Kahnawake Women Titleholders Against Quebec Super Highway 30 - Part 1

KAHNAWAKE WOMEN TITLE HOLDERS OF THE ROTINO'SHONNI:ONWE FILE OBJECTION AGAINST SUPER HIGHWAY 30

Mohawk Nation News -. Aug. 17, 2008. Someone is trying to plow under the Mohawks and our history. The three clans each had their villages around a river that bore the name of their clan. Bear River is Mount Royal which is now Montreal; Wolf River is Chateauguay to the west of Kahnawake; and Turtle River is St. Constant-Laprairie-Candiac to the east of Kahnawake. The fields contain dozens of Mohawk villages and burial sites.

Quebec is building a mega highway through the territory of the Iroquois Confederacy known as the protectors of the "Eastern Door" of Turtle Island. The territory has never been surrendered. Yet the Quebec government is handing out permits to companies to build on our land without our consent. These companies use our land as collateral to raise money from the public, which is criminal fraud.

To stop a further invasion and breakdown of our community, the Women Title Holders of the Rotino'shonni:onwe [the voice of the people] served a "Notice of Objection" on Canada, Quebec, the colonially established Mohawk Council of Kahnawake and their agents.

The colonial band council headed by Mike Delisle [communications@mck.ca] has supported the super highway through the middle of Kahnawake in exchange for some land and "other undisclosed considerations" citing he had made a "gentlemen's agreement".

Nothing is in writing. It looks like a business partnership between him and Quebec. The people erected a large sign on the proposed route stating "Mohawk Territory - No Trespassing". The Quebec Police have torn it down. Our people have gone out to the site to put it back up. The farmers of St-Constant have shown strong support for our cause.

"Farmers oppose Hwy. 30 expansion" by Stefan Christoff http://www.hour.ca/news/news.aspx?iIDArticle=15304

For more info visit: Autoroute 30 au Nord
http://www.sos30.com/index.html

More news to come. Read the following "Notice of Objection". MNN Mohawk Nation News http://www.mohawknationnews.com/

NOTICE OF OBJECTION - August 17, 2008
TO ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION OF "HIGHWAY 30" AND TRESPASSINGIN KAHNAWAKE OF MOHAWK TERRITORYBY COLONIAL OPPORTUNISTS OF CANADA AND QUEBEC

Burial sites being desecrated and natural waterways being divertedFROM: The Kanion'ke:haka/Mohawk Nation of the of the Rotino'shonni:onwe [Iroquois].

OBJECTION: To the development of Highway 30 through the territory of the northern protectors of the Iroquois Confederacy, the Kanion'ke:haka [Mohawk], who are the "Keepers of the Eastern Door". The entity known as " Quebec " is attempting to illegally build Highway 30 through the ancient community of Kahnawake. Old villages, burial sites and waterways are being destroyed or diverted.

This development violates the Two Row Wampum, the Kaianereh'ko:wa [the Rotino'shonni:onwe constitution] and international law as it does not have the fully informed consent of the Kanion'ke:haka. The construction permits issued by the government of Quebec are illegal.

Our land cannot be alienated. Quebec is encroaching on unsurrendered Kanion'ke:haka territory and using it as collateral to raise money to fund their businesses. This constitutes fraud. It will encourage a further invasion and breakdown of our solitary community for the benefit of a few.

TO: The colonial entities that are carrying on illegal activities, known as:
- "Canada";
- "Quebec government";
- Chenail Construction Brinco Quarry and others;
- "Mohawk Council of Kahnawake"; and
- Any and all their agents are all squatting on our territory.

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake who gave permission to Quebec is a "band council", a colonial entity that is set up by the colonial entity known as "Canada". Its members have become Canadian citizens of "Indian" ancestry". They have no legal right to make any decisions on our unceded territory. Mike Delisle Jr., the band council chief, cannot make a "personal decision" or "gentleman's agreement" [!] to make secret deals or override the voice of the people. These foreign corporate franchises can never have title to or interest in our land;

RE: The attempt to illegally develop Highway 30 through the Kanion'ke:haka territory on the portion known as "Kahnawake" and surrounding settlements known as "St. Constant", "Delson" and "Candiac". This usurpation of our territory does not have the fully informed consent of the Kanion'ke:haka, violating international law.

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Happy Anniversary 'Native Unity Digest'. You Are 5 Years Old Today!

It was in late August of 2003 when Annie Norbo, head honcho of Native Celebs, and I decided to start a news blog for Native Americans. Seeing as Annie had all the Interent experience – I’m still not much farther ahead in the Interent experience department than I was back then – she was the one who set up the format on Blogger. On August 30th. 2003, Native Unity Digest made its debut on the NET.

It was a simple but effective format and still is, as nothing has changed. It has been described by a writer friend as “clear, clean and concise”. I try to keep it that way. !!!

To date, there have been more than 800 news items, articles and opinions published on Native Unity. To date, the visitor count has reached 104, 157. The success of Native Unity is a result of the people who write the articles or send in contributions. Some of them are news reporters and freelance writers, some are employees of Native organizations, etc while others are just folks who like to research the Net for interesting stories about Native American in the US and Canada.

2008 writers and contributors-– first name, alphabetical order -

Alyssa Macy – Director of Communications, NvisionIT LLC, a Colorado based Native owned firm.

Ann Van Wert- A former Canadian grandma who seeks out news from Canada and the First Nations.

Christine Yazzie – Krystyn Media, Los Angeles, CA. Supporting Native American First People – Artists, Film Makers and Entertainers.

Eleanore Fanire from Kingman, AZ who is a “Downwinder” and sends in news about her area and the after effects of the Nevada Test Site Nuclear Bombs from the 1950s to the 70s.

Harvey Arden – Former National Geographic staff writer, ardent supporter of Leonard Peltier, editor of Peltier’s “Prison Writings: My Life Is A Sundance”, and author/founder of Wisdomkeepers at Dreamkeepers.com.

Jeanne Bedell - Pardon me, Dr Jeanne Bedell, an OP/ED Native writer from North Dakota who has a PhD in Educational Psychology.

Julie Fishel, an attorney for the Western Shoshone Defense Project, who keeps me abreast of all kinds of happenings in Nevada and the Western US. Tribes.
.
Kahentinetha Horn – Editor of the Mohawk Nation News, Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada.

Kathy Helms, an award-winning reporter for the Gallup, Independent. A New Mexico daily publication.

Kimberly Lyman - WHRO Public Television, Norfolk Virginia.

Leuren Moret, author of “Populations Exposed to Environmental Uranium”, Namaste Magazine in the United Kingdom.

Maria Weeg, Executive Director of the Arizona Democratic Party

Monica Davis, a freelance news and opinion/editorial writer who covers the Southern Farmlands area and Labor Problems is making quite a name for herself in the UK through Namaste Magazine

NAJA – Native American Journalists Association – No longer in existence. Sure miss their “NAJA Alerts” which had all kinds of scholarships and educational opportunities for Native American students.

Ron Papandrea, author of the book, “They Never Surrendered” a history of the Lakota people who stayed in Canada after Sitting Bull surrendered.
.
Roscoe Pond – SAG Actor and Writer. Roscoe has a very popular Internet column about Native actors and films.

Shirley Sneve - Executive Director, Native American Public Telecommunications

Tim Giago – Tim was the founder of America’s foremost Native Newspaper, “Indian Country Today” and a driving force behind the creation of the Native American Journalist Association – NAJA - and its first president.

Thank you writers and contributors for helping the column reach its 5th Anniversary.
Bobbie O’Neill, Editor, Native Unity Digest – August 30th, 2008.

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Economist: Indian Gaming Slowdown Is 'Artificial'

Gallup Independent
By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
WINDOW ROCK - A struggling economy is only partially to blame for the slow growth of Indian gaming in 2007, according to a national study released Tuesday.

Alan Meister, Ph.D., an economist and vice president of Analysis Group Inc. in Los Angeles, has been studying Indian gaming for nearly nine years and is author of the seventh edition of “Casino City’s Indian Gaming Industry Report.”

During his years of research Meister has worked for different aspects of the gaming industry: tribes, commercial gaming entities, states, and the National Indian Gaming Commission, the federal agency which regulates Indian gaming.

“In the last several years, and years that I’ve been doing the study, you could see that Indian gaming has had very healthy growth. It’s continually outdone commercial gaming,” Meister said Monday prior to the study’s release.

“That continued to be true this year, but Indian gaming had slower growth in 2007 and this is actually the third year in a row of slower growth,” he said. “It was about 15 percent growth in 2005; in 2006 it was 10 percent, and now it’s only 5 percent.”

A sluggish economy is the “natural, easy thing to point to,” he said, “but while I think it’s part of that, I think there is a more pervasive reason why Indian gaming has been slowing down, at least in the last couple years.”

Public policies which include legislations, regulations and gaming compacts “ both existing and proposed “ that have been designed to artificially restrict the supply of Indian gaming also have contributed. “By limiting the supply, I mean not allowing tribes to have certain types of games or not allowing them to have more games,” he said.

The study analyzes growth in 2007 during which 230 tribes operated 425 gaming facilities in 28 states. Indian gaming facilities generated 41 percent of all U.S. casino gaming revenue in 2007, for a total of $26.5 billion, a 5 percent increase over the $25.3 billion generated in 2006, Meister states in the report.

Despite its poor performance, Indian gaming growth still was more than double that of the commercial casino segment, which grew about 2 percent from $31.7 billion in 2006 to $32.2 billion in 2007.

The much smaller racetrack casino, or “racino” segment of the gaming industry, had a 43 percent growth rate in 2007, almost eight times greater than that of Indian gaming and more than 23 times greater than that of commercial casinos, the study states.

The racino segment made up about 8 percent of the gaming industry in 2007, yet, nationwide, its revenue grew from approximately $3.7 billion in 2006 to $5.2 billion in 2007.

Total jobs and wages at Indian gaming facilities also increased. Indian gaming facilities, including non-gaming operations such as hotels and restaurants, directly supported approximately 346,000 jobs and paid about $12 billion in wages in 2007, compared to 343,000 jobs and $11.2 billion in wages in 2006.

“What I’m seeing is the tribes developing their facilities and wanting to do more, but they’re not allowed to. Even tribes where they try to renegotiate with the states or try to get more machines in certain places, the state just refuses to negotiate with them and won’t give them more.”

Arizona tribes were limited in their number of machines, but after five years their compact allowed them an increase.

“That just happened in 2008,” Meister said. In 2006, Arizona ranked No. 3 in gaming revenue but was bumped to No. 4 in 2007, replaced by Oklahoma, which has 31 gaming tribes compared to 15 in Arizona and 13 in New Mexico.

“The fact is that the tribes that are all renegotiating these compacts are trying to get an increase in supply. Why? Not because they don’t need it. They’re doing it because they do need it. In California, there’s going to be a huge increase in the revenue sharing the tribes are willing to pay to do this. They don’t do that lightly,” he said.

“There are some of these states where there seems to be limitations on supply but yet the demand is there - California for sure, Washington, Arizona, even some smaller states like South Dakota and Montana are examples where there seems to be demand greater than supply,” he said.

Before the economic slowdown those states had sufficient consumer demand to expand their existing gaming operations, however, their gaming compacts largely restricted them from doing so, according to the study.

“So I think that what I’ve seen happening is a slowdown, but it’s sort of an artificial slowdown. It’s not all because of the economy, it’s not because the market’s saturated, there’s no more players, or they don’t want to play. It’s in some ways because you can only do so much with what you’ve got.”

Despite the economic downtrend, Meister said it is not the end of Indian gaming. “I think the slowdown is likely to continue a bit more until the economy recovers, which is going to happen. This is the way the economy is - up, down. It will pick up, it will eventually turn around.

“When it does, and when the tribes get the consumer confidence back and they’re able to develop their facilities to fulfill the maximum potential of their compacts, you’re going to see some good, sizable growth. You’re going to see Indian gaming rebound, and you’re going to see some stronger numbers, back to where they had been before this past year.”

Meister said the fact that the Navajo Nation is going to be able “to come on line and add a new facility, is increasing the supply and meeting some unmet demand.”

One trend he has observed in the last few years is a movement toward adding non-gaming amenities, “sort of this resort/destination-type casino,” Meister said. “They’re adding hotels, convention centers, entertainment, restaurants.

“If you offer them non-gaming amenities, you get people to come from farther distances, they stay longer, and they spend more money.” Total non-gaming revenue rose about 9 percent last year, from $2.9 billion in 2006 to $3.1 billion in 2007.

Information: Meister, (213) 896-4547.

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'Native Nations For Change' - August 27th In Denver

Event To Be Held August 27th In Conjunction With The Democratic National Convention
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 22, 2008 – To honor and celebrate Native Americans' historic engagement in the political process this year, a truly unique event, "Native Nations: Uniting for Change", will be held on Wednesday, August 27th at the Denver Art Museum.

The event will be held to honor the Congressional Native American Caucus and the Native American Delegates to the Democratic National Convention (DNC). "This event will celebrate the nomination of Sen. Barack Obama as the Democratic Presidential Nominee and bring together tribal leaders, U.S. Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, and other friends of Indian country for a day of discussion, education, networking, Native American art, and live performances," said Mark Macarro, Tribal Chairman, Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians and DNC Platform Committee Member.

The DNC in Denver will highlight the increasingly important role of Native Americans in the electing of America's leaders. The 2008 DNC will include a record number of Native delegates as Native voices are being heard like never before.

Native American leaders describe the 2008 Election year as historic and marked by an unprecedented effort by the candidates to pay heed to tribal communities and concerns. The Native vote this year could very well decide the outcome in key battleground states.

Joe A. Garcia, President of the National Congress of American Indians, will serve as moderator for the policy forum from 2 – 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Topic areas to be discussed include the Native American Plank of the Democratic Platform, A New Administration – Honoring the Government to Government Relationship, Indian Country's Request for the Presidential Transition Plan, and Legislative Priorities Outlooks.

Native Nations Reception - 4:00 -7:00 p.m
This innovative reception will include a Native American art exhibition, Native inspired multi-media presentations and food, as well as a live art performance by painter Bunky Echo-Hawk (Pawnee/Yakama).

Echo-Hawk will create a painting beginning at 5 p.m. that will be inspired by the historic role that Native Americans are playing in this year's presidential election. In addition, there will be musical performances by Meighan Meisters, a young First Nations artist.

The reception will be held in Ponti Hall in the North Building of the Denver Art Museum.Democratic National Convention Viewing Party, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.A live feed of the DNC will be provided for all attendees in the Ponti Hall in the North Building of the Denver Art Museum.

Native Nations After Party - 9:pm - 11:pm
The after party will include live music and entertainment in the Ponti Hall in the North Building of the Denver Art Museum.Native Nations: Uniting for Change is sponsored by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Gila River Indian Community, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and the Seneca Nation of Indians and is organized by NVisionIt LLC, a Colorado-based, Native-owned firm.

For more information and media requests, please contact Alyssa Macy,
NVisionIt LLC Director of Communications,
at 414.526.2633
or via email at nativenationsunitingforchange@gmail.com.

CONTACT:
Alyssa Macy
NVisionIT LLC
Tel: 414.526.2633
Email: nativenationsunitingforchange@gmail.com
Alyssa MacyConfederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon

NVisionIt LLC
1216 Fall River Circle
Longmont, CO 80501
P 303.895.0995

IndiGENIUS MediaOnline http://www.indigeniusmedia.com/

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EPA Summit Addresses Uranium Cleanup With Navajo Requests Largely Ignored

By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
GALLUP -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Navajo EPA, along with four federal agencies outlined a five-year plan Wednesday to clean up 50 years of uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation.

Originally slated for two days, the Navajo Uranium Contamination Stakeholder Workshop compressed two days of information into one due to today's first Navajo Nation Code Talker holiday. Among federal presenters were EPA, the Department of Energy, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

“Three years ago it would have been difficult to imagine a gathering such as this,” said Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. “The enormity of the task before us is big – it's huge, humongous.

“There are between 500,000 and 875,000 cubic yards of uranium-contaminated materials at the Northeast Churchrock Mine site alone that must be disposed of properly to protect Navajo land and people.

“We also know there are contaminated waters from the former Shiprock mill site that are entering the San Juan River. We believe that somewhere between 1.3 million and 2.5 million gallons of uranium-contaminated water is leaching out of the Shiprock mill site each year. That's a lot of gallons.

“We know, too, that there are uranium-contaminated waters not only beneath the former Tuba City Rare Metals mill site, but also beneath the former Tuba City open dump. The federal government failed to adequately identify all the vicinity properties associated with former mill sites, such as evidenced by what is referred to as the Highway 160 site,” Shirley said.

Dr. Johnnye Lewis, Ph.D., from the University of New Mexico and Dr. Diane Stearns from Northern Arizona University presented information on health studies and research projects related to environmental exposure to uranium.

Alfred Dennison of Rock Point, for one, was appreciative. Dennison, who was born in 1949, told Stearns, “Back in 1970, something happened to me. I couldn't understand that. I got what they called a benign tumor. It changed my life. There had to be something that caused that. And lately I got leukemia. I still didn't understand that. Why? How?

“When I looked into my past, we had lived right under a mine, and we got exposed that way. I didn't understand, but I connected it to uranium – uranium from the mountain. Good things come from the mountain, but also bad things. But back then, we didn't know.

“Where I live they drilled two wells. Contaminated. Thank you for telling me how the uranium works to break up the DNA strand. What I got is what they call 'Philadelphia.' They told me that the DNA is breaking up,” he said.

“It's devastating – and we're still going through it. My grandpa died of lung cancer. My grandma died of stomach cancer. My aunt, stomach cancer. $50,000 (compensation) is just a drop in the bucket. I'm still being treated every day, every month. Other illnesses are starting to come in. So, thank you for the information.”

Dennison's story is not unique. Unfortunately, such illnesses have become the price many pay for being Dine and living on the uranium-rich Navajo Nation.

Last October, U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman and members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform heard testimony from representatives of the Navajo Nation about the uranium mining legacy and commanded the five federal agencies to work together with Navajo to devise a cleanup plan.

The result was the five-year plan which details how the agencies will assist Navajo in cleaning up contamination from 520 identified abandoned uranium mines, along with contaminated water sources and structures.

In the first year, EPA will address the most urgent risks, such as residents living in potentially contaminated structures, and those drinking from contaminated water sources.

Thirty percent of Navajo households are not connected to a public water system, leaving approximately 14,347 households, or 54,000 people, faced with the prospect of hauling water for household and livestock use.

EPA and the Centers for Disease Control have sampled approximately 150 unregulated water sources, such as livestock wells. Of those, 22 sources exceeded the federal drinking water standard for uranium, and in some cases, arsenic, according to EPA.

Though the wells are for livestock watering purposes only, it was found that 21were being used for human consumption.

U.S. and Navajo EPA along with members of DiNEH Project staff have been conducting public outreach at chapters to inform citizens, posting permanent warning signs, and helping chapter officials identify alternate water sources.

“This is probably one of the biggest issues identified within this five-year plan,” said Mike Montgomery of EPA's Superfund Division.

Shirley said his grandmother once told him, “Grandson, you never know, one of these days you might get into a position of influence, and I'm going to share with you a truth. The truth is that we're all on the same side.

“Because we're all families, we're all relatives, it behooves us to make war against the real culprits, against the real monster,” she told him, adding that the real monster is “hunger, famine, thirst, the lack of water, the jealousy, the ignorance, the greed, the apathy that is out there – and all manner of disease.

“It preys on everybody. It preys on the elders as well as the babies. That's a truth. The sooner we come to this truth, the sooner we live this truth, the better it is going to be for all of us, because the only way you can make progress in the world is to stand side by side and make war against the real monster,” Shirley related.

“I think it's good that we're coming together,” he added. “The task before us is daunting, it's great. No one man, no one nation or government can hope to put a dent in it, because it's too big. But working together as a people, as governments and agencies, we have a chance.”

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Study Finds Native Americans Excluded From Repatriation Process - NAPT Opportunities

MORE WORK NEEDED ON IMPROVING NAGPRA
Submitted by: Kim Baca <kimbaca@gmail.com>
For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON—Aug. 14, 2008—The federal government neither assures compliance with or enforcement of a federal law enacted to protect American Indian remains and funerary objects and to reunite them with their families and homelands. In some instances, agencies have withheld or changed information about the objects or human remains in their possession, in blatant disregard of the law, according to a new report studying the implementation of the act.

While some federal agencies have good working relationships with Native Americans, many Indian tribes say federal agencies rarely made good-faith efforts in contacting them about their collections. Tribes also have discovered that some of the federal agencies' official notices of cultural determinations have been withdrawn for unknown reasons and without consulting the tribes, according to a new report assessing the implementation of the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act or NAGPRA released today.

"For decades…the human remains of thousands of Native Americans were lodged in federal repositories, museums, and scientific institutions," Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) stated in the report's foreword. "It required an act of the Congress to ensure that their loved ones are accorded the proper respect in death that they enjoyed in life."

But researchers in the study say much more work remains to be done on NAGPRA. The law instituted a systematic approach of working with Native Americans to return human remains and funerary objects with which they are affiliated. Federal agencies and museums were required to take inventory and notify Native Americans about their collections and thus work in collaboration with Native Americans in determining a cultural link to the remains or objects. But researchers in the study say some federal agencies have refused to do so, which has resulted in more than 118,000 Native Americans being left in storage in federal repositories and museums across the nation.

The National Park Service, which both participates in and oversees the NAGPRA process, is one such agency that has the remains of hundreds of Native Americans in storage because the Service has withdrawn the public notices that tie the remains and objects to contemporary Native Americans. Most of these notices have been pending publication since 1995.

"Makah people have always lived in this area, and over the past 150 years a lot of our important cultural items have been improperly removed from here and are located in museums throughout the country," said Janine Bowechop, executive director of the Makah Cultural and Research Center that is operated by the Makah Tribe. "NAGPRA gave hope to all Indian people that we could legally seek return of our cultural objects and for many, this promise has been realized. If we had the resources, we would make a bigger push to bring our objects home, where they belong."

The Makah museum houses one of the country's largest collections of pre-contact, northwest coast artifacts.

Also according to the report, since 1999 more than $3 million has been used by the National NAGPRA program for purposes other than the grants program, which was created by the act to support museums and Native Americans to participate in the repatriation process.

But federal officials also have their frustrations. Many say they could benefit from training on the repatriation process, but they have inadequate resources, according to the report. Federal officials also cited confusion on who or which tribe to consult with. Federal officials agreed with tribes and cited concern with looting on federal lands.

In addition to the two national surveys of federal agencies and Native Americans, researchers reviewed the documentation process required by NAGPRA, Interior Department databases, legal records, and other public information provided by federal agencies and tribes. The study was funded by a National Park Service grant.

Specific recommendations in the report address the law, regulations, and federal oversight and enforcement, as well as creating and improving databases, and devising more or improved tribal and federal consultation policies to improve relations.The report, Federal Agency Implementation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, is available from NATHPO based in Washington, D.C. To view the report, go to http://www.nathpo.org/.

Contact: D. Bambi Kraus, bambi@nathpo.org
D. Bambi Kraus/NATHPO
Work 202 628 8476
Cell 202 258 2101

NATIVE SPIRIT FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL, LONDON ENGLAND
Deadline August 31, 2008
The Native Spirit Festival 2008 will be accepting short and feature length film submissions to this year's festival, until August 31, 2008.

Documentary or fiction will be accepted. All films produced by indigenous filmmakers and productions that feature aspects of indigenous life, history, culture, traditions, art etc. are eligible for submission.
More information: http://www.nativespiritfestival.com/

IMAGINE NATIVE FILM AND MEDIA ARTS FESTIVAL
Call for Submissions
Deadline September 8, 2008

Do you have a great idea for a short documentary or short drama? Enter imagineNATIVE's competition to pitch your idea to a panel of major Canadian broadcasters. Three documentary pitch contestants and three drama pitch contestants will be selected to receive an intensive "How to Pitch" workshop.

One winner from each category will be selected. Best Documentary Pitch will receive one-month usage of a Sony HDV Camera. Best Drama Pitch will receive a $5,000 Development Deal with APTN. Email your one-page pitch idea and biographies of the production team to Kerry Potts at kpotts@imagineNATIVE.org.
http://www.imaginenative.org/

A NIGHT TO CELEBRATE: SHORT FILMS BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THE AMERICAS
Deadline September 12, 2008

Women in Film International Committee (WIFI) is accepting short film submissions for its even, "A Night to Celebrate: Short Films by Indigenous People of the Americas" on October 25, 2008. Films can be about any topic, so long as at least one member of the production team (writer, director, actor, producer, cinematographer, etc.) is of indigenous descent.

Films should be 30 minutes maximum (DVD, Region 1 only). All films must be in English or contain English subtitles. For more information and an application please e-mail NativeShortsLA@yahoo.com or call Tessa Bell at (908) 310-7141.

CINEMA PROSPERITE CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline September 15, 2008

The Social Equity Venture Fund is accepting entries for Cinéma Prospérité, a film competition designed to showcase successful models of enterprise-based development work. Up to $20,000 will be awarded to new and professional filmmakers worldwide who have made short films showcasing real people working to end poverty through enterprise-based solutions.

Visit their website: www.sevenfund.org/cinema

11TH ANNUAL NATIVE AMERICAN FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL
Call for Entries
Deadline September 20, 2008

The Eastern Cherokee, Southern Iroquois & United Tribes of South Carolina are seeking submissions for their 11th annual film festival. The festival showcases films that feature, or are produced or directed by, Native American people.

Categories include: Dramatic Feature, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Commercial Feature, Short Subject, Music Video, Animated Short Subject, Public Service, Student Film, and Industrial. The deadline for submission is September 20, 2008.

Mail a clearly labeled DVD screener to the address provided on the application. There is no admission fee. For an entry form, visit cherokeesofsouthcarolina.com/filmfestivalform.html. For questions or more information, e-mail

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They Are Still Dying From Radiation Poisoning BUT Navajo's Request For Uranium Cleanup Largely Ignored!

By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
GALLUP – The Navajo Code Talkers carried out their mission during World War II to keep the United States safe and free, little realizing that in a few years, their brothers, sisters, even their own children would be affected by the same material used to fuel the bomb that helped end the war.

At the same time, Navajo Nation Resources Committee Chairman George Arthur said, “We all know the contributions that the Navajo families contributed to the initiative that took place during the Cold War.”

Yet today, he reminded federal officials during Wednesday's uranium-contamination summit in Gallup, “for whatever reason, we sit here talking about an issue that's been very devastating for the Navajo people. We also know that the people of Laguna, the people of Acoma, as well as the Hopi have similar issues.”

On Oct. 23, 2007, Arthur testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chaired by U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Representatives from four federal agencies sat alongside him, Arthur said.

“As we began to talk and represent our issues, questions arose from the committee members. I realized that our trustees, no matter which department or where they may be, had no knowledge of what we were talking about.”

Representatives of those same federal agencies were at Wednesday's summit, and Arthur said he hoped that at the end of the day, discussion of the issues the Navajo Nation laid out in October would result in a more constructive initiative, “because today, we still are faced with the unknown.”

In October the Nation set out six goals it wanted to see addressed in the federal agencies' five-year Navajo Nation cleanup plan discussed Wednesday. One was adoption of a federal moratorium on uranium mining or processing within Navajo Indian Country until the federal agencies address the impacts in their entirety.

“Within that five-year plan as it is today, where is that moratorium?” Arthur asked.

The Nation requested direct federal funding for 20 employees to work on the Navajo Nation for the next 10 years to assist Navajo with cleanup issues. In addition, Arthur said, “We requested $500 million for cleanup of every site that is within Navajo. Where is that?”

The Nation asked that all contaminated materials in the uranium mill tailings sites be excavated and disposed of outside Navajo Indian Country and also requested immediate federal funding for comprehensive health assessments. “Again I ask, where in the five-year plan is that?” Arthur said.

The Nation requested that where data is sufficient to support immediate remedial action, that the federal agencies begin cleanup. “We know that you have existing data. Why can you not begin addressing these needs and these areas of concern that we have put on the table before the oversight committee?” Arthur asked.

Meanwhile, Navajos living in the shadow of abandoned uranium mines or exposed to radioactive contamination through unregulated water sources because they have no other option, go about their daily lives the best way they know how.

David Neztsosie Jr., whose family lives in Cameron, told federal representatives, “We're at a place where water is scarce. ... Generally out there, when you find water, you don't distinguish. You give it to your animals, you use it in your household.

“Living out there where the water was scarce, the open pit mine was the best thing we had, in a sense. Even in midsummer when it was very hot, those are the only things that contained water and that was the drinking area for the livestock, as well as for the folks around there.”

He said his family and possibly others in the area used gravel and water from a wash downstream from the open pit mines to mix the cement they used in building their homes.

Holding back tears, Neztsosie said he lost his two sisters to Navajo neuropathy, a rare genetic disease believed to be caused by maternal exposure to uranium from waters contaminated by old mines.

Neztsosie's first sister passed away in 2000. “The other one was more recent. We had to bury her on July 27. Even to this day, IHS doesn't seem to find the research to nail it, that it's from uranium,” he said.

It also was difficult for the family to understand the symptoms of Navajo neuropathy, which include difficulty walking, muscle weakness, loss of sensation in extremities, corneal ulcerations, and enlarged liver.

“The only conclusion that my late wife could be able to associate it with was when the United States bombed Hiroshima. You could see those pictures, which were similar to the way my sisters were at their late stage, before they were ready to leave,” he said.

Carl Holiday, a health physicist who works with Navajo Abandoned Mine Lands, offered condolences to Neztsosie in Navajo and then turned to the audience.

“When I go to meetings, people share their stories about how the legacy of uranium has impacted their lives. They shed their tears. From my own experience, you just have to shed your tears with them.

“I lost my mom, and my dad died the same way – exposure. You hear stories all over. It tears your heart out. Maybe through this workshop we can see something better for our people come out of it. The compensation is not worth it. I know I would rather have my dad than the money that was sent to my mom for her use.”

In some Navajo households, family members unknowingly sleep right up against a source of radiation, according to Holiday. “The only reason I bring that up is a family in Oljato.”

When a survey of their home was taken, a highly radioactive point source was found, he said. “Their son, he laid right next to that point source. About five years ago, that son died from brain cancer.”

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Shirley Vetos Tobacco Ban - Native Diversity - Music

CITES AFFECT ON REVENUE
By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
WINDOW ROCK - Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. Thursday vetoed the Commercial Tobacco Free Act that would have banned cigarette smoking and tobacco chewing in all public places on the Navajo Nation, including casinos.

In his veto message to Navajo Nation Council Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan, Shirley said that although it is indisputable and already widely known that commercial and smokeless tobacco use is harmful to individual users and those affected by secondhand smoke, he was concerned that the ban would infringe upon bona fide religious ceremonies.

The president said the ban also would affect the Nation’s ability to generate revenues through its gaming initiative, did not address concerns of due process and equal protection, and failed to adequately focus on underage smoking.

The law, he said, “is unreasonably broad, unenforceable, provides no administrative appeal process, puts the Nation at a competitive disadvantage, and fails to address the real problem on the Navajo Nation of underage smoking.”
According to the legislation, the act prohibits the use of commercial tobacco products in public places, places of employment, and “shared public airspace within the Navajo Nation.”

“Shared” is broadly interpreted to include “air shared with all beings and things of the earth.” Prohibited use of tobacco products could result in civil penalties of $100 for a first violation or 20 hours of community service, while a third offense within a 12 month period could result in a $500 fine or 100 hours of community service.
Shirley said the law also is ambiguous about the type of tobacco which would be allowable for use in bona fide religious ceremonies.

“I’m afraid the law can be construed to mean no commercial tobacco use for religious ceremonies. If so, this will subject those attending the religious ceremony, as well as the practitioners, to liability for allowing the use of commercial tobacco in bona fide religious ceremonies. This was not the intent of the legislation but would be the effect,” he said.

The smoking ban legislation gave enforcement responsibility to the Navajo Nation Division of Health, although no budget impact analysis was provided to explain what financial or administrative burden that would place on the division.

Herman Shorty of the Office of Environmental Health, which would be charged with coming up with regulations, policies and procedures for managing the act, said Wednesday that while the act might be viewed as an unfunded mandate, “There are funds available that we would pursue.

“There’s already a collection of tobacco products tax that’s already in place. As of Sept. 30, 2007, there was approximately $153,000 in that line item,” he said, adding that with the legislation, the division would look to the controller and Council to redirect those dollars to aid in supporting enforcement, education, prevention, and other components.

Shirley said that even if the division attempted to enforce the ban, there were no provisions to ensure that due process and equal protection under the law would be afforded to individuals issued a citation.

“Compounding this problem, the legislation allows any citizen to register an oral or written complaint to initiate enforcement,” he said. “That raises serious concerns about the burden of proof required in matters involving civil penalties.”

Ray Etcitty, former legislative counsel and now counsel for the Navajo Gaming Enterprise, said during an interview Wednesday that enforcement would rest with Navajo Nation District Court, which is already overburdened.

“Currently, district courts are dealing with family issues, commercial issues, crime, juvenile crime. What are we going to do, say, ‘Here, we want you to hold a trial to deal with a smoker’?”
The legislation also contained a reference to the role of the attorney general to seek collection of all unpaid civil penalties but did not include information about any kind of administrative appeal process, Shirley said.

A smoking ban would put planned Navajo Nation casinos at a significant competitive disadvantage that would result in an expected 20 percent reduction of projected revenues, according to the president.

“This means, essentially, that Navajo jobs will be cut, the Enterprise will default on the loan with the Nation, and the ability to seek outside financing from other lending institutions is very unlikely, all of which would likely prohibit the development of additional gaming establishments.”
Shirley said he is committed to working with sponsors of the legislation to develop a law that does not infringe upon bona fide religious ceremonies, affect the Nation’s ability to generate revenues through its gaming initiative, addresses concerns of due process and equal protection of the laws, and focuses on underage smoking.

“As leaders of the Navajo Nation, and upon the people’s approval of gaming, we have worked together and made very deliberate choices to pursue gaming for the benefit of our people,” he said. “The revenue-generating potential is huge and we simply cannot afford to risk this potential with well-intended legislation that will put the Nation at a competitive disadvantage.”

LABRADORMIUT BAND HEADLINED AT AQPIK JAM
Edited from Nunatsiaq News
By Jane George

Our Music Definitely Northern
NUNAVIK – The Flummies, a popular Inuit-Metis band from Labrador sang their way into Kuuijuaq to help Kuujjuammiut celebrate thus year’s Aqpik Jam music festival, August 12th through the August 15th.

Flummies is the word that people in Newfoundland and Labrador use to describe pieces of bannock – a form of flat bread.

And it’s what the five “Innuguamik Labradorimi” or sons of Labrador, from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, decided to call themselves when they created the band more than 20 years ago.

“Our music is definitely northern, but it’s got that east coast flavor from Atlantic Canada. It’s a mixture of traditional Irish, Scottish, Inuit and American because they (Americans) used to be at Goose Bay: said the Flummies guitarist and vocalist, Leander Baikie.

The band’s musicians, all of Inuit and Metis descent, also include Alton Best (vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica), and Richard Dyson (accordion and percussion), Tunker Campbell,(aucostic and electric guitar) and Simeon Asivak (bass).

Well-known in Atlantic Canada, the Flummies have received numerous East Coast Music and Newfoundland-Labrador music industry association nominations. As well as the EMIA’s top aboriginal music award in 2003.

The Flummies, who recently released their sixth album, entitled “This is the life for me” performed twice at Kuujjuaq’s Katittavik cultural centre during Aqpik Jam.

This was their first visit to Kuujjuaq, but not their first visit to an Inuit community outside of Labrador. The Flummies played in Iqaluit several years ago, when Air Labrador short-scheduled air service to Iqaluit was still operating.

The Aqpik Jam this year featured 30 musicians, bands and entertainers from Nunavik, James Bay Cree Territory, southern Canada, Nunavut and Greenland.

The festival line-up included rappers, rockers, country singers and tam-tam drummers. Evening performances featured Cree hoop dancers from Whapmagoostui and “Roger the Magician”.

During the day there was a berry picking contest, canoe racing, golf, dart and cribbage games, and a poker tournament.

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Titla Delivers Message To Native Youth - Court Rejects Native Claims

MARY KIM TITLA DELIVERS MESSAGE TO NATIVE YOUTH
Posted: August 04, 2008
by: Rick St. Germaine / Indian Country Today
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Mary Kim Titla, San Carlos Apache candidate for U.S. Congress, Arizona District 1, met with 30 American Indian high school students participating in a national summer leadership institute held annually in Scottsdale.

Keynote speaker for the Nation Building for Native Youth Summer Training Institute, Titla challenged the youth to overcome the obstacles which may now seem very large in their lives and instead look for opportunities to seek goals for success.

''I grew up in Bylas, Ariz., on the San Carlos Reservation in extreme poverty,'' she stated, her eyes constantly spanning the large meeting room to connect individually with the young people, ''and my home lacked electricity ... we had no indoor plumbing.

''My father was 16 when I was born and we lived with my paternal grandparents,'' she continued.

''I can relate to the common people in deeply rural areas of Arizona because that is where I'm from,'' she told the audience of Native teenagers and their advisers. ''I've been there.''

Despite the economic hardships of life on San Carlos, Titla was encouraged by her young parents to participate in sports, academics and cheerleading, and eventually went to college. With two university degrees in journalism, Titla returned to Arizona where she struggled to gain employment as a field reporter in Tucson and Phoenix television broadcasting.

''Nothing came easy for me,'' she related to the students, ''because I was raised on a reservation - I had to overcome my Apache accent.

''My boss at the television station told me I needed a lot of work on my consonants,'' she added, providing more detail of common English words she was apparently slurring.

Titla spent 30 minutes in the audio booth on her English enunciations for one-minute scripts. She often practiced with multiple takes, sometimes running 25 or 30 takes, when most others at the news station did it in two.

Then the station manager ordered her to cut off her 3-foot-long hair.

''Do you want to be known as Mary Kim Titla, the Indian reporter, or Mary Kim Titla, the journalist?'' he asked her rhetorically.

Titla refused. In the 20 years that she worked in Arizona television news broadcasting, she passed up opportunities to become news anchor at KPNX in Phoenix.

Interviewing Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen became a perk in her work in the broadcast industry; but one time she yelled at K.J. (All-NBA player Kevin Johnson) as he was passing by, running for a team bus. To her shock, K.J. strolled over to her waiting for her first question.

''I was star struck; I couldn't say anything, no words came out,'' she related to the youth, as they laughed at her predicament.

But more often, however, Titla spent much of her time traveling throughout Arizona communities speaking with people face-to-face. She gained special insight into local and statewide issues, covering stories about the good and the tragedies. She researched political candidates' positions on issues and learned to question them with incisiveness. She was also recently featured as one of 10 remarkable women in the book, ''Native Women of Courage,'' by Kelly Fournel.

Titla urged the assembled American Indian teens to pursue greater dreams, assuring them that they can start with an ordinary beginning and move on to things they never guessed they could do.

''I'm not the first Arizona Indian to run for Congress. There were four before me, but they couldn't secure the crossover vote.'' (The non-Indian voters in Arizona District 1 outnumber the Apache and Navajo.)

''I'm different,'' Titla stated. ''A lot of non-Native people saw me on television for 20 years ... I'm Mary Kim Titla, the well-rounded journalist, not Mary Kim Titla, the little reporter who's only going to represent American Indians.''

Titla has received significant support from 60 American Indian tribes, but could use contributions from the other 500.

''If every American Indian gave me one dollar, I'd be way ahead of my opponent in campaign fundraising,'' she concluded.

With soaring gas prices and her tires wearing out by driving door to door in a very large rural congressional district, Titla could use more support from Indian tribes. Her Web site, GoMaryKim.com, seems to sum up the spirit with which she undertakes the challenge of a major political campaign in a conservative Republican state - Sen. John McCain territory.

Nick Lowery, former All-Pro NFL football player with the Kansas City Chiefs and now founder of the NBNY Youth Leadership Institute, thanked her for her time with the students as dozens of them circled her for photo opportunities.

NATIVE AMERICANS: COURT REJECTS CLAIMS FOR JUSTICE
Submittted by Kathy Guthrie, FCNL
In early August, a federal judge ruled that the federal government only has to pay $455 million to the 500,000 American Indian plaintiffs who had sued the federal government for mismanaging the collection of oil and gas royalties for over a century.

The court agreed with the Native Americans that the government has completely mismanaged the collection of land-use royalties, but it did not agree with the plaintiffs’ estimate that the government owed them $47 billion. Find out more.

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Congress Should Allow Tribal Courts More Jurisdiction!'

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Helms On Horseback With Navajo Council - Part 4 - 'The American Canadians'

END OF THE TRAIL
By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
WINDOW ROCK - Delegate Jerry Bodie and his group of 45 Navajo Nation trail riders moseyed into the fairgrounds in Window Rock late Sunday, tired but happy to have survived nearly 300 miles of reservation roads and rugged terrain.

There were approximately 20 youth that joined up with Bodie along the trail. The youngest was 5-year-old Lalanlia Bah Johnson, followed by Delegate Ray Berchman's grandson, Kalen "Big Man" Yazzie, 10, and Colby and O.J. Castillo, both 12. Elvina Curley, 15, who attends St. Michaels Indian School, took part in the group for the first time and made it all the way.

These kids taught the older folks the meaning of “No Fear.” As riders headed out from Stinking Springs across a hogback to Bread Springs. Lalanlia chattered excitedly, riding beside her dad, Timothy Johnson, who held onto the reins.

”Look at me dad! I'm bouncing up and down like a rabbit,” she shouted, occasionally calling out to Bodie, “Hey, Mr. Trail Boss!” She hung on tight as her horse trotted up and down deep ravines most adults would think twice about traveling, “while "Big Man’,” who is all of 4 feet tall, rode circles around everyone on his Arabian.

By the time we had arrived at Baca Chapter Wednesday afternoon after dodging beer bottles in the right-of-way, Chaps was acting like he was on his last legs and needed to be trailered. It was just as well, because I was called back to work.

Baca Chapter President Gary Vandever, son of Code Talker Joe Vandever Sr., sang a horse song for the riders before they left for Thoreau to spend the night at Vice President Ben Shelly's residence. One elderly lady, who looked to be in her 80s, shook my hand and told me, “It's fun to ride horses.”

While I was back at work, Bodie and the group rode on to visit with Delegate Edmund Yazzie for breakfast in Thoreau, then traveled to Lyanbito Chapter where Navajo Nation Council Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan joined them for lunch. They spent the night in Cibola National Forest in McGaffey, watching the full moon rise through the pine trees.?

A crowd greeted the riders in Bread Springs. “As we came in, they were honking their horns and clapping. They really fed us. That day they butchered a sheep for us in our honor, and people had plenty of meat to eat, and stew,” Bodie said. “We were just overwhelmed by their hospitality. The Veterans organization of Bread Springs provided breakfast.”

Friday night I slept on a cot at one end of the horse pen where I could keep an eye on Chaps, while Bodie's son, Leon, a former Marine, slept on a cot at the other end. Bodie's nephew, Franklin, rolled out a mat on the ground beside the horse trailer.

A thunderstorm woke us in the middle of the night. Franklin and I wrapped up in our sleeping bags and ran for the truck to wait out the storm. Leon zipped the waterproof cover over his head and went back to sleep.

We rode out of Bread Springs 36 riders strong, heading toward Chichiltah. I had forgotten my hat when I left to rejoin the ride, so by Saturday afternoon, I had another sunburn on top of the one I already had, prompting Delegate Joe M. Lee to introduce me to his chapter as a member of the “Red Clan.”

Avery John, who works at a saddle shop in Gallup, felt sorry for me and gave me his cowboy hat as I was leaving. By the time we reached Delegate Harriett Becenti's chapter of Manuelito, where they provided lunch along the trail, my gloves were gone. This time, Mr. Silver donated to my worthy cause.

Delegate Leonard Tsosie showed up with hay and grain for the horses as well as ice cream for the riders. You just can't beat Navajo hospitality!

As we finally reached Lupton Saturday evening, Bodie's horse uncovered a rattlesnake in one of the bushes. Nothing will make a bunch of riders scatter like the sound of somebody yelling, “Snake!”

A large crowd awaited us at Lupton Chapter, where the Bodie family provided dinner, and again Sunday afternoon at Berchman's chapter of Oak Springs, where they held a raffle and even presented gifts to the riders. Because we were running late, we trailered the horses to Hunters Point, unloaded, and began the final leg of the journey to Window Rock.

Chaps had caught his second wind and wanted to run. I finally gave in and let him go, at which point, he nearly dumped me in a prairie dog hole. Fortunately, I saw it coming and diverted at the last minute. Jose del Toro, who was filming former Delegate Willie Grayeyes' portion of the ride, said Grayeyes didn't fare as well.

About 400 people turned out in Window Rock to welcome the leaders of the annual Navajo Nation Council Horse Ride: Delegate Leslie Dele, who started the event, Kee Yazzie Mann, Bodie and Grayeyes. Five delegates joined Bodie for the ride: Johnny Naize, Tim Goodluck, Berchman, Young Jeff Tom and LoRenzo Bates.

Chaps was too tired to care about the band that greeted us or the huge meal that awaited. All he wanted was water, hay and a nap. Leon, and I loaded him into the trailer and headed for the barn.

When Bodie came to pick up Chaps July 13, I was showing him my mare, “Rain,” and telling him about how she eats like a horse and is getting too fat. “She's not fat,” Bodie said. “She's pregnant.” I found this hard to believe because I certainly hadn't called for stud service.

As we got closer to the barn Sunday evening, I saw something dart over to Rain. “Dang! That's a big dog,” I said out loud. Leon thought it was a goat.

I believe the muscle spasm Chaps had Sunday afternoon out on the mountain in Oak Springs was actually a sympathy pain, because Rain is now the proud mama of a colt, I'm a grandma, and somewhere roaming nearby is one sneaky Dun.

‘THE AMERICAN CANADIANS’
Today, 10% of the Canadian population, (3 and ½ million people) are direct descendants of Americans who lost the fight for Independence at the end of the Revolutionary War. My mother, who was born in Canada of Mohawk descent through the Crysler/Brant connection, was one of them. She became an American citizen when she married my father, a naturalized American citizen, who was born in Liverpool, England.

‘Remembering Those Who Lost The Battle’
For Some Independence Day Marks A Far Different Anniversary
Edited from an article by Bob Dotson
Today Show.com contributor

"On the Fourth of July we always celebrate the winners, the people who won our independence and set up our country, but what happened to the losers? No. Not the British, but the Americans who fought with them. Our revolution. For some, was a civil war. Even the founding father’s families were split. Ben Franklin’s son remained loyal to the Crown. He was arrested in 1776 and after his release in 1778 he fled to England. He and his father were forever estranged.

"Fifty-three American regiments had fought alongside the British and by the spring of 1783, a massive refugee exodus was underway. At the time when the total population of America was about 2.5 million, an estimated 100,000 Loyalists and up to 2,000 Indians (most of them Iroquois) and perhaps 6,000 former slaves were forced to leave the country.

"King George offered a powerful incentive for those thinking about leaving for Canada. The fleeing Loyalists who had waged a war over taxation were offered a tax break and land grants."

The Cryslers – originally from Germany had settled in what is now upstate New York before they joined up with the Mohawk Chief of the Six Nations, Joseph Brant and the British – created the community of Crysler, Ontario and were given a land grant - deed which is now Crysler’s Farm, Visitor Centre and Battlefield Memorial, Upper Canada Village on the St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg, Ontario where my mother was born. I was born in Massena, New York across the River from the Crysler’s Farm Memorial.

Field of Glory: The Battle of Crysler's Farm, 1813
by Donald E. Graves

FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS: THE WAR OF 1812
IN THE NORTH

“In the autumn of 1813, the largest army assembled by the United States prior to the Civil War invaded Canada, determined to sweep all before it and capture Montreal. For the people of British North America, it was their darkest hour and many were convinced the Americans would prevail and they would shortly become citizens of the newest states in the union.

“Their fears were laid to rest when outnumbered British, Canadian and Native troops were victorious in two important military actions ­ the battle of Châteauguay in late October and, above all, the battle of Crysler's Farm fought on a muddy farm field beside the St. Lawrence River on 11 November 1813.”

The War of 1812 was the war where the former American Tories – now Canadians – were the victors!!!

I remember growing up with close ties to my mother’s Canadian relatives. In fact the border communities held very close ties with one another. In a way, we were all family, on both sides of the border.

I hope it is still that way!!!!

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Helms On Horseback With Navajo Council - Part 3 - NAPT Opportunities For Creative Natives

MEETING THE CODE TALKER-
Trail Ride More than A Social Occasion

By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
HAYSTACK - It was nearly dusk Tuesday evening when we heard the sound of a four-wheeler and saw a dust cloud coming toward us from a distance. Navajo Nation Council Delegate Hoskie Kee, at last!

He rode up, all smiles, and gave us directions to his home, several fields and washes away. By that time, I was just praying Chaps would make it. After a few wrong turns and some back-tracking we finally arrived at our destination.

Hoskie’s family, like the folks in Tohajiilee, went out of their way to make us welcome. They had set up tables and chairs outside their home and prepared trays of food and plenty of hot coffee for the riders.

There was a corral and water for the horses, the privacy of outhouses and the offer of a shower to each of the more than 20 riders.

We unsaddled the horses and some of the older riders, like Ray Ashley and I, collapsed in a heap on the ground. Day two of riding is usually the worst. By then, your knees and legs are aching, your shoulders and back hurt, and you’re wondering if anyone brought along a donut to sit on.It was too much work to carry the saddles to the horse trailers, so when we received the call for dinner, it was all we could do to drape them over the pen.

Hoskie introduced his wife and family and had the riders introduce themselves as well while Mrs. Kee filmed it all. It was a true family atmosphere. We drank pot after pot of coffee while listening to Hoskie talk about the history of the Haystack community.

That night I slept on a cot a short distance from the horse pen. Around 1 or 2 a.m., another horse, possibly Vegas, kicked open the gate. Apparently I was the only one who woke up, and it was all I could do to wriggle out of the sleeping bag and close it back before the horses took off on an early morning rendezvous.

Around 3 a.m., the coyotes started howling. It sounded like there were dozens of them in the hills surrounding us. Shortly after 4 a.m., I could hear Delegate Jerry Bodie starting to move around so I knew it wouldn’t be long before he started shouting at us to wake up, feed and water our horses. Oh, joy.

Shortly before 6:30 a.m., Hoskie came by on the four-wheeler to tell us that one of his uncles, Harry Vandever, a medicine man, would be performing a traditional blessing, after which, his family would serve breakfast. Several of us went over to the hogan to participate.

At breakfast, another of Hoskie’s uncles, Joe Vandever Sr., a Navajo Code Talker and medicine man, joined us. Vandever, now 85, was 19 when he entered the Marines in 1943. He spent three years in the Pacific. He spoke about some of his experiences as a Code Talker. Bodie translated.

“He said that he had seen a lot of death. One of the things that was touching, that he said, was that we should all respect and have compassion for our veterans, even though we may consider them no-account, meaning there are drunks out there.

“He said they are like that for a reason, because mentally, they’re suffering from what trauma they may have endured during the time they were there. But, he said, it’s a blessing that they’re here, and that we should not hesitate to shake a veteran’s hand, no matter what condition he is in, and thank him.

“He said it is always an honor to give a hug to a veteran, because he was out there when we weren’t. He put his life on the line for us when we didn’t. He also said he was very thankful that the riders came through his community.”

Vandever told Bodie that he had done a traditional service for his late father, Nelson Bodie, just prior to his going into the service. “He said with that blessing, that’s how he survived. He also knew my grandfather,” Bodie said.

“I was honored that he’s my paternal great-grandfather. I had never met him before, but it was an honor for me to sit at the same table and share breakfast with him.”

Vandever also told a story, which Bodie related.”He said that a long time when the Navajo tradition was really held holy with the people, there was a man going up to Mount Taylor to do an offering and a prayer at the shrine.

“On the way over, he was attacked by a bear. He got up on top of a lava boulder and took off his big purse where he had the medicine in there, and just gave the bear a whack on the side of the head. Surprisingly, the bear never got up again, and he just went on his way to do his prayer on the mountain. That was the strength of his medicine.”

NAPT OPPORTUNITIES -
International Cherokee Film Festival 2008
Call for Submissions - Deadline August 15, 2008

The International Cherokee Film Festival '08 is around the corner. ICFF is seeking film submissions for its five categories: Feature Film, Feature Documentary, Documentary, Short, and Short Film Nook.

Visit http://www.interntationalcherokeefilmfestival.com/ to download an application.

Producers who submit NAPT-funded programs will have their submission fee waived. Producers who wish to have the fee waived should specify they are funded through NAPT via the submission package, and contact NAPT at visionmaker@unl.edu or (402) 472-3522.

Social Entrepreneurship In Focus Through Documentary
Call For SubmissionsDeadline August 15, 2008
Stories of Change - Social Entrepreneurship in Focus Through Documentary: The Sundance Documentary Film Program, in partnership with the Skoll Foundation, will provide $1.2 million in film project grants to enable the development and/or production of new feature-length independent documentary films that frame, examine, and amplify social entrepreneurship as an innovative approach to the central questions of our time.

The deadline for submissions is August 15, 2008.
www.sundance.org/skoll - for more information.

National Latino Media Council 2008
Latino Television Writers Program
Deadline September 2, 2008

The National Latino Media Council seeks serious participants who can write at least one half-hour comedy or one-hour dramatic television script in English within a five-week period of time. Writers whose scripts show promise will be interviewed and mentored by the network executives with the idea of placing them on a show. Living stipends, flight, housing, and meals are provided.

Writing samples must be in English, and written by individual participants; television scripts are preferred. For more information, call Acasia Flores at (626) 792-6462, or visit
www.nhmc.org/writers

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
Call for Entries -Deadline September 1, 2008

The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is seeking submissions for its 2009 event. The festival will screen 100 films, including world and U.S. premieres, classics, rare and experimental works.

The competitive event is open to non-fiction films and videos of all genres, lengths and production dates. Awards and cash prizes will be given for Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best Mini-Doc and best documentary about the American West. For more information, please visit the website- http://www.bigskyfilmfest.org/

8th Annual Native Cinema Showcase - August 21st, 2008
Native Cinema Showcase will screen more than 25 works, directed by filmmakers from more than two dozen tribes. The films celebrate Native cultures and indigenous media on the global stage, exploring issues of concern to indigenous people worldwide.

The showcase's opening-night event spotlights a special premiere of "Geronimo," directed by Dustinn Craig and Sarah Colt. Feature films include Nils Gaup's classic "Pathfinder," and the closing-night film "Older than America," directed by Georgina Lightning.

The showcase begins at 8:00 pm on August 21, 2008 at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe, NM. More information about the event can be found online at http://www.ccasantafe.org/.

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Helms On Horseback With Navajo Council - Part 2 - PowWow Won't Increase Fees

Stalking The Sacred Needs Determination
By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
MOUNT TAYLOR - We rode out of Tohajiilee Monday morning full of enthusiasm and with our trusty steeds raring to go.

Residents waved from their doorways as we trotted by. Appreciative motorists sounded their horns and a local ambulance watched over us as we headed down the right of way toward Interstate Highway 40.

In the distance we could see a house sitting high atop a hill, huge puffs of smoke billowing out behind it. I thought maybe the house was on fire.

Ray Ashley, who is in charge of maintenance at the Navajo Nation Council Chamber, was riding beside me. Concerned, I pointed to the smoke. “What do you think that is?” I asked Ray.

He took a long look. “Indians!” he stated emphatically, and we both broke into laughter.

You have to have a sense of humor when you’re participating in the Council horse ride. It takes your mind off the inevitable aches and pains.

By the time we reached Mount Taylor Monday afternoon, a light drizzle had begun to fall. The horses caught their second wind and up the mountain we went.

From the interstate, parts of Mount Taylor look gray and barren. In reality, there is lush green grass, tall stands of aspen, blue spruce forests, and lots of tranquility. We encountered two, maybe three vehicles.

After nearly 5 miles, we reached our campsite. The rain had increased but was not unbearable. At this point, we had 14 riders. Delegate Jerry Bodie consulted everyone to see whether we should stay the course and ride another 5 miles up to the lookout tower or wait for morning and warmer weather. We kept going.

“This is what we Navajos call a ‘female’ rain,” Bodie said as we rode along. It was light and constant, not a drenching downpour, and to the Navajo way of thinking, a blessing. Two herds of deer and one non-alcoholic “wild turkey” greeted us.

It felt good to be alive.

When we reached the lookout tower, located at over 11,000 feet above sea level, we were soaked to the skin, the wind was blowing strong, and the word “hypothermia” sprang to mind.

Visibility was down to just a few feet, which was fine by me. I failed to see anything “sacred” about a mountain top covered with cell and microwave towers. To top it off, none of the riders could get a worthwhile signal on their cell phones.

That’s technology for you.

While we were standing there shivering and wringing water out of our leather gloves, our spirits dampened, Delegate Bodie pointed to the south. “That’s the part of the mountain that’s considered sacred,” he said. “That’s where we make our offerings.?

As we strained to see through the fog, a strange thing happened. It was as though the sky began to separate. One by one, the cloud banks rolled away, and like some majestic crossword puzzle, the mountain “washed clean by the rain” revealed itself.

Beautiful. Awe-inspiring. Beyond words!

Feeling at peace, we remounted and headed back to camp, where dry clothes and a hot meal awaited us.

It was a good day after all.

Mishaps And Memories Of Navajo Uranuium Mining
By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
HAYSTACK, N.M. - While we were drying out Monday night on Mount Taylor, more horse riders came to join Delegate Jerry Bodie's Navajo Nation Trail Ride, as he prefers to call it.

Wilbur Nez Tsosie traveled from Navajo Mountain by way of San Bernadino, Calif., where he works as an offshore oil driller. Tsosie and his family arrived about 9 p.m., after most of us had found a dry spot and crashed out from exhaustion.

Tsosie's family usually rides with former Navajo Nation Council Delegate Willie Grayeyes, whose group headed out Tuesday from Inscription House. However, Tsosie said they' had pretty much seen every canyon between Navajo Mountain and Window Rock, so this year they decided to take a different route.

We said goodbye to the hogan-shaped outhouse “the only privy between Mount Taylor and Haystack” and headed for Delegate Hoskie Kee's home around 8 a.m.

Immediately, Bodie's horse began to act up. It bucked and circled, then bucked some more, throwing a major horse tantrum. Ray Ashley came to the rescue. He grabbed the lead rope and hung onto the horse for 10 miles before Bodie was finally able to bring it under control.

We were trotting down the right-of-way, basically sticking to gravel road, until Bodie's son, Leon, saw a shortcut. He took off across a field at a full gallop, went down a steep bank and up the other side, dodging lava rocks and downed tree limbs. The other horses followed suit. Fun time!

My horse, Chaps, a head-strong mustang turned barn-sour, made a mad dash after Leon's horse. When we got to the other side, Ray was laughing hard. “You bounced about 10 feet up in the air, then came down and stuck to the saddle like a fly to an outhouse!” he said. It was great fun.

We ate lunch beside the highway in San Mateo, then trailered the horses to Haystack Road where we met truck after truck hauling fill dirt. Hoskie said later that the dirt was being used to reclaim a former uranium mine or mill site.

Suddenly I knew where I was. I had been to that area several years ago with Milton Martinez, whose grandfather, Paddy, discovered the first uranium in Haystack. Milton, a photographer and I spent a day crawling in and out of abandoned uranium mines and exploring sink holes that had developed over some of the mine shafts.

About halfway to Haystack, Ron Little and his daughters caught up with us, having come in from Page. Ron also is originally from Navajo Mountain. We waited on Martika and Adrianna to saddle up and then took off again.

A short time later, one of the drivers lost control in the gravel as he headed down a steep hill and ended up on the opposite side of the road with the horse trailer in a near jackknife. Thank God, the driver and toddler riding with him were fine, as were the truck and trailer.

The male riders pushed the trailer back onto the road, it was rehooked to the truck, and off we went. Then Heidi Little's cinch broke and we waited for that to be repaired. Immediately afterward, Chaps, who had run just about all the way from Tohajiilee “went down on all fours.”

His cinch was too tight and he was having trouble breathing. Plus, he was just plain wore out. “You better pour some water up his nose,” Bodie said. “That will get him back up.” Sure enough, it worked.

Shortly thereafter, we encountered two wild horses “one which immediately decided it liked me and Chaps.”

This was no ordinary horse. It had three hooves that were well-shaped and evenly worn, like most mustangs. The fourth hoof, however, was curled under and actually looked like two hooves merged into one.

Bodie said it was a sign of neglect, but given the area we were in and the shape of the other three hooves, I couldn't help but wonder if this poor horse was not just another product of the Navajo Nation's uranium mining legacy. I guess it will remain one of life's unsolved mysteries

PowWow Won't Increase Fees
Bismarck Tribune
Submitted by Ann VanWert
The cost to attend the United Tribes powwow will not be going up this year.

The United Tribes Powwow Committee has declined to increase the $15 entrance fee for one of the longest-running contest powwows in the country.

The United Tribes International Powwow takes place the weekend after Labor Day, Sept. 4-7, on the campus of United Tribes Technical College. It has been held annually since 1969.

For more information about the powwow and associated events, contact Sandy Erickson, serickson@;uttc.edu, 255-3285, ext. 1293, fax 530-0633, or visit http://www.uttc.edu/.

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Helms On Horseback With Navajo Council - Part 1 -Victory For Cherokee Freedmen

Reporter Will Need A Tough Hide To Cover Council Ride!
Part 1 Of 6 Articles
By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau
WINDOW ROCK - I’m notorious for doing things at the last minute “ just ask my boss “ so when Navajo Nation Council Delegate Jerry Bodie told me last Thursday that he had had room to take me on the 12th annual Council horse ride, it sounded like a good idea.

Plus, I’ve never seen Tohajiilee, where we will start from today, or Mount Taylor, where we will camp tonight.

So Friday morning I went down to Griswold’s in Tse Bonito and pawned my extra saddle so I could pitch in with some gas money. Bush’s economy and over-inflated gas prices promise to make this year’s ride the most expensive yet.

Before 8 a.m. Saturday, I was calling Resource Enforcement to see where I could hook up with a Navajo Nation Ranger and get a hauling permit. If you’re going to haul livestock, you need a permit. Unfortunately, the only nearby ranger station open was in Rock Springs.

Since I don’t own a horse trailer, and even if I did, couldn’t pull it with my four-cylinder excuse for a truck, that was a problem.

Riding my horse Chaps down to get him inspected for the permit was the only logical choice. Of course, by the time I got there, the station would be closed.

I was still pondering the situation when Delegate Curran Hannon showed up later Saturday evening to trim Chaps’ hooves. Hannon also issues permits, so that worked out fine.

I hate hoof-trimming, because Chaps isn’t exactly a cooperative horse. Curran was sweating up a storm by the time he got the front hooves done. Of course, I had been rewarding Chaps with horse candy all along, thinking that maybe if he were eating, he wouldn’t pay so much attention to Curran.

Horse candy makes horses hyper. Not only was Chaps skittish, suspicious and just plain ornery, the last thing he wanted to do was stand still.

“We’re going to have to ‘twitch’ him,” Curran said.

I hate twitching. It involves taking something that looked like an oversize pair of pliers, and holding the end of Chaps’ nose tightly between the handles. Curran said it makes his other muscles tighten up so that he isn’t so prone to kick or try to run off.

Needless to say, we never made it to the filing portion of the procedure. And I’m kind of worried about that look Chaps was giving me when I was holding those pliers. It was one of those, “Just wait. I’m going to remember this,” stares.

I woke up at 7 a.m. Sunday, thinking that if it were Monday, I’d already be two hours behind because you can bet your sweet dreams that Bodie is going to be up at 5 a.m. yelling, “Wake up, people. We’re burning daylight.”

I took a nice long shower, because I know they’re in short supply on the ride, unless you count the monsoon we’re probably going to encounter this year. By the time I had finished packing, I was thinking that if I was real lucky, maybe Bodie would forget me.

But no. He’s on his way, and I’m hoping Chaps won’t be a pain in the rear when it comes time to load up.

In 2005, it was more than 120 degrees when we passed through Tuba City. In 2006, it was 105 as we rode toward Mexican Water. Fortunately, I missed 2007.

Riding in the rain is going to be a challenge. At least we won’t have to worry about the horses dehydrating.

It really makes you wonder how the former Navajo Nation leaders survived when they used to ride to the Council session on horseback. Obviously they had some tough hides!

A TALE OF DONKEYS, FRYBREAD
This is the second in a series chronicling one chapter delegate’s ride to the 2008 Navajo Council Summer Session.
By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau

TOHAJIILEE - Pardon me if this isn’t glowing prose, but it’s now barely 6 a.m., I’m sitting on top of a cabinet with my legs crossed to prop up the laptop and missing my usual quart of Starbucks.

Camping out under the stars is not as romantic as it sounds. Last night, for example, was like being trapped in a “Shrek” movie from which there was no escape.

Tohajiilee Chapter comes with roaming donkeys, one in particular which was after a midnight snack. That wouldn’t have been so bad except that I was guardian of the hay wagon - stretched out across three bales in my sleeping bag.

Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, the hay wagon started rocking. Sure enough, there was a donkey. For the first few hours we compromised on him eating the flake surrounding the wagon.

Then there were the horses. About five of them. At first, I thought some of the ones with us got loose, but no, they were just passing through. It was like trying to sleep at an all-night diner.

When we arrived Sunday evening at Navajo Nation Council Delegate Lawrence Platero’s Chapter of Tohajiilee, there were several people on hand to greet us. They had whipped up a feast, for which we were very appreciative. I had two bowls of lamb stew and nearly two pieces of frybread before I came up for air - and I wasn’t by myself.

The one thing I noticed immediately is that the frybread here is different than in Window Rock. It was light and fluffy with three long slits - easier for tearing apart, I guess. Orlene Delgarito, who made it, said it cooks much better that way.

After four hours of riding in a horse trailer, Heide Little’s horse, Bud, appeared to be a little colicky, wouldn’t drink and wanted to lie down. Delegate Jerry Bodie, who is leading this ride, sent us on a search for Alka-Seltzer, which Lolita Largo just happened to have.

Bodie mixed it with water, and around 10 p.m., we were holding Bud’s head while Bodie forced him to drink the mixture. It seemed like Bud liked the plop, plop, fizz, fizz. In the morning, he was fine.

We were 14 riders strong as we left Tohajiilee after a big breakfast served by Ruth and Donovan Secatero and Delgarito. They even gave us the leftover frybread, juice, water - all kinds of goodies for later.

Later is right now, as I stand here with the laptop on a hay bale in the middle of the Wal-Mart parking lot in Grants trying to type real fast so I can get this to my editor.

O.J. Castillo, 12, of Crownpoint, is our youngest rider. He’s a pro, having ridden for most of his life. Like the rest of us, he’s starting to feel a little sore.

We will leave the parking lot here in a few minutes after four more riders from Window Rock join us and Bodie and his sons repair one of the trucks.

The rain is starting and it’s looking like a wet evening on Mount Taylor.

More later.

ANOTHER CRACK IN THE SOVEREIGNITY DAM! VICTORY FOR CHEROKEE FREEDMEN
Submitted by Original Perchanga
Bad intentions by the Cherokee Nations Council including Chad Smith has now come back to bite them.

The descendants of former slaves owned by some Cherokees can sue Cherokee Nation officers for disenfranchising them from tribal elections, a federal appeals court here ruled today.

The ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was a victory for the so-called "freedmen,'' who filed suit after being prevented from voting in two tribal elections in 2003.

The tribe argued that it had sovereign immunity and couldn't be sued. The appeals court ruled today that the Cherokee Nation does have sovereign immunity in the case but that the tribal leaders do not.

"Faced with allegations of ongoing constitutional and treaty violations, and a prospective request for injunctive relief, officers of the Cherokee Nation cannot seek shelter in the tribe’s sovereign immunity,'' the court's opinion says. The case will now go back to U.S. district court here, where it was filed.

The Cherokee Nation voted last year to amend its constitution to remove all freedmen descendants from the tribal rolls who do not have Cherokee blood. The change is being challenged in a Cherokee court.

Angered by the Cherokee Nation's action, many members of Congress are trying to strip the tribe of some of its federal funding, and the tribe has been fighting a public relations and lobbying battle here to prevent it.

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