Subject: Invitation to Meet the Authors and Artist -
"Lessons from Turtle Island"
Friends:
Wilkie News, Ohio's oldest independent bookstore, will be hosting the area
premier of LESSONS FROM TURTLE ISLAND, a new book by local authors Guy Jones
and Sally Moomaw. The book features illustrations by area artist James Oberle.
The book is the first of it's kind in offering Native curriculum to elementary
teachers. Published by RED LEAF PRESS, St. Paul, Minnesota
(www.redleafpress.org)
You are invited to meet the Authors and Artist on
Saturday, October 19, 2002.
Time: 4-7pm
Location: Wilkie News
101 South Ludlow Street
Dayton, Ohio 45402
937-223-2541
For Cincinnati, there is also a book signing at 1:00
on the same day at Joseph Beth Booksellers, in the Rookwood
Pavilion, just off the Edwards Rd. exit of I-71.
For more information, call 513-396-8960.
I believe the phrase “catch 22” originated in Sioux country as “Wikcemna nunpa
yuza” long before the book by Joseph Heller.
It is the circumstance of rule that denies a solution.
For example; there is a saying commonplace in jurisprudence in America. It is
that a person charged with a crime has the right to be tried before a jury of
his or her peers. Who or what is a peer?
An Indian charged with committing a serious crime on an Indian reservation is
almost always tried in a city far from the reservation and usually before an
all-white jury. The jury never knows anything about this person's life, the
conditions in which he or she was raised, and nothing about the culture,
traditions or language, the knowledge of which could have a serious effect
upon why the crime was committed and upon the ultimate decision of the juror.
Catch 22?
A Lakota father has a duty to his wife and children as their provider and
cultural and spiritual leader. When his freedom was taken from him and he was
placed on an Indian reservation without a means to provide for his family, it
is only natural that his ability to provide cultural and spiritual guidance
also suffered.
When the welfare system first originated, even if the man could not find a
job, he could still stay with his family and he could hunt, fish and maintain
the ties to the culture and spirituality necessary for his well being and that
of his family.
As the system became more controlled the woman was forced to sign papers under
the AFDC programs that prevented the man from living under the same roof as
she and her children. This totally went against the provisions of the Fort
Laramie Treaty of 1868. It placed the man in the position of becoming an
outcast from his own family.
Unemployment on many Western reservations hovers at 50 percent to 80 percent.
There are few jobs and yet a man is forced to separate himself from his family
because he is not working. Catch 22?
When the Indian nations signed treaties with the United States of America,
they did so under duress. Most treaties were created to take land. A tribe
would give up a million acres of land for certain treaty rights. Most treaties
provided for health care, education and welfare. These were provisions written
into the treaties. In exchange for giving up large chunks of land, the Indian
people were to receive certain benefits in perpetuity.
As America became more secure in itself, the treaties soon became worthless
pieces of paper. The millions of acres given up by the Indians for “health
care, education and welfare” took on a different meaning. The monetary
compensation for natural and mineral resources on Indian lands went into a
trust fund where the accumulated profits often amounted to the millions of
dollars.
Treaties aside, if there had been proper accounting for the timber, water, oil
and precious metals taken from Indian lands, there would have never been a
need for any sort of welfare. Instead, the Interior Department, through its
Bureau of Indian Affairs, so mismanaged the assets of the Indian nations that
no one to this day, can account for the millions, nay billions, of dollars
lost or stolen from these trust funds. Trust is such an odd name for these
lost revenues. Who does one trust? Catch 22?
As the number of welfare recipients grew on Indian reservations those
receiving benefits were soon treated as the welfare recipients in the inner
cities. The treaty obligations by the United States to the Indian people for
giving up millions of lucrative acres of land no longer mattered. Every
welfare recipient became a negative number.
The United States supposedly recognizes the Indian nations as sovereign. And
yet, when they initiated the National Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1987,
they gave state governments the authority to regulate gaming compacts. In
other words, if a state decided they did not want an Indian owned casino in
their state, it could simply deny the Indian tribe applying a compact.
Worse yet, every aspect of gaming was regulated by the state. How many slot
machines, whether there could be Black Jack tables, roulette or other gaming
devices, all came under state jurisdiction. One sovereign took precedence over
another sovereign. Catch 22?
In Indian country the circumstance of rule that denies a solution is doing
well.
Tim Giago, an Oglala Lakota, is editor and publisher of weekly Lakota JOurnal.
He can be reached at editor@lakotajournal.com or at P.O. Box 3080, Rapid City,
S.D. 57709
Date: Tue, 01 Oct 2002
Subject: TO THE SUNDANCE NATIONS OF THE GREAT PLAINS
[From Bernard Red Cherries, happyresearcher@aol.com]
TO THE SUNDANCE NATIONS OF THE GREAT PLAINS
SEPT. 26, 2002
1. Northern Cheyenne
2. Arapaho
3. Shoshoni
4. Crow Tribe
5. Dakota Sioux Treaty Council
6. National Congress of American Indians-Washington, D.C.
Brothers, greetings:
I, Bernard Red Cherries, Jr., Northern Cheyenne Sundance Priest, humbly
request your presence at a meeting on October 20th, 2002, at the Tim
Lame Woman residence at Rosebud Creek, 3˝ miles east of Busby, Montana,
at 1 PM. The purpose of this meeting is to address concerns involving
our Sacred Sundance Ceremonial and the exploitation thereof. The
following to include discussions of the current issues of exploitation
involving the following ceremonials: Sacred Sweat-lodge and related
ceremonials atached to our most sacred ways of life.
It has been some time now since we as Traditional Ceremonial Persons who
depend on these ways for our very lives have said or done anything to
aggressively approach this touchy subject. It has come time now to
speak up and make a joint stand to protect that which our Grandfathers
have left for us. It is our responsibility to ensure these ways remain
sacred and as original as it was in the time of our Grandfathers. To do
nothing and simply not say anything would be the same as approving of
the current abuse to continue.
It is these very Sacred Ways that our Grandfathers fought so hard to
protect and were caused to suffer, not only at the policies of the
United States Government, but the general public, as well. When the
Sacred Sundance was banned by the government, our elders made numerous
trips to Washington, D.C., begging to be allowed to practice these very
Sacred Ceremonials. When they were denied, they simply went underground
and as a result of their bold actions and courage today, we still have
our Sacred Songs and Language in which we communicate with the Sacred
Spirits, Sacred Powers, Earth, Stars, Moons, and Elements; none of which
could be fully understood or duplicated by anyone other than our own
kind by virtue of having been customarily taught through our Physical
and Spiritual participation in these very Sacred Ceremonies.
Today in a fad-like fashion, our very Sacred Ways are being carried out
in epidemic proportions all across this country, including overseas,
being changed and misinterpreted by those not Traditionally or
Ceremonially qualified to do so. The purpose of this gathering is not
to further aggression or hatred towards no-one, but simply to call for
protection of our Sacred Ceremonials, so we as our Grandfathers had
done, can protect these ways for our Grandchildren.
The current policy of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act has not
protected us or our Sacred Ceremonies and the Cultural and Spiritual
integrity of our most Sacred Ways that are being changed to suit those
other than it was intended for (our own). Today there is a misguided,
misconcepted, and often corrupted overused view of what some Nations
refer to as "Turtle Island", and the coming together of all Nations in a
Great Sundance Circle. I for one have yet to have heard anything from my
elders about a "Turtle Island" and this great coming together of all
Nations; In fact I was told of how we should be cautious of the
"trickster" and how he would attempt to divide us, how he would use all
of his knowledge, education and money to fool us!!! How we will be
sincere and they will take from us the heart of all that exists, our
lifeline, the Sacred Sundance.
If you look around you in all directions, you will now see what I write
about. In some cases, I would assume it is permissible to allow for
those of other Nations to pray with us, but to keep the cultural,
Traditonal and Ceremonial integrity to the Traditonal, validated
ceremonially taught leaders to hold and be the interpreters for our
grandchildren. These ways must remain protected now, as we are now in
the capacity to do so. A unified declaration to request protection and
relevant changes to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act will be
presented to the National Congress of American Indians on November
10-15th, 2002, in San Diego, California. To request for this protection
is our responsibility as Traditional Sundance Peoples and Leaders.
Copies of this protection endeavor will be given to Congress and Senate
through their elected officials.
Today there are now being held Sundances all across this country in
State parks, National parks, and private lands, away from the
Traditional authority, and besides this is a Tribal Level Ceremony that
requires the participation of the entire tribe, young and old. So by
doing so, those that hold or run these Sundances away from the
Traditionals and People elude any corrective measure or action by the
Traditional Leaders, Warrior Societies, and at best, give society a
false impression of our very Sacred Ways. These Ceremonies cannot be
bought like some dime store novelty or duplicated by non-natives, as our
language is our key to communicating with the Earth, Spirits and Sacred
Elements. Summoning the Powers in our Native Tongue and Song is
priceless and irreplaceable.
We will have a Sweat Lodge Ceremony prior to our meeting, this will
begin at around 1 PM, with refreshments to follow. After the meeting, a
traditional dry meat meal will be served. I urge those of you to come
with an open heart and mind and I remind all of you that this is neither
a breeding ground for the hatred of others or place to assassinate one's
character, but a Sacred Gathering so we as Traditional People,
Practitionaers, and Spiritual Leaders can come together in a respectful
and humble manner to address this issue of abuse and exploitation, and
come up with a solution to protect our very Sacred Ceremonial Ways of
Life.
So I humbly come before you and ask as a brother to join me in this
endeavor to protect the Sacred Ways for our Grandchildren and future
generations to come.
Ha-ho
Bernard Red Cherries Jr. Norhtern Cheyenne Sundance-Arrow Priest, Elk
Society Headsman. 7th generation direct descendant of Chief Little
Wolf, who along with Dull Knife fought to bring the Northern Cheyenne
home, from the Indian Territories-Oklahoma to the North Country, where
"we forever will remain"
cc: Francis Brown, Harold Smith, Jerry Redman, Joe Waterman-Arapaho
Nation, John Pretty on Top- Crow Nation; Calvin First Bear- Dakota
Sioux Nation; Shoshone Agency - Shoshoni Nation Cultural Commission, Ft.
Washakie, Wy.; John Wooden Legs, Jr.-Vice Chairman- Northern Cheynne
Tribe.; Lillian Sparks-National Congress of American
Indians-Washington, D.C.; Juana Veho-National Congress of American
Indians-Washington, D.C.; Senator Ben Night Horse Campbell-Washington,
D.C.; Senator Daniel Inoyah-Washington, D.C.; Committee on Indian
Affairs, United States Senate. 838 Hart Office Building, Washington,
D.C. 20510
