February 11, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - News Release

http://www.longestwalk.org

Longest Walk 2 Begins with Ceremony & Support
for Repatriation for California Tribal Nations

Press Conference: University of California Berkeley Denies Protection of Native Ancestral Remains and Sacred Objects

BERKELEY, Calif. -- On February 11, 2008, Indigenous Nations from around the country held a rally and press conference at the University of California Berkeley, to commence the Longest Walk 2 – a trans-continental walk for environmental protection and Native American rights. Participants of the Longest Walk 2 are embarking on a five- month journey on foot from San Francisco and will arrive in Washington, D.C. on July 11, 2008.

More than 1,000 Native American dignitaries, religious leaders, environmental, and union groups began the walk at a Monday sunrise ceremony at Alcatraz Island, which has become a symbol for Native American Resistance. The events continued with a peaceful rally and press conference at the University of California.

“Longest Walk 2 embraces the struggle in solidarity with California Natives fighting the sudden and secretive elimination of UC Berkeley’s Hearst Museum’s unit on Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).” Said Jimbo Simmons, National Coordinator of The Longest Walk 2 and Native American NAGPRA Coalition member. “We are protesting the university’s possession of more than 12,000 ancestral remains. Not only is UC Berkeley refusing to comply with federal law, they are turning complete control of our missing Indian ancestors and sacred objects to radical anti-repatriation scientists.”

Native Americans and social justice allies demanded a reversal to the administrative exclusion of Native Americans from any decision making process. Native people also demanded that the university immediately comply with all federal and state laws.

“You are literally walking in my ancestors foot steps,” said Cheyenne Gould, a 17-year-old Muwekwa Ohlone youth. “My ancestors walked all through here and now they are in boxes at this university, I feel appreciative of the Longest Walk 2 because we need more people to speak out. We also need more people to listen to us so that the University will give back our remains so we can have proper burials.”

A march that grew to more than 400 people began at UC Berkeley’s Oak Grove. Activists have been blocking plans by University officials to clear cut old growth trees and demolish the area that has been identified as an Ohlone burial site by UC Berkeley’s own archeology department.

Marchers proceeded to Sproul Plaza on the UC Berkeley campus with a call to attention and for support for a California State Senate hearing on February 26 to investigate the ongoing rights violations committed by the university against Native Americans. Marchers also voiced support for mediation between Indian Nations and the UCB system.

“When it comes to Native Americans, why is that we have no guaranteed protection of our religious freedoms and our ancestors’ final sacred resting places?” said Morning Star Gali, Achumawi Band of the Pit River Nation and member of the Native American NAGPRA Coalition. “Universities, such as UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University, and developers continue to violate federal laws and desecrate our burial sites and sacred places. Both UC Berkeley and SF State are holding over 12,000 of our ancestors and cultural objects hostage.”

“This is a direct attack on our people.” said Joey Silvas, Wailaki tribal member. “We will be back until our people are returned, everyone of them. I would like you to take these messages from Alcatraz, Glen Cove, UC Berkeley, and DQ University. The whole world needs to know. Not only in Indian Country.”

The Longest Walk of 2008 is stopping in communities all across Turtle Island. Longest Walk participants will listen to Native peoples concerns, document and deliver them to US officials in DC.

The 2008 walk will mark the 30th anniversary of the original Longest Walk of 1978 that resulted in historic changes for Native America.
In July of 1978, thousands converged on the Nations capitol to immobilize 11 pieces of legislation in Congress that would have abrogated Native American Treaties.

“It’s sad to think that there are more dead Indians here at this University than live ones. That needs to change,” said Dennis Banks, co-founder of the American Indian Movement. “They have studied us long enough. They’ve trampled upon our history, they have disturbed the journey of our spirits.”

“Americas if you were our friend, we wouldn’t have to walk across this country to say how we’ve been hurt!”
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Note to editors: High-resolution photos available upon request.

http://www.longestwalk.org

By F.T. Norton Feb. 19, 2008

Cross-country walkers say they were confronted at sacred site American Indians ask for understanding of their traditions, respect

In the seventh day of a cross-country walk to protect sacred American Indian sites, a group of walkers prayed near the Washoe Tribe's sacred Cave Rock in Lake Tahoe on Monday morning. The prayer was interrupted by fishermen who wanted to use the dock, said Jimbo Simmons.

"They came down saying how they paid for this dock and how long were we going to be there, and who do we think that we are to stand there and pray," Simmons recalled. "That was just a lack of respect. What we would like is respect."

About 80 American Indians and others sympathetic to the plight left Alcatraz Island in San Francisco on Feb. 11 to embark on a 3,600-mile journey on foot to Washington, D.C. Expected to take five months, the Longest Walk 2 is to commemorate a march that was completed 30 years ago and to bring awareness to the environment and support the preservation of American Indian sacred sites.

Simmons took part in that first walk when he was 22. Today, he is a coordinator for the event.

This group walking the northern route arrived in Northern Nevada on Sunday night and walked from south Carson City to the Carson Colony on Monday morning. After taking part in a powwow and spending the night at the gymnasium there, they leave this morning to continue their trek to Silver Springs. On Wednesday, they move on to Fallon, eventually reaching Utah between March 1 and 3. The walkers expect to hit Colorado on March 14 and Kansas on April 8. And before their final destination in the nation's capital on July 11, they'll visit Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The southern route walkers also left Alcatraz on Feb. 11 and will make their way through Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Virginia.

Willie Lonewolf of Oakland intends to walk the whole route.

"I'm dedicating this walk to my ancestors," said the drum keeper and singer. "We need to be aware of what's going on in America."

Tony Bautista of Sacramento is not walking any farther than Carson City. Life gets in the way sometimes, Bautista said, and he only had enough time to make the California-to-Nevada trek.

But he felt so strongly about the message that the walk conveys, he needed to take part.

"A lot of the Native American sites are getting exploited, and that's what a big part of this walk is about, but it's also about sacred sites from around the world," he said, noting one of the walkers is a Japanese Buddhist monk who came to the United States specifically for the event.

Bautista said anyone can take part, even if they just walk a short distance. If you care enough about the mission, walking just a few blocks is enough, he said.

"Yesterday when we were in Tahoe, there might have been 50 people walking. Today, the children from around here walked with us; there were at least 20 children around us," he said.

A mobile, solar-powered, Web-streaming radio station is going along with the north route walkers. They Webcast live daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at longestwalk.com.

According to the Web site, the purpose of the northern route is to carry the message from the Longest Walk of 1978: "The Longest Walk is an Indian spiritual walk, a historical walk; and it is a walk for educational awareness to the American and the world communities about the concerns of American Indian people. This route will carry the message of renewing the spirit by walking in the footsteps of our ancestors."

www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20080219/NEWS/763165402/-1/rss02

Visit site for further information & how you can get involved at: www.longestwalk.org

Listen to The Longest Walk 2 live at: http://www.earthcycles.net/10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Check schedules for time changes)

And Brenda Norrell is doing a great job of covering the Walk: www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com. -----

A Nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground, then it is done. No matter how brave its warriors or how strong its weapons. Cheyenne

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FirstPeoplesNews

-- Best regards,
Twila Pennington
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ACTION ALERT ON HR2824 !!
www.stoptribaltermination.org

H.R. 2824 was introduced June 21, 2007 by Congresswoman Diane Watson. This bill proposes "to sever the United States' government relations with the Cherokee Nation".

"Sovereignty cannot be bartered for reparations". tp

All mail is sent BCC to respect the e-mail address privacy of others. Should you wish to be removed from this mailing list please reply indicating such. Wa' do! tp

Longest Walk in Shoshone country….

From: brenda norrell
brendanorrell@gmail.com

Hi friends,

The photo today of the Cheyenne Arapaho runner on the "Loneliest Road in America," says it all about why I haven't been writing or posting much lately. Very hard to get access to Internet. But the Yomba and other Shoshones have been so wonderful. We leave Austin, Nevada, for even higher country tomorrow, Eureka, on to Ely Friday and toward Utah on Hwy 50. Please see the blog for photos and listen to us at www.earthcycles.net Yes, unfortunately for the listeners, I'm a cohost on Longest Walk Talk Radio on the northern route. Photos at: www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

Here's a comment just posted on the Atlantic Free Press to an earlier US/Mexico border story.

Article title:
Mohawks Inflamed Over Tohono O'odham Tribal Council Complicity In "Border" Oppression Of Indigenous People - U.S. welcomes rich and kills the poor

Title: O'odham means people

Comment: The original people of these lands have been further confined. February 25, 2008 a traditional O'odham man from the O'odham territory with two elder women passengers were stopped and restricted further travel at the Border Patrol check point exiting the occupied Tohono O'odham Nation reservation boundary. According to new DHS restriction for O'odham, O'odham living in O'odham territory occupied by Mexico entering O'odham lands occupied by the United States are illegally entering the United States if they leave the confines of the reservation.

The O'odham did not authorized the International Border which bisected O'odham lands and communities and families. The O'odham are considered undocumented trespassers, on our own lands.

The tribal government comments were, "we announced the new policy on the radio and the newspapers."

Further restrictions are yet to be announced.

This is the real situation that the general public is ignorant of and also this does not alert the policymakers that there is something wrong. This are Universal Human Rights for Indigenous Peoples violations. As original peoples we have the right to not only exist but have the right to our way of life and the right to travel on our own lands.

The WALL is a violation of our rights, to exist as O'odham, our lands is our responsiblitity as human beings to maintain the balance of the universe, these restrictions impacted not just the O'odham but all humanity and the entire environment, all plant and animal life and the entire universe. Further restrictions will began a irreparable cycle of events, a reaction by our ancestors and nature. This a warning from our prophets, too many deaths on our lands, too many foreigners direspecting the people and the lands and our own people not following our way of life.

The border patrols are armed robots of the american government that have no right to be on O'odham lands committing O'odham Rights violations and Human Rights violations.

Killing one O'odham is one too many.

This is the REAL situation people I live in the occupied territory. I have witnessed many violations, have been arrested by the tribal police, (although there will be no record of it), I have witnesses. I have been held at gunpoint by the Border Patrol when I said I was O'odham instead of U.S. citizen or Mexican citizen. My house as well as many O'odham homes were surrounded by heavily armed, riot geared forces that entered our homes without warrants.

We are all criminals on our own homes and lands, all in the name of U.S. border protection from terrorist.

-- Brenda Norrell
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

Article and photo by Brenda Norrell
Human Rights Editor
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Carrie Dann Visits Long Walk

EUREKA, Nevada -- The Long Walk Northern Route was honored with a visit from Western Shoshone Carrie Dann on Thursday evening, after walkers arrived here on foot from Austin.

The Miwok youth, Round Valley singers and Cheyenne Arapaho Calvin Magpie sang traditional songs for Dann in the Long Walk circle, honoring her endless struggle for Indian rights.

Dann said the Shoshone are faced with the desecration of their sacred places, including Mount Tenabo, as gold mining expands its destruction on Shoshone lands. Further, nuclear testing and the nuclear industry are poisoning the land, air and water.

Dann remembered when the Long Walk passed through Shoshone lands 30 years ago. She joined the 1978 walkers in Austin, Nevada.

Gathered in a circle with the walkers and runners in Eureka, she said she was encouraged by Indian youths and their courage. "I want you to know that I'm proud of you," Dann said.

Jimbo Simmons, coordinator of the Longest Walk Northern Route, presented Dann with a new poster of the Longest Walk, which includes the faces of the northern route walkers in the Four Directions. Dann asked walkers to sign the poster to remember them. She said she would place it in the Western Shoshone Defense Project office.

Long Walker Tomas Reyes told the walkers that Dann was one of the great Indians of our time and a great deal could be learned from her example.

Walkers and runners will rise early on Friday, traveling on foot to Ely, Nevada, to carry the message that all life is sacred and to honor Mother Earth.

Read more about the Western Shoshone Defense Project:
http://www.wsdp.org/
Mission:

To affirm Newe (Western Shoshone) jurisdiction over Newe Sogobia (Western Shoshone homelands) by protecting, preserving, and restoring Newe rights and lands for present and future generations based on cultural and spiritual traditions.

"We are who we are because our nation survived here. It is written on our earth."

--
Brenda Norrell
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com