Midwest SOARRING
WINGS
Summer 1997
The Newsletter of
Midwest Save Our Ancestors Remains & Resources Indigenous Network Group
That A Healing Begins
Thoughts From the
President...
Native Plant
Life--A Call For Help
The Earth
Team--Conservation Work For All
Will the Real
"Wellness Center" Please Stand Up
Ancient
Astronomers--A Native Perspective
Cahokia--Endangered
Center of The Past
Herban Thymes: A
Touch of Lightning
Midwest
SOARRING Foundation Receives Tax Exemption
SOARRING Meets
with Representative of the Winnebago Tribe
AICI Updates
That A Healing Begins
In the early Spring, May 3, 1997, members of the boards of Midwest SOARRING, the American Indian Council of Illinois (AICI), and the Quad-Cities Native American League, met with members of the Mesquakie Nation and representatives of the John Deere Corporation in the oldest building in Rock Island County, Illinois, circa 1830’s.
The concern of SOARRING began in late April when we learned that the horse farm owned for many years by members of the John Deere family was to be sold for a Professional Golf Association (PGA) tournament golf course. Many sacred sites were long known to exist on a total of approximately 365 acres, with its many bluffs overlooking the scenic Rock River, and we wanted to assure that they were respected and protected. David Keene, of Archeological Research, Inc., had done the surface survey work there, with the results showing nearly fifty sites ranging from simple campsites to burial mounds.
In an historic cooperative effort among land holder, archeologist, the nation whose ancestors had occupied the land area, and Native organizations, a workable plan with respect for our sacred areas needed to be found. Much of the afternoon was spent in the historic farmhouse, discussing possible ideas and solutions, and in the way of our people, the concerns of all were heard and considered. Members of the John Deere family, sympathetic to Native American concerns, had previously required that archeologically-significant and sacred sites were to be preserved. Adequate security was, therefore, the focus of concern. All present went on a tour of the farm to observe and understand the area more clearly, then reconvened. It was agreed that no pathway, roadway or other unnatural disturbances would occur on the sacred sites, therefore this PGA course would be a model of how to design around Native American sites, extending respect by leaving them in their natural condition. No publicity would advertise the ancient history of the sites in order to preserve the anonymity of the burial areas. The decisions were made in consensus, and the spirit of good will and cooperative effort prevailed throughout the meeting, hailing the long-awaited blossoming of healing for our people.
Unfinished business, however, involved a troubling aspect of the burial mounds that needed to be corrected. Five of the mounds had suffered from partial tampering many years in the past, a spiritual breach that needed mending. Preston Duncan, spiritual spokesperson for the Mesquakie present, explained that members of his Nation could not undertake repairing the damage done, but welcomed the offer made that the Honor Guard, established by Joe Standing Bear at the New Lenox site in 1994, and members of Midwest SOARRING, would restore the mounds to their original level. With permission from the owners of the land, twenty-four workers brought shovels, buckets, wheelbarrows and rakes in order to complete the task on May 16 & 17. The crew began with a prayer circle, to pray for both understanding and protection. Joe Standing Bear led the prayer, explaining that this day was one of victory and hope for all Native people.
The John Deere Company had provided large piles of dirt to fill the mounds. With an assembly line of workers to load the wheelbarrows, transport the dirt, spread it and rake it, the undertaking took consistent heavy work, but devotion and respect for the ancestors was evident in the determination of all. Special mention must be made of long-time farm manager, Randy Behrens, who contributed ideas, hard work and the promise of his continued care of these mounds after we were gone.
Joe Standing Bear mentioned throughout the day that there would be a sign to confirm that this project had been accepted. After the fifth mound had been restored, the group gathered for a final prayer. At its conclusion, there was a deafening sound as one of the oak trees on the bluff split suddenly. The magnitude of this event can be summed up in the symbol of the circle: the Native ancestors buried their dead, non-Native individuals disturbed the burial sites, and both Native and non-Native people, working together, restored the mounds, thus completing the circle with unity. This healing is essential to the spiritual well-being of all peoples. Like the seeds of the cottonwood tree, these seeds of respect can now carry themselves on the wind to all the four directions.
Thoughts From the President...
Aanii, boozhoo,
I wish to give special thanks to all who participated in the cover story of this issue. You are truly the seeds of the cottonwood--may you flourish. New Lenox, Lake Barrington, Moline, and Springfield, Illinois, as well as Crown Point, Indiana and Crandon, Wisconsin, to list just a few, are not just names or places but part of the ongoing, never-ending struggle of our people. Sometimes, when we read a story, we must not forget that between the white of the paper and the black of the ink there exists the sweat, blood and tears, and most important, the heart and spirit of the people. This struggle has no boundaries, rages coast to coast and ocean to ocean, affecting the lives and the future of all colors. Ultimately, the struggle must be met with the power of the heart.
This August, we would like to have a membership drive. We ask that each member enroll one new member of similar heart, and in this way the circle would grow with a possibility of limitless achievements. The future of the seventh generation, all that swims and crawls, the wingeds and the greenbloods (plant nations), the 4-leggeds and all that makes up mother earth, may to some extent depend on this.
With new subcommittees formed, work continues to make our Third Annual Harvest Pow Wow truly a place of community upbuilding. We could use donations of food for the feast and give-away gifts, but most important, yourself and the time and effort you can offer as a volunteer.
Always the need for the village and the burial ground for over 12,000 of our ancestors’ remains must be the focus of our heart and spirit.
I extend my arms and strongly embrace all of you.
Miigwech,
Joseph Standing Bear
Native Plant Life--A Call For
Help
by Ivan Dozier
Ivan Dozier, (see the 3-part Harmony series culminating with this issue), continues his contribution to Wings with this article on the preservation of native plant life.
As I drive around the Midwest at this time of year, I can’t help but be overwhelmed by the intense greenery. Leaves on the trees are fully unfurled and our lawns and roadsides are lush with grass. Even the vast fields which were barren over the winter are now vibrant with corn, soybeans or wheat. It is a glorious time of year, and the greenery serves as a reminder that our Earth is truly alive.
While I am always impressed by the amount of life the Earth can sustain, I am disappointed to know how much natural vegetation has been lost in this country. In sad parallel to the Native people, our forests and grasslands have been reduced to a tiny fraction of their original area, and those plants which have survived are constantly under siege from foreign invaders.
By area, most of the woodlands in this region are in private holdings. But these woodlots are usually small and fragmented, and they do not sustain the same elements of life. The tree species are still mostly native but the forest floor is changing. Foreign weeds and brush often replace native species and some livestock grazing practices eliminate the understory altogether. Things are generally better in the National Forests but there is still cause for concern with some management practices such as clearcutting and replacing native hardwoods with pine.
Our native grasslands have suffered the most. More than 90% of the Midwestern prairies have been turned under by the plow. As I look at the endless seas of corn and soybeans, I can only imagine what the Midwestern tallgrass prairie was like. Many people don’t realize how much of the prairie has disappeared. They still see a lot of grass as lawn, on roadsides or in pastures. But what is not widely known is that these are not native species of grass. Even those with native-sounding names like Kentucky Bluegrass were introduced to this country.
The lawns and pastures typically have only a handful of different grass species, while the native prairies were much more than just grass. They were a complex balance of native plants which were uniquely adapted to the region. One of those adaptations was to fire. Fire rejuvenates the system and staves off the succession of trees. There is still considerable debate on how much Native Americans actually knew about the effects of fire on the prairie, but regardless of the debate, it is a documented fact that prairies thrive with periodic burning, and the prairies were burned by Native people. It is also interesting to note that many of the remnants of true prairie can now be found adjacent to railroad rights-of-way and in pioneer cemeteries. Thus the very symbols which represent the vehicles of their destruction have actually protected some prairies by rendering them inaccessible for conversion to cropland.
While it is true that some Midwestern crops such as corn are derived from native stock, our cultural practices of monoculture, pesticides and "clean tillage" present a vastly different ecosystem. It is also true that even foreign plants have some value and they are better than no plants at all. But native plants not only served as food for American Indians; they also provided medicine, shelter and spiritual offerings. At a time when many Native people are trying to maintain or rebuild their culture, the loss of native plants equates to a loss of a way of life. In the corn belt, these plants have a double threat which includes changing land use and the encroachment of foreign plants.
Thankfully, there are a few organizations that are trying to preserve Native American culture through the identification, propagation and distribution of native plants. Native Seeds/Search in Tucson, Arizona, collects garden plants which have been cultivated in the desert regions and offers them to people interested in native gardening. Jane Mt. Pleasant (Iroquois) heads up a Native American gardening program at Cornell University in New York, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has a special plants material program in which plants with cultural significance to Native Americans are collected and propagated. While a few individuals and small organizations are involved in native plant protection in the Midwest, there is not a large effort directed by Native Americans. There remains, therefore, a great opportunity to build a program for the preservation of an important piece of Native American culture.
The Earth Team--Conservation
Work For All
by Ivan Dozier
This is the final article of a 3-part series on the origins, contributions and volunteer opportunities of The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency connected with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Its focus is to provide technical assistance to private landholders to help them protect their natural resources, thus allowing them to live on the land in a sustainable way.
Ivan Dozier, a Midwest SOARRING member of Cherokee descent, serves as an NRCS District Conservationist in Macoupin County (Carlinville), Illinois.
Have you ever wanted to do a little more for the Earth and the environment but you just didn’t know how to get started? Or maybe you didn’t feel like you had any talents or the time to really make a difference. Well, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) may be able to help. NRCS has a cadre of volunteers called the "Earth Team." The program has been organized to help citizens from all walks of life get actively involved in conservation. Let me share a few real-life stories to show you what I mean.
Dan was working as a part-time reporter for the local newspaper when he got an assignment to do a story on a water quality project. He had always been interested in environmental issues so he was excited about doing the interview. The story was about an NRCS coordinated project to reduce sediment and pesticides entering a public water supply lake. As Dan finished the interview, he mentioned his desire to get more involved in natural resource issues, but there weren’t any active organizations in the area.
The NRCS conservationist told Dan about the Earth Team, and that they were always looking for someone to write press releases to promote conservation efforts. "Oh, great," thought Dan, "that’s just what I need--more work and no pay." But he decided to give it a try because it might lead to another story. His paper, in fact, printed an entire series of conservation stories he contributed, and the NRCS was pleased with the positive public relations. Dan got an award for his efforts, and he learned first hand how the agency worked.
That portion alone would have been a volunteer success story, but Dan’s involvement continued. He found that NRCS gave him access to a national network of information and technical services. He also found out about other environmental activities in the region. When Dan got involved in another volunteer water monitoring project, he took advantage of the free training that went along with it. Even though he wasn’t looking for a career change, when a watershed project coordinator position opened up, Dan decided to apply. With his newly-gained experience, he got the job. He still does special features for the newspaper and he is enjoying the challenges of his new conservation career.
There is another story of a husband and wife team who use their amateur archeological skills to help NRCS assess cultural sites before construction occurs. And another about a high school student who volunteered as a survey assistant to learn more about conservation careers before going on to college. And the farmer who donates his time and his farm truck to deliver Arbor Day tree seedlings to grade school students. Or the retired Forest Service secretary who does data entry and office filing.
The stories go on and on because in the eleven year life of the Earth Team, NRCS has received service from more than 103,000 volunteers. In 1996 alone, Earth Team volunteers donated 255 staff years! Some volunteers work on a regular basis and some just for special events. Either way they still get the opportunity to be part of a nationwide team, with the satisfaction of knowing their combined efforts can make a difference.
It is easy to get started. With hundreds of office locations around the region, there is probably an office near you. To find out where, call 1-800-THE-SOIL ( the same number for the Harmony Campaign), and you will be guided to the nearest NRCS office. It is likely there is a job which suits your talents and interest, given the varied activities of the NRCS. As we have mentioned before, protecting our natural resources is too big of a job for any single group, but the Earth Team provides us with a way to join together for this common goal. Give us a call if you want to learn more about the exciting opportunities of becoming a member of the Earth Team.
To contact Ivan, call 217-854-2628.
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.
Midwest SOARRING supports the efforts of environmental preservation as a primary expression of its mission. Joe Standing Bear had been contacted by the Pierce Downers Heritage Alliance in Downers Grove, Illinois, in order to establish allies within the Native American community in its work to protect the Lyman Woods Forest Preserve. Members of the Alliance have worked for the past decade, initially campaigning in an organization called Friends of Lyman Woods for the purchase of the original preserve in 1986, and working to annex additional acres in the succeeding years. The following article describes the recent victory yet ongoing threat to this unique ecological resource in Illinois, and SOARRING’s contribution to helping celebrate the success while working to prevent encroaching development there.
Will the Real "Wellness
Center" Please Stand Up
by Clare Farrell
On Sunday, May 4th, Midwest SOARRING was invited to the dedication and blessing of the Lyman Woods North Preserve. Lyman Woods is a 135-acre Chicago Wilderness in Downers Grove with a rich variety of habitats--glacial kames, woods, fields, marsh, and upland oak savanna. Over 180 bird species and over 310 native plants have been recorded there. The Pierce Downers Heritage Alliance recently purchased 28.8 adjacent acres to add to Lyman Woods, saving it from development. At the dedication of this new section, SOARRING brought Lakota elder, Vincent Catches, to lead a prayer of gratitude for this achievement in preserving one of the last remaining natural areas in Illinois. Tobacco ties were distributed to the approximately 100 participants, who tied them onto a prepared tree limb. The limb was then implanted in the ground to stand as a common prayer for the health and continued well-being of the Preserve.
A new threat to Lyman Woods ran concurrent to this success, however, as the principal health care facility in southeast DuPage County, Good Samaritan Hospital, plans to erect a Wellness Center on its 10 acres of land contiguous to the publicly-owned oak savanna in Lyman Woods. This plan calls for clear-cutting over 300 mature oak trees on an 8-acre area, which would gravely affect the adjacent oak trees as well as imperil the delicate ecosystem that provides a home to a great diversity of wildlife and plant species. The preservation of any undeveloped land in Illinois is a critical need, as only one-tenth of 1% of Native prairie land is left, while the oak savanna itself is part of only 700 acres left in the state. This site is one of several options available to the Hospital, with others on land that has previously been developed, yet testimony from experts in the many fields of biology, botany, ecology, natural resource management, etc., were unable to dissuade the choice during public hearings. Joseph Standing Bear and Clare Farrell testified at Plan Commission and Village Council meetings, expressing the view that our mother earth provides the primary source of wellness and healing available to all, and decrying this decision as a contradiction of the very goal:
Joining most other parties in opposition to the current plan, Midwest SOARRING did not reject the establishment of the Hospital’s Wellness Center, but requested that a less damaging site be chosen. The final decision of the Village Council, however, was to accept the original plan.
A large number of organizations were dissatisfied with this decision, however, and work continues unabated to block the project. The most aggressive move to date has been a suit filed by the Downers Grove Park District against Good Samaritan Hospital on July 3, 1997, claiming the Center would breach a 1994 agreement that only an environmentally-sensitive development would be placed on that 10 acres. The hospital and the park district then entered into an agreement on July 9 that no action will occur on site until the motion to dismiss the lawsuit is resolved, making it unnecessary to pursue a temporary restraining order.
Midwest SOARRING will continue to endorse preservation of this endangered acreage. For more information, or to take an active part in efforts to protect Lyman Woods, call 630-963-6077.
Ancient Astronomers--A Native
Perspective
by Nancy Jannasch
Ancient Native Americans were astronomers, and a vast group of earthworks that they created aligned the rising and setting of the sun as long ago as 8,000 to 12,000 years B.P. Myles Goddard, Ojibwe Nation from Deer River on the Leech Lake Reservation, presented a lecture with slides and films to support these pre-Columbian feats, to Midwest SOARRING’s membership and guests on April 27, 1997.
Myles has taught Anthropology, Sociology and History for 33 years. He is a former member of the Board of the American Indian Center in Minneapolis, and is currently on the Board of Directors of Midwest SOARRING. With these excellent credentials, he brings interesting insights into the earthworks of the Americas.
Myles provided evidence that ancient earthworks were intentionally designed to mark important calendar events such as solstice and equinox dates. Some of the structures record events related to the moon and planets as well, with evidence that the Mayans recorded the positions and cycles of Venus.
Similarities exist between the Native American structures and ancient structures in other parts of the world. Myles pointed out that even the names of the constellations are similar for many early civilizations. All ancient people looked for a basic order in the movement of stars and planets across the sky. Just as Stonehenge in England is well known as a structure built to record astronomical events, so should be many Native American earthworks that have been built in North, Central and South America.
To illustrate his views, Myles used star charts, photos and diagrams of earthworks, and a movie about Fajada Butte. The film showed a fascinating calendar set in a rock crevice atop the butte in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. Standing slabs of rock had been ingeniously set in place to cast shadows and fingers of light onto symbols carved into the rock face. Slivers of light illuminating the center or sides of a spiral pattern marked the movements of the sun with precision. This mapping of sun time coincides with the myths and stories that show all Native nations followed the movements of the stars and planets. Creation stories abound that give great honor to the heavenly bodies, recognizing their pre-eminence in the natural order.
Myles left those attending his presentation with the understanding that the alignment of ancient earthworks was determined with great care, deserving of a strong sense of pride in the intelligence and foresight of the early inhabitants of the Americas.
Cahokia--Endangered Center of
The Past
by Clare Farrell
In the Spring of this year, David Keene, archeologist with Archeological Research, Inc., and President of the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois (LPCI), alerted Midwest SOARRING to the subtle yet systematic destruction of sites surrounding the ancient city of Cahokia. This is the largest pre-Columbian city north of Mexico, with 65 man-made earthen mounds, located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in southern Illinois. Cultures developed and flourished there over several hundred years before vanishing sometime after 1300 A.D. At its height, this city had approximately 20,000 residents with access to an enormous trade network. Between 850 and 900 A.D., the Mississippian culture emerged, and a complex community with a highly specialized social, political and religious organization was developed. It is formally recognized as an irreplaceable site of international significance, and is designated a United Nations World Heritage Site.
Due to the common practice of developing only small parcels of land at a time in southern Illinois, many of the sites are not subject to the regulations that protect larger land masses adjacent to waterways, etc. The fringes of the ancient Cahokia area, rich in archeological sites, are therefore subject to wanton destruction.
David is also a member of Midwest SOARRING, requested our help in approaching members of the State Senate and Congress regarding the need for a greater interest in protecting this site. He has placed it on the list of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places of the LPCI, and plans to enroll it on the World Heritage List of Endangered Sites as well, in order to gain international attention. Midwest SOARRING has therefore begun a petition campaign to encourage state and local government to take a more active part in protecting the Cahokia area endangered by urban sprawl.
Some other current needs of Cahokia are also being addressed this year. The state is funding major repair on the largest mound in Cahokia, Monk’s Mound, this summer. During 1984-85 there were major slumps on the east and west sides of the mound. The internal water content appears to activate the slumping, and new technology has been developed that will drain excess water via horizontal drains drilled into place. The new method is designed to avoid undue damage to the mounds during its construction, and new dirt will be added to stabilize the surface. Another project involves replacement of the wooden stairway up the front of Monk’s Mound which has suffered from decay, splitting and shifting. Concrete modular steps will be set atop footings poured into the mound’s fill material. This will provide a stronger, more stable construction, preventing increased erosion, as well as providing a safer walkway for the thousands of visitors each year.
We are grateful to the Illinois Capital Development Board for funding the above projects, and we will continue to circulate petitions for an increased concern in the surrounding sites.
For more information on Cahokia, as well as a schedule of field trips, educational programs and site hours, call 618-345-4999.
We continue our series of articles on natural healing by Cindy Bloom, Cherokee, currently serving as Vice President of Midwest SOARRING.
Herban Thymes: A Touch of
Lightning
by Cindy Bloom
In ancient times, the "Creator of All Good Things" created everything beautiful and harmonious in the world. All creatures lived in balance with the earth, the water and the universe. The "Creator of Bad Things" looked at this harmonious world and wondered how he could bring darkness to the peace and beauty. So he created jealousy, greed and hatred. All the living creatures of the earth became sick, spiritually, emotionally and physically. The Creator of Good brought the first medicine plant to the Sun, Moon and Stars, asking them for help. They blessed this plant with healing power, strength and balance. The Mother Earth, Thunders and Wind nourished the medicine plant. It radiated with golden yellow rays. All the people and animals that used this plant became healthy again. But the people began to forget to give thanks by leaving tobacco when they picked this plant, and they forgot to leave seven of the same species for seven more generations. The plant became harder and harder to find. The Creator of Good did not want to lose the healing power of this plant, so he changed its color to green, and filled the tiny hairs on its stem and leaves with lightning. Even though this plant now stings when picked, we still use its medicines, but we never again forget to give thanks.
This sacred plant is called Stinging Nettle. It has a large array of uses, including treatment of allergic reactions. When exposed to an allergent, an inflammation response occurs in the body, and histamines are released, causing a variety of uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous symptoms. The summer season brings much discomfort for people allergic to air-borne pollens, but allergies come in many forms:
Untreated allergies will eventually result in a weakening of the immune system as the body cannot handle the toxic overload. Common symptoms include low energy, adrenal exhaustion, chronic respiratory inflammation, asthma, sinus infections, headaches, hay fever, skin rash/eczema, irritable bowel syndrome, candida albicans yeast overgrowth, lowered antihistamine levels and liver function, plus more. Over-the-counter drugs only mask symptoms and cause dependency. Corticosteroid drugs taken for long periods of time worsen the situation by depressing the immune defenses and interfering with the natural elimination of allergens. Therefore herbal healing provides not only a method of reducing symptoms, but a program of enhancing the body’s natural defenses:
To treat symptoms, use herbal combinations of the following:
To detoxify and stimulate the immune system--
Note: Goldenseal and Ragweed are from the same family. If allergic to Ragweed, use Goldenseal with caution.
As in all Native American traditions, everything is interconnected, and symptoms of the body are not separate from the reality of the whole person. Stress and anxiety aggravate allergies and suppress the immune system, therefore time should be taken for ceremony and celebration to both heal and strengthen all aspects of one’s life.
We thank the earth for making these medicines strong, and for the elders who for generations have passed on the use of medicinal plants and the traditions that go along with them.
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.
References:
Song of the Seven Herbs, by Walking Night Bear and Stan Padilla, Book Publishing Co., Summertown, TN, 1983
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, by James F. Balch, M.D. and Ancillas A. Balch, C.N.C., Avery Publishing Group, Inc., Garden City Park, NY, 1990.
Midwest SOARRING Foundation Receives Tax Exemption
In November, 1996, Midwest SOARRING incorporated its sister organization, Midwest SOARRING Foundation. The foundation will be the educational arm of our concerns related to protecting ancestral remains and burial, cultural and sacred sites, as well as the preservation of Native culture and resources. Membership in Midwest SOARRING Foundation is included in your membership in Midwest SOARRING.
We are pleased to announce that Midwest SOARRING Foundation has now received its federal income tax exemption as a 501(c)(3) organization, making it eligible to receive tax-deductible donations. It is through this foundation that we will continue to provide lectures as well as build a model pre-Columbian village with a cultural and environmental learning center. We will now be able to apply for grants, and to receive corporate and individual donations that require tax exemption status.
Members or associates familiar with grant-writing and filing applications for funding are urged to contact SOARRING at 708-383-6773.
SOARRING Meets with
Representative of the Winnebago Tribe
by Clare Farrell
On April 21, 1997, the Midwest SOARRING Board members met with David Smith, Director of Repatriation and Cultural Preservation Officer for the Winnebago (Ho Chunk) Tribe of Nebraska. David had traveled to Illinois in order to view artifacts belonging to his nation, and he requested an opportunity to discuss our work. Since the mid-1830’s, when the last remaining section of Native-held land in Illinois was removed by a treaty with the Potawatomie Nation, there have been no resident tribes to represent the needs of Native people. SOARRING was established to be a facilitator and liaison for the Nations that had previously occupied this state, to provide for the reburial of all the ancestors still held in museums and government agencies.
The Winnebago Tribe, as all the other nations that had originally lived in Illinois, wants their ancestral remains that had been removed from Illinois soil to be reburied in Illinois. At this time, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) of 1990 provides for the return of ancestral remains and funerary objects whose descendents can be traced to an historical tribe, (see Wings 1, Summer, 1995), and the Winnebago Tribe already has remains that await reburial. SOARRING is actively seeking land--state, federal or private--for a cemetery, to be available for all affiliated remains, and when the law permits, for all unaffiliated remains, an estimated 12,000 that should be returned to Illinois.
In approval of our organization, David returned to Nebraska and requested the endorsement of the Tribal Council to work with us. Midwest SOARRING received a letter in early June, establishing our formal relationship. We are very grateful for this association, not only for the service we can give, but for the benefits of David’s knowledge. As the Tribal Historian and Director of Indian Studies at the Little Priest Tribal College in Winnebago, Nebraska, he embraces a vast store of historical information that is a valuable resource for SOARRING’s work.
In early July, David called to request SOARRING’s help regarding illegal excavating on Aztalan, a large pre-Columbian site in southern Wisconsin. Aztalan, the early tribal territory of the Ho-Chunk people, originally had two Temple Mounds and several earthworks. The mounds may have ancestral remains, but this is unknown since the area has, until now, been protected. One of the mounds is now underwater, and David had learned that artifact hunters were diving down to dig into the mound at night, escaping detection. SOARRING was able to immediately contact Bob Birmingham, State Archeologist of Wisconsin, to alert him to the desecration, and Mr. Birmingham sent wardens out to monitor the area.
During a subsequent meeting with David in early July, he impressed upon Board members Cindy Bloom and Clare Farrell that our search for land must accelerate. The Winnebago Tribe is prepared for reburial in Illinois, with the only delay being the unavailability of land. He and Midwest SOARRING are in contact with other nations and organizations that will mount a united effort to obtain cemetery land in this state.
With this issue of Wings, we announce a new section entitled AICI Updates, that will briefly summarize the latest endeavors, achievements or newsbreaks of the American Indian Council of Illinois (AICI). This is the statewide organization representing the issues/needs/concerns of the registered voting Indians living in Illinois. Current local, state, and federal trends call for the downsizing or elimination of programs, the cutting back of funding for community services, and lower block grant distribution. AICI will address these issues and offer solutions.
The AICI addresses a wide range of Native American concerns in Illinois, interfacing with the objectives of Midwest SOARRING to "save our ancestors’ resources." Joseph Standing Bear is on the board of the AICI as Sergeant-At-Arms, and SOARRING works with its Repatriation and Sacred Sites Committee.
AICI Updates
AICI Chairman, Wallace Strong, presented Resolution 97-01 to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in Springfield, Illinois, on June 19, 1997. The resolution is titled: Advocating Tribal Approval For Use of Tribal Symbols, Tribal Names, Religious Objects, and Depictions of Tribal Peoples By Public and Private Schools in the State of Illinois. This resolution is designed to assure the banishment of all current Indian related mascots, Indian names, stereotyped, racially-biased and/or negative depictions of Indian people in texts, and logos. Adoption of 97-01 would provide a blanket rule for all public and private schools in Illinois, officially ending the derogatory depiction of Native people as less than human beings.
To request that ISBE take action on Resolution 97-01, write:
Joseph Spagnolo, Superintendent
Illinois State Board of Education
100 N. 1st St.
Springfield, IL 62777