NativeAmerican(theRealDeal)'s topics - tribe.net

does this piss you off ?

2008-08-24T00:00:39Z

My grandfather on my moms side is half Indian. There is no history to follow before that due to adoption. So here I am pure Irish on my fathers side, french and Indian, I don't look it at all, my mom does, I don't. I like that part of me the best and think somehow that little bit of blood in my viens makes me a little native. Does that piss you off ?

What pisses me off ? Victoria BC anthropoligy students, I was sitting with a table of them, with to lesbians and debating the womens role in what they called "primitive" peoples. They are convinced threw UVIC in Victoria bc that women have never had a better place in the world then now, and that Natives in North America were brutal towards women and that there were just objects for men.

For me that word "primiative" seems misplaced at the least. For what I know the 1st people here where increadable evolved socialy and full of culture, I find it more "primative" to live alone in a unit watching a box. The idea that people are the inventions they make that build up in a society over time make them advanced bothers me. I understand math and and all that... but what could be more primative that distroying the things around you that provide you with life.

Also to imagine that women hated their lives and would be happier sitting single and with no family in pub in victoira bc with full time jobs makes me question what is being taught in school. They didn't seem like they learned outside of school, so it must still be taught.

Anyways does it piss you off for a mostly white privlaged guy like myself to be proud of my 1/8 unknown native blood ? Does the word Primative piss you off ? How about the feminist view of womens rights in the "primitive" peoples lives ?

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 9 replies

Graduation Inspiration

2008-05-10T22:06:29Z

Out of tragedy, success
Grad achieves top honors in wake of horrific losses
By Karrey Britt
May 10, 2008

It seemed fitting that 27-year-old Willow Abrahamson Jack was the first to walk across the stage and receive her bachelor’s degree Friday during Haskell Indian Nations University’s commencement ceremony.

That’s because fellow students, teachers and family say she is a leader and an inspiration.

“When I see what Willow has went through, it’s incredible to finally see this day,” said her mother, Rose Ann Abrahamson, of Sacramento, Calif. “She persevered despite the many challenges and obstacles that she had to face.”

About three years ago, Willow lost her husband, Daryl, and 4-year-old daughter, Maliah, in a rollover accident near Butte, Mont. She and her son, Nakeezaka, who was 6 at the time, survived, but Willow suffered severe injuries to her spine, pelvic region and head. Doctors told Willow, an award-winning jingle dancer, that she would need a wheelchair or walker.

“I was feeling like the whole world was caving in. It was like I was living a real-life nightmare, something I would never want to see anybody go through,” she said.

“It was a really, really, really hard time. All of my hopes and dreams were completely crushed. I felt like giving up.”

What kept her going was a visit a month after the deaths from the Dalai Lama, who after hearing her story wanted to meet her. He reminded Willow that she still had a son and happiness to share.

“It was a humbling experience,” she said.

In fall 2006, she returned to Haskell where she and Daryl had earned associate’s degrees just months before the fatal accident.

“I decided I can’t be sitting there acting like a crybaby. I am the mother and the father now. I have a child to raise. I’ve got to quit this road of self pity,” she said.

Just as Willow and Nakeezaka were settling down and “things were fine,” tragedy struck again. They were in another rollover accident last June on the South Lawrence Trafficway. They were taken by helicopter to Kansas City hospitals. Her son broke his arm and femur. She shattered her pelvic region and her right knee. Doctors, again, told her that she would need a wheelchair or walker.

“I thought about giving up a lot last summer,” she said. “But, me and my son — we helped each other.”

Willow said she often thought of the passage: “This too shall pass.”

On Friday, she walked across the stage with Nakeezaka, who will turn 9 on Mother’s Day. Both waved to the cheering crowd with big smiles on their faces. The announcer read that Willow dedicated her graduation to her son and daughter. She graduated magna cum laude.

“This is like completing that walk that I wish they could have been here for. This was our plan for our family,” she said.

Today, she will be the head lady dancer at Haskell’s powwow — a high honor. Last month, she helped organize Haskell’s first Indigenous Empowerment Summit.

Her sister, Leela Abrahamson, 17, said she admires Willow and her accomplishments.

“She’s amazing and always has a positive aura,” Leela said. “She’s one of those women who leads by example.”

Willow will pursue a master’s degree in social work at Kansas University in the fall. She would like to establish community-based programs on American Indian reservations and work on preserving Native American culture and traditions.

“Whether I make pennies or I don’t make anything, I don’t really care because it’s about living a happy life,” she said.

Originally published at: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/may/10/out_tragedy_success/

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 1 reply

How amny Mi'kmaqs are on tribe???

2008-04-03T15:51:59Z

http://tribes.tribe.net/micmacs

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Last of the Mohicans... squaws and such

2008-04-03T13:49:52Z

"The problem is not the romanticization of American Indians by James F. Cooper, the problem is, and has always been, the lack of a balanced, fair, and educated representation of Native Americans within American media." - The Prophet Ungelbah (has spoken..... so get out there and make some youtube love you wild Ind'ins!!)

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 1 reply

The Reality of Pine Ridge

2008-03-31T23:53:51Z

Below is a letter that I got from a friend of mine from Pine Ridge. All of the names that were enclosed have been edited to keep my friends anonymity. Life is hell for them....she writes me almost everyday to keep me up to speed. We try to help but we are alone in this movement and money is low for us to help them. ************

Hey there~,
It's a cold day in hell here!!I'm hoping I don't run out of propane soon,the tank is on empty and we are on fumes!!I never made it to Rapid City!or Wal Mart for Christmas....no gas!!.......besides my daughter Worm is being stubborn and unforgiving!!I kicked her out cause she didn't listen to me, she's in a very unhealthy friendship with a this cousin of hers! and she's on her way to self destruction!she's drunk all the time,going to bars and getting pushed around by my niece!!I'm going to let her have it when I see her!!stupid little shit thinks I don't know about him taking advantage of my daughter !! I don't give a goddamn if she's needy,!!I confronted my daughter about her cousin and she told me to stay out of her life!!
Ohhhh! I'm so pissed off that I just want to kick her ass when I see her!
I was so pissed when he tried to hang himself in front of my daughter, he says nobody likes him or cares about her anyway!! I almost fell for that bullshit but now I know different!! Well enough of that!! I'm tired of thinking about this........it makes me sick that my daughter may someday take her own life because nobody likes or cares about her!!!
So how was your Christmas?? did you cook?? I volunteered my time to cook, but before I got there the 'special' volunteers took all the good presents, you know who I mean, and all her people I didn't go for the gifts, just the dinner Monday night...because the vice-president decided not to pass out the presents that same evening..What an ass hole!! nothing ever goes right here! besides half the presents were stolen!!
Again!! You know they would rip off their own mother just to get what they want in life ,like the evil sisters I told you about!! Somebody told our community chair that they received a donation of $600,but they were at the Lakota Nation Indian tournaments, and was spending money that was given to the kids here!! Geez!! everyone goes nuts over money even if its intended for the children...Well I hope you had a better holiday than I did!! I hope everyone gets what's coming to them!! Later...signing off from this place I know as hell........M!!

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 4 replies

U.S. History 101

2008-03-28T00:22:18Z

Tribe: A Governmental phrase; an Anglo-American concept with Germanic roots applied to the Indigenous peoples of North America during the Reorganization Act of 1934.

Creating a "Tribe": After the Dine peoples returned to their homelands, in the late 1800s, from Bosque Redondo, where they had been held as prisoners of war following the historic Long Walk, the discovery of minerals and natural recourses was made on their land. Because of the nature of federal trusteeship, it became necessary for the Federal Government to create a "tribal" government, with "chiefs" i.e. leaders or chairmen among the Navajo. This chiefdom system of government (totally foreign to the Navajo, who are traditionally democratic) had to be created so that corporate interests could acquire official land leases from the "tribe" in order to exploit their lands.

In other-words, because reservation land is held in trust to Native communities, only those communities have the authority to let outsiders dig for Uranium and other resources on their lands. Because the majority of Native peoples during the 1930s wanted no part of such desecration, the only way the slime balls could get such blasphemous land leases out of them was to force them into creating Anglo-American-style governments. You get the idea.

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

8000 Drums March 21st 2008 at Noon!

2008-03-22T08:17:43Z

8,000 DRUMS on March 21
at noon

HELLO, GREETINGS, ANIIN, TANSI, HAN, HAKODA!!
Darlene Courchene was contacted by my friend Gilles Novaks who is a Montagnais Indian from Montreal. He is a Medicine Man and a Healer. He asked me to get as many Tribal people to participate in a worldwide ceremony called the "8,000 Drums". He was contacted by two Huron Clan Grandmothers from up there in Canada and they asked him to help spread the word to all Indians everywhere. It will take place on March 21, 2008 at 12:00 noon . All you need to do is play a drum either alone, or with a group or have the whole Tribe participate. The purpose is to fulfill the OTOMI PROPHECY. The Otomi's are Mayan Olmec and Toltec descendants. The drums will be played so that the Creator will hear us and grant our wishes as we pray for help in the Healing Process of our Mother Earth. …[P]eople are destroying Her and our Mother Earth needs our prayers.

Thank you. Ewo-wox-co-dah-wa.

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 2 replies

Massive Oil Deposit Could Increase US reserves by 10x

2008-03-09T00:23:08Z

Attn: Republic of Lakota Supporters

America is sitting on top of a super massive 200 billion barrel Oil Field that could potentially make America Energy Independent and until now has largely gone unnoticed. Thanks to new technology the Bakken Formation in North Dakota could boost America’s Oil reserves by an incredible 10 times, giving western economies the trump card against OPEC’s short squeeze on oil supply and making Iranian and Venezuelan threats of disrupted supply irrelevant.

In the next 30 days the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) will release a new report giving an accurate resource assessment of the Bakken Oil Formation that covers North Dakota and portions of South Dakota and Montana. With new horizontal drilling technology it is believed that from 175 to 500 billion barrels of recoverable oil are held in this 200,000 square mile reserve that was initially discovered in 1951. The USGS did an initial study back in 1999 that estimated 400 billion recoverable barrels were present but with prices bottoming out at $10 a barrel back then the report was dismissed because of the higher cost of horizontal drilling techniques that would be needed, estimated at $20-$40 a barrel.

http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news2.13s.html

http://www.republicoflakotah.com/index.htm

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

« The Eagle & Condor Nations ... | main | Who wants to be a conferenc... »

2008-02-26T23:44:20Z

« The Eagle & Condor Nations ... | main | Who wants to be a conferenc... »
' WHY THE 7TH GENERATION MUST RISE TO POWER NOW! ' Mon, February 25, 2008 - 3:21 PM

' WHY THE 7TH GENERATION MUST RISE TO POWER NOW! '
BY MIKE RACCOON EYES

Greeting Cousins,

As you know for the past number of months I have writing and speaking at townhall meetings in Indian Country about the supporting the students at D.Q.
University and the issues surrounding what has been happening there.

The youth and young adults at D.Q. are in effect the current 7th Generation that attempting to rise to power in their dreams, visions and aspirations while they are being brutally denied the education, and being violated their national and international Human and Civil Rights.

The 7th Generation is trying to find their place in the 21st Century Indian Country.

As the Honorable former Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller, has stated time and time again; each generation of Native people and Nations must re-invent themselves in better order to meet the challenges of that era or generation they are in.

And the young people at D.Q are no different or an exception to the rule.

These young people are on the NEW FRONTLINES OF MORE HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS FOR INDIAN COUNTRY. THEY ARE DIRECTLY IN THE FIRING LINE OF THE 'NEW INDIAN WARS '.

Devon A. Mihesuah, a Choctaw professor of History at North Arizona University in Flagstaff has a bok she has written entitled-
'American Indians-Sterotypes and Realities'

In her book she states, " Unemployment is rampant on the reservations. There is almost no private sector jobs, and those on the reservations must depend on the BIA, the tribal government or health services for jobs."

Professor Mihesuah again cites: " The number of Indian youth is increasing, yet they have the lowest rates of high school graduation."

"Many factors contribute to Indian students difficulties in school, including lack of cultural understanding and language differences between teacher and student, lack of parental involvement, and the cultural conflict between what is taught in the public schools compared to what the child learns at home."

"Another factor is children often have to travel significant distances to attend school."

She again cites, " Many federally funded schools operated by the BIA have inadequate textbooks, deteriorating dormitories, mismanaged funds, and underpaid and improperly certified teachers."

Given these overwhelming barriers that Indian youth and young adults face to get a basic high school education, we in Indian Country must view the students of D.Q. University as the new vanguard of leadership of the 7th Generation.

For they as Native young adults are re-inventing themselves to meet the brutal challenges of the 21st Century here in Indian Country.

The time for talk is now over! We must help our 7th Generation to raise to power in Indian Country NOW! D.Q. has reached the attention of the national media, it is now time for Indian Country to extend our hands out to our Native young adults and ensure that every Native youth has both a high school and college education.

From the Frontlines of D.Q.,

Wado and A-ho!

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Al Queda Targeting Native youth?!!

2008-02-01T03:03:26Z

Subject: Al Quaeda recruiting young people from the Nations to the UK

Hi Lil Sis...I had a very disturbing email from a lady who is of the Poarch/Creek Nation in the US. It appears her daughter who is 26 years old has been talking to a guy on the internet for the last six months and intends to fly to the UK at the end of next month to be with him. The mother is concerned as she spoke to her local FBI branch there in Florida and they have said he is a known Al Quaeda activist in the UK. My concern is that these extremists are preying on our vulnerable youngsters who may be looking for a way out of the rez or their homelife. Would you be able to put out a warning to the schools/band councils to warn of the dangers of what these people might offer to entice the Nations vulnerable young people away from home and safety? And of course to spread the word to whoever they know in other Nations..it is a very real danger.

Welalin Lil Sis..
Big Sis..

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Lakota Freedom

2007-12-31T22:11:56Z

We would like to make a special acknowledgement of all the Indigenous Nations and Independence Movements who have contacted us with their support.

Aho! We've had more than half a million hits on our website in one week! Thanks for your interest and support!

Pilameya! Many thanks to all people who are sharing their support and solidarity with us. People from more than 100 different nations have visited our website. The whole world is watching!

http://www.lakotafreedom.com/

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 3 replies

News from the NorthEast ~we are still here ; )

2007-12-31T05:16:00Z

Nora Bernard Aboriginal activist is found dead in her home and
police are now suspecting foul play.

December 16, 2006

By David Rodenhiser
The Daily News
"Bitter fight comes to end"

Millbrook's Nora Bernard played key role in multibillion- dollar
native-school settlement

They picked the wrong kid to mess with when they dragged nine-year-
old Nora Bernard off to the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School in 1945.

Sixty-one years later, the determined Millbrook woman has won
what's being called the largest class-action settlement in Canadian
history - worth somewhere between $4 billion and $5 billion - for
an estimated 79,000 survivors of the residential school system.

"I just want to tell the survivors that I am so happy for them that
this is over," Bernard, 71, said yesterday. "I love every one of
them."

The first lawsuits over abuse suffered at residential schools were
filed in 1990. But there was no consolidated effort until five
years later when Bernard convinced Halifax lawyer John McKiggan to
represent her and other Shubenacadie survivors in a class-action
suit.

"I firmly believe that if it wasn't for Nora's efforts, and other
survivors like her across Canada, this national settlement never
would have happened," McKiggan said.

"After we filed our lawsuit, a number of other students from other
schools filed similar class actions. Those class actions eventually
merged into the one national class action that has now been
approved by the courts."

Only two left

Judges in 10 provinces and the Yukon endorsed the settlement
yesterday, leaving Nunavut and the Northwest Territories as the
only jurisdictions left to OK the deal.

In his written decision, Ontario Superior Court Justice Warren
Winkler described the residential school system as a "seriously
flawed failure." His verdict included the Shubenacadie survivors.

"The effects of the residential school legacy were lasting and
profound," Winkler wrote.

Bernard, her three sisters and two brothers all went to the
Shubenacadie school. She spent five years there; her youngest
sister, nine.

"It was no place for a child," she recalled. "Once you entered
those big doors in the front and they slammed behind you, it was just
like going into a prison."

A federal Indian agent threatened Bernard's mother into turning the
kids over to the school, warning that if she didn't sign the
papers, the welfare system would apprehend the children.

It was a common experience. Noel Knockwood, now 74, went to the
Shubenacadie school in 1939 after an Indian agent threatened to
jail his father. McKiggan said he has clients who were taken away by
Indian agents while Mounties held their parents at bay at gunpoint.

The Roman Catholic Church operated the Shubenacadie school for most
of its existence. It opened in 1930 and finally closed in 1967. It
took in aboriginal children from the Maritime provinces,
Newfoundland and parts of Quebec.

As Knockwood describes it, the goal of the residential school
system, which dated back to the late 1800s, was "cultural genocide."

"They were trying to get rid of what Parliament referred to as 'the
Indian problem' by assimilating aboriginal people into Canadian
culture, so that they would no longer have to spend money on the
Department of Indian Affairs and on reserves," McKiggan
explained. "It is an incredibly sad part of Canadian history."

At Shubenacadie, the kids weren't allowed to speak the Mi'kmaq
language. Disobedience often resulted in a slap across the mouth by
one of the Sisters of Charity.

"The goal was to take our culture and our language away from us,"
Bernard said. "Also, what they were doing was training us as
domestic help. The boys were trained for farm work."

Effects still felt

She and Knockwood, a Mi'kmaq spiritual leader, were able to retain
their language. Others were not, and met with ostracism when they
returned to the reserve.

The hurt caused by this attack on their culture has rippled down
through the generations.

Knockwood credits Bernard with making "a tremendous contribution to
Canada as a whole in standing up for liberty and justice and
freedom." He says she deserves the Aboriginal Achievement Award.
Bernard, though, remains humble.

"I guess, probably, I have a real big heart," she laughs.

But, when asked what inspired her battle, she's suddenly serious.

"Justice," Bernard replies without hesitation. "I wanted justice
for
my First Nations people that attended the residential schools - not
only down here - throughout Canada."

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

new indigenous

2007-12-30T08:54:41Z

I am writing to you from Stone Island, across the harbor from Mazatlan, Mexico.

I have gathered a dozen people here through tribe.net to start a cultural education center a couple hours south of here in a little village called Roblito. see www.solomax.com/roblito.html

There we live with my friends Viki and Gabe, who live a rural life of fishing.... chickens, pigs, etc. ...lets just say they live very close to nature, and they are some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. They have given me / us land to create an education center to help save the world. This is a very special place.

I am working with people involved with the Sinaloa seceratery of tourism now, who want me to help them find people to work with people in other villages. I may be working here for the next couple years, and I am seeking people to come here to help develop permaculture methods and community buidling methods. It is about learning from each other. The people here have a great spirit, which is lost to so many who have so much.

The term New Indigenous is what I am calling this project. It is for people to come here to discover indigenous roots... to learn to live from the land, and reconnect with the earth, and their soul. This is about bringing people together, and remembering how to dream, and live dreams.

I was directed to post this here tonight randomly, but I am glad I foundf you all, as I am about to got deep into what it means to be indigenous. I have little time to stay updated on many tribes. If you want to get in touch, please PM or email me. cor.contact(at)gmail.com

I am looking for people who want to build mountain bike traills over mountains and share ideas about connecting in circles. What we are creating is a community center that teaches how to create community centers.

We also have a 84ft wooden sailing ship that we are seeking to make a school and tribal spaceship. We have the boat. We need people. Our tribe needs sailors.... rainbows... burners... you know who you are, even if you are not in those circles. This ship will be therapy for families and kids ..taking them to places they have never dreamed.

This is me reaching out.

Shine on where you are.

It's all magic!

-Cor
www.actionheronetwork.net

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 63 replies

Wonded Knee Massacre

2007-12-29T17:16:53Z

Today is the anniversary of Wonded Knee Massacre, in which 500 Infantry soldiers massacred our brothers and sisters. How are you honoring this day? How will you honor this day? Are you doing anything in honor of our Brothers and Sisters?

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Wolves in Danger

2007-12-28T19:22:35Z

28,000 concerned signatures needed!!!!!

While most Americans have been celebrating the holidays, officials in the Bush/Cheney Administration have been working behind the scenes to pave the way for the killing of hundreds of wolves in the Greater Yellowstone area.

We can't let them get away with it!

Please go to Defenders of Wildlife's website to send a message to U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and urge him to abandon efforts to let states start killing wolves and to delay de-listing of gray wolves in the Northern Rockies:

action.defenders.org/sneakattack

Over the last several weeks, officials within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been quietly moving forward with rule changes that would allow officials in Idaho and Wyoming to begin killing wolves -- even before gray wolves are removed from the list of federally protected threatened and endangered species.

This latest proposal would jump start plans to use fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and other means to kill hundreds of wolves, leaving few more than 200 of the wolves in Idaho. In fact, three-quarters of the wolves in the Lolo District of the Clearwater National Forest could be removed... even before they are de-listed.

And, unfortunately, it's not just Idaho's wolves that are threatened by the proposal. Hundreds of wolves in Wyoming could be shot and trapped under the new rules -- whether wolves are removed from the endangered and threatened species list or not.

A decision on the proposal is expected in the next few weeks. Please email Secretary Kempthorne right now and let him know that you oppose any proposal that would threaten the long-term future of wolves in the Northern Rockies and Greater Yellowstone Region.

Take action online now at:

action.defenders.org/sneakattack

Thanks so much for helping me save wolves!
To take action on this issue, click on the link below:
secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy
If the text above does not appear as a link or it wraps across multiple lines, then copy and paste it into the address area of your browser.

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Abrogation of treatise

2007-12-28T04:52:42Z

With all this discussion about the "new" Lakota nation ... I am wondering if anyone actually knows/understands what will happen if these treatise are abrogated?

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

More on the Lakota from Wahela Bluejay

2007-12-27T15:12:56Z

Tribe official says council will consider treaty pullout
Mike Nowatzki, The Forum
Published Thursday, December 27, 2007

Avis Little Eagle says she understands the frustration that led Lakota activists to announce a plan to withdraw from the tribe’s treaties with the U.S. government.

However, the vice chairwoman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council advocates holding the federal government to the provisions in those treaties, rather than withdrawing from them.

“I see where they’re coming from,” she said of American Indian Movement leader Russell Means and other members of the Lakota Freedom Delegation who declared the Lakota people’s independence to the State Department last week in Washington, D.C.

“But we, as elected officials, on a daily basis we refer to those treaties because to us they are living documents,” Little Eagle said Wednesday from the tribe’s headquarters in Fort Yates, N.D.

Little Eagle said council members will probably discuss the delegation’s letter, “and I can’t say what action they will take.”

Graphic: Map
RELATED CONTENT
Mike Nowatzki Archive
Duane Martin Sr., a delegation member and leader of the Strongheart Civil Rights Movement, said Wednesday that the State Department had yet to respond to the notice of withdrawal from the treaties.

“We are anxious that they will (respond). We’ve got other nations looking at us in a positive venue,” he said, noting that the delegation has sought recognition of sovereignty from Bolivia, Chile and South Africa, among others.

In its notice, the delegation claims that the United States’ continuing violation of treaties, including the Treaty of 1851 and the Treaty of 1868 at Fort Laramie, “have resulted in the near annihilation of our people physically, spiritually and culturally.”

If the federal government doesn’t recognize the tribe’s independence, Lakota people will file liens on land in the five-state treaty area, which includes parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska and Wyoming, the letter of withdrawal says.

Means said members of the new Lakota nation wouldn’t pay taxes, and the new government would issue its own driver’s licenses and passports, the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus Leader reported. Non-Indians could still live in the new territory.

Little Eagle, a Hunkpapa Lakota, said many tribal governments are frustrated with a lack of federal support for health care, law enforcement and other provisions in treaties the U.S. government has failed to honor.

“If they bring attention to it, maybe it’ll be to the good,” she said.

She said she didn’t know about the delegation’s plans before the announcement.

Delegation members have made it clear that they don’t represent tribal governments, which are described on the group’s Web site as “beholden to the colonial apartheid system” and “ ‘stay by the fort’ Indians who are unwilling to claim their freedom.”

Martin said members spent 3½ years gathering input and support from tribal elders and others on the reservations before announcing the plan.

“They’re tired of this colonial oppression,” he said.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Mike Nowatzki at (701) 241-5528

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Lakota Freedom: Treaty Withdrawal For Elders and Children

2007-12-27T14:05:43Z

MEDIA ADVISORY
Immediate Release: 24 December 2007

Media Contacts:
Naomi Archer, Communications Liaison (828) 230-1404 lakotafree [at] gmail.com

Lakota Freedom: Treaty Withdrawal For Elders and Children

Sovereignty Action Sparks World Discussion, Disagreement, Inspiration

Lakota - What began as sparsely attended press conference announcing Lakota sovereignty has grown into an international roar of freedom inspiring people on every continent and sparking excitement and discussion in homes, tribal councils, schools, and on internet blogs and message boards. Across Indian Country in particular, the impact of the sovereign action is creating both inspiration and concern as the reality of freedom sinks in.

But mixed with the excitement and joy are concerns the Lakota people's needs will not be fully met, especially needs and concerns of the youth.

Lakota Freedom delegate and Oglala Lakota Cante Tenza - Strongheart Warrior Society leader Canupa Gluha Mani (Duane Martin Sr.) issued the following statement after discussion with the Strongheart Grandmothers:

"The whole Lakota declaration of withdrawal from the treaty is vested on the power of the Lakota people and our children.

When we undertook the process of announcing the withdrawal, the capacity was far greater than most people anticipated about an individual. But throughout our history, the people have never excluded anyone within their own lifeway and when it becomes a listener's view that its about one individual, one individual does not represent the nation itself, the nation represents the individual, and that is Lakota.

The withdrawal is for the people, the Elders, mothers, fathers, and the children.

Throughout our history and through the enforcement of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, Congress said they would oversee the provisions of 1868 (Fort Laramie Treaty), but they failed to do so. Some minor provisions were kept, but overall the treaty was not honored. Because if the treaty was honored, we would not have this colonial catastrophe of alcoholism, drug abuse and poverty and we wouldn't have the overall high incarceration rate of the male and female in the prison populations. This leads to our children being taking away by Social Services which puts our children out of balance from learning the traditional lifeway.

When the children can reconnect with who they are, they come back to the process of knowing what is Lakota in the true point of view. In this true point of view Lakota is about being free and left alone, so we can govern and save our own with the teachings of the Animal Nations.

If we can conclude with this statement in the positive venue, its not about Russell Means, and certainly not about Canupa Gluha Mani or any individual, this about the Lakota Nation and the Animal People who are no longer alone."

We are the freedom loving Lakota from the Sioux Indian reservations of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana who have withdrawn from the constitutionally mandated treaties to become a free and independent country. We are alerting the Family of Nations we have now reassumed our freedom and independence with the backing of Natural, International, and United States law. For more information, please visit our new website at www.lakotafreedom.com.

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 5 replies

Ambassador Leo Emil Wanta ($27.5 Trillion Man) Libertarian / Lakota Sioux ?

2007-12-23T23:21:20Z

Confidential sources have confirmed that the $27.5 Trillion Man, Ambassador Leo Emil Wanta, has expressed interest in the viability of a third party system (Independent / Libertarian) and the Presidential candidacy of Ron Paul (Congressman - Texas).

A hero of the Cold War, the Ambassador was in charge of a covert financial warfare operation ordered by Pres Reagan which led to the collapse of the Soviet currency and banking. By the early 1990's as Trustee of Ameritrust Group, Inc, the Ambassador amassed $27.5 trillion in assets.

"Under Reagan's Executive Order 12333 of 1981, US intelligence officers were permitted to establish corporations which could thereafter contract with the CIA/DIA/DEA/NSA et al for the purpose of fulfilling allotted intelligence tasks allocated to them.The financial proceeds of operations conducted by such corporations were consequently the property of the corporations and thus of their shareholders, a legal fact of life which has never been, and cannot be, disputed. This was not a good idea because almost all US intelligence operatives are liars and do not function on the basis of the Rule of Law at all, if they can help it.

Lee Wanta is the well-known patriotic exception to this rule: he operates solely in accordance with US law, in contrast to the behaviour of other US operatives, which is why the kakocracy* needed to remove him from the scene, as duly occurred July 1993.Once Wanta had been illegally arrested (contrary to international law, as a diplomat) and then thrown into a stinking Swiss jail on 7th July 1993, the criminal cadres inside the US official structures immediately ransacked Mr Wanta's bank accounts according to plan..."
http://www.worldreports.org/news/107_warring_israeli_intel_threatens_rubin_with_death

Confidential sources have also confirmed that the Ambassador has expressed interest in a proposed "tax free" Sovereign Lakota Sioux Nation covering a 5 State region where he might invest his $4.5 trillion settlement. www.lakotafreedom.com/

Stay Tuned.....

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Putin Threatens Recognition of Breakaway US Lakota Sioux Indian Tribe

2007-12-21T21:05:59Z

"Reports circulating in the Kremlin today state that an enraged President Putin has ordered Russian Foreign Ministry Officials to begin the processes needed for Russia to recognize the Lakota Sioux Indian Tribe as an independent Nation, and who have now broken away from the United States by renouncing their treaties with their occupiers, and as we can read as reported by the AFP News Service:"

article by Sorcha Faal http://www.whatdoesitmean.com/index1057.htm

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Lakota Sioux Indians Declare Sovereign Nation Status

2007-12-21T19:02:19Z

MEDIA ADVISORY
Immediate Release: 19 December 2007

Media Contacts:
Naomi Archer, Communications Liaison (828) 230-1404 lakotafree [at] gmail.com

Freedom! Lakota Sioux Indians Declare Sovereign Nation Status

Threaten Land Liens, Contested Real Estate Over Five State Area in U.S. West

Lakota Satisfies Treaty Council Mandate of 33 Years, Drafted by 97 Indigenous Nations

Dakota Territory Reverts back to Lakota Control According to U.S., International Law

Washington D.C. – Lakota Sioux Indian representatives declared sovereign nation status today in Washington D.C. following Monday’s withdrawal from all previously signed treaties with the United States Government. The withdrawal, hand delivered to Daniel Turner, Deputy Director of Public Liaison at the State Department, immediately and irrevocably ends all agreements between the Lakota Sioux Nation of Indians and the United States Government outlined in the 1851 and 1868 Treaties at Fort Laramie Wyoming.

“This is an historic day for our Lakota people,” declared Russell Means, Itacan of Lakota. “United States colonial rule is at its end!”

“Today is a historic day and our forefathers speak through us. Our Forefathers made the treaties in good faith with the sacred Canupa and with the knowledge of the Great Spirit,” shared Garry Rowland from Wounded Knee. “They never honored the treaties, that’s the reason we are here today.”

The four member Lakota delegation traveled to Washington D.C. culminating years of internal discussion among treaty representatives of the various Lakota communities. Delegation members included well known activist and actor Russell Means, Women of All Red Nations (WARN) founder Phyllis Young, Oglala Lakota Strong Heart Society leader Duane Martin Sr., and Garry Rowland, Leader Chief Big Foot Riders. Means, Rowland, Martin Sr. were all members of the 1973 Wounded Knee takeover.

“In order to stop the continuous taking of our resources – people, land, water and children- we have no choice but to claim our own destiny,” said Phyllis Young, a former Indigenous representative to the United Nations and representative from Standing Rock.

Property ownership in the five state area of Lakota now takes center stage. Parts of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana have been illegally homesteaded for years despite knowledge of Lakota as predecessor sovereign [historic owner]. Lakota representatives say if the United States does not enter into immediate diplomatic negotiations, liens will be filed on real estate transactions in the five state region, clouding title over literally thousands of square miles of land and property.

Young added, “The actions of Lakota are not intended to embarrass the United States but to simply save the lives of our people”.

Following Monday’s withdrawal at the State Department, the four Lakota Itacan representatives have been meeting with foreign embassy officials in order to hasten their official return to the Family of Nations.

Lakota’s efforts are gaining traction as Bolivia, home to Indigenous President Evo Morales, shared they are “very, very interested in the Lakota case” while Venezuela received the Lakota delegation with “respect and solidarity.”

“Our meetings have been fruitful and we hope to work with these countries for better relations,” explained Garry Rowland. “As a nation, we have equal status within the national community.”

Education, energy and justice now take top priority in emerging Lakota. “Cultural immersion education is crucial as a next step to protect our language, culture and sovereignty,” said Means. “Energy independence using solar, wind, geothermal, and sugar beets enables Lakota to protect our freedom and provide electricity and heating to our people.”

The Lakota reservations are among the most impoverished areas in North America, a shameful legacy of broken treaties and apartheid policies. Lakota has the highest death rate in the United States and Lakota men have the lowest life expectancy of any nation on earth, excluding AIDS, at approximately 44 years. Lakota infant mortality rate is five times the United States average and teen suicide rates 150% more than national average . 97% of Lakota people live below the poverty line and unemployment hovers near 85%.

“After 150 years of colonial enforcement, when you back people into a corner there is only one alternative,” emphasized Duane Martin Sr. “The only alternative is to bring freedom into its existence by taking it back to the love of freedom, to our lifeway.”

We are the freedom loving Lakota from the Sioux Indian reservations of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana who have suffered from cultural and physical genocide in the colonial apartheid system we have been forced to live under. We are in Washington DC to withdraw from the constitutionally mandated treaties to become a free and independent country. We are alerting the Family of Nations we have now reassumed our freedom and independence with the backing of Natural, International, and United States law. For more information, please visit our new website at www.lakotafreedom.com.

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 27 replies

comments on 'The Unquiet Grave' (book)

2007-12-19T07:55:22Z

If you haven't heard of it, it's a book written by a whiteguy/settler by the name of Steve Hendricks, a yale grad.

i want to share some of my misgivings, and just let it go from there.

The pages where i found suspicion were (**denotes especially curious):
53, 79, 91, *114*, 124, 153, 167, 170, 179, 181, 186, 188-190, 206, 208, 221, *224*, 225, 236, 340, *368*, 383, 431. Also near the front where the author calls Candy Hamilton a "do gooder" (seemed off-handedly hostile to me).

For those seeking education from the Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash tragedy (and the hype attacking John Trudell in a most suspect way), there was the video-taped statement made by Arlo: 318, 319, and related notes 467. (Re: the first two pages; someone claiming that they are with the Native Youth Movement --and using some of their art in indymedia communications along with their publishing, i.e. portland.indymedia.org-- has claimed that Trudell's words alone made for extraditing John Graham; this appears to be misinformation, but not discussed in the CounterPunch.org articles.)

I'll pull up an especially curious thing said by Hendricks on page 224 where he says that there is "little evidence" to support Dennis Banks' "claim" that the f.b.i. wanted to ambush them. In his earlier book, _Loud Hawk_ (or is it _Loudhawk_?), Ken Stern tells another story entirely; which I assume is based on actual proof! (Who is wrong, then?)

I never heard (and may not *need to know*) why Russell Means knocked Hendricks' glasses off when he was promoing his book, but the following from page 114 moves me to see how he mighta deserved it (if not a bigger knock):

"...if [Dennis] Banks ever showed [Anna Mae] more loyalty than a bull shows one of his heifers, it is nowhere recorded."

And how about this little jab to Means himself:

"I suspected [R. Means'] memory might be impaired by the money he stood to receive from a film about the siege of Wounded Knee."

Geesh, where does an outsider whiteguy get such pushy arrogance? (oh, i'm sorry, it's *normal* ain't it,,,)

On a more general note, on the next page Hendricks brings out a valid truth when he rightly brings up the idea of returning land (i.e. b.l.a. and u.s.f.s. lands, not private lands) to indigenous folks. He says:
"For the ranchers and loggers and others who now use the government lands, the handover could be done gradually so as not to disrupt existing leases. In the meantime, rents from the leases could be paid to the Lakotas."

Finally, Hendricks' chosen way of backing up his investigations was quite unorthodox. I mean, you have to pretty much stumble onto the back part where, to "shorten" the book, he takes short quotes from cited pages (*Not* cited on the original pages!) and then backs them up. Tho, where he says you can go to his website and see *more* of the notes, i personally *couldn't* find anything there! i guess you're supposed to contact him directly for that? (sheesh) (is this the kind of confusion to be now expected from graduates of "ivy league" schools? Or am i missing something?)

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 10 replies

MYSTICSM

2007-11-30T22:00:47Z

COMMONALITY AMONGST THE WORLD'S MYSTICS:

If you study the life of past mystics you'll find they share several things in common:

First, they all speak of an induction – or of a need to learn/realize a new level of understanding. They all speak of a fundamental shift in consciousness (be it called awakening, realization, divination, or being born again).

Second they all tell of making a journey into and through a despair process of being “undone” as the precursor to this fundamental shift in consciousness -- be it through experiencing 40 days and nights in the wilderness, starving under the boddhi tree, facing the dark night of the soul, or the hero’s journey. There is a Journey of metamorphosis that all mystics have undergone in some way.

Third, it is an inner journey that must be taken up and navigated alone. This is a hallmark of the mystic’s realization: The reason the journey must be alone is because that which must be faced, seen, and surrendered in order that something new can emerge, is only possible through sustaining the fear and despair process of being alone and meeting the ultimate and fundamental fear of “non-being” and annihilation.

Fourth, they all seem to realize the frustration of being misunderstood by those who have not yet been through the awakening journey -- “those who have ears to hear, let him hear.” A great deal of the mystical writings are devoted almost exclusively to the fact that fundamental spiritual truth cannot be understood by the intellect nor correctly put into words. Forever, the great spiritual teachers have tried through the insufficiency of words to point toward that which can ever and only be experienced and known on a level that is before and beyond the mind. This is something unfathomable to those who have not yet had this breakthrough revelation - and particularly so in our contemporary culture that has become so overly reliant and blinded by the limiting paradigm of the scientific method that forever reduces our understanding of intelligence to that which is sensory, measurable and linear in nature. (...Life isn't (only or always) linear .. In fact it rarely is, except in man-made constructions and habituated uses of the mind.)tHE CRYSTAL SKULLS

Please join us at this forum
http://groups.msn.com/TheInternationalMysticalOrderofKnightTemplars/_whatsnew.msnw

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Arresting Indigenous People on the Border

2007-11-21T16:19:56Z

Arresting Indigenous People on the Border

By BRENDA NORRELL

THE GATE, TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION (Arizona)

Indigenous delegates to the border on Tohono O'odham Nation land were
outraged by the federal agents, hovering customs helicopter,
profiteering contractors, federal spy tower, federal "cage" detention
center and watching the arrest of a group of Indigenous Peoples,
mostly women and children, by the US Border Patrol on an Indian
Nation.

"We saw it all firsthand in America," said Bill Means, Lakota and
cofounder of the International Indian Treaty Council on Nov. 8, when
an Indigenous delegation went to the US/Mexico border here, south of
Sells, to document human rights abuses for a report to the United
Nations.

"Now we are going to take this wall down," Means said, after viewing
the construction of a border vehicle barrier by contractors and
National Guard on Tohono O'odham land.

Speaking a few hours later to the Indigenous Peoples Border Summit of
the Americas II in San Xavier, Means called for solidarity of
Indigenous Peoples throughout the world to halt the arrests of
Indigenous Peoples who are walking north in search of a better life,
and solidarity to bring down the US/Mexico border wall.

"One inch of intrusion into our land is not acceptable!" Mohawk Mark
Maracle told the Border Summit. "I became very angry when I saw those
guys rounding up our people.

"It is a violation of our Great Law to witness what we did today and
do nothing about it."

The delegation included Mohawks, Oneida, Navajo, Acoma Pueblo, Hopi
and O'odham.

Near the border, at the scene of the arrests of a group of Indigenous
Peoples, Mohawks stood before US Border Patrol agents and held their
fists high in solidarity, as the Border Patrol packed nearly a dozen
Indigenous Peoples into one vehicle.

The delegation also viewed the federal spy tower next to Homeland
Security's migrant detention center known as "the cage" on the Tohono
O'odham Nation. The first stop, however, was the abomination of the
new vehicle barrier wall being constructed on O'odham land.

Kahentinetha Horn of the Mohawk Women Title Holders said she saw the
callousness of the Tohono O'odham district official standing before
them and speaking in favor of the border barrier.

"This is completely illegal," Kahentinetha said, adding that it
violates human rights legislation. Kahentinetha was outraged at the
arrests of the group of Indigenous Peoples, who appeared to be Mayans
from Oaxaca, Chiapas or Guatemala.

"We stood in front of the Border Patrol, we started yelling at them,"

Kahentinetha told the Indigenous Border Summit. She described how the
Mohawks stood with fists held high in solidarity with the Indigenous
Peoples being arrested earlier in the day.

"We were passing some of our strength on to them to fight."

The Indigenous delegation documenting the abuses planned to intervene
in the arrests, but the Border Patrol crowded the group into a vehicle
and left quickly.

"I came away feeling very frustrated and very discouraged,"

Kahentinetha said.

Mohawk warrior Rarahkwisere, among those heartbroken to see the arrest
of fellow Indigenous Peoples on Indian land, said these brothers and
sisters of the people were not drug runners or criminals, these were
women and children walking in search of a better life.

Jay Johnson Castro of Del Rio Texas, leading protests against the
imprisonment of migrant children at Hutto prison in Texas and the
border wall in Texas, was in the delegation.

"I hear 'sovereign nation,' but I didn't see a sovereign nation."

Castro said the buildings near the border on the Tohono O'odham Nation
are labeled with signs, "Homeland Security and Tohono O'odham Nation,
like they are in partnership."

Maracle said the same atrocities that the United States government is
now accusing migrants of doing, is what the invaders did when they
arrived on Turtle Island: rape, robbery and murder.

"If you don't stop and grab hold of your destiny, there is not going
to be one for your children." Maracle said all the nations need to
come together and stop what is happening here. "I know from past
experience with the Mohawk Warrior Society where our power lies, it is
with the people. The power is in the people, don't ever forget that."

Chris George, Oneida from Canada, said, "When the Border Patrol came
up, they thought we were the enemy," relaying how the Border Patrol
asked the summit delegation who authorized this delegation to be at
the border.

"No one authorizes us to do anything. It was the Creator who took us there.

"They were packing, we were packing, too, with a good mind and a good heart."

"All of the Indigenous Peoples need to come together. Don't let the
United States government tell you who you are. We know who we are. We
are Haudenosaunee, People of the Longhouse."

Lenny Foster, Dine' (Navajo) and advocate for Native ceremonial rights
for inmates, said what he witnessed at the border was "brutal, vicious
and evil."

Foster said Dine' know that all human beings all have five fingers,
but what he witnessed within the district official and federal agents
was no internal recognition of being five-fingered people.

"They were robots."

Referring to the Tohono O'odham district official who led the tour,
Foster said she was defending the policies of genocide.

Foster asked who is setting these policies in the United States. "Who
is running the government? It is the white man, it surely isn't the
people of color."

Describing how the Indigenous Peoples were arrested and rushed into a
small vehicle, Foster said, "It reminded me of Gallup, N.M., and how
they round up our people, stack them up like stacks of wood."

Foster was at this same place, a dirt path leading to Mexico known as
The Gate, years ago when the American Indian Movement protested the
violation of human rights here. Foster pointed out that during this
day, he viewed the heavy buildup of police and agents. There were
police from the BIA, Tohono O'odham Nation, along with US Border
Patrol and Immigration and Customs agents. The National Guard were
also there, working with the contractor constructing the border
vehicle barrier, while a white customs' helicopter hovered overhead.

At the same time, on the Mexico side, two men sat under a tree.

An attorney for the O'odham in Mexico was prevented from crossing into
the United States on Tohono O'odham land by the US Border Patrol, even
though he held a letter from Tohono O'odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris
requesting him to come and meet with him today.

In the letter, Chairman Norris stated that the attorney could enter
the Nation for the meeting by way of The Gate here.

However, the Border Patrol officer at the scene refused to allow the
attorney to enter, even with a letter from the chairman. Over-ruling
Chairman Norris on Tohono O'odham land, the US Border Patrol agent
said the attorney must have a US visa to enter, and not just a letter
from Chairman Norris. The attorney waited there, with a Tarahumara
accompanying him who held a US visa.

Foster pointed out that the Mexican federales or police, who arrived
on the other side, could do anything with the two people left there.

"They could even be torturing them now."

Means also pointed out that the delegation was "tailed" or followed
from the tribal capitol of Sells. Means also said that the Berlin Wall
had come down, but now there are other walls to divide the people,
including the wall between Israel and Palestine.

At the border wall construction at The Gate, Means said one of the
workers told them, "The Israelis are helping us put up the fence."

At the US/Mexico border, border wall contractor Boeing has hired a
subcontractor Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense contractor, who
participated in constructing security at the Apartheid Wall in
Palestine.

Speaking of what is happening in the United States now, Means said the
"gated communities" of the United States have now expanded into a
"gated country." It is a country where the government welcomes the
rich. The Indigenous Border Summit witnessed what the United States
does to Indigenous Peoples.

Means quoted Black Hawk of the Sac and Fox Nation: "Why is it you
Americans always take with a gun what you could have with love. We
experienced America today."

Brenda Norrell is human rights editor for U.N. OBSERVER &
International Report. She also runs the Censored website. She can be
reached at: brendanorrell@gmail.com

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 1 reply

response to "myth of primitive harmony"

2007-11-14T00:45:30Z

Thought i'd ask around if there's any reviews you know of of this book, since it's been touted as a somewhat liberal (?) (re: UCLA professor) and "highly respected" book that supposedly blows the lid on "primitive" harmony.

The book:
Sick Socieites: Challenging the Myth of Primitive Harmony
by Robert B. Edgerton

Here's the reply i gave to the challenger without even reading such a book:

When things are touted as "highly respected" my red flags always crop up. Anything that is "highly respected" in an age where forceful colonization (as well as thought control of all stripes) is THE approach to our collective minds --and in the most rigid ways-- should inspire any thoughtful person to ask significant questions and compare in thought-provoking ways.

Your push to veritably "get with the program" (re: "sort of out of the ...loop") strikes me as a bullshit way to coerce conformity!

While there's a germ of truth to the reality that tenure can sometimes be problematic (i.e. the old nazis who hold to the idea of jewish subhmanity), and the truth that Marxism is full of holes, your little joust here only serves to obfuscate/fog matters. Not surprising, given how pivotal it is in this thought control-oriented society, to keep folks on "the proper track" as it's called.

Given the truth that anthropology, as a state-subordinated 'discipline' (where the leading voices are lop-sidedly financed and allowed privileges and "respectable" positions when it truly counts --i.e. when scientifically attacked folks stand a chance of setting a long-believed supposition on its head --whilst the despised challengers must work from a comparitively pauper-esque and "disreptuable" situation) doesn't really live up to its stated claims of "scientific objectivity", and given the consistent record that the "science" of anthropology has a long history of imperialistc-style arrogance in racist and other bigoted terms, I think it's clear that it's *high time* we not so easily trust these so-called "reputable" and "worthy" institutions, "peer reviewed" or not.

Let's not forget, that every racist and bigoted view from yesteryear was also "peer reviewed" and "highly respected" in their time.

Now, if you *really* want to *get to the grist* of bigoted, imperialistic mind, take a read of Paul Feyerabend's _Against Method_ where he demystifies and exposes *science itself* as a fraudulent game of smoke and mirrors.

What all this comes down to is that the truly "maladaptive" cultures are those which use all kinds of fraud, cammoflauge, and force to get their way. That "civilization" itself can even come up with such terms, and even has words and a long, systematic history of such terms, tells more about "us" than anyone else!

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 1 reply

Aboriginal Wellbriety Month

2007-10-26T02:17:08Z

Indigenous Australia

The Howard Federal Government in Australia currently refuses to apologize to Aboriginal people for the injustices of the Stolen Generations. Many people wear the Indigenous colors to show they support an apology. Torres Strait Islander colors are on the left, and Aboriginal colors to the right.

Our Aboriginal brothers and sisters in Australia experience some of the same sobriety, recovery and wellness issues as do Native People in Turtle Island. Many Aboriginal Australians are working hard to get clear of alcohol and other drug use, as well as family violence. They are also working towards education, just as Indigenous people are here. Aboriginal Australian children were forced into “homes,” most never to see their families again or even know who their parents were. These are the Stolen Generations. The closest words we have to this is “boarding or residential schools.” Have you seen the film The Rabbit Proof Fence, which is all about the Australian Stolen Generations?

Aboriginal people in Australia have traditional teachings and practices, as do North American Native people. Dadirri or Deep Listening is one of those spiritual understandings that Indigenous people everywhere will recognize. This short writing that follows is by an Aboriginal woman by the name of Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann. Miriam is a traditional Ngangiwumirr woman from Daly River in the Northern territory of Australia, not far from the city of Darwin and the coast of the Timor Sea. She is an artist and Principal of the school in the small community of Daly River. The Indigenous issues in Australia are so similar to those everywhere in the world. When we hear in deep listening we experience some of what connects us.

Richard Simonelli, Editor

Daly River Country
Northern Territory Australia.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dadirri: Listening to one another
Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann

Dadirri. A special quality, a unique gift of the Aboriginal people, is inner deep listening and quiet still awareness. Dadirri recognises the deep spring that is inside us. It is something like what you call contemplation.

The contemplative way of Dadirri spreads over our whole life. It renews us and brings us peace. It makes us feel whole again. In our Aboriginal way we learnt to listen from our earliest times. We could not live good and useful lives unless we listened.

We are not threatened by silence. We are completely at home in it. Our Aboriginal way has taught us to be still and wait. We do not try to hurry things up. We let them follow their natural course - like the seasons. We watch the moon in each of its phases. We wait for the rain to fill our rivers and water the thirsty earth. When twilight comes we prepare for the night. At dawn we rise with the sun. We watch the bush foods and wait for them to open before we gather them. We wait for our young people as they grow, stage by stage through their initiation ceremonies. When a relation dies we wait for a long time with the sorrow. We own our grief and allow it to heal slowly. We wait for the right time for our ceremonies and meetings. The right people must be present. Careful preparations must be made. We don't mind waiting because we want things to be done with care. Sometimes many hours will be spent on painting the body before an important ceremony.

We don't worry. We know that in time and in the spirit of Dadirri (that deep listening and quiet stillness) the way will be made clear.

We are like the tree standing in the middle of a bushfire sweeping through the timber. The leaves are scorched and the tough bark is scarred and burnt, but inside the tree the sap is still flowing and under the ground the roots are still strong. Like that tree we have endured the flames and we still have the power to be re-born.

Our people are used to the struggle and the long waiting. We still wait for the white people to understand us better. We ourselves have spent many years learning about the white man's ways; we have learnt to speak the white man's language; we have listened to what he had to say. This learning and listening should go both ways. We are hoping people will come closer. We keep on longing for the things that we have always hoped for, respect and understanding.

We know that our white brothers and sisters carry their own particular burdens. We believe that if they let us come to them, if they open up their minds and hearts to us, we may lighten their burdens. There is a struggle for us but we have not lost our spirit of Dadirri.

There are deep springs within each one of us. Within this deep spring, which is the very spirit, is a sound. The sound of Deep calling to Deep. The time for rebirth is now. If our culture is alive and strong and respected it will grow. It will not die and our spirit will not die. I believe the spirit of Dadirri that we have to offer will blossom and grow, not just within ourselves but in our whole nation.

Edited version adapted from the writings of © Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann

Miriam-Rose Baumann is the Principal of St Francis Xavier School in the Nauiyu Aboriginal Community at Daly River in the Northern Territory.

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 1 reply

How do you think the tribes were fooled by the feds?

2007-10-26T01:40:31Z

Perhaps i am "way out of line" for even asking this, but i was thinking, hey, i'm going headlong into the unknown constantly, why not "up the ante" (when it's upped on us)? So why not try to initiate conversations which may truly inspire ...oooh, but such is not allowed...right... But, what if i just kept channeling and ...heh... i'll shut up now.

NO!

But seriously, couldn't conversations be made where we discuss how various levels of authorities were manipulated in such a way (perhaps often without their comprehension) as to allow for the continuance of politics to trick and continue to take away?

Here or wherever! (and i need not be involved!) (of course?)
}((ah, but i'm involved *now*!))
}(((spirit sings thru me,and i try to keep up, articulating as best as i can, okay)))
WoW, what a path this iz!

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Heard of Redwire magazine? Online archive is VERY deep!

2007-09-16T23:50:44Z

Thought i'd post this link, a VERY deep consciousness going on for some years now in "British Columbia", canada. Check out their archive, especially!

www.redwiremag.com (Redwire magazine is for Native Youth, especially, but all may read!)

A goOd one for any young folks out there (and elders too) who ain't beaten down fully!

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Depth-questions for depth chargers::re: indigenous pathways towards action and freedom

2007-09-16T22:14:59Z

A-hey, all my relations!

The following comments come from pages 32, 35-38 of _Wasase: indigenous pathways of action and freedom_ by Taiaiake Alfred a Kanienkeha (Mohawk) depth-charger, (published 2005 by broadview press). The book is an articulation of the idea of *decolonizing* ourselves (with an emphasis on indigenous folks in canada) from the mentality that colonizes indigenous peoples globally, both in exterior and interior ways. Tho Taiaiake doesn't go much into the idea of *settlers* (or long-colonized indigenous folks originally from other portions of Mom Earth) also taking up these ways of seeing and being, he does touch on the idea here and there, and keeps doors open to all whom are moved to participate.

To Note:
i want to share these in case anyone may be inclined to such a discussion, or want to be possibly inspired in their own inclined paths of resistance. You can hear Taiaiake speak on his website videos and read various indigenous, resurgent-oriented depth speakings here: www.wasase.org Notably i am *not* indigenous (to this side of mOm Earth), yet i feel a deep comradery with folks who speak their hearts, and practice decolonizing ways; a way i myself am practicing (to mostly isolated extents, so far) and finding meaning where meaning has seemed nonexistent.

Feel free to join in and point out what you may see as any blindspots in my thinking!

Taiaiake (herein called "You") said, page 32:
"European languages, [Leroy Little Bear] explains, centre on nouns and are concerned with naming things, ascribing traits, and making judgements."
--
i note how such facilitates the machinery of colonization, how such reflects the fundamentally "in formation" society, the chain-of-command/hierarchical structure that keeps the bottom line (which most of we settlers practice ignoring and denying until we cannot avoid it any longer).

You said, page 35:
If non-indigenous readers are capable of listening...
--
i say we usually stumble upon such due to the pervasiveness of thought control not only from the state/business nexus, but also vanguard control desires of those engaged in so-called "alternative" political endeavors.

You said:
Onkwehonwe have always fought for survival against imperialism and its drive to annihilate our existence.
--
i figure you're speaking of indigenous people, generally, so i want to add that *so do we settlers*! We have always fought, except our fighting has largely, in my view, been atomized and unarticulated, drawing on intuitive rebellion rather than radical consciousness. We no longer have the memories you have, yet everywhere kids "rebell" and are thus labeled "attention deficit disordered" or "oppositional defiant disordered" (re: via the DSM IV, *the* oft quite unscientific psychiatrick bible); and everywhere workers get drunk out of their minds; and so on.

You speak of "self-termination" movement, page 36
--
Is this a formal movement, or informal? i know of various indigenous friends who are caught up in this informally (so it seems to me). It sounds pervasive in a formal way in canada...is there evidence of this formality elsewhere? Can you give me any examples i can look into?

You mention "...the Settlers...", page 37:
Why not articulate/demystify further and better say what you mean, at least sometimes? Like: *the formalized formation* we are tooled and manipulated into participating, or otherwise going along with, while our settler politics systematically *DOES NOT* pay any attention to these things (and R.D. Laing's idea called "the meta game" continues unabated).

Am i making sense to you here at all? i'm wanting to identify and at the same time demystify the situation, and bring out the truth that we settlers are *more* than this categorization; by saying that, by allowing for grey areas in the language used, more of us may (?) feel free to speak our privated-away "opinions" and avoid the familiar habit to entrench ourselves in "settler" identities.

Do you see what i'm getting at here?

You say, page 37:
"...I am with the warriors who want to beat the beast...and teach it to behave."
--
Me, i wanna radically "kiss"/massage and art it (when i'm forced to experience it, that is), as an enchanted "prince" of radicalized, non-passive, depth peace, and turn it from its present form and back into its original heart (re: kidhood heart, before the FEAR enfortressed entrenched beliefs). (recall the euro story of "the frog prince")

You say, page 37:
"It is because [young people's] identities, their cultures, and their rights are under attack by a racist government."
--
Why not attempt to demystify this more deeply? Because i see (and i recall you also saying, later in the book) that racism is only one card played in *the severely alienated mentality of statecraft*. Why not say something like this? (i figure you're trying to reach out to those whom have been so mobilized around that word, yet still, don't you think it makes more sense to more deeply demystify?)

You said, page 38:
"Some people may find it shocking and absurd for me to suggest that an Onkwehonwe community is a kind of war zone. But anyone who has actually lived on a reserve will agree with this tragic analogy on some level."
--
i see varying levels of war truths (i.e. usually covert, such as deployed via the social "sciences") THROUGHOUT "civilized" societies across the spectrum!!

Shall i back this "shocking and absurd" notion up for you, or do you already see what i'm saying?

And i want to say that i think this is a way to speak to we settlers! And find our commonalities!

Well, i'll stop for now (okay with you if i go chapter by chapter, and keep things short?).

to radical's radical sanity!
cosmic-ly crazy mutt
www.angelfire.com/folk/magixnartz/flouggindex.html

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

how do i know?

2007-09-01T22:37:13Z

i was told by a great uncle from south dakota that there was blackfoot in our blood...
there has always been a resonance within me with native wisdom... and an increasing desire to know more...
but the family tree has all but died. my people in the dakotas are no more, and the grandmother, the last of her generation, just died this last week...
i seek to reconnect... but dont know how, or even if i am entitiled...

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

EMERGENCY POST: HAUNTED CHILD - TIM CAFFREY

2007-08-25T07:25:26Z

THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN POSTED AT HUMAN RIGHTS IN ACTION (GOOGLE GROUPS), VARIOUS TRIBE SITES, EFx2, FACE BOOK, MY SPACE, YAHOO, MS LIVE & BLOGGAR, ETC. I WRITE UNDER A COMMON CONTENTS LICENSE SO AS LONG AS YOU DON'T EDIT IT OR FORGET TO CREDIT THE AUTHOR PLEASE FEEL FREE TO POST THIS ANYWHERE YOU FEEL IT WILL HELP TIM CAFFREY. OH BOTHER IT! JUST DON'T EDIT IT FORGET MY NAME IF YOU WANT! emch

King George, VA

Achairde All:

Well, I survived the first half of the trip and it was just about as pleasant as one could imagine it to be. However, I have hoisted the EMERGENCY Flag because there is a man in South Dakota who is in dire need of our help. By that I mean a concentrated effort and not merely reading this and saying how horrible it is and moving on. I have placed this is its entirety so you can read it for yourselves. I have been in touch with Arnie Berkeland and Arnold Miller who is Governor Rounds Aide when it comes to Clemency & Pardons. I have obtained two experts willing to donate their time- one in Bi-racial Adoptions and the other is a Guardian Ad Litem Attorney who has worked on similar cases. Right now I am attempting to find a Psychiatrist or Psychologist who has the expertise in PTSD and Child Abuse we need to complete our efforts. The Oglala Sioux Nation passed a Resolution in Tim's favor on Friday, August 10th and when I spoke with Mr. Berkeland this past Monday, August 13th, he advised that a very respected retired Politician has also agreed to speak to the Governor on Tim's behalf.

Modblog refugees will remember the flaming I took when I reported an abused child to the Norman, OK Police Department after I read her postings at her Blog. I and some of my friends in Human Rights & Children's Rights work offered her our help and her answer was to take her pages down and pretend that she was just mad at her Mom. Folks, I appreciate a good vent as much as the next woman but I DO know the difference and so did the Norman Police because I took the precaution of printing out those pages BEFORE she could delete them. The result was that she and her mother received the help they needed. The saddest thing about Tim Caffrey is that a whole cadre of Adults KNEW about his abuse and NO ONE- NOT EVEN THEIR MINISTER AND HIS WIFE DID ANYTHING CONCRETE TO HELP HIM. When the Norman Detective asked why I had "bothered' to report the case my response was simply, 'IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO."

Tim Caffrey was originally charged with Murder One and it was changed to Manslaughter One when the Judge refused the charge. In every other state he would have received a maximum of 40 to 45 years. Done, on average, a third of that sentence or 14 years and been Paroled. He received Life WITHOUT Parole and has been incarcerated for twenty-seven years. Of course he didn't exactly get the most objective of trials. Everyday we read about some sexual predator who got twenty-five to Life and is out in five. Don't believe me? Check out your state's Sexual Offender List. The one that is supposed to let you know where they are so you can protect your kids. Since a large majority of them seem to want to move Florida I check the FDLE List once a month. There is a man who just moved in directly across from me who is not only listed as a Registered Sex Offender in big bold red letters it says:

THIS MAN IS ALSO REGISTERED AS A VIOLENT SEXUAL PREDATOR

NOW there is a comforting thought now isn't it? In his entire 'career' he has done less than a third of time that Tim Caffrey has done. We need to change that and we need your help to do it. I KNOW that I can count on you to do the right thing because we have made a difference on other issues. Jeb Bush may not be governor anymore but you can be he remembers the 11 days we shut his email down. 0;-) We can do it again- so please spread the word.

Keep the Faith mo Charan!

Slan leat,
Elaine
AKA Cabin Fever
CABIN FEVER ONLINE

PICTURE OF ABUSED CHILD CONTINUES TO HAUNT WOMAN

By Betty Adams Aitchison

Caldwell, Idaho

Published: August 7, 2007 - ARGUS

I am a voice from the faraway past of Timothy Sean Caffrey. I am Betty Adams Aitchison, whose husband pastored the little Faith Missionary Church in Martin, S.D., for 10 years. This was in the mid-1960s and 70s. The Bill and Olive Caffrey family attended our church. I knew them well.

Tim Caffrey is an Oglala Sioux, adopted by the Caffreys when he was less than a year old. I was a part of Tim's formative years. I taught him in Sunday School and vacation Bible school.

Bill Caffrey was a politically powerful man as South Dakota regional director of health and welfare. He also was an abusive alcoholic. I witnessed some of the abuse of Tim and tried to intervene but to no avail.

One particular incident has continued to haunt me through the years. It is a picture of a little 14-year-old Sioux Indian boy, sitting in the living room of Bill and Olive Caffrey's home, being disciplined for sharing marijuana with a friend.

I was living in Idaho at the time but visiting Martin. Olive asked me to basically act as a mediator when they addressed this issue.

Olive began the questioning. I still remember exactly how we were all seated. I was on the couch. Olive was across the room to my left, Tim, to my right, and Bill, pacing the floor. Olive asked Tim where he had gotten the marijuana, and Tim reluctantly told her. She asked, "Why didn't you just say 'no' and tell us what had happened?"

Tim replied, "I made a mistake, and I'm sorry."

At this point, Bill stomped toward Tim. "You made a mistake. We are the ones who made the mistake. The biggest mistake we ever made was when we adopted you, you stupid Indian," Bill said, cuffing Tim on the head.

Tim burst into convulsive sobs, and Bill walked away.

I got up from my seat and went to Tim. I said, "Timmie, you are a good boy who did a bad thing. You are not a stupid Indian. You are a brilliant boy with a right and powerful heritage."

Bill Caffrey was an overbearing, abusive alcoholic who often inflicted physical and emotional abuse on Tim. Olive worked at the Gordon hospital, 50 miles away, and left home at 2 p.m., not returning until after midnight, leaving Tim at the mercy of Bill's drunken outbursts and hostilities.

I have never, nor do I now, condone Tim's handling of this situation. However, almost 27 years have passed since I sat through the trial of a 17-year-old Indian boy, tried as an adult, by a white judge, 12 white jurors and a white attorney, and I heard the sentence of life without parole.

There is no question that the boy acted wrongfully when he shot and killed his adoptive father. However, many years of agonizing remorse have made Tim the man he is today. He is a well-rounded, gentle man who has worked hard to prepare himself for life outside the prison walls. He has mastered the art of welding and continues his education as much as is available to him.

Tim has a very strong support group. It is headed by Arnie Berkeland, a Sioux Falls businessman, who has visited Tim more than 1,200 times in the past 27 years. Tim will be provided with good employment and housing as well as spiritual and emotional support.

I urge you to please write Gov. Mike Rounds, asking him to sign the unanimous recommendation of the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Tim's sentence from life to time served. This is the third time the board has voted to reduce Tim's sentence.

Tim was never a 'murderer.' He was an abused child, pressed beyond measure and made a terrible mistake in dealing with his abuser. For this, I feel he has paid sufficiently.

White men charged with the same crime are walking free today. Please work for 'equal justice' in this case. -30-

Timothy S. Caffrey # 20483
S.D.S.P. Box 5911
Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5911 USA

Date of birth: May 28-1963
Nation/tribal affiliation: Oglala Sioux
Release date: none

I would like a pen pal that would increase my intelligence based upon what
I've written. No gossip, no complaining, just learning and expanding.
Thank you!

Listening To: WALELA - TELL THEM THAT THEY LIE
I'm Feeling: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
Tags: abuse, bigotry, child, injustice, native, american and petition

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 2 replies

Salutations From The Far Side Of Sanity

2007-08-13T23:19:17Z

Hmmmmmmmmmm, let me see.

I'm a American Indian Film Maker/writer. Maybe some of you heard some of my ramblings on other sites ot published works. I'm that Injun with an attitude who does news items from all around the First Nation. I seek out news items that don't get proper exposiure from the main stream media. I have an international viewership and can spread the word regardless of what the main stream media wants to release.

As far as the supernatural, I simply call it the medicine since within my culture we don't disect all the goings on within the spirit world so I don't respond to all the techno ga ga that most people use when describing paranormal events. I don't do UFO, Ghosts, magic or parlor games with my medicine. Nothing is imposible within the confines of the spirit world, it's all medicine simple as that. Seeing and talking with spirits as well as dealing with pinhead spirits is the norm with Native communities anyway, so whats the hoopa all about anyway.

I don't use devices such as crystals, cards, or any other props to do my medicine. Cheyenne way does not use nor utilize any 20th century devices to perform our healing medicine or fighting evil. We never had printing presses for spirit cards or machines to gleen perfect crystals and we don't believe in incantations or spells. Cheyenne way is to Walk with Sweet Medicine, to have complete faith in the Creator and to never side step or superceed the Creators wishes. That is, we don't tell everything we see since it's not our place to be fortune tellers. Only after we ask the Creator do we ever mention what we see. And in many cases, we have to simply bit our tougnes. Why, well we begin and end cycles all the time and within these cycles are lessons. Some lessons are very stark indeed since people are so stubborn. Sometimes people have to learn the hard way in order to completely understand their lessons. If you act like a fortune teller and spill the beans. The person will never learn the lesson or simply have to go through the process again.

The time of change or the humbling times? Yup it's very real, it's been told from camp fire to camp fire since the last Ice Age and well it's back like the old buzzards said. The only way to prepare for this event is within your heart. Ma Earth is pissed since she is having her season and she is in the process of cleansing all that causes her disconfort. There is no free ride and everyone needs to seek out their spirituality and to realize which spirits are cool and which ones that are not so cool. After all you need to be able to distinguish between good and bad so you can heed any warnings. Sort of like Moses and Egypt. If he did not know to verify if a spirit was good or bad, he would never have gotten the message to smear the lambs blood at all the doorways to keep death at bay. That was the real lesson in that story eh.

But by the same token, I respect the ways of others but I don't mix my medicine and stick to my traditional ways and not that of the 20th century or any Euro idologys, I'm strictly Cheyenne and walk the ways of my people.

Anyway, that's my schpeel on all this...........

See you in the funny papers eh.

Buffalohair

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 2 replies

Governor and Red Cross Lie About Conditions On Paiute Reservation

2007-07-24T00:49:21Z

TO THE CHAGRIN OF THE PAIUTE NATION, THE GOVERNOR AND THE RED CROSS SAYS "ALL IS NICE AND NO NEED TO HAVE CONCERN SINCE EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL.

Sadly this is a bold face lie since I personally have been in constant communications with representitives of this proud nation. To re-enforce this position the Paiute Nation has started a fund for the stricken people of this region since, well no one from the Red Cross or the Emergency Services of Nevada will act. The Red Cross claims that all is well. LIE LIE LIE.

Here is the latest posting from this stricken nation as of 4:47 MST and judge for yourself

ARE WE BEING SERVED???

The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes has a set up a bank account
for those organizations or persons that would like to
donate. This is to help the tribe overcome what has
become a heart ache to most of the people on the
Reservation. Thanks again.

Account information:
Great Basin Bank (775)748-4431
Elko, Nevada 89801
Attn: Angie Thomas

Wells Fargo Bank
Attn: Emergency Fund

For contact info for Shoshone-Paiute Tribes
Headquarters: (775)757-3211, Press "0" for operator.
Tribal Chairman: Kyle Prior
Tribal Vice Chairman: Robert Bear
Tribal Advisor: Herman Atkins
Emergency Relief Info.(775)757-2922
These personal can assist in all ways.

So tell me, if all is well then why are they in dire need of assistance??

Oh my, I hear Gary Owen in the back ground.

Your Devil's Advocate
Buffalohair

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

GRAVE NEWS FROM THE FIRE STRICKEN DUCK VALLEY INDIAN RESERVATION IN NEVADA

2007-07-23T06:29:07Z

There is a dire emergency at the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Owyhee Nevada. It’s a very isolated reservation on the Nevada/Idaho border. One of the many fires that have been burning out of control in the west devastated this little village and people are suffering without water and electricity for 5 day now with no relief in sight. Food is going bad since there is no electricity since all the power poles are burned to a crisp. The elderly and the children are taking a direct hit as water supplies dwindle and food is in short supply. Since there is no power the heat is taking its toll and there is human suffering since there has been no aid. If ever there was a time for The People to pull together it’s now.

So give these people a chance to survive in this blistering heat. Give them a call and see what you can do. These are our brothers and sister who are literally baking in the hot Nevada sun. If nothing is done like soon, there will be fatalities as the elderly will soon expire from the heat and the lack of water.

This is a human tragedy in the making and they need help now. Do you think the feds will help them? Well it’s been 5 days now and do the math. Lives will soon be lost if help does not get there soon. Please, Please contact do your bit for our relations………….

Contact info: Shoshone-Paiute Tribes
Sho-Pai Fire Station
1935 FireLane PO Box 219 89832
(775)757-2473
Ask for Brent Hunter, or you may contact me here in Elko,NV, Si Thomas 775-777-7739

Hu Ho

Buffalohair

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Standing Silent Nation

2007-07-20T19:53:45Z

I highly recommend this PBS documentary called "Standing Silent Nation" about the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota and their ongoing fight with the U.S. government for survival. Here's a descriptive excerpt:

----------------------------------
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2007/standing/about.html

....the Oglala Sioux Tribe passed an ordinance in 1998 allowing the cultivation of low-THC (industrial grade) hemp on the reservation, which they distinguished from higher-THC marijuana. In April 2000, the White Plumes planted their first crop. In a surprise attack at 6 a.m. on August 24, 2000, federal agents, armed with guns and weed whackers, chopped the plants down in the same manner they would use to eradicate marijuana. This event, and others that followed, raise a number of questions: Why did the government wait for the first crop to reach maturity before acting? Why did FBI and DEA agents raid the fields at daybreak with an array of armor and guns? Why have they continued to raid the White Plumes' land, even when the hemp grew back of its own accord, and to bring charges that could put Alex in prison for as long as 10 years? What lies behind the government's persistent objection to hemp?

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 2 replies

activating our intelligence

2007-06-14T10:51:22Z

There have been deep words from core-riors about resurgence, about traditional/intuitive consciousness resurgence. Perhaps you could use input from an Onkwehonwe and a Lakota?

The resurgence of the intuitive ancient within us all. To decolonize your mind-set, to inspire your imagination beyond the pale of same old again. To activate our dared imagination and begin going into the "heavenish" (great spirit) you want.

This is an honoring to a poet by the name of Antler....

and to all of the solemn dear deer people! And the Antelope who looked out through a wire fence in "colorado" and spoke to all who might listen....

Listen to words about resurgence by Okwehonwe core-rior:

http://web.uvic.ca/~gta/taiaiake/writing.htm

and don't forget to hear from a more experienced Lakota wisdom keeper:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2005/04/06/17316871.php

How to respond with our intelligence, with our cruciaL ability, to severe alienation all around? Perhaps even to INTENSE alienation. How to intervene?

Of course you realize the value.

Do we intervene in the ways we have been conditioned? In the ways we have been encouraged by war-mind cult-ure? Or do we experiment with and add on to what others have been creating?

There are many ways, up to our imaginations, to respond. Some of you may realize the value of "arting yourself" --in order to "get in touch with" designing our lives so that we activate the "heavenish" we'd like to see on mOm eArtH

If this interests you, then challenge your imagination. Go into your fears. Explore, take chances, experiment, make mistakes.

We are *all* descendants of tribes. We have been reduced into all of these identities and beliefs that others have ordered us to uncritically accept. We can wake up to our power to accept or not accept, or find grey areas in between. We can wake up to our power to envision and become, not allowing any political correct conception, or other colonized chain-of-command way of being and seeing to artificially hold us back.

You may wish to respect others, good. What of *radically respecting* by able-ing your heart, your great spirit, your connections to mOm eArtH, your wisdom, your deep seeing (i.e. reaching through the pain to the heart of alienated, flailing folks), your living high on life?!

some insights into what i have been up to
www.angelfire.com/folk/magixnartz/flouggindex.html

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 1 reply

"Flight"

2007-05-14T12:17:11Z

The new book by Sherman Alexie. I just read this...wow, intense. It's wonderful and horrible. Brutally honest, nauseating, inspiring and a bit funny. It was an easy read, 181 pages, and a unique "Questions for Discussion" section at the end. I thought it was great.

Has anyone else read this yet?

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies

Alfred L. Smith

2007-04-22T05:17:33Z

In this group, has any one ever met Al Smith, or know of him and what he has contributed to the Native American Church?

I spent some time with him last week; he has a strong spirit. However, due to his age, his memory is not always so good. It might make him feel good to have something that he can read that would show him how he has helped so many people through the Native American Church.

Maybe you could share some personal testimonies about yourself or others you know of who have changed their lives or had helpful or memorable experiences through having the opportunity to partake of the sacrament in the Native American Church.

posted in NativeAmerican(theRealDeal) - 0 replies