be used by The Great Giver of Life. The gift this time was "Mascots", a poem by Lee Goins. I have asked for, and been granted, permission by Lee to include it in this issue, NOT as the featured poem ... in fact, I've set one of Abe Jones' poems aside for that role... but as the core around which this week's editorial will be built addressing Indian suicides. I have said dozens of times that there can never be honor when one human being or group of humans serve as the mascot for another. The insensitivity of the dominant society is literally staggering. Their glib excuses and lame apolgia may salve their conscience, assuming there is soul and conscience; but they only inflame my anger and distrust. Abject poverty is the rule on most reservations. Desolation and depression are common. They stalk the Indian like a dog stalks a wounded rabbit, waiting for the moment to inflict the final strike in one instant of terror... and relief. Look at the proximity of military recruiting stations and alcohol sales to any reservation if you doubt they are watching their Native prey. Now, as promised, Lee's poem. Date: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 12:24 am From: cherokee2proud Subj: Mascots Mailing List: N A Poetry Mascots Ten little Nine little Eight little Indians Seven little Six little Five little Indians Four little Three little Two little Indians One Little Indian Boy One little Indian Going off to school Done all his homework Followed every rule He is assaulted As he gets to the door Taunting war whoops In his ears forever more. Imagine if you can, that all your playmates at school have learned of Indians by attending their big brothers high school football games, or by attending an Atlanta Braves baseball game. Or maybe a Redskins Football game. Maybe they have seen a few John Wayne movies as well. Imagine these taunts: Hey Injun, where is your tomahawk !!! Hey Injun, are you gonna scalp me??? Hey Injun, dance for me !!! Imagine being alone in the center of this circle of classmates. Imagine being pushed and shoved one to another, as you hear these taunts. Hey Injun if you don't like it go back to the reservation !!! Imagine that you wish nothing more than to do just that. To run to Great-Grandmother's arms for comfort. Imagine Great-Grandmother crossed- over last week from diabetes. Imagine being alone in the center of this circle of classmates. Hey Injun is your mom a squaw ??? Imagine you come home form school and grandmother is not home. She is working a late shift at the local store, so you can have good sneakers with the brand name. Hoping that if you have all the right clothes, the children won't pick on you anymore. Imagine seeing a way out??. Ten little Nine little Eight little Indians Seven little Six little Five little Indians Four little Three little Two little Indians One little Indian Boy One little Indian Hanging from a rope No longer alive Lost of all his hope. One little Indian Never did any wrong One grandmother suffers Little Indian is all gone !!! Now ask me, what is wrong with Indians being portrayed as Sports Mascots Lee Goins Copyright c. 2000. Dohiyi Ani Oginalii , , Gary Smith (*,*) wotanging@bellsouth.net P. O. Box 672168 (`-') gars@nanews.org Marietta, GA 30006, U.S.A. ===w=w=== http://www.nanews.org ----------- News of the people featured in this issue ----------- - Local Man - YELLOW BIRD: walks across the Country for Hope Summer speeds to thrilling end - Government argues - Aboriginal Language training it never victimized Indians to get boost - Judge excoriates - AFN to take on continued Abusive Treatment Ottawa's Status Legislation - Judge condemns Interior Department - Windspeaker Editorial: - U.S. may settle For better or for worse Native American Trust Case - Metis Nation recognized - Interior asks for power as Distinct Group to take Indian Lands - Deh Cho Deal - Indian Health needs outlined could ripple around Country - Tribal Leader calls - Hydro Project to provide for Health Care changes Power for Band's Future - Snowbowl won't perform work - Ovide returns to Indian Politics until suits settled - Release: Kanienkehaka - Salmon decline key issue Kaienerekowa Kanonsesne as US Natives protest - 2nd Circuit Ruling - New York warned to settle Claims - Ipperwash Inquiry: - Judges rule against So. Dakota The A-B-C of `Indian Law' redistricting Plan - Native Youth Movement - Sharpe Family fights International Statement to hold onto their Land - Violence more severe - Schaghticokes' in Aboriginal Families last shot for Recognition - Pierre George to challenge - Tribes petition Ipperwash Inquiry for Mine restriction - Harris aide felt Ipperwash - Tribe sues Carson City was Trespassing Case over Growth Plan - Native Prisoner - Goal is Solidarity -- What AIRR is among American Indian Women -- Plea for Ceremony Help - Women Delegates begin with Equinox Celebration Wagon Ride to Window Rock - Verse: Hawaiian Book of Days - Gah Nohs trip 'Cultural Awakening' - Rustywire: - California designates Saturday Flea Market in Gallup Indian Heritage Month - "Abe" Jones Poem: Stormy Weather - GIAGO: Running away - Saving Oneidas' Language, from Holy Rosary Mission One Long Word at a Time --------- "RE: Local Man walks across the Country for Hope" --------- Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 08:43:10 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="FN SUICIDE AWARENESS" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.canada.com/nanaimo/dd269262-12e0-4d83-99ab-b6091c7c6a31 Local man walks across the country for hope By Walter Cordery Daily News July 13, 2005 As suicide among Canada's First Nations reaches alarming levels, one local native man is taking steps to alert the country to the growing problem. In fact, Vincent Watts is taking many, many steps. As the president and organizer of the Youth Suicide Prevention Walk, Watts this year walked from Duncan to Ottawa with seven other members from different First Nation bands. "Last year, we walked from Nanaimo to Ottawa," said Watts, who is a member of Port Alberni's Tseshaht First Nation. He has been organizing the suicide prevention walk since 2003. It appears his efforts are paying off. In September 2004, Prime Minister Paul Martin committed $700 million to improve the health of aboriginal Canadians. This commitment was made at a special aboriginal health gathering held before the start of the first ministers conference on health care in Ottawa. The federal money Martin announced last year includes preparing a national aboriginal youth suicide strategy. Watts was encouraged by Martin's commitment. "It was a bit different this year because when the eight of us reached Ottawa, they (federal government) actually focused the National Aboriginal Day ceremonies arouond the suicide prevention walk," he said. The 2005 cross-country trek left Duncan March 28 and arrived in the nation's capital on National Aboriginal Day (June 21). When the group met with Martin they didn't know what to expect. Prior to Martin's announcement at last September's first ministers conference, the national budget for suicide prevention in Canada was just $70,000, said Watts. "When we got to meet with Paul Martin, he told us the federal government would contribute $15 million a year for the next five years to help prevent suicide among young aboriginals," said Watts. "His commitment just blew me away. "I couldn't believe it when I met with him - he was just like a regular person." Watts said First Nations men between the ages of 15 and 24 have a suicide rate of 126 per 100,000 of the population, while the national suicide rate among Canadian men is 24 per 100,000. It hit him close to home when in 2003, his nephew, Robert Watts Jr., committed suicide. His nephew's death galvanized Watts's resolve and he brought his concerns to the ceremonial sweat lodge he attends every Sunday. "Through the ceremonies, we decided we were going to walk across the country to raise awareness and funding for treatment centres to help prevent suicides," he said. "We have carried our message to more than 70 reserves across Canada. We make presentations at high schools and juvenile detention centres. We have spoken to more than 50 chiefs across the nation." Watts said government caucuses in both Alberta and Saskatchewan have listened to his concerns. One of the most pressing being the rampant alcohol and drug abuse prevalent in many native reserves. The people turn to these drugs because "there is very little work for them on these reserves and many of them are in small isolated places with little to do," said Watts. He said he would like to see Lantzville's Tsow-Ten-Le-Lum treatment facility used as a "model" for facilities across Canada. The Lantzville facility helps people from First Nations to cope with the assimilation of the dominant "white" culture, Marge Storey-Abrahamson told the Daily News in 2004. "When we first opened, we were a treatment centre for alcohol and drugs," she says. But she added because of the trauma, still felt by many people in the aboriginal community, surrounding residential schools, Tsow-Tun-Le-Lum expanded its scope. "It's not just those who went to residential schools. It crosses generations. We are now seeing the children of some of those who attended residential schools," says Storey-Abrahamson. "What we do here is lead people to the `red' road of recovery and healing." The difference between the `red' road of recovery and other roads is the integration of native spiritualism into the holistic healing environment Tsow-Tun-Le-Lum provides clients. "I'd like to see a network of facilities like Tsow-Tun-Le-Lum right across the country," says Watts. Still the contribution to his cause from the prime minister has the Nanaimo man believing people are starting to take notice of native suicides. "Paul Martin told us to keep doing what we are doing because we are making a difference." Watts has already started making plans for next year's walk which will begin in Sidney, N.S., and end in Victoria. Copyright c. 2005 CanWest Interactive Inc. --------- "RE: Government argues it never victimized Indians" --------- Date: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 12:22 AM From: Indian Trust ListServ [listadmin@list.indiantrust.com] Subj: Cobell v. Norton - Government Argues it Never Victimized Indians Mailing List: Indian Trust ListServ A stark difference over the plight of Individual Indian Trust Account beneficiaries was on display before a national cable TV audience July 6 on CSPAN. I urge you to go to this address. Then click on the the July 6 Washington Journal. http://www.c-span.org/homepage.asp?Cat=Series&Code=WJE&ShowVidNum=6&Rot_ Cat_CD=WJ&Rot_HT=206&Rot_WD=&ShowVidDays=100&ShowVidDesc=&ArchiveDays=30 Be warned that you will be shocked by James Cason, the acting director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He says he knows of no Indians who have been victimized by the government's management of their trust accounts. Never mind that the government has been unable to give any Indian an accurate accounting of their account in the 118 years since the accounts were created. Your accounts, Cason says, are "pretty darn accurate." As for the evidence of massive mishandling of your trust monies by the government, he says: "We haven't found the evidence." Perhaps that is because his department is not taking any steps to gather the evidence as required by court order. And, that's the way the Department of the Interior now views its previous, repeated admissions of mismanagement. No harm, no foul because Mr. Cason is unable to see the obvious results of the damage Interior has brought to Indian people. Obviously, that's because he has never bothered to read the record of mismanagement that has been documented for decades. As trust account beneficiaries, it is critical you understand what Cason is saying and what he is not telling the public. He is not saying that he has examined only a tiny fraction of the trust accounts he is under court order to review. And he is allowing his staff to make some potentially serious mistakes. He is assuming that every record Interior finds is accurate. That's not what is required for a true accounting. In those audits, there must be some documenting evidence that if a ledger says a payment was made that the payment was actually made. A check or a copy of that check has to be produced and it has to be shown that the payment was made to the proper account holder. What Cason is doing is little more than a quick, hurry-up review, not a It assumes that every document Interior has is totally correct. No backup, no confirmation. That's not the accounting the government needs to perform and Cason knows it. He has told the courts that a full accounting will cost "$12 billion to $13 billon or perhaps significantly more." He says the government has spent $100 million to date. By his own figures, he has barely scratched the surface of what he needs to do. There is also a recent SRA International study that placed the government's liability for trust mismanagement at $10 billion to $40 billion. Everyone, including the federal judge overseeing this case, knows that Cason is talking about only a fraction of the records that are needed for a full accounting. Most of the records are destroyed and lost. But, not all of the program is a nightmare of betrayal to Indian people. I assured viewers in a later segment that we will not accept Cason's callous reasoning. We intend to press the case for a full accounting of what happened to our money in a case that a federal judge has said "set the gold standard for mismanagement of a government program." Some of the questions were tough and illustrated a bias against Indian people and women. Please watch the program and I think you will see what type of opposition we can expect to face as we move toward Congressional action on the 50 principles that would end this controversy. Be assured we will not be deterred by Mr. Cason's inability to see the harm the government has done to Indian people. I can only imagine how he would feel if it took him 118 years to get a statement from his bank. I bet he would finally realize what a victim is. - Elouise Cobell --------- "RE: Judge excoriates continued Abusive Treatment" --------- Date: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 3:18 PM From: Indian Trust ListServ [listadmin@list.indiantrust.com] Subj: Cobell v. Norton - Federal Judge Excoriates Government's Continued Abusive Treatment of Indians Mailing List: Indian Trust ListServ WASHINGTON, July 12 -- U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth has sharply criticized the Interior Department for continuing to mistreat Native Americans. In some of the sharpest language the judge has used in his nearly 10 years overseeing a class action lawsuit over the government's acknowledged problems in handling individual Indian Trust accounts, Lamberth accused the department of forgetting what the case is all about and praised the Indians who brought the lawsuit. "After all these years, our government still treats Native American Indians as if they were somehow less than deserving of the respect that should be afforded to everyone in a society where all people are supposed to be equal," the judge wrote. Lawyers for the Indians had complained the judge that Interior was giving Indians incomplete and inaccurate information about the lawsuit. They said Interior was blaming many of its own administrative problems on the judge and the lawsuit. Here are some of the highlights of the judge's ruling. It is posted at www.indiantrust.com. Pg 1-2: But when one strips away the convoluted statutes, the technical legal complexities, the elaborate collateral proceedings, and the layers upon layers of interrelated orders and opinions from this Court and the Court of Appeals, what remains is the raw, shocking, humiliating truth at the bottom: After all these years, our government still treats Native American Indians as if they were somehow less than deserving of the respect that should be afforded to everyone in a society where all people are supposed to be equal. For those harboring hope that the stories of murder, dispossession, forced marches, assimilationist policy programs, and other incidents of cultural genocide against the Indians are merely the echoes of a horrible, bigoted government-past that has been sanitized by the good deeds of more recent history, this case serves as an appalling reminder of the evils that result when large numbers of the politically powerless are placed at the mercy of institutions engendered and controlled by a politically powerful few. It reminds us that even today our great democratic enterprise remains unfinished. And it reminds us, finally, that the terrible power of government, and the frailty of the restraints on the exercise of that power, are never fully revealed until government turns against the people. Pg. 3: Despite Interior's near wholesale abdication of its trust duties, the vast majority of the Indian beneficiaries remain unaware that anything is out of order. Pg. 10-11: The entire record in this case tells the dreary story of Interior's degenerate tenure as Trustee-Delegate for the Indian trust - a story shot through with bureaucratic blunders, flubs, goofs and foul-ups, and peppered with scandals, deception, dirty tricks and outright villainy - the end of which is nowhere in sight. Despite the breadth and clarity of this record, Interior continues to litigate and relitigate, in excruciating fashion, every minor, technical legal issue. See Cobell v. Norton, 357 F. Supp. 2d 298, 306-07 (D.D.C. 2005). This is yet another factor forestalling the final resolution of the issues in this case and delaying the relief the Indians so desperately need. See id. It is against this background of mismanagement, falsification, spite, and obstinate litigiousness that this Court is to evaluate the general reliability of the information Interior distributes to IIM account holders. Pg. 32-34 CONCLUSION While it is undeniable that Interior has failed as a Trustee-Delegate, it is nevertheless difficult to conjure plausible hypotheses to explain Interior's default. Perhaps Interior's past and present leaders have been evil people, deriving their pleasure from inflicting harm on society's most vulnerable. Interior may be consistently populated with apathetic people who just cannot muster the necessary energy or emotion to avoid complicity in the Department's grossly negligent administration of the Indian trust. Or maybe Interior's officials are cowardly people who dodge their responsibilities out of a childish fear of the magnitude of effort involved in reforming a degenerate system. Perhaps Interior as an institution is so badly broken that even the most well-intentioned initiatives are polluted and warped by the processes of implementation. 33 The government as a whole may be inherently incapable of serving as an adequate fiduciary because of some structural flaw. Perhaps the Indians were doomed the moment the first European set foot on American soil. Who can say? It may be that the opacity of the cause renders the Indian trust problem insoluble. On numerous occasions over the last nine years, the Court has wanted to simply wash its hands of Interior and its iniquities once and for all. The plaintiffs have invited the Court to declare that Interior has repudiated the Indian trust, appoint a receiver to liquidate the trust assets, and finally relieve the Indians of the heavy yoke of government stewardship. The Court may eventually do all these things - but not yet. Giving up on rehabilitating Interior would signal more than the downfall of a single administrative agency. It would constitute an announcement that negligence and incompetence in government are beyond judicial remedy, that bureaucratic recalcitrance has outpaced and rendered obsolete our vaunted system of checks and balances, and that people are simply at the mercy of governmental whim with no chance for salvation. The Court clings to a slim and quickly receding hope that future progress may vitiate the need for such a grim declaration. This hope is sustained in part by the fact that the Indians who brought this case found it in themselves to stand up, draw a line in the sand, and tell the government: Enough is enough - this far and no further. Perhaps they regret having done so now, nine years later, beset on all sides by the costs of protracted litigation and the possibility that their efforts may ultimately prove futile; but still they continue. The notice requirement established by the Court today represents a significant victory for the plaintiffs. For the first time in the history of this case, the majority of Indian beneficiaries will be aware of the lawsuit, the plaintiffs' efforts, and the danger involved Page 33 of 34 in placing any further confidence in the Department of the Interior. Perhaps more importantly, the Indians will be advised that they may contact class counsel for guidance on their trust-related concerns. This likely will bring to light a wealth of new evidence concerning Interior's mismanagement of the trust; it will also open an avenue to relief for individuals throughout Indian country whose suffering might otherwise be buried forever in a bureaucratic tomb. Real justice for these Indians may still lie in the distant future; it may never come at all. This reality makes a statement about our society and our form of government that we should be unwilling to let stand. But perhaps the best that can be hoped for is that people never forget what the plaintiffs have done here, and that other marginalized people will learn about this case and follow the Indians' example. --------- "RE: Judge condemns Interior Department" --------- Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:33:14 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="DoI CALLOUS AND CLUELESS" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2005/07/13/news/state/sta04.txt Judge condemns Interior Department as a callous and clueless agency July 13, 2005 WASHINGTON (AP) - The Interior Department was ordered Tuesday - by a judge who called it a "pathetic outpost" - to admit it can't provide accurate information about lost royalties owed to American Indians. In a scathing condemnation of the government's treatment of American Indians, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth directed the department to enclose notices in its correspondence saying information provided on trust assets may not be credible. Interior officials called Lamberth's language "intemperate rhetoric uncommon to jurisprudence but made common in this case." The notices also are meant to alert people that they may be members of the class-action lawsuit brought by lead plaintiff Eloise Cobell in 1996 on behalf of more than 300,000 American Indians. Under Lamberth's order, the notices must say: "Evidence introduced in the Cobell case shows that any information related to (American Indian trust accounts) ... from the Department of the Interior may be unreliable." Lamberth has been locked in a nine-year battle with Interior - both Secretary Gale Norton and her Clinton administration predecessor, Bruce Babbitt - over the department's inability to come up with an accurate accounting of what American Indians are owed. The judge has held both administrators in contempt of court. Copyright c. 2005 Bismark Tribune. --------- "RE: U.S. may settle Native American Trust Case" --------- Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 08:43:10 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="TALK OF TRUST SETTLEMENT" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,162465,00.html U.S. May Settle Native American Trust Case July 13, 2005 WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee (search) said Congress may settle the nearly decade-old lawsuit in which American Indians accuse the Interior Department of cheating them out of billions of dollars in royalties. But Sen. John McCain (search), R-Ariz., said Wednesday the $27.5 billion the Indians are seeking in a proposed settlement is too much. "That number is just way out of sight," he said at a breakfast on Capitol Hill. "We would never get the Congress to support that kind of money." For more than a century, McCain said, it appears the government "never really even made any serious attempt at keeping track of the revenues" it owed the Indians. The Indians claim the department mismanaged oil, gas, grazing, timber and other royalties from their lands dating to 1887. Blackfeet Indian Elouise Cobell (search) and others sued in 1996 to force the government to account for billions of dollars belonging to about 500,000 Indians. Last month, in response to a request from McCain and other lawmakers, the Indians who sued said they were willing to settle for $27.5 billion and that they had agreed on 50 principles to guide the process. That figure is probably far less than the government actually owes the Indians, said their lawyer, Elliott Levitas. "If you rob, burglarize the house of someone who has a lot of money, you're going to be liable for a lot of money," Levitas said Wednesday. "That's what (the government) took. That's what they misappropriated. That's what they failed to account for." Department officials say that although some records are probably lost, they have amassed millions of pages of documentation. "We have still a lot to do on the historical accounting, but there is a lot of documentation available," said Jim Cason, the department's associate deputy secretary. The court battle has centered on whether the government can produce an accurate accounting of exactly how much it owes the Indians. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth has held both Interior Secretary Gale Norton and her Clinton administration predecessor, Bruce Babbitt, in contempt of court. He routinely has criticized the department for its failure to correct problems with accounting and records. On Tuesday, Lamberth issued a scathing decision ordering the department to acknowledge that its information about Indian trust assets might be unreliable. "It is undeniable that Interior has failed as a trustee-delegate," Lamberth said. Congress ultimately may have to decide what the Indians are owed. McCain's committee will hold a hearing soon on legislation to resolve the case. "I think we're going to get a settlement because I think it could drag out for 20 or 30 years in the courts," McCain said. "But I don't think we're close yet on the number." Levitas said he thinks McCain would change his mind if he hears the Indians' stories of how their money was mismanaged and even stolen. Copyright c. Associated Press. All rights reserved Copyright c. 2005 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. --------- "RE: Interior asks for power to take Indian Lands" --------- Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2005 08:54:27 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CAUGHT STEALING THE FUNDS, DoI WANTS LANDS" http://www.indianz.com/News/2005/009350.asp Interior asks Congress for power to take Indian lands July 18, 2005 The Bush administration is once again asking Congress for authority to take "unclaimed" Indian lands and to eliminate its trust responsibility to tens of thousands of individual Indians. In a letter to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, the Interior Department urged Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) to add provisions to a bill that is already on the Senate floor. Although the proposed changes were described as "technical," they would give the federal government powers that haven't been the subject of a hearing or prior public debate. Matt Eames, Interior's director of Congressional affairs, said the department needs the ability to take lands that are owned by individual Indians who can't currently be located. Nearly 49,000 Indian beneficiaries, who are owed an estimated $73.9 million, would be affected. "Under state law, a state may sell or auction off certain personal property that has not been claimed by an owner within a certain amount of time, usually within 5 years," the May 10 letter stated. "This is not the case with inactive Individual Indian Money accounts or real property interests." Eames also proposed language to address two court cases -- including one that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court -- that favored individual Indians and their constitutionally protected property rights. He said the department needs authority to take highly fractionated lands from beneficiaries, albeit with compensation. "The provision should provide that the escheat of those interests to the tribes involved a taking by the United States and should provide compensation to the heirs of those escheated interests," Eames told McCain. The proposals came in the administration's official response to S.536, the Native American Omnibus Act of 2005. The bill was approved by McCain's committee on May 12 and could be scheduled for a Senate vote any time. If added to the bill, the provisions would eliminate the federal government's responsibilities to tens of thousands of Indian beneficiaries throughout the country who either can't be located or who share ownership in highly fractionated pieces of land. Interior officials have said keeping track of these account holders is costing the department millions of dollars. Over the years, several proposals have been floated in an attempt to close the accounts, an effort that former assistant secretary Neal McCaleb once described as "termination." Not surprisingly, Indian Country hasn't reacted positively. In late 2002, the department proposed an unclaimed property act that was soundly rejected by tribal leaders who were participating in the task force on trust reform. Interior officials blamed the legislation's quick demise on the task force, saying tribal leaders prematurely shared the information with the plaintiffs in the Cobell v. Norton lawsuit and with the media. But the department, tribes, Indian landowners and other stakeholders were able to come together and pass the American Indian Probate Reform Act. The bill, signed into law by President Bush in October 2004, encourages estate planning by individual Indians, establishes a uniform probate code and helps tribes consolidate fractionated lands. Past efforts, however, have not met muster in the courts. In the Babbitt v. Youpee case, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress violated the property rights of about 18,000 individual Indians in the Great Plains and the Midwest by taking their lands without just compensation. The decision was issued in 1997 and the department is still trying to sort out the mess. More recently, a federal judge has found another piece of legislation to be unconstitutional in the DuMarce v. Norton case. It affects members of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribe whose fractionated lands were taken without just compensation. The relevant parts of the Interior Department's letter are as follows: The Department also suggests additional amendments be added to S. 536... We also recommend two new titles be added to the bill that would provide a technical correction to address the decisions in Youpee v. Babbitt and DuMarce v. Norton and give the Secretary the authority to address unclaimed property. Youpee and Sisseton-Wahpeton A new title should be added to S. 536 that would provide a technical correction to address the decisions in Youpee v. Babbitt and DuMarce v. Norton. The United States Supreme Court in Youpee held the escheat provision of the Indian Land Consolidation Act as unconstitutional. In DuMarce, the District Court for the District of South Dakota found unconstitutional a statute under which any interest of less than two and a half acres would automatically escheat to the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe. As a result of these two decisions, the Department is faced with having to revest interests that escheated under both statutes back to the rightful heir. We request that a new title be added declaring that any interest that escheated pursuant to these Acts be vested in the tribe to which they escheated unless they have been revested in the name of the heirs of the allottee by the Secretary since the escheatment. The provision should provide that the escheat of those interests to the tribes involve d a taking by the United States and should provide compensation to the heirs of those escheated interests. Unclaimed Property Under state law, a state may sell or auction off certain personal property that has not been claimed by an owner within a certain amount of time, usually within 5 years. This is not the case with inactive Individual Indian Money accounts or real property interests. Often times the whereabouts of account owners are unknown to the Department because account holders do not respond to our requests for address information and our repeated attempts to locate them have been unsuccessful. This may be because the small amount in their account does not make such effort worthwhile. However, the Department must account for every interest regardless of size and we do not have the authority to stop administering accounts where whereabouts of the owner are unknown. We must have the authority to close these small accounts and restore economic value to the assets if the owner does not claim their interest within a certain amount of time. If the owner does not come forward, the revenue generated from th e interest should be held in a general holding account against which claims could be made in the future if the owner's whereabouts become known or used to further the fractionation program. Copyright c. 2000-2005 Indianz.Com. --------- "RE: Indian Health needs outlined" --------- Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:52:53 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="INDIAN HEALTH" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2005/07/15/news/state/sta01.txt Indian health needs outlined By JODI RAVE, Lee News Service July 15, 2005 U.S. Senate leaders agreed Thursday that the long-awaited reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act is overdue. The act hasn't been improved since 1992. "We should have done it in our last session," said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D- N.D. "We didn't get it done." In a joint three-hour hearing, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions discussed the pros and cons of Indian health care legislation, Senate Bill 1057, introduced earlier this year by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Committee members and panelists repeatedly used the word "disparate" to describe health conditions in Indian Country. "We have many health issues in this country, but the disparity in Indian communities is absolutely intolerable," said Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. Congress passed the Indian Health Care Improvement Act in 1976 to create parity in the health status of American Indians and other U.S. populations. Yet health care needs seem to be outpacing progress. American Indians die six years earlier, on average, than the typical U.S. citizen. "The reauthorization has been long and difficult for us," said Rachel Joseph, co-chair of the National Steering Committee for the Reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. "Since the enactment in 1976, the health care delivery system in America has evolved and modernized while the American Indian-Alaska Native system of health care has not kept up." Overall, the revised act calls for support or changes in key tribe- related areas, including training of health-care workers, transferring federal control of health-care programs to tribes and urban centersand allowing for collection of insurance money for health-care costs. While the reauthorization act would make way for policy changes, Indian health is underfunded by about 40 percent, said Dr. Charles Grim, director of the Indian Health Service. Meanwhile, the government spends about twice as much for a federal prisoner than for a American Indian. And a Medicare patient receives $6,168 compared to $2,101 for an Indian Health Service patron. "We're sending people home with cancer, saying there's no money for chemotherapy," said Richard Brannan, the Northern Arapaho Tribal Business Council chairman of Fort Washakie, Wyo., who testified at the hearing. Disease and death rates in Indian Country reflect wide disparities in a number of major health and health-related conditions, such as diabetes, tuberculosis, alcoholism, homicide, suicide and accidents. Recent studies reveal that almost 20 percent fewer American Indian women receive prenatal care than all other races and they engage in significantly higher rates of negative personal health behavior, such as smoking and the consumption of alcohol and illegal substances during pregnancy. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act would give tribes the ability to create programs that reflect their values and allow for greater collaboration between behavioral health programs. Dental needs also present a crisis for many tribal communities. For those reasons, a previous amendment to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act allowed for a dental innovation to take place within Alaskan villages. The measure allows dental health therapists to perform dental work in villages, including extractions and fillings procedures usually reserved for licensed dentists. The American Dental Association provided testimony objecting to reauthorizing the provision. Robert Brandjord, the association's president-elect, described the Alaska Native Health Board dental program as "second-class care." "Alaskan Natives deserve better," said Brandjord. "They deserve high- quality dentists." "Please listen to the people who live and work in these communities and don't limit the scope of the dental health therapists," said Mary Williard of the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corp. Dental Clinic in Bethel, Alaska. While tribes were consulted for language in the bill, health service director Grim fielded questions from McCain about his objection to giving tribes greater flexibility in managing health-care programs, even though Grim argued for flexibility for his own department. While the Senate committees discussed the bill, American Indian health advocates also gathered this week in the nation's capital to mount their own campaign regarding the disparate health needs in tribal and urban communities. "This is just critical," said Jacqueline Johnson, National Congress of the American Indian executive director. "If Indian Country is going to be able to address our medical and health-care needs, they need this act. The challenging issues that we're dealing with -- teen suicide and mental health -- all those things need this act to be passed." About 1.8 million American Indians depend upon the Indian Health Service for basic needs. (Jodi Rave covers American Indian issues for Lee Enterprises. She can be reached at 406-523-5299 or jodi.rave@lee.net.) Copyright c. 2005 Bismark Tribune. --------- "RE: Tribal Leader calls for Health Care changes" --------- Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:52:53 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="WIND RIVER RES LACK OF HEALTH CARE" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.casperstartribune.net/~c88725703f000353b4.tx Tribal leader calls for health care changes From staff and wire reports July 15, 2005 WASHINGTON -- Health care is seriously lacking on the Wind River Indian Reservation, a tribal leader told U.S. senators Thursday. "We're sending people home with cancer saying there's no money for chemotherapy," said Richard Brannan, the Northern Arapaho Business Council chairman, during a hearing on reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Brannan told of a tribal elder with brain tumors and an abused infant. He also shared statistics that show the disparity in health care for Indians and that of the rest of the population, according to a release from U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. Brannan generally supports the bill but believes more can be done to make it better, the release said. "While it may not offer everything we would hope for, it does make a great step forward," he said. "I am here to lend my support to the proposed legislation, and hope that the next step will be to fully fund the programs that are so desperately needed on our reservations, and to ask the United States to live up to its trust responsibilities with regard to health care." Senate leaders agreed that the long-awaited reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act is overdue. The act hasn't been improved since 1992. "We should have done it in our last session," said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D- N.D. "We didn't get it done." In a joint three-hour hearing, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions discussed the pros and cons of Indian health care legislation, Senate Bill 1057, introduced earlier this year by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Committee members and panelists repeatedly used the word "disparate" to describe health conditions in Indian Country. "We have many health issues in this country, but the disparity in Indian communities is absolutely intolerable," said Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. Congress passed the Indian Health Care Improvement Act in 1976 to create parity in the health status of Indian and other U.S. populations. Yet health care needs seem to be outpacing progress. "The federal government started providing health services to American Indians in the early 1800s with vaccinations to prevent smallpox, and there were major leaps in policy in the 1920s. We've been wrestling with the reauthorization of this legislation for the last five years," Enzi said. "But even after all this time the rates of tuberculosis, diabetes, alcoholism, suicide and other problems are higher on the reservations than in other parts of America. We can do better and we will with the improvements we are going to make with this bill." The revised act calls for support or changes in key tribe-related areas, including training of health-care workers, transferring federal control of health-care programs to tribes and urban centers, and allowing for collection of insurance money for health-care costs. While the reauthorization act would make way for policy changes, Indian health is underfunded by about 40 percent, said Dr. Charles Grim, director of the Indian Health Service. Meanwhile, the government spends about twice as much for a federal prisoner than for a tribal member. And a Medicare patient receives $6,168 compared with $2,101 for an Indian Health Service patient. While tribes were consulted for language in the bill, health service director Grim fielded questions from McCain about his objection to giving tribes greater flexibility in managing health-care programs, even though Grim argued for maximum flexibility for his own department. McCain then quickly moved on to question Grim about his objection to the bill's provision allowing the Government Accountability Office to do a report listing the number, size and status of Indian health-care facilities. Copyright c. 2005 Casper Star Tribune. --------- "RE: Snowbowl won't perform work until suits settled" --------- Date: Sat, 16 Jul 2005 08:00:17 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="LITIGATION SUSPENDS WORK ON TOILET BOWL DESECRATION" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0715snowbowl15.html Snowbowl won't perform work until suits settled Indian tribes, conservationists in litigation with ski area Mark Shaffer Republic Flagstaff Bureau July 15, 2005 The Arizona Snowbowl has agreed not to begin work on snowmaking and other improvements at the ski area until lawsuits against it by Indian tribes and conservation groups have been settled. That accord was struck Wednesday during a federal court hearing in Prescott seeking a preliminary injunction against the construction before U.S. District Judge Paul Rosenblatt. Rosenblatt also scheduled a tentative court date for mid-October and consolidated the four suits into one filed by northern Arizona tribes and environmentalists against the U.S. Department of the Interior. The national Forest Service, on both the local and regional level, approved a plan for the Snowbowl to pump treated wastewater from Flagstaff to make artificial snow and make other changes at the ski area. "The most important issue for us is the future of the ski area and that depends on being able to make snow," said J.R. Murray, general manager of the Snowbowl. "We are pleased the court has agreed to schedule the trial this October. We look forward to getting the litigation behind us." Valley attorney Howard Shanker, who represents, among others, the Navajo Nation and Sierra Club in the proceedings, said the issue most paramount was getting a delay in the construction. The Snowbowl had been scheduled to start cutting trees this month. "The judge (Rosenblatt) asked if Snowbowl should be allowed to begin at its own risk and I said it was unacceptable because they would be cutting a thousand trees and doing a lot of grading," Shanker said. Those opposed to the Snowbowl improvements say that further development on the San Francisco Peaks decreases the religious powers of the mountains, which are sacred to tribes in the Southwest. But Snowbowl officials say that snowmaking is essential for the economic well-being of the ski area and to Flagstaff businesses during the winter. The Snowbowl has been in dire financial straits in recent years because of the state's ongoing drought. Copyright c. 2005, azcentral.com. All rights reserved. --------- "RE: Salmon decline key issue as US Natives protest" --------- Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:33:14 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="WATER AND DAMS" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.fishupdate.com/news/US_Natives_protest_against_Scottish_Power.html Salmon decline key issue as US Natives protest against Scottish Power 13 July, 2005 A Delegation representing four native American Indian tribes from California and Oregon, will come to Scotland 18th to 23rd of July as part of their campaign against utility giant Scottish Power. Staging media events such as a traditional salmon `bake' ceremony and a documentary film screening, the group will also hold a colourful demonstration at Scottish Power's AGM in Glasgow. The tribes are demanding the restoration of the River Klamath, which they claim has been severely damaged by a complex of dams operated by Scottish Power's US subsidiary, PacifiCorp. The dams block over 350 miles of historic salmon spawning grounds and have played a major part in a huge decline in salmon numbers in what was once America's third greatest Salmon river. This return visit follows last summers visit, during which they embarrassed Scottish Power into action by confronting its shareholders, working in partnership with Scottish NGO's and politicians, and through gaining widespread media coverage, eventually receiving a "personal commitment to find the right solution" from the chief executive of Scottish Power. However, the company in May announced the surprise sale of PacifiCorp and the tribes are now accusing Scottish Power of `stringing them along' by engaging them in negotiations while all the time planning to sell the US subsidiary and its dams. The tribes have traditionally relied on the return of the salmon each year for food, for their good health and for goods to trade, and the salmon plays an important part in their culture, including being the basis for traditional ceremonies, many of which have not been performed for decades because of the lack of fish in the upper Klamath basin. www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish European Fish Trader, Fishing Monthly, Fish Farming Today, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners. Fishupdate.com (C) 2005 Special Publications, part of The Oban Times Ltd. --------- "RE: New York warned to settle Claims" --------- Date: Sat, 16 Jul 2005 08:00:17 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CONGRESSIONAL FRUSTRATION WITH STATE`" http://www.pechanga.net/ http://timesunion.com/storyID=379460&category=STATE&newsdate=7/15/2005 State warned to settle claims House panel chairman threatens federal intervention after hearing reports from 5 tribes By ELISE WAXENBERG, Washington bureau July 15, 2005 WASHINGTON - A key member of Congress, expressing frustration at New York state's lack of progress in settling Indian tribal land claims, threatened federal intervention Thursday to resolve questions of land ownership that date back more than 200 years. The lawmaker, Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., chairman of the House Resources Committee, issued the threat after his committee heard reports from five Indian tribes about their settlement negotiations with New York State. Hundreds of thousands of acres of Indian lands in upstate New York were sold to the state in the late 18th and early 19th centuries without the required approval of the federal government. Since 1970, tribes have been filing claims seeking to repossess the property and to collect damages. Robert Chicks, president of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, told the panel that there "is sort of a rising din in Albany that sort of suggests that we shouldn't work very hard on settling these claims" because of doubts that Congress would give priority to ratifying any settlements, Chicks said. The Stockbridge-Munsee Community has a claim for 24,000 or so acres in Central New York. Pombo replied: 'They can either be part of it or they can watch," referring to New York state officials. Pombo said federal lawmakers have a 'moral obligation and legal obligation" to deal with Indian land settlement issues. The campaigns by the Indian tribes got a boost during the hearing from Michael Olsen, the acting principal deputy assistant secretary for Indian affairs at the Interior Department. He said he believed the claims are valid. Looming over the issue was the June 28 decision by the 2nd Court of Appeals in New York that threw out a lower court award of $248 million to the Cayuga Indian Nation. The court said the Cayugas' claims came too late -- 200 years after the tribe sold lands to the state -- and called proposed remedies "disruptive." Times Union staffer James Odato reported from Albany for this story. All Times Union materials Copyright c. 1996-2005, Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation, Albany, N.Y. --------- "RE: Judges rule against So. Dakota redistricting Plan" --------- Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2005 08:54:27 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="SOUTH DAKOTA REDISTRICTING PLAN RACIST" http://nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=6722 Judges rule against South Dakota redistricting plan Says state law is a "rushed attempt" to deny voting rights Sam Lewin July 15, 2005 A judicial panel has ordered officials in South Dakota to submit for federal approval a controversial redistricting plan that opponents said was a ploy to disenfranchise Native American voters. House Bill 1265 would have allowed counties to redraw their county commission district lines more than once a decade as opposed to only once a decade following a census. Some Native officials in the state charged that the legislation was a violation of the Voting Rights Act. The American Civil Liberties Union intervened and filed a lawsuit. U.S. Circuit Judge Diane Murphy and District Judges Karen Schreier and Joan Erickson have now told South Dakota lawmakers to show the legislation to the Department of Justice because it "gives the appearance of a rushed attempt to circumvent the VRA." The panel also said South Dakota has a negative history when it comes voting rights. "Plaintiffs have shown that for over 25 years defendants have intended to violate and have violated the preclearance requirements of the VRA," said the panel. "This ruling demonstrates the essential role played by the Voting Rights Act and the federal courts in protecting the right to vote for Native Americans in South Dakota," said ACLU attorney Bryan Sells. "While we are pleased at the relief granted in this case, we also are saddened that it has once again taken the intervention of the federal courts to ensure that state officials follow the law." South Dakota authorities have indicated they might appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. Native American Times. Copyright c. 2005 All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: Sharpe Family fights to hold onto their Land" --------- Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:52:53 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="BLM LAND GRAB" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.klastv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3597482&nav=168YcAVf Sharpe Family Fights to Hold Onto Their Land George Knapp, Investigative Reporter July 15, 2005 Help may be on the way for a Native American family in Pahrump that was told by the government to pack up and leave. The Eyewitness New I-Team broke the story back in February, and our reports spurred a lot of angry comments from people who felt the family was getting a raw deal. With custom homes popping up all over the Pahrump valley and contractors vowing to build even more, it was probably inevitable that someone would cast covetous glances at the 160 acres of land that, for 60 years, has been the home of the Sharpe family. Louie Sharpe, a direct descendant of the great Chief Tecopa, homesteaded the property in 1946 at a time when almost no one else lived in the area. For half a century, the family struggled to make ends meet, but always paid their property taxes so they could hang onto their home. Three years ago, however, the BLM informed the Sharpe's that the land isn't theirs after all because a signature was missing from the original paperwork. The Sharpe's would have to go, and BLM quickly designated the land as disposable, meaning, it was fair game for housing developers. Ed Sharpe said, "I hunted out there. My grandma taught me to hunt rabbits. We ate rabbits all the time. It's all we ever knew. Now they're going to take this away." A friend of Ed's from high school days, Daron Cox, who dabbles in real estate offered to help. But attempts to get the snafu resolved went nowhere at the BLM, which said its hands were tied. Cox was also unable to get any offers of help from elected officials, so he complained to the I- Team. Daron Cox, friend of the Sharpe family, said, "It's just ridiculous. I can't believe anyone taking something like this." The story that the Sharpe's might be kicked off their land so that the acres could be sold caused quite a stir. Members of the public were outraged, but after meetings with the BLM, the Sharpe's were still told there was nothing that could be done. The family was petrified. Now, there is cause of optimism. Prominent developers in Pahrump have told county leaders they are not trying to take over the Sharpe's land. Nye County Commissioner Gary Hollis agreed to lobby for the family in Washington. Senator Harry Reid has agreed to sponsor legislation that would give title of the land to the Sharpe's, and the BLM hints that it will not oppose such a move. Daron Cox said, "They're not opposed to giving it to the family as long as it's done through legislation 'cause that's the only way they can see to do it at this point." And while legislation can take years to get through Congress, this bill could face an easier road. "Sometime in October they're supposed to vote on it. If all goes as it should, we'll have title by March," Cox said. Until it's a done deal though, the Sharpe's will still feel gnawing fear that they could be out on the streets. After all, it wouldn't be the first time the government has pushed Native Americans off their land. A Bureau of Land Management official named Juan Palma told Eyewitness News Thursday that lawyers for the agency are drafting a letter that will be forwarded in the next two weeks to Washington. The letter will explain to Congress why the BLM is unable to resolve this issue on its own. Mr. Palma expressed support for the Sharpe family and thinks this can be resolved in the Sharpe's favor. The I-Team will stay on the story until it is resolved. Copyright c. 2000-2005 WorldNow and KLAS. All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: Schaghticokes' last shot for Recognition" --------- Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:54:04 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="SCHAGHTICOKE RECOGNITION" http://www.indianz.com/News/ http://www.norwichbulletin.com//507120307/1014/OPINION Schaghticokes' last shot July 12, 2005 The Schaghticoke tribe had sought federal recognition since 1981 when it got it in 2003 and then lost it this year. Now the Bureau of Indian Affairs has granted the tribe yet another shot at recognition. This has gone on long enough. If the tribe can't establish its legitimacy this time, that should be the end of it. The BIA issued a negative preliminary finding in December 2002. But in January 2004, the BIA reversed itself. In May, the BIA reversed itself again, withdrawing recognition. Now the BIA has offered the Schaghticokes the opportunity to submit "historical documents or historical evidence concerning marriages of Schaghticoke members." The tribe's hopes hinge on new evidence that could show a higher rate of Indian-to-Indian marriages in the mid-19th century. The BIA decision still must be approved by U.S. District Judge Peter Dorsey. Since the tribe has been working in earnest for 24 years, Dorsey should allow the tribe to submit whatever evidence it has. By the same token, 24 years should be enough time to research mid-19th century tribal affairs. If this evidence proves unconvincing, that should be the end of the federal recognition process for the Schaghticokes. Copyright c. 2005 Norwich Bulletin. All rights reserved. --------- "RE: Tribes petition for Mine restriction" --------- Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 08:43:10 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="MINE RESTRICTION" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.greatfallstribune.com//NEWS01/507140309/1002 Environmental group, tribes petition for mine restriction By SUSAN GALLAGHER Associated Press Writer July 14, 2005 HELENA - An environmental group and the Fort Belknap tribes are petitioning for tougher state control over metal mining that impairs water quality. The Montana Environmental Information Center and the tribes want the state to deny permits for mines where water treatment would be necessary for more than two years after a mine's closure. MEIC and the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council submitted a petition Wednesday, asking the Montana Board of Environmental Review to write a rule establishing that restriction. The board will consider the petition July 29. Jeff Barber of the MEIC said tighter control is necessary "so that we will stop permitting mines that are going to cause pollution forever." He cited the defunct Zortman-Landusky gold complex, on the southern border of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, where perpetual water treatment is necessary. The petition says that "nearly every major mine in Montana has long-term water pollution problems that will require treatment to meet standards after the mine has closed." Calls seeking comment Wednesday from the mining industry and the tribes were not immediately returned. Richard Opper, director of the state Department of Environmental Quality, said the agency will provide the Board of Environmental Review with technical assistance if desired, but will be neutral on the petition. DEQ would be responsible for enforcing the proposed rule if the board adopted it. MEIC and the tribes want the rule to apply to new mines, and to major changes in the operating plans of existing mines. Barber said that within two years of a mine's closure, water would have to meet standards now in place. Those standards do not necessarily require water be in pre-mining condition. The proposed requirements would help fulfill the Montana Constitution's provision that says the state "shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment ... for present and future generations," the petition says. That provision forbids use of perpetual or long-term treatment of water once a mine has been reclaimed, according to the petition. Copyright c. 2005 Great Falls Tribune. All rights reserved. --------- "RE: Tribe sues Carson City over Growth Plan" --------- Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:54:04 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CITY ENCROACHING" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3578508&nav=8faObzPF Tribe sues Carson City over growth plan July 11, 2005 The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California has sued Carson City over a master-plan change to 120 acres of vacant land, saying it will disrupt their way of life and endanger those at the nearby Stewart Indian Colony. The seven-page petition, served on the city this week, was filed in Carson City District Court in June. In the lawsuit, the tribe asks the court to reverse a May decision by the Carson City Board of Supervisors changing the zoning from rural to medium density to allow 525 new homes to be built near tribal land. The tribe claims the change will result in excessive traffic on Center Drive, which passes through the Stewart Indian Community, and will endanger children heading to school and elders attending community programs. Board lawyer Melanie Bruketta said supervisors did not act "arbitrarily or capriciously" when they amended the master plan. Supervisors have said census figures show Carson City continues to attract retirees and that the community desperately needs affordable housing. Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com Copyright c. 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Copyright c. 2001-2005 WorldNow and KRNV. All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: Goal is Solidarity among American Indian Women" --------- Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:33:14 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="BUILDING SISTER STRENGTH" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/12115596.htm Networking: Group aims for solidarity among American Indian women EMILY JOHNS Associated Press July 12, 2005 MINNEAPOLIS - When a group of American Indian women gather here this week to talk about leadership, they're not out to fight the good old boy network. They're out to create one of their own. The national conference is seen as a way for American Indian women to trade ideas on everything from protecting tribal sovereignty to winning elections. "We're the ones who give life, and we're the ones who have a vision for creating a better place for our children," said Susan Masten, a founder of the group organizing the meeting, Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations. "Those are really good traits that we need to encourage and uplift and support." Speakers for the three-day meeting that starts Thursday include several tribal chairwomen, business leaders, and legal experts. Masten, who has served as chairwoman of California's Yurok tribe and president of the National Congress of American Indians, said she came up with the idea almost a decade ago. It wasn't until last year, when her term as chairwoman expired, that she had time for it. Masten says she's intent on helping American Indian women establish their own network, supporting each other for jobs, working to get each other elected, even buying goods and services from each other. Masten recalls her first run for tribal chairwoman in 1994, when she was up against five men. One of them, she says, told her she wasn't qualified for the job because she was still "playing with Barbie dolls." "No one would make that kind of remark about a tribal male," Masten said. She lost then, but went on to victory in 1997, and says her years in office convinced her that women need to support each other. Organizers expect about 200 participants at this week's conference, which features workshops on subjects such as working with elected officials and managing the media. Melanie Benjamin, chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, is one of four women running tribes in Minnesota (the state has 11). After learning through what she called the "school of hard knocks," Benjamin - one of the group's co-founders - said she was looking forward to speaking at the conference. She'll talk about election tactics. "If we can share knowledge with others for the benefit of Indian Country, that in itself is something that would be a high accomplishment," Benjamin said. Benjamin said women who rise to leadership positions have to assert their power or they risk being marginalized. "A lot of times when you're the only woman and there is that good-old boys network, you're not involved in some of the decision-making," Benjamin said. "When decisions are made, wherever they're made, if you're not right there ... you're not a part of the process." Cecelia Fire Thunder, who took office seven months ago as the first woman president of South Dakota's Oglala Sioux Tribe, said it's not only men who resist being led by women. Sometimes, it's women who don't have confidence in their female leaders, she said. "I try to convey to women that leadership is not about gender, it's about ability," said Fire Thunder, who also will speak at the conference. "I like to think that I was chosen by the people. It was based on who I was and what I stand for, and that people trusted me." Organizers said they plan to start regional and local chapters of the group so members can have women to turn to on a daily basis. Then they can also teach younger girls how to work together so future generations of women leaders will be successful. They also want to collaborate with other women's groups. One powerful group invited to the meeting is Women in Public Policy, a bipartisan public policy group in Washington that helps women business leaders understand public policy and get access to lawmakers. Barbara Kasoff, that group's co-founder and chief operating officer, said she'll talk about the appropriate way to approach lawmakers, an important part of the job for many American Indian leaders. The worst time to contact a senator is when you're in trouble, she said. Establish a relationship. Set up a meeting. Leave behind reading material. Follow up with a thank-you note. "They first need to have a seat at the table, then they need to learn to maximize their power and leverage," Kasoff said. "That gives the women themselves great visibility in their communities and recognition as leaders ... They are able to make the connections they need in order to grow," she said. Masten said she hopes the women at the conference will learn to back each other up when they run into trouble. She recalled talking several years ago with a male tribal leader and several women. When one woman criticized the man, another man in the tribe approached them. "The male came up and said, 'You're not going to talk about him that way, he works very hard and he doesn't deserve for anyone to say anything about it,' " Masten said. "And that is what I want to have happen (with women)." ON THE NET Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations: http://www.wewin04.org Copyright c. 2005 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Copyright c. 2005 Aberdeen American News. All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: Women Delegates begin Wagon Ride to Window Rock" --------- Date: Thursday, July 14, 2005 1:25 PM From: Karen Francis [karenfrancis@navajo.org] Subj: Women delegates begin wagon ride to Window Rock Contact: Karen Francis, Public Information Officer Navajo Nation Council Office of the Speaker (928) 871-7160 karenfrancis@navajo.org www.navajonationcouncil.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: Thursday, July 14, 2005 WOMEN DELEGATES BEGIN WAGON RIDE TO WINDOW ROCK Navajo Nation Council delegates Alice Benally (Nahodishgish/Crownpoint) and Harriet K. Becenti (Manuelito/Rock Springs/Tseyatoh)began the first women Council delegates' wagon ride from Crownpoint, New Mexico this morning. Their destination: Window Rock, Arizona for the Navajo Nation Council's summer session to begin July 18, 2005. While the Navajo Nation Council delegates have made it a tradition to ride to the summer session on horseback in honor of past leaders, this is the first time that the women delegates organized their own special trip to the capital of the Navajo Nation. The trip began this morning at 5 a.m. when the women and their supporters gathered at the Crownpoint Chapter house to prepare for the journey. Medicine man Paul Long Sr. performed a ceremony to bless the group and pray for their safety along the way. "This is the first time I have been in a wagon since I was 3 years old," Benally said this morning. "I used to ride in a wagon with my grandfather." The delegates ride in on horseback, and now on a wagon, in remembrance of the way the Council delegates of the past had to travel to the capital to conduct business. It also gives them a chance to talk to the Navajo people along the way as they stop at Chapters and take breaks. As the wagon traveled along the road, passers-by waved and honked their horns - the support for the women delegates is evident and appreciated. The traveling caravan will camp out tonight and start the trip again tomorrow. The goal is to reach Window Rock by Sunday when the horse riders from Navajo Mountain, Utah, and Dilkon, Arizona, will converge on the Navajo Nation fairgrounds for a welcome ceremony from Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan. --------- "RE: Gah Nohs trip 'Cultural Awakening'" --------- Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 08:43:10 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="TRADITIONAL CANOE" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.zwire.com/newsid=14855389&PAG=461&rfi=9 Gah Nohs trip 'cultural awakening' By:Ted Durnin, Peak Reporter July 13, 2005 Traditional canoe will travel to Washington for 50-canoe event Gah Nohs, the Tla'Amin (Sliammon) First Nation traditional canoe, is preparing to set off on another voyage. The canoe will start for Elwha, near Port Angeles, Washington, on the 6 am tide on July 18, arriving 15 days later on August 1. A six-day celebration will follow, with 50 canoes expected at the event. The trip will cover over 500 kilometres. "We went on a short trip in 2001, the year we carved the canoe," says expedition leader Murray Mitchell, "and it was a real eye-opener to discover the strength that it took." Mitchell points out that the brand-new canoe was green and fairly heavy at the time. A new sail, roughly eight by 10 feet, will help on this trip. Michelle Washington is a tireless supporter of the canoe and its travels. With a brand-new baby, she will not be making this trip. However, Washington will join Mitchell at Powell River Logger Sports this weekend, raising funds for the journey. Mitchell will be preparing a traditional salmon barbecue and bannock for lunch and dinner both Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17, at Willingdon Beach. Washington will be selling T-shirts and hats. "We had just over $3,000 for an 11-day trip to Tulalip in 2003," says Mitchell. "We made it by the skin of our teeth." Washington says Gah Nohs is the only Coast Salish-style canoe currently being used on the coast. "I think the only other one is in a museum in Vancouver." Gah Nohs has a minimum crew of seven and a maximum of nine. As many as 19 pullers, as traditional oarsmen are called, are going on the trip. They will spell each other off as they make their way south. Stops in Sechelt, Squamish, Lummi, and beyond will recall past journeys. "The crew is 95 per cent women," says Mitchell. There is room for more pullers, and interested readers can contact Mitchell at 604.414.4862 if they want to train for the trip. A road crew will support the pullers. Nancy Mitchell and David and Dorothy Louie will trade off driving a 15-passenger van and a one-tonne truck, and will set up camp all the way along. All pullers will return from Elwha by road. Mitchell recalls fighting gale force winds near Tsawwassen during the 2003 trip, pulling in waves eight to 10 feet high for two-and-a-half hours before it calmed down. "It's a cultural awakening for us to go back and relive what our ancestors did every day," says Mitchell, "but with no car, and no conveniences." Copyright c. The Powell River Peak 2005. --------- "RE: California designates Indian Heritage Month" --------- Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 08:43:10 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CALIFORNIA INDIAN MONTH" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=6714 California designates Indian Heritage Month SACRAMENTO CA July 13, 2005 In the Golden State, November is now California Indian Heritage Month. A Republican lawmaker authored legislation to have the title attached to the month. "California's Indian nations have made tremendous contributions to the strength and diversity of our society, and tribal self-determination continues to be a top priority of mine. Recognizing their achievements is important, and I am honored to have once again carried this significant legislation," said State Senator Jim Battin (R - La Quinta). Battin's proposal has passed the California Assembly and the State Senate and now heads to the Secretary of State for formal implementation. "California's Indian nations are a vital part of our society," Battin said. "The number of Indian owned businesses is rapidly rising and their commitment to family and community has had an immeasurable and positive effect on our state." The following is the full text of the legislation: This measure would proclaim November 2005 as California Indian Heritage Month, encourage its observance with activities that celebrate our uniqueness as Americans, and commend California Indian nations for their outstanding contributions to this state. WHEREAS, President George W. Bush proclaimed November 2003 as National American Indian Heritage Month in recognition of American Indians and Alaskan Natives; and WHEREAS, California Indians, through their rich cultural traditions and proud ancestry, have made vital contributions to the strength and diversity of our society; and WHEREAS, In recognition of the sovereignty of the California Indian nations to be self-governing, self-supporting, and self-reliant, we are working to protect and enhance tribal resources; and WHEREAS, As of the last census, over 330,000 American Indians were living in California, more than any other state; now, therefore, be Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims that the month of November 2005 be recognized as California Indian Heritage Month, encourages the observance of this event with activities that celebrate our uniqueness as Americans, and takes this opportunity to commend Califo rnia Indian nations for their outstanding contributions to this great state; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution. Native American Times. Copyright c. 2005 All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: GIAGO: Running away from Holy Rosary Mission" --------- Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 08:56:09 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="GIAGO: BOARDING SCHOOL ESCAPE" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=6690 Running away from Holy Rosary Mission Notes from Indian Country Tim Giago (Nanwica Kciji) July 11, 2005 Copyright c. 2005, Native American Journalists Foundation, Inc. When Richard "Sonny" Torres and Ray Briggs arrived at Holy Rosary Indian Mission in the fall of 1951 the first thing they did was to look for a way to escape. They were city boys and looked at things a little differently than those of us that were reservation born and raised. For instance, when they saw the wire-meshed screen on the window in the big boy's recreation room, they saw an exit to freedom. I saw it as just another window. There was nothing spontaneous about the plan they hatched to escape. First they found a way to loosen the screws on the recreation room window. And then they chose a Sunday night to make their escape. Sunday night was the most relaxed night of the week at the mission school. It was the night that we saw a movie in the school gymnasium. The big boy's recreation room was at the bottom of the stairway leading to the movie seats reserved for the older boys. Taking advantage of their street-wise ways, they contacted their friend, Glen Three Stars, in Pine Ridge Village and set up a time and place for him to meet them with his car. Shortly after the movie started I saw them approach Mr. Bryde, a Jesuit prefect, whisper in his ear and then head down the stairway to the restrooms. No one paid much attention to them after that because we were busy enjoying the movie. After the movie we traipsed down the stairs and stopped in the recreation room to have one last smoke before bedtime. We noticed at once that the window was open and the wire screen had been pushed out. Mr. Bryde immediately called for an assembly and role call of all the students. As we lined up I immediately noticed that Torres and Briggs were gone. I found out later that Three Stars had picked them up near the mission highway and drove them to Rapid City. They had made a clean escape. I hated the boarding school as much as they did and now it was time for me to plan my escape. I tried to escape once with a friend named Pete Cummings when I was in the fourth grade, but we got caught and had to take a severe whipping with a leather strap and suffer the further indignity of being deprived of the Sunday night movies for about six weeks. It took a few months to work off the demerits we accumulated from our thwarted escape. I was now in the eleventh grade, a much older and wiser guy. I knew I would never make it through the school year and so I waited two weeks after Torres and Briggs had made their run before attempting my escape. It was a beautiful Sunday morning in early October when I put my plan into action. Sunday mass was always a bit longer than our regular daily mass. I figured that if I could find a way to get out of the church early in the service, I would have nearly an hour's head start before mass ended. Or, if I got lucky, they wouldn't miss me until after breakfast when roll call was usually held. I left the pew and told Mr. Bryde that I was really sick to my stomach and needed to go outside for a bit. He nodded his OK and out of the church I went. After getting outside I took a couple of deep breaths, looked around cautiously to make sure no one was in sight to report me and then I strolled to the girl's side of the mission and started loping down the dirt road toward the hills and freedom. I will never forget climbing the first hill overlooking the mission grounds and feeling like a bird about to take flight. I paused for a few minutes to catch my breath and looked back at the buildings and grounds where I had been held captive for 10 years. I then took the course I had planned and headed the four miles south to Pine Ridge Village where I hoped to hook up with Glen Three Stars. It seems that Three Stars had become a facsimile of the Underground Railroad for escaped students from the Holy Rosary Indian Mission. Three Stars was one of the most famous athletes to ever come out of Pine Ridge High School or Oglala Community High School as it was called in the days of old. He set a state record in the 440-yard dash that stood for more than 20 years. He became a legend in his own right later on in life. I found Glen's house and he hid me out for about three days. We then scraped together enough money for me to catch a bus to Rapid City. I found out a few days later that because of my successful escape I had been expelled forever from Holy Rosary Indian Mission. What a relief that was because I knew that I would never have to go back to that school again. Not once in my life have I ever regretted running away from the mission school. At that point in my life it was the bravest act I had ever committed and I never looked back. Instead of losing something I always looked upon it as a new beginning. I don't know what course my life would have taken had I remained at the mission school, but one year later I was in the United States Navy and traveling the world. It truly was a new beginning. (Tim Giago is the founder and former editor and publisher of The Lakota Times, Indian Country Today, and the Dakota, Lakota and Pueblo Journals. He can be reached at giagobooks@iw.net) Native American Times. Copyright c. 2005 All Rights Reserved.zx --------- "RE: YELLOW BIRD: Summer speeds to thrilling end" --------- Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 08:56:09 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="YELLOW BIRD: SPEEDING" http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/columnists/dorreen_yellow_bird/ DORREEN YELLOW BIRD: Summer speeds to thrilling end July 9, 2005 The first part of the summer for me has been so busy, I'd swear I've been through all three months of the season instead of three weeks. I've been trying to keep up with such questions, as will the Red River Valley become a lake again, and are the parks and rest areas in Minnesota open or closed? Storms with lots of rain and tumultuous wind have been the game in the valley. Huge, zigzagging lightning bolts that looked like they were thrown straight into the Earth by the strong arm of Zeus, lanced our area. Booming thunder rolled like a train across the sky. Picture-perfect- looking tornadoes picked up trees and granaries. Heavy downpours and overland flooding covered field after field in the flat, ancient Lake Agassiz bed. This all made for a good time for wildflowers and tall grass. They are pumping their arms up and down, joyous as the rain and the warm summer sun settle around them. During the few sunny days, the region turned green and lush. One of those night storms woke me last week. After an extremely loud, crashing thunderclap, I sat straight up out of a deep sleep - and when the next bolt of lightning flashed, it was so bright that for a minute, I couldn't see. Close behind that came another crashing thunder boom, so loud that my bedroom shook. My ears rang while I tried to resettle myself in bed. I knew I wouldn't go back to sleep. And that was just one of the night storms we've had this summer. In spite of the fact that the electrical storm left my hair standing straight up and me wide-eyed and clutching the pillow, I knew the days would dawn with a warm sun. Then, about noon, mare's tail clouds would sweep across the sky and the thunderheads would begin again to build for the next storm. I appreciate all this rain because I spend many weekends in western North Dakota. Drought has visited that area and held it tight in its grip for the last few years. The rolling prairies turned into fields of short, stubby, brown grass, and dust devils even whirled off the higher lands. It has been a stormy summer in more ways than one. The political parties in the Minnesota Legislature have been thundering back and forth to each other, too. I wouldn't be surprised if Zeus threw down a spear of lightning at the Capitol and said, "Enough." Finding summer activities wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. My daughter, nieces and granddaughter were able to kayak and bike at Lake Itasca in Minnesota. We waved at them as they disappeared down U.S. Highway 2 and wondered if they'd find the gates locked at the park. They didn't complain, so I assume that things weren't as bad as we anticipated. As we drove into the heart of Minnesota, I told my sister that we needed to be especially careful because in a state that needs money, ticketing us might be a another way to pay some salaries. She laughed. Speeding tickets are nothing compared to the problem they are having balancing their budget, she said. I suppose, I told her. But I have gotten a couple of speeding tickets, and they are really expensive. You can get three fines in North Dakota before you equal one fine in Minnesota. A few years ago, my daughter and a young friend took me to the Shooting Star casino to celebrate Mother's Day. I was driving on the way over and got a ticket for speeding. Chagrined, I slowed down. Returning that same day and in deep conversation with those two young women, I didn't notice until I saw the flashing light that I was about to get a second pricey ticket. The highway patrolman tried to suggest at first that I might not have had my seat belt on. But I did have it on, I told him; then, I made that nice police officer listen to a story that another highway patrolman had told me at a safety class. That officer had spoken about his experience with traffic fatalities and said he never had unbuckled a dead body out of a car. That made an impression on me, I said. I didn't get the ticket that day, just a warning. But my daughter was embarrassed that I had taken the time to tell the officer that anecdote. I smiled. I don't want to find out how much my speeding would help the state's budget. So, I have been careful to stay within the speed limits, at least when I think the Highway Patrol is around, and I haven't gotten a new ticket so far. Like I said, summer this year seems to be flying by, on both the roads and the calendar. ---- Dorreen Yellow Bird's column appears Tuesday and Saturday. Reach her at (701) 780-1228 or dyellowbird@gfherald.com Copyright c. 2005 Grand Forks Herald/Grand Forks, ND. --------- "RE: Aboriginal Language training to get boost" --------- Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:33:14 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="N.W.T. LANGUAGE CONTENT" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://north.cbc.ca/regional/nwt-languages12072005&ref=rss Aboriginal language training to get boost in N.W.T. July 12, 2005 CBC News Officials with the N.W.T.'s department of Education Culture and Employment say they want to strengthen aboriginal languages through better training and coordination to ensure more children understand their native tongue. The territorial government is hosting a workshop to help instructors figure out the best way to teach, a welcome and much needed move say some. Teachers say that keeping aboriginal languages alive is an ongoing struggle when English is everywhere. According to Statistics Canada, only 25 per cent of aboriginal children speak or understand their native language. "The language instruction content varies I would say from school to school and from class to class, depending on the instructor," says Sabet Biscaye. "There's no consistent approach." Biscaye, a Chipewyan language coordinator, says many teachers don't have a teaching background. While there is a curriculum, Biscaye says there's little support, prompting many teachers to try to find their own way of teaching. Dr. Stephen Greymorning, an international expert on teaching aboriginal languages, will be part of next week's workshop. He'll show the instructors how to help their students learn faster, through immersion. Deputy Minister Mark Cleveland says it's the first time in years that language instructors will gather to learn new techniques together. "The programming that we have in place now has been successful in a number of areas, but we think we can do better and we think that with the involvement of instructors from across the ages that the programming that is offered can be strengthened. Biscaye says bringing teachers together is, however, not just about learning new teaching techniques. "It's more than about the content of the workshop or the training. It's also the networking and the contacts that the people make because there's some people with some very creative ideasand approaches." Copyright c. CBC 2005. --------- "RE: AFN to take on Ottawa's Status Legislation" --------- Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:54:04 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="AFN CHALLENGES OTTAWA ON STATUS" http://north.cbc.ca/filename=billc31-afn08072005&ref=rss Assembly of First Nations to take on Ottawa's status legislation CBC News July 8, 2004 The Assembly of First Nations says it will fight for the right of more aboriginals to keep their status and preserve their identity. Under Bill C-31, descendents of Status Indians loses their rights after two generations, prompting concerns about their eventual extinction. Alice Perrin was born as a Status Indian from Deline, N.W.T. But, over the years, the federal government has defined her differently, as an Inuvialuit, then Metis. Now she's back to being a Status Indian. Perrin says it has been a roller-coaster ride in terms of her rights to medical help, housing, and education. Perrin says that as part of Ottawa's current review of the Indian Act, it's time change things so her descendents don't lose their rights. "It goes back to almost like during the war times when the Germans were talking about Jews, like who's a Jew and who's not Jew. They're talking the same line with our people, who's First Nation and who's not." Tina Levesque sits on the citizenship council for the Assembly of First Nations and wrote a report on the issue. She found that more people are moving away from their reserves, marrying outside their communities and having mixed-race children. "In one way, shape or form, it will affect you or your children or your great, great, great grandchildren. So my encouragement and my plea is to get everyone involved and we can defeat this thing because it's coming against all of us," said Levesque. The AFN plans to hold a national conference on Bill-31 in the autumn. Members say it's time to correct bad legislation, which some say threatens the future of their race. Copyright c. CBC 2005. --------- "RE: Windspeaker Editorial: For better or for worse" --------- Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 08:56:09 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="POLITICAL REALITY" http://www.ammsa.com/windspeaker/windeditorials.html For better or for worse Windspeaker Editorial July - 2005 The cat's definitely out of the bag now: things are transforming on the national Aboriginal political stage. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine and Prime Minister Paul Martin, with Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott close at hand, signed a deal May 31 and-especially in the case of Scott-uttered some words that should mean that things will change dramatically and permanently. But the "no money yet, wait a little longer" part of the scenario is especially troubling to us and to many veteran observers of the parliamentary scene as well. Media shy, but very knowledgeable Ottawa sources tell us that the prime minister has shelled out close to $30 billion over the last few months to shore up support for his shaky minority government. With $30 billion already committed, we're told the government has no money left after keeping all the promises Martin made to mainstream governments and citizens. Our sources say that's why there was no cash on display after the cabinet retreat with Aboriginal leaders. That's also why residential school survivors were asked to wait another year (or two) before the government follows through on what is, at this point, only a promise of future monetary compensation. The Indian Affairs minister hinted at-and in some cases outright promised-that significant new money will be "invested" in the many areas where First Nation, Me'tis and Inuit communities lag sorrowfully behind the Canadian mainstream. (Story on pages 10 and 11.) We'll see if any of that promised future funding will be based on demonstrable need (or better, on recognition of the rights-based entitlement) rather than on how little the government can get away with spending. When Phil Fontaine gripes privately (as detailed in a memo penned by Quebec regional Vice-chief Ghislain Picard in our story on page 12), but says not a critical word when he and the people whose interests he's expected to represent are told to go wait a little longer, it looks bad. In the frequently dishonest game of creating political optics, it's always wise to watch what folks are doing with one eye while keeping the other alert for prestidigitation. Too many times in this set of recent pronouncements, government officials used one word when another would have provided more clarity. Minister Scott said Aboriginal groups will now be considered "full partners" of the federal government in policy development. He didn't say "equal" partners and that, to our way of thinking, means simply that the federal government will continue to reserve the ultimate authority for itself-just as before. As for promises that provincial/federal rivalries can be reined in and the jurisdictional ping pong game that has been used to frustrate First Nation, Me'tis and Inuit ambitions for all these years will finally come to an end, well, we'll believe it when we see it. Ditto for the minister's claim that the federal agenda of extinguishment of Aboriginal and treaty rights is now a thing of the past. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been chewed up by lawyers and bureaucrats in Justice, Indian Affairs, the Privy Council Office and the Prime Minister's Office over the years creating the landscape that exists today. We don't see how a decision reached by the Indian Affairs minister-who is not all that big a fish in the pond-can bring that to a screeching halt. One note on accountability: since the comments of Minister Scott and the prime minister imply that the federal approach to Indian Affairs up until this point in history has been dead wrong and lamentable, shouldn't somebody apologize? And shouldn't the worst proponents of that approach, many of whom are still working within the federal bureaucracy, be rooted out and sent packing? There's lots of them out there and the current wisdom is that they messed up large and cost the taxpayers billions and cost Indigenous people inestimable amounts of suffering along the way. We think that's a crystal clear definition of failure and failure of that proportion in a position with a six-figure salary and an indexed pension would not be rewarded-or tolerated-anywhere else but in government. Just asking. Copyright c. 2005 Windspeaker, AMMSA - Aboriginal Multi-Media Society. --------- "RE: Metis Nation recognized as Distinct Group" --------- Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:33:14 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="METIS NATION" http://www.ammsa.com/windspeaker/topnews-July-2005.html#anchor1636086 "Metis Nation" recognized as distinct group George Young, Windspeaker Writer, Ottawa July 2005 A deal that was six years in the making was struck on May 31 when representatives for the Metis National Council (MNC) and Canada became signatories to a framework agreement that lays the ground-work for future dealings between the parties. In a nutshell, the agreement stresses negotiation rather than litigation for the recognition of Metis rights. The Metis Nation Framework Agreement (MNFA) recognizes that the Metis Nation is formed of a group of people that emerged from west-central North America with their own language (Michif), culture, traditions and self- government structures. It also recognizes that this Metis Nation is represented by the Metis National Council and its governing members-the Metis Nation of Ontario, the Manitoba Metis Federation, the Metis Nation- Saskatchewan, the Metis Nation of Alberta, and the Metis Provincial Council of British Columbia. "For the first time we have, in writing, the recognition of our nation," said MNC President Clement Chartier. "I know it has been stated verbally by the prime minister a little over a year ago, but the federal bureaucracy was reluctant to embrace that ... now it has to be taken into account," he said. (It is important to note that not all people who self-identify as Metis are members of the Metis Nation.) Andy Scott, the federal interlocutor for Me'tis and non-Status Indians, said the MNFA renews the partnership between Canada and the Metis people. "The Metis Nation Framework Agreement will act as an important foundational piece as we move forward on strengthening this relationship, as well as closing the gap between Metis people and other Canadians." There is no new funding that results from this agreement, but Chartier believes it finally commits Canada to establishing an effective rights- based negotiation process. The MNFA in itself does not recognize Aboriginal rights for Metis Nation members. Instead, it sets out the terms surrounding the discussion of Aboriginal rights, and the process for negotiation to move toward other agreements. Windspeaker asked Chartier about the rights of Metis outside of the MNC. He said not all people of mixed ancestry are Metis or part of the historic Metis Nation. Chartier said organizations such as the Assembly of First Nations have to take a greater role in advocating for recognition of the rights of non-status people. He said the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples has a strong role to play in this issue as well. Copyright c. 2005 Windspeaker, AMMSA - Aboriginal Multi-Media Society. --------- "RE: Deh Cho Deal could ripple around Country" --------- Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:33:14 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="DEH CHO" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://north.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=dehcho-impact12072005 Deh Cho deal could ripple around country CBC News July 12, 2005 An agreement between the Deh Cho and the federal government could help clarify rights of First Nations when it comes to development on their traditional lands, say negotiators, legal experts and First Nations leaders. On Monday, Ottawa announced the N.W.T.'s Deh Cho had dropped lawsuits blocking the Mackenzie Valley gas project. The legal action was seen as one key factor behind Imperial Oil's decision to cancel preparatory engineering work on the pipeline that had been scheduled for this summer. The suits were dropped in exchange for cash for the Deh Cho, more control over traditional lands and a promise from the federal government to consult the Deh Cho before it makes a decision over whether to approve the pipeline. FROM JULY 11, 2005: Deh Cho to drop Mackenzie Valley pipeline lawsuits While the deal will require the federal government to listen to the Deh Cho's concerns, it does not give the First Nation veto power, no matter how strenuously it may object to a project. The federal cabinet and the National Energy Board have the final say over whether the pipeline is built. Nevertheless, the promise to consult the Deh Cho is expected to further define a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision involving the Haida and Taku nations in British Columbia. In a decision regarding the Haida and Taku last November, Canada's top court ruled that governments and industry have a legal duty to consult First Nations about the use of land, even where it involves unproven aboriginal claims. FROM NOV. 18, 2004: Gov't must consult with First Nations, rules Supreme Court Federal negotiator Tim Christian said that could have implications for other First Nations and land claims across the country. "This agreement is the first one since the Supreme Court decision in which Canada has set out a process, and further work will be done to try and refine some of the principles that are set out here," said Christian. "I expect that the basic principles here are those which will guide Canada in all of its consultation." A lawyer representing the Deh Cho, Chris Reid, said his clients see the commitment as a step in the right direction. "This agreement commits Canada, which includes the [federal] cabinet, to full consultations with the Deh Cho before any final decisions are made," said Reid. Deh Cho Grand Chief Herb Norwegian said Monday's agreement doesn't mean his group will support the pipeline project. "I think what we're trying to do here is make sure that our interests are taken care of. This is our homeland and if any such development is to take place, it'll have to be done on our terms," said Norwegian. "I guess that's the key point here at this point. Our people need to be in the driver's seat and I think we've accomplished that." In the meantime, proponents of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline project say the deal signed is encouraging. "It helps to remove . . . uncertainty. We're gratified. That's one issue that we've been monitoring," says Harte Searle, a spokesman for the pipleine proponents. However Searle says the access and benefits agreements still need to be worked out. Copyright c. CBC 2005. --------- "RE: Hydro Project to provide Power for Band's Future" --------- Date: Monday, July 11, 2005 9:56 AM From: frostyca2000 [frostyca2000@yahoo.com] Subj: Hydro project will provide power for band's future Mailing List: Frostys AmerIndian Hydro project will provide power for band's future Vancouver Sun July 08, 2005 PORT ALBERNI - Little China Creek, roiling and tumbling out of the mountains behind this pulp mill community, never before played much of a role in the lives of the Hupacasath people here. Even in the days when native Indians lived entirely off the water and the land, an impassable falls meant no fish were found for most of its length. Its channel is narrow and steep -- no place for a boat -- and much of its banks are hard to walk, carpeted by dense growth. It would still be dauntingly difficult to get to its upper reaches if not for a dirt road built to haul away logs harvested from its valley, or gravel dug from a nearby pit. But this nondescript creek is drawing a lot of visitors these days as it's readied for a new role in providing for the Hupacasath band's future. It's poised to become the province's first new run-of-river hydro project, due to come on stream this fall. Chief Judith Sayers says the 250 members of her small band agonized for two years before deciding the project was compatible with their values. Although the reserve is right on the edge of Port Alberni, its members have never had much luck landing jobs in town. So the band has focused for a decade on creating its own work in areas like forestry, tourism and band services, moving from just six jobs in 1995 to 77 last year, although many were just seasonal or part-time. The hydro project has more potential to produce revenue -- $1.5 million a year after the construction debt is repaid -- than jobs, so the decision to build it was a new direction for the band. "We started by thinking it's so easy to say 'No,' " Sayers said. "But there's a need for power on the island, and we were offering no alternative ... So we started looking for a good site." China Creek had the water, and good records were available of how much. It had roads, and, thanks to the falls, had never been home to salmon. So the band set about leveraging $1.5 million of its own funds to win grants from Aboriginal Business Canada and Indian Affairs, as well as special funding for projects with climate change implications. It also recruited three partners -- Sigma Engineering (12.5 per cent), the Uclulet band (10 per cent), and the city of Port Alberni (five per cent). VanCity put together a lending syndicate of credit unions and the native-owned Peace Hills Trust of Alberta. The band now holds 72.5-per-cent ownership in what has become a $13.5- million project to provide 6.5 megawatts of electricity -- enough to power 6,000 homes. Construction is employing 20 people, eight of them band members, and four permanent jobs will result. What's more significant, however, is that this may be just the start of a whole new way for the Hupacasath to live off the land. Only one band-owned boat remains active in the waning salmon fishery, and neither tourism nor the band's 235-hectare forestry operation, expected to expand to 400 hectares, can employ all the band members who need work, Sayers said. So they're looking not only for more run-of-river hydro projects they can buy into, probably in partnership with other bands in the region, but also a massive super-quarry to provide crushed stone to California. Eagle Rock quarry, on a natural harbour 20 kilometres up Alberni Inlet, is planned as a $110-million project that, over its 117-year lifespan, will level a huge granite hill. It's planned to fill two ships a week with a total of 16 million tonnes a year. Polaris Minerals Corp. of Vancouver is spearheading the development, and the band intends to buy in for 10 or 15 per cent. The area has no close neighbours or fish-bearing streams, and only second-growth forest, she said. Blasting will be carefully controlled, the stone will be moved by conveyors instead of trucks, and sediment left over after washing the aggregate will be compacted and used for reclamation. Still, "It was a hard decision for the community. I had to convince myself first -- I didn't want to think about jobs and benefits until I knew it was safe." The project must still clear regulatory hoops, and a construction start is at least a year or two away. If it goes ahead, however, she foresees revenue of up to $4.5 million a year for the band, and at least 40 of the 80 on-site jobs for its members. The agreement with Polaris contains a provision for the band to take over the whole operation in 25 years if it can afford to. "In 25 years," Sayers said, "I think we'll have learned enough about the business that we'll be able to take it over. So I tell our people, you can learn to be the maintenance man, or to be the CEO." - dcayo@png.canwest.com --------- "RE: Ovide returns to Indian Politics" --------- Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:52:53 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="OVIDE MERCREDI FN CHIEF" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.firstperspective.ca/story_2005_07_08_ovide.html Ovide returns to Indian politics Elected new chief of Grand Rapids First Nation By Len Kruzenga July 8, 2005 Winnipeg - Former AFN National Chief Ovide Mercredi has returned to the political forum nearly a decade after long-time rival Phil Fontaine defeated his bid to retain leadership of the AFN in 1997 by returning to his home community in Manitoba to run for office where he started his political career in the1980s. Mercredi was easily elected as the new chief by a wide majority of the 491 votes cast, capturing nearly 60 per cent of all votes cast for the three candidates vying for the post. It's unclear whether the move simply marks a return to his roots and his home community in an attempt to set the First Nations financial and social house in order-it has been reeling under the weight of significant deficits and a host of social ills over the past decade - or if it is a potential staging point for a return to a higher political profile in the province or even nationally. Mercredi's name has been raised as a potential candidate for the NDP in any upcoming federal election, but neither the NDP nor those close to Mercredi confirmed such speculation. News of his election has been greeted enthusiastically by a significant number of First Nations people in the province. "I think its terrific news. It gives me hope that we have a leader with both the moral authority and the political savvy back in Manitoba," said Adrienne Bruyere. "Our leadership in this province, with the exception of Chris Henderson, is pretty ineffective. "I really hope he decides to make a run for Grand Chief of the AMC. Bruyere's sentiments are shared by others who say the AMC has, since Phil Fontaine's departure, suffered from anemic leadership and lost its status as a visible and vocal proponent of First Nations issues. "The AMC was at the forefront of pretty much every significant regional and national issue and then it simply disappeared from the public radar after Phil left to head the AFN," says Thompson resident Brian Mason. "The SCO under Margaret Swan and now Chris Henderson really became the public face for First Nations in the province because the MKO hasn't had a dynamic leader since perhaps George Muswaggon." If Mercredi is intent on broader political aspirations he isn't saying yet, but the timing would appear to be right should he decide to take that step, according to many observers. "The AMC election is right around the corner and even if Ovide doesn't run for the post (left vacant after Dennis Whitebird's resignation) he will bring a significant profile with him even just as a chief of that group," says Jimmy Wilson. "Don't forget as chief he will be part of both the AMC and the MKO and can have a significant role to play in both organizations on a number of committees. "Right now you have Louis Stevenson, Ron Evans and guys like Terry Nelson who command a lot of attention either because of the size and economic clout of their community or because of they're controversial, like Terry. "Having Ovide around will really change those dynamics. He's articulate, passionate, intelligent and has so much political experience that he'll absolutely stand out. "The key here will be what Ovide intends or wants to do now that he's back in the political arena and only time will tell, won't it?" Copyright c. 2005 FirstPerspective.com. --------- "RE: Release: Kanienkehaka Kaienerekowa Kanonsesne" --------- Date: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 7:45 PM From: frostyca2000 [frostyca2000@yahoo.com] Subj: IMPORTANT PRESS RELEASE!!! Mailing List: Frostys AmerIndian IMPORTANT PRESS RELEASE!!! KANIENKEHAKA/MOHAWK NATION DRAWING COMPLETE PICTURE OF FOREST WITH ALL THE TREES IN SUBMISSION TO NEW YORK STATE 2ND CIRCUIT COURT, IN THE NATION'S "EMERGENCY MOTION" FILED IN THE COURT OF APPEALS, TO PREVENT NEW YORK, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ITS FEDERAL "INDIAN" GOVERNMENTS' PLAN TO COMMIT GENOCIDE IN RETURN FOR CASINOS FOR THOSE THREE TO SHARE MNN. July 9, 2005. Now that Oneida, Cayuga, St. Regis and soon Onondaga land claims cases have fallen, it's time for the only Kanienke'ha:ka left standing to bring it all together under the Kaienere'ko:wa, the constitution of the Haudenosaunee. The Kaienere'ko:wa people have to bring all the trees together to create the forest. Sometimes the total is greater than the sum of its parts. We will get an overview of how the United States and Canada commit genocide of the Indigenous people. How federal governments do it by trashing not only the Kaienere'ko:wa but also the U.S. and Canadian constitutions and the rule of law. The trees are all the individual so-called land claims cases brought by Federal Indian traitor governments based upon federal Indian law. They commit treason contrary to Wampum 58 of the constitutional law governing the land, not only the Kaienere'ko:wa but also the U.S. and Canadian constitutions which back it up. The constitutional jurisdictional question put to the Court of Appeals presents the trees in the forest of the fraud being committed by their little elite group. They serve themselves. not the grass roots people they claim to represent, not the Indigenous people they tenaciously insist on colonizing. Nor do they adhere to any conceivable description of the rule of law. Please read it carefully. It brings the genocide of our people to an end! Unless the judges continue to willfully blindside the constitutional legislation and precedents it quotes. The Petition File is annexed, attached or can be obtained via the internet from the P.A.C.E.R. system from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals electronic docket. There are 3 cases being consolidated. Taking a step back we identify the common feature. These cases are linked together in the forest as part of a unit. We have New York State to thank for bringing it all together for us and the world to see how fraud and genocide work. The whole set of cases in New York State was a set up from the beginning! We trace the legal history by first examining the constitutional documents that are "the law". Then we examine the federal legislation and federal common law which had governed since 1871. Federal law is a genocidal breach of the previously established, but now ignored, constitutional law. Maybe their dream was to get rid of all the land claims once and for all. Maybe they were never interested in building casinos. Rather than deal with the real title holders, the original Haudenosaunee, they set up municipal level `tribal councils'. They convinced them to file fraudulent land claims cases in exchange for promises of money and casinos. They provided them with lawyers. In many cases the same advocates were hired to work on all of the cases. Even the casino companies were hoodwinked and put up a lot of the money to these entities. They, Oneida, Cayuga, St. Regis, Kahnawake and Onondaga, all fell under the spell. They agreed to adopt the colonizer's perspective by arguing under federal Indian law. This is in complete violation of the constitutional relationships between the Haudenosaunee, England, the United States and Canada. The colonizers, who unconstitutionally created the federal Indian law, since 1871 have also sat in judgment. The federal Court judiciary operating in New York State was not sitting as a neutral third party as required to make the process unbiased and fair. The federal judges were the ones making the federal common law decisions in criminal willful blindness to the constitutional law. They were both party and judge. Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, the fed' Indians went along with the scheme hoping to get fat. Some did! Especially the lawyer. The purpose of federal Indian law is to exterminate Indigenous nations. The way New York State and the federal government set it up, all these cases had to fall. The truth comes out, eventually. But it has been a long, hard, time for the Haudenosaunee. There's only us, the Big Tree, left standing. Late comers, Kahnawake band council, went into it, they say, to try to stop it. There was no sign of this in the documents they filed. They wanted part of the $ action. St. Regis has gone back to the drawing board still trying to give away our land, oblivious to how they've been used, abused and stomped. The way it turned out is the way the federal and state governments wanted it to turn out. To steal Indigenous lands and give them nothing! They never expected the Kaienere'ko:wa onkwe'hon:we to jump in and defend our land, people and constitution. Even so, as a last ditch stand, the federal law Indians and their cohorts are still trying to give our land away and make a fast buck in the process. On Thursday, July 14th (Bastille Day) they are going begging to Congress. If you find it hard to understand this, don't be surprised. It was never meant to make sense on its surface. It was a game of smoke and mirrors. Who's going to clean up the mess? We, the Kaienerekowa People! We have the constitutional arrangement with the U.S. and Canada on our side. New York State will have to drop all these cases because they have no jurisdiction to consider them. These are federal law cases, fraudulently masquerading as constitutional cases. The Appropriations Act of 1871 and the Indian Act of 1876 were created by the United States and Canada respectively. They were both creating the fraud which has now been identified. Federal Indian Law is an unconstitutional body o