And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 01:30:14 -0800
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Robert Dorman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: NEWS from Big Mountain
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>From BIGMTLIST
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 21:52:54 EST
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: News from Black Mesa
X-Mailer: AOL 2.7 for Mac sub 3
Dear Big Mountain List from Marsha Monestersky, Consultant,
Guess what - Carlos Begay and I are finally up on e-mail. It is good to be
able to receive the news from the Big Mountain list. Sorry for the delay in
communicating, however, things here have been very hectic.
Today I traveled with Carlos Begay to the dug out home (dirt mounds carved out
into the mesa) of Joan Yellowhair. For over twenty years she and her brother
Leo have been denied the right even to have a home. And while construction
has begun recently on a home, almost immediately the Hopi imposed a freeze and
all activity abruptly ceased. However, the Navajo tribe, anxious to say the
Accommodation Agreement is working was quick to take some photo ops. However,
Joan Yellowhair says that she would rather wait until the land is secure
before she has her home and will remain steadfast not to relocate. The
strength of this woman and the extent of the hardship she has suffered
astounded me. I was honored to meet her and be able to sit with her in her
dugout home.
Last Monday, I attended a funeral for Oscar Whitehair, a great grandfather
that possessed a great vision to get the land back. He was always seen in the
Cactus Valley area on his horse and was called the Cactus Valley kid. I will
miss him as does everyone that had the privilege to know him. Anyone wishing
to come out to support Zonnie Whitehair, Oscar's wife should e-mail us as soon
as possible.
Oscar Whitehair Birthdate February 14, 1914 Passed Away December 11, 1998
A flyer handed out at the funeral contains a poem: The Cactus Valley Kid
The day is still young and the sun has yet to open it's eyes.
But the cowboy's horse is saddled and ready for a whole day's ride.
The tall, slim horseman and his horse blend nicely into this beautiful land.
The crooked canyons and high plateaus read like a map on the weathered,
calloused hand.
He'll ride on the land, check his cattle and watch his sheep.
He will still be in the saddle long after the sun has gone to sleep.
A sorrell horse, a black mare were his constant companions.
Their hoofbeats and his familiar laugh will forever ring in Cactus Valley's
canyons.
Good Bye-Good Luck
Tribute to Grandpa Oscar by Steve Blackrock
This past Tuesday, I participated in a burial site inspection of desecrated
burial sites conducted, I believe, in response to our presentation of a Native
American Grave Protection Act (NAGPRA) Complaint at a Review Committee meeting
in Santa Fe last weekend. The Navajo tribe has been our biggest block in
securing protection of cemeteries and has knowingly assisted Peabody in
destroying these sites, both Anasazi and Dineh.
This past Thursday, I went to Pauline Whitesinger's for a meeting with the
Navajo Hopi Indian Relocation Commission. Some other elders who are non-
signers were there and after they said no to the officials, over and over
again, saying they were not interested in relocating, when they were told no
again and again, they finally took this as a signal to leave. However, before
leaving they told the people that they will receive a 90-day notice to
vacate.
It is hopefully at this point that we can have lawyers file an injunction to
end the tyranny against the people by the Relocation Commission. What a way
for the elders to spend the holidays, enduring psychological warfare and mind
games.
Roberta Blackgoat, Pauline Whitesinger and other elders have asked us to raise
$1,000.00 as quickly as possible in order to conduct ceremonies for the people
receiving notices. Also, anyone wishing to send funds to help Zonnie
Whitehair should send a tax-deductible contribution to our fiscal agent, Steve
Sugarman. He is the executive director of Social and Environmental
Entrepreneurs (SEE), (an affiliate of the Earth Trust Foundation) , 20110
Rockport Way, Malibu, CA 90265-5340, phone: (310) 456-3534, Tax ID number
95-4116679. Please specify that your contribution is for Dineh ceremonies or
Zonnie Whitehair.
When a 15-member Dineh delegation traveled to NY last month we had many high
level meetings at the United Nations and with constitutional rights lawyers.
At the United Nations we were told that this issue is the "Lions share" of the
report on the US and while the elders are sad they continue to resist - aware
that the US will soon be cited for violations of the right to freedom of
religion or belief, human rights perpetuated against them.
A Dineh delegation is planning to travel to the UN Commission on Human Rights
for two weeks towards the end of March or early April. This issue will be
going to the General Assembly next October and we wish to start lobbying other
governments for support in the General Assembly (GA). We are hoping to have
30 minutes to present in the GA and understand that Guyana will be chairing
the GA next year.
Wishing you a joyous holiday season. On behalf of the Dineh I wish to thank
you for your continued support and thank for the people that organized and
participated in the food run. Mauro will be coming out for Christmas and he
will probably provide you with an additional update upon his return.
Your friend,
Marsha Monestersky
attachment: NAGPRA Complaint filed in Santa Fe last weekend including a quote
from Judith Nies. We had two pages of signatures and thumb prints on the
complaint. A burial site inspection was conducted a few days ago and we hope
that the federal crimes committed will be enough to shut down the mine. This
would take the pressure off the people and allow us to stop the destruction.
Please feel free to write letters of support for the Dineh people to the
following address. I hope that soon we can send out a sign-on letter to the
Big Mountain list.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------
November 23, 1998
Dr. Francis P. McManamon
Department Consulting Archeologist
National Park Service
1849 C Street NW NC340
Washington, DC 20240
Dear Dr. McManamon,
Re: Statement and request to be on the agenda of the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Review Committee meeting, December 10 -12, 1998,
in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Sovereign Dineh Nation wishes to request thirty (30) minutes to discuss the
continuing assault on Dineh sacred lands by Peabody Western Coal Company, the
US Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining, and the Bureau of
Indian Affairs. We are seeking your assistance to protect ancient Anasazi
cliff houses, Anasazi and Dineh cemeteries and sacred sites.
Judith Nies, author of "Native American History" states that "in 1979, the
Archaeological Resources Protection Act was passed, designed to slow the
destruction of archaeological sites, such as had occurred in the first
10-years of strip mining of Black Mesa, which had destroyed an estimated 4,000
Anasazi cliff houses and archaeological sites." This desecration continues to
this day. Many of the Anasazi burials sites were not even covered up after
removal of the remains. Their locations were marked by archeologists' stakes
in violation of Dineh religion. Mounds of dirt remain adjacent to the graves
sifted for ceremonial objects that were taken to unknown locations.
In April 1996, a 100-year old ceremonial hogan belonging to H&G was destroyed
while they were forcibly restrained. This hogan was their church and the
central focus of their religious practices. They believe the destruction of
this and other hogans is why the Holy Ones hold back the rain.
In June 1996, BB had to watch as bulldozers unearthed her father's skeleton,
his skull rolling out, and the grave of ALK's twin sisters bulldozed and
turned into a disposal area. Other residents have also watched the unearthing
of graves. People who have tried to interfere with mining operations that
threaten burial sites are sometimes jailed and often threatened and harassed.
On October 10, 1997, an incident happened where a bulldozer operator
approached AL's land. AL confronted Peabody bulldozers. She and other elders
stood up against the bulldozers and pleaded with them not to bulldoze the area
as it contained a sacred shrine and a known cemetery. The bulldozer operators
threatened them with imprisonment and told them to get out of the way. The
sacred shrine was destroyed and two human skeletons unearthed, one Anasazi and
one Dineh.
This past June, a Kiva containing 28 Anasazi burials was destroyed and is now
under tons of dirt. This would probably have been one of the most significant
finds with respect to Anasazi history. This past summer, another cemetery was
bulldozed despite numerous pleas from the people. Many human remains were
plundered from the site and others were left scattered on the surface. We
don't even know what happens to the remains they removed. Next to the
bulldozed area is a site where we make offerings, have held many ceremonies,
including fire dances. It hurts our heart and we cry wondering what to do.
This past summer an area on GB's land was bulldozed in advance of mining
operations. It is adjacent to sacred Sagebrush spring planted by Medicine
people containing a year-round water resource. Bitter spring in the area was
bulldozed, a water pump installed for the slurry line, and a dam created to
flush the water pipeline without consent.
A hill was destroyed recently that was used for protection. We made offerings
there and had many ceremonies. Since then our livestock is getting sick and
confused and we have smaller herds. Endangered white clay deposits (chi) were
destroyed, burial sites were destroyed, talking rocks, praying shrines and
rock piles used by Medicine people were destroyed, special herb gathering
sites were destroyed, including the thunder goes down plant, deer corrals, and
others.
The Dineh believe that the fencing in of burial and sacred sites is equivalent
to pins pushing into the Mother Earth. The fencing of Star Mountain by the US
government's Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in the southern portion of what is
known as Hopi Partition Land (HPL) was especially objectionable.
There is a Sacred spring Seibidaagai. Water was drawn from this natural
spring that comes out of the rock. This spring is now fenced in. There are
Sacred springs throughout areas on HPL that were fenced in with metal fence
posts put in the ground. This has desecrated the whole area of Finger Point-
Star Mountain valley including Shaa'To and Horse Springs.
Many of the places that were bulldozed and mined through were so sacred that
there were arrowheads put in the ground to hold the altars down to the ground
and they were tied to the ground in ceremonial song and prayer.
We hereby request a NAGPRA investigation be conducted. We appeal for your
help to stop the desecration of Dineh lands and welcome this opportunity to be
on the meeting agenda. The incidents noted above are just a few of the many
assaults on our community. We have signed testimonies documenting each of
these events that we could submit in advance of the meeting if that would be
helpful.
Yours sincerely,
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