KEYWORDS: native american events calendar protecting native american sacred places prayer vigil struggling for American Indian religious freedom protecting native american historic places on public lands protection of sacred places National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference International Indian Treaty Council Bear Butte protection court case Defenders of the Black Hills Amnesty International Human Rights Film Festival
This article, originally published approximately four years prior to its last update, serves as a historical record of events dedicated to the protection of Native American sacred lands that occurred in the fall of 2003. It highlights a range of activities, from rallies and prayer vigils to legal workshops, film screenings, and treaty conferences, all focused on safeguarding culturally significant sites and promoting religious freedom for Indigenous communities. The events detailed below demonstrate the diverse approaches taken by activists, legal professionals, and tribal leaders in their ongoing efforts to preserve these irreplaceable landmarks. The information provides a glimpse into the activism and advocacy surrounding sacred lands protection during this period. Sacred Lands Protection Events – Fall 2003
Calendar of Events:
The following is a chronological listing of events that took place in the fall of 2003, each dedicated to raising awareness and providing support for the protection of Native American sacred lands.
September 18 – Thursday
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1:00 PM: REMEMBER, THE BLACK HILLS ARE SACRED RALLY
This rally was held at the Memorial Park Bandshell, located at 5th St. and Omaha St. in Rapid City, South Dakota. The central focus of the rally was the repeal of the "Daschle Rider," a legislative provision impacting the Black Hills. The event featured prominent guest speakers, including Winona LaDuke, a renowned environmentalist and Indigenous activist, and Julia "Butterfly" Hill, known for her activism related to old-growth forests. Following the rally, at 7:00 PM, a benefit film screening of "In the Light of Reverence" was held at the Elks Theatre on 512 Sixth St. in downtown Rapid City. Christopher McLeod, the producer of the film, was present as a guest. The event was sponsored by a coalition of organizations, including the Sacred Land Film Project of Earth Island, the National Forest Protection Alliance, the Native Ecosystems Council, the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, and Defenders of the Black Hills. For further information, Nancy Kile could be contacted at (605) 720-0282. The Sacred Lands Protection Events – Fall 2003 rally was a key event.
September 20 & 21st
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11th Annual Prayer Vigil for the Earth
This annual prayer vigil commenced at sunrise on September 20th and continued until 3:00 PM on September 21st. The event was held in West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., specifically at the corner of Independence Avenue and Ohio Drive, south of the Lincoln Memorial and north of the FDR Memorial. Described as a family gathering, the Prayer Vigil offered a space for spiritual reflection and collective action for environmental stewardship. Suzanne Clarke served as the Volunteer Coordinator for the event. Additional information could be found on the website OnePrayer.org, or by calling 202-244-3407. Contact information for Washington, D.C. included phone number 703-620-2577 and email address oneprayer4@aol.com. In California, inquiries could be directed to phone number 510-777-0807.
September 21 – Sunday
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Film Premiere: "A SEAT AT THE TABLE; Struggling For American Indian Religious Freedom"
This film premiere took place in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the closing night event of the Amnesty International Human Rights Film Festival. The evening began with a reception at 6:00 PM at the Indian Walk-In Center, located at 120 West/1300 South. The film screening followed at 7:00 PM at Roland Hall, Larimer Center of St. Marks School. The film documents a special symposium held at the 1999 Parliament of the World’s Religions, titled "AMERICA’S SHADOW STRUGGLE." It features interviews with eight American Indian leaders and activists, including Walter Echo-Hawk (Pawnee) of the Native American Rights Fund and Winona LaDuke (Anishinaabe) of Honor The Earth. These speakers engaged in dialogues with Huston Smith, a renowned professor of religious studies. The film addresses crucial issues such as sacred sites protection, the impact of Native language loss, and the rights of Native prisoners. Gary Rhine could be contacted for further information via email at rhino@kifaru.com or by phone at 310-457-1617. Additional details were available on the websites kifaru.com and DreamCatchers.org.
September 30 – Tuesday
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Legal Workshop: Protecting Native American Historic Places on Public Lands
A full-day legal workshop, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, focused on protecting Native American historic places located on public lands. The workshop was held in Denver, Colorado, and co-sponsored by the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO). The faculty included prominent legal experts such as Elizabeth Merritt, Esq., Deputy General Counsel of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Jack Trope, Esq., Executive Director of the Association on American Indian Affairs, along with other notable attorneys. The workshop took place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the Florentine Room. The registration cost, including the workshop, lunch, and materials, was $250. The cost for workshop materials only was $35. Bambi Krause, Executive Director of NATHPO, could be contacted at 202-628-8476 for more information. Registration could be completed through Patrick Lang or Ethan Yankowitz, legal assistants at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, by phone at 202-588-6035 or by fax at 202-588-6038.
October 3 – Friday
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Native American Sacred Lands Seminar – Protection of Sacred Lands National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference
This seminar, held in Denver, Colorado, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, was part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference. The event featured a distinguished panel of speakers, including Lakota scholar and author Vine Deloria, Jr.; Bambi Krause, Executive Director of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers; Anita Canovas, Assistant General Counsel at the National Trust for Historic Preservation; Chris Peters, Executive Director of the 7th Generation Fund; Vernon Masayesva, Executive Director of the Black Mesa Trust; Caleen Sisk-Franco, Keeper of the Ceremonies of the Winnemum Wintu Nation; and Chris McLeod, Producer/Director of the PBS documentary film "In Light of Reverence."
October 3 – 6
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29th Anniversary Treaty Conference: Defending Our Land and Sovereignty
The International Indian Treaty Council held its 29th Anniversary Treaty Conference at the Sac and Fox Powwow grounds near Stroud, Oklahoma. Hosted by the Sac and Fox Nation in Oklahoma, the conference theme was "Defending Our Land and Sovereignty." The Sac and Fox powwow grounds offered campsites with restrooms and shower facilities, located 5 ½ miles south of Stroud, Oklahoma. The conference addressed critical issues such as treaty and land rights, sustainable development, protection of sacred sites and cultural rights, the impacts of oil and mining, children’s rights, youth organizing, food sovereignty and the right to food, health, the well-being of women, and efforts for international recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Skills and capacity-building workshops were scheduled throughout the conference. A powwow was held during the conference, and leaders from the Oklahoma Indian Nations who had passed on were honored. Jackie Warledo and the conference organizing committee could be contacted at (405) 303-2330, or by fax at (405) 303-2599. For information in Spanish, the IITC could be contacted at (415) 641-4482. Information was posted on IITC’s web page at www.treatycouncil.org, and via email at iitcak@ak.net.
November 4 – 7
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Bear Butte Protection Court Case
The Bear Butte Court Case was held at the Federal Court House in Rapid City, South Dakota. A Sacred Sites Conference/Strategy Session was also tentatively scheduled. Charmaine White Face, Coordinator of the Defenders of the Black Hills, could be contacted at 605-343-5387, and information was available on the website www.defendblackhills.org.
November 14 – 16
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Tribal/Federal Summit on the Protection of Sacred Places
This summit, sponsored by the Sacred Places Protection Coalition, was held at the Hotel Santa Fe, located at 1501 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501. The hotel’s phone number is 505-982-1200, and its website is www.hotelsantafe.com. A group rate discount of $99 was available by requesting "in-house reservations" and mentioning the "Tribal/Federal Summit" with Booking #2876. Reservations were required in advance, and the conference fee was to be determined soon, with fee waivers available. The summit was intended for tribal leaders, traditional practitioners, Indian activists working on sacred lands issues, and federal agency employees with authority over sacred lands issues. Lisa at the Association on American Indian Affairs could be contacted for more information regarding the Tribal/Federal Summit Mtg. at 240-314-7155, or via email at lw.aaia@verizon.net. These Sacred Lands Protection Events – Fall 2003 were important for Native American groups.
This calendar of events from the fall of 2003 serves as a reminder of the continuous effort and dedication required to protect Native American sacred lands. The diverse range of activities, from legal workshops to prayer vigils, demonstrates the multifaceted approach needed to address the challenges facing Indigenous communities in preserving their cultural heritage. The individuals and organizations involved played a crucial role in raising awareness and advocating for the protection of these irreplaceable sites. The Sacred Lands Protection Events – Fall 2003 are an important milestone.
SOURCE:
Guy Lopez, Coordinator
Sacred Lands Protection Program
Association on American Indian Affairs
966 Hungerford Dr., Ste 12-B
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone 240-314-7157
gl.aaia@verizon.net