IS CANADA CREATING AN “ABORIGINAL ARMY” BECAUSE IT WANTS US TO COLONIZE OURSELVES??
MOHAWK NATION NEWS
Oct. 30, 2008. Nathan Wright of the Assembly of First Nations AFN is the liaison with the Ontario Provincial Police OPP. He was told about the unarmed peaceful opposition to this jail being built in Tyendinaga. The OPP were waiting nearby to be called in. “That’s news to me”, he said. He didn’t know the OPP had ”made themselves visible”. What did he mean by this? Who called in the invading “aboriginal” police from Moraviantown, Walpole Island, Akwesasne and elsewhere?
Tyendinaga Band Council Chief, R. Don Maracle, was at the demonstration until noon and then left for lunch, leaving the truckers behind. The multi-million dollar portable modular mega-prison was still on the trucks. Who needs a prison when many Mohawks have been waiting years for decent housing and clean water? They built a huge fire at the entrance to the site, cooked and served everybody some food, including the truckers. Then the truckers left.
Canada sent in what looked like a colonial invading army? If you blinked your eyes, you would have thought you were in the Middle East. The U.S. set up governments in Iraq similar to the “band” and “tribal” councils on Turtle Island whose goal is to “municipalize” and assimilate us. In Iraq they created local armies to protect these U.S. puppets. People were recruited and trained to terrorize their own communities. This is common totalitarian practice.
The RCMP and OPP have both indicated they do not have jurisdiction in at least two Mohawk communities, Akwesasne and Kahnawake. They operate behind a “smoke screen”. They use “aboriginal police” to do their dirty work. The aboriginal police have managed to sow seeds of suspicion and conflict in Ongwehonwe communities.
On October 23 2008 Prothonotary Mireille Tabib of the Federal Court of Canada ordered that Mohawk women, Kahentinetha and Katenies, who live in Kahnawake and Akwesasne, are not “Canadian residents”! Therefore, they must pay the crown’s expenses to defend itself from charges of assaulting and attempting to murder them at the Cornwall border check point on June 14, 2008.
We know that we Ongwehonwe are not Canadians or part of that foreign colony. They swear allegiance to THE QUEEN and came here to squat on our land. They have no jurisdiction over us, our possessions or our territories. They have no right to attack us, beat us up and try to kill us, not under our law which is the law of the land [Kaianereh’ko:wa], or under the international accords they have signed, or even under Canadian law.
If we are not careful Canada could try to turn Tabib’s Order calling us “non-residents” as a pretext to imprison us in our communities or expel us from our land to who knows where. They may want to illegally limit our country to our communities, rather than recognizing our title to the whole of Onowaregeh, Turtle Island, which we never and cannot gave up.
Canada and the establishment are always trying to create situations to attack us for resisting their colonial incursions. They have a whole bag of dirty tricks. One is to lay fake charges so they can impose conditions on us for years. When they have to prove their case, they drop the charges. Demonizing us in the media is part of it, calling us terrorists, smugglers and deviates. It’s meant to lull the public so they won’t object to the brutal, obscene and illegal attacks on us.
Where does the mid-community jail fit in? The risk is that Canada and the U.S. are setting up a Gitmo “no man’s land” jail system where Indigenous people will be taken to be jailed or tortured under no one’s scrutiny. The indigenous incarceration rate can be camouflaged by excluding the figures on those of us who are jailed on “reserves”. Is Canada going to pass martial law in Indian country? The scheme isn’t original. It’s already being done in Australia where some Aborigine communities are being run by the army.
Is there discussion going on right now about setting up “death squads”??? Don’t kid yourself. These armed groups kill civilians, mostly in secret, conduct extra judicial assassinations, killings and disappearances. They are associated with political repression, dictatorships and totalitarianism supported by colonial states. They could be “official” government units like the aboriginal police. Who are these non-natives in the aboriginal police forces? Squads may also be those organized vigilantes who are being sent into our communities.
On a “WATCH LIST” are youth, employment, social and community organizations which are infiltrated. Retired military officers, off duty police, strangers, “distant cousins” or imposters are sent in to exert influence.
The “SPOTTERS” are sent in as “subversives” who are fighting against drugs as a pretext, for example. They penetrate communities and assess the security needed to keep it under control. They collect names of those to be watched, imprisoned, tortured and executed such as traditionalists, political leaders, journalists or community workers. Traditionalists are called “extremists”.
Canada may be trying to set up these units within indigenous communities. Of course, the suckers who fall for this won’t be told what they’re doing. They’ll be manipulated into believing they are defending “law and order” and “protecting democracy”. Their extravagant pay is not guilt money .. they think they’re worth it! It’s a real trap for young, confused and weak-minded people.
As Secretary Rumsfeld said about U.S. trained Iraqi death squads, “The U.S. doesn’t have a responsibility to do anything about the crimes of the police forces it established and trained. Only to report it.”
Chief R. Don Maracle said that the prison is for “outsiders with criminal records”. This smacks of death squad mentality.
The state’s targets are predominantly young males, women and children. In Canada over 3000 young Ongwehonwe women have been “disappeared”.
We did not have police or jails. Social control is needed in all communities. When we were dependant on each other, elders and group opinions kept our communities in balance.
The settlers stole our hunting grounds, crowding us into small patches. Now they want this.
Settler societies need police to control the many deranged personalities without family and social ties that their society produces. The state has become the major instrument for assault, theft and murder of our people. Lest we forget, RCMP carried out the genocide, took our children to residential schools, protected the land grabbers and jailed our young men who tried to defend us. If they attack us, try to kill us and steal our children, they have a responsibility to investigate, charge, deter and protect us from them. They aren’t doing this. So what’s their purpose?
We are told the colonial ideal is that the police protect society. Some of the worst hoodlums we Ongwehonwe have to deal with are the cops themselves. It’s becoming harder to tell the difference between the cops and the thugs they are supposed to protect us from who are coming at us from every direction. Is this Berlin 1940?
It’s heavy. It’s no coincidence that the murder attempt on kahentinetha and katenies was by uniformed officers of the colonial state. It’s no coincidence that this story was not in the mainstream media. It’s no coincidence they want to build prisons in our communities.
Iako’ha:kowa & MNN Staff - Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com Eagle Watch, Sharbot Lake kittoh@storm.ca; katenies20@yahoo.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
Something’s going on. The actions of the bureaucrats/agents need to be measured in public against the standards of legality that Canada has signed onto at the UN. Some of the players who need to be investigated and unmasked seem to be:
- High up – Chantal “Who-Has-a-Dirty-Hand-in-Everything” Bernier chantal.bernier@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Margaret “Trying-to-Suck-Every-Last-Drop-of-Indian-Blood-Now-Wants-Her-Fangs-in-Tyendinaga-Mohawks” Bloodworth, “National Security Advisor” to Prime Minister, Margaret.bloodworth@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca, 613-957-5466;
Indian Affairs sewer rats
- Walter “Whose-Billy-Club-Has-Been-Taken-Away” Walling, wallingw@ainc-inac.gc.ca; Christian “Anti-Christ” Rouleau, rouleau.c@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Andre “Turn” Cote, cote.a@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Stuart “Swan-Song” Swanson, swanson.s@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Paul ”The-White-Man” Leblanc, leblanc.p@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Zuwena “Squeal” Robidas, Indian Affairs mouthpiece, zuwena.robidas@pspec-sppcc.gc.ca 613-993-2596;
- Helene “Parrot” Philippe, another Indian Affairs mouthpiece, philippe.h@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- David “Economic-Hit-Man” Hillman, DG Econ. Dev. david.hallman@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca 819-953-0517;
More Emergency Preparedness creeps
- Jean “Lapse-of-Selected-Memory” Chartrand, jean.chartrand@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca 613-990-8470;
- Denise “Who-was-in-there-like-a-dirty-shirt” Charron, denise.charron@spepc-sppcc.gc.ca 613-991-1694;
Other excreta of the crown
- Yvan “Who-Maintains-Toilet-Supplies” Dery, for the Privy Council Office ydery@pco-bcp.gc.ca;
- Gilles “Pig-Shop-Keeper” Rochon, Aboriginal Policing, gilles.rochon@psepc.gc.ca 613-990-2666;
- Emanuel “Little-Lamb” Chabot, emmanuel.chabot@psept-sppcc.gc.ca 613-990-4353;
- “Slippery” Jim Beaver jim.beaver@pspec-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Peter “Flat-Foot” Fisher, Police Services PSEPC fax 613-991-0961;
- Louise “Who-Doesn’t-Know-the-Half-of-It” Savage louise.savage@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Sylvia “Ambulance Chaser” McKenzie, Justice Canada sylvia.mackenzie@sppcc-psept.gc.ca 613-998-3952;
- Annik “The-Squeak” Pelletier, Justice Canada apelleti@justice.gc.ca;
- Louis-Alexandre “Who-Sits-on-a-Very-High-Chair” Guay, Justice, lguay@justice.gc.ca;
- Phil Fontaine AFN reception@afn.ca;
- Brad Duguid, Ontario Minister Aboriginal Affairs bduguid.mpp@liberal.ola.org;
- Angus Toulouse AFN Ontario Region 807-626-9339 Fax 807-626-9404 kathleen@coo.org
Give a piece of your mind to: GG Michaelle jean info@gg.ca; Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, Fax 613-941-6900 pm@pm.gc.ca; Chuckie “Baby” Strahl, Indian Affairs Minister, 819-997-0002, Fax 819-953-4941 strahl.c@parl.gc.ca; Prothonotary Mireille Tabib, Federal Court of Canada 613-992-4238 Fax 613-952-3653; Chief R. Don “Warden-Wanna-Be” Maracle Mohawks of Bay of Quinte 613-396-3424 extension 106, Email: reception@mbq-tmt-org Fax 613-396-3627, 613-396-3089, Cell 613-391-9249 RDONM@MBQ-TMT.ORG info@mbq-tmt.org ; Superintendent & Commander, Smiths Falls, OPP Eastern Regional Headquarters 613-284-4500 fax 613-284-4597, L.G. “Who-Wants-to-Help-Set-Up-a-Feeder-of-Young-Offenders-into-the-Big-Pens-for-the-Old-Long-Termers” Beechey;
To help, please contact the Rotiskenekete: 613-391-4055, 613-813-4053,
Friends, allies and supporters: Call 613-813-1017, email wasoonde3232@aol.com
Go to MNN “Tyendinaga” category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Subscribe to MNN for breaking news updates http://.mohawknationnews.com/news/subscription.php; Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois
Note: These challenges of abuses at the border require support and money. Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations to PayPal at www.mohawknationnews.com, or by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Nia:wen thank you very much.
October 31, 2008
October 30, 2008
Isabel Garcia: Border Patrol acting with impunity in murders
By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
Photo copyright Brenda Norrell
TUCSON -- Isabel Garcia, cochair of Derechos Humanos, describes how the US Border Patrol has acted with impunity, murdering people of Mexico. Listen to the interview now, recorded outside the federal courthouse. US Border Patrol agent Nicholas Corbett is on trial for the murder of Francisco Javier Dominguez Rivera, 22, from Morelia, Mexico.
"We are talking about a poisoned atmosphere against immigrants," Garcia said, comparing today's racism toward migrants with the pre-Civil Rights era in the south.
Garcia said border agents are murdering and getting away with murder.
"We are living in really, really, dangerous times," Isabel said. "This case is about accountability, this case is about impunity. That is the bottom line."
Attorneys are presenting their final arguments today, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008. Corbett is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and negligent homicide. His first trial ended in a mistrial after another jury deadlocked.
Border Patrol agent on trial for murder of migrant
By Brenda Norrell
Photo credit Brenda Norrell
TUCSON (Thursday morning) -- A Border Patrol agent is on trial today in Tucson for the murder of Javier Dominguez Rivera, 22, of Morelia, Mexico. Eyewitnesses testified that Javier was shot and killed by the agent at close range. On Wednesday, Roy Warden, previously known as a Minuteman who engaged in burning Mexican flags, harassed and yelled at family members and supporters outside the federal courthouse in downtown Tucson. US Border Agent Nicholas Corbett, 39, is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and negligent homicide. Photo: Shrine for Javier outside the courthouse this morning, Thursday morning. Photo Brenda Norrell
October 29, 2008
Sheep Dog Nation: The Oppressor's Politics
By Sheep Dog Nation Rocks
BIG MOUNTAIN, Navajo Nation -- It is that season again for societies to commences to its every fourth-year ritual of being caught up in the politics of the ruling class and eventually, after being caught up into this false mindset, they will go out to cast their votes for the best, assumed candidate....
If you wish, read more about the thoughts/land-based aboriginal perspective from a non-U.S. Citizen thinking and indigenous activist at http://sheepdognationrocks.blogspot.com/
And by the way, A Happy DINEH New Year to all.
(October Moon Phase was the time when the old ancient Dineh observed the New Year.)
-Kat
(Excerpt) "Do my traditional elders know about the U.S. politics? They certainly do, and when one is being oppressed by a foreign government, they will know more about the oppressor’s politics because that targeted society or community would have experienced the brunt of harsh policies. Currently, the Big Mountain matriarchs made up of traditional Dineh (Navajo) elders are still defying relocation and land-partitioning policies that were passed by the U.S. Congress in 1974. This executive order, Public Law 93-531 and which has been amended several times since, has reduced the indigenous population from 20,000 to about 400 within an area of 900,000 acres. The only reason behind this 1974 Act and that which has been proven also was for the purpose of coal and profit. There were no evidences found to support the U.S. government and Peabody Coal Company’s claim that there was a “range war” taking place between the Dineh and the Hopi tribes." Read article ...
http://sheepdognationrocks.blogspot.com/
The goons at Tyendinaga
TYENDINAGA - CANADA AND OPP ADMIT THEY HAVE NO JURISDICTION HERE .. BEWARE BEWARE OF COLONIAL PANIC
MOHAWK NATION NEWS
Who brought in the Aboriginal goons to do Canada’s dirty work in Tyendinaga? Does the fact that they’re “aboriginal” from Walpole Island and Moraviantown make them legitimate? No. Some of the goons on the “aboriginal” police force are non-native! Who are they? JTF2 and RCMP in disguise?
The pre-fab, state-of-the-art, high tech prison has arrived. Canada wants to plant it in the middle of our community. The Mohawks are at the site to stop the multi-million dollar prison from going up. The people were asked if they wanted it. The majority said “no”. But here it is anyway. Going against the wishes of the people violates both democratic and Indigenous principles. It is not legal.
Band council chief R. Don Maracle said the community wanted this and that the building is needed specially for “outsiders” with “criminal records” and “the jail will be built today”! This goes beyond arrogance.
Normally the RCMP is not invited into a settler community unless the elected representatives invite them. This can only happen in an Indigeous community with the full and informed consent of the people who live there.
As in Kahnawake, Six Nations, Akwesasne and Kanehsatake, the band council is a creature of the Indian act which was imposed under foreign colonial laws. Until 1951 the Indian act defined a person as an ‘individual other than an Indian’. Nothing set up under those terms is legal unless “might makes right” is the law, which is not.
We saw the same situation at Kanehsatake in 2004. The police commission was charged with running the security. Canada gave James Gabriel almost $1 million to do an end run around this arrangement and to set up and impose a different police force under his personal command. He brought in outside aboriginal goons to impose his will. This was illegal. Just because the guys he brought in were aboriginal did not make it legal. It violated the laws of Kanehsatake that had appointed their own Commission.
The Ontario Provincial Police OPP are waiting for the “aboriginal” goons to say they can’t handle the situation and then they will swoop down on Tyendinaga.
What questions does this situation raise?
First of all, does this mean that Canada is following through on Madame Mireille Tabib’s Order from the Federal Court of Canada, dated October 23, 2008 in “Kahentinetha & Katenies v. THE QUEEN”? Has Canada decided to stop living a lie and recognize that it has no jurisdiction over any indigenous people, our communities or our territories? Is this why the OPP didn’t accompany the prison? Or has colonial society recruited a lot of “hang around the fort Indians” to do their dirty work for them?
Colonization is not legal even when it is in aboriginal dress. The only position we can take is to stick to the truth, remain calm and peaceful and don’t get provoked. But we must stand our ground.
We smell some rats here. Do they work in Ottawa? Do some of them have names like “Chuck Strahl” and “Stockwell Day”?
It looks like this whole macabre fantasy has been engineered by the “Halloween Cabal” in Ottawa. They are a law onto themselves. They treat democracy as a joke and give a sweet s**t about treaties, indigenous rights or the Canadian obligations to respect us. They all work together to plan these attacks on us. Here they are, unmasked.
- High up Chantal “Who-Has-a-Dirty-Hand-in-Everything” Bernier chantal.bernier@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Margaret “Trying-to-Suck-Every-Last-Drop-of-Indian-Blood-Now-Wants-Her-Fangs-in-Tyendinaga-Mohawks” Bloodworth, “National Security Advisor” to Prime Minister, Margaret.bloodworth@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca, 613-957-5466;
Indian Affairs sewer rats
- Walter “Whose-Billy-Club-Has-Been-Taken-Away” Walling, wallingw@ainc-inac.gc.ca; Christian “Anti-Christ” Rouleau, rouleau.c@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Andre “Turn” Cote, cote.a@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Stuart “Swan-Song” Swanson, swanson.s@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Paul ”The-White-Man” Leblanc, leblanc.p@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Zuwena “Squeal” Robidas, Indian Affairs mouthpiece, zuwena.robidas@pspec-sppcc.gc.ca 613-993-2596;
- Helene “Parrot” Philippe, another Indian Affairs mouthpiece, philippe.h@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- David “Economic-Hit-Man” Hillman, DG Econ. Dev. david.hallman@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca 819-953-0517;
More Emergency Preparedness creeps
- Jean “Lapse-of-Selected-Memory” Chartrand, jean.chartrand@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca 613-990-8470;
- Denise “Who-was-in-there-like-a-dirty-shirt” Charron, denise.charron@spepc-sppcc.gc.ca 613-991-1694;
Other excreta agents of the crown
- Yvan “Who-Maintains-Toilet-Supplies” Dery, for the Privy Council Office ydery@pco-bcp.gc.ca;
- Gilles “Pig-Shop-Keeper” Rochon, Aboriginal Policing, gilles.rochon@psepc.gc.ca 613-990-2666;
- Emanuel “Little-Lamb” Chabot, emmanuel.chabot@psept-sppcc.gc.ca 613-990-4353;
- “Slippery” Jim Beaver jim.beaver@pspec-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Peter “Flat-Foot” Fisher, Police Services PSEPC fax 613-991-0961;
- Louise “Who-Doesn’t-Know-the-Half-of-It” Savage louise.savage@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Sylvia “Ambulance Chaser” McKenzie, Justice Canada sylvia.mackenzie@sppcc-psept.gc.ca 613-998-3952;
- Annik “The-Squeak” Pelletier, Justice Canada apelleti@justice.gc.ca;
- Louis-Alexandre “Who-Sits-on-a-Very-High-Chair” Guay, Justice, lguay@justice.gc.ca;
- Phil Fontaine AFN reception@afn.ca;
- Brad Duguid, Ontario Minister Aboriginal Affairs bduguid.mpp@liberal.ola.org;
- Angus Toulouse AFN Ontario Region 807-626-9339 Fax 807-626-9404 kathleen@coo.org
Help! Give a piece of your mind to: GG Michaelle jean info@gg.ca; Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, Fax 613-941-6900 pm@pm.gc.ca; Chuckie “Baby” Strahl, Indian Affairs Minister, 819-997-0002, Fax 819-953-4941 strahl.c@parl.gc.ca; Prothonotary Mireille Tabib, Federal Court of Canada 613-992-4238 Fax 613-952-3653; band council Mohawks of Bay of Quinte Band TELEPHONE: 613-396-3424 Email: reception@mbq-tmt-org Fax 613-396-3627; OPP Eastern Regional Headquarters 613-284-4500 fax 613-284-4597 L.G. “Who-Wants-to-Help-Set-Up-a-Feeder-of-Young-Offenders-into-the-Big-Pens-for-the-Old-Long-Termers” Beechey, Chief Superintendent & Commander, Smiths Falls; MBQ R. Chief Don “The-Warden-Wanna-Be” Maracle, 613-396-3089, CELL 613-391-9249 RDONM@MBQ-TMT.ORG 613-396-3424 ext. 106 info@mbq-tmt.org
We need to tell Canada and their agents to: (1) immediately stop their attacks, police brutality and trying to impose a prison on the Mohawks; (2) to honor Indigenous rights and jurisdictions; (3) to support the Mohawks struggle for self-determination; and (4) to get Canada and Indian Affairs out of Haudenosaunee Territory.
To help, please contact the Rotiskenekete: 613-391-4055, 613-813-4053,
Friends, allies and supporters: come immediately to be witnesses; bring cameras, camcorders, food, cells, phone cards and warm clothes, especially gloves. Directions: take the Trans Canada Highway 401 to the “Marysville” exit, head south on #49 all the way to #2 then turn right into the community. Call 613-813-1017, email wasoonde3232@aol.com
Posted by: MNN Staff Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com
Katenies20@yahoo.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
Go to MNN “Tyendinaga” category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Subscribe to MNN for breaking news updates http://.mohawknationnews.com/news/subscription.php; Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois
Note: These challenges of abuses at the border require support and money. Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations to PayPal at www.mohawknationnews.com, or by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Nia:wen thank you very much.
MOHAWK NATION NEWS
Who brought in the Aboriginal goons to do Canada’s dirty work in Tyendinaga? Does the fact that they’re “aboriginal” from Walpole Island and Moraviantown make them legitimate? No. Some of the goons on the “aboriginal” police force are non-native! Who are they? JTF2 and RCMP in disguise?
The pre-fab, state-of-the-art, high tech prison has arrived. Canada wants to plant it in the middle of our community. The Mohawks are at the site to stop the multi-million dollar prison from going up. The people were asked if they wanted it. The majority said “no”. But here it is anyway. Going against the wishes of the people violates both democratic and Indigenous principles. It is not legal.
Band council chief R. Don Maracle said the community wanted this and that the building is needed specially for “outsiders” with “criminal records” and “the jail will be built today”! This goes beyond arrogance.
Normally the RCMP is not invited into a settler community unless the elected representatives invite them. This can only happen in an Indigeous community with the full and informed consent of the people who live there.
As in Kahnawake, Six Nations, Akwesasne and Kanehsatake, the band council is a creature of the Indian act which was imposed under foreign colonial laws. Until 1951 the Indian act defined a person as an ‘individual other than an Indian’. Nothing set up under those terms is legal unless “might makes right” is the law, which is not.
We saw the same situation at Kanehsatake in 2004. The police commission was charged with running the security. Canada gave James Gabriel almost $1 million to do an end run around this arrangement and to set up and impose a different police force under his personal command. He brought in outside aboriginal goons to impose his will. This was illegal. Just because the guys he brought in were aboriginal did not make it legal. It violated the laws of Kanehsatake that had appointed their own Commission.
The Ontario Provincial Police OPP are waiting for the “aboriginal” goons to say they can’t handle the situation and then they will swoop down on Tyendinaga.
What questions does this situation raise?
First of all, does this mean that Canada is following through on Madame Mireille Tabib’s Order from the Federal Court of Canada, dated October 23, 2008 in “Kahentinetha & Katenies v. THE QUEEN”? Has Canada decided to stop living a lie and recognize that it has no jurisdiction over any indigenous people, our communities or our territories? Is this why the OPP didn’t accompany the prison? Or has colonial society recruited a lot of “hang around the fort Indians” to do their dirty work for them?
Colonization is not legal even when it is in aboriginal dress. The only position we can take is to stick to the truth, remain calm and peaceful and don’t get provoked. But we must stand our ground.
We smell some rats here. Do they work in Ottawa? Do some of them have names like “Chuck Strahl” and “Stockwell Day”?
It looks like this whole macabre fantasy has been engineered by the “Halloween Cabal” in Ottawa. They are a law onto themselves. They treat democracy as a joke and give a sweet s**t about treaties, indigenous rights or the Canadian obligations to respect us. They all work together to plan these attacks on us. Here they are, unmasked.
- High up Chantal “Who-Has-a-Dirty-Hand-in-Everything” Bernier chantal.bernier@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Margaret “Trying-to-Suck-Every-Last-Drop-of-Indian-Blood-Now-Wants-Her-Fangs-in-Tyendinaga-Mohawks” Bloodworth, “National Security Advisor” to Prime Minister, Margaret.bloodworth@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca, 613-957-5466;
Indian Affairs sewer rats
- Walter “Whose-Billy-Club-Has-Been-Taken-Away” Walling, wallingw@ainc-inac.gc.ca; Christian “Anti-Christ” Rouleau, rouleau.c@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Andre “Turn” Cote, cote.a@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Stuart “Swan-Song” Swanson, swanson.s@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Paul ”The-White-Man” Leblanc, leblanc.p@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Zuwena “Squeal” Robidas, Indian Affairs mouthpiece, zuwena.robidas@pspec-sppcc.gc.ca 613-993-2596;
- Helene “Parrot” Philippe, another Indian Affairs mouthpiece, philippe.h@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- David “Economic-Hit-Man” Hillman, DG Econ. Dev. david.hallman@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca 819-953-0517;
More Emergency Preparedness creeps
- Jean “Lapse-of-Selected-Memory” Chartrand, jean.chartrand@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca 613-990-8470;
- Denise “Who-was-in-there-like-a-dirty-shirt” Charron, denise.charron@spepc-sppcc.gc.ca 613-991-1694;
Other excreta agents of the crown
- Yvan “Who-Maintains-Toilet-Supplies” Dery, for the Privy Council Office ydery@pco-bcp.gc.ca;
- Gilles “Pig-Shop-Keeper” Rochon, Aboriginal Policing, gilles.rochon@psepc.gc.ca 613-990-2666;
- Emanuel “Little-Lamb” Chabot, emmanuel.chabot@psept-sppcc.gc.ca 613-990-4353;
- “Slippery” Jim Beaver jim.beaver@pspec-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Peter “Flat-Foot” Fisher, Police Services PSEPC fax 613-991-0961;
- Louise “Who-Doesn’t-Know-the-Half-of-It” Savage louise.savage@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Sylvia “Ambulance Chaser” McKenzie, Justice Canada sylvia.mackenzie@sppcc-psept.gc.ca 613-998-3952;
- Annik “The-Squeak” Pelletier, Justice Canada apelleti@justice.gc.ca;
- Louis-Alexandre “Who-Sits-on-a-Very-High-Chair” Guay, Justice, lguay@justice.gc.ca;
- Phil Fontaine AFN reception@afn.ca;
- Brad Duguid, Ontario Minister Aboriginal Affairs bduguid.mpp@liberal.ola.org;
- Angus Toulouse AFN Ontario Region 807-626-9339 Fax 807-626-9404 kathleen@coo.org
Help! Give a piece of your mind to: GG Michaelle jean info@gg.ca; Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, Fax 613-941-6900 pm@pm.gc.ca; Chuckie “Baby” Strahl, Indian Affairs Minister, 819-997-0002, Fax 819-953-4941 strahl.c@parl.gc.ca; Prothonotary Mireille Tabib, Federal Court of Canada 613-992-4238 Fax 613-952-3653; band council Mohawks of Bay of Quinte Band TELEPHONE: 613-396-3424 Email: reception@mbq-tmt-org Fax 613-396-3627; OPP Eastern Regional Headquarters 613-284-4500 fax 613-284-4597 L.G. “Who-Wants-to-Help-Set-Up-a-Feeder-of-Young-Offenders-into-the-Big-Pens-for-the-Old-Long-Termers” Beechey, Chief Superintendent & Commander, Smiths Falls; MBQ R. Chief Don “The-Warden-Wanna-Be” Maracle, 613-396-3089, CELL 613-391-9249 RDONM@MBQ-TMT.ORG 613-396-3424 ext. 106 info@mbq-tmt.org
We need to tell Canada and their agents to: (1) immediately stop their attacks, police brutality and trying to impose a prison on the Mohawks; (2) to honor Indigenous rights and jurisdictions; (3) to support the Mohawks struggle for self-determination; and (4) to get Canada and Indian Affairs out of Haudenosaunee Territory.
To help, please contact the Rotiskenekete: 613-391-4055, 613-813-4053,
Friends, allies and supporters: come immediately to be witnesses; bring cameras, camcorders, food, cells, phone cards and warm clothes, especially gloves. Directions: take the Trans Canada Highway 401 to the “Marysville” exit, head south on #49 all the way to #2 then turn right into the community. Call 613-813-1017, email wasoonde3232@aol.com
Posted by: MNN Staff Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com
Katenies20@yahoo.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
Go to MNN “Tyendinaga” category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Subscribe to MNN for breaking news updates http://.mohawknationnews.com/news/subscription.php; Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois
Note: These challenges of abuses at the border require support and money. Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations to PayPal at www.mohawknationnews.com, or by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Nia:wen thank you very much.
'Our Spirits Don't Speak English: Indian Boarding School'
Photo: Carlisle Indian Boarding School “Our Spirits Don't Speak English: Indian Boarding School" a Native American perspective on Indian Boarding Schools, wins top honors at film festival.
Watch Andrew Windy Boy interview.
Film: 'Our Spirits Don't Speak English'
Indian boarding school film named ‘Best Feature Documentary’ at ICFF (NATIVE TIMES, TEXAS) -- On and off camera, Oklahoma Indians played key roles in Rich-Heape Films “Our Spirits Don’t Speak English: Indian Boarding School” that won the “Best Feature Documentary Award” at the International Cherokee Film Festival Oct. 11 in Catoosa, Okla. Chip Richie was honored as the best feature documentary director for the film. News from Pechanga Net
Indian boarding school film named ‘Best Feature Documentary’ at ICFF (NATIVE TIMES, TEXAS) -- On and off camera, Oklahoma Indians played key roles in Rich-Heape Films “Our Spirits Don’t Speak English: Indian Boarding School” that won the “Best Feature Documentary Award” at the International Cherokee Film Festival Oct. 11 in Catoosa, Okla. Chip Richie was honored as the best feature documentary director for the film. News from Pechanga Net
This DVD produced by Rich-Heape Films, Inc. uncovers the dark history of U.S. Government policy which took Indian children from their homes, forced them into boarding schools and enacted a policy of educating them in the ways of Western Society. This DVD gives a voice to the countless Indian children forced through a system designed to strip them of their Native American culture, heritage and traditions.
Listen to American Indian Airwaves online
Wednesday, 10/29/08, on American Indian Airwaves
Special Programming on the Presidential Elections & Undermining Indigenous Sovereignty"
Part 1: John Tahsuda (Kiowa Nation), Co-Chair of the American Indians for McCain and Louis Gray (Osage Nation), Native American Policy Council for the Obama Campaign and the "Get Out and Vote" Coordinator for the Osage Nation and Central Oklahoma for NCAI, join us for this panel discussion on the two leading presidential candidates platform on Indigenous issues, and Lauri Weahkee, member of the Sacred Alliance for Grassroots Equality (Sage Council) and organizer for the Native Americans Voters Alliance will also join us to provide a third-party/independent perspective.
Part 2. Professors David E. Wilkins (Lumbee Nation) http://www.law.umn.edu/facultyprofiles/wilkinsd.html and Robert Odawi Porter (Heron Clan of the Seneca Nation) http://www.law.syr.edu/faculty/facultymember.aspx?fac=107, join us for the second part of the show and panel to discuss the presidential elections & its ramifications, Indigenous sovereignty & its diminution, self-determination, treaties, and what this means for future Indigenous peoples and their respective First Nations.
American Indian Airwaves regularly broadcast every Wednesday from 3pm to 4pm (PCT) on KPFK FM 90.7 in Los Angeles, FM 98.7 in Santa Barbara, and by Internet with Real Media Player, Winamp, & Itunes at http://www.kpfk.org/ , and American Indian Airwaves now broadcast every Saturday from 3pm to 4pm (ECT) on WCRS 98.3/102.1 in Columbus, OH. Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/aiairwaves
SPECIAL NOTICE: weekly shows can now be heard on the KPFK web site (http://www.kpfk.org/) under "audio archives" located on the left. Scroll down and click on American Indian Airwaves.
Native Vote image
October 28, 2008
Help! Tyendinaga Mohawks brace for police carnage
HELP! TYENDINAGA MOHAWKS BRACE FOR VIOLENT ARRIVAL OF MEGA OPP “COP SHOP” TO BE BROUGHT IN – THEY THINK!
Mohawk Nation News
Oct. 28, 2008. Friends, allies and supporters are asked to come immediately to be witnesses of the attempted carnage of the Mohawks by the Tyendinaga Mohawk Police and the Ontario Provincial Police OPP. It is snowing. Bring cameras, camcorders, food, cells, phone cards and warm clothes, especially gloves. To get to the demonstration site, take the Trans Canada Highway 401 to the Marysville exit, head south on #49 all the way to #2 then turn right into the community. To help, call 613-813-1017, Email wasoonde3232@aol.com
The Mohawks of Tyendinaga are under siege right now. OPP Swat Team have been spotted in the area. Canada, Ontario and the band council want to set up a mega jail in the middle of the community. The Mohawks are adamantly against this. “There’s no need for it. We need fresh water, education and health facilities. And we want a peaceful resolution”, say the concerned Mohawks. Tyendinaga is a small community of several thousand. Some fear this may be more than just a “jail”. That jail can go anywhere in any community. It doesn’t have to go in the middle of ours. It is obviously being used as a tool of provocation.
Tensions are running high today as residents wait for the arrival of this “rogue” police station. Police Chief Ron Maracle has warned the people that he is prepared to use force to set up the multi million dollar high tech security jailhouse. He already threatened that if local residents keep complaining, they’ll be the first inmates.
The police building issue was hotly debated for sometime. The band council went around the community pretending to consult the people. Just about everybody said “no”. So the chief R. Don Maracle and the council of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte made a unilateral decision to bring it in anyway.
At the meeting update today the people vowed that the cop shop and construction equipment are not coming in. They are demanding that whatever equipment is already there be removed immediately.
The Tyendinaga Mohawk Police are threatening that if the pre fab jail is not allowed in and set up they will attack. Police Chief Ron Maracle has stated he will charge and arrest anybody who gets in his way. If he stirs it up enough, they can bring in the heavily equipped para-military forces of the OPP to really “give it to us”. Hundreds of OPP are dressing, gearing up and psyching themselves up at the parking lot in of the Napanee OPP Detachment looking for some ‘injuns’ they can beat up on. They did this on April 23, 2008 when the condo construction was stopped. Who knows where else other cops will be coming in from. The Trenton Army Base is nearby too.
The local corporate flyer known as the “Belleville Intelligencer” knew about the pending attack a day or so beforehand. They have been hanging around waiting for action.
The Mohawks have said over and over again they have no weapons and want a peaceful resolution.
To stop this madness and attempted bloodbath, call the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Band Council Office to call off the hounds, TELEPHONE: 613-396-3424 Email: reception@mbq-tmt-org Fax 613-396-3627
Contact the Rotiskenekete: 613-391-4055, 613-813-4053,
OPP Eastern Regional Headquarters 613-284-4500 fax 613-284-4597
L.G. “Who-Wants-to-Help-Set-Up-a-Feeder-of-Young-Offenders-into-the-Big-Pens-for-the-Old-Long-Termers” Beechey, Chief Superintendent & Commander, Eastern Region, Smiths Falls. It looks like now that the charges have been dropped from most of the Mohawks, the cops are looking for more bodies. So they are setting up this trap to grab more of our people for the “incarceration industry”. The cops are at the building site videotaping everybody and then telling them everyone filmed will be charged to “interfering with police business”. The OPP are meeting opposition from band office employees who are telling them to leave.
MBQ R. Chief Don “The-Warden-Wanna-Be” Maracle, 613-396-3089, CELL 613-391-9249 RDONM@MBQ-TMT.ORG 613-396-3424 ext. 106 info@mbq-tmt.org
And his master Stockwell “Little-Guy-Who-Thinks-He’s-Big-Time” Day, Minister of Emergency Preparedness. A lot of money is going being washed through this project. Answers are needed.
MNN Staff Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com
Katenies20@yahoo.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
Go to MNN “Tyendinaga” category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Subscribe to MNN for breaking news updates http://.mohawknationnews.com/news/subscription.php; Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois
Note: These challenges of abuses at the border require support and money. Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations to PayPal at www.mohawknationnews.com, or by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Nia:wen thank you very much.
Mohawk Nation News
Oct. 28, 2008. Friends, allies and supporters are asked to come immediately to be witnesses of the attempted carnage of the Mohawks by the Tyendinaga Mohawk Police and the Ontario Provincial Police OPP. It is snowing. Bring cameras, camcorders, food, cells, phone cards and warm clothes, especially gloves. To get to the demonstration site, take the Trans Canada Highway 401 to the Marysville exit, head south on #49 all the way to #2 then turn right into the community. To help, call 613-813-1017, Email wasoonde3232@aol.com
The Mohawks of Tyendinaga are under siege right now. OPP Swat Team have been spotted in the area. Canada, Ontario and the band council want to set up a mega jail in the middle of the community. The Mohawks are adamantly against this. “There’s no need for it. We need fresh water, education and health facilities. And we want a peaceful resolution”, say the concerned Mohawks. Tyendinaga is a small community of several thousand. Some fear this may be more than just a “jail”. That jail can go anywhere in any community. It doesn’t have to go in the middle of ours. It is obviously being used as a tool of provocation.
Tensions are running high today as residents wait for the arrival of this “rogue” police station. Police Chief Ron Maracle has warned the people that he is prepared to use force to set up the multi million dollar high tech security jailhouse. He already threatened that if local residents keep complaining, they’ll be the first inmates.
The police building issue was hotly debated for sometime. The band council went around the community pretending to consult the people. Just about everybody said “no”. So the chief R. Don Maracle and the council of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte made a unilateral decision to bring it in anyway.
At the meeting update today the people vowed that the cop shop and construction equipment are not coming in. They are demanding that whatever equipment is already there be removed immediately.
The Tyendinaga Mohawk Police are threatening that if the pre fab jail is not allowed in and set up they will attack. Police Chief Ron Maracle has stated he will charge and arrest anybody who gets in his way. If he stirs it up enough, they can bring in the heavily equipped para-military forces of the OPP to really “give it to us”. Hundreds of OPP are dressing, gearing up and psyching themselves up at the parking lot in of the Napanee OPP Detachment looking for some ‘injuns’ they can beat up on. They did this on April 23, 2008 when the condo construction was stopped. Who knows where else other cops will be coming in from. The Trenton Army Base is nearby too.
The local corporate flyer known as the “Belleville Intelligencer” knew about the pending attack a day or so beforehand. They have been hanging around waiting for action.
The Mohawks have said over and over again they have no weapons and want a peaceful resolution.
To stop this madness and attempted bloodbath, call the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Band Council Office to call off the hounds, TELEPHONE: 613-396-3424 Email: reception@mbq-tmt-org Fax 613-396-3627
Contact the Rotiskenekete: 613-391-4055, 613-813-4053,
OPP Eastern Regional Headquarters 613-284-4500 fax 613-284-4597
L.G. “Who-Wants-to-Help-Set-Up-a-Feeder-of-Young-Offenders-into-the-Big-Pens-for-the-Old-Long-Termers” Beechey, Chief Superintendent & Commander, Eastern Region, Smiths Falls. It looks like now that the charges have been dropped from most of the Mohawks, the cops are looking for more bodies. So they are setting up this trap to grab more of our people for the “incarceration industry”. The cops are at the building site videotaping everybody and then telling them everyone filmed will be charged to “interfering with police business”. The OPP are meeting opposition from band office employees who are telling them to leave.
MBQ R. Chief Don “The-Warden-Wanna-Be” Maracle, 613-396-3089, CELL 613-391-9249 RDONM@MBQ-TMT.ORG 613-396-3424 ext. 106 info@mbq-tmt.org
And his master Stockwell “Little-Guy-Who-Thinks-He’s-Big-Time” Day, Minister of Emergency Preparedness. A lot of money is going being washed through this project. Answers are needed.
MNN Staff Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com
Katenies20@yahoo.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
Go to MNN “Tyendinaga” category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Subscribe to MNN for breaking news updates http://.mohawknationnews.com/news/subscription.php; Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois
Note: These challenges of abuses at the border require support and money. Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations to PayPal at www.mohawknationnews.com, or by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Nia:wen thank you very much.
Barriere Lake Solidarity: Panel with Arthur Manuel
Canada, a Pariah State? Indigenous rights in Domestic and International Law a lecture by Arthur ManuelJoin the support in Montreal:
MONDAY, November 3, 6:30pm, 2008
McGill Faculty of Law, Moot Court
1st floor of New Chancellor Day Hall
3644 Peel Street
For childcare or translation call 514-398-7432, 48 hours in advance.
How well does Canada live up to its reputation as a human rights champion? When it comes to the situation of Indigenous peoples, it falls dreadfully short. Few people know that the Canadian government is regularly condemned by the United Nations. Canada doesn't only ignore minimum provisions of international law -- it also thinks little of domestic legal standards set by the Supreme Court. In its determination to retain control over the lands and resources of Indigenous peoples, Canada runs rough-shod over the emerging framework of international and domestic law supporting the rights of Indigenous peoples to self-determination and ownership of their traditional territories.
Few people can speak better to this reality than Arthur Manuel, spokesperson for the Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade. Former Chief of the Neskonlith Band and chairperson of the Interior Alliance of BC First Nations, Manuel has been a leading voice of opposition to the Canadian government's agenda to "extinguish" Aboriginal and Treaty rights and assimilate Indigenous peoples into the Canadian body politic. Active locally in defense of Shuswap land (during the expansion of the Sun Peaks resort), and at the national level, he has also taken the struggle international, following in the path of his father, the late George Manuel, President of the National Indian Brotherhood and founder of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples. In the lecture, Manuel will lay out an alternative agenda for First Nations to achieve economic empowerment, third order government, and social and environmental justice.
Sponsored by: McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, QPIRG McGill, Barriere Lake Solidarity Collective
Defenders of the Land: The Barriere Lake Struggle Continues
A panel with Arthur Manual, Russell Diabo, and community representatives TUESDAY, November 4, 6:00pm, 2008
Native Friendship Centre of Montreal
2001 boulevard St Laurent & Ontario (metro St-Laurent)
Free dinner served by Midnight Kitchen
For childcare or translation call 514-398-7432, 48 hours in advance.
Since the Department of Indian Affairs ousted their Customary Chief and Council in March 2008 and used the Surete du Quebec to forcibly impose the authority of a minority community faction, the Barriere Lake Algonquins have been organizing to roll-back the quiet coup d'etat. They are campaigning to make the government honour a number of agreements, including the Trilateral, a internationally praised land co-management and resource-revenue sharing deal the Algonquins signed with Canada and Quebec in 1991. It would significantly protect their forests from clear-cut logging, but it remains unimplemented.
They first signed the agreement after a campaign of logging road blockades, which culminated in a one-day blockade of highway 117, a crucial economic vein in Northern Quebec, in 1990. In October, 2008, Barriere Lake returned to the blockades, to force the government to respect their agreements and their leadership customs. The SQ brutally put down the peaceful action.
Community representatives will be joined by Arthur Manuel and Russell Diabo, a noted aboriginal policy analyst, editor of the First Nations Strategic Bulletin and advisor to Barriere Lake's Tribal Council, the Algonquin Nation Secretariat.
Sponsored by: QPIRG McGill, Barriere Lake Solidarity Collective
Donations are encouraged to support the community's political campaign. Dried goods are also welcome. For a full list of community needs: http://barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com/2008/03/donations.html
This event is part of Culture Shock, two weeks of programming aimed at exploring Canada's cultural and political myths. It is a collaborative effort by the McGill Anti-Racist Coalition (MARC), Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG McGill), and Student Society of McGill University (SSMU).
For a full schedule of events, visit http://www.qpirgmcgill.org/
Collectif de Solidarité Lac Barrière
http://www.solidaritelacbarriere.blogspot.com/
barrierelakesolidarity@gmail.com
514.398.7432
October 27, 2008
Army document reveals plan to seize 7 million acres in SE Colorado
Not 1 More Acre! PO Box 773, Trinidad, Colorado 81082, news@not1moreacre.net
Army Document Reveals Plan to Take 7 Million Acres in SE Colorado
From: Not 1 More Acre!
Army Document Reveals Plan to Take 7 Million Acres in SE Colorado
From: Not 1 More Acre!
Canada to examine disappeared children at residential schools
Schools commission to examine 'disappearances of children'
BILL CURRY AND JOE FRIESEN
Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081027.wgraves28/EmailBNStory/National/home October 27, 2008 at 8:01 PM EDT
OTTAWA and TORONTO — The commission examining Indian residential schools is launching a massive new research project to find out who is buried on school grounds and what happened to the young aboriginal boys and girls who left for boarding schools and never returned home.
Kimberly Phillips, a spokesperson for Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, said the expanded research has been approved by Claudette Dumont-Smith, one of the commissioners. The “Missing Children Research Project,” as it has been named, will include “an examination of the number and cause of deaths, illnesses and disappearances of children at the residential schools as well as the location of burial sites,” Ms. Phillips said. Ms. Phillips said researchers will go through all relevant church and federal government records to find information that will help families looking for lost children. They will also prepare a questionnaire, and encourage former students and people who worked at the schools to come forward with their stories. According to a commission document obtained by The Globe and Mail, one option involves “visiting residential school sites where graves of Missing Children are located or the cemeteries near the schools where Missing Children have been buried.” Tuberculosis was the most common reason cited for deaths at schools across the country, however, survivors have said that rumours have circulated over the years that some of the forgotten children died of neglect, abuse or even murder. Read more ...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081027.wgraves28/EmailBNStory/National/home
BILL CURRY AND JOE FRIESEN
Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081027.wgraves28/EmailBNStory/National/home October 27, 2008 at 8:01 PM EDT
OTTAWA and TORONTO — The commission examining Indian residential schools is launching a massive new research project to find out who is buried on school grounds and what happened to the young aboriginal boys and girls who left for boarding schools and never returned home.
Kimberly Phillips, a spokesperson for Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, said the expanded research has been approved by Claudette Dumont-Smith, one of the commissioners. The “Missing Children Research Project,” as it has been named, will include “an examination of the number and cause of deaths, illnesses and disappearances of children at the residential schools as well as the location of burial sites,” Ms. Phillips said. Ms. Phillips said researchers will go through all relevant church and federal government records to find information that will help families looking for lost children. They will also prepare a questionnaire, and encourage former students and people who worked at the schools to come forward with their stories. According to a commission document obtained by The Globe and Mail, one option involves “visiting residential school sites where graves of Missing Children are located or the cemeteries near the schools where Missing Children have been buried.” Tuberculosis was the most common reason cited for deaths at schools across the country, however, survivors have said that rumours have circulated over the years that some of the forgotten children died of neglect, abuse or even murder. Read more ...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081027.wgraves28/EmailBNStory/National/home
American Indian Film Festival nominees 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For Media Inquiries Contact:
THE 33rd ANNUAL AMERICAN INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ITS NOMINEES
By Cindy Benitez
(Photo: Before Tomorrow)
SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Indian Film Institute (AIFI) and Title Sponsor the Seminole Tribe of Florida are proud to announce the nominees for the 33rd annual American Indian Film Festival. The awards will be presented at the annual American Indian Motion Picture Awards Show on Saturday Nov. 15 at 6:00p.m at the historic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.
The American Indian Motion Picture Awards Show, (established in 1978), has recognized excellence in American Indian cinematic achievement, making the annual awards show one of the most prominent Indian Country and Native Cinema showcases.
Over 100 films have been screened and judged by a jury panel designated by the American Indian Film Institute (AIFI). Fourteen prestigious awards will be recognized to those with outstanding cinematic accomplishments, including: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best Live Action Short, Best Animated Short, Best Public Service, Best Music Video, Best Industrial, and Eagle Spirit Awards.
BEST FILM
Older Than America, Georgina Lightning, Director
In A World Created By A Drunken God, John Hazlett, Director
Before Tomorrow, Marie-Helene Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu, Directors
BEST DIRECTOR
Georgina Lightning, Older Than America
John Hazlett, In A World Created By A Drunken God
Marie-Helene Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu, Before Tomorrow
BEST ACTOR
Adam Beach, Older Than America
Trevor Duplessis, In a World Created By a Drunken God
Ron Dean Harris, Moccasin Flats: Redemption
BEST ACTRESS
Candace Fox, Moccasin Flats: Redemption
Georgina Lightning, Older Than America
Madeline Piujuq Ivalu, Before Tomorrow
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
George Leach, Moccasin Flats: Redemption
Wes Studi, Older Than America
Paul-Dylan Ivalu , Before Tomorrow
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Misty Upham, Frozen River
Kaniehtiio Horn, Moccasin Flats: Redemption
Tantoo Cardinal, Older than America
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Weaving Worlds, Bennie Klain, Director
Summer Sun Winter Moon, Hugo Perez, Director
River of Renewal, Carlos Bolado, Director
Power Paths, Bo Boudart, Director
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Reservation Soldiers, Lisa Jackson, Director
Byron Chief-Moon: Grey Horse Rider, Philip Szporer and Marlene Miller, Directors
Magic On The Water, Tracey Bonneau, Director
It Had To Be Done, Tessa Desnomie, Director
BEST LIVE SHORT SUBJECT
Shadow Of The Salmon, Michael Pearce, Director
Sikumi, Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, Director
Out In The Cold, Colleen Murphy, Director
Niigaanibatowaad: Front Runners, Lori Lewis, Director
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
By The Rapids, Joseph Lazare, Director
Darkness Calls In Gitxsan, Anthony Wong, Director
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Seminole Wind, Micki Free, Director
One Drum, Helen Haig-Brown, Director
Ua Uitumupan, Louis- Philippe Eno, Director
You Can Let Go, Courtesy of 2008 BMG Music
BEST PUBLIC SERVICE
Hope On The Rez, Rick Williams, Director
Modern Day Warriors, Jenni Monet, Director
THE 33rd ANNUAL AMERICAN INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ITS NOMINEES
By Cindy Benitez
(Photo: Before Tomorrow)
SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Indian Film Institute (AIFI) and Title Sponsor the Seminole Tribe of Florida are proud to announce the nominees for the 33rd annual American Indian Film Festival. The awards will be presented at the annual American Indian Motion Picture Awards Show on Saturday Nov. 15 at 6:00p.m at the historic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.
The American Indian Motion Picture Awards Show, (established in 1978), has recognized excellence in American Indian cinematic achievement, making the annual awards show one of the most prominent Indian Country and Native Cinema showcases.
Over 100 films have been screened and judged by a jury panel designated by the American Indian Film Institute (AIFI). Fourteen prestigious awards will be recognized to those with outstanding cinematic accomplishments, including: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best Live Action Short, Best Animated Short, Best Public Service, Best Music Video, Best Industrial, and Eagle Spirit Awards.
BEST FILM
Older Than America, Georgina Lightning, Director
In A World Created By A Drunken God, John Hazlett, Director
Before Tomorrow, Marie-Helene Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu, Directors
BEST DIRECTOR
Georgina Lightning, Older Than America
John Hazlett, In A World Created By A Drunken God
Marie-Helene Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu, Before Tomorrow
BEST ACTOR
Adam Beach, Older Than America
Trevor Duplessis, In a World Created By a Drunken God
Ron Dean Harris, Moccasin Flats: Redemption
BEST ACTRESS
Candace Fox, Moccasin Flats: Redemption
Georgina Lightning, Older Than America
Madeline Piujuq Ivalu, Before Tomorrow
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
George Leach, Moccasin Flats: Redemption
Wes Studi, Older Than America
Paul-Dylan Ivalu , Before Tomorrow
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Misty Upham, Frozen River
Kaniehtiio Horn, Moccasin Flats: Redemption
Tantoo Cardinal, Older than America
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Weaving Worlds, Bennie Klain, Director
Summer Sun Winter Moon, Hugo Perez, Director
River of Renewal, Carlos Bolado, Director
Power Paths, Bo Boudart, Director
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Reservation Soldiers, Lisa Jackson, Director
Byron Chief-Moon: Grey Horse Rider, Philip Szporer and Marlene Miller, Directors
Magic On The Water, Tracey Bonneau, Director
It Had To Be Done, Tessa Desnomie, Director
BEST LIVE SHORT SUBJECT
Shadow Of The Salmon, Michael Pearce, Director
Sikumi, Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, Director
Out In The Cold, Colleen Murphy, Director
Niigaanibatowaad: Front Runners, Lori Lewis, Director
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
By The Rapids, Joseph Lazare, Director
Darkness Calls In Gitxsan, Anthony Wong, Director
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Seminole Wind, Micki Free, Director
One Drum, Helen Haig-Brown, Director
Ua Uitumupan, Louis- Philippe Eno, Director
You Can Let Go, Courtesy of 2008 BMG Music
BEST PUBLIC SERVICE
Hope On The Rez, Rick Williams, Director
Modern Day Warriors, Jenni Monet, Director
Mohawks: Canadian court recognizes Kahnawake and Akwesasne are not part of Canada
ROUTINE CBSA “CHILD ABUSE” CONTINUES - FINALLY! CANADIAN COURT RECOGNIZES THAT KAHNAWAKE & AKWESASNE ARE NOT PART OF CANADA …
Mohawk Nation News
Mohawk Nation News
Photo: Kahentinetha Horn, publisher of Mohawk Nation News, objecting to the border wall and arrests of Indigenous Peoples, on the southern border on Tohono O'odham land in 2007. Photo/Indigenous Peoples Border Summit of the Americas.
October 26, 2008. A top dog at the Federal Court of Canada, Prothonotary Madame Mireille Tabib agrees with us. She recognizes that Akwesasne and Kahnawake are not part of Canada.
Finally!! This is what we’ve been saying all along!! Since 1783 when Britain illegally agreed with the U.S. rebels to divide up our land without our knowledge or consent.
Katenies is a resident of Akwesasne. Kahentinetha is a resident of Kahnawake. Madam Tabib’s October 23, 2008 Order in Kahentinetha and Katenies versus the Queen, Docket T- 1309-08, found that neither of these two women are “residents in Canada”.
But she’s not our friend. She did this because she wants to erect a barrier to justice. She ordered them to put up $6,500 to pay the legal expenses of the Crown before the Federal Court will even look at evidence of the assaults and attempted murder carried out by the Canadian Border Services Agency CBSA goons at the Cornwall Ontario Border on June 14, 2008.
Have you ever heard of such a thing? Since when did victims have to pay the state to prosecute criminals? How is this protection? After all, Canada does claim that the Queen sent them over here to protect us. This makes it clear who we need protection from - them!!!
Madam Tabib’s Order proves that the issue of the 500 missing Indigenous women [3,000 plus really!] is no accident. The Canadian state is out to ‘git’ Indigenous women!
This explains another mystery. Even though Madam Tabib has now recognized that Akwesasne and Kahnawake are not part of Canada, CBSA agents are still threatening Akwesasne residents, particularly young women.
This is serious.
We want them to get their steroid laden jackasses off our land real quick. We’re sick and tired of their child abuse and their death-squad mentality.
Halloween would be a suitable time for them to clear out. They’ll fit in perfectly with the vampires, monsters and ghouls that night!
Canadians do not all support this institutionalized evil.
The Canadian Human Rights Commission CHRC is on our side. Two years ago a young Akwesasne mother filed a complaint after she was racially and sexually harassed and forced to submit to several shots of the VACIS x-ray machine intended for use on commercial transport vehicles. As a result she had to abort her unborn child and her family has suffered untold stress and grief.
Canada acts slowly, but when the CHRC report [file number 20061366] finally came in on October 1st 2008, it found that an inquiry is needed. In its words, there was “a complete lack of core values like cooperation, respect, integrity and professionalism towards the complainant because of her race”.
The CHRC report hasn’t had any effect on the conduct of the CBSA brutes who are accustomed to running rough shod over international accords that Canada has signed, like the “International Convention on Civil and Political Rights”, the “International Convention on the Rights of the Child” and even the “International Convention Against Torture” and other degrading and inhuman treatment. They haven’t heard of Madam Tabib’s finding that Akwesasne isn’t part of Canada either. Those cruel goons are still there, using their razor-in-the-apple-type Halloween dirty tricks.
The aggrieved young mother is still being harassed while she prepares her response to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. On Saturday, October 25th, on her way home from visiting relatives, she was pulled out of the “Indian lane” at the Cornwall border checkpoint which is a few yards from her home.
The CBSA told her to get out of her vehicle and leave her sleeping infant unattended so they could do what they called a “routine check”. When she refused, they said “What? Don’t you trust us to look after your baby?”
Why should she? As both she and the CBSA know, abuse is common. Canadian police and the CBSA refuse to investigate complaints filed with them by the Mohawks. Hundreds have been registered with the Mohawk Band Council of Akwesasne. Those guards know full well that this young woman wants the border removed and criminal charges filed against them.
Would you trust these cannibals to baby-sit your child?
When the young mother challenged these sadists to show her what law allows them to force her to leave her infant unattended in the car, they ordered her to wake up her baby.
She refused. After a big rigamorole, they finally let her go home. She was so shaken that her 8 year old daughter said, “They bothered you at the border again, didn’t they, Mom?” So the family still lives in a climate of fear, despite the support of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Madam Tabib’s reasoning is pretty illogical too. Even though she recognized that Akwesasne and Kahnawake are not part of Canada, she still thinks the “imaginary line” drawn through our community is a valid excuse for human rights abuses, gangsterism and theft by CBSA agents.
Madam Tabib seems to think that the Crown can say we are not part of Canada for the part of the Federal Court Act that lets them make Orders for Costs against “non-residents” of Canada but claim us as part of Canada for other parts of the Act. She’s playing the “heads I win, tails you lose” game. The Halloween blood suckers came out early this year!!
MNN Staff – Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com
Katenies20@yahoo.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
Note: These challenges of CBSA abuses at the border require support and money. Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations to PayPal at www.mohawknationnews.com, or by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Nia:wen thank you very much.
Some of the ‘borderline’ culprits involved: Prothonotary Mireille Tabib, 284 Wellington TSA-6032, Ottawa ON Canada K1A 0H8 613-992-4238 Fax 613-952-3653; Phil Fontaine of the AFN is a partner in CBSA’s Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-9; Chris Kealey, Canada Customs Excise, Immigration Taxation Board, CBSA Media Relations 613-991-5197; President CBSA 613-952-3200, 613-957-0612, CBSA-ASFC@Canada.gc.ca; National Aboriginal Initiative CHRC 204-983-2189 1-866-772-4880 info.com@chrc-ccdp.ca; Canada Customs Port of Entry at Cornwall Island Ontario; Gaetan Cousineau, Quebec Human Rights presidence@cdpdj.gc.ca; Akwesasne Mohawk Police 613-575-2250 ex 2400; Mohawk Security at the border 613-932-5183, 613-575-2340; Lance Markel, District Director CBSA 613-930-3234, 613-991-1214; Brent Lafave, Investigator CBSA; Susan St. Clair, Canadian Human Rights Commission, 344 Slater, Ottawa 613-995-1151, 1-888-214-1090, 613-943-5188; CBSA National Spokesperson 613-957-6500; Quebec Media Relations CBSA 514-350-6130; Chief Mohawk Council Akwesasne 613-575-2250 nbenedict@akwesasne.ca; Minister Stockwell Day, Ottawa 613-995-4432; Melissa Leclair Communications Pub. Safety 613-991-2863.
Go to MNN “Border” category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Subscribe to MNN for breaking news updates http://.mohawknationnews.com/news/subscription.php; Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois
On the border, Big Brother's bullets and drugs
By Brenda NorrellOn the Border -- With more US government dollars flowing into Mexico, supposedly to fight the war on drugs, more Indigenous Peoples and human rights activists are being arrested and targeted with US-issued bullets. Read more about police opening fire on Indigenous Peoples with US issued bullets, and the arrests of human rights activists, at Narco News.
The narco trafficking, cartel battles and bloodbaths prevalent in Tijuana and along the South Texas border are now in Nogales, Sonora, across the border from Nogales, Arizona, and south of Tucson. Michel Marizco reports on the violence at Border Reporter.
The narco trafficking, cartel battles and bloodbaths prevalent in Tijuana and along the South Texas border are now in Nogales, Sonora, across the border from Nogales, Arizona, and south of Tucson. Michel Marizco reports on the violence at Border Reporter.
While the violence increases, people who live along the border question the United States role in the violence and crimes, including the massive seizures of land by corporations after the passage of NAFTA that has displaced Indigenous Peoples. This has forced Indians to flee on foot to the north for survival. Many have died on the border in the desert.
One of those regions with the highest death rate is the Tohono O'odham Nation, wh
ere some O'odham are struggling to halt the tragedies. However, O'odham human rights activists are not supported by the elected Tohono O'odham officials.
ere some O'odham are struggling to halt the tragedies. However, O'odham human rights activists are not supported by the elected Tohono O'odham officials. The O'odham struggling to carry out the Himdaag, O'odham sacred way of life, want to stop the deaths and halt the border wall, which is a barrier to passage on the annual ceremonial route.
The construction of the border wall has violated all federal laws created to protect Native American remains, cultural items and the environment. During construction of the border wall on Tohono O'odham land, O'odham ancestors were dug up by the contractor Boeing and cultural remains looted and destroyed.
The Tohono O'odham struggling to protect human rights and human decency include Mike Wilson, who puts out water for migrants; Ofelia Rivas, founder of the O'odham Voice against the Wall and Mike Flores, organizer of the Indigenous Peoples Border Summit of the Americas in 2006 and 2007. Angelita Reino Ramon and Irvin Ramon are struggling for justice after their 18-year-old son, Bennett Patricio, Jr., was ran over and killed by the US Border Patrol. Many other O'odham living along the US/Mexico border work quietly to render aid and serve the people.
Tohono O'odham
are increasingly held at gunpoint by border agents and tribal police on bogus allegations and harassed as they travel in their homeland.
are increasingly held at gunpoint by border agents and tribal police on bogus allegations and harassed as they travel in their homeland.Meanwhile, so many military recruiters, cops, prison guards and Airforce pilots were eager to smuggle cocaine from the border at Nogales, north to Tucson and Phoenix, that the FBI had to shut down "Operation Lively Green."
Soldiers in the Army, Marines, National Guard and AirForce smuggled cocaine. They wore their uniforms during the drug operations. More than 50 have been sentenced, including a military recruiter at a Tucson high school. Soldiers stationed in Oklahoma were caught in a similar major drug smuggling operation from the border north.
There would have likely been more arrests of various border agents, but the other border agencies were involved in carrying out the sting operation.
.
Photos: Ofelia Rivas, Tohono O'odham founder of O'odham Voice against the Wall, at the border wall south of Sells, Arizona, on Tohono O'odham land. Photo Brenda Norrell. Arizona border wall with deer halted by Daniel Patterson, published with permission. Map: Please double click to enlarge. The O'odham's homeland in Mexico is shown south of the border.
Alaska's Youth Protest Palin and Uranium Mining
Elim Students Against Uranium (ESAU)
Organizers: Emily Murray & Flora Simon
Box 39907, Elim, AK 99739
(907) 890-2351
Alaska's Youth Protest to Gov. Palin and the State of Alaska Against Uranium Mining
By Pearl Johnson
Through covert dealings, Gov. Sarah Palin, State Dept. of Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management, the Alaska and U.S. senators and representatives and an ANCSA corporation entrusted with the security and health of their constituents have accepted the lease proposal to explore for uranium at the Fireweed/Boulder Creek area located in southwestern Seward Peninsula, without the knowledge, consent nor approval of the citizens of Western Alaska.
When students of Elim, Alaska first realized this, they began researching the effects of uranium mining and created educational posters to share what they learned. A community meeting was organized in Elim to share their findings and garner support to protest this action. The community responded favorably and in March 2007, demonstrated when the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race went through their town.
On September 17, 2007, a letter was sent to Gov. Palin inquiring what she planned to do about uranium mining at Boulder Creek which is located north of their community. She has yet to respond to this letter... Click here to read the letter.
In her State of the State speech on January 17, 2007, I quote: "With our rich energy supplies, we can contribute globally in many arenas, if we do things right. We must lead with trust - founded upon a most ethical government. To sustain our future......we must look to responsible development throughout the state... from mining etc. We can be good stewards of God's green earth."
Core drilling has been completed at Boulder Creek. Pollution in this watershed will negatively impact and irreversibly destroy the area and sustain heavy environmental and cultural damage impacting the communities of Council, White Mountain, Golovin, Koyuk, Elim and Shaktoolik. To allow the total destruction of this beautiful land, lush meadows, rich green forests, flower fields, pristine lakes and rivers is unthinkable. This fragile ecosystem nourishes and supplies Inupiaq, Yupik and non-native people, and healthy populations of every plant and mammal species indigenous to Arctic Alaska. It is not a frozen wasteland but a biologically diverse home to millions of salmon, beluga whale, seals, crab and annual migrations of birds from the Americas. The great Western Arctic Caribou Herd has wintered here, along with local reindeer, grizzly and black bear, and moose. Wolves, fox, lynx, beaver, otter, muskrat, mink, weasel, squirrel and porcupine traverse through quiet grasslands and marshes. Eagles, hawks and owls, robins and ravens fly through wind blown rocky enclaves in search of insects and small rodents. Berries, herbs and teas color the landscape along with wild cotton, cat tails and willows.
Why would you destroy this? If mining is allowed, air, wind and waterborne pollutants will turn this area into an arid, desolate wasteland unfit for habitation foreve
r. Did the politicians decide how the residents of this area were going to live, stricken with cancers and deformed fetuses? Where would they go? The birthright of the residents of this area has been sold. And, they have been abandoned by the politicians and left to fend for themselves!
The village of Elim and other Seward Peninsula communities were never given the opportunity to discuss planned exploration and drilling of uranium nor voice their concerns regarding mining. The regional native corporation, Bureau of Land Management, State Dept. of Natural Resources and the elected officials charged to care for their constituency did not study the impact uranium mining would incur in the region. Had they done that, they would have realized that mining for uranium is unregulated and no method of extracting uranium is safe and would have informed the impacted area of the pros and cons of development. And Gov. Palin has broken her oath of office and despite her State of the State speech, has gone against her promises of "doing things right, mutual trust, trustworthy government and responsible mining development " by allowing a proposal to mine uranium on the Seward Peninsula which now threatens the livelihood and lives of the people of Western Alaska.
The organization, Elim Students Against Uranium (ESAU), has been spearheaded by Emily Murray and Flora Simon. Emily Murray, "We may be the minority but as an indigenous nation, our voices will be heard and we will stand tall and fight for what we believe in."
ESAU is continuing to educate organizations and communities in the region and plans to take this protest to the United Nations Permanent Form on Indigenous Issues should Gov. Palin, the State of Alaska and mining conglomerates continue pursuing heavy mining development at Boulder Creek. Flora Simon, "This process of exploring, mining and being possessed by the mighty dollar has even corrupted the minds of our leaders that we voted for. The ones that are to be praised the most are the students of Elim that care enough to speak up and want to protect their subsistence lifestyle, for these are the ones that will benefit or be destroyed."
For More Information:
Western Mining Action Network
Elim Uranium Mine Student Blog
Big New’s: Uranium in Norton Sound Reigon
Indigenous Environmental Network
Images Courtesy: Big New’s: Uranium in Norton Sound Region
For more information contact:
Flora Simon - flora_simon@yahoo.com
Tom Goldtooth ien@igc.org
The Indigenous Environmental Network • PO Box 485 • Bemidji • MN • 56619
Organizers: Emily Murray & Flora Simon
Box 39907, Elim, AK 99739
(907) 890-2351
Alaska's Youth Protest to Gov. Palin and the State of Alaska Against Uranium Mining
By Pearl Johnson
Through covert dealings, Gov. Sarah Palin, State Dept. of Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management, the Alaska and U.S. senators and representatives and an ANCSA corporation entrusted with the security and health of their constituents have accepted the lease proposal to explore for uranium at the Fireweed/Boulder Creek area located in southwestern Seward Peninsula, without the knowledge, consent nor approval of the citizens of Western Alaska.
When students of Elim, Alaska first realized this, they began researching the effects of uranium mining and created educational posters to share what they learned. A community meeting was organized in Elim to share their findings and garner support to protest this action. The community responded favorably and in March 2007, demonstrated when the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race went through their town.
On September 17, 2007, a letter was sent to Gov. Palin inquiring what she planned to do about uranium mining at Boulder Creek which is located north of their community. She has yet to respond to this letter... Click here to read the letter.
In her State of the State speech on January 17, 2007, I quote: "With our rich energy supplies, we can contribute globally in many arenas, if we do things right. We must lead with trust - founded upon a most ethical government. To sustain our future......we must look to responsible development throughout the state... from mining etc. We can be good stewards of God's green earth."
Core drilling has been completed at Boulder Creek. Pollution in this watershed will negatively impact and irreversibly destroy the area and sustain heavy environmental and cultural damage impacting the communities of Council, White Mountain, Golovin, Koyuk, Elim and Shaktoolik. To allow the total destruction of this beautiful land, lush meadows, rich green forests, flower fields, pristine lakes and rivers is unthinkable. This fragile ecosystem nourishes and supplies Inupiaq, Yupik and non-native people, and healthy populations of every plant and mammal species indigenous to Arctic Alaska. It is not a frozen wasteland but a biologically diverse home to millions of salmon, beluga whale, seals, crab and annual migrations of birds from the Americas. The great Western Arctic Caribou Herd has wintered here, along with local reindeer, grizzly and black bear, and moose. Wolves, fox, lynx, beaver, otter, muskrat, mink, weasel, squirrel and porcupine traverse through quiet grasslands and marshes. Eagles, hawks and owls, robins and ravens fly through wind blown rocky enclaves in search of insects and small rodents. Berries, herbs and teas color the landscape along with wild cotton, cat tails and willows.
Why would you destroy this? If mining is allowed, air, wind and waterborne pollutants will turn this area into an arid, desolate wasteland unfit for habitation foreve
r. Did the politicians decide how the residents of this area were going to live, stricken with cancers and deformed fetuses? Where would they go? The birthright of the residents of this area has been sold. And, they have been abandoned by the politicians and left to fend for themselves!The village of Elim and other Seward Peninsula communities were never given the opportunity to discuss planned exploration and drilling of uranium nor voice their concerns regarding mining. The regional native corporation, Bureau of Land Management, State Dept. of Natural Resources and the elected officials charged to care for their constituency did not study the impact uranium mining would incur in the region. Had they done that, they would have realized that mining for uranium is unregulated and no method of extracting uranium is safe and would have informed the impacted area of the pros and cons of development. And Gov. Palin has broken her oath of office and despite her State of the State speech, has gone against her promises of "doing things right, mutual trust, trustworthy government and responsible mining development " by allowing a proposal to mine uranium on the Seward Peninsula which now threatens the livelihood and lives of the people of Western Alaska.
The organization, Elim Students Against Uranium (ESAU), has been spearheaded by Emily Murray and Flora Simon. Emily Murray, "We may be the minority but as an indigenous nation, our voices will be heard and we will stand tall and fight for what we believe in."
ESAU is continuing to educate organizations and communities in the region and plans to take this protest to the United Nations Permanent Form on Indigenous Issues should Gov. Palin, the State of Alaska and mining conglomerates continue pursuing heavy mining development at Boulder Creek. Flora Simon, "This process of exploring, mining and being possessed by the mighty dollar has even corrupted the minds of our leaders that we voted for. The ones that are to be praised the most are the students of Elim that care enough to speak up and want to protect their subsistence lifestyle, for these are the ones that will benefit or be destroyed."
For More Information:
Western Mining Action Network
Elim Uranium Mine Student Blog
Big New’s: Uranium in Norton Sound Reigon
Indigenous Environmental Network
Images Courtesy: Big New’s: Uranium in Norton Sound Region
For more information contact:
Flora Simon - flora_simon@yahoo.com
Tom Goldtooth ien@igc.org
The Indigenous Environmental Network • PO Box 485 • Bemidji • MN • 56619
October 26, 2008
Longest walk photos by Janice Trytten
The five month walk across America for Mother Earth, from Alcatraz to D.C. Longest Walk, on the last stretch into DC. Top photo: Northern Route; Second photo: Carl Bad Bear Sampson, Paiute Shoshone, Janice Gardipe, Paiute Shoshone and Darlene Graham, Western Shoshone; Photo three: Northern and southern route walkers sing; Photo 4: Longest Walk. Photos Janice Trytten. Please double click on photos to enlarge..
Listen to the AIM song, Longest Walk Northern Route singers:
Audio file no. 293 (in Longest Walk 2 series at top)
Sounds of the Longest Walk, some of the best interviews and songs on the road
Mohawk 'Splitting the Sky' on 9/11 and the criminal cabal
Splitting the Sky, Mohawk, was on Dr. Deagle's show "The Nutrimedical Report" again on Oct. 23rd for a one hour segment, Here is the mp3 archive and an mp3 of the Oct. 20th interview with Kevin Barrett show (Hr 2) is hereNote: In case you missed it, you may want to hear the archives from the Sept. 25th show with Dr. Bill Deagle first. Download the show archives: Hour 2 and Hour 3A full, written transcript of the Sept. 25th show with Dr. Deagle is available hereUpcoming Show: He will be a guest on the Rob Revere Show on the Revere Radio Network on Friday, Oct. 31st at 9 pm PST or 12 Midnight
October 24, 2008
Indigenous in Colombia on the march for survival
YouTube Video:
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2611&updaterx=2008-10-23+13%3A06%3A1408-10-23+13%3A06%3A14
Democracy Now!
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/10/23/indigenous_colombians_begin_10_000_strong
00_strong
Colombians are marching against President Alvaro Uribe's policies. The protest comes one week after vio10,000 indigenous lence erupted during demonstrations to press for land reform and dialogue with the government.
Colombia's indigenous protest against Uribe
ZAA NKWETA, TRNN: Ten thousand of Colombia's indigenous peoples are taking part in a massive demonstration, which comes after days of violent clashes between indigenous groups and Colombian police. The 62-mile march began Tuesday in Piendamó, in the Cauca province, and will end Friday in the city of Cali. The aim is to pressure the government into returning land to indigenous farmers and to protest against the alleged genocide of indigenous peoples. Recent clashes stem from the killing of indigenous leaders. Indigenous groups claim 1,200 people have been killed by different armed groups since 2002. Colombia President Álvaro Uribe has denied that police and army forces have been using lethal force against demonstrators, but medics said they have treated scores of Indians injured by bullets and shrapnel. Uribe says out of Colombia's 150 million hectares of land, 30 million already belong to indigenous communities. According to Colombia's national indigenous organization, 27 percent of Colombia's indigenous population have no land. Demonstrators want the government to set aside more land for Colombia's 1.3 million Indians and to provide money for better education and health care. They also want the government to prevent corporations and multinational companies from encroaching on their land.
*************
From Democracy NOW Interview above:
JUAN GONZALEZ: And, Mario, obviously, the protests, you said, started on October 12th, which is the anniversary of el Dia de la Raza, or of Columbus Day, as it's called here in the United States. What is the—in terms of the condition of the indigenous under the Uribe government, what is it like right now?
MARIO MURILLO: That's a great point, and this is interesting that finally, after over almost two weeks of mobilizing and weeks before the mobilization began, the indigenous communities were putting out communiqués consistently on their websites and holding press conferences to draw attention to five key points that the communities are trying to address and to get the government to address, but it hasn't gotten any coverage whatsoever. Only the last couple of days, because the government has been forced to respond to the specific points, are the media now here in Colombia actually addressing them.
One of them, you pointed out in the introduction. They're really concerned about the free trade agreement that was signed by the Colombian government, and they're waiting for approval in the US Congress. It hasn't been approved by the Congress. And so, the Colombian indigenous movement and the popular movement in general are saying that this free trade agreement has to be reconsidered, because the communities were not consulted.
The Threat of REDD
UN Admits Its Climate Change Program Could Threaten Indigenous Peoples
Sept. 27, 2008 - On the third day of the General Assembly's 63rd Session, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Prime Minister of Norway launched the United Nations REDD program, a collaboration of FAO, UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank.
The inclusion of forests in the carbon market, or REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) has caused anxiety, protest and outrage throughout the world since it was created at the failed climate change negotiations in Bali and funded by the World Bank.
An estimated 60 million indigenous peoples are completely dependent on forests and are considered the most threatened by REDD. Therefore, indigenous leaders are among its most prominent critics. The International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on Climate Change declared that: '...REDD will steal our land... States and carbontraders will take control over our forests.'
It is alarming that indigenous peoples' fears and objectionshave now been confirmed by the UN-REDD Framework Document itself.
On page 4 and 5 it blatantly states that the program could "deprive communities of their legitimate land-development aspirations, that hard-fought gains in forest management practices might be wasted, that it could cause the lock-up of forests by decoupling conservation from development, or erode culturally rooted not-for-profit conservation values."
It is further highlighted that "REDD benefits in some circumstances may have to be traded off against other social, economic orenvironmental benefits."
In carefully phrased UN language, the document further acknowledges that REDD could cause severe human rights violations and be disastrous for the poor because it could "marginalize the landless.and those with. communal use-rights".
This is tantamount to the UN recognizing that REDD could undermine indigenous peoples and local communities rights to the usage andownership of their lands.
Could it be that the UN is paving the way for a massive land grab?
To read UN-REDD Framework Document: http://www.undp.org/mdtf/UN-REDD/docs/Annex-A-Framework-Document.pdf
To see photos from the protest against REDD and the World Bank in Bali: http://www.globaljusticeecology.org/gallery.php
To watch the video from the protest against REDD at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtORVi7GybY
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2611&updaterx=2008-10-23+13%3A06%3A1408-10-23+13%3A06%3A14
Democracy Now!
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/10/23/indigenous_colombians_begin_10_000_strong
00_strongColombians are marching against President Alvaro Uribe's policies. The protest comes one week after vio10,000 indigenous lence erupted during demonstrations to press for land reform and dialogue with the government.
Colombia's indigenous protest against Uribe
ZAA NKWETA, TRNN: Ten thousand of Colombia's indigenous peoples are taking part in a massive demonstration, which comes after days of violent clashes between indigenous groups and Colombian police. The 62-mile march began Tuesday in Piendamó, in the Cauca province, and will end Friday in the city of Cali. The aim is to pressure the government into returning land to indigenous farmers and to protest against the alleged genocide of indigenous peoples. Recent clashes stem from the killing of indigenous leaders. Indigenous groups claim 1,200 people have been killed by different armed groups since 2002. Colombia President Álvaro Uribe has denied that police and army forces have been using lethal force against demonstrators, but medics said they have treated scores of Indians injured by bullets and shrapnel. Uribe says out of Colombia's 150 million hectares of land, 30 million already belong to indigenous communities. According to Colombia's national indigenous organization, 27 percent of Colombia's indigenous population have no land. Demonstrators want the government to set aside more land for Colombia's 1.3 million Indians and to provide money for better education and health care. They also want the government to prevent corporations and multinational companies from encroaching on their land.
*************
From Democracy NOW Interview above:
JUAN GONZALEZ: And, Mario, obviously, the protests, you said, started on October 12th, which is the anniversary of el Dia de la Raza, or of Columbus Day, as it's called here in the United States. What is the—in terms of the condition of the indigenous under the Uribe government, what is it like right now?
MARIO MURILLO: That's a great point, and this is interesting that finally, after over almost two weeks of mobilizing and weeks before the mobilization began, the indigenous communities were putting out communiqués consistently on their websites and holding press conferences to draw attention to five key points that the communities are trying to address and to get the government to address, but it hasn't gotten any coverage whatsoever. Only the last couple of days, because the government has been forced to respond to the specific points, are the media now here in Colombia actually addressing them.
One of them, you pointed out in the introduction. They're really concerned about the free trade agreement that was signed by the Colombian government, and they're waiting for approval in the US Congress. It hasn't been approved by the Congress. And so, the Colombian indigenous movement and the popular movement in general are saying that this free trade agreement has to be reconsidered, because the communities were not consulted.
The Threat of REDD
UN Admits Its Climate Change Program Could Threaten Indigenous Peoples
Sept. 27, 2008 - On the third day of the General Assembly's 63rd Session, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Prime Minister of Norway launched the United Nations REDD program, a collaboration of FAO, UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank.
The inclusion of forests in the carbon market, or REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) has caused anxiety, protest and outrage throughout the world since it was created at the failed climate change negotiations in Bali and funded by the World Bank.
An estimated 60 million indigenous peoples are completely dependent on forests and are considered the most threatened by REDD. Therefore, indigenous leaders are among its most prominent critics. The International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on Climate Change declared that: '...REDD will steal our land... States and carbontraders will take control over our forests.'
It is alarming that indigenous peoples' fears and objectionshave now been confirmed by the UN-REDD Framework Document itself.
On page 4 and 5 it blatantly states that the program could "deprive communities of their legitimate land-development aspirations, that hard-fought gains in forest management practices might be wasted, that it could cause the lock-up of forests by decoupling conservation from development, or erode culturally rooted not-for-profit conservation values."
It is further highlighted that "REDD benefits in some circumstances may have to be traded off against other social, economic orenvironmental benefits."
In carefully phrased UN language, the document further acknowledges that REDD could cause severe human rights violations and be disastrous for the poor because it could "marginalize the landless.and those with. communal use-rights".
This is tantamount to the UN recognizing that REDD could undermine indigenous peoples and local communities rights to the usage andownership of their lands.
Could it be that the UN is paving the way for a massive land grab?
To read UN-REDD Framework Document: http://www.undp.org/mdtf/UN-REDD/docs/Annex-A-Framework-Document.pdf
To see photos from the protest against REDD and the World Bank in Bali: http://www.globaljusticeecology.org/gallery.php
To watch the video from the protest against REDD at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtORVi7GybY
GEO/Wackenhut Corp charged with prison murder in Texas
Private Prison Company GEO Group Indicted for Murder in Texas Prisoner's Death
By Private Corrections Institute
Oct. 24, 2008
Raymondville, Texas – Yesterday, Willacy County District Attorney Juan Guerra filed
a three-count murder indictment against Florida-based GEO Group (formerly known as
Wackenhut Corrections), the nation’s second-largest for-profit prison company. The grand jury’s two indictments for murder allege the GEO Group, “through its agents ... did intentionally or knowingly cause the death of Gregorio De La Rosa, Jr., ... by allowing one or more inmates to physically assault the victim ...” while using deadly weapons. A third indictment for manslaughter states the GEO Group caused the death of De La Rosa through its employees within the scope of their employment, which was “authorized, requested, commanded, performed, or recklessly tolerated” by the corporation. ... Read more ...
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/10/geowackenhut-charged-in-prison-murder.html
By Private Corrections Institute
Oct. 24, 2008
Raymondville, Texas – Yesterday, Willacy County District Attorney Juan Guerra filed
a three-count murder indictment against Florida-based GEO Group (formerly known as
Wackenhut Corrections), the nation’s second-largest for-profit prison company. The grand jury’s two indictments for murder allege the GEO Group, “through its agents ... did intentionally or knowingly cause the death of Gregorio De La Rosa, Jr., ... by allowing one or more inmates to physically assault the victim ...” while using deadly weapons. A third indictment for manslaughter states the GEO Group caused the death of De La Rosa through its employees within the scope of their employment, which was “authorized, requested, commanded, performed, or recklessly tolerated” by the corporation. ... Read more ...
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/10/geowackenhut-charged-in-prison-murder.html
Censored News breaking news articles
How advertisers control and silence voices
The NarcoSphere, NY - Oct 11, 2008
By Brenda Norrell
In case you noticed the alarming, large advertisements by the CIA Clandestine Services on the front web page of a national American Indian ...
US created monsters: Zetas and Kaibiles death squads
The NarcoSphere, NY - Oct 9, 2008
By Brenda Norrell
TUCSON --The death squads of the Zetas, trained at the US School of the Americas, are now carrying out murders for Mexican drug cartels ...
Navajo, Hopi and Lakota delegation warned Lehman Brothers of ...
Atlantic Free Press, Netherlands - Oct 6, 2008
by Brenda Norrell
A delegation of Navajo, Hopi and Lakota warned Lehman Brothers stockholders of the dire consequences of their actions in 2001. ...OTC:LEHMQ
Tohono O'odham mother plans murder charge against US Border Patrol
The NarcoSphere, NY - Oct 5, 2008
By Brenda Norrell
SELLS, Arizona - The Tohono O'odham mother of a teenager who was ran over and killed by the US Border Patrol made a plea for help so she ...
Sounds of Resistance: Native American Music Awards 2008
The NarcoSphere, NY -
Oct 5, 2008
By Brenda Norrell
TUCSON -- Congratulations to the thirty winners of Native American Music Awards at the 10th annual celebration on the Seneca Nation in New ...
October 23, 2008
Mohawk Nation News: The Snake at the Door
CANADA’S JUSTICE SYSTEM IS 'LIKE DEBATING WITH A SNAKE' SAYS KATENIES – THEY JUST WANT TO GET THEIR FANGS INTO SOMETHING & WILL POUNCE AT ANYTHING
MOHAWK NATION NEWS
Oct. 22, 2008. Early Tuesday morning the Akwesasne Mohawk Colonial Cops went to Katenies’ mother’s house in Akwesasne. This community is located at the junction of the colonial entities known as New York State, Ontario and Quebec. Her soft-spoken mother is always cautious. They apparently wanted to drive Katenies to court in Alexandria Ontario for a trial - or did they really want to abduct her again? For all we know, it wouldn’t have been just jail this time. She might have been “disappeared” for good. It seems like these operatives are getting their advice from the same “death squads” that make disappearances happen in “Latin” America. Read article:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/10/mohawk-nation-news-snake-at-door.html
MOHAWK NATION NEWS
Oct. 22, 2008. Early Tuesday morning the Akwesasne Mohawk Colonial Cops went to Katenies’ mother’s house in Akwesasne. This community is located at the junction of the colonial entities known as New York State, Ontario and Quebec. Her soft-spoken mother is always cautious. They apparently wanted to drive Katenies to court in Alexandria Ontario for a trial - or did they really want to abduct her again? For all we know, it wouldn’t have been just jail this time. She might have been “disappeared” for good. It seems like these operatives are getting their advice from the same “death squads” that make disappearances happen in “Latin” America. Read article:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/10/mohawk-nation-news-snake-at-door.html
October 22, 2008
Uncensored: Buffy Sainte-Marie honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
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| Courtesy photo Buffy Sainte Marie Uncensored: Buffy Sainte-Marie honored with Lifetime Achievement Award |
Censored News
The Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards is honoring Buffy Sainte-Marie with a lifetime achievement honor this fall. Organizers of the 10th annual awards gala made the announcement Monday. Born on a Saskatchewan reserve, Sainte-Marie, 67, began her career in the 1960s.
Buffy said in an interview, censored for seven years, that she was blacklisted and censored out of the music industry in the US. The censorship included letters from US President Lyndon Johnson to radio stations, and shipments of her records disappearing. This followed the release of "Universal Soldier," during the Vietnam War and the US government's realization of the power of song. She was financially forced out of the industry and moved from the US.
The following article was censored by Indian Country Today for seven years, after I interveiwed Buffy in 1999 at Dine' College on the Navajo Nation. A portion of the article was published by ICT seven years later, in 2006, but the references to uranium mining and other portions were deleted. I self published the article in 2006, after being censored and terminated as a longtime staff reporter by Indian Country Today. Buffy's interview was one of numerous articles censored by ICT. Read others here.
Beyond images of women and Indians: Straight-talk from a Cree icon
By Brenda Norrell (1999)
TSAILE, Ariz. -- Seated behind the concert stage at Dine' College, Buffy Sainte-Marie is visionary and philosopher, folk star and educator, mother and confidant to truth-seekers. A voice of history and reason, the Cree poet and songwriter describes life on the rim, beyond the defined images of women and Indians.
Relaxing after her performance onstage, Buffy says she always refused to be categorized as an aerobic-Indian-princess-Pocahontas. The result: She was blacklisted, and along with her Indian contemporaries, put out of business.
"I found out ten years later, in the 1980s, that Lyndon Johnson had been writing letters on White House stationary praising radio stations for suppressing my music."
Buffy, however, is focused on art, not bitterness, and explains that in Indian communities, there is no name for artists.
"In my own language, there is no word for art."
Instead, they say, "It shines through him."
That, she says is the mystery -- the artist is a vehicle for the Creator. Backstage, Buffy takes chalk in hand, detailing how the 1960s and 1970s -- the student movement and American Indian Movement -- were the roots of change.
In the 1960s in Minneapolis, "The guys were in the streets. The guys who would become AIM." In Boston, and elsewhere in the East there was no awareness of Indian people.
"I grew up in Maine and Massachusetts, and I was told that I couldn't be Indian because all the Indians were gone," Buffy said.
"So, in other words, the consciousness was Zero." But there were inklings in the white world, like in the National Indian Youth Council and the Upward Bound program recruiting Indian students for college, that there was a need for change."In the Indian community, in Saskatchewan where I am from, the Indian people were real grass-rootsy and they had no clue of how they were being ripped off. In the grassroots in general, people were being worked over by the oil companies.
"The student movement and coffeehouses of Greenwich Village became her platform in the 1960s. In the multi-racial movement, students were talking and students were listening.
"The student movement was extremely important. It's not happening right now, but it was then and it was a small window through which people like myself came into show business.
"Coffee was the drug of choice." And the lyrics and the movement were serious."It meant that people like myself could get on a bus, in sneakers and a trench coat with a guitar, and fill concert halls.
"In the late 1960s, coffeehouses were suddenly viewed as moneymakers.
"In show business, whatever is making money is like honey -- and it attracted a lot of bugs-- a lot of sharks.
"The lyrics were watered down and coffeehouses that remained open had liquor licenses.
"In the 1970s, not only was the protest movement putout of business, but the Native American movement was attacked."
Meanwhile, Buffy cut a singular path.
"I usually didn't do what other people did. You didn't find me at peace marches. I was out in Indian country.
"Then, came the occupation of Wounded Knee and the shoot-out with FBI agents at the Jumping Bull residence at Pine Ridge June 26, 1975.
"That is where Leonard Peltier's troubles began" Buffy says.
Buffy says that few people recount the true history of what happened on that day in history.
"Who recalls that on that day one-eighth of the reservation was transferred in secret -- on that day. It was the part containing uranium. That is what never seems to be remembered."
At the time, Buffy was selling more records than ever in Canada and Asia. But, in the United States, her records were disappearing. Thousands of people at concerts wanted records. Although the distributor said the records had been shipped, no one seemed to know where they were. One thing was for sure, they were not on record shelves.
"I was put out of business in the United States."
Later she discovered the censorship and pressure applied to radio stations by President Lyndon Johnson during the Vietnam era, particularly toward her"Universal Soldier" during the anti-war movement.
Buffy says Indian people were put out of business, not just because they were succeeding in Indian country, but because they were succeeding in the broader community. She and others were a threat to the moneymakers of concert halls, uranium and oil.
Then, fellow activist and poet John Trudell's wife and children were burned to death in a house fire shortly after he burned an American flag in Washington D.C., February 11, 1979.
"I was just one person put out of business.
John Trudell is just another person whose life was put out of business. Anna Mae Aquash and Leonard Peltier were put out of the living business -- we were made in effective."
But she continued. Moving into electronic music, which she says Americans didn't want to hear, then into music scoring. In the 1980s, she began producing digital art on her Macintosh at home. Those brightly-colored large-scale paintings are now featured in museums.
"Sixteen million colors are hard to resist," she says of the computer's palette.
In the 1990s, she created the Cradleboard Teaching Project to link American Indian students with other students online around the world. Traveling now to Indian communities and colleges, the project debunks stereotypes and shares history and culture by way ofCD-ROM.
Sharing the concert stage at Dine' College with Trudell, Buffy says she and Trudell were "just puppies," during the takeover of Alcatraz in the1960s.
Yet, they kept struggling; kept surviving.
"We just kept chugging on. We kept coming to Indian country. We didn't worry about the fortune and fame because we went with our sincerity, our hearts, and with our friends.
"There was the pain of seeing people hurt, but the movers of the '60s and '70s survived, developed,taught, and shared with old friends the joys of watching children and Indian country grow.
"It was hard -- seeing people hurt."
And there was the pain of seeing women and the elderly treated with lack of respect. But, people began to sobber up and change. Her "Starwalker" is a tribute.
"Starwalker is for all generations past and yet to come. So many people have seen the reality of that in their lives," she said, adding that the song is one of her favorites.
"Starwalker he's a friend of mine
You've seen him looking fine he's as traight talker
he's a Starwalker don't drink no wineay
way hey o heya
Wolf Rider she's a friend of yours
You've seen her opening doors
She's a history turner
she's a sweetgrass burner and a dog soldier
ay hey way hey way heya"
Although Buffy makes her home in Hawaii, much of her time is spent in Canada and on the road. Fame, however, has it drawbacks, making it impossible to simply attend a pow wow.
"Sesame Street put an end to it."
Buffy said Native people in Canada are doing well in all walks of life, the government, television and law.
"It's not like it is in the United States.
"What has happened in Canada? Canada attracted a different type of European.
"People didn't want to put up with the U.S. gobbily-greed."
Then, she adds, "Native people were hipper. Things are still very pure, but very strong in Canada."
Questioned about the media, Buffy says if you want to find out the motive behind a newspaper's coverage, look to see who owns the paper. She was asked by a Native photographer why only negative articles are published in a leading Arizona paper.
"Find out who owns it," she says, explaining that thisf act will reveal the motive.
Then, she adds, "Don't let the bastards get you down."
Buffy was born on the Piapot Cree Reserve in Saskatchewan in 1941. Later, while evolving as a revolutionary folk-singer, she received degrees in Oriental Philosophy and teaching, and a Ph.D. in Fine Art from the University of Massachusetts. A young Bob Dylan heard her sing in Greenwich Village and recommended she perform at the Gaslight, another hangout of the avant-garde. Janis Joplin and Elvis Presley were among those who recorded her lyrics.
On the road, she traveled the world and received a medal from Queen Elizabeth II.
Shifting gears as a mother, Buffy and her son Dakota Wolfchild Starblanket became stars of Sesame Street in 1976 and dissolved myths about who Indians are. "Up Where We Belong," recorded for the film "An Officer and A Gentleman," won an Academy Award in 1982.
After the release of her album "Coincidence and Likely Stories," in 1993, she helped establish a new Juno Awards category for Aboriginal Music in Canada. That same year, France named Buffy "Best International Artist of 1993."
Defying definition, she has also written country music, including "He's an Indian Cowboy in the Rodeo."She served as an adjunct professor in Canada and New York, and as an artist in residence at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe.
Onstage at the Native American Music Festival at Dine' College, a benefit concert for the Dine' Council of Arts and Humanities, Buffy sang selections from her1996 release, "Up Where We Belong."Festival organizer Ferlin Clark recalled driving Buffy through Apache country to share her Cradleboard Teaching Project, then convincing her to drive until dawn to reach the Navajo's Canyon de Chelly.
Once at Spider Rock, Buffy reached for a pen and paper towrite. Inspired, she knew she would return.
In concert, Buffy dedicated "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee," to Leonard Peltier.
The lyrics tell the story of Native people of the1880s and later in the 1960s and 1970s, that fell to the hands of the "robber barons" driven by greed for oil, gold and precious metals. While manipulating the media and politicians, they added uranium to their agenda in the Twentieth Century.
In the song, Buffy sings of a senator in Indian country, a "darling of the energy companies," and covert spies, liars, federal marshals and FBI.Buffy sings her safety rule: "Don't stand between the reservation and the corporate bank. They send in federal tanks…"
The song is a also tribute to assassinated activist Anna Mae Aquash, whose murderers remain at large. The lyrics describe the act of the FBI in cutting off her decomposed hands under the guise of identification.
"My girlfriend Annie Mae talked about uranium
Her head was filled with bullets and her body dumped
The FBI cut off her hands and told us she'd died of Exposure…
"Bury my heart at Wounded Knee
Deep in the Earth
Cover me with pretty lies bury my heart at Wounded Knee."
COMMENTS
From David Sugar:
The government has more tools to silence dissenting voices these days, such as national security letters sent to your employers and associates, being placed on lists to effectively restrict your movement, or secret grand juries called by state counter-terrorism task forces. But really, what Buffy experienced ha snot fundamentally changed, other than becoming simpler for bureaucrats to do on a larger scale, much like with domestic intercept...on the latter, you might find this of interest, which is about what I chose to do in response:
Article copyright Brenda Norrell. May not be used without written permission.
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