Kansas ready to welcome Longest Walk

Kansas Welcomes the “The Longest Walk 2”

An American Indian Spiritual Walk for Survival and the 30th Anniversary of Historic Native American Rights March

This is a Direct Call to Support the healing of Mother Earth, environmental protection, and respect for Sacred Sites and Human rights

SYRACUSE, Kansas -- On Tuesday April 8 after traveling on foot over 1,500 miles from San Francisco, CA, the Northern Route of the Longest Walk 2 will arrive in Kansas as they continue their journey across the nation. The Longest Walk 2 Northern Route will walk on highway U.S. 50 from Colorado into Syracuse Kansas and then will be hosted by Kansans across the state through the month of April. On February 11, 2008 Longest Walk- 2 embarked in an extraordinary grassroots effort on a national level to bring attention to the environmental disharmony of Mother Earth, sacred site issues, and to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the original longest walk. In the five-month journey from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. Longest Walk 2 participants are carrying out simultaneous North and South walk routes that will have together walked more than 8000 miles across the country.
American Indian activists Jimbo Simmons and Dennis Banks are leading the Walks. The two groups will converge in Washington DC on July 11, where they will meet with United States Congressional members. Jimbo Simmons of the International Indian Treaty Council sates, "In 1978, our communities faced many hardships such as non-existing religious rights and criminalization of our people who fought for cultural survival. This is why the Longest Walk was necessary. As Indigenous Peoples in the United States our environment and our cultural survival are directly correlated and are still imperiled today. ‘This is why we must walk once again’.
On Tuesday, organizers from Kansas will meet the Longest Walk 2 (LW 2) North route as they cross the border near Syracuse. Community members at Syracuse will host the LW 2 where the Walkers will spend two days sharing stories and learning about environmental issues that most concern Kansans. Topics discussed will be the Holcomb Coal Plant, Greensburg building green, Lawrence / Haskell College Wetlands protection, as well as other issues impacting Kansas. In support of LW 2 , The Kansas Sierra Club writes, “Earth's resources should be used responsibly and sustainable so all people including future generations may share nature's bounty. No community should bear disproportionate risks of harm because of their demographic characteristics or economic condition. We support Native People's wielding of their sovereign powers to protect the environment and to establish environmental justice.”
The LW 2 participants will stay in hosting communities along US 50 through Kansas, including Garden City, Dodge City, Wichita, Newton, Lawrence and Kansas City, where public events will be held nightly. The LW 2 will also visit the Greensburg area where Walkers will acknowledge the work of students, citizens, and the Greentown committee in their efforts with re- building a “green” community after the devastating tornado on May 4, 2007.
LW 2 organizers invite the public to join in community events and encourage citizens to walk with the group. The LW 2 consists of Indigenous peoples from North, South, and Central America, as well as people from Europe and Asia.
For local events and other information go to http://www.longestwalk.org/
Contacts:
Kansas State Coordinator
Jim Schneweis jims0326@aol.com
Western Kansas contact (913) 342- 4018
Joni Tucker-Nisbeth(913) 449 4554 (620) 708 2026
National Office
Ricardo Tapia (510) 520-6096 Jimbo Simmons (415) 568- 0926
www.longestwalk.org

Sand Creek, 'Wiping the Tears'

Marty Chase Alone, Oglala, representating the Red Cloud people and a Tiospaye of the Big Road Band, led ceremonies at the Sand Creek Massacre site to release the spirits and wipe the tears. Chase Alone's relatives were descendants of White Antelope and Yellow Wolf, massacred at Sand Creek.
During presentations to the Longest Walk Northern Route, Chase Alone also presented the Longest Walk with a staff representing Native American Prisoners to carry to Washington in their struggle to ensure the ceremonial rights for inmates. Listen to today's interview at Earthcycles:
http://www.earthcycles.net/
Photo: Marty Chase Alone by Brenda Norrell

Sand Creek, healing the wounds of a massacre

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Sand Creek Massacre site in Kiowa County, near Eads, where more than 150 Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians were killed by the U.S. Army in 1864.

By Brenda Norrell
Human right editor
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report

Censored News

SAND CREEK, Colo. – Before first light, the Longest Walk arrived at the site of the massacre of Cheyenne and Arapaho children, women and men. Some of the walkers had seen the spirit women dancing and clapping during the women’s walk toward Sand Creek. Other walkers heard the spirit women singing with joy as they arrived.

For the Cheyenne Arapaho on this journey, like Calvin Magpie, Jr., from Oklahoma, it was a time of profound sorrow, remembering the innumerable babies, children, women, men and elderly who were shot in cold blood and mutilated.

For others on the Longest Walk, like Jimbo Simmons, coordinator of the northern route, the assault at Sand Creek was one that has never ended, because now the National Park Service officials have positioned themselves in control and with authority at the site. It is now designated an historic site, with implications for tourism and exploitation.

In these killing fields, the Long Walkers walked up the hill overlooking the trees where Chief Black Kettle’s people camped. The trees are now bare and looked much like they would have on November 29, 1864, when the Colorado Militia carried out the murders of the innocents as the warriors were away from camp. Beyond Black Kettle’s camp site is a flat plain, without trees, where the people ran, where the bodies of the babies, women, children, men and elderly fell as the bullets pierced their bodies.

On the hilltop, the Long Walkers formed a circle, with the staff carriers facing east. Each Long Walker offered a prayer. Returning to the base of the hill, Long Walkers ate breakfast and reflected on this journey of mourning, sorrow and healing.

Rebecca Duncan, Wylacki from Round Valley, Calif., remembered the Cheyenne and Arapahoe massacred. “It was real hard because the spirits are alive.”

Duncan said two days earlier, she had an idea, to gather the women for a women’s walk toward Sand Creek. The women all joined her.

“We didn’t even get ten feet, it was like the women were clapping their hands and jumping around in a circle. The little kids seemed happy,” Duncan said of the massacred women and children.

The night before the memorial, a delegation from the Long Walk, including Cheyenne Arapahoe Calvin Magpie, spent the night at the massacre site. They prayed and introduced themselves to the spirits, before the other Long Walkers arrived.

Magpie said the healing begins this way, with respect, remembrance and prayers.

Gail Ridgely, Northern Arapaho from Wyoming and Sand Creek descendant, visited the Long Walkers here. Ridgely said it was an honor to be among the Long Walkers and the staffs they carry.

Before the memorial at the place of massacre, the Long Walkers watched the documentary, “The Sand Creek Massacre,” produced by Don Vasicek. Long Walkers viewed the film while camped by a reservoir earlier this week, and learned of the history of the massacre. Long Walkers said the film reveals the facts that they did not learn in school, details that do not exist in history books, including the shooting of young children.

Then, on Saturday, April 5, Long Walkers rose at 3 a.m. and traveled to the massacre site. They walked at first light the final half mile up the hill, overlooking the massacre site at Sand Creek.

On Saturday evening and Sunday morning, Marty Chase Alone, Oglala, representing the Red Cloud people and a Tiospaye of the Big Road Band, led ceremonies at the Sand Creek Massacre site to release the spirits and wipe the tears.

Chase Alone's relatives were descendants of White Antelope and Yellow Wolf, massacred at Sand Creek.

Long Walkers said they could hear and feel the unrest and agony when they first arrived. After the ceremonies, walkers said there was a feeling of peace and calm here. Chase Alone said the ceremonies were held to let the ancestors know that they could go on now.

During presentations to the Longest Walk Northern Route, Chase Alone also presented the Longest Walk with a staff representing Native American Prisoners to carry to Washington in their struggle to ensure the ceremonial rights for inmates.

Listen to Marty Chase Alone and others --- from Sand Creek at Earthcycles:
http://www.earthcycles.net/
More at:
Censored News Homepage
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
Longest Walk
http://www.longestwalk.org/

Longest Walk, reunited after 27 years

On the Longest Walk Northern Route, near Sand Creek, Paul Owns the Sabre and his mother, Thelma Franks of Denver, are reunited after 27 years in Eads, Colorado. Lee Plenty Wolf Drum Group sang an honor song and a birthday song for all the birthdays they had missed. (Click on arrow to watch brief video.) Video by Brenda Norrell.