I've limited my mailing list and this due to the fact that I want only to share info about the traditional and cultural resistance on the land instead of all this other Fed Agendas.
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This first update has to do with what I solely believe in which is the reviving of our ancient ways of survival and worships.
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A PILGRIMAGE OF THE DINEH:
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During the last week of July, my elderly parents and I went on a Sacred Pilgrimage to the Sacred Mtns. of the Dineh Nations. This was a very successful journey and my parents were very grateful that they were able to fullfill there religious obligations. Though, they are in their late 70s and have never been to the ancient Holy Lands (as for thousands of Dineh never have) they seemed to have restrengthen their will to carry on the ancient responsible of the Supreme Law of the Land, the Sacred
Mountain Soil Bundle. Many of you might be aware of the Plains Tribes'
sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe, and this bundle is very similar in that it
dictates the ancient instructions of the Great Spirits.
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First, let me share with you a little of who my parents are. When I got involve in the resistance at the age of 17, it was my mother who directed me to deliver her messages to the USGS and the BIA survey crews to leave her back yard. When the survey crews ignored her demands she impose a more forcible means that made them leave on an early morning awakening and never to return and complete their surveying. In the fall of 1977 when the resistors (many of them before the partition fence was built) and after their secretary abandon them, I was called upon to become a temporary secretary while meeting with the Navajo tribal administration under a corrupt chairman MacDonald. Since becoming a secretary and thinking it was a great opportunity to do so instead returning to being a draftsman under a architecture firm out of Phoenix, I stayed on with volunteering for the elders --my parents included.
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The Longest Walk of 1978 was a massive, cross-continental protest march by hundreds of Indigenous communities from throughout the states. I joined this walk with the support of my parents, first, for providing me medicine people to pray for a good journey and that objectives of the resistance be fullfilled on this march. The resistors and their relatives kept having meetings and I tried my best to update them about the march, and on a few occasions they collected donations to send me which help in getting shoes, socks, backpacks, and some food exspenses. However, my parents always backed me with every support they can send me. After this march, some of the Dineh brothers and sisters who were fresh out of resistance movements like: the labor uprising in Shiprock, NM, anti-racism coalitions of Farmington, NM, and resistance to oil companies in Montezuma Creek, Utah, we decided to begin an on-land presence to monitor the fencing activities.
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So, the first Resistance Camp was activate with much help from the Oakland Survival School (Director, Bill Wahpehpah), and it was set up at my parents' home. My parents helped with feeding the camp participants, and giving us rides, etc. Now, most of you are aware of supporters on the land, but understand that my parents helped activate such an action long before the any non-Indian support groups were formed.
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Today, my parents have lost nearly 98 percent of their grazing area, and now they are squeezed into small corner of the NPL area and have no other place to graze their animals. Though, many of their displaced relatives are telling them they are intruders, they continue to believe in the survival of the Big Mountain religion. My parents never tell me to stop working for the HPL relatives or they don't deny me gas money though I do support work for the HPL resistors. I keep them inform about the process of the resistance, support work, and other matters of reviving the Dineh culture. So, taking them on this prilgrimage was their wishes and I helped them as a gesture of my thanks for the long and continued support they have giving not only to me but to many of you out there.
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The pilgrimages is hard to discribed. It is a very moving experience to go to places where our origin stories originates. If you know a little about the Dineh religion, imagine being on a place where White Shell was raised, where the Twin Warrior Gods played and grew up, and areas where you entered mountains to an altitude of 10,000 feet. Despite my mother's arthritis, she climbed with her cane to say ancient prayers as she beheld the summit of the mountain peaks. My gentle and kind father chanted the ancient mountains chants of the Dineh, and he showed so much patient even though this journey covered nearly 800 miles. Myself, I tried to remember Big Mountain Goddess and her children to become free someday, and that my people abandon their confusions and return to trusting the deities of Black Mesa. I tried to remember all the wonderful supporters who are trying their best to help save our, Indigenous Dineh culture and religion.
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I felt great sadness to listen to my dad tell the spirits to have pity on our relatives for that they do not visit these sacred sites any more. He asked for pity that we are losing the verses and orders of our prayer chants, and forgetting where these places are. As my parents did their ancient offerings to the Great Deities of the Dineh, I sat aside wondering if I'll succeed in surviving with my ways, and that someday I will be in their foot steps in climbing these mountains, again.
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I still have the dream to bring other elders to these Holy sites. I realize the distance is far and the cost is tremendous. Again, I was glad that my father worked the railroad for 30 years and his pension provided for this most important pilgrimage. I was only a guide and maybe just someone seeking ways to fullfill the efforts of saving my endangered Dineh Ways.
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THE RESISTANCE:
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Pauline Whitesinger and Roberta Blackgoat have requested that support groups begin a serious consideration of initating "an on-going presence on the land. " They feel that since the BIA-Hopi Agency have continue their capitalistic-type invasion the Dineh resistor will have to start giving pressure from the land. Supporters are asked to come to the site of the former witness camp, and these traditional elders will make assurance of protection for their stay. These elders are suggesting that this former camp site be rebuilt so that it can accomodate an on-going presence.
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Currently, Ms. Swaneagle has been staying out at his camp site and hoping that supporters will respond or come by and help. The BIA-Hopi Agency police have asked Ms. Swaneagle to leave and threaten her of a forcible reomoval. However, Pauline has intervene and stated to the police that it is upon her request that this camp to stay in existence.
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We must all begin to take on the seriousness of that ultimate day, February 1st 2000. Obviously no courts, government official or tribal government will have the power to stop the process of an Executive Order (PL 93-531) accept an effective action like a presence on the land. Perhaps, a return to the 1960s. How did an Executive Order (Declaration of War on Vietnam) got stop? Massive actions BY THE PEOPLE! Support groups need to begin networking seriously and converge or merge into one coalitions. Begin talks of a massive media campaigns like with big musicial events or tours with celeb-supports. As a reminder, the land is the issue and if we have presence on the land then they (Peabody and the Feds) will have to answer to the people, the traditional Dineh elders.
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Thank you for your prayers and support.
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In the Spirit of Chief Barboncito, Bahe

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