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| Leonard Peltier |
Leonard Peltier's Spiritual Advisor Lenny Foster:
Prayer, Clemency and the Road Ahead
"Geronimo died in captivity in Fort Sills, Oklahoma, we certainly didn't want that to happen to Leonard Peltier." -- Lenny Foster, Dine', Peltier's spiritual advisor in federal prison.
Article by Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Jan. 27, 2025
SAN FRANCISCO -- Tony Gonzales, AIM West, thanked people around the world for their support for freedom for Leonard Peltier, who is scheduled to be released on Feb. 18 after a grant of clemency. Tony shares an interview with Lenny Foster, Dine', spiritual advisor to Leonard Peltier.
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| Tony Gonzales, AIM West, shares an interview with Leonard Peltier's spiritual advisor, Lenny Foster, Dine', and welcomes all to watch a film about Peltier. |
Lenny, Peltier's spiritual advisor in the federal penitentiary from March, 1985 to September 29, 2018, continues to pray with him. "I'm very happy that our prayers have been answered."
"It's been a long haul, 50 years, I feel like I've done time with him," Lenny said during the interview with Morning Star Gali, Pomo, broadcast on AIM West TV.
Lenny met Peltier in Denver in 1970 and they both became involved with the American Indian Movement.
Remembering the early years, Lenny was with Peltier at Cass Lake, Leech Lake, in 1972. Ojibwe asked for help from the American Indian Movement, as white people were poaching their animals and fish.
"They wanted that to stop," Lenny said. "Leonard Peltier was chosen for the main security person under Dennis Banks."
Lenny remembered the Sundance with Peltier at Crowdog's Paradise in 1975. Then, in 1985, after Peltier was imprisoned in Leavenworth Kansas, Peltier sent word out that he wanted Lenny to come and conduct a sweatlodge ceremony for the Native inmates, the community there.
"I did that for the next 20 years. I went there every three months," he said, remembering his trips from Window Rock.
"Leonard is a very spiritual person, a very relevant elder."
It was a hard won fight to gain the right to have ceremonies in the federal prison system. Lenny said the sweatlodge was requested by Natives throughout the prison system.
"The prison system didn't give us that sweatlodge, we had to go to court and win those cases of freedom of religion."
It became a major issue in 1992 and Lenny provided testimony.
Native American religious rights were not protected by the courts, even at the Supreme Court. In 1991 the courts said Native people did not have that protection, he said.
Peltier became a leader, a mentor to the young inmates and Lenny continued to visit Peltier. Peltier learned the sweatlodge songs, and he could drum. "It was a learning experience for all the inmates who were incarcerated."
Native American religious rights were not protected by the courts, even at the Supreme Court. In 1991 the courts said Native people did not have that protection, he said.
Peltier became a leader, a mentor to the young inmates and Lenny continued to visit Peltier. Peltier learned the sweatlodge songs, and he could drum. "It was a learning experience for all the inmates who were incarcerated."
"He is smart, very well read, and a very talented artist."
Now, Peltier will be leaving Florida and returning home to North Dakota. Lenny said Peltier will be confined at home, and will probably have an ankle bracelet and be monitored. "But we're very happy, overjoyed that President Joe Biden granted him clemency."
"I went to see him every three months in Leavenworth, Lewisburg, and in Coleman, which was maximum security," Lenny said, remembering the federal prisons where Peltier was imprisoned in Kansas, Pennsylvania and Florida.
"It's been very difficult. His health has declined. He's experiencing eye problems, losing his vision." Peltier needs medical attention and has serious complications with diabetes and high blood pressure.
"The prayers have been answered."
Lenny recalled being present in Sawmill on the Navajo Nation, at a Native American Church Prayer Service. The Roadman saw that Leonard would be released and free, and said there needs to be reverence with the teachings. All of the spiritual support, emotional and psychological support, has been answered.
"It is a very joyous occasion for Indian country. He has become an icon of American Indian resistance."
Lenny remembered the sweatlodge area in the prison where Peltier and others could spend up to six hours in the grassy area, in the talking circle, smudging ceremony, and sweatlodge and pray and sing four rounds.
"They were good sessions, the cleansing and the purification."
Leonard was always a strong believer and learned the songs from Leonard Crowdog and the other Lakota spiritual leaders who conducted the ceremony.
"He has become a revered elder," Lenny said. "We never doubted our faith, we never doubted our prayers."
"Our ancestors went through a lot of painful experiences," Lenny said, adding that the younger generation is being tested, these are tests of our way of life.
"Many of our leaders have passed on, and weren't able to see Leonard released," Lenny said, remembering the longtime leaders of the American Indian Movement.
When Peltier is able to return home, Lenny said they want to have a ceremony for him, a smudging ceremony, prayer and Pipe ceremony. Lenny hopes the prayers will be answered and Peltier will be able to come with him to Alcatraz. Hopefully the attorneys will be able to work the details out.
Many people supported Peltier's release, but there were also people who doubted the U.S. government would actually do this. Lenny named and thanked many people, tribes and organizations who worked behind the scenes for his release.
"President Biden, if you're listening, we would like to say you had the courage, and the wisdom and the foresight to help the reconciliation, bringing back the connection between the Indian people and the treaties that have been made -- we want that to be honored -- so this is the first step in the reconciliation, releasing our relative, Leonard Peltier."
"Many people, many relatives stood by him," Lenny said, and recalled what the U.S. government did to Geronimo.
"They wouldn't let him go home," Lenny said, describing how Geronimo rode in inauguration parades, because the non-Indian people really wanted to see him, but the government wouldn't release him.
"Geronimo died in captivity in Fort Sills, Oklahoma, we certainly didn't want that to happen to Leonard Peltier."
"We are born into this resistance," Lenny said, speaking of the ancestors, relocation and broken treaties.
"We feel we have been blessed in many ways -- its been a difficult road, but we look forward to the future."
"It all began in 1969," Lenny said, describing how the movement began at Alcatraz. Lenny remembered traveling to Alcatraz in 1970 from college in Fort Collins, Colorado.
"My whole life changed when I got on that boat."
Lenny said he would like to return with Leonard to Alcatraz and tell that story.
"Leonard Peltier's story needs to be told, from his perspective, from his words."
Lenny, speaking on the day of his own birthday as he turned 77 years old, said Native people have a special place, and he closed with words of honor for Mother Earth.
Listen to the full program on Eagle and Condor at AIM West.
Tony Gonzales program, “Eagle and Condor” was hosted on Sunday, January 26, at aim-west.org and BAVC Media at sfc.tv
Tony said, "The Sunday TV show consists of an interview conducted by Morning Star Gali (Pomo) on January 22 with Lenny Foster (Dine/Navajo), who is also the spiritual advisor for Leonard Peltier since his incarceration in federal prison!"
Tony said, "The Sunday TV show consists of an interview conducted by Morning Star Gali (Pomo) on January 22 with Lenny Foster (Dine/Navajo), who is also the spiritual advisor for Leonard Peltier since his incarceration in federal prison!"
"Lenny talks about his long friendship with Leonard since their first meeting in 1975 at a Sundance at Crow Dogs Paradise in South Dakota. Also, after the interview I screened the documentary, Warrior: The Life Of Leonard Peltier.”
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| Leonard Peltier "Warrior: The Life of Leonard Peltier" |
"It’s an oldie (1991) but a factual documentary and it gives a vivid glimpse of legal challenges Leonard faced and the deceitful complicity by the FBI and US government," Tony said.
"Leonard Peltier, whom Prez Joe Biden in the last minute before leaving the White House on January 19 (near midnight!), finally issued a Clemency and commuted his two life sentences with restrictions to home (monitor) confinement; and required him to report his activities while at Turtle Mountain reservation in North Dakota. His due date for release from Coleman Penitentiary in Florida is February 18, 2025."
"Leonard is grateful and said he’s OK with the conditions and restrictions by saying “…It’s a million times better than what I’m living in…!”
"Check out the TV show and share with friends and allies! Prayers now for Leonard’s health and that he comes home safely to his family and has ceremonies, plus visiting with friends for many more years still to come! Ajo!"
The video for this Sunday’s Eagle and Condor. Part 1 is an interview with Lenny Foster with a runtime of 56 minutes and 32 seconds.
Part 2 is a documentary about Leonard Peltier with a runtime of 1 hour 24 minutes and 51 seconds. Total runtime is approximately 2 hours 20 minutes.
Article copyright Censored News. Content may not be used in any way for revenues.
1 comment:
Thank you, Tony, for all you've done for Leonard and for all you continue to do to protect our human rights. And thank you, Lenny, for being such a help to Leonard. Both of you sacrificed so much. I thank our Great Spirit for answering our prayers and keeping Leonard alive. He gave the biggest part of his life for the people, it brought us to the sacred circle. My family and friends on the Colville Reservation are very happy he finally gets to leave that prison. We pray for his health, safety, strength, and happiness.
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