Russell Means, one of the founders of the American Indian Movement (AIM), gave a controversial speech in 1980. Mother Jones covered it and ran a story headlined: “For the World to Live, Europe Must Die.”
Mother Jones republished the article in 2012 when Means died. A friend sent me a link to it last year, and as I was cleaning out my l inbox I came across it again. I re-read it and was struck by the parallels with the Enbridge Line 3 Tar Sands Pipeline today. Continue reading
The City of Minneapolis is working to research the sacred places and untold stories of the Dakota people and other American Indian peoples who lived here prior to white settlement — and who continue to live here today. City staff held a kick-off event Tuesday night at All My Relations Gallery to announce the project and get some initial community feedback.
About 50 people attended Tuesday’s meeting, at least half were Native Americans. They gave city staff an earful.
Sheldon Wolfchild of Lower Sioux and several other people mentioned how it is difficult for western researchers to get their minds around Native ways of thinking. It is not just certain spots here and there that are sacred to the Dakota people, he said: “Every inch is sacred to us.”
Several people talked about the importance of recognizing the validity of Native peoples’ oral traditions (and not just depending on written documents of white historians.) “Go talk to the Dakota elders,” Many Horses said. “They have the knowledge.” Continue reading
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