Lakota Journal: Around Lakota Country
June 11-18, 2004
Lakota Journal Bulletins
© Lakota Journal
www.lakotajournal.com
Protecting Sacred Ceremonies Meeting To Be Held
A quarterly meeting of the Inter-Tribal Protection Coalition, to protect and preserve sacred Sundance, and related spiritual practices of Native Americans.
This meeting will ber hosted by the Southern Cheyenne and Southern Arapahoe Nations, which are member of the Coalition.
For more information, please contact Chester Whiteman 405-884-5586 or William Lee Pedro 405-422-1725.
The meeting dates are June 19 and June 20. Sunrise Sweat and Prayer Ceremony. Important topics include enforcement of current legislation (i.e., American Indian Religious Freedom Act, how can we better "understand its meaning," how it is currently manipulated in conjunction with the Constitutional right to religion by non-Natives).
At issue currently is the Sundance at Hoosier National Forest in Bloomington, Ind. A supposed Lakota Sundance run by a non-Native, this supposed Lakota Sundance ceremony is allowed under a special use agreement with the National Park Services. A special-use permit was again authorized by the National Park service to this non-Native.
Fears are that this will open a "flood-gate" for other non-natives to follow suit.
Questions and concerns: What impacts can this cause for us in Indian Country? Will this non-Native individual and others like him become keepers of our ceremonies and links to the past for our future generations? How can we address this concern and others like it and still respect the boundaries of our traditions and customs of our respective Nations? Who do we turn to for resolve? What has National Congress of American Indians' involvement been since the passing of the resolution supporting our efforts to protect and preserve the sacred Sundance, sweat-lodge and related healing ceremonials?
The meeting will include presenting of proposed actions (i.e., trip to Washington, D.C. seeking assistance from Senator Inouye, Committee on Indian Affairs, response from Hoosier National Forest Officials. Highlights from the 1st Quarterly Coalition meeting in Ethete, Wyoming.
Lodging will be provided.
Current Board Members:
Bernard Red Cherries, Jr., Northern Cheyenne
Gilbert Whitedirt, Northern Cheyenne
Lenny Foster, Navajo Nation
Leland Littledog, Sicangu Lakota, Rosebud Sioux Nation
Alfred Boneshirt, Sicangu Lakota, Rosebud Sioux Nation
Ned Metcalf, Sicangu Lakota, Rosebud Sioux Nation
Chester Whiteman, Southern Cheyenne
Roland Haag, Southern Cheyenne
Joe Bigmedicine, Southern Cheyenne
George Sutton
Lee Pedro, Southern Arapahoe
Jerry Redman, Northern Arapahoe
Darrell Lonebear, Northern Arapahoe
Nelson White, Northern Arapahoe
Spiritual Advisors:
Northern Arapahoe Sacred Four oldmen:
Joseph Waterman Jr., Northern Arapahoe
Tommy White, Northern Arapahoe
Harold Smith, Northern Arapahoe
Leonard Moss Sr., Northern Arapahoe
Spiritual Advisor:
Arvol Lookinghorse Keeper "White Buffalo Calf Pipe" of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota Nation.
All Other Tribes are welcome to attend and become members. However, we must respect the fact that the goals and directions of the Coalition are indisputable and firm in regards to our efforts of protecting and preserving traditional ceremonial prayer ways of our Native peoples for our future generations.
We know and respect the fact that all peoples have the Creator-given rights to pray regardless of color. We choose now as Native American spiritual and traditional leaders to exert our sovereign rights to protect these ways that are our "life-ways" that were handed down in traditional customary process by our Grandfathers and Grandmothers.
