The following prayer is submitted by G.B. Starr-Bresette.
The True Human Being vs. The Goliaths
Anonymous
Grant me the discomfort
at easy answers, half truths,
superficial relationships,
so that I will live deep within my heart.
Grant me the anger
at injustice, oppression
and exploitation of people so that
I will work for justice, equality and peace.
Grant me the tears
to shed for those who suffer
from pain, rejection, starvation and war,
so that I will reach out my hand to
comfort them and change their pain into joy.
Grant me the foolishness
to think that I can make a difference
in the world, so that I will do
the things which others tell me cannot be done.
We Pray Again & Again, Until We Are Answered
by Joseph Standing Bear
Last May 2, 1998, we stood at the Capitol Building in Springfield, Illinois, and cried out to the Creator to hear our voices for the ancestors. Representatives of many nations and organizations took the podium and filled the early Spring air with song and prayer.
1998 is past. A new governor has taken his post. Our ancestral remains still have no place to be reburied, and there is no Native representation to tend to our burials that are uncovered during development.
It is time to gather and pray again. We have no doubt that the Creator has already heard our prayers, but now the legislature must hear our voices as well.
This year, on Tuesday, April 27, 1999, we will gather at the Illinois State Museum steps Capitol Building while the State legislature is in session. From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, our voices will fill the Capitol grounds as well as the ears of those we elect to be our spokespersons. And when these Senators and Representatives begin their afternoon work, we will go to their offices and speak with them personally, gaining all the support we can.
On April 17, 1999, our Board member and attorney, Lee Gaede, will prepare us by holding a 2-hour training session on how to lobby effectively.
I strongly urge you to attend the training, and to join us at the Capitol steps for a day of prayer and work.
It is long enough. The ancestors are waiting to go home.
For more information, call Midwest SOARRING at 630-961-9323.
Action Alert
Prayer Vigil for the Ancestors-Tuesday, April 27, 1999, 11:00 AM-1:00, followed by a lobbying effort at the offices of the state senators and representatives.
March from the Illinois State Museum to the Capitol Building (2 blocks), Springfield, Illinois. Vigil at the Capitol steps.
Preparation: How to Lobby Effectively. 2-hour training by Midwest SOARRING Board member and attorney, Lee Gaede. April 17, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Grace Episcopal Church, 924 Lake St., Oak Park, Illinois
Buried Treasure at Emerald Mound
by Ivan Dozier
About 1000 to 500 years ago, around the same time as the advanced Mississippian civilization at Cahokia, another Mississippian village existed approximately 14 miles to the East. That ancient village was located near the present day town of Lebanon, Illinois. Like Cahokia, the village site contained many earthen mounds. At the center of the village was a 50-foot high platform mound surrounded by several conical mounds. However, unlike Cahokia and other Mississippian mound centers, this village was located on a high upland knob rather than in a floodplain area. Because of its position on the landscape, it is thought this village was an important point on an American Indian trail that ran from the American Bottom through the Wabash Valley and beyond. The entire mound and village area covered approximately 145 acres.
The people who built the mounds left their village more than 500 years ago but the site is still prominent on the landscape. Settlers named the area "Emerald Mound" because of the lush green color of the prairie grass on the hill. Even though it is commonly known that village sites such as this usually contain human burials, the area has been treated with the same unfortunate lack of respect as many other sacred sites. In modern times the former village was being used for pasture and cropland. Even though the site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, the owners of the property were using the large platform mound as a borrow area for fill dirt. In an attempt to protect the site, the State of Illinois purchased the central platform mound in the early 1970's. However, the vast majority of the former village, including the conical mounds, remains in private ownership.
The western half of the prehistoric village site was experiencing severe erosion due to intensive row crop production, and the landowners expressed interest in terracing, a common soil conservation technique created by constructing earthen berms across the normal land slope. In the mid-1990's, they requested the help of the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office.
Law requires an archaeological investigation to be conducted on any project that receives federal assistance. During a preliminary investigation, an NRCS archaeologist found what appeared to be a human bone eroding out of one of the conical mounds, which added great concern since it had been so near the surface. The local NRCS staff had hoped to minimize land disturbance by building the terraces completely of dirt obtained from another site. But even with this method of construction, and series of underground pipes, called tile lines, would still have to be trenched into the ground at depths of 3 feet or more.
A group of archaeologists found several prehistoric house sites in the path of the tile line. As the investigation continued, it was discovered that the bone found earlier was actually a pig bone. Relief from that discovery was short lived however, because the archaeologists soon found prehistoric ancestral remains in a shallow, unmarked grave. The archaeologists requested permission to do an in-place study of the grave but the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) denied that request and ordered the remains to be covered. Even though only a very small portion of the area had been evaluated, it was obvious that this was a very significant site.
This news did not bring a positive reaction from everyone. Some landowners believe that virtually unlimited land use rights are a part of property ownership. They think laws that have any restriction on their use of land are examples of excessive government regulation. To this point in time, the new landowners of the Emerald Mound site have been very patient and understanding of the need to protect the site. They were aware of the prehistoric village when they acquired the land but they also believed they could continue to keep the land in permanent row crop production, and now want to protect the land from erosion. Some people associated with this project have perceived a conflict between the landowners' desire to conserve their soil and the unmarked burial protection laws that limit construction activities. These attitudes show a sad disrespect for our ancestors and demonstrate a crucial need for SOARRING's educational activities.
The issues at Emerald Mound have not been resolved to everyone's satisfaction but the landowners, NRCS, State Historic Preservation Agency, and concerned archaeologists are still working to find a suitable alternative. Many of the individuals involved in this project are learning about grave protection laws and Native cultural concerns for the first time. Others in the farm community are also paying attention and waiting for the outcome. Midwest SOARRING continues to play a critical role in the fate of this site by raising the awareness level of all the parties involved.
(Special thanks to Sharron Santure, NRCS Archaeologist, for providing information about the history of Emerald Mounds.)
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250 or call 1-800-245-6340 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer.
Sacred sites -- A cry For Preservation
by Joseph Standing Bear
There exists across the face of Turtle Island, numerous sacred sites and unique geographical areas of great meaning to the Indigenous People who inhabited that region and in many areas still do. These include cliff dwellings, cultural manifestations (petroglyphs) and many different types of burial areas. For example, some cultures built mounds and effigies with different meanings and purposes. We are faced today with a great problem--how to protect and preserve our special places.
Our sites are under intensive siege by vandals who destroy or remove objects for their own gratification. During a recent visit to New Mexico, I observed the general condition and protection of the Petroglyph National Monument, Bandelier National Monument and Chaco Canyon National Historic Park.
I first viewed the rock art at Petroglyph National Monument with its many inspiring and meaningful rock art forms. Yet evidence of vandalism ranging from target practice to the removal of actual pieces of rock was evident throughout the area.
The second stop was Bandelier National Monument. A steep drive culminates at the secluded canyon, with its height being a natural barrier to vandalism, or so I thought. Yet there was a immense amount of graffiti on the walls and ceilings of the caves, with many different dates boldly announcing the times of desecration
During our recent visit to New Mexico, I was able to spend time at the Petroglyph National Monument, Bandelier National Monument and Chaco Culture National Historical Park. While there, I observed the general condition and protection of these areas. I first viewed the rock art at Petroglyph National Monument and noticed some of the forms of vandalism which occurred over the years. These forms of abuse ranged anywhere from target practice to removal of actual pieces of the rock art which were chipped away from the face of the rock. There exists in this Park, to this day, many inspiring and meaningful rock art forms.
The third stop was Chaco Canyon. Its intense beauty, tranquility and stillness would be very hard to explain in just a few short words. The air is charged with the vibrations of the people who lived there. Yet its resource center contains a glass case with samples of the many containers of pottery shards that have been confiscated from those who looted the site.
These three places are just a few of the many sacred and culturally significant areas around the country. They all suffer to some extent from public apathy and encroachment of modern civilization. The National Park Service oversees many of these places, yet there is a shortage of money and personnel to provide around the clock protection.
I urge people to become involved in their local areas, form committees and volunteers groups, as well as petition local governments and park services in an effort to protect these great places. Our lives cannot be separated from the land, and this great breathing, living being we call Mother Earth, is in our care.
Photo: Petroglyph National Monument - Rock art under attack
Photo: Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon
Our traditional natural healing series is written by herbalist Cindy Bloom, Cherokee, currently serving as Vice President of Midwest SOARRING. The following article is the third in a series on Bear Medicine.
Herban Thymes: The Gift of Bear, Part III
"While walking in the middle of the world, Bear got this way (pregnant). Young grew in her body. All day and night she fed. After awhile, she got so big she could not walk. Then she began to consider why she was in that condition. "I wonder if they will be the way I am in the Indian world?" She heard a voice talking behind her. It said, "Put me in your mouth. You are in this condition for the sake of the Indians."
When she looked around, she saw a single plant of redwood sorrell standing there. She put it in her mouth. The next day, she found she was able to walk. She thought, "It will be this way in the Indian world with this medicine. This will be my medicine. At best, not many will know about me. I will leave it in the Indian world. They will talk to me with it." (Goddard, hupa Texts, pp. 275-277.) During hibernation, Bear cubs are born blind and helpless in the earth's womb. In this sacred, nurturing and isolated place, they are aware of only the rhythms of their mother's heart beat. They know only of her scent, breath, and the Earth's essence. They emerge into a world where the earth itself is being reborn. Like human babies, Bear cubs are totally dependent on their mothers.
In Rites of Passage ceremonies, young people are initiated into adulthood. Some of the rituals consist of fasting, respecting specific taboos and living in a remote area, away from the community. Many young girls at the onset of their first moontime (menstrual cycle) are isolated, staying in a moontime hut. There they observe the traditions of their tribes. Some fast until the bleeding stops. Some will then "got to water" to be blessed in the purifying currents filled with the energies of rebirth. During this time, Ojibway girls are referred to as "going to be a Bear." For young boys, initiation into manhood by Dakota boys is called, "making a Bear." They, too, are isolated, fast, dream their medicine, and their bodies are painted for a ritual hunt. The older men prepare them spiritually, mentally and physically for life.
The older women gather and share their stories of wisdom with the young girls. The midwives are skilled at using herbal medicines and prayer to treat female ailments. Often they provide herbal medicines to assist with birthing, and treated women and babies, making way for a fast and healthy recovery. They are consciously aware of the female Bear's fierce devotion to and nurturing of its young, and unconsciously, they pass on the knowledge of healing sometimes given to them by Bear.
Wood sorrells include several species of plants that belong to the genus Oxalis. It is eaten in salads, and has a sharp, sour taste that comes from oxalic acid. When eaten in moderation, it is very nutritious, with significant amounts of Vitamins A & C, and its catalytic properties are its greatest medicine. In large amounts, it inhibits the bodies ability to absorb calcium, causing poisoning that can be lethal, therefore it must be used sparingly and with caution.
Two cups (only) of leaf tea is soothing to the digestive system, and relieves heartburn and cramping. It is highly astringent, so it will shrink membranes and halt bleeding. It is used in a tea to treat cancer, but also in a fresh poultice which can be used to treat sore and ulcers.
The Kiowa call sorrell, aw-tawt-an-ya. They chewed the leaves to relieve thirst. The Meskwaki and Menominee used the root as a yellow dye. The flowers and leaves have a sleep movement in which the heart-shaped leaves fold together and droop against the stem as dusk approaches. The flowers also close at night in response to the darkness, only to reawaken and open with the dawn's early light.
Tom Brown, world-famous wilderness expert, studied under an Apache elder named Stalking Wolf, to better understand the laws of nature. He tells the story of how Grandfather (Stalking Wolf) had taken him to see an old woman who was dying of cancer. The medical world had given up on her, telling her she had only a few months to live. He followed Grandfather at night over drifts of snow in the bitter cold, who occasionally stopped to pray for the medicine he needed. Tom felt Grandfather was listening to a voice he could not hear. They stopped near some cedar and sourgum where Grandfather kneeled and prayed over a small mound of snow, and then turned to go back to the house where the old woman lived. Tom's heart pained as he felt they had failed to find the plant they needed. As he turned to follow the elder back, Grandfather looked back and asked Tom why he wasn't collecting the plant. Tom said he didn't know where to look. Grandfather said, "Dig where I prayed and bring back only the flowers and new leaves." Tom, know in his head that nothing could grow in this snow, let alone be in flower, was shocked to find the bright flowers of wood sorrell gleaming in this torchlight as he dug.
Six months later, no trace of cancer could be found in the old woman's body. Even having witnessed this miracle of the plant's healing power, Tom felt his greatest gift from the wood sorrell was the gift of faith.
To have faith in the plants and in a powerful healer is commendable. But even more important is to understand the source of plant knowledge, and how the sacred reveals itself to people. This information comes through, prayer, visions, dreams and directly from the plants themselves. Medicine people intuitively acknowledge this.
In ancient times, all living things spoke the same language. They respected, understood and honored one another. One day, the plants and animals will thrive again and we will remember that ancient language that all living things spoke, and live in peace and harmony as part of the Great Life.
Warning
: Wildcrafting (harvesting) plants on your own can be dangerous, as there are look-alike plants that contain toxic components. It is recommended that you buy already-processed herbs at a reputable herbal store. Presented herbal information is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe. Seek medical attention when necessary.View: Violet Wood Sorrel - Oxalis vioacea
We continue our ongoing series of interviews with Pemina Yellow Bird a leading figure in the campaign to return ancestral remains and sacred and funerary object to tribes. Pemina is a citizen of the Sahnish and Hidatsa First Nations of Fort Berthhold Reservation, North Dakota, and is an official NAGPRA representative for her tribe. She was instrumental in the formulation of NAGPRA, which became law in 1990.
The 16th NAGPRA Committee Meeting: Reading Between The Lines
SOARRING: What was the most significant concern addressed at the NAGPRA Review Committee meeting in December of '98?
Pemina: I have a hard time answering that, because it seems to me the most significant concerns were not addressed. The first omission is a full discussion of Marty Sullivan's* forum that may be happening next Spring, where a small number of individuals would be invited to discuss the disposition of so-called unaffiliated Native human remains. Only a chosen few would be there, and half of them have absolutely no right to speak-those from the science and museum industry who shouldn't have a word to say about what's going to happen to our relatives. Marty has received a $48,000 grant from the Department of the Interior, and I believe that the best thing he can do with the money is to bring the tribes together so that they can form intertribal regional coalitions that can make joint claims for all the so-called unaffiliated remains that come from their collective aboriginal homelands. Then, when all of that is done, and there are still remains of which nothing is known except that they're Native, these coalitions can make a joint claim altogether, and find some centrally located place to rebury them. In the event that a regional coalition has within it tribes that don't wish to rebury remains, they can choose to do whatever they feel is most appropriate, and the rest of the coalitions can support them as well, as in the case of several southwestern tribes that don't want to rebury because their spiritual beliefs tell them to do something different. The bottom line is that it would be up to indigenous, sovereign nations to determine the final treatment and disposition of all Native human remains now in the possession of the museum and science industries.
The other significant issue that had not been addressed at that meeting was the fact that many people who attended did not get to speak because of an arbitrary rule imposed for that meeting that you had to sign up ahead of time if you wanted ten minutes of public testimony.
SOARRING: What about the return of sacred objects?
Pemina: The way the law is written, it's up to the institutions to determine what's sacred, so when a tribe arrives to do a repatriation request, it will really be up to them to go through all of the records so they can find other things that according to our own value system would be considered sacred. And the law is clear: the institutions have to make available all the records, so it's incumbent on the tribes now to go through a museum's entire collection to see if they can find anything that may have deliberately or accidentally overlooked, because the museum doesn't have the knowledge to know what's sacred and what's not. And then the tribes will have to come up with the reason why a particular item should be repatriated to the tribe. It's a system that puts the burden on the tribe, and it considerably slows down the repatriation process without cause. If the law had not been skewed in favor of the institutions, but so that tribes could go in and look for their sacred objects, then the tribes could've been part of the initial inventory process, which would have made everything so much simpler.
SOARRING: Do you believe that any more extensions should be given to museums to complete inventories, or should they assess penalties?
Pemina: They should've done the penalties a long time ago. All of those inventories were supposed to have been done by November 16, 1995. And who got to decide who got extensions? The Park Service. And on what basis were those decisions made? Was it developed in consultation with tribes? No. Did tribes have anything to say at all about who got an extension and who didn't? No. We don't have any idea what the criteria was, and some have gotten extensions after those extensions! And all these were given to people who are allegedly professionals. A fully valid question is, why didn't these professionals have inventories to begin with? They should already have had every particle of soil, every bone, every burial property item clearly inventoried from the beginning. They are in an indefensible position if they're professionals. They should already have known with minute accuracy where everything was, where it came from, how it got there, what it meant to their so-called science-all of this should have been on file before NAGPRA was a gleam in anybody's eye. So we're dealing with an industry that shows it has not acted professionally, is dragging its heels, has failed to comply with a federal law, and now doesn't want to be sanctioned.
On top of that, the law is being implemented by a federal agency whose vested interests are on the side of the science and museum industries. Nearly every action Frank McManamon has ever taken clearly illustrates that, which is why we have the resolution coming from the Native Hawaiian people who are calling for the NAGPRA Review Committee to be transferred out of NPS to another federal agency.
SOARRING: Considering what the NPS representatives and the NAGPRA Review Committee saw happen during this meeting-evidence of the efforts of tribes making joint claims, greater numbers attending this meeting than any other, the persistence of the audience demanding to be involved-don't you think that will influence how they consider drafting the new section on the disposition of unaffiliated remains?
Pemina: At some levels, yes. But the idea that the next NAGPRA Review Committee meeting was going to be held way up in Alaska, where very few, if any, representatives of sovereign nations could attend and participate, was totally unacceptable.** But we need to do more. We need to insist that all sovereign nations have a direct and meaningful impact on this decision. Nothing less will do. But the solution has already been arrived at-we can make joint intertribal claims, and this is already provided for in the law. It's already working, it's already happening.
SOARRING: Thank you, Pemina.
*Dr. Martin Sullivan, NAGPRA Review Committee member, Director of the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ
**The next meeting will be held somewhere in the Southeast, with suggestions of Arkansas or Oklahoma.
Sugar Mapling Weekend
On the weekend of March 27th, 1999, Carol Kelly will coordinate a Midwest SOARRING Foundation event at Waswagoning, Lac du Flambeau Reservation. Nick Hockings, Ojibwe, who is a well-known lecturer, traditional craftsman and dancer, will instruct participants in the Ojibwe method of tree sap harvesting and maple sugar processing. Hosted on the beautiful 80-acre tract that encompasses a model prehistoric Ojibwe village, the 3-day experience will include general woods living experiences such as chopping and gathering wood for the fires, as well as craft circles with traditional art skills such as carving.
Outdoor camping will be available for a limited number in a heated wall tent, with adjacent grounds open for individual camping set-ups. As another option, motel rooms can be reserved nearby at reasonable rates. Participation in the Sugar Camp is free. For directions and further information, contact Carol Kelly at Native Traditions, (847) 299-3241.
Circle of Life Spirit Camp: A three-Day Retreat
As a Midwest SOARRING Foundation event, there will be a retreat at the Healing Center on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation in Wisconsin on April 9-11, 1999.
This will be an Ojibwe Traditional Camp on the 15-acre plot of Ojibwe Elder, Maryellen Baker, who is a First Degree Midewiwin. It will be a time to gather and listen to the teachings of the elders. A common bunkhouse and cook shanty is available; sleeping bags necessary.
Participation is limited to 25 people, at a cost of $75 per person. For registration, directions or questions, contact Georgia Stillwell, (815) 496-9439, or Georgia_Stillwell@ipsd.org.
Outdoor Classes Clear The Way
The circle of life continues to grow at the Grand Village of the Kickapoo Park near LeRoy, Illinois. Mark McBride, a history teacher at nearby Tri-Valley High School has organized a group of nearly 100 students to help with the restoration of native prairie vegetation at the park. Mr. McBride has long been interested in the area from a historical standpoint and has used the former Kickapoo village site as a hands-on learning experience for his students. He asked Midwest SOARRING member, Ivan Dozier, District Conservationist for Macoupin County, to visit his Tri-Valley classroom. Ivan provided an historical reference for the native vegetation, and made recommendations for replanting.
Armed with that information, McBride and his students made a field trip to the area to prepare the soil for a prairie planting in the spring of1999. McBride and his students have also been working to obtain donations of seed and rootstock for the planting. For his efforts, Bill and Doris Emmett (founders of the park) submitted a successful nomination of Mr. McBride for a "Conservation Teacher of the Year" award. In addition to his work with prairie restoration, McBride plans to keep his students involved with other improvement projects at the park.
Midwest SOARRING extends a thank you to Mark McBride for helping make our circle even stronger.
The Grand Village of the Kickapoo Pow Wow -- Mark Your Calendars
At the request of the Kickapoo Nation, there will be another pow wow at the Grand Village of the Kickapoo Park this year, with the date set for May 22 & 23, 1999.
There has been consistent ongoing work at this site, owned by Bill & Doris Emmett, who had established a one-acre park in honor of the Kickapoo last year. That acre has been expanded to a 2.3 acre tract, which will form the center of the pow wow activities. A plaque to commemorate the Kickapoo and honor all the patrons who gave donations to support the park and last year's event will soon be completed. A state marker has also been placed at the roadside.
School groups visit the site on class assignments (see above article), and volunteers continue to upgrade the grounds. A large prairie plot has been established with native vegetation reintroduced, and the dance circle has been graded.
As activities and positive publicity continue to abound regarding this site, the adjoining acreage that was also part of the Grand Village becomes less prone to desecration and destruction.
Email Midwest SOARRING at soarring@juno.com
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home Page