Cé go bhfuil an dáta a rith le haghaidh an phaidir ghrúpa léiríonn an liosta dúinn Suímh Naofa go leor gur gá ár n-cosaint agus paidir. D'fhéadfadh sé a bheith go maith paidir a sheoladh chuig an suíomh is gaire duit agus díriú ar an limistéar sin. Ansin do paidreacha a sheoladh chuig gach suímh eile. Aontaithe go bhfuil muid láidir ......... aontaithe againn atá fíor .... aontaithe a chruthú dúinn cothromaíocht ...... buíochas a ghabháil leat, Miriam

AN MAIDIN STAR INSTITIÚID
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Ráiteas Nuachta Le Foilsiú Láithreach

16-24 Meitheamh SET DO 2012 LÁ NÁISIÚNTA NAOFA PAIDIR ÁITEANNA

Beidh Washington, DC (6/15/12)-ndeasghnátha agus searmanais ar siúl ar fud na talún ó 16 Meitheamh trí 24 Meitheamh 2012 chun ceiliúradh a dhéanamh Laethanta Náisiúnta na hUrnaí a chosaint Áiteanna Dúchais Naofa Mheiriceá. Beidh an urramú i Washington, DC ar siúl ar DÉ CÉADAOIN, 20 MEITHEAMH ag 08:30, ar na Stáit Aontaithe Tailte Capitol, Limistéar Tosaigh Thiar Grassy (féach na sonraí faoi na liosta, Washington DC i liosta aibítreach de réir stát ar na leathanaigh seo a leanas ).

Cur síos ar áiteanna naofa áirithe agus bagairtí atá os a gcomhair, chomh maith le tráthanna agus ionaid a cuimhneacháin poiblí atá liostaithe thíos. Tá cuid de na cruinnithe béim sa scaoileadh fóraim nach oideachais, searmanais creidimh, agus go bhfuil siad ar oscailt don phobal i gcoitinne. Tá daoine eile searmanais agus féadfar é a sheoladh go príobháideach. Chomh maith leis sin atá liostaithe thíos, beidh ndeasghnátha agus paidreacha ar fáil ag áiteanna naofa eile atá faoi bhagairt agus ar iad siúd nach bhfuil i mbaol ag an am seo.

"Daoine Dúchasach agus neamh-Dúchasach a bhailiú na tíre ag an am seo le haghaidh searmanais Grianstad agus chun áiteanna naofa honor, ach is féidir le gach duine ar na tailte seo lómhara agus uiscí onóir-am ar fad go simplí trí iad a urramú agus an saol dtacaíonn siad agus gan ligean dóibh a bheith harmed, "a dúirt Suzan a thaispeántar Harjo (Cheyenne & Hodulgee MUSCOGEE). Tá sí Uachtarán an Morning Star Institiúid, a eagraíonn Náisiúnta Laethanta Áiteanna Naofa Paidir. "Searmanais á stiúradh chomh fada agus is ró-Peoples go leor Meiriceánach Dúchasach i mbun struggles dlí le gníomhaireachtaí cónaidhme a taobh le forbróirí a chur i mbaol nó a scriosadh áiteanna naofa Dúchasach," a dúirt Ms Harjo.

"Ós rud é breith na Cúirte Uachtaraí US i 1988 nach bhfuil aon chúis bunreachtúil nó reachtúil gníomhaíochta a chosaint áiteanna naofa Dúchasach, go bhfuil Meiriceánaigh Dhúchasacha na bpobal ach amháin sna Stáit Aontaithe nach bhfuil doras ar an teach cúirte a chosaint áiteanna naofa nó chun an suíomh go sonrach le searmanais, "a dúirt Ms Harjo. "Go Ní mór a athrú go simplí mar ábhar cothroime agus cothromas. Náisiún Dúchasach bheith bróg le chéile cosaintí atá bunaithe ar chosaintí atá beartaithe chun críocha eile. D'fhéadfadh roinnt gníomhaireachtaí a cheadú ar siúl ag an tábla seo nuair a bhíonn forbairt ag smaoineamh ar, ach ní dhéanann an chuid is mó agus nach Peoples Dúchasacha a ghlacadh dáiríre mar gheall ar a fhios ag na gníomhaireachtaí agus forbróirí nach Chúirt Uachtarach le feiceáil claonadh a éisteacht lawsuits a nach bhfuil ceart oirfidh gníomhaíochta. "

Le linn a fheachtas uachtaránachta i 2008, labhair ansin-Seanadóir Obama an tsaincheist seo mar chuid dá ardán pholasaí Meiriceánach Dúchasach le haghaidh saoirse creidimh, cultúrtha agus naofa áiteanna cosanta: "áiteanna naofa Dúchasach Meiriceánach agus suíomh ar leith searmanais faoi bhagairt ó thruailliú a fhorbairt, , agus loitiméireacht. Barack Obama Tacaíonn cosaintí dlíthiúla le haghaidh áiteanna naofa agus traidisiúin chultúrtha, lena n-áirítear reiligí sinsear Dúchasach 'agus séipéil. "

Peoples Dúchasacha go leor d'fhormhuinigh Iarrthóir Obama mar gheall ar a seasamh ar áiteanna naofa Dúchasach, ach despaired ag an difríocht idir an méid atá ag fás tacaíocht is iarrthóirí agus cad é an Uachtaráin Riarachán déanta ar áiteanna naofa. An tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta, an Biúró Bainistíochta Talún, tá an Roinn Dlí agus Cirt agus gníomhaireachtaí cónaidhme eile i mbaol go gníomhach áiteanna naofa agus troid Peoples Dúchasacha atá ag iarraidh a chosaint áiteanna naofa i bpróisis bhreithiúnacha agus riaracháin.

Comhdháil Náisiúnta na American Indians, an eagraíocht is sine agus is mó Indiach náisiúnta, D'iarr Chomhdháil a achtú reacht a bheadh ​​ar fáil cúis chaingne, don Uachtarán thabhairt suas chun dáta agus a neartú an tOrdú Feidhmiúcháin atá ann cheana féin ar Suímh Naofa Indiach agus do na Foraoise Seirbhís a úsáid dlíthe atá ann cheana féin agus beartais a chosaint áiteanna naofa Dúchasach Meiriceánach. Ag an am céanna, tá touted an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta mar hIodáile le haghaidh áiteanna naofa a dréacht-tuarascáil, a bhí denounced roundly i dtír Indiach, agus tuarascáil athbhreithnithe tá sé a choinneáil faoi rún, i gcoinne an Riarachán seasamh ar chomhairliúchán treibhe.

"Tá an tUachtarán iarradh go díreach chun glaoch ar Chomhdháil a chruthú ceart caingne ionas gur féidir linn a chosaint ár n-áiteanna naofa, chun feabhas a chur ar an tOrdú Feidhmiúcháin Láithreáin Indiach Naofa agus don tSeirbhís Foraoise agus le gníomhaireachtaí eile a stopadh ó leanúint ar a n-scór bliain ar feadh an ionsaí i gcoinne áiteanna naofa Dúchasach, "a dúirt Ms Harjo. "Tá mé fós dóchasach gur féidir leis an Uachtarán agus beidh a dhéanamh ar na rudaí seo, fiú má tá Comhdháil ann dul chun cinn seo nó in aon réimse seo. Arís eile, tá muid ag guí go mbeidh sé seo an bhliain seo caite táimid ag séanadh ceartas ag na Brainsí Feidhmiúcháin, Reachtaíochta agus Breithiúnacha. "

Tá an Rapporteur Speisialta na Náisiún Aontaithe ar Chearta na bPobal Dúchasacha aitheantas Moltar go na Stáit Aontaithe a mheas a tharraingt siar an ceadúnas cónaidhme go bhfuil deis ar saoire sciála príobháideach a úsáid uisce séarachais athchúrsáilte sneachta a dhéanamh ar bharr an Francisco San beanna, atá naofa Náisiún Dúchasach go leor sa winds. An Rapporteur Speisialta tar éis a dtugtar freisin ar na Stáit Aontaithe dul i gcomhairle le agus áiteanna naofa ar ais go dtí do Dhaoine Dúchasach.

"Peoples Meiriceánach Dúchasach Moltar gur athraigh an tUachtarán an seasamh Stáit Aontaithe agus thacaigh na Náisiúin Aontaithe 'Dearbhú maidir le Cearta na bPobal Dúchasacha, agus táim ag tnúth a chur i bhfeidhm dhlí SAM agus na gcleachtas," a dúirt Ms Harjo.

Áirítear ar an Dearbhú na ráitis seo a leanas maidir le áiteanna naofa:

"Airteagal 11, 1: daoine dúchasach Tá sé de cheart a chleachtadh agus a athbheochan a dtraidisiúin chultúrtha agus custaim. Áirítear leis seo an ceart a choimeád ar bun, a chosaint agus a fhorbairt cineálacha caite, i láthair agus sa todhchaí a gcultúir, cosúil le láithreáin seandálaíochta agus stairiúla, artifacts, dearaí, searmanais, teicneolaíochtaí agus na hamharcealaíona agus na taibh-agus litríocht.

"Airteagal 11, 2: Déanfaidh na Ballstáit a chur ar fáil sásamh trí mheicníochtaí éifeachtach, lenar féidir a áireamh aiseag, a forbraíodh i gcomhar le daoine dúchasacha, maidir lena maoin chultúrtha, intleachtúil, reiligiúnach agus spioradálta a ghlacadh gan a gcead saor in aisce, roimh ré agus eolasach nó i sárú ar dhlíthe, traidisiúin agus custaim. "

"Airteagal 12, 1: daoine dúchasach an ceart chun a léiriú, cleachtadh, a fhorbairt agus a dtraidisiúin spioradálta agus creidimh, custaim agus searmanais mhúineadh; an ceart a choimeád ar bun, a chosaint, agus rochtain a bheith i príobháideachta a suímh creidimh agus cultúrtha; an ceart le húsáid agus a rialú a n-rudaí searmanas. agus an ceart chun an aisdúichiú a iarsmaí daonna "

"Airteagal 25: daoine dúchasach an ceart a choimeád ar bun agus a neartú a gcaidreamh spioradálta ar leith lena n-traidisiúnta ar úinéireacht nó ar shlí eile áitiú agus in úsáid tailte, na críocha, uiscí agus farraigí cois cósta agus acmhainní eile agus a gcuid freagrachtaí a seasamh glúnta atá le teacht maidir leis seo."

Is iad na 2012 ndeasghnátha an deichiú cuid de Laethanta Urnaí Náisiúnta a Chosaint Áiteanna Dúchais Naofa Mheiriceá. Rinneadh an Lá Urnaí chéad Náisiúnta ar 20 Meith, 2003, ar an Capitol Forais Stáit Aontaithe agus na tíre chun béim a chur ar an ngá atá le Chomhdháil a achtú cúis chaingne a chosaint áiteanna naofa Dúchasach. An riachtanas sin ann go fóill.

Beidh Paidreacha a chur ar fáil do na háiteanna seo a leanas naofa, i measc nithe eile:

Hills antalóip. Apache Leap. Broc Dhá Leigheas. Badlands. Bear Butte. Bear Lake. Bear Leigheas Lodge. Black Hills. Black Mesa. Gorm Loch. Boboquivari Mountain. Bunchgrass Mountain. Cave Rock. Aille Príomh. Tailte Chumash Cósta Ró-Naofa i Cósta Gaviota. Cocopah Adhlactha agus Forais Searmanais. Coldwater Springs. Colorado Abhainn. Columbia River. Rocks Leigheas Fia. Dzil Nchaa Si An (Mount Graham). Eagle Rock. Everglades.

Fajada Butte. Ganondagan. Dumha Mór (Bun Mound). Murascaill Mheicsiceo. Haleakala Crater. Mountain Hatchet. Ground Hickory. Naofa Mountain. Tírghnéithe Hualapai Nation i Truxton agus canyons Crozier. Pas Indiach. Kaho'olawe. Kasha-Katuwe. Katuktu. Kituwah. Klamath River. Kumeyaay Bandaí Adhlactha agus Forais Searmanais. Loch Superior. Luiseno Tírdhreach Origin Ancestral. Mauna Kea. Maze. Leigheas Bluff. Poll Leigheas. Leigheas Loch Highlands. Rothaí Leigheas. Migi zii wa sin (Eagle Rock). Mokuhinia. Moku'ula. Mount Shasta. Mount Taylor. Mount Tenabo. Naoi Canyon Mile.

Ocmulgee Réimsí Sean-agus Séadchomhartha Náisiúnta. ONONDAGA Loch. Palo DURO Canyon. Petroglyphs Séadchomhartha Náisiúnta. Pipestone Séadchomhartha Náisiúnta. Puget Sound. Puvungna. Pirimid Loch Cloch Máthair. Quechan Adhlactha agus Forais Searmanais. Rainbow Bridge. Oileán rattlesnake. Rio Grande Abhainn. San beanna Francisco. Mound nathair. Snoqualmie bhFál. Hills Sweetgrass. Buttes Sutter. TSE Cincíse Sráidbhaile Zen. STI-litch Semiahmah Sráidbhaile. Gleann na Ceannairí. VALMONT Butte. Bogaigh Wakarusa. Ag siúl Áit Woman. Woodruff Butte. Mac tíre Abhainn. Mountain Yucca. Zuni Salt Lake. Áiteanna naofa de gach Náisiún bainte Dúchasach. Gach Uiscí agus Bogaigh.

Arizona: Mount Graham, Dzil Nchaa Si An

Mount Graham is naofa do na daoine Apache an Iarthair agus tá sé ar eolas ag an Carlos San Apache mar Dzil Nchaa Si An. Is tírdhreach naofa ina Gaan nó Biotáille Mountain cónaí agus ancestral Apache chuid eile. Is áit na searmanais agus plandaí míochaine, agus baile chun an Mhóta i mbaol Graham iora rua. Is é an Sléibhte Pinaleño nó Mount Graham stór uathúil éiceolaíochta. Is é an sliabh is airde i ndeisceart Arizona agus cuimsíonn sé criosanna saol difriúil ón urlár ghleann ar a bhuaic ag 10,720 troigh Glaoite le "Sky Oileán" éiceachóras, na foraoisí fás aois ar chruinniú mullaigh Mount Graham go bhfuil an coibhéiseach de Arizona foraoisí báistí. An Springs flúirseach agus móinéir airde ard a bheith ar fáil cothú agus mar fhoinse leighis do dhaoine Apache a bhfuil cónaí orthu sa bhfásach. Na saintréithe fionnuar tais an tSléibhe a chothú 18 plandaí éagsúla agus ainmhithe fáil aon áit eile sa domhan.

Sna 1980í, Ollscoil Arizona agus a chomhpháirtithe ag an am, lena n-áirítear Cathair na Vatacáine agus an Institiúid Smithsonian, roghnaigh an Mhóta Graham mar an suíomh a thógáil ar réadlann le seacht teileascóip mór ar a dtugtar an Tionscadal Columbus. Ag tosú i 1988, an toscaireacht Arizona congressional éirigh díolúintí a fháil don tionscadal ó speicis i mbaol, comhshaoil, caomhnú stairiúil agus dlíthe eile. Sa bhliain 1989, tugadh an Ollscoil Arizona a 20-bliain cead úsáide speisialta ag an Náisiúnta Coronado Foraoise agus na Foraoise US tSeirbhís, agus marcaigh leithreasú choinnigh an tionscadal a shruthlú le sochair poiblí gan a bheith a cloí le dlíthe nó rialacháin cónaidhme, lena n-áirítear cónaidhme Indiach dlíthe atá beartaithe a chosaint saoirse creidimh, reiligí agus airíonna cultúrtha. Spokesmen Vatacáine dúirt nach raibh Mount Graham áit reiligiúnach nó naofa. Fostaithe na hOllscoile agus brústocairí iarracht chun an bonn a chlú ceannairí Apache agus cleachtóirí creidimh, agus é a choinneáil amháin ar a laghad San Carlos treibhe oifigiúil chun fianaise nach raibh an tSléibhe naofa nó mór leis an bpobal Apache.

Is fada, tá Peoples Apache, eolaithe, caomhantóirí agus mic léinn ollscoile resisted Ollscoil Arizona cinneadh chun cur leis na teileascóip ar an tSléibhe cruinniú mullaigh. Cé a dhéanann clúdach scamall minic teileascóp féachana imeallach agus bhí rangaithe Mount Graham 38 i staidéar ar láithreáin réalteolaíoch sna Stáit Aontaithe, tá an toscaireacht Arizona congressional agus an Ollscoil fós leis an tionscadal. Inniu, tá an tógáil teileascóip agus dúnadh mar thoradh cónaidhme an tSléibhe ar barr desecrating an tSléibhe agus a chaidreamh irreplaceable le Peoples Apache.

Leanann an streachailt a chosaint ar an oidhreacht nádúrtha agus chultúrtha Mount Graham as an scrios fasach a leagan síos á ba chúis leis go fóill ag an Ollscoil i bhfoirgneamh a réadlann ar Mount Graham. Leanann na hiarrachtaí a bhaineann le cosaint cultúrtha agus eagraíochtaí comhshaoil ​​agus dTreabh difear a chosaint ar an naofacht Mount Graham gan laghdú.

Tá an Ollscoil Arizona ag feidhmiú anois ar a réadlann gan cead úsáid bailí speisialta. A 20-bliain cead cónaidhme éag ar 19 Aibreán, 2009. Tá an Ollscoil iarr an Náisiúnta Foraoise Coronado ar chead nua, ach, mar de Meitheamh 2012, nach bhfuil cinneadh ar cé acu an cead a dheonú déanta fós. Tá an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta a chinneadh go mór é a ullmhú Ráiteas Tionchair Timpeallachta (EIS) faisnéis a bhailiú maidir leis na buntáistí agus na míbhuntáistí a dheonú cead nua. Tá an Ollscoil agóid dian EIS nua. Ón eolas a beag a bheith an Graham Mount Comhghuaillíocht agus Carlos San Apache fine fhoghlaim, is iad na Seirbhíse Foraoiseachta agus na hOllscoile dlíodóirí "i gcainteanna" cinneadh lena saineofar formáid deiridh den phróiseas athnuachana ceadúnais.

Tá roinnt de na cúiseanna atá leis an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta a dhiúltú cead nua. An cead léig Bhí roinnt téarmaí agus na coinníollacha a bhí violated go bhfuil ag an Ollscoil. Ba chóir go leor de na coinníollacha ba chúis le cúlghairm an cheada ach ní raibh. Gach ceann de na sáruithe is gá a ndéanfar staidéar orthu chun a chinneadh cé acu is féidir leis an Ollscoil leanúint na rialacha ar chead nua.

Na coinníollacha Mount Graham tar éis athrú go mór ón uair a deonaíodh an cead agus is é an réadlann fiú níos lú ag luí leis an tábhacht reiligiúnach agus éiceolaíochta Mount Graham. Ós rud é gur deonaíodh an cead, tá an "cruth" de Mount Graham curtha mheastar a bheith incháilithe le haghaidh socrúcháin ar an liosta náisiúnta na n-áiteanna stairiúla. Ina theannta sin, admhaíonn an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta anois go bhfuil an Mhóta Graham a Maoine Traidisiúnta Cultúrtha an Iarthair daoine Apache agus tá céimeanna a glacadh chun dul i gcomhairle (cé go bhfuil sé bealach fada chun dul) le Apache traidisiúnta faoi nádúr naofa an tSléibhe agus conas a chosaint é. Is féidir leis an Ollscoil dul chun Comhdháil ar dhíolúine eile fós chun saoirse creidimh agus dlíthe comhshaoil ​​agus chun bhfeidhm ar an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta a eisiúint ceadúnas nua. Bheadh ​​lucht tacaíochta Mount Graham an ceann deireanach a chloisteáil ar aon stocaireachta feadh na línte agus ní mór a bheith aireach riamh a stopadh ó seo ag tarlú.

Ar na cúiseanna agus go leor eile, tá sé tábhachtach do lucht tacaíochta na ndaoine Apache agus Mount Graham a áiteamh ar an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta a dhiúltú ar an Ollscoil cead nua agus a cheangal go teileascóip atá ann cheana féin ar Mount Graham a bhaint.

Tar éis 20 bliain na tógála, an tionscadal teileascóp mór nach bhfuil fós i gcrích agus ceisteanna an-dáiríre fós faoina fóntais tábhacht a bhaineann le, agus feidhm ó thaobh na réalteolaíochta. Cad é NACH atá i gceist leis an gcion leanúnach do Apache Peoples an Iarthair. Chomh soiléir céanna go bhfuil an stádas contúirteach an iora Mount dúchais Graham dearg. An suirbhé is déanaí a rinne bitheolaithe Meastar go raibh ach thart ar 214 de speiceas seo ar leith, anois i gcás eile ar domhan, fós. Tá sé aitheanta ag bitheolaithe mar cheann de na mamaigh is dóichí dul in éag sna Stáit Aontaithe sa todhchaí intuartha.

Tinte roinnt devastated barr Mount Graham le blianta anuas. Bhí throid siad a chosaint ar an teileascóip níos mó ná an éiceachóras agus, mar thoradh air sin, rinneadh damáiste i bhfad chun an tSléibhe a d'fhéadfaí a sheachaint. Tá an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta cinneadh tanaí ar an bhforaois agus ar shlí eile a ionramháil ar an éiceachóras chun iarracht a chosaint méid atá fágtha agus a chur ar ais ar a bhfuil damáiste déanta. An tinte ar lasadh ann faoi láthair i thoir agus theas Arizona a neartú ar an mbaol go ndéanfar bearta breise a ghlacadh déanmhais a chosaint ar luachanna fiadhúlra agus spioradálta.

Paidreacha agus dúthracht atá de dhíth anois níos mó ná riamh Mount Graham. Is é an éiceachóras faoi bhagairt thromchúiseach de bharr athrú aeráide agus patrúin eile a scrios; tá deis ann don tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta a dhiúltú cead nua do na teileascóip agus is gá iad a bhaint, agus tá seans a chosaint ar an éiceachóras atá ann cheana féin agus roinnt ar ais ar a bhfuil caillte. Agus leanann an naofacht Mount Graham chun agóid a agus, cé go bhfuil an tSléibhe in ann é féin a chosaint, is féidir le lucht tacaíochta cabhrú chun é a chosaint.

Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais, téigh i dteagmháil leis an Graham Mount Coalition, Roger Featherstone, tUachtarán, ar greenfire@featherstone.ws, nó Dinah Bear, Rúnaí, ag Bear6@verizon.net

Arizona: San Francisco beanna

Is iad na Francisco San beanna naofa a Apache, Hopi, Hualapai, Navachóis, Yavapai agus Náisiún Dúchasach eile. Is iad na Francisco San beanna baile do dhaoine naofa go leor, áiteanna leigheas agus suímh tionscnaimh. Searmanais Myriad a dhéantar ann ar feadh leighis, go maith timthriallta a bheith, cothromaíocht, cuimhneachán, pasáistí agus an domhan uisce agus an saol.

Is iad na Francisco San beanna ar thalamh cónaidhme laistigh Náisiúnta Foraoise COCONINO. Go deimhin, tá an Foraoise US tSeirbhís le fios go bhfuil an Francisco San beanna naofa agus naofa go dtí os cionn trí bliana déag dTreabh sna Stáit Aontaithe southwestern.

D'ainneoin an mhéid sin roimhe seo, an tSeirbhís Foraoise agus an saoire sciála úinéireacht phríobháideach Snowbowl, atá suite ar an Francisco San beanna, plean a leathnú an limistéar sciála agus séarachais athchúrsáilte a úsáid chun a dhéanamh sneachta saorga. D'fhéadfadh an leathnú agus séarachais le sneachta pleananna tionchar tubaisteach ar na reiligiúin agus daoine Dúchasach agus ar an uisce agus sláinte an réigiúin ar fad. Tá an fhorbairt creeping áineasa atá i gceist ceannairí spioradálta Dúchasach agus oifigigh treibhe ar feadh na mblianta, ach pleananna reatha bhfad níos mó ná an ghníomhaíocht atá caite ag an rogha.

Pleananna Snowbowl chun soiléir-gearrtha 74 acra de gnáthóg alpach neamhchoitianta go bhfuil an baile le speicis atá faoi bhagairt, a dhéanamh ritheann sciála nua agus ardaitheoirí, go leor páirceála níos mó a chur agus a 14.8 píblíne míle faoi thalamh a thógáil ar iompar suas go dtí 180 milliún galún (in aghaidh an séasúr) fuíolluisce a dhéanamh sneachta saorga ar 205 acra. In ainneoin agóidí leanúnach agus stailceanna ocrais, tá Snowbowl tús le tógáil ar a phíblíne fuíolluisce do snowmaking, le ceadú agus cosaint ag an tSeirbhís Foraoise agus an Roinn US Talmhaíochta.

Navachóis Nation Coimisiún um Chearta Daonna Cathaoirleach Duane H. Yazzie fianaise os comhair an Choiste Seanad ar éisteacht Ghnóthaí Indiach '2011 ar chur i bhfeidhm US Dearbhú na Náisiún Aontaithe maidir le Cearta na bPobal Dúchasacha: "Comhtháthú an Dearbhú i ndlí atá ann cheana féin díreoidh substaintiúil ar an luach suíomhanna naofa in ionad a chur ar ualach míchuí ar nós imeachta. Chomh maith leis sin, beidh an Dearbhú béim polasaí idirnáisiúnta seachas bheith ag brath ar pholasaí teaghlaigh amháin. Beidh reachtaíochta aghaidh dlí-eolaíocht an dlí Indiach dheisiú ar an díshealbhú cearta Meiriceánach Dúchasach le láithreáin naofa. "

Na Náisiún Aontaithe Rapporteur Speisialta ar Chearta na bPobal Dúchasacha aitheantas a moladh i 2011 go bhfuil an "na Stáit Aontaithe an Rialtais dul i mbun athbhreithniú cuimsitheach ar a chuid beartas agus gníomhaíochtaí ábhartha chun a chinntiú go bhfuil siad i gcomhréir le caighdeáin idirnáisiúnta i ndáil leis an Francisco San beanna agus eile láithreáin Dúchasach naofa Mheiriceá, agus go nglacfaidh sé bearta ceartaitheacha cuí .... ba chóir don Rialtas reinitiate nó leanúint comhairliúcháin leis na treibheanna a bhfuil a reiligiúin cleachtais bhfuil tionchar ag na hoibríochtaí sciála ar an Francisco San beanna agus iarracht comhaontú a bhaint amach leo ar fhorbairt an sciála limistéar. Ba cheart don Rialtas breithniú ceart ar fionraí an ceadúnas le haghaidh modhnuithe ar Snowbowl go dtí gur féidir comhaontú sin a bhaint amach nó go dtí, d'éagmais comhaontú den sórt sin, tá cinneadh i scríbhinn arna dhéanamh ag údarás inniúil an rialtas go bhfuil an cinneadh deiridh maidir leis an limistéar sciála modhnuithe atá i gcomhréir leis na Stáit Aontaithe 'oibleagáidí idirnáisiúnta chearta an duine.

"Is mian leis an Rapóirtéir Speisialta a chur in iúl ar an ngá lena chinntiú go bhfuil gníomhartha nó cinntí ag gníomhaireachtaí Rialtais de réir, ní hamháin dlí baile, ach freisin caighdeáin idirnáisiúnta a chosnaíonn an ceart Meiriceánach Dúchasach a chleachtadh agus a choimeád ar bun a dtraidisiúin reiligiúnacha. Is é an Rapóirtéir Speisialta ar an eolas faoi na cláir rialtais atá ann cheana féin agus polasaithe chun dul i gcomhairle le daoine dúchasacha agus tabharfaidh siad aird a dtraidisiúin reiligiúnacha i rialtas cinntí a dhéanamh maidir le suíomhanna naofa. Molann an Rapóirtéir Speisialta an Rialtas cur leis na cláir agus beartais chun cloí le caighdeáin idirnáisiúnta agus ag déanamh amhlaidh a bhunú dea-chleachtas agus a bheith ina cheannaire domhanda gur féidir é a chosaint le cearta na bpobal dúchasach. "

Náisiún Dúchasach agus eagraíochtaí comhshaoil ​​iarracht a chosaint ar an Francisco San beanna sa chúirt. An Chúirt Dúiche Rialaigh le forbairt i 2006. An Chúirt Chuarda Naoú Achomhairc ar ceal na cúirte níos ísle cinneadh i 2007 agus rialaigh an fine Hopi, Navachóis Nation agus daoine eile. A painéal trí-breitheamh den Chúirt Chuarda Naoú rialaigh gur sháraigh an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta an tAcht Athchóiriú Reiligiúnach Saoirse agus an Achta um Beartas Comhshaoil ​​Náisiúnta i ligean an Saoire Snowbowl a leathnú níos mó ná 100 acra de éiceachóras alpach annamh, mar chuid den limistéar atá naofa Dúchasach Peoples.

An rialtas cónaidhme dúshlán an cinneadh sin agus achainí an Chuarda Naoú do athéisteacht en banc puiblí. Hachainíocha sin a dheonú annamh, ach an Chúirt a deonaíodh an gceann seo. D'áitigh an cás os comhair an phainéil 11-breitheamh en banc puiblí den Chúirt Chuarda Naoú i Pasadena i mí na Nollag 2007. An Chúirt Chuarda Naoú eisigh cinneadh an banc puiblí en painéal ar 8 Lúnasa, 2008, rialú i bhfabhar na forbartha. Na Náisiún Dúchasach isteach rit certiorari chun na Cúirte Uachtaraí US. Ar an 8 Meitheamh, 2009, dhiúltaigh an Chúirt Uachtarach athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an gcinneadh.

An dTreabh iarracht a bhaint amach éigin de chóiríocht riaracháin leis an Riarachán nua, ach nach bhfuil na hiarrachtaí sin iompróidh torthaí. An Sábháil an Coalition beanna chomhdú ina dhiaidh sin agra i gcoinne an rialtas cónaidhme ar an gceist Nepal gur theip ar an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta a mheas go leordhóthanach ar an ionghabháil uisce séarachais athghinte. Ba iad sin an dlí céanna agus fíricí go bhfuil an roimh ré trí phainéal breitheamh a mheas a fháil gur theip ar an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta a chomhlíonadh Nepal. An rialú roimh ré a bhí, áfach, a rinneadh neamh-precedential ag an banc puiblí en cúirte i gcás Navachóis. D'ainneoin na Cúirte Cuarda Naoú ar réasúnaíocht roimh ré, rialaigh an Breitheamh Bealtaine Murguia na Cúirte Dúiche US in aghaidh an Sábháil an Coalition beanna ar gach comhaireamh. Go gairid ina dhiaidh sin, dhearbhaigh a ceapachán ag Obama chun na Cúirte Cuarda Naoú. An Sábháil an Comhrialtas beanna achomharc ar an rialú.

An hoscailte naimhdeach trí breitheamh painéal Chúirt Chuarda Naoú ní amháin rialaigh i gcoinne an Coalition, ach dúirt go bhfuil an Sábháil an Coalition beanna agus go raibh mí-úsáid a aturnae an próiseas breithiúnach - gan aon bhonn chun íoc as a accusations. Snowbowl ag dul faoi láthair tar éis na gearánaithe agus a dhlíodóir pro bono, go pearsanta, le haghaidh damáistí sa mhéid tuairim is $ 280,000. Éisteacht na trí céanna breithiúna tairiscint Snowbowl ar.

Idir an dá linn, tá Snowbowl leanúint le hionchúiseamh protestors síochánta agus ag iarraidh "retribution" uathu. Roinnt ball de phobal na Flagstaff Tá tús curtha ar stailc ocrais. Mar ábhar dlí agus críocha praiticiúla, áfach, tá Snowbowl anois saor in aisce a desecrate an San Francisco Naofa beanna le saoirse ó phionós.

Le haghaidh tuilleadh faisnéise, déan teagmháil le: Howard M. Shanker, an gnólacht Dlí Shanker, Iar-Ardteistiméireachta, i Tempe agus Flagstaff, Arizona, ag (480) 838-9433 nó howard@shankerlaw.net

California: McCloud Abhainn - Winnemem Wintu fine Ullmhaíonn do Balas Chonos

An Wintu Winnemem fine Thuaisceart California ullmhaíonn Balas Chonos, an teacht ar Searmanas Aoise, in ainneoin freasúra ag an tSeirbhís Foraoise US. Tá An Tuath D'iarr an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta le 400 slat ar an Abhainn McCloud gar do boaters mótair áineasa do na ceithre lá Searmanas, Meitheamh 30 - Iúil 3. Éilimh an tSeirbhís Foraoise go bhfuil sé stymied ag an Biúró Gnóthaí Indiach 'polasaí aitheantas cónaidhme agus ní féidir dún an Abhainn toisc nach bhfuil an fine aitheanta federally.

Deir an Tuath go bhfuil aitheantas cónaidhme ach ceann amháin de na caidrimh cónaidhme le daoine treibhe. I California, ní 90% de na treibheanna a bhí ar an liosta aitheantas an-ghearr, a eisíodh gan rabhadh le linn na Riarachán Reagan. Bhí eisiata ó liosta sin a aithint - Fiú amháin iad siúd a bhfuil caidreamh stairiúil fada taifeadta tribes leis an rialtas SAM - iad siúd a bhí sínitheoirí ar na conarthaí unratified agus iad siúd ar an Rolla Breithiúnas California, mar shampla. Bhí 300,000 duine traidisiúnta agus a gcearta daonna searmanas difear mar gheall ar an pholasaí seo. Faoin Acht um Shaoráil Meiriceánach Indiach Reiligiúnach, tá gach gníomhaireacht cónaidhme oibleagáid a chosaint agus a chaomhnú áiteanna naofa Dúchasach Meiriceánach agus searmanais, agus chun dul i gcomhairle le ceannairí traidisiúnta Dúchasach creidimh, beag beann ar a stádas aitheantas cónaidhme nó neamh-cónaidhme.

An Wintu Winnemem fine Dearbhaíonn ceart searmanas do mhná Dúchasacha faoi Airteagal 11, 12 agus 25 den Dearbhú na Náisiún Aontaithe maidir le Cearta na bPobal Dúchasacha aitheantas dó. Winnemem Príomh Caleen Sisk atá ag iarraidh a dhúnadh éigeantach an Abhainn McCloud chun teacht ar Aois Searmanas do Marisa Sisk, a bheidh an Príomh-Winnemem eile. Cé go mbeadh an Wintu Winnemem fearr chun díriú ar an ceiliúraí a deir an fine é "ní mór leanúint ar aghaidh ar an mbóthar fada ar an gceartas, oideachas a chur ar fud an domhain mar gheall ar cad é a bheith traidisiúnta sna Stáit Aontaithe."

Tar éis cruinnithe míshásúil le hoifigigh na Seirbhíse Foraoise, ar a dtugtar Príomh Sisk le haghaidh Damhsa Cogadh, nó Chonos H'up, ag searmanas a rinneadh nuair a bhfuil aon rud is féidir a dhéanamh ach amháin chun guí. Os cionn 200 duine a tháinig ó chomh fada ó thuaidh Olympia, Washington, agus chomh fada ó dheas le Los Angeles chun tacú leis an Winnemem le dúnadh neamh-fhoréigneach, cumarsáid a dhéanamh le boaters gheall ar an bhfíric go raibh searmanas agus iarraidh orthu sin a urramú. Céad faoin gcéad de na boaters áineasa iompú respectfully timpeall.

An Tuath Dúirt go raibh an cur isteach "ach amháin leis an searmanas neamh-fhoréigneach an Foraoise Rangers Stáit Aontaithe, a tháinig go laethúil tríd i dhá fheithicil, ceann amháin a bheith ina aonad canine, agus buzzed dúinn a gcuid bád, tacaíocht ag na Gardaí Cósta chúnta; ar an an tríú lá (an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta) stoptar síos go hachomair ár n-iarrachtaí a dhúnadh. "

An Winnemem rá go denies an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta a dhúnadh, cé go bhfuil sé: 1) fianaise shoiléir de chiapadh ciníoch, cur isteach agus sláinte agus i mbaol sábháilteachta, boaters drunken luais a neamhaird na Seirbhíse Foraoiseachta "dúnadh deonach"; 2) an Bille Feirme a thugann údarás a dhúnadh limistéir agus aibhneacha le haghaidh searmanas; 3) Dearbhú na Náisiún Aontaithe um Cearta na bPobal Dúchasacha; 4) an AJR California 39 comhpháirteach rún, a dhearbhaíonn go n-aithníonn an stát California an Wintu Winnemem agus molann Comhdháil na Stát Aontaithe a aithint rúin agus 6) tacaíocht ó cheannairí dúchasacha ag Fóram na Náisiún Aontaithe 2012 Buan ar an, an fine; 5) ar vótaíocht neamhfhoirmiúil ag an nuachtán Redding áitiúil, a léiríonn go dtacaíonn an pobal onóir an ceart chun searmanas, chomh maith le tacaíocht idirlín ollmhór Cearta na bPobal Dúchasacha aitheantas dó.

Iarrann an fine an seó fórsa agus an t-aitheantas a eisiúint cónaidhme "deatach agus scátháin, agus nuair a nglanann an deataigh amhras, an fine go bhféadfaidh an tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta US faoi thionchar an Biúró um Ghnóthaí Indiach bheith ag gníomhú thar ceann leasanna speisialta - an Bureau of Reclamation and Westlands Water, the largest water corporation in the world, which owns the area that is sacred to the Winnemem.” Westlands wants the Shasta Lake Dam Project, which will raise the dam by several feet. The Tribe says the project “will drown all of the sacred places which currently come out of the water for a few weeks each year, such as the Women's Healing Place and the Puberty Rock, and they will be lost forever.”

Chief Sisk says the Winnemem plan to “go forward with a dignified Ceremony, shored up by the War Dance prayers and backed by the promise of 300 – 400 supporters returning June 29 to close the 400 yards of the McCloud for four days for Marisa's Coming of Age. It is important for Marisa to know what she needs to do in these difficult times as a leader. The times are not peaceful, so a peaceful and dignified ceremony cannot be a lost goal. The goal is to do the best one can and never give up being Winnemem.

“The Winnemem Wintu ask for the prayers of all the good people gathered for National Prayers for Sacred Lands for the human right to ceremony without distinction between federally recognized and unrecognized, and specifically for the right for tribal women to ceremony. Women are the sacred center of life. We ask for prayers that the Shasta Lake Dam will not be further raised and for protection of our sacred Winnemem River, the sacred women's doctoring places, the Puberty Rock and the Children's Rock, as well as the safe return of the Tribe's salmon from New Zealand to their home waters above the dam. We ask for prayers that the Winnemem way of life will continue on. Hee Chala Bes-ken!”

Contact: Winnemem Wintu Chief Caleen Sisk at caleenwintu@gmail.com or Misa Joo at misa@misajoo.com

California: Medicine Lake Highlands and Hatchet and Bunchgrass Mountains

Tá Leigheas Loch Highlands réigiún thar a bheith tábhachtach treibhe suite ó thuaidh de Mount Shasta i sléibhte na thuaidh California. An Abhainn Pit, Modoc, Shasta, Karuk, Wintu agus dTreabh eile Revere an limistéar le haghaidh a chuid cumhachtaí cneasaithe nádúrtha agus dá naisc a dTreabh 'stair fada. Mar shampla, creideann an fine Abhainn Pit go bhfuil an Cruthaitheoir agus a mhac bathed i Leigheas Loch tar éis chruthaigh siad an domhain, agus an Cruthaitheoir imparted a spiorad na n-uiscí. Mar gheall ar an Loch ar naofacht, bain úsáid as dTreabh ó chósta California do na Sléibhte Rocky an ceantar máguaird mar fhoras oiliúna do dhaoine leigheas. An Highlands á lorg freisin, tar éis ag cuideachtaí fuinneamh geoiteirmeach a bhfuil iarratas ar cheadúnais forbartha ó Bhiúró na Talún Bainistíochta (BLM) agus Foraoiseachta US Seirbhíse (USFS), a bhainistiú an limistéar.

Ós rud é 1990idí, tá an Pit Abhainn fine, Stanford Clinic Dlí Comhshaoil ​​agus tacadóirí eile de chosaint an Leighis Loch Highlands in oirthuaisceart na California naofa curtha dúshlánach an teip BLM agus USFS chun tabhairt faoi athbhreithniú comhshaoil ​​leordhóthanach agus comhairliúchán treibhe d'fhorbairt fuinnimh tionsclaíochta ar scála sna Garbhchríocha. Ar 6 Samhain, 2006, an Chúirt Chuarda Naoú Achomhairc rialaigh gur sháraigh an BLM agus USFS síneadh bunaidh léasanna geoiteirmeach Calpine Corporation sna Garbhchríocha araon Polasaí Acht um Comhshaoil ​​Náisiúnta (Nepal) agus an Stairiúla Náisiúnta Caomhnaithe Acht (NHPA). Ba cheart na gníomhaireachtaí a bheith ullmhaithe Ráiteas Tionchair Timpeallachta (EIS) roimh athnuachan na léasanna agus ba chóir a bheith san áireamh ar "aon ghníomh" eile. Mar gheall ar shárú na gníomhaireachtaí a bhí gan déanamh Nepal agus NHPA, idir an síneadh léas cúig bliana agus ina dhiaidh sin 40-bliain síneadh. Dúirt an Chúirt chomh maith gur sháraigh BLM agus USFS dualgas mhuiníneach leis an fine Abhainn Pit trí gan a chur i gcrích EIS roimh leathnú na léasanna Calpine.

Nuair a cuireadh an cás ar ais chuig an gcúirt trialach a chur i bhfeidhm na Cúirte Cuarda Naoú chinneadh, breitheamh na trialach rialaigh, d'ainneoin an neamhbhaileofar an síneadh léas, bhí na 1988 léasanna fós slán. Mar fhreagra, comhdaíodh Stanford Dlí Clinic Comhshaoil ​​(SELC) achomharc dúshlánach an chúirt níos ísle léirmhíniú, a chuaigh go díreach i gcoinne an rialú Chuarda bunaidh Naoú. Ag an éisteacht nua ar March 10, 2010, attorneys SELC chothabháil go bhfuil na léasanna, ar dtús a eisíodh i 1988 ar feadh tréimhse cúig bliana, agus athnuachan uair amháin, imithe in éag ag a dtéarmaí féin nuair a dearbhaíodh go raibh an 1,998 athnuachan ar feadh 40 bliain ar neamhní ag na breithiúna Chuarda Naoú.

I mí Lúnasa 2010, thug an tOrdú Cúirte Cuarda Naoú cé go raibh na síntí Fourmile léas Hill agus an cinneadh tionscadail do-ghlactha, na léasanna bunúsacha iad féin, a deonaíodh Calpine i 1988, de bheith i bhfeidhm. Beidh na Gníomhaireachtaí Chónaidhme (An tSeirbhís Foraoiseachta agus BLM) is gá a dhéanamh ar Ráiteas Tionchair nua Timpeallachta (RTT) a bhaineann le níos athbhreithniú comhshaoil ​​agus comhairliúcháin leis an fine d'fhonn a mheas cibé acu atá nó nár cheart na léasanna seo a leathnú.

Rialaigh an chúirt go choinneáil gníomhaireachtaí rogha iomlán maidir leis an síneadh léas Fourmile Hill. Therefore, all parties, the Pit River Tribe, BLM, United States Department of Justice and Cal Pine Energy Corporation continue negotiations on how a new EIS will look.

The culturally-important Hatchet and Bunchgrass Mountains and the surrounding lands in Traditional Pit River Indian Territory are in jeopardy of being destroyed, due to a plan to build 49 monolithic windmill energy turbines and related roads and ancillary, interconnections, operations and maintenance facilities in the heart of this region. Hatchet Ridge Wind Company, an affiliate of RES America Developments and Renewable Resources, is initiating its windmill construction project. The project would significantly and negatively alter over 100 acres of this natural region and include up to 49 turbines on steel towers with a height of up to 503 feet. Ancillary facilities would include a substation, an overhead transmission circuit, a switching/interconnection facility and a control room/operations and maintenance building. Access roads would be built, including 6.5 miles of 20-foot-wide permanent roads, and one mile of additional roads.

The project would have severe negative impact on sacred and cultural places, as well as on the winged and four-legged beings. Native people could no longer access particular ceremonial plants on Hatchet Mountain as part of their cultural practices and they do not support the project. The visual impact of the towers on the ridge destroys the integrity of the setting of this sacred area. Birds traditionally important to the local tribal culture, such as eagles, ospreys, ducks and geese, cross the ridge and would be shredded by the blades. Migration routes of deer across the ridge could be disrupted. Sound quality issues would also affect the serenity and isolation of the ridge, disrupting human experiences in the area.

Bunchgrass Mountain is just north of the area impacted by the project. An ancient trail runs along the top of the ridge top, connecting the Pit River to Goose Valley and sites downriver; in addition to regular travel, this trail is used to reach remote areas during vision quests and such quests continue among some young men. Clearly, the proposed windmill project will have severe negative impacts on the natural world, as well as the well being and cultural rights of Native peoples. Although these turbines have been built and are up and running, we are firm that this project is in violation of federal law and the Advocates for the Protection of Sacred Sites and their allies have protested against the project, will continue to do so and will not sit idly by and allow the destruction of important sacred and cultural regions to take place.

For more information on the efforts to protect the sacred Medicine Lake Highlands and Hatchet and Bunchgrass Mountains from the building of massive energy power facilities, contact the Advocates for the Protection of Sacred Sites: Radley Davis, Pit River Nation, 530-917-6064; Mark LeBeau, Pit River Nation, 916-801-4422; and James Hayward, Sr., Redding Rancheria, 530-410-2875

California: Needles – Ft. Mojave Indian Tribe, at the Topock Maze area
Saturday, June 23, 2012, at 6:00 am

The Ft. Mojave Indian Tribe remains in urgent need of prayer to protect the Maze and surrounding sacred areas along the Lower Colorado River. The Maze is both a physical manifestation and a spiritual pathway for the afterlife. It has always been, and will always be, an integral and significant part of the Mojave way of life, beliefs, traditions, culture and religion. The Mojave will observe the Prayer Day at the Topock Maze site.

Pacific Gas & Electric, by its ownership and operation of the Topock Natural Gas Compressor Station near Needles, California over the last 50 years, has polluted the groundwater under and around the Maze with hexavalent chromium, a toxic chemical that can cause numerous human and ecological health problems. PG&E, BLM and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control proceeded with Interim Measures to contain and investigate the contamination, which included the construction of a new Treatment Plant within the Maze area and the drilling of about 150 wells in California and Arizona, on either side of the Colorado River.

These, taken together, create continuing cumulative adverse impacts to the Mojave people, its sacred landscape and tribal religious beliefs.

In 2005, Ft. Mojave filed a state lawsuit seeking the removal of the plant, total restoration of the sacred area, an environmental baseline of prior to the plant's construction and any other actions that could serve to remedy the desecration. Settlement negotiations concluded in November 2006 aimed to achieve each of these goals and secure other remedies including repatriation of portions of the sacred area to tribal ownership, sensitivity training for PG&E employees and contractors, a written public apology and reimbursement of past and future Tribal costs.

In 2011, during selection of the Final Groundwater Remedy, DTSC made a finding that the Topock Cultural Area is an historic resource under state law and the BLM determined that a Traditional Cultural Property (TCP) or property of traditional religious and cultural significance within a 1,600 acre Area of Potential Effect is eligible for listing on the National Register under Criterion A, as part of what tribes have identified as a larger area of traditional and cultural importance.

Yet, DTSC and BLM failed to consult with the Tribe on the final mitigation measures, assuming they knew what was best for all the Tribal Governments along the Lower Colorado River and how the sacred area could be best protected. DTSC's failure to complete a legally adequate environment document, and failure to live up to certain terms in its settlement agreement with the Tribe, is the subject of a second lawsuit brought by the Tribe under state environmental laws. In its approval of the Final Groundwater Remedy, BLM has continued to put off dealing with mitigation for the continued impacts of up to 170 new wells and related infrastructure into the Tribe's sacred area, putting the sustainability of the Tribe's cultural and spiritual practices of the Tribe at further risk for decades to come.

Prayer is needed:
1) for DTSC and PG&E to swiftly bring to conclusion their settlements with the Tribe, and recognize the sovereignty of the tribal government and the agency's public policy goals of truly inclusive and transparent decision making,
2) for BLM and DOI to follow through on promises to require meaningful mitigation for tribal cultural concerns during groundwater and soils remedy design and to improve its management of the area,
3) for additional sacred land in this area to be repatriated to the Tribe and
4) to ask for forgiveness for any continuing desecration that may occur until the offending facilities, including the interim measure treatment plant, are finally removed and until other required restoration of the landscape occurs.

This issue is national in scope: the Maze has been officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978 and is formally recognized as nationally significant. Moreover, the failure of state and federal agencies to fully consider direct, indirect and cumulative impacts to Native Sacred Places during pollution remediation activities remains a national problem requiring Congressional Oversight. Pray that this oversight occurs at the highest levels.

Contact: Nora McDowell-Antone, Tribal Topock Project Manager, at (928) 768-4475, NoraMcDowell-Antone@fortmojave.com, or Courtney Ann Coyle, Tribal Attorney, at (858) 454-8687, CourtCoyle@aol.com

California: Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, Luiseño Ancestral Origin Landscape

Pechanga is in need of urgent prayer to continue to assist it in protecting the Luiseño Ancestral Origin Landscape from the Granite Construction Company's proposed Liberty Quarry. The proposed quarry would be located on a sacred mountain within the Luiseño People's sacred place of origin. Parts of this Origin Landscape have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973 as the Murrieta Creek Archaeological Area (exva Temeeku) and are also listed in the state's Sacred Lands File Inventory.

After many public hearings before the Riverside County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, the quarry was DENIED this year! However, the Board on a 3:2 margin voted to APPROVE the inadequate environmental document under CEQA, potentially laying the groundwork for Granite to come back in the near future with a revised application to mine. This unusual turn of events means that the Origin Area is still at risk.

Granite wants to blast out the mountain, home to the Kammalam (ancestors in the form of rocks), so that it can produce aggregate. The quarry could operate for 75 years and, even after reclamation, would remain a permanent scar within the sacred landscape. It would also be located at the headwaters of the Santa Margarita River, the last remaining free flowing river to reach the Pacific Ocean in southern California, and be adjacent to the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, which also includes part of the Origin Landscape.

The quarry would kill the mountain and forever disturb the sanctity of this incredibly beautiful and scenic area, located next to the reservation and at the doorstep of the City of Temecula.

In addition, the quarry would also pose environmental hazards to the Pechanga Community: air and water quality, visual and noise impacts, fire and emergency response, as well as sever a key wildlife linkage to and from the reservation. The Tribe was not consulted by the County of Riverside on these impacts during environmental review.

Pechanga respectfully requests prayer that:
1) Efforts to permanently prevent mining in any form at this location are successful and that
2) Tribal efforts to have this Origin Landscape formally recognized and protected will be successful.

For more information on the efforts to protect the Luiseño Ancestral Origin Landscape from the Liberty Quarry, contact Paul Macarro, Pechanga Cultural Coordinator at: pmacarro@pechanga-nsn.gov or (951) 770.8102 or Jacob Mejia at: jmejia@pechanga.com or (951) 770.2595.

California: Redlands – California-Pacific Committee on Native American Ministries of The United Methodist Church at the University of Redlands, Saturday, June 16, at 7:15 am

The California-Pacific Committee on Native American Ministries (CONAM) of The United Methodist Church will have prayer for sacred places on the Quad at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California. The public is welcome to join on Saturday, June 16, at 7:15 am

Contact: Suanne Ware-Diaz at soozware@yahoo.com or (571) 236-7274 for more information.

California: Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians – Burial & Ceremonial Grounds –
Traditional Mourning Ceremony, Saturday, June 23, Ocotillo Area, 7:00 pm

For over two years, the Viejas Band has been waging legal, political and public relations battles to save tribal burial grounds and ceremonial sites from destruction by local and federal agencies. Viejas has positive news to report one on front and heartbreaking news to report on another.

Padre Dam Site:

Over this last year, with your help, we made much progress towards protection and repatriation of a burial ground and ceremonial site on Padre Dam Municipal Water District property, which sought to develop a reservoir and pumping station on the site.

Settlement of the litigation is close at hand in which the site would be restored, protected in perpetuity and the land repatriated to the Tribe. Viejas is deeply grateful for the support it has received from the local community, Governor of California, Native American Heritage Commission and the Courts, which have sided with the Band on many different levels.

Viejas respectfully requests prayer for:
1) An appropriate alternative location for the project to be secured by the District,
2) The soils previously taken off site by the District to be returned to the property in as gentle a manner as possible and as quickly as possible, and
3) Forgiveness that the impacts occurred and that they will never happen again.

Ocotillo Express Wind Farm:

Meanwhile, Viejas and other tribes have been forced to defend our ancestors from further attacks and potential destruction of tribal cultural resources, sacred places and burial grounds by a number of major renewable energy and other utility projects in the local mountains and deserts that would forever alter the Cultural Landscape of the Kumeyaay Nation. These include: the Sunrise Powerlink Project, Tule Wind Project, Ocotillo Wind Express Project, Eco Station Project, Imperial Solar Project and others.

Just last month, over the strong objections of Kumeyaay Bands and the Quechan and Cocopah Peoples, local community members, environmental groups, unions, recreationists and state park supporters, the massively destructive Ocotillo Wind Express Facility was approved by the County of Imperial and the BLM. Ocotillo Express (Pattern Energy) wasted no time and immediately began clearing, scraping and destroying the area and would not agree to hold off on construction until a TRO could be heard.

The so called “Refined” Project would include 112 industrial-sized wind towers up to 460 feet high, 42 miles of new roads, 81 miles of undergrounded fiber optic cable, a 31-acre substation and switchyard, operation and maintenance building and other infrastructure such as parking, ponds and laydown areas that were not part of the NEPA and CEQA documents. The project Right of Way is across about 12,000 acres of federal public land and is surrounded by designated wilderness, Cultural Preserves, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern and shares a 5-mile border with Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

The project is within a valley that slopes from the mountains to the desert, and is mostly undeveloped Class L (Limited Use) lands. One ceremonial site, the Spoked Wheel Geoglyph, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2003, long before any wind project was proposed, and includes the whole viewscape from the site. The valley is ringed with sacred mountains — Coyote, Signal, Sombrero and Pinyon — and is used as a teaching area for tribal youth. Over 35,000 person hours were spent surveying and recording the massive amount of physical archaeology present at the site. The BLM relied solely on archeological values during the survey and only at the end of the NHPA Section 106 process acknowledged that the project area is a TCP within a larger TCP. Tribal Values considerations were an afterthought in the environmental documents and consultation was severely rushed due to arbitrary deadlines set by BLM to meet federal wind subsidy deadlines currently set for the end of 2012.

On June 23, Viejas and other Kumeyaay Bands will be holding a traditional Mourning Ceremony in the Ocotillo Area. The ceremony will begin at 7:00 pm and continue through the morning. The tribes will grieve for what has been lost and bring attention to efforts to save what is left of the area where the ancestors are laid to rest.

Viejas respectfully requests prayer that:
1) Preliminary Injunctions will issue to halt the destruction,
2) The BLM accepts historic human remains detection dog teams as a legitimate tool for identifying and avoiding ancestral cremation areas,
3) Subsidies and loans from federal and other entities are NOT granted for the project,
4) The Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) is NOT extended by Congress, and
5) That something good for the Tribal Peoples of our region comes out of this experience in the form of UNITY, DOCUMENTATION and RESPECT for traditional religious practices.

For more information, please contact: Robert Scheid, Viejas Public Relations Director, at (619) 659-2316 or by email at: rscheid@viejas-nsn.gov

Colorado: Boulder – Native American Rights Fund – Sunrise Ceremony, Wednesday, June 20
Please join us for a Sunrise Ceremony beginning at 7:00 am, on Wednesday, June 20, on the front lawn of the Native American Rights Fund, 1506 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado. The program and prayer service will last about one hour, followed by a potluck breakfast. Community members have been invited to speak, as well as other NARF staff. Speakers will be followed by a moment of silence to show concern for the sacred places that are being damaged and destroyed today.
In the United States, Native Americans are more closely tied to the land than any other group, yet the increasing exploitation of natural resources and population expansion has caused previously undisturbed tribal sacred places to become vulnerable to destruction. As part of its mission, the Native American Rights Fund has long advocated for sacred site protection, religious freedom efforts and cultural rights. Recently, NARF's Board of Directors has asked us to expand our efforts to protect lands that are sacred and precious to Native Americans.
Please show your solidarity for the protection of sacred places by joining us for the June 20 program. We ask you to bring food and/or beverages to share at the completion of the program.
Please join us! If you have any questions please contact Rose Cuny at 303-447-8760.

Kansas: Lawrence – Wakarusa Wetlands, Haskell Medicine Wheel – Open to the Public
Wednesday, June 20, at SUNRISE

Haskell Wetland Preservation Organization (WPO) and Save the Wakarusa Wetlands will observe National Prayer Day at SUNRISE, June 20th, beside the Wakarusa Wetlands at the Haskell Medicine Wheel, south of Lawrence, Kansas. Haskell WPO is a Native student organization. Save the Wakarusa Wetlands, Inc., is an association of local supporters, including Haskell Indian Nations University, Washburn University and Baker University alumni, students and supporters from all parts of the Lawrence community.

The ceremony will be held at the medicine wheel, where participants will erect a lodge pole at sunrise to mark the exact position of the Summer Solstice.

The event is open to all who wish to add their prayers to save this sacred place from the highway builders. Participants will ask for the protection of the Wakarusa Wetlands (aka, Haskell-Baker Wetlands), threatened by an eight-to-ten lane highway project approved by the Army Corps of Engineers, but delayed by a federal law suit filed by WPO and a consortium of supporter groups, including Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Jayhawk Audubon, Kansas University Environs, Save the Wakarusa Wetlands, Kansas Sierra Club and KU EcoJustice.

Nuashonraigh:
On January 20, 2012 a panel of federal appeals court judges heard oral arguments challenging the state's efforts to construct 8-10 lanes of traffic across wetlands that once served as the primary refuge for Native children resisting cultural genocide. The written opinion could come at any time, but may not be released before mid-summer. For more than two decades, Haskell students and their allies have managed to block efforts to pave this sacred place, which was “surplussed” away from Haskell during the Eisenhower termination era. More than two thirds of Haskell's campus was “given away” by BIA officials at the time.
Last year, Republican Governor Sam Brownback announced that $192 million in Kansas taxpayer funds was being allocated for completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway. The SLT began as a scheme to help local developers turn the southern edge of Lawrence into a regional shopping mecca. In recent years, the SLT project has been hijacked by trucking interests that dream of turning two nearby closed military bases into national hubs for NAFTA product distribution. Thus, the SLT has mushroomed into an eight-to-ten lane behemoth promoted as key infrastructure. This latest version of the old frontier booster fable that the metro area is destined to be “the next Chicago” has all the officials of nearby towns clamoring for completion of the SLT.

Ironically, while in Congress, then-Senator Brownback sponsored a US apology to Native Americans for past egregious actions, but it specifically prohibited Native Peoples from taking any legal action that would provide redress or remedy for any of the actions, causing many Native people to call it a “hollow apology.”

About 600 acres of the Wakarusa Wetlands were located directly south of the dorms at Haskell Institute, the nation's largest and most tribally diverse federal off-reservation boarding school. This last major remnant of the wetlands was a crucial refuge where Native children from all across the country survived sustained government efforts to exterminate their cultures. Indian students took refuge in the Wakarusa Wetlands refuge — where they could speak their languages, sing their sacred songs and conduct ceremonies and dances that were federally punishable with starvation and jail time — and refused to let school authorities “kill the Indian” in them.

Parents and other tribal leaders camped, sometimes for weeks or months, beside these wetlands on the north bank of the Wakarusa. They were awaiting permission from school officials to let them reclaim or at least visit their children. These elders used the Wakarusa Wetlands as an outdoor classroom to pass on final lessons about healing and other traditional knowledge.

The wetlands quickly became the most essential place where Haskell students could get news about family and friends. The wetlands was where they heard about what was happening back home in the crucial era of allotments and the “surplussing” of their homelands. The wetlands also provided the least censored opportunity to send messages home whenever someone speaking a related language arrived in camp. Otherwise, the children had to learn enough English to send a letter home by way of school censors, and then further screened by the Indian agent when it reached their reservation, and again modified when the interpreter read their message to parents who often could neither read nor speak English. This place is soaked in Indian history, layered with the stories of Native elders and is the last resting place of some who came to Haskell in its darkest days. Spirit release ceremonies and clandestine burials took place in these wetlands. The disappeared and runaways are remembered here.

This sacred wetland, a place between land and water, is the largest intact trace of the original Wakarusa Bottoms, an 18,000-acre prairie wetland environment. It existed for thousands of years before white school officials obtained federal funds to drain it. Before Haskell opened, this place supplied Native Peoples of the region with valuable medicinal plants, important ceremonial items, waterfowl, furbearers and other relatives central to their ways of life.

Elders have said the Creator caused the course of the Wakarusa River to go directly east toward the rising sun, in sharp contrast to the other rivers in the region, as a sign of the abundant gifts to be found there.

Despite massive efforts to drain the wetlands in the early twentieth century — and Haskell's loss of all but a few acres of this property during the termination era — the Wakarusa Wetlands, like Haskell Indian Nations University itself, has survived and flourished. The entire historic Haskell campus, including the Wetlands, is being considered for designation as a National Historic Heritage area, but should have been declared a Traditional Cultural Property long ago.

Contact: Cleta Labrie cletalabrie@gmail.com President of Haskell Wetlands Preservation Organization (WPO); Dr. Dan Wildcat (WPO faculty adviser) at dwildcat@sunflower.com; or Michael Caron at (785) 842-6293 or by email at mcaron@sunflower.com with Save the Wakarusa Wetlands, Inc. Friend the Wetlands Preservation Organization on FACEBOOK.

Nebraska: Lincoln – National Congress of American Indians, Mid-Year Session
Nebraska State Capitol Grounds, North Plaza
Tuesday, June 19, Sunrise Ceremony

The National Congress of American Indians will sponsor a Sunrise Ceremony on Tuesday morning, June 19, at the Nebraska State Capitol grounds on the North Plaza. The NCAI is conducting its 2012 Mid-Year Session in Lincoln, Nebraska, June 17-20.

The NCAI Sunrise Ceremony will be held as a part of the observances and ceremonies during the National Days of Prayer to Protect Native American Sacred Places, from June 16 through June 24.

The public is invited to attend NCAI's respectful observance to honor sacred places, sacred beings and sacred waters, and all those who care for them and protect them from harm. Participants are asked to arrive no later than 7:00 am

For information about NCAI's Sunrise Ceremony, contact NCAI Deputy Director Robert Holden, 202.466.7767, email: rholden@ncai.org

New York: Ganondagan State Historic Site, at the Great White Pine Tree of Peace
Wednesday, June 20, at Noon

At Ganondagan State Historic Site in New York, there will be a Gahnonyoh (Thanksgiving), starting at Noon, on Wednesday, June 20, to protect sacred places and to promote world peace. “We invite spiritual leaders and the general public to join us on that day as we offer words of Thanksgiving or Gahnonyoh in Seneca,” says G. Peter Jemison (Seneca), who is the Caretaker of Ganondagan.

“We will gather before noon near the Great White Pine at the head of the Trail of Peace to offer words of Thanksgiving to the Creator,” says Jemison. “The event is open to the general public and all are welcome, but no photography, please.”

Ganondagan is the site of the seventeenth century town, once the capitol of the Seneca Nation, which was destroyed by the French in 1687. Today, it is the only historic site in New York dedicated to a Native American theme. Ganondagan is sacred to the Seneca People because nearby are the remains of Jikonhsaseh the Mother of Nations, who was the first person to accept the message of Peace brought by the Peacemaker, who united the Haudenosaunee or Five Nations: Seneca Nation, Cayuga Nation, Onondaga Nation, Oneida Nation and Mohawk Nation.

Contact: G. Peter Jemison at (585) 924-5848 or by e-mail at mailto:pjemison@rochester.rr.com

New York: New York City – Prayer of Remembrance for Sacred Places
Thursday, June 21, 1:00 pm
Hudson River at Bethune & West Streets

A Prayer of Remembrance for Sacred Places will take place on Thursday, June 21, at 1:00 pm The group will gather at the Hudson River in New York City at Bethune and West Streets.

The event is sponsored by Spiderwoman Theater, The Silvercloud Singers and the American Indian Community House.

Contact: Murial Borst-Tarrant at mborst1@msn.com or 551-208-3536.

Ohio: Peebles – Serpent Mound, Wednesday, June 20, 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Newark – Newark Earthworks, Great Circle entryway, Thursday, June 21, 6:00 am/8:00 pm
Chillicothe – Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Mound City
Thursday, June 21, 7:00 pm
Oregonia – Fort Ancient Earthworks, Saturday, June 23, 5:30 am

In Ohio, there will be gatherings at the four major remaining earthworks sites to honor the brilliant achievements of the Indigenous Peoples who lived in the Ohio Valley 2,000 years ago and built enormous earthen architecture. Gatherings will occur near Peebles, in Newark, near Chillicothe and near Oregonia to acknowledge the original landscape, what has been lost and all that continues into the future. The public is invited to observe the National Day of Prayer to Protect Sacred Places at these places.

Two thousand years ago, Indigenous Peoples built more than 600 groups of earthworks, each group consisting of several large earthen geometric shapes with specific purposes. The earthworks were built by design, near creeks and rivers. Many of the earthworks are enormous, measuring from 20 to more than 50 acres in area, with walls varying from 3 to 30 feet tall and connected by walled earthen roadways; the design guided the Peoples through the earthworks along a ceremonial road. Large circles with entryways facing the east, squares with rounded corners and entryways, octagons with eight entryways, huge rectangular flat-topped or oval mounds, tall conical mounds and ceremonial roadways mark the Ohio Valley as a sacred landscape. In addition to using geometric forms to convey meaning and purpose, the builders used a standard unit of measure and other mathematical consistencies in the spacing of the earthworks. Distances between earthworks at Newark can be measured in multiples of 1,054 feet.

The Newark Earthworks consisted of four large earthworks built 2,000 years ago over a four-square mile area by the Peoples of the Hopewell Culture. Two remain preserved. The Octagon Earthworks is an astronomical calendar tracking the 18.6-year lunar cycle, marking the lunar standstills in spectacular moonrises. It was built in the shape of a circle and an octagon connected by a walled ceremonial road. The nearby Great Circle is itself nearly 1,200 feet in diameter and possibly had many uses, as a ceremonial center, for formal games such as stickball and as places of gathering. The Ellipse was a walled cemetery with many burial mounds and contained a number of earthen circles open to the east before it was excavated to clear the land for canals, railroads and heavy industry. The Wright Square stood between the Great Circle and the Ellipse cemetery, but has been destroyed by development.

Of the four major remaining sections of the Newark Earthworks, all but one have been acknowledged as sacred places and have become state parks/monuments. However, the Octagon Earthworks are leased to a private country club and open to the public only four days per year. The Ellipse cemetery is owned privately and currently being prepared for sale as an industrial park.

Serpent Mound is one of two effigy mounds in Ohio, and one of the largest anywhere in the world. Its iconic aerial outline is known far beyond the borders of this state. Nearly a quarter of a mile long, the undulating coils made of three foot tall earthen walls curve from a spiral tail to a head pointing across the Brush Creek valley at the point on the southwestern horizon where the sun sets on the summer solstice. Recent scholarly work points to a construction of this unique mound at about 1070 CE, later than many of the more geometric enclosures around Ohio. The landscape is also marked by geological interest. A “crypto-explosion” crater cradles the arc of the valley where Serpent Mound lays on a bluff; the result of a meteorite that folded the crust of the earth when it struck 250 million years ago. This bluff of sandstone also has interest, as a visitor may walk down to creek side and look back up at the point where the “serpent's head” ends, and see a snake headed prow of stone poke out over the water below.

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is made up of five sites in and around the city of Chillicothe, Ohio, where once could be seen the largest concentration of earthworks complexes anywhere in the world. Mound City is the name for the central enclosure, a rounded-cornered square that was one of the ancient cemeteries alongside the Scioto River where the National Park Service has its visitor center. Almost entirely destroyed during World War I by the construction of training camps and industry to support the war effort, it was rebuilt from the original foundations and above surviving parts of mounds during the 1930s and in another major effort during the 1960s and 1970s. An alignment along three of these reconstructed mounds, pointing towards a southwestern corner gateway of Mound City, is a dramatic view, and casts the entire complex into vivid contrast. The possible astronomical alignments for this and other units, such as the Hopewell Mound Group west of the city, are still being studied, using both old maps and surveys, and non-intrusive studies that can trace where walls and their associated clays still can be seen.

Fort Ancient is a vast, irregular enclosure with three miles of wall atop a pair of plateaus next to the Little Miami River valley. Military language was attributed to this location by early European occupants, who named features “North Fort” and “South Fort,” but later studies show that combat and conflict seem to have been entirely absent from this sacred site. Fort Ancient is the archaeological label used for a later cultural phase in Ohio, but much of the site was built around the same time as Newark and Chillicothe. Reflecting pools of water were built into the site to create a sense of place – world above, world below. More recent surveys have shown that four compass aligned stone mounds in the “North Fort,” were built alongside the traces of a circle, perhaps a “woodhenge” where posts in a circle aided in astronomical calculation and prediction. Fires were built on top of stone mounds into the historic era. From one of those stone mounds, on mornings near the summer solstice, a particular entryway to the northeast pours a path of light across the leveled plaza, until it paints the surface of the mound.

Many of the major earthworks in Ohio are now under consideration for designation as World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and a proposal is being prepared. For additional information about the Earthworks, see: http://whc.unesco. org/en/tentative lists/5243/. For more information about Solstice events see: www.AncientOhioTrail.org

Tennessee: Muscogee “Creek” Citizens Gathering, The Great Mound of Mound Bottom, Saturday, June 23, 10:00 am
Sellars Farm State Archaeological Area, Lebanon, Wilson County
Sunday, June 24, 2:00 pm

A Muscogee “Creek” Citizens Gathering will take place on Saturday, June 23, at 10:00 am, at The Great Mound, Mound Bottom archaeological site, in observance of the National Sacred Places Prayer Days. “This gathering will be ceremonial to honor and lift up the Mound,” said Melba Checote-Eads (Muscogee), who is organizing the gathering. “We will observe a day of prayer, singing, gifting and feasting at Mound Bottom, as is Muscogee tradition. Water will be furnished by Muscogee Citizens.”

Ms. Checote-Eads asks people to reserve a space by calling her at 615-765-5854, to bring a bag lunch and beverage, to wear hiking boots and to meet in the picnic area: “We will meet at the picnic area near the Harpeth River beside the Mound. We will walk one mile to the Mound and transportation will be provided for those unable to make the walk.” The group will tour the Mound at 10:00 am with Ranger Gary Patterson.

Mound Bottom is located in Cheatham County along the horseshoe bend of the Harpeth River. Mound Bottom is approximately one mile north of the point where US Route 70 crosses the Harpeth River, on the outskirts of Kingston Springs, Tennessee. The site is managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation as part of Harpeth River State Park. The Great Mound of Mound Bottom dates to the Mississippian era (900 AD-1300). Mound Bottom is about 100 acres and is nearly surrounded by the Harpeth River.

The flat-topped embankment that dominates the view from Mace Bluff is the largest of at least 14 Mounds that remain. The Great Mound stands 25 feet tall and 47 square feet in area; the remains of an earthen ramp leading from the plaza to the top of this Mound can still be seen. The entire complex, which is believed to have included hundreds of houses, was surrounded by an earthen wall topped with a palisade of upright logs. Mound Bottom likely began as a ceremonial meeting place around 950 AD and grew to become a fortified city with a population numbering in the thousands. Mound Bottom was part of a vast trade network that extended to Native Peoples in the Great Lakes area, Gulf Coast region and the Appalachian Mountains.

There also will be a gathering at the Sellars Farm on the following day, Sunday, June 24, at 2:00 pm The Sellars Farm State Archaeological Area is located in Wilson County: off Hwy-70 left at Poplar Rd., in Lebanon, Tennessee. The group will tour the Mound area and walk the path around the Mound, which is near Spring Creek, a tributary of the Cumberland River. Participants are asked to bring a bag lunch.

Ms. Checote-Eads describes the Mound site as covered with trees, grasses and wild flowers. It was a large village and trade area during the Mississippian Period. In 1939, a farmer dug up four statues, which were made between 600 and 800 years ago. Two of the statues are in the McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and have been featured on a US postage stamp.

For additional information, contact: Melba Checote Eads at melbaceads@dtccom.net or 615 765-5854.

Washington, DC: United States Capitol, West Front Grassy Area
June 20, Wednesday, at 8:30 am

The observance in Washington, DC, will take place at the US Capitol on the West Front Grassy Area on Wednesday, June 20, at 8:30 am The public is invited to attend this respectful observance to honor sacred places, sacred beings and sacred waters, and all those who care for them and protect them from harm. The observance will take the form of a talking circle.

All are welcome to offer good words, songs or a moment of silence for all sacred places, beings and waters, especially for those that are being threatened, desecrated or damaged at this time.

This observance is organized by The Morning Star Institute, a national Native rights organization founded in 1984 and dedicated to Native Peoples' cultural and traditional rights, including religious freedom and sacred places protection. The observance will be conducted by Mary Phillips (Omaha & Laguna Pueblo).

Contact: The Morning Star Institute at (202) 547-5531, Suzan Shown Harjo at suzan_harjo@yahoo.com or Mary Phillips at trumpetnative@aol.com or 510-205-4501.

Washington: Snoqualmie Falls, at the Cedar Tree, Friday, June 22, 11:30 am

Water is universally a Sacred Being, part of sacred ceremonies in all faiths and religions.

Snoqualmie Falls in Washington State is a place recognized as Sacred for thousands of years. For the Snoqualmie and other Tribes of the Puget Sound region, this is the Transformer's gift to the People.

It is a 268-foot waterfall listed on the Register of Historic Places as a Traditional Cultural Property. Over two million people come from all over the world to visit Snoqualmie Falls annually. Puget Sound Energy owns and operates a hydroelectric facility there. Snoqualmie Falls is impacted and desecrated by diversion of a significant portion of the water from the river by a hydroelectric facility before it can complete the Sacred Cycle of reaching the base of the falls and creating a healing connection by its transformation to legendary mists that connect worlds, carry prayers, and deliver blessings.

Puget Sound Energy, a public utility, owns and operates a public park located there. A popular hiking trail down to the viewing area near the base of the falls continues to be closed to visitors until sometime in 2013. Access to the base of the Falls, specifically a spiritually powerful location, is blocked.

On Friday, June 22nd, at 11:30 am, there will be a gathering, rain or shine, at Snoqualmie Falls.

We welcome anyone who would like to respectfully join together in Spirit for observance of our Sacred Places across the globe that are in need. Join us and others that are gathering to pray, each in our own way for their protection.

“When one is uplifted, we all are uplifted”.

“We give thanks for the teachings of the Sacred. We give thanks that we are still here. We give thanks for the breath of the Spirit”.

We pray for one another.

In the Spirit of Snoqualmie Falls, Lois Sweet Dorman.

Contact: Lois Sweet Dorman, Snoqualmie, at nightfishes@qwest.net.

World Peace & Prayer Days – Gray Horn Butte (Devil's Tower), June 16
Medicine Wheel, June 17
Grand Tetons, June 18 – 21
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 21

Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe: “Once again I am sending my voice to all Nations upon Mother Earth, those who can hear my sincerity with their hearts – - unite together at our Sacred Sites creating an energy shift of a great healing on this June 21st. We need to see and listen to the wamakas'ka (the animals) who are more than ever now showing their sacred color of white, there are so many. This color represents the direction of when physical life now goes into the spirit journey. They are trying to warn us to pay attention to our responsibilities as a Global Nation. In order to protect the remaining sacredness that is trying to survive upon Mother Earth, which includes even our own children, we now have no choice but to unify and make positive decisions together.

“To honor the birthplace of World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites where it all began in 1996, we will gather at Gray Horn Butte, aka “Devils Tower” on June 16th. Peace Riders who made the '96 journey from Canada to
Gray Horn on horse back, will join us and offer prayers as well and plant a Peace Pole reading “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in 4 different languages. We will do the same offering on June 17th at Medicine Wheel. On June 18th we will gather at the Grand Tetons to begin one of the many events of WPPD throughout the world. The Grand Tetons will be the beginning of a four day event to bring attention for the need to protect the last of the true wild Buffalo (bison) that exist in Yellow Stone National Park, they are in constant danger of being massacred when caught off park property.

“On June 21st I will pray with thousands of People at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development or Rio+20 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As part of the various gatherings and celebrations that will be held as part of the Sacred Earth Gathering in Aldeia Nova Terra during the month of June parallel to the conference, there will be a very special ceremony to celebrate World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites along with various representatives of the Brazilian indigenous tribes and spiritual leaders from different nations. The intent is to honor this day not only in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil but to also invite the participation of other WPPD activities worldwide to join though simultaneous acts of prayer and song so as to be united spiritually on this June 21st to celebrate the 2012 World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites. Onipiktec'a (that we shall live).”

Contact: Paula Horne-Mullen, Wolakota.org http://wppd2012.com/

The Morning Star Institute, 611 Pennsylvania Ave., SE #377, Washington, DC 20003 (202) 547-5531