Lewis Mucaw Jefferson was a Long Walker on the southern route in 2008
See articles at Yuma Sun:
http://www.yumasun.com/search/?q=quechan+Lewis+Jefferson&fistype=site
Questions raised about tribal singer's death
December 4, 2008 - 5:20 PM
BY KERRY LEONARD
SPECIAL TO THE YUMA SUN
Read article at:
http://www.yumasun.com/news/death_46248___article.html/questions_raised.html
December 4, 2008
FIRE raids ICE Management and delivers deportation notices
FIRE Raids ICE Management Meeting, Delivers Notice of Deportation
of ICE from Flagstaff
By Flagstaff Immigrant Rights Enforcement Communique
Contact: Agent Del Fuego - email: fire.az@hushmail.com
Thursday, December 4th, 2008
VIDEO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWRBlccT7rI
.com/watch?v=jWRBlccT7rI
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- At approximately 10AM on Thursday December 4th, Flagstaff Immigrant Rights Enforcement (FIRE) confronted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a daring raid, serving a notice of deportation to ICE representatives at an ICE Management
meeting. FIRE agents pinpointed the location of the ICE management
meeting at the Flagstaff Radisson Hotel in the Kaibab Meeting Room and staged the raid. FIRE agent Del Fuego read the notice of deportation to more than 15 ICE associated criminals, some of whom appeared to possibly be illegal immigrants themselves, as they were not Indigenous People. Agent Del Fuego called for the immediate withdrawal of ICE from the Flagstaff community and notified ICE of the cease and desist order for all future raids.
FIRE will continue supporting and enforcing immigrant rights where they are violated with the exception of established immigrant "settlers" or "colonizers" who have been benefitt
ing from the exploitation of Indigenous People's lands. In addition, locations believed to be harboring ICE criminals, associates, and illegal settlers on indigenous lands can expect future FIRE raids. FIRE has credible intelligence that ICE absconders use condominiums, country clubs, law enforcement facilities, steakhouses, stretch limousines, luxury hotels, beach resorts, ski resorts, martini bars,
intelligence facilities, etc., as bases of operation. These settlers will be brought to justice. No human is illegal.
NOTICE OF DEPORTATION:
Notice served on this, the 4th day of December, 2008 by Flagstaff Immigrant RightsEnforcement (FIRE) for the immediate deportation from the Flagstaff area of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and officials.
FIRE charges ICE with the following activities deemed criminal and in violation of human rights. These activities include but are not limited to:
◆ Terrorizing entire communities resulting in the destruction of over 34,000 families within the last year alone, including most recently, 16 persons within the immediate Flagstaff area.
◆ Causing fear that has extended into the hearts of our community's children, who, due to your presence, live in constant trauma of returning to an empty home.
◆ Taking no meaningful measures to ensure the well-being of those impacted by family members' deportation.
◆ Perpetuating institutionalized racism and practicing racial profiling.
◆ Aiding and abetting border militarization on both sides of the US- Mexico border.
◆ Creating and upholding the myth of "illegal human beings".
◆ Enforcing and benefitting from a global economic system that criminalizes labor and creates deathly low wages.
◆ Enforcing immigration policies on borders drawn on indigenous lands.
◆ Misappropriation of taxpayer funds for aforementioned terrorist activity while education, health care, and housing services collapse.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWRBlccT7rI
PHOTOS: http://arizona.indymedia.org/news/2008/12/73613.php
About FIRE - Flagstaff Immigrant Rights Enforcement is established to take direct action in solidarity with communities impacted by ICE raids. We do not represent anyone or any groups other than ourselves and our actions. FIRE is an independent agency and can be made up of anyone fighting for human rights and the abolition of ICE terrorism. LET'S TURN UP THE HEAT ON ICE!
of ICE from Flagstaff
By Flagstaff Immigrant Rights Enforcement Communique
Contact: Agent Del Fuego - email: fire.az@hushmail.com
Thursday, December 4th, 2008
VIDEO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWRBlccT7rI
.com/watch?v=jWRBlccT7rIFLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- At approximately 10AM on Thursday December 4th, Flagstaff Immigrant Rights Enforcement (FIRE) confronted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a daring raid, serving a notice of deportation to ICE representatives at an ICE Management
meeting. FIRE agents pinpointed the location of the ICE management
meeting at the Flagstaff Radisson Hotel in the Kaibab Meeting Room and staged the raid. FIRE agent Del Fuego read the notice of deportation to more than 15 ICE associated criminals, some of whom appeared to possibly be illegal immigrants themselves, as they were not Indigenous People. Agent Del Fuego called for the immediate withdrawal of ICE from the Flagstaff community and notified ICE of the cease and desist order for all future raids.
FIRE will continue supporting and enforcing immigrant rights where they are violated with the exception of established immigrant "settlers" or "colonizers" who have been benefitt
ing from the exploitation of Indigenous People's lands. In addition, locations believed to be harboring ICE criminals, associates, and illegal settlers on indigenous lands can expect future FIRE raids. FIRE has credible intelligence that ICE absconders use condominiums, country clubs, law enforcement facilities, steakhouses, stretch limousines, luxury hotels, beach resorts, ski resorts, martini bars,intelligence facilities, etc., as bases of operation. These settlers will be brought to justice. No human is illegal.
NOTICE OF DEPORTATION:
Notice served on this, the 4th day of December, 2008 by Flagstaff Immigrant RightsEnforcement (FIRE) for the immediate deportation from the Flagstaff area of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and officials.
FIRE charges ICE with the following activities deemed criminal and in violation of human rights. These activities include but are not limited to:
◆ Terrorizing entire communities resulting in the destruction of over 34,000 families within the last year alone, including most recently, 16 persons within the immediate Flagstaff area.
◆ Causing fear that has extended into the hearts of our community's children, who, due to your presence, live in constant trauma of returning to an empty home.
◆ Taking no meaningful measures to ensure the well-being of those impacted by family members' deportation.
◆ Perpetuating institutionalized racism and practicing racial profiling.
◆ Aiding and abetting border militarization on both sides of the US- Mexico border.
◆ Creating and upholding the myth of "illegal human beings".
◆ Enforcing and benefitting from a global economic system that criminalizes labor and creates deathly low wages.
◆ Enforcing immigration policies on borders drawn on indigenous lands.
◆ Misappropriation of taxpayer funds for aforementioned terrorist activity while education, health care, and housing services collapse.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWRBlccT7rI
PHOTOS: http://arizona.indymedia.org/news/2008/12/73613.php
About FIRE - Flagstaff Immigrant Rights Enforcement is established to take direct action in solidarity with communities impacted by ICE raids. We do not represent anyone or any groups other than ourselves and our actions. FIRE is an independent agency and can be made up of anyone fighting for human rights and the abolition of ICE terrorism. LET'S TURN UP THE HEAT ON ICE!
December 3, 2008
'Mucaw' photo tribute by Navajo Calvin Johnson
Special thanks to Calvin Johnson, Navajo from Leupp, Arizona, for this photo tribute to Lewis 'Mucaw' Jefferson, Quechan from Fort Yuma, Arizona, who passed to the Spirit World. Mucaw, Long Walker on the southern route in 2008, will be missed by all those who knew and loved him. Photos copyright Calvin Johnson caljohnson2006@yahoo.com.Long Walker Mucaw on Great Journey:
.
Censored News launches Blog Talk Radio program
Censored News launches Blog Talk Radio program
By Brenda Norrell
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
SAN FRANCISCO -- Censored News launched Censored News Blog Radio on Tuesday. The first broadcast was dedicated to Long Walker Lewis 'Mucaw' Jefferson, Quechan, who passed to the Spirit World. The dedication was made with the AIM song by Calvin Magpie and the Longest Walk Northern Route singers at Cahokia Mounds, recorded by Earthcycles.
The show featured Morning Star Gali on the Shellmound Walk; Long Walker Harry's reflections on sheepherding and service with the Black Mesa Caravan on Navajoland; Mohawk Mark Maracle at the AIM-West 40-year Reunion and KPFA's Alcatraz Free Radio interviews with Clyde Bellecourt and Lenny Foster.
Today's show, on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, is the Emergence of the American Indian Movement. Bill Means remembers Raymond Yellow Thunder and the birth of AIM. Clyde Bellecourt speaks of the impacts of AIM. Award-winning Anishinabe singer Keith Secola's songs round out the broadcast. The sounds were recorded by Earthcycles, producer Govinda Dalton and cohost Brenda Norrell, at the AIM-West 40-year Reunion in San Francisco, Nov. 24 -- 28.
CENSORED NEWS RADIO
Listen to yesterday and today's programs:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Brenda-Norrell
Photo: Kieth Secola at AIM-West 40-year Reunion in San Francisco, Nov. 24 -28, 2008. Photo Brenda Norrell
By Brenda Norrell
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
SAN FRANCISCO -- Censored News launched Censored News Blog Radio on Tuesday. The first broadcast was dedicated to Long Walker Lewis 'Mucaw' Jefferson, Quechan, who passed to the Spirit World. The dedication was made with the AIM song by Calvin Magpie and the Longest Walk Northern Route singers at Cahokia Mounds, recorded by Earthcycles.
The show featured Morning Star Gali on the Shellmound Walk; Long Walker Harry's reflections on sheepherding and service with the Black Mesa Caravan on Navajoland; Mohawk Mark Maracle at the AIM-West 40-year Reunion and KPFA's Alcatraz Free Radio interviews with Clyde Bellecourt and Lenny Foster.
Today's show, on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, is the Emergence of the American Indian Movement. Bill Means remembers Raymond Yellow Thunder and the birth of AIM. Clyde Bellecourt speaks of the impacts of AIM. Award-winning Anishinabe singer Keith Secola's songs round out the broadcast. The sounds were recorded by Earthcycles, producer Govinda Dalton and cohost Brenda Norrell, at the AIM-West 40-year Reunion in San Francisco, Nov. 24 -- 28.
CENSORED NEWS RADIO
Listen to yesterday and today's programs:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Brenda-Norrell
Photo: Kieth Secola at AIM-West 40-year Reunion in San Francisco, Nov. 24 -28, 2008. Photo Brenda Norrell
December 2, 2008
Long Walker 'Mucaw' on the Great Journey
Long Walker Lewis 'Mucaw" Jefferson, Quechan, on the southern route was found dead
From Randy:
Our Brother Lewis "Mucaw" Jefferson from Fort Yuma passed away November 26th 2008. He was a staff carrier on the southern route of the Longest Walk 2, a messenger for the Quechan People, and my very good friend. I am devastated, as I am sure others will be too. I just talked to him 2 days ago, and he was talking about coming up to visit me. As my tears tumble down-~Randy "IN$URGENTE" Blakeley~
(Source: The Sun (Yuma, Ariz.)
News article:
Imperial County sheriff’s officials are investigating the death of a man whose body was found early Wednesday morning next to railroad tracks near Yuma.
According to Charles Lucas, supervising deputy coroner with the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, the cause of the death is pending an autopsy, but the body has been identified as 21-year-old Lewis Jefferson of Bard.
“Preliminary information indicates he was struck by a train. The incident is still under investigation,” Lucas said.
Quechan elder Preston Arrow-Weed told The Sun that the victim is his grandson,a young traditional singer and aspiring spiritual leader. Arrow-Weed said that his grandson, who went by his traditional name “Mucaw,” had filed to run for a seat on the tribal council in the upcoming election.
Lucas said the the incident happened at about 4:30 a.m. on the Quechan Reservation next to the tracks by the old agriculture inspection station, near the Ocean-to-Ocean Bridge.
Jefferson was known in the Quechan Tribe for his traditional singing, as well as for taking part in long walks supporting various issues. He walked from here to Gila Bend in support of the Peace and Dignity Project, according to Arrow-Weed.
More recently Jefferson made local headlines for walking from Flagstaff to Washington, D.C., with The Longest Walk 2. Arrow-Weed said Jefferson participated to bring attention to preservation of American Indian sacred sites.
Copyright © 2008 Freedom Communications, Inc.
Posted on November 26th, 2008 by hunwut
Local tribal members taking part in The Longest Walk
BY DARIN FENGER, SUN STAFF WRITER
May 17, 2008 - 2:08PM
Armed with a tin can rattle in his hand and the traditional songs of family and tribe in his heart, a young Quechan man is delivering a message to Washington, D.C. completely on foot. Lewis Jefferson, who will turn 21 on the road next month, started walking east in late March. That's when the budding traditional singer joined a small band of folks dedicated to spreading the word
about protecting the sacred lands of native people. Together Jefferson and his comrades make up The Longest Walk 2, a historic march spanning San Francisco to Washington, D.C., that began in early February and is expected to end in late July.
Jefferson, a member of the local Quechan Indian Tribe, joined the walk March 22 in Flagstaff. Since then he's made a few phonecalls back to his grandfather, a tribal elder who says he couldn't be more proud of Jefferson's political and spiritual path.
"He is out there representing all of the Quechan people," said Preston Arrow-Weed, both an elder and traditional singer. "Can you imagine carrying the songs of over 3,000 people? There is a lot of responsibility on his shoulders."
Jefferson, who often goes by the native name
"Mucaw" that Arrow-Weed gave him at birth, has been singing with the grandfather and other elders since Jefferson was just a tyke. Elder Milton Jefferson Sr. recalled: "He would stay up all night and sing with us, even when he was just 9!" In videos documenting The Longest Walk 2 young Jefferson can often be heard singing away as the group proceeds through town
after town. "He's told me on the phone, 'Grandpa I've sang through the wind, I've sang through the rain and I've sang through the snow,'" Arrow-Weed said. "He said he's always worried about
the spirit of the people. He says there are ups and downs, sometimes it seems like they lose direction or sometimes they lose their goal, but they always come back again. He always says 'We're going to make it!'" Although Jefferson is walking in support of sacred sites in general Arrow-Weed said his grandson is also voicing his protest against the Quechan tribe building a casino on land many elders consider highly sacred.
"When he left he told me, 'I want to prove to the world that Quechans are not traitors,'" the grandfather said, "He said, 'The Quechan are not going to give up their sacred land.'" The
Sun was not able to reach Quechan Tribal President Mike Jackson Sr., who did return calls to his office. Jackson has told The Sun in the past: "We will not destroy our heritage for the casino. We've told our people that from the beginning. We're not here to destroy our past, but to make for a future." The Longest Walk 2 follows in the same footsteps of a similar walk held 30 years ago. The walk is broken up in south and north routes and is open to people of any ethnic background who care about the environment and sacred sites.
The event is organized by famed American Indian activist Dennis Banks, best known for co-founding the American Indian Movement. The movement's mission statement sums up their vision this way: - "We walk with the message: All Life is Sacred, Save Mother Earth." - "We shall walk for the Seventh Generation, for our youth, for peace, for justice, for healing of Mother Earth, for the healing of our people suffering from diabetes, heart conditions, alcoholism, drug addiction, and other diseases." "It's important we make people more aware," said Vernon Smith, another Quechan elder, who added that a group of elders plan to meet up with the walkers in D.C. "If we were 20 to 30 years younger we'd be out there, too." Arrow-Weed responded with the comment that elders sometimes need to let the younger ones step up to new duties in order to learn and grow. "There is a certain time when you have to turn
things over," Arrow-Weed said. "Now is the time." While most participants at least aim to complete the entire walk many people simply join the journey for a segment of the route or just for the bit that passes through their community. Arrow-Weed described how the walkers are often treated, most often in reservation towns, to a political rally to share their stories or to spiritual ceremonies for sharing prayers. See the walkers' faces and hear their stories yourself. Go to http://www.thelongestwalk.org/ and follow along through photos, videos and diaries as the walkers make their way down the road.
Several other Quechan walkers originally at Jefferson's side have since returned home. But he's about to have some familiar faces arrive on the scene. Three fellow tribal members
plan to meet up with the south route June 10 in Louisiana.
Billy Rea, a 28-year-old traditional singer, will be marching with his mother, but he says he'll be out there on the highway with his 2-year-old son in his heart. "I'm doing this for my son as much as I am for my people," Rea explained. "When he grows up I want him to have his culture and his traditions because it's going to keep him on the Red Road, on the right path. I want, when he grows up older, that there will be sacred lands here for him." Rea grew up in San Diego, but came to the Quechan reservation when he was 10 and began learning traditional ways from his grandmother. Years of drugs and gangs, however, led him in and out of prison and
he was most recently released just two months ago. But he says that it's now time to dedicate his life to something healthier, joining the tribal elders in their fight to preserve an ancient way of life. Rea added that through The Longest Walk, he also wants to set a good example for his friends, both here and back in prison.
"I have a lot of friends and a lot of them are corrupted, but they are part of our people, too," he said, explaining that he tries to include friends in traditional ceremonies like sweatlodges or
singing. "I try to teach them. I take them out fishing, starting them out with something small. I'm just trying to teach them the little bit I know."
His friends in prison are planning to hold sweatlodges in Rea's honor while he's doing the walk. Yolanda Escalanti, a Quechan woman who has recently taken to studying traditions with her tribal elders, is another walker who will soon join Jefferson. "Our sacred sites are diminishing and they have no meaning to a lot of people, especially our own younger generations. We need to change that," Escalanti said. "This walk is also important because people say that Native Americans are considered politically weak. This is our chance to change that and take our message to congress."
Escalanti and Rea's mother plan to start training for their long trip by walking at the Quechan Diabetes Walking Park. Escalanti isn't a singer or music maker, so instead of a musical instrument, she plans to carry something else on The Longest Walk. "I'm going to carry a picture of my great-grandmother," she said with clear pride. Escalanti's great-grandmother was involved in the tribe's fight years ago to save another local sacred site - Sleepy Hollow. The late matriarch even took her fight in person to the courts of San Diego.
"I think if she was alive she would say, 'You are doing the right thing. Keep fighting for our
land,'" Escalanti said. "So that's what I'm going do to and they're not going to stop us."
From Randy:
Our Brother Lewis "Mucaw" Jefferson from Fort Yuma passed away November 26th 2008. He was a staff carrier on the southern route of the Longest Walk 2, a messenger for the Quechan People, and my very good friend. I am devastated, as I am sure others will be too. I just talked to him 2 days ago, and he was talking about coming up to visit me. As my tears tumble down-~Randy "IN$URGENTE" Blakeley~
(Source: The Sun (Yuma, Ariz.)
News article:
Imperial County sheriff’s officials are investigating the death of a man whose body was found early Wednesday morning next to railroad tracks near Yuma.
According to Charles Lucas, supervising deputy coroner with the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, the cause of the death is pending an autopsy, but the body has been identified as 21-year-old Lewis Jefferson of Bard.
“Preliminary information indicates he was struck by a train. The incident is still under investigation,” Lucas said.
Quechan elder Preston Arrow-Weed told The Sun that the victim is his grandson,a young traditional singer and aspiring spiritual leader. Arrow-Weed said that his grandson, who went by his traditional name “Mucaw,” had filed to run for a seat on the tribal council in the upcoming election.
Lucas said the the incident happened at about 4:30 a.m. on the Quechan Reservation next to the tracks by the old agriculture inspection station, near the Ocean-to-Ocean Bridge.
Jefferson was known in the Quechan Tribe for his traditional singing, as well as for taking part in long walks supporting various issues. He walked from here to Gila Bend in support of the Peace and Dignity Project, according to Arrow-Weed.
More recently Jefferson made local headlines for walking from Flagstaff to Washington, D.C., with The Longest Walk 2. Arrow-Weed said Jefferson participated to bring attention to preservation of American Indian sacred sites.
Copyright © 2008 Freedom Communications, Inc.
Posted on November 26th, 2008 by hunwut
Local tribal members taking part in The Longest Walk
BY DARIN FENGER, SUN STAFF WRITER
May 17, 2008 - 2:08PM
Armed with a tin can rattle in his hand and the traditional songs of family and tribe in his heart, a young Quechan man is delivering a message to Washington, D.C. completely on foot. Lewis Jefferson, who will turn 21 on the road next month, started walking east in late March. That's when the budding traditional singer joined a small band of folks dedicated to spreading the word
about protecting the sacred lands of native people. Together Jefferson and his comrades make up The Longest Walk 2, a historic march spanning San Francisco to Washington, D.C., that began in early February and is expected to end in late July.
Jefferson, a member of the local Quechan Indian Tribe, joined the walk March 22 in Flagstaff. Since then he's made a few phonecalls back to his grandfather, a tribal elder who says he couldn't be more proud of Jefferson's political and spiritual path.
"He is out there representing all of the Quechan people," said Preston Arrow-Weed, both an elder and traditional singer. "Can you imagine carrying the songs of over 3,000 people? There is a lot of responsibility on his shoulders."
Jefferson, who often goes by the native name
"Mucaw" that Arrow-Weed gave him at birth, has been singing with the grandfather and other elders since Jefferson was just a tyke. Elder Milton Jefferson Sr. recalled: "He would stay up all night and sing with us, even when he was just 9!" In videos documenting The Longest Walk 2 young Jefferson can often be heard singing away as the group proceeds through town
after town. "He's told me on the phone, 'Grandpa I've sang through the wind, I've sang through the rain and I've sang through the snow,'" Arrow-Weed said. "He said he's always worried about
the spirit of the people. He says there are ups and downs, sometimes it seems like they lose direction or sometimes they lose their goal, but they always come back again. He always says 'We're going to make it!'" Although Jefferson is walking in support of sacred sites in general Arrow-Weed said his grandson is also voicing his protest against the Quechan tribe building a casino on land many elders consider highly sacred.
"When he left he told me, 'I want to prove to the world that Quechans are not traitors,'" the grandfather said, "He said, 'The Quechan are not going to give up their sacred land.'" The
Sun was not able to reach Quechan Tribal President Mike Jackson Sr., who did return calls to his office. Jackson has told The Sun in the past: "We will not destroy our heritage for the casino. We've told our people that from the beginning. We're not here to destroy our past, but to make for a future." The Longest Walk 2 follows in the same footsteps of a similar walk held 30 years ago. The walk is broken up in south and north routes and is open to people of any ethnic background who care about the environment and sacred sites.
The event is organized by famed American Indian activist Dennis Banks, best known for co-founding the American Indian Movement. The movement's mission statement sums up their vision this way: - "We walk with the message: All Life is Sacred, Save Mother Earth." - "We shall walk for the Seventh Generation, for our youth, for peace, for justice, for healing of Mother Earth, for the healing of our people suffering from diabetes, heart conditions, alcoholism, drug addiction, and other diseases." "It's important we make people more aware," said Vernon Smith, another Quechan elder, who added that a group of elders plan to meet up with the walkers in D.C. "If we were 20 to 30 years younger we'd be out there, too." Arrow-Weed responded with the comment that elders sometimes need to let the younger ones step up to new duties in order to learn and grow. "There is a certain time when you have to turn
things over," Arrow-Weed said. "Now is the time." While most participants at least aim to complete the entire walk many people simply join the journey for a segment of the route or just for the bit that passes through their community. Arrow-Weed described how the walkers are often treated, most often in reservation towns, to a political rally to share their stories or to spiritual ceremonies for sharing prayers. See the walkers' faces and hear their stories yourself. Go to http://www.thelongestwalk.org/ and follow along through photos, videos and diaries as the walkers make their way down the road.
Several other Quechan walkers originally at Jefferson's side have since returned home. But he's about to have some familiar faces arrive on the scene. Three fellow tribal members
plan to meet up with the south route June 10 in Louisiana.
Billy Rea, a 28-year-old traditional singer, will be marching with his mother, but he says he'll be out there on the highway with his 2-year-old son in his heart. "I'm doing this for my son as much as I am for my people," Rea explained. "When he grows up I want him to have his culture and his traditions because it's going to keep him on the Red Road, on the right path. I want, when he grows up older, that there will be sacred lands here for him." Rea grew up in San Diego, but came to the Quechan reservation when he was 10 and began learning traditional ways from his grandmother. Years of drugs and gangs, however, led him in and out of prison and
he was most recently released just two months ago. But he says that it's now time to dedicate his life to something healthier, joining the tribal elders in their fight to preserve an ancient way of life. Rea added that through The Longest Walk, he also wants to set a good example for his friends, both here and back in prison.
"I have a lot of friends and a lot of them are corrupted, but they are part of our people, too," he said, explaining that he tries to include friends in traditional ceremonies like sweatlodges or
singing. "I try to teach them. I take them out fishing, starting them out with something small. I'm just trying to teach them the little bit I know."
His friends in prison are planning to hold sweatlodges in Rea's honor while he's doing the walk. Yolanda Escalanti, a Quechan woman who has recently taken to studying traditions with her tribal elders, is another walker who will soon join Jefferson. "Our sacred sites are diminishing and they have no meaning to a lot of people, especially our own younger generations. We need to change that," Escalanti said. "This walk is also important because people say that Native Americans are considered politically weak. This is our chance to change that and take our message to congress."
Escalanti and Rea's mother plan to start training for their long trip by walking at the Quechan Diabetes Walking Park. Escalanti isn't a singer or music maker, so instead of a musical instrument, she plans to carry something else on The Longest Walk. "I'm going to carry a picture of my great-grandmother," she said with clear pride. Escalanti's great-grandmother was involved in the tribe's fight years ago to save another local sacred site - Sleepy Hollow. The late matriarch even took her fight in person to the courts of San Diego.
"I think if she was alive she would say, 'You are doing the right thing. Keep fighting for our
land,'" Escalanti said. "So that's what I'm going do to and they're not going to stop us."
December 1, 2008
Mohawk Nation News: Canada spies on Ongwehonwe
CANADA SECRET SERVICE SPYING ON ONGWEHONWE
DESPERATE FOR SOMETHING TO DO?
Or is the colonial hierarchy cracking up?
DESPERATE FOR SOMETHING TO DO?
Or is the colonial hierarchy cracking up?
Nov. 30, 2008. As we are seeing more and more clearly everyday, Canada has always been a totalitarian for-profit enterprise even though it tries to masquerade as a democracy. Canada is a Euro colonial settler state that governs by passing race laws. Every now and then declarations of legal rights are made to make things look kosher. But when push comes to shove, these are ignored. Things are done at the point of a gun by open terror and genocide.
What information could the Canadian Secret Intelligence Service [CSIS] possibly be looking for in Mohawk communities? How many dogs we have running loose? How many rusted cars and old fridges are standing in our yards? We notice they don’t want to report on how bad our water is, or how corrupt the band council is or about the lack of funds for our education, medical care and housing. So what’s happening?
Whatever anyone says, CSIS covertly sneaking into our communities can’t be for “national security”. We’ve never been a military threat to Canada. CSIS is coming in as an agent of confusion to “terrorize” us! What have we got that would scare anyone? Except, of course, for THE TRUTH!!! The land every Canadian stands on and all the resources in it belong to us. That’s why they’re trying to brainwash us and the Canadian people.
Everyday we are seeing more cracks in the broken “democracy” called “Canada”. We Mohawks are targeted because we ask too many questions. We are always challenging their actions and asking them to prove the legality of what they’re doing. They want a “white” nation. The colonists associate “Indians” with a certain degeneracy of intellect, morals, self-restraint and political values. That was their excuse for stealing our resources.
Canada sets us up as targets because they want to divert attention away from their economic and social problems. They need someone to blame. They want the public to believe we are dangerous. Never mind that their government rakes in millions from cigarette taxes. They spin it as the murky world of “contraband”. They make it sound like it’s a crime for us to support our families by legally selling tobacco.
Their border is the “apartheid wall”. Their border guards routinely harass us and even try to kill us when we try to travel on our territory. Canadian agencies refuse to investigate these criminal acts. All their police, the OPP, RCMP, Canadian Border Services Agency and the colonial Akwesasne Mohawk Police, claim it’s not their jurisdiction.
We are denied due process when they assault us. Two Mohawk women have been declared as “non-residents” of Canada in order to make them pay for the Crown’s defence in the law suit they filed against Canada for not investigating border brutality! [M. Mireille Tabib, Oct. 23, 2008, Kahentinetha & Katenies v. The Queen T-1309-08]. If Kahnawake and Akwesasne are not part of Canada, then why haven’t they removed the illegal border control at Akwesasne? On the one hand, they say Akwesasne is in Canada so they can put their border there. On the other hand, they’re saying it’s not so they can force us to pay thousands of dollars to make border guards accountable for the assaults and crimes against us. Canada has plans to build a great big international high tech border installation at Akwesasne. We don’t want it.
When three non-native people recently died in a botched border operation at the very same spot in Akwesasne, all those self same police services were stumbling all over each other to investigate. What’s the deal? The safety of ”white” people is precious? Ongwehonwe safety doesn’t matter?
Presently Cree elder, David Ahenakew, is on trial for the third time because of some ill-considered private comments he made about the Jewish genocide in World War II. Remember, he didn’t kill any Jews. When he served in the military, he took part in the operations that freed people and helped stop abuse. The genocide against our own people is generally ignored. Why the double standard? Why is he being prosecuted with so much vengeance when Canadian border guards can attempt murder with impunity?
These incidents just nibble at the internal conflicts raging within the colonial government apparatus. The Maher Arar and Omar Khadr cases, the extensive secret military exercises in November 2008 near so many Ongwehonwe communities, and so many other disturbing developments suggest that we are being prepared for totalitarianism or martial law. All it will take now is a pretext to bring it in. Another 9/11!
When the hierarchical colonial system is threatened, it resorts to “fratricide” to clean out its ranks. The higher ups become paranoid. They start getting rid of their underlings who they fear want to replace them or expose them. We certainly are not in these kinds of positions nor do we want to be. We’d rather stand back and watch the poisoning and beheadings going on in the palace, so to speak.
Canada is still trying to look calm while it screams hysterically from within. They don’t want people to smell the blood beforehand. To divert attention they’re looking for those with opinions different from theirs to start imprisoning and shutting them up.
The state is using slander and historical distortion to defame us and get the media to suppress discussion of the real issues. The current attempt to purge the Mohawks is based on false claims that we are likely to sabotage Canada. Nothing could be further from the truth. We’ve always stayed in our own boat according to the Two Row Wampum Accord. We have never committed any violence against Canada. In fact, we have defended Canada several times, going back to the War of 1812 right up to World War II. Of course, if our historic ally chooses to attack us, we will always defend ourselves.
The violent and unfounded fantasies about us serve someone’s purpose. People get a chance to use lethal weapons when Canadian agencies send in cops and spies instead of talking with us on a straightforward and honest nation-to-nation basis. CSIS is Canada’s secret police look for demons and devils they can finger for purging. We’ve been told actions of this kind must have ministerial approval. Who is the prime sinister?
Canada is ruining its international image because of the abuse and needless suffering that it causes to all Ongwehonwe. Up to now they’ve kept a lot of their skeletons in the closet to make it easier for CSIS to set us up. CSIS defames us by playing on the active imagination of a gullible public.
CSIS has been sent in to corrupt our “leadership”. They should know by now that we have none. Who is active in our Men’s Society? Who is the intelligentsia? [As if we aren’t all intelligent] They are trying to make us mistrust each other. They want to turn us into “fifth column” communities. They think they can get away with it because we are a minority. They figure no one will help us when we’re attacked.
The young and the vulnerable are targeted. When they’re snatched, the cops force them to “confess” to anything regardless of the truth. Some of their lines are: “Either you comply with us or we’ll charge you”. “How well do you know your community?” “Who are you related to?” “Someone told me this, is it true?” “Do what I say or I”ll break your arm”. Their old favorite, “Who are your leaders?” CSIS wants to have us charged with “counter revolutionary crimes” based on their racist colonial laws or those they intend to create!! Yes, we don’t like the colonial Canadian system as it has been shown to us.
We know that Canada thinks that our land, cultures, bodies and minds must be sacrificed for the colonists to remain dominant and for their system to continue to function. Canadian occupation of our land and the usurpation of our resources are illegal under international law. One of their frequent tricks is to get someone to invite us somewhere and then set up a “disappearance”. Rumor has it that now that we’ve been declared “insurgents” a secret military tribunal has been set up to try us. Bye bye habeas corpus! Is Canada getting dangerously edgy about having their “turf” stepped on by the real owners, us? Well, CSIS, you’ve been hung out on the clothesline to dry and your brown-laced underwear is flapping in the wind. What are you trying to prepare us for? The “final solution”? Genocide?
Iako’ha:kowa & MNN Staff – Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com kittoh@storm.ca Katenies20@yahoo.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
Note: Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations to PayPal at www.mohawknationnews.com, or by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Nia:wen thank you very much.
Go to MNN “Canada” category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Subscribe to MNN for breaking news updates http://.mohawknationnews.com/news/subscription.php; Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois
THE OTTAWA PLAYERS. CSIS: http://www.csis-scrs.ca/; Manon Berube – Media 613-231-0100;Public Safety [Danger]: Minister Peter “Pumpkin-Eater-and-Trough-Licker” Van Loan; Suzanne “Hurts-to-be-Herself” Hurtubise DM 613- 991-2895; Myles “Away-from-Reality” Kirvan ADM 613- 990-2633, 613-949-0322; Chantal “Dirty-Fingers-in-Every-Pie” Bernier ADM Community Safety [Endangerment] and Partnerships (613) 993-4325; Scott “ODB” Broughton Sr ADM Emergency [Mis]Management and National [In]Security (613) 991-2820; Lynda “Useless-Forked-Tongued-Drone” Clairmont ADM, same as “ODB” (613) 990-4976; Daniel “Pepsi-and-May-West” Lavoie DG Communications (613) 990-2743; Elisabeth “Botox-from-Head-to-Toe” Nadeau ADM, Corporate Theft (613) 990-2615; Kristina “Fingers-Getting-Itchier-and-Itchier-to-push-the-Trigger” Namiesniowski ADM Strategic Policy (613) 949-6435; Eva “Nosey-Nit-Picker” Plunkett Inspector Field “General” of CSIS (613) 949-0675; Richard “Diarrhea-Mouth” Wex ADM Policing, Law Enforcement & Interoperability (613) 990-2703. The biggest safety risk for us Ongwehonwe is this ADM cabal of agents;
Health Canada, partners with the US through the Canada-US Joint Radiological Response Plan, under the Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan; Foreign Affairs Lawrence “Chinese-Food-Glutton-at-Taxpyers-Expense” Cannon 613-992-5516 Fax 613-992-6802; 819-441-2510 Fax: (819) 441-2680; (819) 281-2626 Fax: (819) 281-2755 Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca; Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway Stockwell Day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)