Long Walk 3 northern route for the reversal of diabetes in Eagle Butte, Cheyenne River Lakota land, South Dakota, April 2011. Photos by Chris Francisco LW3.
April 10, 2011: Long Walk 3 in South Dakota and Oklahoma
April 10, 2011
Bloody Island Memorial, May 14, 2011
Bloody Island Memorial
May 14, 2011
We'll have camping at dance area in back, available at 3 pm on Friday. Dance all night at dance area. Have runners and walkers leave dance area at 4 am to the island. Come back on Sat afternoon at 1 pm for more dances, all welcome. Close with bear dance after all the dancers are done. Thank You Doug Duncan. Dance area: enter Robinson on Pomo Way to end of Pomo Way, turn left, follow to sharp right turn, enter posted area to dance grounds.
Treaty 8 First Nations in Oil Sands Region: Traditional livelihoods threatened
By Chief Allan Adam, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
April 8, 2011, Fort McMurray
On April 5, 2011, Alberta Government’s Department of Sustainable Resource Development, headed by Minister Mel Knight, released the draft Lower Athabasca Region Plan (LARP). The draft plan proposes a 16% increase to conservation areas in the oil sands region, which is significantly less than the recommendations from the Regional Advisory Council (RAC), who advised up to 32%, and considerably less than recommendations from First Nations.
The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, who has aboriginal and treaty Rights throughout the LARP area are left wondering how they will sustain their traditional livelihood and protect their cultural existence on what amounts to scattered, small parcels of land. According to Chief Allan Adam the LARP represents “… an economic assimilation of our people. How can we maintain our culture, protect our livelihood and continue practicing our treaty rights under these conditions.
LARP is an infringement of our Rights and the government has a duty and obligation to ensure that we have the ability to practice and maintain those Rights now and into the future.”
Chief Adam explained that “Alberta is doing more of the same thing and expecting a different result. The provincial government consistently fails to meet even our basic needs when it comes to air, land and water within the region and fails to meaningfully engage First Nations in land management decisions in accordance with our aboriginal and treaty rights. Until Alberta makes meaningful efforts to protect land, regulate industry and ensure that First Nations are at the table as full partners to develop solutions to the serious environmental challenges that government and industry are creating, they can count on our opposition to further development within the region.”
The ACFN depends on the environment in order to sustain their protected treaty right to hunt, fish and trap. The government has a duty and obligation under Treaty 8 and the Constitution Act to ensure that the environment will be protected in ways that are sufficient to sustain First Nations use of the ecosystems. The goal of Chief Adam is to ensure that the members of the ACFN have the ability to practice their treaty rights. With the inadequate process that was used to develop LARP, it is clear that the ACFN’s voice was not heard. The ACFN submitted numerous documents to the RAC regarding the environment, sustainability and the importance of the practice of the rights and culture to ACFN’s wellbeing.
At a community meeting held with the GOA in Fort Chipewyan on January 18, 2011 the ACFN membership unanimously agreed that the consultation on the LARP process was unfair. Lionel Lepine, member of the ACFN is worried about his ability to maintain his way of life and the ability to continue practicing his treaty rights. According to Lionel, “…the LARP will be a cultural annihilation.
As the land continues to be developed, where will I go to teach my children their cultural way of life?” Leslie Cardinal another ACFN member stated that “The government of Canada formally endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in a manner that is consistent with Canada’s Constitution and laws. The UN Declaration is clear that Indigenous people have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinctive spiritual relationship with their traditionally owned or otherwise occupied and used lands, territories, waters and other resources and to uphold their responsibilities to future generations.
The LARP is not consistent with the international or Canadian laws.” According to Chief Adam, “It is obvious that the ACFN was not heard and that the government is not listening. One thing is clear, we will be reviewing the LARP and what it means to our continued use and practice of our rights and make a decision on how to proceed due to the infringements.”
ACFN will be completing a detailed review of the draft LARP over the next 60 days and will continue their attempts to have Alberta consult them in a meaningful way on land and resource use planning and decision-making in the oil sands region. Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation traditional lands and treaty rights extend throughout the Lower Athabasca oil sands region. The ACFN signed Treaty 8 in 1899 at Fort Chipewyan on Lake Athabasca. Today, the majority of members reside in Fort Chipewyan and Fort McMurray.
For more information contact:
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
Chief Allan Adam, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
April 8, 2011
UPDATED Glen Cove Calif. action April 14, 2011
Action alert (Updated on April 13, 2011)
Glen Cove Calif. action alert - April 15, 2011
April 14-15th Call to Assemble
ALL WARRIORS FOR THE ANCESTORS:
The Protect Glen Cove Committee and the Board of Directors of Sacred Sites
Protection and Rights of Indigenous Tribes (SSP&RIT) have received
information that leads us to believe that the desecration of Glen Cove
could begin on April 15, 2011.
We are calling for an ASSEMBLY of all Warriors to gather at 5:00pm on
April 14, 2011 at Glen Cove. Please arrive by 7:00pm at the latest, if you
would like to attend the community meeting.
The following morning (Friday, April 15th) at 8:00am, SSP&RIT will host a
PRAYER CEREMONY to honor the ancestors at this sacred place and to protest
this hate crime. Traditional drums welcomed.
Be prepared to actively protest this assault at Glen Cove. Cameras and
video cameras are a must, if you have them. Walkie-talkies are needed for
communications. Bring you cell phone chargers.
Bring you sacred medicine and join our prayer circle at Glen Cove. If you
can’t make the trip, please make a phone call and keep the phone lines of
GVRD and the City of Vallejo busy. (see numbers below)
ALL WARRIORS WHO WILL ANSWER THIS CALL: This is a NON-VIOLENT and PEACEFUL
protest. NO WEAPONS, NO DRUGS, NO ALCOHOL!
Reminder: All frontline supporters who have not registered are urged to
send their e-mail and cell phone # to: secretary.ssp_rit [at] yahoo.com
for updates and more information, please visit:
http://protectglencove.org/
April 7th UPDATE:
GVRD and contractors were meeting at Sogorea Te today (April 7). They
refused to listen to our concerns, refused to identify themselves or their
employers and tried to harass and intimidate SSP&RIT members and their
supporters. The police were called by Steve Pesley of GVRD, but no arrests
or interference resulted. Representatives of the Times Herald were on hand
and interviewed Wounded Knee.
The contractors intend to fence the ancestors in to protect their
equipment. The also intend to employ roving security at the site. We
expect that this fence will go up on the 13th or 14th of April.
The contractor is Carone & Company, Inc. Make a call and voice your
objections to them:
(925) 602-8800
5009 Forni Drive, Concord, CA 94520
DONATIONS REQUESTED
We are now requesting donations for an Emergency Defense Fund. Funds are
needed to purchase supplies, food, photocopies, sanitation, signs, etc.
Please contribute if you can!
Donations can be made online with a credit/debit card or a bank account,
and will be processed securely. To donate, visit:
https://www.wepay.com/donate/137138
Numbers to call:
Greater Vallejo Recreation Department: 707-648-4600
City of Vallejo Mayor: 707-648-4377
Vallejo Times-Herald newspaper: 707-644-1141
Times-Herald fax number: 707-643-0128
Carone & Company, Inc. (contractors): (925) 602-8800
for updates and more information, please visit:
http://protectglencove.org/
Sacred Sites Protection and Rights of indigenous tribes
Contact: Wounded Knee (707) 373-7195; Corrina Gould (510) 575-8408Bradley Angel (415) 722-5270
AS Bulldozers may be arriving any day at the glen cove burial and shell mound site,
native americans to file civil rights complaint with the state of california against greater vallejo recreation district and city of vallejo
Press statement
Vallejo, CA – Faced with the possible imminent arrival of bulldozers at the Glen Cove ancient burial site, Native Americans will file an administrative civil rights complaint on April 13, 2011 with the State of California against the Greater Vallejo Recreation District and the City of Vallejo. A press conference will be held in front of Vallejo City Hall, 555 Santa Clara Street, on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at noon.
Sacred Site Protection and Rights of Indigenous Tribes (SSP&RIT) is filing the complaint under California Government Code § 11135 alleging that the City and GVRD are discriminating on the basis of race in threatening to destroy and desecrate significant parts of the Glen Cove Shellmound and burial site, for harming Native Americans’ religious and spiritual well-being, and effectively excluding Native Americans from their right to full participation in the decision-making regarding this project.
The Glen Cove Shell Mound is a well-documented and culturally significant site located in Vallejo, California, and spans an area of fifteen acres along the Carquinez Strait. It is the final resting place of many Indigenous People dating back more than 3,500 years, and has served as a traditional meeting place for dozens of California Indian tribes. The site continues to be spiritually important to California tribes. The Glen Cove site is acknowledged by GVRD and the City to have many burials and to be an important cultural site, yet they are moving forward as early as this week with plans to build a toilet and parking lot on this sacred site and to grade a hill that likely contains human remains and important cultural artifacts. Native Americans and their supporters have vowed to protest any effort that could desecrate the sacred burial site.
Native Americans are a class of people protected from unlawful discrimination in state-funded activities and programs. Intentional discrimination against minority populations is prohibited under Cal. Gov. Code § 11135(a). As recipients of state funding, GVRD and the City are subject to this law and cannot violate the civil rights of Native Americans.
In addition, SSP&RIT will announce more details about plans to protect Glen Cove from desecration.
"Everyone has the right to a final resting place. Our ancestors deserve to have a resting place on their original land without the threat of being removed for the sake of a park,” said Corrina Gould, Ohlone resident of the Bay Area. “Other countries realize the significance of ancestors and honor the ancient cemeteries by not disturbing them. Who does it ultimately serve to complete this project? Let our ancestors rest."
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