And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1999 19:00:06 -1000
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: IITC CHR-Intervention Agenda Item 10, Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights
Submission to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, 55th Session
Agenda Item 10, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Support Services Branch
Room 1-043
Geneva, Switzerland
The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) a non-governmental organization
with consultative status to the Economic and Social Council hereby submits this
written statement in accordance with paragraphs 36 and 37 of resolution
1996/31. On behalf of the Gwich'in Steering Committee, a representational body
of the Gwich'in Nation, we are submitting this documentation to the UN
Commission on Human Rights under agenda item 10,Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights.
The United States Congress is responsible for decisions regarding proposed oil
development in the birthplace of the Porcupine Caribou Herd located on the
coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge located in Northeast
Alaska. At this time there is pending legislation (S2589) to conduct 3D seismic
testing for oil on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,
which was introduced to the U.S Senate on October 8, 1998. A duplicate bill
(HR4755) was introduced to the United States House of Representatives at the
same time. Each year, legislation is introduced to open the 1.5 million-acre
coastal plain of the 19 million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil
development. This area was set aside in 1980 as a "Study area" it would take an
act of congress to open it to oil development or protect it as part of the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as Wilderness.
The United States Congress considers oil development of this sacred area based
on the economic and environmental impacts. The Gwich'in cultural and human
rights impacts are not seriously addressed as they consider oil development in
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It is our firm belief that development
would have devastating lasting effects on the Gwich'in socially, culturally and
spiritually. The basic cultural and human rights of the Gwich'in should be
addressed and safeguarded. In this formal document the Spiritual, Cultural and
Social Relationship of the Gwich'in to the Porcupine Caribou Herd is detailed.
The Gwich'in People are located in fifteen villages within their traditional
territories in Northeastern Alaska and Northwestern Canada. The Gwich'in once
numbered 100,000, but since contact was brought upon them there is now only
7,000 survivors. The great decline of the people is due to the onslaught of
many diseases, which were brought by newcomers, as well as famine, and wars.
There are ten bands (descriptive of band territory) which compose the Gwich'in
Nation. The bands all derived from the ancient Di'haii Gwich'in.
The Gwich'in people have always been a land based culture and were once nomadic
following seasonal cycles of game. The way of the Gwich'in is one of respect
for the entire and total environment which their livelihood is reliant upon.
>From the time of life into this world, a child is taught the important value of
respect for all life. Believing the connection to everything in the natural
environment. There has always been a very direct relationship between the
Gwich'in People and the Porcupine River Caribou Herd; the caribou has ensured
the survival of the Gwich'in.
The Gwich'in have a story of the creation time when the animals and people were
one, before the animals and human beings were separated. When this change
occurred, the Gwich'in came from the caribou. An agreement between the two was
madeFrom that time forward, the caribou would retain a piece of the Gwich'in
heart and the Gwich'in would retain a piece of the caribou heart. In this way
the caribou and Gwich'in are interrelated and part of each other. What befalls
the caribou, befalls the Gwich'in, and vice-versa.
All the ancient traditional songs and dances of the Gwich'in tell the story of
this ancient relationship between the two. The people dance the movements in
the exact way that the caribou moves. When the dance is fulfilled; it is in
essence a spiritual walk between the two and the Gwich'in and caribou are one
again. That is their venue of communication, spiritually.
The caribou migrates through Gwich'in homelands to and from the birthplace.
When the caribou is within Gwich'in traditional territories or passing through,
the Gwich'in work together, in one direction they prepare. The people move to
the land where a temporary hunting community is built. During this time is when
the life lessons are taught to the younger generation of the Gwich'in people.
The women and grandmothers teach the younger women and girls very important
traditional skills. The girls are taught the proper names of the animal parts
and proper methods of taking care of the meat. They also learn the techniques
of tanning the hides for clothing, what part of the animal is used for certain
tools, such as needles, hooks, tanning tools, and sinew. The elder women tell
the younger ones of the family lineage and ties. The young also learn the
traditional mother/wife skills and life skills of the women. It is an important
time of learning the functions of the tribe.
The men and Grandfathers teach the skills of manhood to the young men and boys.
They learn the hunting skills needed. The methods of stalking and taking the
animal, the value of sharing what is taken, the names and memory of the hunting
lands and lessons of timing. The young are taught to handle the kill with great
care and respect, and to give proper thanks to the Creator for the gift. This
teaches the young men of their responsibility to the tribe as a provider. This
knowledge is important to the men, because they are the lifeblood of the tribe.
The caribou provides the Gwich'in with survival tools such as; needles, awls,
hooks, shelter (caribou skin hut), babiche, snowshoes, sleds, blankets,
clothing articles of full body wear for winter and summer, and lastly tanning
supplies. The cultural values that are taught consist of the respect for the
basic teaching of give and take. Life is sacred.
Gwich'in villages are isolated and people rely mostly on wild game to provide
all the nutritional needs of the people, requiring a traditional diet to
maintain the health of the people. There are grocery stores in the villages,
though the cost of freight is so high that the prices are too costly, the
people subsist for a living.
"Vadzaih digii vi dehk'it gwanlii" (The Sacred Place Where life Begins) The
coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has been the birthplace of
the caribou since time immemorial. The Gwich'in have always considered this
area as a sacred area. In the traditional way of thinking and view of life,
they believe that a birthplace of any animal is sacred, and should not be
disturbed. This ensures the survival of the animal and in this way, ensures
Gwich'in survival.
The reasons the Porcupine Caribou Herd uses the coastal plain of the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge for birthing and nursing their young during the early
spring and mid summer months of April, May, June and July, are due to these
circumstances. The winds from the coast provide relief from the mass
mosquitoes, which harass the young. The coastal plain is a safe haven from the
predators. Lastly, the plant life that the coastal plain supports is high in
nutritional value for the young, providing them with high energy for the long
trek south to their wintering grounds in the traditional territories of the
Gwich'in people.
The coastal plain is the birthplace of other species. There are 135 species of
migratory birds nesting their young during the spring, denning polar bears use
the coastal plain during the winter, and the near extinct musk oxen live on the
coastal plain year round.
The Gwich'in realized efforts by multi-national oil companies, corporations and
the State of Alaska to promote oil development and production on the coastal
plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 1988. The first Gathering of
the Gwich'in Nation in over a hundred years was held June 5-10th 1988 in Arctic
Village, Alaska. The Gathering was attended by the Gwich'in leadership and
elders from each of the Gwich'in villages in Canada and Alaska. The people
addressed the issue of the caribou and their culture's intrinsic link to the
caribou. A standing resolution was passed "Gwich'in Nintsyaa" and the political
arm of the Gwich'in Nation was created to specifically address the continuing
threat to cultural existence. The cultural genocide of an existing thriving
culture is at question
We call upon the United Nations to formally recognize the potential devastating
impacts of the US congress proposal to develop oil on the coastal plain of the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and to implement effective mechanisms for
international oversight and redress in situations where Indigenous Peoples
cultures are threatened or impacted by the actions of multi-national
corporations and non sustainable development.
Furthermore we call upon the United States Congress and President to reverse
this threat of cultural genocide by recognizing the rights of the Gwich'in
people to continue to live their way of life by prohibiting development in the
calving and post-calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd and the 1002
area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge be made Wilderness to achieve this
end.
Thank You, All My Relations
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! INTERNATIONAL INDIAN TREATY COUNCIL !
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
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