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United Nations rep, Indigenous gather to protect the sacred


By Brenda Norrell

PHOENIX - While Yellowstone's buffalo were being slaughtered and =
President George Bush craved war, Indigenous from the Americas gathered =
for the resurrection of their spiritual destinies to protect the earth =
and all that is sacred.

With equal intensity to the destruction in the world, Indians from the =
Arctic came defending the caribou homeland, Navajos from Big Mountain, =
Ariz., called for protection of Black Mesa and Lakota from Pine Ridge, =
S.D., urged solidarity in rekindling the spiritual fortunes of mankind.

United Nations Representative Wilton Littlechild, Cree, joined the =
circle of many nations on top of South Mountain, a mountain sacred to =
the Salt River and Gila River O'otham, as Lakota and others made prayer =
offerings at sunset on Friday, March 7, beginning a three-day conference =
here.

Littlechild, representative of the United Nations Permanent Forum on =
Indigenous Issues, said that for the first time, spiritual priorities =
are emerging from the United Nations as a result of input from =
Indigenous nations.

Speaking during a noon press conference, Zuni Pueblo Councilman Dan =
Simplicio said a proposed coal mine of the Salt River Project has =
already resulted in the removal of nine of his people from their graves.

"Those are our ancestors that were never intended to be disturbed," =
Simplicio said.

The proposed Fence Lake Project is in the vicinity of the Zuni's sacred =
salt mines in New Mexico. Simplicio said salt has properties that =
sustain life, while coal mining robs the earth of life.

"A basic ingredient that gives us life is salt," he said. "Mining takes =
away life."

Sarah James of the Gwich'in Steering Committee in the Arctic spoke of =
the need to protect the Porcupine Caribou Herd and the sacred place =
known as "Where Life Begins," from proposed oil drilling in the Arctic =
National Wildlife Refuge-Coastal Plain.

"We are fighting in a good way without compromise with the direction of =
our elders," James said, adding that all sacred sites are connected as =
all life is connected.

"We have that pride we need to unite with one voice without compromise."

The noon press conference at a downtown Phoenix hotel was attended by =
only one Arizona media outlet, a Spanish language newspaper.

During the conference, Kee Watchman, Navajo resisting relocation in =
Arizona, said Navajos have lived on their ancestral homelands at Cactus =
Valley and Big Mountain for 1,000 years.

Although some of the elders passed to the spirit world in recent years, =
Watchman said Navajo and Hopi living traditional lives continue to teach =
 the young ones and make their prayers in reverence for the sacred =
plants and animals in their trust.

Robert Nutlouis, Navajo youth from Pinon, Ariz., said the coal slurry of =
Peabody Coal is robbing the people of Black Mesa of their only source of =
water, the aquifer. Nutlouis pointed out that the Navajo Nation Council =
was originally established for the purpose of signing energy leases and =
today the council continues to sell the resources and ignore the =
suffering of the Dineh.

Ernest Modesto spoke of efforts to protect the Baboquivari Mountains, =
the home of the Tohono O'odham's sacred being Itoi, from tribal =
development near the Arizona and Mexico border.

Tonyo Gonnella Frichner shared the spiritual legacies of the Six Nations =
Iroquois. Lakotas Leonard Little Finger, Richard Broken Nose, Joann Tall =
and Rosalie Little Thunder offered prayers and spoke of the need for a =
spiritual unity to restore mankind.

The Chiapas womens theater, FOMMA, performed with four Mayan women =
playing multiple roles of men and women in a script they wrote revealing =
the struggles of Indigenous women. The lively, masked Tecuany =
traditional dancers of Guerrera, Mex., followed.

The Tlahokan Atzlan gathering, March 7 - 9, is being held at the  =
Nahuacalli center, 802 N. 7th St. in Phoenix. Tonatierra and the Seventh =
Generation Fund are co-sponsors of the conference. The telephone is =
602-254-5230.


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<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><STRONG>United Nations rep, =
Indigenous gather=20
to protect the sacred<FONT size=3D1>
<P>&nbsp;</P></FONT></STRONG>By Brenda Norrell<BR><BR>PHOENIX - While=20
Yellowstone's buffalo were being slaughtered and President George Bush =
craved=20
war, Indigenous from the Americas gathered for the resurrection of their =

spiritual destinies to protect the earth and all that is =
sacred.<BR><BR>With=20
equal intensity to the destruction in the world, Indians from the Arctic =
came=20
defending the caribou homeland, Navajos from Big Mountain, Ariz., called =
for=20
protection of Black Mesa and Lakota from Pine Ridge, S.D., urged =
solidarity in=20
rekindling the spiritual fortunes of mankind.<BR><BR>United Nations=20
Representative Wilton Littlechild, Cree, joined the circle of many =
nations on=20
top of South Mountain, a mountain sacred to the Salt River and Gila =
River=20
O'otham, as Lakota and others made prayer offerings at sunset on Friday, =
March=20
7, beginning a three-day conference here.<BR><BR>Littlechild, =
representative of=20
the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, said that for =
the first=20
time, spiritual priorities are emerging from the United Nations as a =
result of=20
input from Indigenous nations.<BR><BR>Speaking during a noon press =
conference,=20
Zuni Pueblo Councilman Dan Simplicio said a proposed coal mine of the =
Salt River=20
Project has already resulted in the removal of nine of his people from =
their=20
graves.<BR><BR>"Those are our ancestors that were never intended to be=20
disturbed," Simplicio said.<BR><BR>The proposed Fence Lake Project is in =
the=20
vicinity of the Zuni's sacred salt mines in New Mexico. Simplicio said =
salt has=20
properties that sustain life, while coal mining robs the earth of=20
life.<BR><BR>"A basic ingredient that gives us life is salt," he said. =
"Mining=20
takes away life."<BR><BR>Sarah James of the Gwich'in Steering Committee =
in the=20
Arctic spoke of the need to protect the Porcupine Caribou Herd and the =
sacred=20
place known as "Where Life Begins," from proposed oil drilling in the =
Arctic=20
National Wildlife Refuge-Coastal Plain.<BR><BR>"We are fighting in a =
good way=20
without compromise with the direction of our elders," James said, adding =
that=20
all sacred sites are connected as all life is connected.<BR><BR>"We have =
that=20
pride we need to unite with one voice without compromise."<BR><BR>The =
noon press=20
conference at a downtown Phoenix hotel was attended by only one Arizona =
media=20
outlet, a Spanish language newspaper.<BR><BR>During the conference, Kee=20
Watchman, Navajo resisting relocation in Arizona, said Navajos have =
lived on=20
their ancestral homelands at Cactus Valley and Big Mountain for 1,000=20
years.<BR><BR>Although some of the elders passed to the spirit world in =
recent=20
years, Watchman said Navajo and Hopi living traditional lives continue =
to=20
teach&nbsp; the young ones and make their prayers in reverence for the =
sacred=20
plants and animals in their trust.<BR><BR>Robert Nutlouis, Navajo youth =
from=20
Pinon, Ariz., said the coal slurry of Peabody Coal is robbing the people =
of=20
Black Mesa of their only source of water, the aquifer. Nutlouis pointed =
out that=20
the Navajo Nation Council was originally established for the purpose of =
signing=20
energy leases and today the council continues to sell the resources and =
ignore=20
the suffering of the Dineh.<BR><BR>Ernest Modesto spoke of efforts to =
protect=20
the Baboquivari Mountains, the home of the Tohono O'odham's sacred being =
Itoi,=20
from tribal development near the Arizona and Mexico border.<BR><BR>Tonyo =

Gonnella Frichner shared the spiritual legacies of the Six Nations =
Iroquois.=20
Lakotas Leonard Little Finger, Richard Broken Nose, Joann Tall and =
Rosalie=20
Little Thunder offered prayers and spoke of the need for a spiritual =
unity to=20
restore mankind.<BR><BR>The Chiapas womens theater, FOMMA, performed =
with four=20
Mayan women playing multiple roles of men and women in a script they =
wrote=20
revealing the struggles of Indigenous women. The lively, masked Tecuany=20
traditional dancers of Guerrera, Mex., followed.<BR><BR>The Tlahokan =
Atzlan=20
gathering, March 7 - 9, is being held at the&nbsp; Nahuacalli center, =
802 N. 7th=20
St. in Phoenix. Tonatierra and the Seventh Generation Fund are =
co-sponsors of=20
the conference. The telephone is=20
602-254-5230.</FONT></FONT><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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