Haskell students walk to save wetlands: Trail of Broken Promises

Haskell students walking to Washington DC to save wetlands

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

The Trail of Broken Promises began on May 13 to save the Wakarusa Wetlands. Haskell Indian Nations University students and advocates for cultural rights began a two-month journey to Washington, DC, to save the Wakarusa Wetlands. Lawrence’s only remaining indigenous wetland prairie is now under threat of becoming the South Lawrence Trafficway in Kansas.


The Trail of Broken Promises is primarily an on-foot trek through fifty towns from Kansas to Washington, DC. Walkers plan to arrive in Washington on July 9.
On their journey, the Trail of Broken Promises addresses the difficulty of preserving sacred places within Indian Country.
"Prompted by the proposed highway construction through the wetland behind Haskell campus, the students travel on the Potawatomi Trail of Death route in reverse, stopping by each marker to honor the sacred place and show appreciation to communities maintaining markers of remembrance," walkers said in a statement.
They also carry a piece of draft legislation which has been approved by the National Congress of American Indians that would amend the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, “to provide a right of action for protection of Native American Sacred Places,”such as the Wakarusa Wetlands.


The wetlands adjoin the Haskell Indian Nations University, and have been used for ceremony, prayer, and education since Haskell’s founding as a boarding school in 1884.
“Fighting to save the Wakarusa Wetlands extends beyond our campus,” Pepion states.
“Our journey recognizes all Native Americans and all sacred places left vulnerable to developers’ agendas.”
Contact to offer support:
Phone: 480-258-2930 Email: minipah@msn.com
Media coverage:
http://kansaspublicradio.org/kpr-news/haskell-students-to-visit-washington-promoting-site-preservation
http://www.nativetimes.com/news/environment/7212-students-walk-to-protect-native-sacred-places
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/14/3612652/students-protest-south-lawrence.html
http://www.lexington-news.com/LN_detailheadline.asp?key=16491&itemNumber=0&fb_source=message
http://www.richmond-dailynews.com/?p=10519&fb_source=message
http://www.kmzu.com/native-americans-walking-to-d-c/
http://www.moberlymonitor.com/news/x624589963/Twelve-Kansas-students-on-Trail-of-Broken-Promises-Tour-in-Moberly-Saturday
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/may/16/haskell-ku-students-walking-underscore-environment/?print&fb_source=message
http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/news/index.php/2012/05/students-walk-to-protect-native-sacred-places-in-midwestern-united-states/
http://www.whig.com/story/18563261/trail-of-broken-promises-focuses-attention-on-desecration-of-sacred-native-american-places
http://www.whig.com/story/18623655/students-advocates-for-cultural-rights-tour-indian-mounds-park-as-part-of-tour-on-the-trail-of-broken-promises
http://commercial-news.com/local/x1647290843/Walkers-call-attention-to-rights


These websites allow you to follow them on our journey digitally:
Facebook Page---> https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Trail-Of-Broken-Promises/300284686671395
Youtube Page-----> http://www.youtube.com/user/ToBP2012
Twitter Page-------> https://twitter.com/#!/ToBP2012
Tumblr Page-------> http://trailofbrokenpromises.tumblr.com/