Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

July 3, 2013

Nevada to prosecute Paiute traditional hunter Kwassuh, July 15, 2013

From Kwassuh, Wesley Dick: Nevada State Department of Wildlife plans to prosecute and challenge the Numu Nation/Treaty Indian/Federally Recognized Tribal Member. Kwassuh will stand for all Red Nations and end interference of all our hunting rights. Arraignment scheduled for July 15, 2013 at Austin Courthouse Nevada -- all Indians needed to attend.
Hello, we need your help now. The State of Nevada Department of Wildlife, which is a corporation, plans to prosecute me in the Austin Justice Court on July 15, 2013 at 1 pm. This county court is claiming to be the State of Nevada, which is also a corporation and the have absolutely no jurisdiction. I handed the Nevada State Game Warden Federal and International and National laws that are to protect me, my people and our lifeways. These laws I carry with me every day and I am learning more about these corporations that have no authority nor power over Indigenous People. Censored News has been good to us and now the Indian people will learn such as I and gain that good freedom as I plan to win and end any more interferences and uphold laws, treaties and use our federal recognition and trustee status by the united states of America. The State of Nevada Governor Sandavol has not responded to my letter as of last year and he is liable just as this county court and the judge and the prosecutor and the game warden will all be held accountable.
Kwassuh's letter to Nevada governor concerning traditional hunting rights
Governor of Nevada Brian Sandavol
June 23, 2012

Dear Sir:
My name is Kwassuh/Buckskin a.k.a. Wesley Dick Jr. and I am an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of Nevada.  I ask for the respect and acknowledgement on behalf of myself and the traditional peoples across and over these lands that practice and live our sacred and unique traditional lifeways and the laws that protect and preserve these lifeways.
I stand as a traditional man of the Numa/Northern Paiute Nation of Nevada and as a father to provide for my family and my people of our ceremonial and traditional lifeways of the Numa/Northern Paiutes of Nevada that are known throughout these lands including several other related nations of tribal people along with the 564 federally recognized tribes, the unrecognized and also the terminated tribal people that live amongst the lands of the United States of America today.
This request is of good relations towards the indigenous people and the people of the state of Nevada as well as the United States of America concerning these multiple violations of State Wildlife Officer Buckland Tingle and the State of Nevada Wildlife Department concerning disrespect, disregard of treaties, laws recognized nationally and internationally protecting my inherent rights as a descendant of the original peoples of this land to continue our sacred and unique lifeways and traditions of the Numa/Northern Paiutes of Nevada.
As I first met with Officer Buckland Tingle, I shook his hand and told him I come in a good way and expect him to do the same.  I then introduced myself, my tribe, where I am from, my federally recognized I.D.; the same as my people did in the past.  I then described what I was doing and what I still needed to do in regards to my prayers, the ceremony, and the preparations to the Tunna/Antelope.  I then told him of the rights I carry with me, and handed him from my hand to his, to read.  After an hour of his investigation, I was placed under arrest while I told/advised him of the disrespect towards the laws.  I provided these laws and my rights to provide for my family, my people, and my ceremonial tasks of hunting, and the process I learned from my elders of the spiritual recognition of the Tunna/Antelope and the area I stood that is always done in ceremony which provided my people the Numa/Northern Paiute with the plants and animals of these lands for thousands of years with no interference.
I openly advised the State Wildlife Officer of my status, identification, my laws and rights; he decided on his own to disregard.  These laws I provided to him, is the same I am including with this letter.  I also can provide more information.  As my related tribal relative nations of people are winning court challenges throughout and across these lands, these laws of our inherent rights protect us and preserve our lifeways and we should not be punished, prevented, or prosecuted for being what and who we are as the Native Americans of these lands.
Indigenous peoples worldwide are still in existence, as I have been a known teacher, demonstrator, instructor, mentor, and ceremonial provider/supporter for many years.  It is also world known of the importance of continuing our lifeways to pass this to our children and future generations, this knowledge to live the good life and stand as our ancestors have from thousands of years past to today is shared with all indigenous peoples of the world.
I request a dismissal and disclosure of these State Wildlife Charges and also that all my belongings be returned to me immediately as I have been tremendously delayed culturally, financially, and spiritually.  And an end to these distractions and interferences amongst my peoples of the Numa/Northern Paiute Nation, Newa/Shoshone Nation, and the Washoe Nations of Nevada and the recognition and respect that is due these laws and treaties.
This spiritual disrespect not only interferes with my prayers for my family, Earth, and all my surroundings including the Tunna/Antelope’s ceremonial circle of life, it has clearly affected our connection towards this animal as I, Kwassuh, have visions and dreams of these Tunna/Antelope that stand and watch me as I cannot connect their spirit towards their ending so they are like lost and blood from the liver is to be taken and gifted to the Earth, along with tobacco, to ensure that three more Tuna/Antelope will take it’s place.  There are several more ways I learned and keep to myself and I now sense the sadness of the Earth and Creator from whom I asked for the blessings to take part in our sacred ways that were of goodness, honor, and gratitude.  There are unfinished prayers and the ending methods that I was taught by my own people; they need to be completed.  I also advised these officers that this interruption/interference towards my traditional ways and the importance of my request, may bring some honor towards my traditional relationship I described when these request have been returned to me and I will complete/fulfill my ceremony as it should be.
Immediate attention to these matters is of great importance for this good relationship between said Indian nations and all governmental agencies to understand and honor.  These laws are easy to acknowledge, understand and are recognized daily throughout this nation; it is the law. 
Respectfully,
Wesley Dick Jr. (Kwassuh)
Enrolled member of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe.
A federally recognized tribe of the United States of America

Kwassuh – means Buckskin in the Numa/Northern Paiute language.
Numa – means Northern Paiute in the Northern Paiute language.
Toi-Ticutta – means the Cattail Eaters in the Northern Paiute language.

3 comments:

Debrinconcita said...

Who do they think they are telling Native People when & where we can HUNT & FISH. These are OUR RIGHTS FOREVER as long as we LIVE.

Unknown said...

Hunting and Fishing Rights

Hunting and fishing rights are some of the special rights that Native Americans enjoy as a result of the treaties signed between their tribes and the federal government. Historically, hunting and fishing were critically important to Native American tribes. Fish and wildlife were a primary source of food and trade goods, and tribes based their own seasonal movements on fish migrations. In addition, fish and wildlife played a central role in the spiritual and cultural framework of Native American life. As the Court noted, access to fish and wildlife was "not much less necessary to the existence of the Indians than the atmosphere they breathed" (United States v. Winans, 198 U.S. 371, S. Ct. 662, 49 L. Ed. 2d 1089 [1905]).

When Native American tribes signed treaties consenting to give up their lands, the treaties often explicitly guaranteed hunting and fishing rights. When the treaties created reservations, they usually gave tribe members the right to hunt and fish on reservation lands. In many cases, treaties guaranteed Native Americans the continued freedom to hunt and fish in their traditional hunting and fishing locations, even if those areas were outside the reservations. Even when hunting and fishing rights were not specifically mentioned in treaties, the reserved-rights doctrine holds that tribes retain any rights, including the right to hunt and fish, that are not explicitly abrogated by treaty or statute.

Controversy and protest have surrounded Native American hunting and fishing rights, as state governments and non-Indian hunters and fishers have fought to make Native Americans subject to state hunting and fishing regulations. The rights of tribal members to hunt and fish on their own reservations have rarely been questioned, because states generally lack the power to regulate activities on Indian reservations. Tribes themselves have the right to regulate hunting and fishing on their reservations, whether or not they choose to do so. Protests have arisen, however, over the rights of Native Americans to hunt and fish off of their reservations. Such rights can be acquired in one of two ways. In some instances, Congress has reduced the size of a tribe's reservation, or terminated it completely, without removing the tribe's hunting and fishing rights on that land. In other cases, treaties have specifically guaranteed tribes the right to hunt and fish in locations off the reservations. In the Pacific Northwest, for example, treaty provisions commonly guaranteed the right of tribes to fish "at all usual and accustomed grounds and stations," both on and off their reservations. Tribes in the Great Lakes area also reserved their off-reservation fishing rights in the treaties they signed.

Unknown said...

Hunting and Fishing Rights

Hunting and fishing rights are some of the special rights that Native Americans enjoy as a result of the treaties signed between their tribes and the federal government. Historically, hunting and fishing were critically important to Native American tribes. Fish and wildlife were a primary source of food and trade goods, and tribes based their own seasonal movements on fish migrations. In addition, fish and wildlife played a central role in the spiritual and cultural framework of Native American life. As the Court noted, access to fish and wildlife was "not much less necessary to the existence of the Indians than the atmosphere they breathed" (United States v. Winans, 198 U.S. 371, S. Ct. 662, 49 L. Ed. 2d 1089 [1905]).

When Native American tribes signed treaties consenting to give up their lands, the treaties often explicitly guaranteed hunting and fishing rights. When the treaties created reservations, they usually gave tribe members the right to hunt and fish on reservation lands. In many cases, treaties guaranteed Native Americans the continued freedom to hunt and fish in their traditional hunting and fishing locations, even if those areas were outside the reservations. Even when hunting and fishing rights were not specifically mentioned in treaties, the reserved-rights doctrine holds that tribes retain any rights, including the right to hunt and fish, that are not explicitly abrogated by treaty or statute.

Controversy and protest have surrounded Native American hunting and fishing rights, as state governments and non-Indian hunters and fishers have fought to make Native Americans subject to state hunting and fishing regulations. The rights of tribal members to hunt and fish on their own reservations have rarely been questioned, because states generally lack the power to regulate activities on Indian reservations. Tribes themselves have the right to regulate hunting and fishing on their reservations, whether or not they choose to do so. Protests have arisen, however, over the rights of Native Americans to hunt and fish off of their reservations. Such rights can be acquired in one of two ways. In some instances, Congress has reduced the size of a tribe's reservation, or terminated it completely, without removing the tribe's hunting and fishing rights on that land. In other cases, treaties have specifically guaranteed tribes the right to hunt and fish in locations off the reservations. In the Pacific Northwest, for example, treaty provisions commonly guaranteed the right of tribes to fish "at all usual and accustomed grounds and stations," both on and off their reservations. Tribes in the Great Lakes area also reserved their off-reservation fishing rights in the treaties they signed.