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Inter-Tribal
Coalition to Defend Bear Butte
(Continued
from above....) While we all as a people hold the entire
Black Hills to be sacred, Bear Butte is under direct attack at this
time and we are preparing to do our best to defend the sacred
mountain again. We have learned of plans to build enormous biker bars
and campsites all around our sacred mountain. In addition existing
beer bars and concert venues are expanding and edging closer and
closer into sacred grounds. Today one has dug outdoor toilets on the
very slopes of the north side of our Sacred Mountain for their annual
drunken binge! Over 600,000 motorcyclists are expected to attend the
"Sturgis Bike Rally" in 2006 and they pay millions of
dollars into the local economy of the people who claim to license and
permit them on behalf of the public. Never since Custer discovered
gold has our Mato Paha been threatened by such a combination of
greed, government and legal adversity.
Our struggle to
preserve Bear Butte has lasted for centuries. In 1876 Chief Sitting
Bull of the Hunkpapa Lakota gathered over 6,000 Indian people at the
Butte to urge them to defend our sacred lands. Chief Crazy Horse
spoke from the mountain to remind his people that the Paha Sapa is
not for sale. In each year and decade since those days our people
have engaged in efforts to save and protect the sacred mountain. In
the early 1980's Chief Fools Crow of the Oglala Lakota fought to save
the mountain in the U.S. court system (Fools Crow vs. Gullet, 706
F.2d 856 [1983] ). He lost after taking it all the way to the Supreme
Court (464 U.S. 977 [1983]). Traditional Indian people have fought to
save the mountain from treaty times until now.
The "
INTERTRIBAL COALITION TO DEFEND BEAR BUTTE" is a group made up
of the Tribes and their "Traditional Societies" who are
joining together to unite our people and our Nations to protect and
defend our right to pray and have our ceremonies in peace. We are
calling on all who value the heritage of our people and still
practice the ancient ways of your tribes to join with us in defense
of our ways. If you, your society and/or your Tribe want to join us,
our invitation is open. In the traditional way of our people we know
that our circle will begin small and grow as the people hear our
words and respond to the threat. In the summer, at a time we will all
decide, we will ask the people to gather in a "Great
Inter-Tribal Gathering of the Nations" to sit in Council and
decide what our people and their Nations can do to defend the Sacred Mountain.
Our various
Nations have acquired land for the ceremonial use of their people
near Bear Butte. This land is an important part of our sovereign
Nations because with it we preserve a link to the sacred mountain
even though it has been taken from within our borders. We bought the
land with the intention and right to utilize it in peace and quiet
and this right predates the city of Sturgis, Meade County, the State
of South Dakota, and in particular the "Sturgis Bike Rally".
We have a right to use our land for sacred purposes during the
entire year without interference from the above named entities.
Therefore, we
intend to ask our Nations and their Traditional Societies and People
to preserve these rights by gathering together during the summer
months of July and August upon our own sovereign lands at Bear Butte
to convene a Council of Nations. As a people we will gather together
to form a spiritual encampment as a place for our Societies to once
again sing their ancient songs and renew their vows. Within our
encampment we will ask our holy men and women to bless us with their
ceremonies and prayers and give us guidance in our quest to defend
our sacred mountain.
In asking for the
support of Tribal governments we do so with the knowledge that we the
people will be the ones engaging in the effort. We ask our tribal
governments to support us by passing official resolutions of support
and providing material and financial support as you see fit. We also
ask you to participate by naming a tribal liaison to interact with
the coalition and provide input on behalf of the tribe. Each Tribe
and Society will have a seat at the Council.
Both as
individuals and as an organization we continue our support for
environmental organizations that are working to protect Bear Butte.
The efforts of the "Defenders of the Black Hills" (an
Indian-led coalition of environmental groups) and the
"International Alliance to Save Bear Butte" (an Indian-led
alliance of local people and concerned people worldwide) have taken
the lead in organizing state and national opposition to the proposed
developments around Bear Butte. It is our hope that we can work in
harmony and support their efforts by adding our voice to theirs. In
the future it may be our privilege to join them and the Tribes in
further legal actions or in providing testimony in American political
subdivisions and courts.
As an inter-tribal
organization we intend to concentrate on informing our own people and
our Tribes about the danger infringing upon the sacred mountain and
asking them and our traditional societies to use all their resources
to defend Her. We believe our traditional spiritual ways can have a
tremendous beneficial effect for the Sacred Mountain and we seek to
help gather traditional people together to use those spiritual ways
on our sovereign lands at Bear Butte. We are asking our traditional
tribal societies to come add their prayers, songs and ceremonies to
those of the other Nations so the powerful unity of our sacred ways
can guide our steps. We ask you all to come sit in Council with us
and join our growing Circle of traditional Indian people who are
determined to save the "The Mountain that Teaches."
In beginning this
effort we were advised by respected Elders to construct a traditional
"Staff" which is to be blessed and dedicated to defending
Nowah'wus. This sacred staff will be taken to the Tribes, respected
Elders, Chiefs, Society Headsmen, Headswomen and Clan leaders to
explain our message and to seek their help. In July the "Sacred
Staff" will be taken to the Sacred Mountain to be placed in a
"Ceremonial Tipi" and the Societies and youth will begin to
gather to prepare meeting grounds, ceremonial areas and campgrounds.
Each Tribe and Society can move into camp on their own timetable
during July to prepare themselves for the coming Council and
Ceremonial Gathering. By the time the "Rally" begins in
August we must be unified in a plan of action to peacefully and
spiritually defend Nowah'wus, Mato Paha, our Sacred Mountain, BEAR BUTTE.
For all our Relations.
Carter Camp, Ponca Nation
cartercamp @ yahoo.com
I have been asked
to act as a coordinator along with Debra White Plume, Oglala Nation
"Owe Aku"
a traditional group working on the Oglala reservation at Pine Ridge
has been given the task of preparing the "Sacred Staff" and
taking it to the Tribes. "Owe Aku" means "bring back
the way" in Lakota and in this beginning they will act as our
contact point and fiscal agent for fund raising. As a 501 c-3
organization, Owe Aku is able to receive tax exempt donations from
individuals and Tribes and to be accountable for using it for the
encampment and Council. A larger meeting of all concerned is planned
for early spring, at that time a more formal organization can be
formed to be more inclusive and to make the decisions necessary for
the Gathering. If you or your society wishes to join with us in
defending Bear Butte this summer feel free to contact us.
Contact
information for Owe Aku is as follows:
Debra White Plume, Director
101 Lonesome
Valley Rd.
Manderson S.D. 57756
Ph # 605-455-2155
Vic Camp
P.O. Box 95
Manderson S. D. 57756
Ph# 605-455-1122 |
