Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

April 7, 2010

Dismantling the War Economy

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News

It is spring, a time for less words and more beauty. Today's contribution is from the working group Referendum, which is underway online in advance of the World's People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Bolivia.
Around the world, those preparing for the conference are contributing their thoughts on living in harmony with the earth and upholding the sacredness of Mother Earth in the working groups. (English message follows.)
Mensaje De: Sylvia Maria Valls
Breve resumen de principios básicos a considerar para una visión compartida y estrategias a seguir:
Desmantelar la economía de guerra a partir de la reafirmación del principio básico de subsidiaridad [link al texto] como criterio de buen gobierno para todas las comunidades, localidades, municipios o condados y resaltar la importancia de darle prioridad a que sean las familias y las familias extendidas las que otorguen la calidad de ciudadanos a sus propios miembros en las localidades donde se vive, trabaja y estudia. RECLAMO DE TODOS LOS PUEBLOS A ESTE EFECTO.
Que los intercambios de productos se den a partir de un ordenamiento con base en la naturaleza y no con base en fronteras arbitrarias y fórmulas obsoletas.
Que se redefina la “democracia” a partir de los criterios discutidos y comprendidos en “Perfil de una democracia legítima” [link al texto] donde se propone la desaparición de la “competencia” entre los partidos políticos como base para la selección de legisladores, jueces, administradores (entre otras cosas).
Que se considere la importancia de definir los “derechos” (de la tierra, de los ciudadanos) a partir de las obligaciones hacia los seres humanos con miras a la satisfacción de las verdaderas “necesidades terrestres del cuerpo y del alma”.
Que reclamemos la creación de unos Municipios Unidos de las Américas invitando a todos los demás continentes a hacer igual. www.institutosimoneweil.net
--ENGLISH MESSAGE BELOW--
Brief summary of the basic principle to consider in search of a Shared Vision and of strategies to follow:
Dismantling the war economy by reaffirming the basic principle of subsidiarity as a sign of sound government for all communities, localities, municipalities or counties and stressing the importance of giving priority to families and extended families in the process of granting citizenship to their own members within the localities where they live, work and study.
ALL PEOPLES SHOULD DEMAND THIS POSSIBILITY.
That trade be considered on the basis of natural frontiers instead of on arbitrary and obsolete frontiers and formulas.
That “democracy” be reconsidered following the issues discussed in “Profile of a Legitimate Democracy” wherein the disappearance of“competition” among political parties as a basis for the selection of legislators, judges, administrators (among other things) is set forth as a goal.
That the importance of defining “rights” (of the Earth, of citizens) considering first the obligations towards human beings in view of the satisfaction of the real “earthly needs of the body and the soul” be recognized.
That we bet on the creation of the “United Municipalities of the Americas,” inviting the other continents to do something along the same lines. The United Nations would become the United Biorregions of Mother.

VIDEO: Glimpses of Indigenous Struggle

VIDEO: Glimpses of Indigenous Struggle now available at Earthcycles, http://www.earthcycles.net/, as we prepare for the World's People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, live from Bolivia!

Native America Calling: Returning the Ancestors

Today on Native America Calling
Wednesday, April 07, 2010– Tweaking the NAGPRA Rules:
Last month the National Park Service published a final rule that may be the key to unlock the door for the return of more than 124,000 "unidentifiable" Native remains housed in museums, educational institutions and federal agencies. This new rule applies to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and allows tribes in the area where the remains were found to claim ownership, contrary to the past where a link to a specific tribe had to be established before the remains could be turned over. With this change what new opportunities and challenges lie ahead? Guests include Sherry Hutt, Program Manager/Department of the Interior, National NAGPRA Program.
Join the discussion on air:
http://www.nativeamericacalling.com

April 6, 2010

Music Video: Floyd Westerman and Trevy Felix

While searching for videos to stream on Earthcycles in advance of the Bolivia Climate Summit, I found this wonderful video of our champion Floyd Westerman. --Brenda

Floyd Red Crow Westerman and Trevy Felix - "Missionary" from Hen House Studios on Vimeo.

Earthcycles: http://www.earthcycles.net

Decolonization Gathering: Marty, South Dakota

Join the Yankton Sioux, and the sounds of Elk Soldier, for the Decolonization Gathering, with special guest speakers Philip Lane, Jr., Chris Matonumpa, Mary Louise Defender Wilson, Simon Sedillo and more, with songs by the Braveheart Youths and Native Hip Hop Activist Chris Ross and Carlos Cariago. April 13--15, 2010 in Marty, South Dakota.

Chief Mankiller Takes Flight to Spirit World


BREAKING NEWS: Former Cherokee Nation Chief Wilma Mankiller dies

Former Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller died in the morning hours of April 6 at her home in rural Adair County.
(Courtesy photo)
By Christina Good Voice
Staff Writer
Cherokee Phoenix
http://www.cherokeephoenix.org/24831/Article.aspx

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Former Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller died in the morning hours of April 6 at her home in rural Adair County, Cherokee Nation officials confirmed to the Cherokee Phoenix.

Mankiller, who was one of the few women ever to lead a major American Indian tribe, was 64.

Her passing came a little more than a month after her husband, CN Community Services Group Leader Charlie Soap, announced that she was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer.

“Our personal and national hearts are heavy with sorrow and sadness with the passing this morning of Wilma Mankiller,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in a statement released by the tribe. “We feel overwhelmed and lost when we realize she has left us but we should reflect on what legacy she leaves us. We are better people and a stronger tribal nation because her example of Cherokee leadership, statesmanship, humility, grace, determination and decisiveness."

“When we become disheartened, we will be inspired by remembering how Wilma proceeded undaunted through so many trials and tribulations," Smith said. "Years ago, she and her husband Charlie Soap showed the world what Cherokee people can do when given the chance, when they organized the self-help water line in the Bell community. She said Cherokees in that community learned that it was their choice, their lives, their community and their future. Her gift to us is the lesson that our lives and future are for us to decide. We can carry on that Cherokee legacy by teaching our children that lesson. Please keep Wilma’s family, especially her husband Charlie and her daughters, Gina and Felicia, in your prayers.”

In a March 2 news release, Soap said Mankiller had stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer but gave no other details.

In the release, Mankiller wrote she was prepared for the journey.

“I decided to issue this statement because I want my family and friends to know that I am mentally and spiritually prepared for this journey, a journey that all human beings will take at one time or another,” she wrote. “It’s been my privilege to meet and be touched by thousands of people in my life, and I regret not being able to deliver this message personally to so many of you.”

Mankiller served as principal chief from 1985 until retiring in 1995. Prior to becoming principal chief, she served as deputy chief under Ross Swimmer. She assumed the principal chief position and served out the remainder of the 1983-87 term after Swimmer resigned to take a Bureau of Indian Affairs job in Washington, D.C. She was elected principal chief in 1987 and 1991.

Mankiller was born on Nov. 18, 1945, at W.W. Hastings Indian Hospital in Tahlequah, according to a CN press release.

Mankiller requested that any gifts in her honor be made as donations to One Fire Development Corporation, a non-profit dedicated to advancing Native American communities though economic development, and to valuing the wisdom that exists within each of the diverse tribal communities around the world. Tax deductible donations can be made at www.wilmamankiller.com as well as www.onefiredevelopment.org. The mailing address for One Fire Development Corporation is 1220 Southmore Houston, TX 77004.

Memorial services will be March 10 at 11 a.m. at the Cherokee Nation Cultural Grounds in Tahlequah.

Staff and wire reports contributed to this story.
Reach Staff Writer Christina Good Voice at (918) 207-3825 or christina-goodvoice@cherokee.org

In Memory
By Arlene Bowman
"This is very sad news to hear about Wilma Mankiller. I heard her speak at the Native American Journalist Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma - 2006, which I was a participant. I am Dine' filmmaker. I had heard about her from the news as she was chief of the Cherokee Nation. Not many female Native American women hold positions as leaders/chiefs of their Nations these days such as her, but there should be more women leading such positions. She was this kind of Native American woman and person who seemed very open minded and had a lot of insight about the world and people. I was very inspired by her speech. After the speech, I walked up to her at the podium and expressed how she inspired to me. I was very impressed. Believe me it takes a lot to impress me.
Lately been feeling very sad and frustrated because of the death up above and other peoples' deaths and then my own thing. Why must all the good people die? To fight to correct and inform people with information about positive examples versus the stereotypes makes a person weary because there's so much to repair.