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Subject:
[frostysamerindian] Warriors of the Midnight Ride, a challange to commitment
From: "Jean" <jeannie930@yahoo.com>
Date:
Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:35:28 -0000
To: frostysamerindian@yahoogroups.com
Warriors of the Midnight Ride
Warriors ride on midnight skies,
Ghostly images they do make as they fly.
Tear drops fall from ones so high,
They are the ancestors that do create
The shimmering stars that mark their fate.
They are the ones that rode before,
Still suffering thru their crying times.
It is they who proudly died, gave their all,
Defending family and way of life.
Listen to the scream of the Eagle,
The whistle of the Hawk,
The cawing of the Crow,
For in these great and noble birds,
Live the ancestors' heart and soul.
`Tis the mighty Geronimo
That still weeps the tears of black,
Still falling at his feet.
It was Crazy Horse that gave the fateful call
T'was Sitting Bull and Gall that saw it all.
Now 500 years have pasted!!
Is there safety, freedom and peace at last?
We are the seventh generation they do say.
What will be our fate today?
Are there still enough to fight,
For what is ours for what is right?
Or is it just the ghostly figures that still ride,
On midnight skies, shimmering black?
Will the Indian of today
Find the freedom foretold then?
When does the promised seventh generation begin?
Cherokee roses and Apache tears mark the trials of death.
Long and deadly those they were.
Ghostly warriors still wait to lead the way
Here again on darkened winter's night,
Question still asked.
Are there still Indians set and ready to fight the fight,
Or has the Last Indian now turned White?
Now is a time when people of Native blood, whether it be one drop or
full blood, perhaps it be the culture curious, or simply hearing the
calling of the drum. If you have chosen to claim the feather, have
you also chosen the responsibility to protect it? This is a question
each must ask and answer in their own way. Will you stand by and
simply claim your great grandmother was a Cherokee Princess or will
step forward and claim your right to walk home to the Cherokee
Capital at New Echota? Again, the choice is a personal one? What
will yours be?
Here is a press release from Wisdom Bear, also attached are links to
his web site: DragonFlyPromotions.org.
I encourage you to contact him directly to find out more how you
become part of the solution.
Want to be part of a History making event that will be sure to
interest all your readers and watchers? In November 2008, the three
Cherokee Nations will be called together again at New Echota (their
last capital in Georgia) to celebrate the history and life that was
theirs prior to the Trail of Tears. This is the opportunity to have
an exclusive inside look into the history, language, religion and
the customs of people who were forced from their homes at gun point.
The Director of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites has once
again been avoiding and ignoring the letters and calls to her
requesting permission to celebrate this history. Becky Kelley and
her team have decided that Cherokee people can NOT have a gathering
on land that they (Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites) bill as
Sacred Cherokee land. While using the Cherokee name when it promotes
such sites as New Echota, Fort Yargo, Amicalola Falls, Chief Vann
House, Etowah Indian Mounds and many others. But holding such
Colonial events as "Christmas Candlelight Tour", "Frontier Day" and
many others on this "scared" land. The land usage has been denied to
the people who called this their home for centuries. The Cherokee
people seek to do NO damage to this site but to HONOR it as the Last
Capital of the Cherokee people in the State of Georgia, and to HONOR
the ancestors that walked out of there at gun point 170+ years ago.
The demographics of Georgia reflect one-third of the population are
Native American so this will be a story that will very possibly be
the greatest story of 2008 with the history, passion, and personal
rights of the original inhabitants of this great State, calling for
recognition of their contributions and prior ownership finally
brought to light. If you would like to assist breaking this
controversial story and in celebrating this wonderful event while
presenting a rather unique approach to the traditional fall story of
Indigenous peoples/settler story, please contact:
Larry Mindler
Wisdom Bear
WisdomBear@DragonFlyPromotions.org
www.DragonFlyPromotions.org
Subject: [frostysamerindian] 170th anniversary of the Trail of Tears
From: shawn <franky777@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2007 11:50:09 -0500
To: frostysamerindian@yahoogroups.com
Cherokee Homecoming 2008
Posted by: "Jean" jeannie930@yahoo.com jeannie930
Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:20 am (PST)
My Name is Jean Moyer, I am new to this group. I wanted to reach as
many of our brothers and sisters as possible, as this is the new
medium of communication I saw value in posting here. I am an
Iroquois mixed breed, a published author, artist and powwow vendor.
Today, I wanted to share with all of you an exciting and historical
even that will take place on November 6, 7, 8, 9, 2008. It is called
Cherokee Nation Homecoming, to be held at the Gordon County
Fairgrounds in Calhoun Georgia, just a short distance from the main
gate of New Echota. As I am sure you are aware, next year is the
170th anniversary of the Trail of Tears. This historical gathering
with bring to full circle the return of The People to New Echota,
the last capitol of the Cherokee Nation at the time of removal. The
event is in it's planning stages, your help and advise is requested.
this will not be an easy task. The state of Georgia has already
refused to allow this event to take place at New Echota on more than
one occasion. Some of you may know or may have seen the organizer
of this event, his name is Larry Mindler, Wisdom Bear. His goal and
dream is to bring the Cherokee People back to their ancestral home
lands in North Georgia. Wisdom Bear has posted a new web site for
this event: Dragonflypromotions.org. I encourage you to go to the
site, see for yourself what Wisdom Bear is doing, serving the
people, and become proactive in making this event the success it
must be. Your evolvement in making this event the success it must be
is your choice. We pray you will join us in doing so. It is time the
people of Georgia know we are still here. Time for the people to
return home.
It will be my pleasure to answer any question I might be able to. I
know Wisdom Bear will as well.
Thank you for your time, and allowing me to post here.
Blessings to all of you
Jean Moyer
author
Children of the Dawn
March 16, 2006
Pow wows no longer restricted;
Council requests public comment
Wednesday (March 15) afternoon, the Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Division presented their draft for Georgia's Native American Programming Policy to the Council on Native American Concerns for review and advice. Both Parks officials and Native Americans were invited to speak before the Council about this policy.
Prior to the meeting, Larry Mindler, who began
this action, enlisted the support of Columbia Jones, of ProFreedom
America, to help negotiate a workable agreement with the Parks
Division. On our behalf, Ms. Jones was able to reach a consensus
with the Parks Director, Ms. Becky Kelley.
The agreement reached was not a total victory for the Indians,
at least not at this meeting. But it was a large victory. We now
have equal rights and no special restrictions for
non-Park-sponsored events, and an understanding that special
restrictions limiting Indians for Park-sponsored events will be
addressed in the future. We sought and found the beginnings
of a mutually beneficial cooperative arrangement with each
other.
Over thirty Native American people representing the Georgia state recognized tribes, several U.S. federally recognized nations, and unenrolled Native Americans came to this meeting, and of them, eight addressed the Council. One person from the Parks Division spoke and then later answered a few specific questions.
The first speaker was John Thompson, Chief of Operations for the Parks division. Mr. Thompson stressed that the Programming Policy before the council was "just a draft" in the early stages of development, submitted to the Council for their input. According to Mr. Thompson, the department intends to make sensitive decisions that would help them be "good stewards" of Georgia's public lands and heritage, but acknowledged that sensitive issues are involved.
He announced that an informal Parks policy prohibiting pow wows
(see below for a full copy of this document) since 2004 was changed just prior to this meeting to permit pow wows to be covered under less restricted concession arrangements, rather than as part of the
park-sponsored "interpretive" programs. The only limitations for concession-defined pow wows would be the capacity of the facility to accommodate the event, a consideration that would be true of any group event.
He urged Indians in the audience to submit comment cards (distributed to all present) with their suggestions for ways to improve the draft policy.
Ron Colombe, an enrolled Lakota from Rosebud reservation who now lives in Georgia, stated that policies restricting Native American acknowledgement to federal tribe enrollees should be reconsidered, since there are very few federally recognized tribes in this region, and that there are many descendants of tribal people who stayed behind on their homeland after Removal who are part of an identified Native community. He did caution that there is cause for concern about fraudulent Indian goods and teachings.
Carmen Schuler spoke next. She made a point of her heritage and active involvement in Native American education and training at state and federal institutions, and association with several well-regarded historical and cultural associations -- while never having an enrollment card of any sort. She expressed offense that she would be required to present a pedigree, like a pet or livestock animal, in order to establish her right to represent her people.
Columbia Jones of Pro Freedom America, who helped broker the pow wow agreement, likened the
policy draft submitted to requiring the producer of an African American group meeting to prove how much African blood she carried -- and said that wasn't likely to happen. While conceding that there may be issues regarding fraudulent Indian claims, she pointed out that there are already state and federal laws covering Indian identity and goods identification. Park policies attempting to further protect against fraud with even more limiting restrictions are redundant and constitute unequal protection under the law. She outlined the newly revised pow wow policy, stressing that it included notification in writing to park staff and management, and with copies to the council, herself and Larry
Mindler. While she expressed pleasure at the progress made, she cautioned that this issue was not over and would not be over until there were equal policies applicable to all.
Larry Mindler, who pursued this issue and brought it to the attention of the Native community, spoke next. He expressed thanks to those who came to the meeting to express concern to the Council, and said what he did was for his grandchildren. He stated that his goals would be accomplished when the Parks authorities created a policy that worked for all people.
Helen Holton, a Cherokee, questioned what event caused the Parks division to create this policy. After some discussion, John Thompson revealed that the precipitating event occurred at a gathering at Amicola Falls in 2004. Ms. Holton pointed out that the DNR draft policy singles out Native Americans for restricted access to public state facilities, and that usage policies should be equal for all under the law.
Keith Smith, CEO of RedNation, Inc., a learning and teaching organization for people of Native American heritage, pointed out that limiting access to the state parks reduced Native peoples' resources to learn and teach others of their heritage, and would be an important loss to the state and its people. And besides, he said "discrimination is just wrong."
Ruth Davis brought her two young daughters, Amber and Cheyenne, to the podium and said simply that the reason Native people cared about this issue was for them -- the children.
Joe Pate approached certain proposed policy restrictions from a different perspective. Noting that state tribes were barred under the proposed policy from claiming their tribe, dressing in their regalia, or having any program with their participation advertised as "Native American," he pointed out that the state provided authorization to certain people for certain activities -- like hunting, driving, and fishing. And that the state had similarly recognized certain groups of people as Indian tribes. Why, he asked, should the state not regard state enrollment cards as an acknowledged right to "be Indian" whatever the circumstance, just as a license authorized one to drive? And why would the state deny reciprocity to neighboring states tribes, just as they reciprocally acknowledge other states' driving licenses?
The Council listened to the speakers and asked only a few questions, mostly to clarify details. The chairman of the Council noted that they would review the comments made to the Council at that meeting, and would take written comments submitted on site, or mailed or e-mailed to the Council prior to March 31, 2006. The Council will present their findings at their May 10, 2006 meeting.
The DNR is not obligated to accept the Council on American Indian Concerns' recommendations, as their function is limited to advising government agencies on Indian issues (primarily burial remains and artifacts). Fewer than half its members are, in fact, Indian -- enrolled in state recognized tribes. Isn't it interesting that the state park's policy has a far more restrictive definition of who is Indian and who is entitled to represent Indians than the state government does for it's own Indian advisory agency?
This meeting was the first disclosed contact by the DNR with any Indian on this policy that directly impacts Indians. While the DNR would like to characterize this policy as "just drafted" in the past month, it's interesting to note that the event given as the reason for needing such a policy happened two years ago.
The draft document presented to the Council is, in fact, precisely the same document already posted
immediately below. It is the document given to Larry Mindler (Wisdom Bear) at the February DNR meeting. Citizens, Indian or otherwise, who are interested in commenting on the DNR policy should
send comments to the Council on American Indian Concerns
at the following address:
Secretary
Council on American Indian Concerns
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, S.E.
Suite 1352 East
Atlanta, GA 30334
or e-mail them to lindam@dnr.state.ga.us
so that they will be received prior to March
31st. The secretary receiving these comments, Linda
Moye, assures us that these comments will be presented to the Council for their consideration. In addition to your comments, please also include your name, e-mail and mailing address. The department cannot guarantee that they will respond personally to this correspondence.
Draft policy currently under
consideration:
NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMMING POLICY Februarv 16,2006
STANDARDS FOR AMERICAN INDIAN PROGRAM
1. Current Interpretive Plan: any park of site offering Native American programming must have an Interpretive Plan written by the site manager and formaIIy reviewed by the Region Manager within the last five years. This plan must include a listing of appropriate program themes and the park or site must program within the guideline theme. It is strongly advised that the Interpretive Plan also include a brief section of inappropriate themes relating to the specific property
2. Annual Program Outline: Individual sites or parks have the option to jury their own list of interpreters and demonstrators who will be conducting Native American programming. See jurying standards under "Interpretive Standards Relating to Native American programming."
Prior to submitting and publishing the annual park brochure a brief outline and narrative of the park or sites programs titled; Native American or Indian programs must be presented and approved by the Region Manager. If additional review is requested
from the Region Manager the Resource Management and Interpretation staff in Atlanta can provide the service.
3. Site Manager Responsibility: the site manager is responsible for formulating a brief program outline for their site. Native American interpretation must meet the theme guidelines outlined in the interpretive plan and meet the approval of the Region Manager prior to publication of the event.
INTERPRETIVE STANDARDS RELATING TO NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMMING
1. An advertised program must not be listed as either a "Native American" or "Indian" event unless it is conducted by federally recognized Native Americans. The approved credential would be a federaIIy issued CDIB card. Site managers also have the option to invite programmers who do not have a CDIB card but have a certain level of expertise defined by criteria in # 2. In this situation the program or event title would not include the words, "Native American or Indian."
1. The site staff is responsible for conducting a juried selection process for its programmers and demonstrators. The criteria for this juried process must meet
the minimum standards provided in this policy:
a. Program should be applicable" to site programming theme.
b. Programmer or demonstrator should provide several pictures, news articles, and/or samples of their work to a jury. The jury should consist of site personnel and/or experts in facets of Native American culture.
c. The programmer or demonstrator will provide at least three verifiable references from other locations where they have performed. It should be strongly "recommended that such references be from other public sites.
d. The site manager is encouraged to contact adjacent public sites (Ocmulgee Nat. Monument, Moundville Historic Site, e.g.) for inquiry into quality of programmer or demonstrator desiring to perform at their sites. These sites have many years of Native American programming and have produced extensive lists of approved interpreters. State sites that have performed Native American programming should be consulted as well.
e. The site manager should be prepared to justify the selections and/or omissions based on this policy.
2. Site managers have the responsibility to carefully select programmers that meet standards for both quality of presentation and accuracy of content. Programmers are accepted by invitation only from the site manager. It is strongly recommended that the site manager consult with other managers within the Division and other state and federal sites that offer Native American programs to personally confirm the performance history, quality of presentation and accuracy provided by each candidate programmer being considered. Please contact the Interpretive Unit Program Manager (404) 656-2770, to receive an approved programmer list of both Native Americans and non Native Americans. For critical contact on weekends or evenings call 404-290-6984 or 404-886-0914.
3. Powwow type events are not considered appropriate Native American interpretation on any parks and or historic sites.
a. At each of our sites our priority will be to interpret the most significant and appropriate program themes for the site as referenced by the written interpretive plan. Powwow type events do not meet this specific criterion for site-specific programming. Other issues, including the verification of authenticity of presenters and programmers, insuring Federal Law, (P.L. 101-644) referencing American Indian Arts and Crafts is enforced along with the endangered species law for authorized use of feathers and regalia.
4. The wearing of tribal dress or regalia is permitted by Native American first person interpreters without the federally issued CDIB card on the following conditions:
A. The interpreter must not declare to the public that he/she is affiliated with any tribal group.
B. The interpreter must go through the same-juried process described in the Interpretive Standards Relating to Native American programs.
C. The program must conform to standards set by the sites interpretive plan. .
D. Interpretive programs will not be held in sacred areas as defined by affiliated tribes.
5. Only members of federally or state recognized tribes have the right to sell goods identified as "American Indian Arts and Crafts." Non Native Americans can sell arts and crafts as long as they do not profess these items are being made by Native Americans or are "genuine" Native American arts and crafts.
6. Special events and daily programs should be designed to insure minimal impact on archaeological sensitive areas of the site.
The original memo (from 2004) --
sent out to parks staff after an incident at Amicola Falls,
enforced by Park directors from 2004 to 2006, but never adopted as
official department policy and never publicized.
PHS STANDARDS FOR AMERICAN INDIAN PROGRAMS
On Friday April 23, 2004, a committee of PHS staff met at Jarrell Plantation to discuss establishing standards for American Indian programs held at our facilities. The committee was made up of managers from all of our American Indian historic sites (except Kolomoki), as well as the Region Managers and managers appointed by the Region Managers, and Atlanta office staff. Attending this meeting were:
Julia Autry (Vann House) Edwii.l Holcomb (Atlanta)
Libby Bell (Etowah Indian Mounds) Jay Lewis (Region 3)
Danny Brown (Fort McAllister) Linda Moye (Atlanta)
Eric Dykes (Georgia Vets) Ed Reed (Region 2)
David Gomez (New Echota) Debbie Wallsmith (Atlanta)
Chuck Gregory (Atlanta) Wally Woods (Region 1)
James Hamilton (Lodge Region)
The goal of the meeting was to develop recommended guidelines for American Indian interpretive programs presented at our parks and historic sites. The meeting began with a brief overview of the aborted Indian program at Amicalola Falls last fall and the subsequent request from the Director to establish procedures that would reduce the likelihood of future problems. It was also explained that the accomplishments of this group would also satisfy one of the action items proposed by the Education and Programming Task Force of the Strategic Planning Committee, who had recommended establishing standards for ALL interpretive programs offered at our facilities.
Initial discussions concerned the definition of “American Indian” program. It was agreed that demonstrations such as flintknapping or basket-weaving or atlati throwing did NOT in and of themselves constitute an American Indian program because these are skills that were used by most prehistoric people worldwide. It was also agreed that telling American Indian stories did not meet the definition, as we often recount stories from many cultures in our daily lives (e.g., Aesop’s Fables, Grimm Brothers stories). It was decided that an “American Indian” program was one in which the presenter claims to be Indian.
Recommendation 1: The group recommends that any American Indian presenting American Indian programs on our properties would be required to provide credentials within 14 days of agreeing to provide a program and not less than 7 days before the program date. Credentials would have to include a copy of a federally issued Certificates of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) or Tribal Membership card. A list of previous programs would also be required. The credentials would be forwarded to the Interpretive Supervisor for verification.
The group also addressed the issue of visitor expectations. When reading promotional material from our facilities, many of our users expect to see real American Indians at events advertised as “Native American Days” or “Indian Festival.”
Recommendation 2: The group recommends that the terms “Native American” and “Indian” and any similar words be removed from promotional materials to eliminate misinterpretation by visitors. The Region Managers also agreed that they would review annual events schedules (a process already in place) to identify any potential “red flag” programs.
The third issue addressed by the group was the appropriateness of some of the American Indian programs being held at our facilities. The Native American Festival at Sweetwater Creek was the example used for the discussion. This festival is organized by the Friends of Sweetwater Creek and has been in existence for 10 years and is a major money making venue for the Friends group. After much discussion, the group unanimously decided that our parks and historic sites are not appropriate venues for Native American Festivals. It was also agreed that the development of Comprehensive Interpretive Plans for each site/park would help to eliminate most of the inappropriate interpretive programs that are currently offered.
Recommendation 3: The group recommends that American
Indian/Native American Festivals or Powwows are not appropriate interpretive programs for our facilities and that no more should be planned. The Sweetwater Creek Festival for 2004 should go ahead as planned but one should not be planned for next year.
Concerns were expressed regarding the sale of items sold as “American Indian Arts and Crafts.”
Under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644), only members of federally or state
recognized tribes have the right to sell goods identified as “American Indian Arts and Crafts.”
Penalties for violations of this law are steep (<$50,000 per offense).
Recommendation 4: The group recommends that the existing DNR Indian Arts and Crafts Act of
1990 form be distributed to all facilities selling “American Indian Arts and Crafts.” This form
has been provided to the manager at Sweetwater Creek to be used. at the 2004 Native American
Festival
Once the recommendations are approved, all PHS facilities will be provided with written copies of the policy. The Interpretive Supervisor will attend Region Meetings to discuss the new policy and answer any questions from field staff. Additionally, the Interpretive Handbook will be amended accordingly.
Also see the following article in the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution for their report on the March15 meeting:
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/0316metpowwow.html
Powwows allowed back in state parks
Director announces end to informal ban
By STACY SHELTON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 16, 2006
Dressed in blue jeans, braids and bandannas, these were not the typical lobbyists at the state Capitol. But a vocal group of Native Americans reversed an informal policy that had prohibited them from holding a powwow at state parks.
State Parks Director Becky Kelley confirmed the decision at a meeting of a little-known state committee called the Council on American Indian Concerns.
-------------------------------
March 8, 2006
Progress report -- DNR permits
Yargo Pow wow as a facility rental event
There's been a small turnaround in our favor. Please read the correspondence below, and our response:
Subject: Pow Wow event at Ft. Yargo State Park
From: "Becky Kelley" <bkelley@dnr.state.ga.us>
Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2006 16:16:47 -0500
To:<gatheringofnationsgeorgia@yahoo.com>
CC: "Chuck Gregory" <ChuckG@dnr.state.ga.us>, "Eric Bentley" <Eric_Bentley@dnr.state.ga.us>, "John Thompson" <John_Thompson@dnr.state.ga.us>, "Steve Saunders" <Steve_Saunders@dnr.state.ga.us>, "Paul Nelson" <PaulN@gadnr.org>
As we discussed at our first meeting on Wednesday, February 22, 2006, the Parks and Historic Sites Division (PHS) of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is currently drafting and discussing guidelines for American Indian interpretive programs on our state parks and historic sites. As the steward of several American Indian sites, the Division wants to ensure the highest degree of accuracy, integrity and respect in the interpretation of American Indian culture. We are especially attentive to the Cherokee and Creek nations because they are indigenous to Georgia.
As we informed you, we began developing draft recommendations and guidelines for American Indian programs in 2004 following concerns brought to our attention by a number of sources, including members of the Georgia Council for American Indian Concerns (GCAIC). The April 2004 staff meeting summary and the February 16, 2006 draft American Indian Programming Policy that you obtained are evidence of the progressive staff discussions and recommendations. These draft recommendations had not been fully reviewed by Division management staff, DNR legal counsel, or me prior to your inquiry in late February.
I understand that your contention with these draft recommendations is the prohibition of Pow Wows on state parks or historic sites (Item #3). It is my understanding that staff included this section due to concerns about 1) the authenticity of Pow Wow re-enactments, 2) the accurate interpretation of Indian traditions and beliefs, 3) the relevance of Pow Wow activities on the hosting site, 4) their relationship to the three recognized tribes of Georgia, 5) previous violations of federal licensing laws regarding display and sale of Native American crafts, and 6) non-American Indian wearing of clothing with feathers, fur, teeth or claws taken from endangered species. Because of these serious issues and the fact that the policy-development process is underway, some PHS personnel have been using the staff recommendations as provisional guidelines until the final standards are in place. Therefore, when you requested to conduct a Pow Wow at Ft. Yargo State Park as a collaborative benefit with the park and the Friends of Ft. Yargo, site staff denied your request and referred you to the Director's Office. I, in turn, referred you to the PHS Chief of Operations and our Resource Management and Interpretation Unit.
Following these initial conversations and our first meeting on February 22, we responded to your concerns to this recommended policy by requesting that you review the staff draft recommendations and provide feedback. As we informed you, it has always been our intent to finalize the staff input, review the draft policies with DNR legal counsel and then present and discuss this matter with the GCAIC before a final decision is made by DNR.
Even though the guidelines are still in draft form, we have decided to present them to the GCAIC for their input and perspective. This meeting will occur on March 15, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. in the DNR Board Room, 12th floor of the Sloppy Floyd Building in Atlanta.
Further, as we have discussed, the draft interpretive standards are directed at PHS sanctioned programs. They do not affect access to state parks and historic sites for private functions nor for public concession uses to the extent that they are suitable events based on site conditions and limitations.
In light of all this, and in response to your request for my decision by March 8 regarding the Pow Wow at Ft. Yargo, I asked Ft. Yargo Park Manager Eric Bentley to discuss your request with the Chair of the Friends of Ft. Yargo State Park. The park and their Friends group have declined your proposal for a benefit event; however, you may request a facility rental (concession agreement) to conduct a non-PHS sanctioned Pow Wow at the park in accordance with our standard procedures. Park Manager Bentley will meet with you to discuss an available date and location to accommodate your Pow Wow. If you have further questions or concerns after speaking with Park Manager Bentley, please feel free to contact John Thompson, Chief of Operations, or me.
Becky Kelley
Director
Georgia Recreation, Parks & Historic Sites Division
2 MLK, Jr., Drive, SE
Suite 1352
Atlanta, Ga 30334
P: 404-656-9448
F: 404.651.5871
75 years of protecting our state's natural beauty and historic integrity while providing opportunities for public enjoyment and education.
While everything else changes, Georgia State Parks remain true to nature.
Yes, we do believe that government agencies notice public response, if it is clear and consistent. There's substantial bureaucratic "spin" in the correspondence above, but the bottom line is that the DNR now is clearly on notice that when non-Indians attempt to dictate cultural expression to Indians, they will hear from Indians in Georgia who will work together toward righting wrongs done to our people. Please note though, that this "resolution" is only partial, and temporary. The overall issues are far from resolved.
- The policy regulating Indian interpretive events and other matters relevant to Indian events on state park grounds is not final. If we go away satisfied with one issue resolved to our satisfaction and verbal assurances for the future, we may find more serious problems hidden in that future, just as this one has lurked, unknown except in very limited circles for over two years. The written policy under consideration will hold several keys, and as it is written now, it holds several traps for Georgia Indians.
- The Parks service and DNR still have not answered the question of why, when a problem relating to an Indian event occurred, Indians on the Council and the three state-recognized tribes were not notified, why they were not consulted on whether there was a need for special policy regulations, and if so, what those regulations should be? Why did non-Indians immediately assume they were competent to solve the problem and then present Indians with their solution?
- Must there be a special policy singling out Indian events as particularly needy of regulation? How is that not insulting and discriminatory on the face of it? It implies that we Indians are more likely to harbor frauds in our midst than others, that we need protection from ourselves, and the public needs to be protected from our potential wrongdoing. None of this is true. The prisons are full of cons from every ethnic, gender, age, and even religious persuasion.
Don't the parks have a standard policy regulating authenticity and quality of *any* interpretive event at the park that covers everybody? Don't they already require that whoever is presenting any event be responsible for presenting valid material, and representing themselves and their background honestly? It would be a simple matter to require evidence of expertise and acceptable past performance for any demonstration or lecture to be booked. Of course there should be a requirement that any demonstrator or vendor involved must abide by all applicable state and federal laws (which covers the crafts and feathers concerns). Of course it's important to have culturally, factually, and historically correct performances, and compliance with laws, but that's true whether the event in question is a wildcrafters herbal walk, an Easter sunrise ceremony, an African dance demonstration, or a pow wow.
- If the state DNR continues to insist there must be an answer to this "Indian Question," it has yet to explain why the proposed draft policy still singles out pow wows as "unacceptable" interpretive events. It also still sets non-Indians as judges of appropriate, competent Indian presenters and content, and that's an arrogance that is totally unsupportable. Also the draft
treats Georgia's state-recognized tribes as "secondary" Indians, behind those enrolled in federally recognized tribes by prohibiting them from wearing regalia, identifying themselves as Indian or tribal members, or selling their crafts as Indian-made (when the federal law clearly permits state-recognized tribal members t do any of these things with the exception of the possession of eagle feathers).
The objection to pow wows, while never clearly stated, appears to be that the Parks bureaucrats, most of whom have never attended a pow wow, regard a pow wow as a commercial entertainment venture that has no valid place in Indian culture. I realize that the matter has not yet been discussed with the American Indian Concerns Council or with DNR's legal advisors, but this dismissive and unfounded contention has no place even in the draft.
While there are certainly commercial and entertainment aspects in most pow wows, it is also true that many tribes and many intertribal groups have made pow wows part of their culture, and part of the way we teach, support and expand understanding of our culture, and maintain a sense of community in situations, such as in Georgia, where our people are scattered throughout the state, rather than gathered in one area.
Meeting with the Georgia
Council on American Indian Concerns set for March 15, 2006
March 7, 2006
Good Evening
I'm asking you to join with a group meeting with Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) and The Georgia Council on American Indian
Concerns on March 15th, at the Department of Natural
Resources offices.
We have been told that we may speak about policies proposed by
Georgia
's Department of Natural Resources to prohibit Native
American Pow wows and festivals and to strictly regulate our
participation in other Native American programs in the State Park
systems in
Georgia
.
Please pass this invitation on to anyone that might be concerned,
and let us know if you can join us. We will assemble at the
DNR building between 11:30AM and 12:00 PM on March 15th at the
front of the Veteran's Memorial building, 2 Martin Luther King
Blvd., exit 248 A off of 75/85 south. This building is directly
across the street from the State Capitol building. It is important
that we try to enter as a group. The Georgia Council on American
Indian Concerns meeting is scheduled to start promptly at 1:00 PM.
They may not admit people after 1:00PM.
We need your support, since these policies will not affect only
Native people, but all people. The formal agenda for this meeting
as of yet has not been provided, so we don't yet know who will be
allowed to speak at this meeting, or exactly when we will be heard
during the meeting.
We need as many people as possible to ask:
Why are Native Americans the only group singled out for
special treatment in our State Parks?
Why has none of the state-recognized tribes or this Council --
the only governmental body representing Native American
interests -- been notified about any of this until an
individual citizen began to complain?
What can this Council, whose function is to advise state
officials, and who, up to now, have themselves been excluded
from discussions about this policy, do to help us protect
Native American rights and interests against infringement by
the state?
Presently, Native American events occur on private lands or local
municipality grounds, but if this policy stands, it sets a
precedent that could endanger Native Americans festivals,
concerts, educational programs and ceremonies in the future, not
just in our state, but very likely in others.
Georgia
is not the only state that wishes to answer the "Indian
Question" with "there are no livings Indians or active
Indian culture, only our interpretation of who they were in our
museum displays."
We need as many people as possible to show up to this meeting. It
is important that the DNR be made aware that discrimination
against one ethnic and religious group -- and that is what this is
-- cannot be tolerated. Help us keep our parks for everyone!
If you want to learn more, an outline of this issue as it has
developed, along with complete copies of the proposed policy on
Native American events in
Georgia
State Parks
, and a 2004 memo that first banned Pow wows in the system can be
found at www.owlstar.com/issues
.
If you need more information you can reply to this e-mail or
e-mail us at the address set up for this issue at GatheringofNationsGeorgia@yahoo.com
Contacts are; Lisa at 706-768-1584, Larry at 678-437-9020
Both will have their cell phone
with them on March 15th in case you get lost.
Lisa & Larry have attended two
previous meetings with the DNR and can provide you with additional
information regarding this subject.
March
3, 2006
Request
for Information and support to open Georgia State Parks to Indian
events
March
3, 2006
O’siyo All
Now that I have a moment to breathe. I would like to coordinate
information about individuals and groups interested in the
proposed policy if the DNR of the State of Georgia dictating terms
of Native American participation in state parks events, to give us
all a better idea of who we are and what resources we may offer.
Do you represent a group, tribe etc.?
Have you spoken to people in your tribe about this? How many in
your group, tribe are interested in this issue?
Who is the main contact for this group, tribe etc.?
Being able to mobilize large numbers of people counts when you
deal with the government. So we need to know the numbers and
contacts for them.
I know that often these emails are delayed due to forwarding
and other issues, so there are a number of potentially interested
people that are not up to date as to events. Everyone should / can
go to http://www.owlstar.com/issues.htm
for updates.
Please keep the letters, emails, phone calls, etc. to DNR staff
and the governor going.
IMPORTANT: Please also cc a copy to me at
GatheringofNationsGeorgia@yahoo.com. I will keep these in a file
so that we have proof that these were sent.
February 28, 2006
Georgia
DNR "Consults" with Indian Group - 2/28/06
This
morning's meeting between Indians and Georgia's Parks officials
demonstrated that you can lead a bureaucrat to water -- but
getting her to understand what to do with that water is another
thing entirely. A few things became clear.
1)
This meeting was held less to obtain Indian input in the
formation of Indian event policy in the parks than it was to
attempt to quiet down a group that was about to expose the issue
to Indians in the state. That attempt failed and the
officials aren't happy about it.
2)
The Parks officials are already hearing from people like you
who've heard about this and want this policy rewritten to be
simple, fair, and legal (none of which it is right now). Hearing
from people who want to change the way they've already decided
to do things doesn't please them either.
3.
We've already ascertained that the officials aren't ready to
approach the people they serve with anything approaching
candor. I believe pow wows will continue to be defined as
"inappropriate" displays of Native American culture in
the State Parks system in Georgia, unless Indians stand up and
say very clearly that they value these events.
4.
It would be a mistake to assume that this is a Georgia issue. It
would also be a mistake to assume that pow wows will be the only
Indian event the state defines as
"inappropriate." That may be the case now -- but
there are plenty of states with bureaucrats who find Indians and
our ceremonies inconvenient, and the fact that they can't
pigeonhole those defined as Indian into a very small box even
more so. Don't be so sure you won't see this, and more,
happening in another state soon if this policy succeeds in
Georgia.
The
draft policy is just plain wrong in so many ways (see below for a
copy of the draft that the DNR was hoping to keep "just
between us.") Please -- keep those cards, letters,
faxes, phone calls and e-mails going. This country keeps on
hoping it can answer the Indian question with a simple "can't
find 'em except in the history books and museums." Let
them know that's not the answer yet, and we'll do everything we
can to assure that it won't be in their lifetimes.
Larry's
notes from the meeting:
February 28, 2006
Osiyo All
Well, I had another meeting today with Becky Kelley, Director, John
Thompson, Chief of Operations, Stephen Saunders, Assistant Chief of
Operations and Chuck Gregory, Resource Management & Interpretation of
the Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites. (DNR)
I have to tell you about it, but first let me do a little house keeping.
Please, send all replies and inquiries to GatheringofNationsGeorgia@Yahoo.com,
and encourage others to correspond
about this issue using that address.
This issue has gotten too big for me to handle all the email and phone
calls alone, so, I've asked others to help. This account is accessible
to all of us in that group.
All parties, please be aware that news about this issue is posted in its
entirety at http://www.owlstar.com/issues.htm
I will email everyone on this list each time there is new information.
But to be up to date, and when informing others of this issue who have
Web access, please refer them to the site above. This assures that
everyone gets first hand, accurate, up-to-date information, instead of
rumors, second-hand stories or outdated interpretation.
I am getting many requests for more information from people who are just
now getting e-mails sent out almost two week ago, That is why, in order
to make sure everyone is up-to-date, you should get background or
updates from the link. Thank you.
Now back to today’s meeting.
We met at the DNR offices at 9:00 am. My group was on time. DNR members
were 15 minutes late.
I opened with talking to Becky Kelley about her difficult job.
I then asked them to reconsider letting us do the Pow wow at Ft. Yargo
for the benefit of Camp Wil-A-Way. Becky Kelley responded that they
would take it into consideration.
I then presented her with a copy of the document that I had asked for in
the previous meeting (the memo that was sent out in 2004), and that
Chuck Gregory had repeatedly said in that meeting did not exist. I then
addressed Chuck Gregory and told him that it really hurt my heart that
he had sat right there and lied to me about this document, when I knew
before the meeting that it existed. It had been read to me over the
phone before our meeting on February 22, 2006, and I received it the
night of the 22nd.
This upset the DNR group badly. They did not believe that anyone had
that letter to show.
Becky Kelley stopped the conversation and said that the DNR had never
intended that the department's document of the draft on Policy (dated
February 16, 2006), which she gave to us on the 22nd, be made public.
I told them again that I told them at that meeting that I would give the
document to my elders to review, and, at their urging, would bring back
information about how the document could be improved. That was the
whole point of my having the document in the first place.
Ms. Kelley said that we should be quiet about our conversations with/at DNR.
Well sorry Becky Kelley. I can’t keep quiet about this.
Lisa asked for a board meeting and we were told that we had to go
through the Council on American Indian Concerns, first.
From this point on, the DNR officials really didn’t want to talk to me.
They are taking the stand that they will NOW talk to the Council on
American Indian Concerns. I informed them they should have done that
before beginning to consider these policies. Also, as the State of
Georgia has at least 3 recognized tribes, it would seem they should have
consulted with these 3 tribes before writing any policies that affect
them. The officials really didn’t like hearaing that either.
Chuck wanted to know if I was speaking for all the Native Americans in
Georgia.
I told them, I speak for myself. But I report to all that want to know.
As I said. They now have taken the stand that they will not talk to me.
I will have to go through the state's Council on American Indian
Concerns group.
This isn’t any trouble as I will be talking to one member as soon as I
complete this.
This issue on policy was kept secret from them also till after the
meeting on the 22nd. On the 23rd one of them got their first copy of
this policy. You had it on the eve of the 22nd.
As of now, we have the date of March 15, 2006 at 1:00 pm for a meeting
with the Council.
As this continues, Chuck Gregory wants clarity on what is a real
“Indian”. Chuck wants guidelines drawn (black and white) as to how to
identify Native American people. I have tried to inform them that as
with all cultures, it isn’t black and white. We have people that have
Native blood but we also have people that walk the red road. Some being
adopted, some being excepted for their walk.
At this time, I don’t believe they can understand our way of life. It
doesn’t fit in their box.
Please continue emailing them and calling them about this. It is having
an effect.
Please also pass this information (and the web site listed above for
background) to others that are interested. Red, Yellow, Black or White.
This IS about the people as a whole. Not just Native People. And it
could impact people in any state, not just Georgia.
Aho
Larry
Wisdom Bear
Becky Kelley Director
Becky_Kelley@dnr.state.ga.us
Phone 404-656-9448
John Thompson
Chief of Operations
State Parks and Historic Sites
2 MLK, Jr. Drive, SE
Suite 1352 East
Atlanta, Georgia 30334-9000
(404)-656-2770
(404)-656-6522 fax
john_thompson@dnr.state.ga.us
Steve Saunders Assistant Chief of Operations
Steve_Saunders@dnr.state.ga.us
404-656-6544
Chuck Gregory
Resource Management & Interpretation
Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, S.E.
Suite 1352 East
Atlanta, GA 30334
ChuckG@dnr.state.ga.us
www.gastateparks.org
404-656-6539, office
404-290-6984, cell
Debbie Wallsmith Park Interpretive Supervisor
Debbie_Wallsmith@dnr.state.ga.us
Linda Moye: Administrative Operations Coordinator 2
Phone 404-656-5335
Governor
Sonny Perdue Can be contacted through a contact form online here is the link:
http://www.gov.state.ga.us/contact_dom.shtml
February
25, 2006
Georgia DNR
Bans Pow Wows -- But Doesn't Tell the Indians - 2/25/06
Several
weeks ago, a pow wow vendor, Larry Mindler, known to many in local
pow wow circles as "Yellow Otter" attempted to schedule
a benefit pow wow at a Georgia state park. He was told by
the park manager that he'd received a memo sent out to all state
park managers informing them that Native American pow wows were
"inappropriate" for state parks, and as such, no pow
wows would be permitted.
Attempts
to follow up on the prohibition, which apparently was unknown
outside DNR and Park Service circles, were thwarted for weeks as
phone calls went unanswered, were fielded by automatic phone
responders, or were taken by individuals who claimed to have the
correspondence but could not or would not produce a copy or
respond to questions about the prohibition.
Finally,
after Larry and a small group of interested local Native Americans
presented at a DNR board meeting and asked to speak before the
group, the Park Service suddenly became cooperative. No,
that initial memo was never produced by them. What did come
forward was a draft policy outlining the Park Service's policy
toward Native American events in general -- and indeed, pow wows
are expressly ruled out as "inappropriate" for state
parks (this in a state where one park features a beach party and
another holds a bluegrass concert -- which certainly raises some
questions about the "appropriateness" criteria).
Larry
and his group were asked to return a week later to confer with the
Parks Service on issues they found with the draft
policy.
This
policy appears near the top of this page. Just below that
draft is that elusive
memo that was circulated to park managers in 2004 (kindly provided
by individuals other than the Park Service office). That's
right--the ban has been in place for 2 years, and nobody bothered
to tell the Indians. A quick glance shows that the original
memo appears to have been the launching point for the current
draft policy.
Larry
now is seeking the support of as many Indians as are concerned
about a state officially banning a Native American event so
closely identified with Indian culture at any of its historical or
recreational properties.
|
|
The beginning: posted 2/21/06
Georgia State Parks Policy Prohibits Pow Wows--Indians to
confront DNR on 2/22.
The letter below came to me by e-mail
from a friend after passing through several other hands. I
know Yellow Otter, and have spoken with him since I read this
letter. The facts as stated in this letter are
accurate. Yellow Otter was attempting to organize a benefit
event at a Georgia State Park that had, in fact, been asked for by
the park officials a year earlier. But when he went back to
the rangers with specific plans, they told him that since that
time the Department of Natural Resources had circulated a policy
memo instructing state park rangers that Native American events
would no longer be approved on Georgia state park property.
Since then, he's been stonewalled at every attempt to clarify this
policy, although the policy should be a matter of public record.
A little past history. This is not
the first issue that has arisen over Native American use of state
park land in Georgia. Several years back, it came to our
attention that Native Americans were not permitted to carry pipes
onto state managed Native American properties like the Etowa
Mounds, and to pray on that property without a permit. One
group tried to do so as a demonstration, and was turned away by
armed rangers. An individual was threatened with arrest on a
different occasion.
The DNR board meeting mentioned below
coming up on Weds. February 22nd in Atlanta is a regular monthly
meeting of this state agency. As such, it is open to the public,
and the meeting room it is scheduled for accommodates up to 100
people. The meeting will be run by Roberts Rules of Order,
which will permit the introduction of new business, at which point
this issue may be brought up. The address is 2 Martin Luther
King Drive, S.E., Suite 1352 East Atlanta, GA. The building
is adjacent to the Georgia State Capital building and is
accessible from I-20.
Among the concerns that were mentioned to
Yellow Otter by those DNR officials who were willing to talk to
him were how the park could assure that the goods sold at such an
event would be appropriate to the culture and in compliance with
applicable federal law, and how they could assure that dances,
ceremonies and dress would be culturally accurate. Other
concerns had to do with parks being restricted to certain
"themes" of activity. The specific park in
question happens to have "teepee" structures as teaching
facilities, but the official noted that since the style of teepee
used was not historically accurate for the local population, their
presence didn't imply that "Indian themes" would be
permissible in that park. It would be nice to prove
that a) they are wrong about the absence of Indians in
Georgia, b) Indians outside of Georgia are also interested
in state policies that discriminate against Indian people and
their ceremonies, and c) Indians really aren't as clueless as at
least some Georgia DNR officials seem to
believe.
Yellow Otter does request that
individuals who plan to attend this meeting please contact him to
let him know. One reason this is important to him is to help him
plan for how to approach this board. If it's just him and
his wife, he'll have to approach it differently than if there are
100 Indians behind him (or even if he is aware that
100 Indians have written an e-mail to the board about the
issue). The note below contains contact information for DNR,
and Yellow Otter's telephone number.
His e-mail address is yellow.otter@yahoo.com.
Note: this probably isn't the last
time this issue will have to be addressed before the DNR
Board. It's in the nature of government committees to
"study" issues before making decisions. So they'll
most likely propose just that course of action on Wednesday.
If we don't keep attending their meetings until the issue is
resolved, the DNR will happily "forget" it
---------------------
Sirs / Madams
Please excuse my writing style. I am not
a trained writer as you can see.
I am Larry Mindler ( Yellow Otter ). A
tribal member of the South Eastern Cherokee Counsel, Inc.
This letter is to inform and ask you for
help into the Native American Policies that DNR ( Department of
Natural Resources, State of Georgia) has or are in the process of
establishing.
As of last year the managers of the state
parks have been telling us Native people that we can no longer
hold events in the parks. They can not tell us why. They tell us
it has came down from DNR.
I have spent the last 3 weeks on the
phone trying to talk to a person at DNR. For the most part, with
no luck. As most phones are not answered by a human and the others
are not returned.
I did talk to a person by the name of;
Chuck Gregory
Resource Management & Interpretation
Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites: http://www.gastateparks.org/
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, S.E. Suite 1352 East
Atlanta, GA 30334
ChuckG@dnr.state.ga.us 404-656-6539, office 404-290-6984,
cell
This person told me 2 and 1/2 weeks ago
that he would send me what he referred to as; The Native American
Policies.
As of today all that I have received is more stall from him.
I have talked to the Secretary I I I to the Commissioners Office,
Reggie Hymel. He took down my information and told me he would
give this to the Commissioner to look into. That was 3 days ago. I
have not heard from anyone. I am
getting what is known to most people as the Run-a-Round.
Myself and the other Native American peoples of this State and of
this country need to know what kind of Policies the DNR is passing
that effect us. How it keeps us from being able to use State
Property as other groups do. Again, PLEASE help us with this.
The
Board of DNR has a meeting on February 22, at 10:00 am. Please
join us there. To support and to hear what DNR has to say about
this.
If you have any questions call Larry Mindler (Yellow Otter),
myself.
678-437-9020
Forward this to as many people as you can. We need a big turn out
so that we are heard.
Larry Mindler
Yellow Otter
Yellow.Otter@Yahoo.com
NY Times Smears Tribes - from the
Mohawk perspective
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 15:25:43 -0500
From: "Orakwa International Indigenous Ent." <orakwa@paulcomm.ca>
Subj: MNN Hallucinating NY Reporter Defames Mohawks
Mailing List: Action Canada Network <actcan@web.net>
NEW YORK PRESS SMEAR CAMPAIGN
Hallucinating reporter defames Mohawks
MNN. Feb. 4, 2006. Recently Tekarontakeh (Paul
Delaronde) was visited by
a reporter, Brad Lockwood of New York Press. Ganiengeh is a
community in
the Mohawks Territory presently referred to as
"northern New York State".
Tekarontakeh thought Brad wanted to write on the special
farming they are
doing there. They are proud of their work on hydroponics and
using
Indigenous knowledge to redevelop seeds for the coming
generations.
The story that came out was a 7-page diatribe
titled "New York's Angry,
Armed Mohawks". It portrays Tekarontakeh as one mighty
"Indjun", who
mutters and snores in Mohawk. Tekarontakeh has no memory of
falling asleep
in Brad's presence. If he did fall asleep, he wouldn't
remember, huh?
According to Brad, Tekarontakeh is paranoid. Brad knows this
because he
noticed that Tekarontakeh always checks his rearview mirror
when he's
driving. (What's the matter, Brad? Haven't you read the
Highway code?)
Brad, who seems to have been fantasizing about
sleeping with Tekarontakeh,
saw him as "a man of action, with a rap sheet and
stories to prove it"!
Brad was so enamored by the lurid horrific tales he must
have been fed
before he got there that he was salivating when he finally
met his hero.
Brad even imagined that Tekarontakeh said that
northern New York is
"Cocaine Alley" "where blow and bud come
through the Canadian border". The
trouble is that no matter what Brad was interested in,
Tekarontakeh said
nothing of the sort, and his "grow-up" has nothing
whatsoever to do with
hallucinogenic substances. Tekarontakeh is obsessed with
nutrition and
growing nutritious food.
To bad, Brad! No coke! No Bud! There weren't
any arms either. Nobody
knows what Brad may have snorted before he got to Ganiengeh.
Tekarontakeh
only talked about agriculture. Everything else that Brad
reported was a
delusion.
Brad told the readers about "crumbling
roads, fewer and shabbier homes
and more roadkill" as they got closer to Ganiengeh.
He's right on this
count. The non-natives in that region are desperately poor
and hopelessly
neglected by their governments. In fact, Ganiengeh has
become a major
employer in the region. Ganiengeh is an enclosed gated
Indigenous
community with modern log cabin homes. He was not taken on a
tour of
private living quarters of the people. It's strictly
off-limits to the
public, like most people's homes.
Later in the article Brad mentioned the
"acres of soybeams, corn and
tomatoes, along with a full herd of "Beefalo".
Solar panels and satellite
dishes speckle the land. Carbon-based pollutants are still
strongly
discouraged, and a new gymnasium and school line the shores
of man-made
Miner Lake - formed by a dam that will soon generate clean
electricity. A
university is in the works". He alleges financing for
all this was through
tax-free cigarettes and illicit ventures such, "though
undocumented",
"guns, many of them tied to prior crimes" and
shady drug deals.
Sorry to disappoint those who think the only
way to make money is
through dishonesty and violence. America was stolen from the
native people
with guns and violence. And some force was needed to reclaim
Ganiengeh.
However, everything that is there now was built through the
honest hard
work of the people - sugar bushes, green houses, golf
course, saw mill and
farming. The people who live and work at Ganiengeh are
skilled. They are
the people who built the Twin Towers in New York City and
who helped clean
up the mess after 9/11.
Brad said the Warriors are now going after
fellow natives, such as those
who were evicted in Kahnawake near Montreal. First, no one
is going after
anyone. Second, the people evicted from Kahnawake in 1974
were all non-
natives who were squatting there illegally.
Brad also described how Tekarontakeh lit up a
cigarette made in Oneida.
Tekarontakeh would not smoke anything but a Mohawk-made
cigarette or a
Marlborough. But, hey! does that matter to someone like Brad
who obviously
doesn't care about the truth of what he reports?
Brad claimed that the Senecas are signing new
treaties and settling land
claims with Pataki. This is totally false. A lot of the
misinformation
about Tekarontakeh is taken from the Onondaga hate sheet
"Haudenosaunee
Environmental Task Force" and the FBI files. These are
often used to
attack any Indigenous enemies of the frauds being
perpetrated by New York
State and their "bought and paid for" Indians. The
Haudenosaunee don't
want to advance treaties. We want to advance constitutional
jurisdiction.
In keeping with the modern international ethics
that require friendly
conduct between nations, Tekarontakeh greeted Brad with
diplomatic
hospitality because he thought that the work they have been
doing on
agriculture at Geniengeh would help other people, native and
non-native
alike. Environmentally friendly economic development! Who
could object to
that? Well, Brad, it seems! He wanted to find a gun-toting
crazy Indian.
But all he found was agricultural promotion. How boring!
Especially when
New York Press service spent so much money sending him up
there. He had to
come back with something!
"Paul Delaronde is a warrior, and a
Warrior", Brad announced, even
though he hadn't seen so much as a sling shot. "He's a
leader of the
Warrior Society", proclaimed Brad. The only problem is
there's no leader
of the Warrior Society. He's projecting his own cultural
assumptions onto
the Haudenosaunee. He's the one who comes from a culture
that sings "Hail
to the Chief" to a president who tries to dominate
everyone. He's blinded
by his own reflection in the mirror, we guess.
Brad did admit that Ganiengeh is
self-sufficient, self-governing and
environmentally responsible. Then he tried to side track the
reader by
saying the Iroquois fought on both sides of the American
Revolution
depending on what they were offered. Then he describes how
the Seneca
refused to renew the 99-year lease to the city of Salamanca.
He forgot to
mention that New York State is still Indigenous land, that
not one inch
has ever been surrendered and that the Indigenous people
retain
sovereignty.
The issue is New York State's efforts to claim
our land by underhanded
pressure tactics such as demonizing the Indians. We've told
them to back
off. They think they can make us back down by publicly
smearing us as
criminals and deviants. The illegally imposed taxation and
outside
policing on Indigenous people without our consent violates
the nation-to-
nation relationship respected by the U.S. Constitution.
Throwing in "Salamanca" is meant to
muddy the real issue. Brad tried to
tie all resistance by other Indigenous people to
Tekarontakeh. He seems to
think he has a supernatural capacity to be in many places at
once. Brad is
projecting god-like qualities onto him. Being a modest man
Tekarontakeh
would be embarrassed by all this adoration.
Brad should read the question we submitted to
the U.S. Supreme Court on
this (USSC 05-165). I think I'll send it to him even though
he probably
won't be able to understand any of it because he's so
delusional. Who
knows? Maybe his delusions will make him read between the
lines. He's been
living in the city smog too long.
Throughout, Brad accuses Tekarontakeh of
offering no explanations and no
apologies. In other words, he said nothing. Unsatisfied with
the actual
results of his investigation Brad hallucinated a trip into
the deep woods
with Tekarontakeh's son. He asked himself questions that
came to his mind
and answered them himself. Tekarontakeh couldn't answer
questions that he
wasn't asked. So how could he explain and apologize for the
writer's
silent assumptions?
Tekarontake assumed something correctly, that
this was going to be a
personal attack on him. Still he treated him politely.
Tekarontakeh feels
a strong commitment to protect his people. To find that his
hospitality
was abused in this his way makes him and all Mohawks feel
violated.
Kahentinetha Horn
MNN Mohawk Nation News
Kahentinetha2@yahoo.com
Contact: 518-236-7100
|
