Longest Walk 4 walks to Grimes Point sacred Paiute land

Photos by Western Shoshone long walker Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson, on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2013.

The Longest Walk 4 walked from Sand Mountain to Grimes Point, sacred land of the Paiute.

O'odham and Anarchist Thanksgiving Day Protest Against Border Patrol

Article and photos courtesy of O'odham and Anarchist solidarity action
Censored News

"On Thursday, November 28th, 2013, a group of people made up by members of the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Anti-Colonial Anarchist Bloc, and various Tucson community members in solidarity with those resisting ongoing colonisation on stolen Native land, gathered in front of the gates to the Border Patrol headquarters at Golf Links and Swan in Tucson. 

They carried banners and signs and spoke passionately about their reasons for skipping "thanksgiving" celebrations in order to draw attention to the ways that colonisation is being perpetuated by institutions such as U.S. Border Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security, Tucson Police, the University of Arizona, the mayor and council of Flagstaff, and the Arizona Department of Transportation. 

Ofelia Rivas, a grandmother from the O'odham Nation, welcomed the group in her traditional language and spoke to the ways that she has experienced harassment and abuse from U.S. Border Patrol occupying her Nation's lands. She described the ways that the checkpoints on the Nation, and the activity of the Border Patrol agents, make it impossible for O'odham people to participate in traditional ceremonies, and how this disrupts traditional culture. 

She spoke about how the demanding of proof of "american citizenship", to people who sometimes do not not have birth documents, systematically disrupts the freedom of O'odham people. She described scenarios in which O'odham people had been held at gunpoint by Border Patrol officers. And as she spoke, a bus packed with people being detained by Border Patrol drove through the gates. Some of the protesters cried, some waved, some booed the agency and its atrocities, while a large banner advocating "¡Fuera Migra! ¡Fuera Policía!" was held up for people on the bus to see, who waved and watched as they were taken away.

Chants to "End U.S. Imperialism!", to get "Off O'odham lands!", saying "No Thanks For Genocide!", and to take down the border were heard by people in their cars at the busy intersection, likely traveling on the holiday to visit family and celebrate what protesters called "a distraction from genocidal violence that is ongoing." A banner that loudly pronounced "NO BORDER PATROL ON STOLEN LAND" was held high. A list of demands was read, including that Border Patrol immediately leave Tohono O'odham lands and deconstruct all surveillance equipment on those lands, and that they close down ALL Border Patrol checkpoints, especially those on O'Odham lands.

The protest ended with a closing from Ofelia Rivas, and a promise from the group that they will continue to demand accountability and an end to ongoing colonialism long after the distraction of "thanksgiving" is replaced by another one."

Please share this link (located in your browser)
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2013/11/oodham-and-anarchist-thanksgiving-day.html

Zapatistas: Space full for Little School Dec 2013 Jan 2014

Zapatistas Sonora 2007 by Brenda Norrell

Space Full for First Grade at the Zapatista Little School in December 2013 and January 2014

To the compañeras and compañeros of the Sixth:

To Whom it May Concern:

From: Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés.

Past, present, and future compas:

We send you our greetings. Once again we are informing you that we are doing a second and third round of the first grade of the Zapatista Little School, even though we only barely managed to cover our costs the first round, and this thanks to the fact that someone gave more to cover our compañeras and compañeros from near and far. That’s how we took care of the costs that couldn’t be covered by what had been collected in the donation jar.

Today! Protest Arizona Snowbowl Toiletbowl Opening Day!

ACTION ALERT: No Arizona Toiletbowl! Protest Arizona Snowbowl Opening Day on Nov. 29

What: Protest Arizona Snowbowl's opening day.

Why: The mountain, water, and all life forms are precious. We will keeping standing for human rights and environmental justice until they STOP making snow with treated sewage effluent.
Come stand together against Snowbowel's dirty snow!

When: Opening Day, starting at 9 am Nov. 29, 2013

Where: TWO LOCATIONS - At Flagstaff City Hall Lawn (corner of Rt 66 and N. Humprhey's St.), at the corner of Hwy 180 and Snowbowl Rd.
Bring banners and cookies, and hot cocoa! Cookies and cocoa optional :)

Arizona Snowbowl is readying to open it's ski slopes this coming Friday, Nov. 29. This will be the second year Snowbowl employs guns to spray reclaimed wastewater snow onto ski runs, a practice which; is illegal according to State Law (R18-9-704), is dangerous to human health, will negatively affect alpine flora and fauna, and is an affront to many Indigenous Peoples who hold the mountain sacred.

Water, be it potable or reclaimed, is precious in this desert region and should not be wasted for a water intensive recreational sport, especially when considering that the Colorado River is reputed as the "most endangered waterway", the lifeline for millions of residents in the Southwest region. We can work to stop climate change, but it is foolish to attempt to override it through the creation of artificial snow.

Currently, Flagstaff taxpayers are subsidizing Snowbowl's reclaimed wastewater use for dirty snow. The cost to produce reclaimed wastewater is ($1.94/1,000gal), yet it is sold to Snowbowl for a meager ($ .96/1,000gal), potable water users make up the dollar difference. City officials acknowledge that reclaimed wastewater may contain antibiotic resistant bacteria and pharmaceuticals, but have no timeline for testing and mitigating these issues. It is illegal to ingest reclaimed wastewater through the eyes, mouth, ears or skin due to its fecal coliform and chemical content. In spite of this, state agencies are turning a blind eye to these facts when considering matters with Snowbowl and are therefore putting thousands of skiers and families at risk.

Over thirteen Indigenous Nations have expressed overwhelming opposition to the use of reclaimed wastewater on the San Fransisco Peaks, citing the damage it will do to medicinal plants, animals, culture, and the sanctity of this sacred site.  The Forest Service, City of Flagstaff, and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality have all colluded to push snowmaking through and to ignore any voice against such action. And still the disgusting reality of Snowbowl's actions are washed away by media outlets, eager to rake in revenues from Snowbowl advertisements.

That's why we will keep raising our voices. Join us to oppose human rights abuses, the desecration of sacred sites, environmental degradation, and the flagrant abuse of our water resources.

For more info: www.truesnow.org, www.protectthepeaks.org.

www.indigenousaction.org

Longest Walk 4 walking from Yomba Shoshone land to Paiute land

Friday night, Nov. 29, 2013 Camped at Grimes Point Paiute land Nevada

Friday nght

Thursday night camped at Cold Springs Nevada

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Thursday night

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Friday dawn, Nov. 29, 2013

Longest Walk 4 Return to Alcatraz walking from Yomba Shoshone, Western Shoshone, land toward Paiute land in Nevada. Photos on Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29, 2013: The walkers were camped out on Thursday night at Cold Springs, and on Friday night at Grimes Point. Thanks to Western Shoshone long walker Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson for the photos from his homeland.

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

YOMBA SHOSHONE LAND -- The Longest Walk 4 Return to Alcatraz is now in its final and fifth month on the long walk from DC and the east coast and will arrive in Alcatraz on Dec. 21, with a ceremony on Dec. 22, 2013.

Michael Lane, Longest Walk 4 said on Thursday, "Day 137 - Here we are on the Yomba Reservation in the Western Shoshone Nation. Thank you to Johnny Bob and his family, Rozina, Buck and all those that have walked with us the last couple weeks. Will be getting the van going again after the alternator went out yesterday in Austin. 22 miles to cover today and we will be camping by Alpine Road on Hwy 50, with canned beans for dinner tonight. Tomorrow our Walker from the Zapotec Nation will be running 40 miles to Sand Mountain. In Fallon on Saturday, hosted by the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe. Remember to give thanks for Indigenous Sovereignty and all that entails. It does not come from the nation-states but from the Land, and the original instructions given to us. Just saying. Have fun today."

More photos: Western Shoshone Bad Bear's mom joins him on the Longest Walk 4 in their homeland

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2013/11/bad-bears-photos-long-walk-4-on.html

Navajo Chapters oppose liabilities waiver for BHP dirty coal

Dangerous BHP ash ponds

“Navajo Nation waiving all BHP Billiton’s liabilities and its associated costs NOT endorsed by the Navajo shareholders”

By Dine' CARE

Censored News

Farmington – On November 24, 2013, the Shiprock Chapter passed a resolution to oppose the waiver of BHP Billiton’s liabilities with a vote of 57-0. 

On this same day, a Farmington Daily Times article stated, “Shiprock is the only chapter to issue a resolution that opposes the waiver of liability.” This statement failed to include three other Chapters; Dilkon, Tiis Tsoh Sikaad (Burnham), and Tsé al náozt’í (Sanostee) who also oppose the Navajo leadership in purchasing the Navajo Mine and/or opposing the waiver of liabilities. On September 15, 2013, Tsé al náozt’í Chapter was the first to oppose the Navajo Mine purchase before the Navajo Nation Council waived BHP’s liabilities.

Leonard Peltier 'Day of Mourning Statement'

Day of Mourning Statement from Leonard Peltier

November 2013 
Censored News

Greetings my relatives friends and supporters,

It is yet another year. It seems like a thousand years ago but only a year in time in reality from the last time I dictated one of these statement for the day of mourning so, again, I want to say as last time, that I am honored that you would want to hear my words.Sometimes when I lay on my bunk and I am between sleeping and awake, for a small moment of time, I am free and I am there with you. I know this sounds kind of melodramatic and I am not trying to be so, but things affect you differently inside of here and things affect you differently as you get older. But I want to say with all my strength, some things don’t change, at least not for me. 

Un-Thanksgiving Dinner AIM West San Francisco 2013 Photos

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

The Un-Thanksgiving Dinner hosted by AIM West featured speakers, Aztec dancers, a raffle, and yes even the turkey bird with all the un-Thanksgiving trimmings. The event was held at the Baha'i Center in San Francisco on Wed., Nov. 27, 2013, following two days of the AIM West sixth annual conference. 

Wounded Knee De Campo (photo 3 on right) told those gathered that the racist mascots do not honor Indian people. Pointing out the colonizers' history of genocide, murder, rape and boarding schools of Native Americans, Wounded Knee urged everyone not to buy sports merchandise depicting racist images of American Indians.

Photos Un-Thanksgiving Feast San Francisco 2013

Photo 1: Madonna Thunder Hawk of the Stronghold at Wounded Knee '73. 2. Morning Star Gali with two-month old, Pitt River Nation. 3. Un-Thanksgiving Feast with pumpkin pies and persimmons, along with the turkey bird and trimmings. 4. Dr. Loco, along with local Apache activist and Wounded Knee. 5. Aztec Dancers from Mexico City and Oaxaca. 6. AIM West coordinator Tony Gonzales with Jesse of the  Occupation of Alcatraz.  7. Our friend Tomas from Longest Walk 2 northern route. 8. Bill Means, founder of International Indian Treaty Council, brother of Russell and Ted Means. 9. Our friend Bruce from Longest Walk 2 northern route 2008.

Please share this link (located in your browser)

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2013/11/un-thanksgiving-dinner-aim-west-san.html

Thanks to Alice for Dutch translation NAIS

Bad Bear's Photos Long Walk 4 on 'Loneliest Road in America' Nevada

Bad Bear's mom joins him on the Longest Walk.

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By Censored News

Longest Walk 4 on the "Loneliest Road in America" this morning, out of Austin, Nevada. Bad Bear's mom joins him on Longest Walk 4. Walking west from Austin, Nevada, Western Shoshone Rozina Bobb Sampson, Bad Bear's mom, walked with the walkers today. Rozina is the sister of Johnny Bob. Thanks to Bad Bear for photos and videos, Wed. Nov. 27, 2013.

Michael Lane, Longest Walk 4 said, "Day 137 - Here we are on the Yomba Reservation in the Western Shoshone Nation. Thank you to Johnny Bob and his family, Rozina, Buck and all those that have walked with us the last couple weeks. Will be getting the van going again after the alternator went out yesterday in Austin. 22 miles to cover today and we will be camping by Alpine Road on Hwy 50, with canned beans for dinner tonight. Tomorrow our Walker from the Zapotec Nation will be running 40 miles to Sand Mountain. In Fallon on Saturday, hosted by the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe. Remember to give thanks for Indigenous Sovereignty and all that entails. It does not come from the nation-states but from the Land, and the original instructions given to us. Just saying. Have fun today."

Photo Benallys with XIT Reunion in Shiprock

Jeneda Benally and her father Jones Benally (seated) with the reunion of the original XIT band members in Shiprock, New Mexico on the Navajo Nation. Photo courtesy Jeneda Benally published with permission at Censored News.

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News


SHIPROCK, N. M. -- The legendary XIT, sound of the American Indian Movement in the 60s and 70s, made a hit on the Navajo Nation.
Jeneda Benally said, "The original and legendary XIT! Their reunion concert in Shiprock was incredible! So happy to have met a band that has inspired me since I was a so little!"
XIT band members included Chili Yazzie on far right, Dine' of Shiprock, N.M.
Read about Sihasin, the band of Jeneda and her brother Clayson Benally: http://sihasin.com/

Thanks Alice for Dutch translation: NAIS

Bad Bear's Photos Longest Walk 4 walking toward Austin Nevada

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The Longest Walk 4 Return to Alcatraz walked from Eureka toward Austin, Nevada, today, through Western Shoshone country. Thanks to long walker Bad Bear Sampson for sharing photos with Censored News! The walkers are on the final stretch, the final month of the five month walk. Their route takes them through Paiute country next, then Carson City, Sacramento and on to Alcatraz for a ceremony on Dec. 22, 2013.

Mohawk John Kane: Our ''Special Month" -- Almost in the Bag

Our “Special Month” — Almost in the Bag

By Mohawk John Kane

Censored News

So as we head into the final week of National Native American Heritage Month as proclaimed by the 44th Rahnatakaias, or as I call it, our “special month,” we get to witness another misappropriation of our culture or, at the very least, another great falsehood of American history, the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving. History books, Disney and other tellers of fairy tales continue to promote a feel good fantasy of happy little Pilgrims inviting equally happy little Indians to the “first” Thanksgiving feast in the “New World” and that is just wrong.

Mohawk Nation News 'This Ole House'

THIS OLE HOUSE

 Mohawk Nation News

MNN. Nov. 25, 2013. 80 members of the Cree Nation of the isolated Attawapiskat community on James Bay in northern Ontario have been suddenly flown out. The women, children, babies, elders and men have been placed in motel rooms in Kapuskasing. Nobody knows for how long. Their government-provided clapboard houses have burnt down. In the meantime the employees of DeBeers are nearby digging out diamonds from their land and living in state-of-the-art houses. 

Chief Theresa Spence went on a hunger strike a year ago to resolve this issue. The issue received worldwide attention. Nothing changed. Millions of dollars rolled in and disappeared. On December 30, 2012, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs announced that by the end of 2012-13 fiscal term, the federal government will have spent $131 million on Attawapiskat since 2006, including the construction of 60 new and renovated houses. What houses? A new school was built!

Where is our money? Stolen, of course! The invaders and their hangers-on took our funds and resources. The corporate elite responsible for this devastation built multi-million dollar mansions on our land. Right now over 40 multimillion dollar mansions are on sale in Montreal’s upscale neighborhood in Westmount. They are advertised in the Montreal Gazette. The following is one of the mansions. They all sit on Bear Clan Mohawk Nation land. The asking price for this particular house is $10.8 million. You can be sure the owner did not lift a finger to earn it.

This outrageous one family house is for sale for $10.8 million! 

http://www.mypaint.ca/en/for-sale/houses/4299-av-montrose-westmount

The bigger question is why are all the billionaires fleeing Montreal with our money?  Where are they going? To survive what’s coming?

The people of Attawapiskat have been through this several times, trying to deal with the destruction of their homeland. We are challenging the International corporate elite at every turn. Attawapkiskat, Elsipogtog, the list grows of those standing up for our mother …

Rosemary Clooney sings about our toxic third world government provided mansions in the north: “This ole house is a-gettin’ shaky/This ole house is a-gettin’ old/This ole house lets in the rain/This ole house lets in the cold”.Rosemary Clooney. This Ole House”!

MNN Mohawk Nation News kahentinetha2@yahoo.com  For more news, books, workshops, to donate and sign up for MNN newsletters, go towww.mohawknationnews.com  More stories at MNN Archives.  Address:  Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L

Anishinaabe Terrance Nelson 'US and Iran sign deal'

By Terrance Nelson

Roseau River Anishinaabe

Censored News

Hey Dennis,

Remember last year, October 6, 2012. The Winnipeg Sun had me on the front page pictured with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad under the Caption, Dumb and Dumber. Dumb under President Ahmadinejad and Dumber under my picture. 

You and I went to Tehran at a time when United States and Israel were threatening to bomb them.

We asked a lot of Chiefs in Canada if they would be willing to travel to Iran. We ended up the only ones that would go on short notice. Before we went to Iran, you, Ken Whitecloud and I went to Toronto to visit a mosque, the largest in Toronto. We spoke to fifteen hundred people of the Crusaders, the same ones that still control our people today.

Yesterday the United States signed a deal with Iran that will lead to the lifting of sanctions.

Houston will jump on this. They want Iranian oil. Americans will benefit.

In the meantime, the dumb ones will be Calgary oil guys who will be kept back by Steven Harper.

The Conservative Government shut down the Iranian Embassy in Ottawa shortly after we visited the Iranian Ambassador. Chief Orville Smoke, Chief Frank Brown, you and I went into the Embassy and we made the commitment to visit Iran.

When we met with the Ministry of Oil in Iran, I asked the question, How much is the cost of production per barrel of oil. Remember their answer.

The Iranian Embassy in Ottawa remains closed.

Congratulations are in order for the Iranian people. They deserve to be free of threats. They went through the horrors of war in the eight year Iraq/Iran war.

While the Iranian sanctions maybe lifted, we as indigenous people will continue to suffer under artificial poverty.

The Iranians are a good people, they said, we will remember our friends. No one can be as bad as the British who signed treaties and forgot their promises.

I hope that the Chiefs in Canada understand that as sovereign nations, they have a right to make their own foreign policies, they don't have to have Ottawa determine who to make alliances with. Iran is a leader not only in NAM, the 120 Non Aligned Movement but in OPEC as well.

It is a good day.

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2012/10/15/266854/canada-told-aboriginals-not-to-visit-iran/

Nineteen media outlets in Europe were shut down six days after we were in Iran. Press TV was no longer allowed to be seen in Europe. The people in the west are not allowed to hear the truth about indigenous people or about Iran.

The cuts to indigenous funding by the Harper Government will take full effect in April 2014. It is sad that our Chiefs aren't reaching out to nations that can help, they continue to stop in Ottawa, begging Harper.

Terrance Nelson

Longest Walk 4 arrives in Eureka Nevada over snowy mountain

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Today's photos of Longest Walk 4 Return to Alcatraz by Western Shoshone Long Walker Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson. Thank you for sharing with Censored News! Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
Sharon Heta, Maori from New Zealand, in top photo, has been on the walk since DC with her husband Michael Lane. They were joined by their twin daughters. The family also walked on Long Walk 2 northern route in 2008. With Sharon is Terri Szynkowski is Southern Cheyenne/Oklahoma Choctaw and was on the original 1978 Longest Walk when she was 10 years old. 

That's a lot of woman power!

The walk is now in its final month of the five month walk from DC, and returning the sacred staffs to Alcatraz. The walkers will walk on through Shoshone country, on to Paiute lands, then on to Indian Nations in the Carson City area, before crossing the Sierra Nevadas into California. After Sacramento, the walkers arrive in Alcatraz on Dec. 21, with a ceremony on Dec. 22, 2013.