Bagaman ang petsa ang lumipas na para sa panalangin group listahang ito ay nagpapakita sa amin ng maraming mga Banal na site na kailangan ng aming proteksyon at panalangin. Maaaring ito ay handa na upang magpadala ng panalangin sa site na pinakamalapit sa iyo at tumuon sa lugar na iyon. Pagkatapos ay ipadala ang iyong mga panalangin sa lahat ng iba pang mga lokasyon. Estados namin malakas ......... nagkakaisa namin ay totoo .... nagkakaisa namin lumikha ng balanse ...... salamat, Miriam

Umaga STAR Institute
611 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20,003
(202) 547-5531
Balita Statement Para sa Agarang ng Paglabas

Hunyo 16-24 itinakda para sa 2012 pambansang banal LUGAR DAYS panalangin

Washington, DC (6/15/12)-Observances at seremonya ay gaganapin sa buong lupain mula Hunyo 16 sa pamamagitan ng Hunyo 24 upang markahan ang 2012 Pambansang Araw ng Panalangin sa Protektahan ang mga Katutubong Amerikano mga Banal na Lugar. Ang pagtalima sa Washington, DC ay gaganapin sa Miyerkules, Hunyo 20 sa 08:30, sa Estados Unidos Capitol grounds, West Front madilaw Area (tingnan ang mga detalye sa ilalim ng Washington, DC listahan sa alpabetikong listahan ng estado sa mga sumusunod na pahina ).

Ay nakalista sa ibaba ang mga paglalarawan ng ilang mga banal na lugar at banta harapin nila, pati na rin ang mga oras at lugar para sa mga pampublikong commemorations. Ang ilan sa mga pagtitipon na naka-highlight sa release na ito ay pang-edukasyon forum, hindi relihiyoso seremonya, at bukas sa publiko sa pangkalahatan. Iba ay seremonyal at maaaring isagawa sa mga pribadong. Bilang karagdagan sa mga nakalista sa ibaba, ay observances at panalangin na inaalok sa iba pang mga banal na lugar na ay sa ilalim ng pagbabanta at sa mga hindi mga endangered sa oras na ito.

"Katutubong at hindi-Katutubong tao sa buong bansa mangalap sa oras na ito para sa mga seremonya ng Solstice at upang parangalan ang mga banal na lugar, ngunit lahat masusunod ang mga mahalagang lupain at tubig sa lahat ng oras sa pamamagitan ng simpleng-alang ang mga ito at ang buhay na sumusuporta sila at hindi nagpapahintulot sa kanila na pinsala, "sabi Suzan ang ipinapakita Harjo (Cheyenne at Hodulgee Muscogee). Siya ay Pangulo ng Ang Morning Star Institute, na nagsasagawa ng National Banal na Lugar sa Araw ng Panalangin. "Seremonya ay isinagawa bilang malayo masyadong maraming mga Katutubong Amerikano Tao ay gumagawa ng mga legal na struggles sa mga pederal na mga ahensya na bahagi sa mga developer na ilagay sa panganib o sirain Katutubong banal na lugar," sabi ni Ms Harjo.

"Dahil sa isang US nakapangyayari Supreme Court noong 1988 na may hindi konstitusyunal o ayon sa batas dahilan ng pagkilos upang ipagtanggol Katutubong banal na lugar, ang mga Katutubong Amerikano ay ang tanging mga tao sa Estados Unidos na hindi magkaroon ng isang pinto sa Courthouse upang protektahan ang mga banal na lugar o site tukoy sa seremonya, "sabi ni Ms Harjo. "Iyon lamang dapat baguhin bilang isang bagay ng pagkamakatarungan at katarungan. Katutubong Nations ay cobbling sama-sama ng mga proteksyon sa batay sa depensa na nilalayon para sa iba pang mga layunin. Pinahihintulutan ng ibang mga ahensya ay maaaring isang lugar sa table kapag unlad ay pagisipan, ngunit pinaka-hindi at Katutubong Tao ay hindi kinuha sineseryoso dahil ang mga ahensya at mga nag-develop alam na ang kataas-taasang hukuman ay hindi lilitaw hilig upang marinig ang mga lawsuits na kakulangan ng maiangkop-made karapatan ng pagkilos. "

Sa panahon ng kanyang pagkapangulo kampanya noong 2008, pagkatapos-Senator Obama address ang isyu na ito bilang bahagi ng kanyang mga Katutubong Amerikano patakaran sa platform para sa relihiyon kalayaan, kultural na mga karapatan at banal na lugar na proteksyon: "Katutubong Amerikano na mga banal na lugar at ng mga tiyak na site na seremonya sa ilalim ng pagbabanta mula sa pag-unlad, polusyon , at paninira. Barack Obama ay sumusuporta sa mga legal na proteksyon sa para sa mga banal na lugar at kultural na tradisyon, kabilang ang mga Katutubong 'kapaligiran ng mga ninuno libing at simbahan. "

Maraming mga Katutubong Tao inendorso Kandidato Obama dahil sa kanyang posisyon sa Katutubong banal na lugar, ngunit despaired sa lumalaking pagkakaiba sa pagitan ng kung ano Kandidato suportado at kung ano ang Administration ang Presidente ay ginawa sa mga banal na lugar. Ang Forest Service, ang Bureau ng Land Pamamahala ng, ang Justice Department at iba pang mga pederal na ahensya ng aktibong mapanganib banal na lugar at pakikipaglaban ng mga Katutubong Tao na sinusubukan upang protektahan ang mga banal na lugar sa panghukuman at administratibo na proseso.

Ang Pambansang Kongreso ng Amerikano Indians, ang pinakaluma at pinakamalaking pambansang Indian organisasyon, na tinatawag na para gumawa ng batas ng Kongreso sa isang batas na magbigay ng dahilan ng pagkilos, para sa Pangulo upang i-update at palakasin ang umiiral na Executive Order sa Indian Banal na mga Site at para sa Forest Serbisyo upang magamit ang mga umiiral na mga batas at mga patakaran upang maprotektahan ang mga Native American banal na lugar. Sa parehong oras, ang Forest Service ay touted bilang isang katangian para sa mga banal na lugar ang mga ulat ng draft, kung saan ay tiyakan denunsyado sa Indian bansa, at isang binagong ulat na ito pagpapanatiling lihim, counter sa posisyon ng Pangangasiwa sa panlipi konsultasyon.

"Pangulo ay tinanong direktang tumawag sa Kongreso upang lumikha ng isang karapatan ng pagkilos upang maaari naming ipagtanggol ang aming mga banal na lugar, upang mapabuti ang Executive Order para sa Indian Banal Site at upang ihinto ang Forest Service at iba pang mga ahensya mula sa magpatuloy ng kanilang dekada-mahaba pananakit laban Katutubong banal na lugar, "sabi ni Ms Harjo. "Ako pa rin maasahin sa mabuti na ang Pangulo ang maaari at gawin ang mga bagay na ito, kahit na ang Kongreso ay hindi upang gumawa ng progreso sa dito o sa anumang lugar. Muli, manalangin namin na ito ay ang huling taon namin ay tinanggihan ng katarungan ng Executive, Pambatasan at Panghukuman Sangay. "

Ang UN Special Rapporteur sa mga Karapatan ng mga Katutubong Tao inirerekomenda na ang US isaalang-alang ang pag-withdraw ang pederal permit na nagpapahintulot sa isang pribadong ski resort upang gamitin ang Niresaykel dumi sa alkantarilya tubig upang gumawa ng snow sa tuktok ng San Francisco Peaks, na mga banal sa maraming mga Katutubong Nations sa Southwest. Ang Special Rapporteur din ay tinatawag na sa US upang kumonsulta sa at bumalik ang mga banal na lugar sa Katutubong Tao.

"Katutubong Amerikano People ay hinihikayat na ang Pangulo ang nabago ang posisyon ng US at itinataguyod ng United Nations 'Pahayag sa mga Karapatan ng mga Katutubong Tao, at inaasahan ang application nito sa US batas at kasanayan," sabi ni Ms Harjo.

Pahayag kasama ang mga sumusunod na pahayag tungkol sa mga banal na lugar:

"Artikulo 11, 1: Katutubong mamamayan ay may karapatan sa pagsasanay at revitalize ang kanilang mga kultural na tradisyon at kaugalian. Kasama nito ang mga karapatan upang mapanatili, maprotektahan at bumuo ng ang ang nakaraan, kasalukuyan at hinaharap na mga manifestations ng kanilang mga kultura, tulad ng mga archaeological at makasaysayang mga site, artifacts, disenyo, seremonya, teknolohiya at visual at gumaganap sining at literatura.

"Artikulo 11, 2: Unidos ay dapat magbigay ng pagtutumpak sa pamamagitan ng epektibong mekanismo, na maaaring kabilang ang pagbabayad-pinsala, na binuo kasama ng mga katutubong mamamayan, na may paggalang sa kanilang mga kultural, intelektwal na pagmamay-, relihiyon at espirituwal na ari-arian na kinuha nang walang kanilang libreng, bago at matalinong mga pahintulot o sa paglabag ng kanilang mga batas, tradisyon at kaugalian. "

"Artikulo 12, 1: Katutubong mamamayan ay may karapatan sa manifest, pagsasagawa, bumuo at turuan ang kanilang espirituwal at relihiyon tradisyon, kaugalian at seremonya, ang karapatan upang mapanatili, protektahan, at magkaroon ng access sa privacy sa kanilang relihiyon at kultural na mga site; kanan sa paggamit at kontrol ng kanilang seremonyal na mga bagay; at ang karapatan sa pagpapabalik sa sariling bayan ng kanilang mga tao na labi "

"Artikulo 25: Katutubong mamamayan ay may karapatan upang mapanatili at palakasin ang kanilang mga kapansin-pansing espirituwal na relasyon sa kanilang mga tradisyonal na pag-aari o kung hindi man ay inookupahan at ginagamit ang lupa, teritoryo, tubig at baybayin dagat at iba pang mga mapagkukunan at upang mapanghawakan ang kanilang mga responsibilidad sa mga hinaharap na henerasyon sa bagay na ito."

Ang 2012 mga observances ay ang ikasampung ng Pambansang Araw ng Panalangin sa Protektahan ang mga Katutubong Amerikano mga Banal na Lugar. Ang unang Pambansang Araw ng Panalangin ay isinagawa noong Hunyo 20, 2003, sa US Capitol grounds at nationwide upang bigyan ng diin ang pangangailangan para sa Kongreso upang magsabatas ng dahilan ng pagkilos upang protektahan ang mga Katutubong banal na lugar. Na kailangan pa rin umiiral.

Panalangin ay inaalok para sa mga sumusunod na banal na lugar, bukod sa iba pa:

Antilope Hills. Apache tumalon. Badger Dalawang Medicine. Matabang lupa. Bear Butte. Bear Lake. Bear Medicine Lodge. Black Hills. Black Mesa. Blue Lake. Boboquivari Mountain. Bunchgrass Mountain. Cave Rock. Chief Cliff. Coastal Chumash Banal Lands sa Gaviota Coast. Cocopah libing at seremonyal na kapaligiran. Coldwater Springs. Ilog Colorado. Columbia River. Deer Medicine Rocks. Dzil Nchaa Si Isang (Mount Graham). Eagle Rock. Everglades.

Fajada Butte. Ganondagan. Ang Great Mound (Mound Ibaba). Gulf of Mexico. Haleakala Crater. Palataw Mountain. Hickory Ground. Banal Mountain. Landforms Hualapai Nation sa Truxton at Crozier canyon. Indian Pass. Kaho'olawe. Kasha-Katuwe. Katuktu. Kituwah. Klamath River. Libing ng Kumeyaay banda at seremonyal na kapaligiran. Lake Superior. Luiseno minamana Pinagmulan Landscape. Mauna Kea. Maze. Medicine Bluff. Gamot Hole. Medicine Lake Highlands. Gamot Gulong. Migi zii wa kasalanan (Eagle Rock). Mokuhinia. Moku'ula. Mount Shasta. Mount Taylor. Mount Tenabo. Siyam Mile Canyon.

Ocmulgee ng Old Fields at National Monument. Onondaga Lake. Palo Duro Canyon. Petroglyphs National Monument. Pipestone National Monument. Puget Sound. Puvungna. Pyramid Lake Stone Ina. Quechan libing at seremonyal na kapaligiran. Rainbow Bridge. Rattlesnake Island. Ilog Rio Grande. San Francisco Peaks. Ahas Mound. Snoqualmie Falls. Sweetgrass Hills. Sutter Buttes. Tse Whit Zen Village. Tsi-litch Semiahmah Village. Valley ng Chiefs. Valmont Butte. Wakarusa wetlands. Naglalakad Woman Place. Woodruff Butte. Wolf River. Yuka Mountain. Zuni Salt Lake. Banal na lugar ng lahat ng mga inalis na Katutubong Nations. Ang lahat ng mga Waters at wetlands.

Arizona: Mount Graham, Dzil Nchaa Si isang

Mount Graham ay banal sa Western Apache tao at ay kilala sa San Carlos Apache bilang Dzil Nchaa Si Isang. Ito ay isang banal na landscape kung saan Gaan o Mountain espiritu naninirahan at minamana Apache natitira. Ito ay isang lugar ng mga seremonya at mga gamot halaman, at tahanan sa ardilya endangered Mount Graham pula. Ang Pinaleño Mountains o ng Mount Graham ay isang natatanging ecological kayamanan. Ito ay ang pinakamataas na bundok sa timog Arizona at sumasaklaw sa anim na iba't ibang mga zone ng buhay mula sa sahig ng lambak sa abot ng makakaya nito sa 10,720 ft Tinatawag na isang "Island Sky" ecosystem, ang lumang paglago gubat sa summit ng Mount Graham Arizona katumbas ng rainforests. Ang masaganang spring at high altitude parang Inaalok pagkabuhay at pinagmulan ng paglunas sa Apache mga taong naninirahan sa disyerto. Ang cool na mamasa-masa katangian ng Mountain nurtured ng 18 iba't-ibang mga halaman at hayop na natagpuan wala saan man sa mundo.

Sa 1980s, ang University of Arizona at ang mga kasosyo nito sa oras, kabilang ang Vatican at ang Smithsonian Institution, pinili Mount Graham bilang site bumuo ng isang obserbatoryo sa pitong malalaking teleskopyo na kilala bilang Project Columbus. Simula noong 1988, ang Arizona pakongreso delegasyon nagtagumpay sa pagkakaroon ng mga exemptions para sa proyekto mula sa mga endangered species, kapaligiran, makasaysayang pangangalaga at iba pang batas. Noong 1989, ang University of Arizona ay nabigyan ng isang 20-taon na espesyal na permit paggamit ng Coronado National Forest at ang US Forest Service, at gugulin Riders ay pinananatiling mapera ang proyekto sa mga pampublikong benepisyo nang hindi kinakailangang sumunod sa mga pederal na batas o regulasyon, kabilang ang pederal Indian batas na nilayon upang protektahan ang relihiyon kalayaan, libing kapaligiran at kultural na mga katangian ng. Vatican spokesmen ipinahayag ng Mount Graham ay hindi isang relihiyon o banal na lugar. University empleyado at lobbyists tinangka upang papanghinain ang mga reputations ng Apache mga pinuno ng relihiyon at practitioners, at mananatili ng hindi bababa sa isang San Carlos panlipi opisyal upang magpatotoo na Mountain ay hindi banal o makabuluhang sa Apache mamamayan.

Para sa mga dekada, Apache People, siyentipiko, conservationists at mga mag-aaral sa unibersidad resisted sa University of ang desisyon ng Arizona upang bumuo ang mga teleskopyo sa summit sa Mountain. Kahit na madalas ulap pabalat ginagawang teleskopyo pagtingin nasa gilid at Mount Graham-ranggo 38 sa isang pag-aaral ng astronomikal na mga site sa US, Arizona pakongreso delegasyon at ang University persisted sa mga proyekto. Ngayon, ang konstruksiyon ng mga teleskopyo at nagreresulta ng pederal na pagsasara ng itaas ang Mountain desecrating Mountain at ang mga hindi maaaring palitan kaugnayan sa Apache People.

Pakikibaka ay patuloy upang protektahan ang likas at kultural na pamana ng Mount Graham mula sa alinsunuran-setting pagkawasak pa rin sanhi ng University sa pagbuo nito obserbatoryo sa Mount Graham. Ang mga pagsusumikap ng kultural na proteksyon at kapaligiran mga organisasyon at mga apektadong tribo upang protektahan ang sacredness ng Mount Graham patuloy unabated.

Ang University of Arizona ay ngayon operating nito obserbatoryo walang wastong espesyal na permit paggamit. Nito 20 taon pederal permit na nag-expire noong Abril 19, 2009. Ang University ay tinanong Coronado Pambansang Forest para sa isang bagong permit, ngunit, bilang ng Hunyo ng 2012, isang desisyon sa kung upang ibigay ang permit ay hindi pa ginawa. Ang Forest Service ay tinutukoy na kailangan nito upang maghanda ng isang Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) na kumuha ng impormasyon sa mga kalamangan at kahinaan ng pagbibigay ng isang bagong permit. University ay objected strenuously sa isang bagong EIS. Mula kaunting impormasyon ang koalisyon ng Mount Graham at San Carlos Apache tribo natutunan, ang Forest Service at ang mga abogado sa University ay "sa talakayan" upang matukoy ang huling paraan ng proseso ng pag-renew ng permit.

Mayroong isang bilang ng mga dahilan para sa Forest Service upang tanggihan ang isang bagong permit. Ang lipas permit ay nagkaroon ng isang bilang ng mga tuntunin at kundisyon na lumabag sa pamamagitan ng sa University. Marami sa mga kundisyon na ito ay dapat humantong sa ang pagbawi ng permit ngunit hindi. Ang lahat ng mga paglabag na ito kailangan na pinag-aralan upang matukoy kung ang ang University ay maaaring sundin ang mga patakaran ng isang bagong permit.

Ang mga kondisyon ng Mount Graham ay nagbago napakalaki mula permit ay ipinagkaloob at obserbatoryo ay kahit na hindi gaanong tugma ang relihiyon at ecological kahalagahan ng Mount Graham. Dahil permit ay ipinagkaloob, ang "hugis" ng Mount Graham ay itinuring na karapat-dapat para sa placement sa pambansang listahan ng mga makasaysayang lugar. Bilang karagdagan, ang Forest Service ay ngayon Kinikilala ng Mount Graham Tradisyunal Cultural Property sa mga tao ng Western Apache at ay nagsagawa ng mga hakbang upang kumonsulta (kahit na ito ay may isang mahabang paraan upang pumunta) na may tradisyonal na Apache tungkol sa banal na likas na katangian ng Mountain at kung paano protektahan ang ito. University ay maaaring pumunta sa Kongreso para sa isa pang exemption sa relihiyon kalayaan at kapaligiran na mga batas at upang pilitin ang Forest Service ay upang magbigay ng isang bagong permit. Tagasuporta ng Mount Graham ay ang huling upang marinig ng anumang paglalakad sa kahabaan ng mga linya at kailangang kailanman mapagbantay upang ihinto ito mula sa nangyayari.

Para sa mga ito at maraming iba pang mga kadahilanan, ito ay mahalaga para sa mga tagasuporta ng Apache mamamayan at Mount Graham sa gumiit ang Forest Service ay upang tanggihan ang University ng bagong permit at nangangailangan na ang mga umiiral na mga teleskopyo sa Mount Graham maalis.

Pagkatapos ng 20 taon ng konstruksiyon, ang malaking proyekto ng teleskopyo ay hindi pa rin kumpleto at napakaseryosong tanong ay mananatiling tungkol sa kahalagahan ng utility, at pag-andar mula sa isang pang-astronomiya pananaw. Ano ang HINDI na pinag-uusapan ay ang patuloy na pagkakasala sa Western Apache Tao. Pantay malinaw ang delikado katayuan ng katutubong ardilya Mount Graham pula. Ang pinakahuling survey na isinagawa ng biologist tinatantya na lamang tungkol sa 214 ng mga ito natatanging species, ang nahanap na ngayon kung saan ang tao sa lupa, mananatili. Ito ay natukoy sa pamamagitan ng mga biologist bilang isa ng mammals na pinaka-malamang na pumunta patay sa Estados Unidos sa nakikinita hinaharap.

Ilang apoy devastated ang tuktok ng Mount Graham sa nakaraang mga taon. Sila ay fought upang protektahan ang mga teleskopyo higit pa kaysa sa ecosystem at, bilang isang resulta, magkano ang pinsala ay tapos na sa Mountain na maaaring naiwasan. Ang Forest Service ay nagpasya sa manipis na kagubatan at kung hindi man ay manipulahin ang ecosystem upang subukan upang maprotektahan ang kung ano ang nananatiling at upang ibalik kung ano ay nasira. Ang kasalukuyang apoy na nasusunog sa silangan at timog Arizona mapalakas ang panganib na ang mga karagdagang pagkilos ay maprotektahan ang mga kaayusan sa paglipas ng wildlife at espirituwal na mga halaga.

Panalangin at sipag ay kailangan ngayon higit pa kaysa dati para sa Mount Graham. Ay ang ecosystem sa ilalim ng malubhang pagbabanta mula sa pagbabago ng klima at iba pang mga pattern ng pagkawasak, mayroong isang pagkakataon para sa Forest Service upang tanggihan ang isang bagong permit para sa teleskopyo at nangangailangan sila ay aalisin, at mayroong isang pagkakataon upang protektahan ang umiiral na ecosystem at ibalik ang ilang ng kung ano ay nawala. At, ang sacredness ng Mount Graham ay patuloy na hinamon at, habang ang Mountain ay upang protektahan ang sarili nito, mga tagasuporta ay maaaring makatulong upang maprotektahan ito.

Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, makipag-ugnay sa Mount Graham koalisyon, Roger Featherstone, Pangulo, sa greenfire@featherstone.ws, o Dinah Bear, Kalihim, sa Bear6@verizon.net

Arizona: San Francisco Peaks

Ang San Francisco Peaks ay banal sa Apache, Hopi, Hualapai, Navajo, Yavapai at iba pang mga Katutubong Nations. Ang San Francisco Peaks ay tahanan sa maraming mga banal tao'y, mga lugar ng gamot at mga site ng pinagmulan. Napakarami seremonya ay isinasagawa doon para sa pagpapagaling, na rin ang pagiging, balanse, pagdiriwang, sipi at tubig sa mundo at buhay cycle.

Ang San Francisco Peaks sa pederal na lupa sa loob ng Coconino Pambansang Forest. Sa katunayan, ang US Forest Service ay sinabi na ang San Francisco Peaks ay banal at banal sa higit sa labintatlo mga tribo sa timog-kanluran Estados Unidos.

Kabila ng nabanggit, ang Forest Service at pribado pag-aaring Snowbowl ski resort, na kung saan ay matatagpuan sa San Francisco Peaks, plano upang palawakin ang ski area at gamitin ang Niresaykel dumi sa alkantarilya upang gumawa ng artipisyal na snow. Ang Pagpapalawak at dumi sa alkantarilya-sa-snow plano ay maaaring magkaroon ng isang mapaminsalang epekto sa Katutubong relihiyon at mga tao at sa tubig at kalusugan ng buong rehiyon. Ang gumagapang sa recreational unlad ay nababahala Katutubong espirituwal na lider at panlipi mga opisyal para sa mga dekada, ngunit ang kasalukuyang plano ay malayo lumampas sa nakaraang aktibidad sa resort.

Snowbowl ng plano sa malinaw 74 ektarya ng bihirang alpine tirahan na tahanan sa threatened species, at gumawa ng bagong Nagpapatakbo ski at lift, magdagdag ng higit pang maraming paradahan at bumuo ng isang 14.8 milya buried pipeline sa transportasyon hanggang sa 180,000,000 gallons (bawat panahon) ng wastewater upang gumawa ng artipisyal na snow sa 205 acres. Sa kabila ng patuloy na protesta at kagutuman strike, ay ang Snowbowl nagsimula konstruksiyon ng sa wastewater pipeline nito para sa snowmaking, na may pag-apruba ng at pangangalaga ng Forest Service at sa US Kagawaran ng Agrikultura.

Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission Chairperson Duane H. Yazzie testified bago ang Senado Committee sa Indian Affairs '2011 pagdinig sa US pagpapatupad ng Pahayag ng United Nations sa mga Karapatan ng mga Katutubong Tao: "Pinagsasanib Pahayag sa umiiral na batas ay tumutok substantively sa ang halaga ng mga banal na mga site sa halip ng paglalagay ng sobra-sobra pasanin sa pamamaraan. Gayundin, ang Pahayag ay bigyang-diin ang internasyonal na patakaran sa halip na umasa sa domestic patakaran nag-iisa. Na Legislatively pagtugon Indian batas batas ay repair ang umagaw ng karapatan ng pagkamay-ari ng mga Katutubong Amerikano na karapatan sa mga banal na mga site. "

Ng United Nations Special Rapporteur sa mga Karapatan ng mga Katutubong Tao na inirerekomenda sa 2011 na ang "Estados Unidos Gobyerno makisali sa isang komprehensibong pagsusuri ng mga may-katuturang mga patakaran at pagkilos upang matiyak na ang mga ito ay sumusunod sa mga internasyonal na pamantayan na may kaugnayan sa San Francisco Peaks at iba pang mga Katutubong Amerikano na mga banal na mga site, at dalhin ito ng mga naaangkop na aksyon nakagagaling .... sa Gobyerno dapat reinitiate o patuloy ang konsultasyon sa mga tribo na ang mga relihiyon na kasanayan ay apektado ng ski pagpapatakbo sa San Francisco Peaks at pagsikapan upang maabot ang kasunduan sa kanila sa pagpapaunlad ng ski area. Gobyerno ay dapat bigyan ng seryosong pagsasaalang-alang sa pagsuspindi ang permit para sa mga pagbabago ng Snowbowl hanggang ang nasabing kasunduan ay maaaring nakamit o hanggang, sa kawalan ng tulad ng isang kasunduan, ang isang nakasulat na pagpapasiya ginawa ng isang karampatang mga awtoridad ng pamahalaan na ang pangwakas na desisyon tungkol sa ski area pagbabago ay alinsunod sa Estados Unidos 'internasyonal na tao karapatan obligasyon.

"Ang Special Rapporteur nais Stress ang pangangailangan upang matiyak na ang mga aksyon o desisyon ng mga ahensya ng Gobyerno ayon, hindi lamang domestic batas, kundi pati na rin ang mga internasyonal na mga pamantayan na maprotektahan ang mga karapatan ng Katutubong Amerikano sa pagsasanay at panatilihin ang kanilang mga tradisyon sa relihiyon. Ang Special Rapporteur ay kamalayan ng mga umiiral na mga programa ng pamahalaan at mga patakaran upang kumonsulta sa mga katutubong mamamayan at tumagal ang account ang kanilang mga relihiyosong tradisyon sa pamahalaan na pagdedesisyon na may paggalang sa mga banal na mga site. Ang Special Rapporteur urges ang Gobyerno na bumuo ng sa mga programa at mga patakaran sa sumusunod sa mga internasyonal na pamantayan at sa pamamagitan ng paggawa nito upang magtaguyod ng isang mahusay na kasanayan at maging isang lider ng mundo na ito sa pagprotekta sa mga karapatan ng mga katutubong mamamayan. "

Katutubong Nations at kapaligiran organisasyon tinangka upang protektahan ang San Francisco Peaks sa hukuman. Ang District Court pinasiyahan para sa pag-unlad sa 2006. Ang ikasiyam Circuit Court of Appeals binawi ang desisyon ng ang mas mababang hukuman ng noong 2007 at pinasiyahan para sa Hopi tribo, Navajo Nation at iba pa. Isang tatlong-hukom panel ng ikasiyam na circuit pinasiyahan na ang Forest Service lumabag Relihiyosong Freedom Restoration Act at ng National Environmental Act Patakaran sa nagbibigay-daan sa ang Snowbowl Resort sa palawakin higit sa 100 acres ng mga bihirang alpine ecosystem, bahagi ng lugar na banal sa Katutubong mamamayan.

Ang pederal na pamahalaan hinamon na desisyon at petitioned ang ikasiyam na circuit para sa rehearing en banc. Tulad petitions ay bihirang nabigyan, ngunit Court ang na ipinagkaloob ng isang ito. Kaso ay Nagtalo sa harap ng 11-hukom panel en banc ng ikasiyam na circuit sa Pasadena noong Disyembre 2007. Ang ikasiyam Circuit Nagbigay ang desisyon ng en banc panel sa Agosto 8, 2008, nakapangyayari sa pabor ng pag-unlad. Ang mga Katutubong Nations isinumite ng utos ng certiorari para sa US Supreme Court. Sa Hunyo 8, 2009, ang kataas-taasang hukuman tinanggi upang suriin ang mga desisyon.

Ang mga tribo Tinangka upang maabot ang ilang mga uri ng accommodation-administratibo na may bagong Administration, ngunit tulad pagsusumikap sa hindi Borne prutas. Ang I-save ang koalisyon ng mga Peaks kasunod na file suit laban sa pederal na gobyerno sa isyu ng NEPA na ang Forest Service ay nabigo sa sapat na isaalang-alang ang pagtanggap ng reclaim tagatahi tubig. Mga ito ay ang parehong batas at katotohanan na ang naunang tatlong panel ng hukom na isinasaalang-alang sa paghahanap na ang Forest Service ay nabigong sumunod sa NEPA. Ang naunang nakapangyayari, gayunpaman, render non-precedential ng en banc hukuman sa kaso ng Navajo. Sa kabila ng bago pagdadahilan sa ikasiyam Circuit, Judge ng Mayo Murguia ng sa US District Court pinasiyahan laban sa I-save ang koalisyon ng mga Peaks sa lahat bilang. Makalipas ang ilang sandali, ang kanyang appointment sa pamamagitan ng Obama sa ikasiyam na circuit ay nakumpirma na. Ang I-save ang Peaks koalisyon appealed ang nakapangyayari.

Lantaran pagalit na tatlong-hukom panel ng ikasiyam na circuit hindi lamang pinasiyahan laban sa koalisyon, ngunit ipinahayag na ang I-save ang Peaks ng koalisyon at ang kanilang abogado ay inabuso ng hukuman proseso - na walang batayan ng suporta para sa kanilang mga accusations. Snowbowl ay kasalukuyang pagpunta pagkatapos ng nagrereklamo at ang kanilang mga pro Bono abogado, personal, para sa mga pinsala sa ang halaga ng humigit-kumulang $ 280.000. Ang parehong tatlong hukom marinig Snowbowl ng paggalaw.

Sa pansamantala, ay ang Snowbowl gawin ang pag-uusig sa mapayapang protestors at naghahanap ng "ganti" mula sa kanila. Sinimulan na ang ilang mga kasapi ng komunidad ng poste ng bandila isang gutom bilang protesta. Gayunpaman, bilang isang legal at praktikal na bagay, Snowbowl na ngayon ang libreng lumapastangan sa Banal na San Francisco Peaks nang walang parusa.

Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, kontakin ang: Howard M. Shanker, Ang Shanker Batas firm, PLC, sa Tempe at poste ng bandila, Arizona, sa (480) 838-9433 o howard@shankerlaw.net

California: McCloud River - Winnemem Wintu tribo ay naghahanda para sa Balas Chonos

Ang Winnemem Wintu tribo ng Northern California naghahanda para sa Balas Chonos, ang Paparating ng Edad Ceremony, sa kabila ng pagsalungat sa pamamagitan ng US Forest Service. Tribo ay tanungin ang Forest Service upang isara ang 400 yarda ng River McCloud sa libangan boaters motor para sa apat na araw ng Ceremony, Hunyo 30-Hulyo 3. Ang Forest Service ay claim na ito ay stymied ng Bureau ng Indian Affairs 'pederal na pagkilala ng patakaran at hindi maaaring isara ang River dahil tribo ay hindi federally kinikilalang.

Tribo ang sinasabi na ang pederal na pagkilala ay isa lamang ng pederal na relasyon sa panlipi mamamayan. Sa California, ang 90% ng tribo ay hindi kasama sa isang maikling listahan ng pagkilala, na kung saan ay ibinigay nang walang babala sa panahon ng Administration Reagan. Kahit ang mga may isang mahabang record makasaysayang relasyon bilang tribo na may US pamahalaan - mga signatories sa unratified treaties at mga sa California paghatol Roll, halimbawa - ay ibinukod mula sa listahan ng pagkilala. Ang ilang mga 300,000 mga tradisyonal na mga tao at ang kanilang karapatang pantao sa seremonya ang apektado dahil sa patakarang ito. Sa ilalim ng American Indian Relihiyosong Freedom Act, ang lahat ng mga pederal na mga ahensya ay may isang obligasyon upang protektahan at pangalagaan ang mga Katutubong Amerikano na mga banal na lugar at seremonya, at kumonsulta sa mga Katutubong tradisyonal na mga pinuno ng relihiyon, hindi isinasaalang-alang ng kanilang katayuan sa pederal o di-pederal na pagkilala.

Ang Winnemem Wintu tribo ihinahayag ang karapatan nito sa seremonya para sa Katutubong mga kababaihan sa ilalim ng Artikulo 11, 12 at 25 ng Pahayag ng United Nations sa mga Karapatan ng mga Katutubong Tao. Ang ang Winnemem Chief Caleen Sisk humihiling para sa ipinag-uutos na pagsasara ng River ng McCloud para sa Paparating ng Edad Ceremony para sa Marisa Sisk, na ay ang susunod na Chief Winnemem. Kahit na ang Winnemem Wintu piniling ay mag-focus sa celebrant, tribo ang sabi ni ito "ay dapat magpatuloy sa mahabang kalsada sa katarungan, educating ng mundo tungkol sa kung ano ito ay tradisyonal na sa Estados Unidos."

Pagkatapos hindi kasiya-siya mga pulong sa mga opisyal ng Forest Service, Chief Sisk tinatawag para sa isang Dance ng Digmaan, o H'up Chonos, isinasagawa ang seremonya ng kapag may wala na maaaring gawin maliban sa magdasal. Higit sa 200 mga tao ang dumating mula sa bilang malayo hilaga bilang Olympia, Washington, at pati na malayo timog bilang Los Angeles upang suportahan ang ang Winnemem may isang di-marahas na pagsasara, sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga boaters tungkol sa katotohanang mayroong isang seremonya at humihiling sa mga ito upang respetuhin na. Isang daang porsiyento ng libangan boaters nang gumagalang naka-paligid.

Tribo Sinabi na ang "lamang panghihimasok sa ang non-marahas na seremonya ay US Forest Rangers, na pang-araw-araw na dumating sa pamamagitan sa dalawang sasakyan, isang pagiging isang katulad ng sa aso yunit, at buzzed sa amin ng kanilang mga bangka, back ng katulong Coast Guards, sa ikatlong araw (ang Forest Service) summarily shut down ang aming mga pagsusumikap sa pagsasara. "

Winnemem ang sinasabi na ang Forest Service denies ang pagsasara, kahit na ito ay may: 1) malinaw na katibayan ng lahi panggigipit, panghihimasok at kalusugan at kaligtasan endangerment ng lango, pagpapabilis boaters na huwag pansinin ang Forest Service ay "kusang-loob pagsasara"; 2) ang Farm Bill na nagbibigay ng kapangyarihan upang isara ang mga lugar at ilog para sa seremonya; 3) ng UN Pahayag sa mga Karapatan ng mga Katutubong Tao; 4) sa California AJR 39 joint resolution, na ihinahayag na kinikilala ng estado ng California na ang Winnemem Wintu at urges ang US Congress na makilala ang tribo; 5) ng isang impormal na poll ng lokal na pahayagan sa Redding, na nagpapakita na ang sinusuportahan ng publiko ang honoring ang karapatan sa seremonya, pati na rin ang napakatinding internet suporta, at 6) na mga resolution ng suporta mula sa mga Katutubong lider sa 2012 UN Permanenteng Forum sa mga karapatan ng mga Katutubong Tao.

Tribo ang tawag sa palabas ng puwersa at ang pederal na isyu pagkilala "usok at salamin, at kapag may usok ang nililimas, tribo suspects na ang US Forest Serbisyo sa ilalim ng impluwensiya ng Bureau ng Indian Affairs ay maaaring kumikilos sa ngalan ng mga espesyal na interes - ang Bureau ng Pagbawi at Westlands Tubig, ang pinakamalaking korporasyon ng tubig sa mundo, na nagmamay-ari ng lugar na banal sa Winnemem. "Westlands gustong Shasta Lake Dam Project, na itaas ang dam ng ilang mga paa. Tribo ang nagsasabing proyekto ang "ay lunurin ang lahat ng ang mga banal na lugar na kasalukuyang ng tubig para sa isang ilang linggo bawat taon, tulad ng Women ng pagpapagaling na Lugar at ang pagbibinata Rock, at sila ay mawawala magpakailanman."

Chief Sisk sabi ni ang Winnemem plano sa "pumunta pasulong na may isang marangal Ceremony, shored up ng ang panalangin Digmaan Sayaw at back sa pamamagitan ng ang pangako ng 300 - 400 tagasuporta bumabalik Hunyo 29 upang isara ang 400 yarda sa McCloud para sa apat na araw para sa Marisa sa Pagdating ng edad. Ito ay mahalaga para sa mga Marisa upang malaman kung ano ang kanyang kailangang gawin sa mga mahirap na beses bilang isang lider. Ang mga oras ay hindi mapayapang, kaya isang tahimik at marangal na seremonya ay hindi maaaring maging isang nawalang layunin. Ang layunin ay upang gawin ang mga pinakamahusay na maaari at hindi kailanman magbibigay sa pagiging Winnemem.

"Ang Winnemem Wintu humingi para sa panalangin ng lahat ng mga mahusay na mga tao na natipon para sa Pambansang mga panalangin para sa mga Banal Lands para sa tao karapatan sa seremonya walang pagkakaiba sa pagitan ng federally kinikilalang at hindi nakikilalang, at partikular para sa karapatan para sa mga panlipi babae sa seremonya. Mga kababaihan ay ang banal na sentro ng buhay. Hinihiling namin para sa panalangin na ang Dam Shasta Lake ay hindi karagdagang itinaas at para sa proteksyon ng aming banal Winnemem River, ang banal na mga babae sa doctoring lugar, ang pagbibinata Rock at ang Bata sa Rock, pati na rin ang safe return ng salmon sa tribo ng mula sa New Zealand sa kanilang mga tubig sa bahay sa itaas ng dam. Hinihiling namin para sa mga panalangin na ang Winnemem paraan ng pamumuhay ay patuloy sa. Hee ng Chala BES-ken! "

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

California: Medicine Lake Highlands at palataw at Bunchgrass Mountains

Medicine Lake Highlands ay isang critically mahalagang panlipi rehiyon na matatagpuan sa hilagang-silangan ng Mount Shasta sa mga bundok ng hilagang California. Ang hukay River, Modoc, Shasta, Karuk, Wintu at iba pang tribo igalang ang lugar para sa natural na kapangyarihan ng pagpapagaling at para sa mga koneksyon sa 'longstanding kasaysayan ng kanilang tribo. Halimbawa, ang hukay River tribo ay naniniwala na ang Tagapaglikha at ang kanyang mga anak na lalaki bathed sa Medicine Lake pagkatapos nilang nilikha sa lupa, at ang Creator ang imparted ang kanyang espiritu sa tubig. Dahil sacredness ang Lake, tribo mula sa baybayin ng California sa Rocky Mountains gamitin ang nakapalibot na lugar bilang isang pagsasanay ground para sa mga tao ng gamot. Ang Highlands ay din na hinahangad pagkatapos ng geothermal enerhiya kumpanya na inilapat para sa permit sa pag-unlad mula sa Bureau ng Land Pamamahala ng (BLM) at US Forest Service (USFS), na pamahalaan sa lugar.

Since the 1990s, the Pit River Tribe, Stanford Environmental Law Clinic and other supporters of the protection of the sacred Medicine Lake Highlands in northeastern California have been challenging the BLM and USFS failure to undertake adequate environmental review and tribal consultation for industrial-scale energy development in the Highlands. On November 6, 2006, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the BLM and USFS original extension of Calpine Corporation's geothermal leases in the Highlands violated both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The agencies should have prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before renewing the leases and should have included a “no action” alternative. Because the agencies violated NEPA and NHPA, both the five-year lease extensions and the subsequent 40-year extensions were undone. The Court also said that BLM and USFS violated their fiduciary duty to the Pit River Tribe by failing to complete an EIS before extending the Calpine leases.

When the case was sent back to the trial court to implement the Ninth Circuit's decision, the trial judge ruled that, notwithstanding the invalidation of the lease extensions, the 1988 leases were still intact. In response, Stanford Environmental Law Clinic (SELC) filed an appeal challenging the lower court's interpretation, which went directly against the original Ninth Circuit ruling. At the new hearing on March 10, 2010, the SELC attorneys maintained that the leases, originally issued in 1988 for a duration of five years, and renewed once, expired by their own terms when the 1998 renewals for 40 years were declared null and void by the Ninth Circuit judges.

In August 2010, the Ninth Circuit Court Order indicated that while the Fourmile Hill lease extensions and the project decision remain unacceptable, the underlying leases themselves, granted to Calpine in 1988, continue to be in force. The Federal Agencies (Forest Service and BLM) will need to do a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) involving more environmental review and consultations with the Tribe in order to evaluate whether or not these leases should be extended.

The court ruled that the agencies retain full discretion regarding the Fourmile Hill lease extensions. 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.

I-update:
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, ang Cedar Tree, Biyernes, Hunyo 22, 11:30 ng umaga

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