Sunday, October 11, 2009

Call To Action: Sacred Site Protection Alert!!!!

ALERT.... ALERT.... ALERT.... I AM TAKING THIS TIME TO INFORM ALL MY NATIVE PEOPLE (SUNDANCERS, PIPE CARRIERS, SWEAT PARTICIPATES, CEREMONY & PEYOTE PEOPLE) FROM THE 4 DIRECTIONS OF LIFE, ALL THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO STAND FOR SOMETHING VERY SACRED! WE HAVE EXPERIENCED DEVASTATION ON THE UINTAH & OURAY INDIAN RESERVATION HERE IN UTAH. WE ARE A GROUP OF ENROLLED NORTHERN UTE MEMBERS WHO ARE STANDING UP TO PROTEST AND PROTECT THE NATURAL SACRED BIG SPRINGS. FIRST AND FORMOST LONG AGO THE UTE TRIBE FISH AND WILDLIFE WERE TO DEVELOPE A FISH HATCHERY ON OUR RESERVATION, IN THIS THEY PRESENTED 3 SITES ON THE RESERVATION, THE PROPOSED LOCATIONS WERE YOUTH CAMP, BIG SPRINGS, AND FORT ROBIDOUX. THE FISH AND WILDLIFE WANTED TO TAP INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FISH HATCHERY IN HOPES TO INFLUENCE UTE TRIBAL STUDENTS TO GET INVOLVED WITH BIOLOGY. THE STATE OF UTAH PLACED THE COLORADO RIVER CUTTHROAT TROUT TO BE THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES. WITH THIS IN MIND THE STATE SET UP THE UTAH RECLAMATION MITIGATION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION TO DEVELOPE A PLAN FOR THIS SAID FISH. THEY DID AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY FUNDING OF THE PROJECT. THIS PROPOSED ACTION IDENTIFIED FUNDING 75% OF CONSTRUCTION COST IN 1998 AND 25% FROM THE UTE TRIBE. UPON APPROVAL THE PAST TRIBAL BUSINESS COMMITTE DENIED SEVERAL RESOLUTIONS PRESENTED BEFORE THEM, ONLY ONE WAS APPROVED BUT IN THAT RESOLUTION IT WAS TO IDENTIFY AND ASSIST THE NEED FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE BUT NO RESOLUTION APPROVED SUCH SITE AT BIG SPRINGS. THE RESOLUTION THAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT IS RESOLUTION 01-222 ONLY IDENTIFIES THE NEED AND THE PARTNERSHIP BUT DOES NOT IDENTIFY ANY SPECIFIC SITES OR LOCATIONS. JUST RECENTLY THIS TRIBAL BUSINESS COMMITTE PUSHED SO EAGERLY TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD. THE F&W WERE TO CONDUCT 17 PUBLIC MEETINGS TO INFORM THE UTE NATION, THEY WERE TO MET WITH ALL THE COMMUNITIES THROUGH OUT THE RESERVATION AS WELL AS MET WITH THE SUNDANCE CHIEFS AND THOSE THAT PARTAKE INTO SPIRITUAL AND CEREMONIES. WITH THAT IN MIND THE F& W FAILED TO NOTIFY THE UTE NATION. THEY BELIEVE CONTACTING 14 PEOPLE AND ONE SPIRITUAL LEADER JUSTIFIES AND SPEAKS ON BEHALF OF ALL THE ENROLLED +3,000 UTE NATION! AS A YOUNG PERSON IT DOESN'T TAKE THE BRAINS TO DECIDE IF THIS IS RIGHT! THIS NATURAL SACRED SPRINGS HAVE BROUGHT MUCH HELP TO THOSE WHO NEED HEALING, PRAYERS, AND OFFERINGS TO THE CREATOR. THIS IS THE PLACE OUR GRANDFATHER, FATHER, UNCLES COME TO GET THE WATER FOR SUNDANCE BEFORE IT IS OVER. OUR UTE PEOPLE COME TO HANG UP SUNDANCE WHISTLES AND SUNDANCE ITEMS INTO THE PINE TREES. THIS IS A PLACE WERE MANY PRAYERS ARE OFFERED AND WE COME TO GET THIS GREAT WATER FOR MANY CEREMONIES. A GROUP OF OUR UTE PEOPLE PROTESTED IN THE DEVELOPEMENT OF THIS PROJEST AND IN TURN OUR UTE TRIBAL LEADERS TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO PUT RESTRAINING ORDERS ON OUR UTE SUNDANCE CHIEF AND ANOTHER SUNDANCER. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH? THE PROTECTION OF BURIAL AND CEREMONIAL SITES? FREE EXPRESSION CLAUSE? OUR FREEDOME OF NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS IS OUR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT! WE ARE NOT TRESPASSING! WE ARE ENROLLED CITIZENS OF THE NORHTERN UTE TRIBE WITHIN OUR JURSIDICTION EXCERCINGS OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH. NOT ONLY IS THE RESTRAINING ORDER RIDICULOUS BUT HOW IN THE WORLD IS THE BUSINESS COMMITTEE TAKING OUR SUNDANCE CHIEF TO COURT WHEN THE TRIBAL ATTORNEYS REPRESENT THE PEOPLE? IS THAT EVEN ETHICAL? I ASK ALL SUNDANCERS, SPIRITUAL PEOPLE AND PEOPLE IN GENERAL WHEN WE START ALLOWING OUR OWN PEOPLE TO HARM US AND OUR LAND, WITHOUT ANY HESITATION AND RESPECT FOR OUR TRADITIONS AND CULTURE THEN WE HAVE NOTHING! WHEN WE CONTINUE TO ALLOW DICTATORS THE POWER TO CONTROL US THEN WE DON'T NEED TO THINK FOR OURSELVES! WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION AS NATIVE AMERICANS AND THAT IS TO STAND FOR THIS FIGHT BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR ANCESTORS WOULD HAVE DONE! IN THIS WE ARE ENCOURAGING MANY & ALL PEOPLE TO HELP ASSIST US WITH THIS TURMOIL. Signed: Jasanna Cuch 435-724-1026 P.O. BOX 775 FORT DUCHESNE, UTAH 84026 NORTHERN UTE SUNDANCE CHIEF: JERRY TAPOOF 435-353-4989 COURT IS SCHEDULED MONDAY OCTOBER 12, 2009 AT 2PM FORT DUCHESNE TRIBAL COURTS

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