If you are lost, please go to the Hill City Visitor Center. They can provide good directions.
23935 Hwy 385, Hill City, SD 57745 or call 605.574.2368
Forwarded message from a friend on the land.
All of the people we talked to on Pine Ridge were open and welcoming. They, too, are concerned by this incredible negative barrage of press, but they're still open and welcoming.
For those of you telling others to Boycott--Barry and others: Have you talked directly with any Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Cheyenne, or Arapaho or are you advocating for them because of the internet? We on the land are in constant dialogue with the First Nations people here. We have tocalas here to make sure we're not doing anything in a bad way (cultural appropriation, etc.), have been asked to stay by many, and are meeting respectfully with war chiefs (that just happened today). How many verifiable First Nations people have you boycotters actually talked to? Do you realize how much Duiane Martin (Chanupa) and his followers are actively lying about what's going on? That (according to a friend of mine--I haven't had time to peruse FB) many new FB accounts (those with few friends) have suddenly turned up on Rainbow pages claiming to be first nations? Are you aware that there's a CONCERTED campaign to malign the gathering that you're now full-heartedly participating in? If you really cared, wouldn't you come and listen to what's being said by the people themselves?
I say
again to all strong-hearted, respectful family--this gathering is
happening. It's wanted--not by paper indians (who actually said "No!" to
us), but by traditionals and many others. There are many concerns, but
we're working through them with full hearts.
That being said, here's rumor control:
1. Regardless of fake videos, COPS WERE NEVER CALLED ON CHANUPA (Duane Martin)
2. "Fuck the treaty council" was not said by anyone
3. No one is blocking any gate and no one has seen any "activists" that are supposed to be shutting us down. (Though thanks to this rumor we have a ton of LEO's sitting at both gates trying to "protect" us. That's actually the worst thing I've seen at the site.)
4. There is a rumor going around that "paper indians have told us we could stay. This is false. The council members who the scouts met with last Monday were tribal council members (i.e. "paper indians") and they told us we could NOT stay.
Still to this day no traditional leader has said we should not be here. Many have said it's not a problem. Some have said it's a good thing. That's how it stands.
All is peaceful on the land.
If you were thinking of coming and have a desire to create alliances with our native brothers and sisters, then come home! Some of these traditional tocala (warrior society) brothers are putting themselves on the line for us to be here. I, for one, stand behind them until we have word from a traditional elder, the treaty council, etc. that we should leave. (At that point the tocalas will leave too).
******************************
First off, some of us went to the res yesterday and met with a Nacha who leads sundances on Pine Ridge. He asked us for three things, two of which I will mention here:
1. To help to free Leonard Peltier
2. To get the Black Hills returned to the First Nations peoples
That being said, here's rumor control:
1. Regardless of fake videos, COPS WERE NEVER CALLED ON CHANUPA (Duane Martin)
2. "Fuck the treaty council" was not said by anyone
3. No one is blocking any gate and no one has seen any "activists" that are supposed to be shutting us down. (Though thanks to this rumor we have a ton of LEO's sitting at both gates trying to "protect" us. That's actually the worst thing I've seen at the site.)
4. There is a rumor going around that "paper indians have told us we could stay. This is false. The council members who the scouts met with last Monday were tribal council members (i.e. "paper indians") and they told us we could NOT stay.
Still to this day no traditional leader has said we should not be here. Many have said it's not a problem. Some have said it's a good thing. That's how it stands.
All is peaceful on the land.
If you were thinking of coming and have a desire to create alliances with our native brothers and sisters, then come home! Some of these traditional tocala (warrior society) brothers are putting themselves on the line for us to be here. I, for one, stand behind them until we have word from a traditional elder, the treaty council, etc. that we should leave. (At that point the tocalas will leave too).
******************************
First off, some of us went to the res yesterday and met with a Nacha who leads sundances on Pine Ridge. He asked us for three things, two of which I will mention here:
1. To help to free Leonard Peltier
2. To get the Black Hills returned to the First Nations peoples
(the third thing people here on the land can take care of)
He asked us to walk our talk. He said we could talk for months and nothing could change, but he's willing to give us the chance to walk our talk.
********************************
Everything at the camp is good, transportation to and from the rez is being arranged, as well as kitchens supporting local businesses by purchasing food. 6 tipis are being assigned for indigenous educational workshops. reserved parking for indigenous families ad handicap, closest to the gathering site. A ponca representative came to hold a peace council on behalf of the indigenous opposition, he left seeing nothing wrong ethically.
The Lakota delegation represents the youth, the next generation, the children to the on coming era. For too long we have became silent, watching older leadership bring nothing but tactics that are ineffective to the liberation of our Indigenous peoples. The enemy of our enemy is our friend. Our enemy does not want us to be friends. We want our black hills backs, the rainbow are skilled in critical mass and family oriented enclaves. The time is here. Love.
He asked us to walk our talk. He said we could talk for months and nothing could change, but he's willing to give us the chance to walk our talk.
********************************
Everything at the camp is good, transportation to and from the rez is being arranged, as well as kitchens supporting local businesses by purchasing food. 6 tipis are being assigned for indigenous educational workshops. reserved parking for indigenous families ad handicap, closest to the gathering site. A ponca representative came to hold a peace council on behalf of the indigenous opposition, he left seeing nothing wrong ethically.
The Lakota delegation represents the youth, the next generation, the children to the on coming era. For too long we have became silent, watching older leadership bring nothing but tactics that are ineffective to the liberation of our Indigenous peoples. The enemy of our enemy is our friend. Our enemy does not want us to be friends. We want our black hills backs, the rainbow are skilled in critical mass and family oriented enclaves. The time is here. Love.
Ah, that just gave me a serious sence of relief. I'm so glad. Love you guys! See you soon.
ReplyDeleteFunny how you try to seperate the native people into groups. Those that agree with your disrespectful ways are refered to as proper Natives and those that don't as paper indians. The same tactic was used to steal the Black Hills many years ago. I guess you all have learned that lesson well.
ReplyDeleteI think your people divide themselves into groups and no people is immune to the temptations of money. White isnt a skin color anymore, its a personality defect.
ReplyDelete