Mohawk Women Forge Solidarity in Visit to Chief Spence

Gale Courey Toensing, http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

January 09, 2013

Courtesy Mohawk Council of Kahnawa:ke.
Eleven women elected Mohawk chiefs visited Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence in her hunger strike tipi in Ottawa on December 18 and delivered a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper supporting Idle No More and demanding that he meet with Spence and address the issue of an unprecedented series of laws that many feel are oppressive and insulting to First Nations.

A delegation of women chiefs from three Mohawk Nation communities visited Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence during the second week of her hungry strike last month to offer her their support and respect and in doing so forged a new alliance among themselves.

Kahnawà:ke Chiefs Rhonda Kirby, Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, Christine Zachary-Deom and Gina Deer, Kanesatake Chiefs Sonya Gagnier, Shannon Nicholas, Sheila Bonspiel, Akwesasne Chiefs Karen Loran, Louise Thompson, April Adams-Phillips and one other unnamed woman chief from Akwesasne traveled on December 18 to meet with Chief Spence in her tipi on Victoria Island in Ottawa where she had promised to fast on water and medicine tea until Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets with her and other First Nation leaders to talk about the federal government living up to its promises and responsibilities toward Indigenous Peoples. That meeting is now scheduled for January 11.

Spence’s hunger strike and the Idle No More movement were sparked by the passage in the Canadian legislature of the Bill C-45 with inadequate consultation with the nations. The bill amends the Fisheries Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Navigable Waters Protection Act and the Canadian Labour Code in ways that erode Indian sovereignty and control over their lands and resources. First Nations reacted immediately and strongly to the passage with protests and demonstrations across the country that have now spread in Idle No More solidarity rallies in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand and even Japan.

Sky-Deer said the visit to Spence created an unprecedented bond of solidarity among the women Mohawk chiefs. “I think one of the most positive aspects of it was that it brought together the women leadership from our three Kanienkahaka (Mohawk people, the People of the Flint) communities, which otherwise may not have happened like that. It was a first meeting for all of us,” said Sky-Deer. Was the meeting the beginning of something new and great? “I hope so!” she said. “We’ve talked about continuing this in the New Year and maybe meeting again, because we face a lot of the same issues in our respective communities and it only helps us to strengthen and support each other in that we’re all Kanienkahaka women and have the best interest of our community and taking care of business. It was definitely a positive thing.”

Before traveling to Victoria Island, the women chiefs coordinated the gifts they would bring to Spence – tobacco, medicine bundles, eagle feathers and a big confederacy blanket that the Kahnawà:ke council donated, along with a confederacy flat that was hoisted on the palisades around the area where her tipi was located, Zachary-Deom said. “There was a big fire going near the tipi. She’s on very low lying ground, very moist and foggy and wet. I don’t know how healthy it is for her there. We were scheduled to see her at 2 p.m. but then we were told she had so many visitors and had just gone to bed,” Zachary-Deom said. So the women delivered letters from the Mohawk Council to Harper and Governor General David Johnson, the representative of the British Crown in Canada.

“The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke has grown increasingly concerned with the paternalistic legislative approach that Canada has taken regarding First Nations affairs, which is in conflict with not only our inherent self-determination, but is also a violation of the agreements between our People and the Crown,” the council wrote. “The recent passage of the Omnibus Budget Bill C-45 is an offensive action on Canada’s part that is causing an obvious and serious deterioration in First Nations/Canada relations. The unwillingness to take corrective measures and continue to consider legislation impacting First Nations only promotes further dissension. At this time, we feel obligated to caution Canada that continuation of this unilateral and paternalistic approach will only result in further deterioration and dissent amongst First Nations Peoples.”

After delivering the letters, the women chiefs returned to Victoria Island and after a long wait finally got to meet with Chief Spence. “We gave her our message of support and comforted her with the blanket we brought that we wrapped around her. We told her that whatever she needed she would just have to tell us and the Mohawks would support her,” Zachary-Deom said.

Each woman had the opportunity to speak individually to Spence, Sky-Deer said. “We each brought our own messages and words of support in how she inspired us, being a woman leader herself, and, you know, just the feeling in that tipi, to have 12 women there together and sharing the weight of what we carry for our communities and wanting to see the best things for our people and our future generations – it was a very positive, very uplifting, powerful experience,” Sky-Deer said.

The women said they hoped the meeting of the First Nations chiefs with the Harper government would result in some changes in the way the federal government conducts itself. “We hope to have a more direct relationship that’s not just them making decisions and passing legislation without consultation that directly affects people – our people and Canadians – across the country,” Sky-Deer said. “It’s very unilateral and it doesn’t take into account and consideration the long term effects that will happen. I’m hoping for the best. I’m hoping for maybe some repeal if the Harper government can understand what we’re looking at and what we want to protect.”

 

Get fit at the Tulalip Conditioning Center

 

Tulalip employees, tribal member Joseph Alexander and Jadah Milam are taking advantage of the conditioning center.
Tulalip Tribal members Joseph Alexander and Tulalip Tribes employee Jadah Milam are working up a sweat on the recumbent bikes.

By Jeannie Briones, Tulalip News staff

Since the opening of the Tulalip Conditioning Center five months ago, community members have taken advantage of  the various exercise equipment that the center offers, including treadmills, elliptical bikes, recumbent bikes, a heavy punching bag, speed bag, dumbbells, bench press, curling bench, ab crunchers, and other devices to provide an overall well-balanced workout.

“This center provides a healthy and safe program for our community. Diabetes run within Native American communities, so my main objective is providing somewhere the community can workout for free and feel safe at the same time,” said Josh Fryberg, Youth Services Recreation.

“I am thankful to have the opportunity to workout. I have kids and can’t workout at home, so I want to take advantage of this time,” said Tulalip Tribal employee Jadah Milam.

To better ensure that folks meet their health goals, Josh encourages people to workout in pairs and set weekly obtainable goals.

The Conditioning Center is available at no charge to tribal members, tribal employees, and community members. The center is open Monday through Friday, usually from 12:00 – 4:30 p.m., but hours may vary at different times throughout the week.

The Center is located at 7730 36th NW Ave W, Tulalip, WA 98271 (across from the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club). For additional questions, please contact Josh Fryberg at 425-377-4110.

 

Jeannie Briones: 360-716-4188; jbriones@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov 

Are you or is anyone in your family interested in becoming part of a Healing Circle?

BuffaloStarPeople_HealingBuffalo Star People is a Native nonprofit, based in South Dakota, dedicated to helping our relatives heal from losses, traumas, and addictions.  Buffalo Star People has been helping Native people in tribal communities transform their lives in powerful ways for over 7 years. They are here in our community to facilitate a series of Healing Circles for about 11 weeks, ending in a graduation ceremony.  Participants and mentors will be guided in a new approach to healing. Please consider joining us on this healing journey.

Want to learn how?  Our Healing Circles are free, and open to adults ages 18 and up.  The only requirement is that you complete an orientation with a facilitator.  Barbara Bettelyoun, Rosebud Sioux, is a Doctor of Psychology and has worked with Native communities on issues of trauma and healing for over 15 years.  She co-facilitates with her husband, Francis.  Francis Bettelyoun, Oglala Lakota and enrolled in the Ihanktonwan Sioux Tribe, is Vice President of Buffalo Star People Nonprofit, and has been co-facilitating Healing Circles for the past 7 years.

Orientation appointments immediately available for exploring the Healing Circle starting on 1/16.

Call to schedule a time that works for you:

Leila or Razi can be reached at 716-4100

Group co-facilitator Barbara Bettelyoun can be reached direct at 605-201-7576

 

 

 

Empowering Women – Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities

Special Upcoming Exhibit at the Seattle Burke Museum

http://www.burkemuseum.org/

June 15, 2013 – Oct. 27, 2013

One Moroccan artist teaches a village of women to read. An embroiderer from India takes out her first loan. A Hutu woman from war-torn Rwanda works with a Tutsi to make “peace” baskets. And a soup kitchen for aids orphans delivers meals because of a folk art cooperative’s success in Swaziland.

From Africa to Asia to the Americas, female artisans are creating grassroots cooperatives to reach new markets, raise living standards, and transform lives.

Empowering Women provides an intimate view of the work of ten such enterprises in ten countries. This exhibition illustrates how the power of such grassroots collaborations transform women’s lives, bringing together first-person quotes, stellar photographs, and stunning examples of the cooperatives’ handmade traditional arts.

 

Also on exhibit at the Burke Museum is Pacific Voices

The Pacific Northwest is home to a rich tapestry of cultures. In Pacific Voices, you’ll learn about seventeen different Pacific Rim cultures and how they adapt and remain vibrant in a changing modern world. Here you can learn about the revival of a dying language, hear the teachings of tribal elders, view beautiful Asian art, and learn about the ceremonies vital to cultural identity. The exhibit show-cases a wide variety of interesting artifacts from Washington State and around the Pacific Rim.

An excellent sampling of Northwest Coast Native art is currently on view in the Pacific Voices exhibit.

 

Hours

Open daily, 10 am – 5 pm.
On the first Thursday of each month, the museum stays open until 8 pm—and admission is free.

Closed: Christmas Day (Dec. 25), New Year’s Day (Jan. 1), July 4th, Thanksgiving Day.
Early closing: Museum closes at 3 pm on December 24 and December 31.
Weather closure: During inclement weather, call the museum after 10 am (206-543-7907) to confirm it is open.

Admission

General Admission
$10 general, $8 senior, $7.50 students (w/ID), and youth (5 & up)
FREE to Burke Members, children 4 and under, and UW staff/faculty/students

Free Admission—First Thursdays
Admission is free to the public on the first Thursday of each month.
Group tours may not be scheduled on these days.

Location and Directions

The Burke Museum is on the University of Washington campus at the corner of 17th Avenue NE and NE 45th Street.

From I-5, exit east onto NE 45th Street. Travel east on NE 45th Street to 17th Avenue NE. Turn right onto 17th. The museum will be immediately on your right.

From Highway 520, exit north onto Montlake Boulevard NE. Turn left onto NE Pacific Street. Turn right and head north on 15th Avenue NE. Turn right and head east on NE 45th St. Take your next right on 17th Avenue NE. The museum will be immediately on your right.

Silvertips Reorganize Coaching Staff – Junior Hockey News

By: Silvertips Staff
EVERETT – The Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League today announced that the club has parted ways with Head Coach Mark Ferner and Assistant Coach Chris Hartsburg, who have been relieved of their duties effective immediately.  General Manager Garry Davidson will take over as Head Coach on an interim basis, with Mitch Love continuing in his role as Assistant Coach.
“After taking a great deal of time over the last 11 months assessing and analyzing the direction of our organization, I’ve come to the decision that a change needed to be made,” said Davidson.  “It’s important for us to ensure that everyone in our organization operates under the same philosophy and shares the same vision of building a program that is among the WHL’s elite.”
“Mark Ferner and Chris Hartsburg deserve a great deal of respect and appreciation for all the hard work they have put in during their time with the Silvertips, and we would like to thank them both for their efforts.  Mark and Chris are good people and we wish them all the best going forward.”
The Silvertips will begin the search for the fifth head coach in franchise history in the offseason, with Davidson serving as interim coach through the remainder of the current season.  Love will remain in his current role as the lone assistant coach.  The franchise does not plan to add a second assistant coach at this time.
“In the short term our goals have not changed,” Davidson added.  “We will continue developing our young team and still plan to contend for a playoff spot.  When the offseason arrives, we’ll conduct an extensive search for the right candidate to become the next Head Coach of the Everett Silvertips.”
The Silvertips open a five-game homestand Friday night at Comcast Arena.  The ‘Tips host the Victoria Royals Friday at 7:35 pm before facing the Winterhawks again Saturday at 7:05 pm in downtown Everett.  The ‘Tips will also have visits from Tri-City, Seattle and Lethbridge during the home stretch over the next two weeks.
Season tickets, mini-game packages and single-game tickets for the Silvertips’ 10th Anniversary season at Comcast Arena are on sale now.  For more information visit www.everettsilvertips.com or call 425-252-5100.  To keep up with all the latest ‘Tips news, “like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter .

Jet City Rollergirls Season 6 Roller Derby

Jet City RollergirlsIt’s here!  It’s time!  It’s going to be AWESOME!!!  The Jet City Rollergirls are pleased to bring you Season 6 of Everett’s finest on the flat-track. Featuring all four home teams, as well as guest teams from the Northwest Region. And all bouts are double-headers! Season 6 kicks off February 6th. Visit their website at http://www.jetcityrollergirls.com/ for a schedule of events and more information on the teams.

 

 

Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe obtains sacred site

Article by Monica Brown
On Dec. 21, the 62 acres around Tamanowas Rock, including the rock itself, were purchased by the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe for $600,000. Tamanowas Rock, shaped like a pointed egg, stands more than 150 feet from the valley floor to the east of Anderson Lake State Park just south of Port Townsend.

The purchase has been added to the adjacent 22-acre property that has been owned by the tribe since the 1990’s and will be known as the Tamanowas Rock Sanctuary, “will be protected in perpetuity from development and inappropriate uses with respect to a cultural and religious Indian site,” according to the tribe’s official announcement of the purchase.

For over 10,000 years the Tamanowas rock which has been a sacred spot beginning with the Chemakuan people, now extinct. Currently a sacred location for many Salish people and would draw them in from as far north as the Lummi Nation. Tamanowas means “spirit power” in the Klallam language.

The rock was previously owned by George Heidgerkin, a developer who purchased the property in 1993 with plans for as many as 46 homes on the land surrounding the rock but was purchased by Washington State Parks in 2008 and transferred to the Jefferson Land Trust and purchased by the Tribe.

A new management plan has been developed that will allow continued but controlled public access Tribal plans include the addition of information kiosks to teach visitors of the history of the site; its cultural, religious and historic importance; and how to show respect to the land and the rock itself — including no rock climbing.

Images of the Tamanowas rock Sanctuary can be viewed here;

http://www.saveland.org/projects/land/Land_Detail.aspx?processid=59

ObamaCare Facts: Facts on the Obama Health Care Plan

ObamaCare Facts 2013 – We Tell you the Facts, Not The Talking Points

www.obamacarefacts.com

 

We present the Facts on Obama Care (ObamaCare) / The Health Care for America plan. Our goal is to help you understand the basics of the ObamaCare health care plan and bill, so you can decide for yourself what you think of ObamaCare, based on the facts and not the News Radio / TV opinions.

• ObamaCare, Obama Care and Health Care for America are all the same thing. The official name for “ObamaCare” is the Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act, a bill signed into law to reform the health care industry.

• Some aspects of Obamacare health care reform are already enacted. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed in 2010, and over 100 million Americans have already benefited from the new health care law.

• ObamaCare requires that insurance plans cover preventative services and stops insurance companies from dropping you when you are sick, as well as offering a number of other reforms and protections.

After you get done reading the ObamaCare facts check out the full, in detail, summary of Obama Care to get the facts on how Obama’s health care reform will really work: The Affordable Care Act Summary

• ObamaCare is a hot button political issue and both sides of the isle will try to persuade you for or against it. Get THE FACTS on ObamaCare and the Plan for Health Care in America.

• ObamaCare’s goal is to provide affordable health insurance for all US citizens and to reduce the growth in health care spending.

• ObamaCare does not replace private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.

• The Fact is ObamaCare gives 47 million women access to preventative health services and makes it illegal to charge women different rates than men. Get More ObamaCare Women’s Health Services Facts

• ObamaCare gives seniors access to cheaper drugs, free preventive care, Reforms Medicare Advantage, and closes the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole. The AARP agrees, costs won’t rise because of ObamaCare, if anything the improvements to the system will make seniors health care costs go down.

• 1 in 2 Americans have a “pre-existing” condition they could be denied health insurance for. ObamaCare Chips Away at Pre-Existing Conditions until 2017 when there are no more preexisting conditions for anyone, including high-risk customers.

• 54 million Americans with private health insurance now have access to preventive services with no cost sharing due to the new minium standards of ObamaCare.

• ObamaCare doesn’t ration health care, it protects consumers from the health care rationing insurance companies have been doing for ages.

Did your health insurance premium go up? The Fact is ObamaCare enacts a number of consumer protections including a rate review provision where insurance companies will have to justify rate hikes above 10% to your State and post details online immediately. Yet many Americans are still their premiums rise at alarming rates. Learn More About ObamaCare Insurance Premiums

• Other insurance reforms to curb the cost of premiums are already in action include a Medical Loss Ratio policy and other accountability measures. Many more protections go into effect in 2014, so far the average insurance premium has gone down and Americans saved $2.1 billion in 2012 alone.

• ObamaCare means 21 new taxes, get the facts on how they will affect you, your family and your business. ObamaCare Taxes Facts

• We’ve created a detailed ObamaCare Facts timeline of every protection, benefit and tax laid out by the Affordable Care Act Bill from 2010 to 2022. Health Care Reform Timeline

• ObamaCare’s insurance reform helps to insure millions of Americans each year. 48.6 million Americans went without insurance during all of 2011, compared to 49.9 million in 2010. The rate of uninsured decreased from 16.3% to 15.7%, the biggest percentage drop since 1999 due to the Affordable Care Act.

• ObamaCare takes measures to prevent all types of discrimination in regards to your right to health care, including discrimination based on gender, income and health issues.

• All Americans have the option to stay on their current healthcare plans. No one including seniors will be forced not to have healthcare. That’s an ObamaCare fact.

• ObamaCare reforms and expands Medicaid to an estimated 15 million of our nations poorest. That’s 6.1 million less than the last estimate due to States opting-out out of providing coverage, despite 100% federal funding for the first 3 years and 90% thereafter. ObamaCare Medicaid Expansion

• States will have to spend millions on Medicaid over the next ten years regardless of whether they implement Medicaid Expansion. However, states that do implement ObamaCare’s Medicaid Expansion will reap billions in additional federal dollars.

• 25 States have opted out of setting up a State Run Health Insurance Exchange. This leaves the federal tax payer responsible for providing care for their constituents. 19 are running a State Exchange, 7 set up joint exchanges. Find out more about ObamaCare’s State Run Exchanges

• ObamaCare provides $20 billion in tax credits for as many as 4 million Small Businesses to offset the cost of purchasing insurance on the Health Insurance Exchanges.

• Only the top 3% of small businesses will have to pay the additional 0.9% ObamaCare Medicare tax increase.

• Only .2% of businesses have over 50 employees and don’t already offer insurance to full-time workers. Providing these folks with insurance is the only “employer mandate” in ObamaCare.

• Over half uninsured Americans are small business owners, employees or their dependents. Learn the Truth Behind the ObamaCare Small Business Taxes, How They Affect America’s Biggest Job Creators.

• Want single payer? Come 2017 states will be able to get a waiver to set up their own approved health care solution, as long as it meets the standards of ObamaCare.

• Starting OCT 2013 insurance companies will compete to be your healthcare provider via a health insurance exchange pool, this helps to decrease insurance premiums for all Americans.

• The CBO Estimates 19 million Americans (of the 23 million estimated to use the exchange) will Receive Tax Credits to Purchase Insurance on the Exchanges.

• Due to Tax credits and up-front assistance Americans making under 400% of the FLP (roughly $88k for a family of 4) could see up to a 60% reduction in the cost of health insurance premiums.

• Employers can use SHOP, a part of the exchange, to purchase affordable coverage for their workers.

• Uninsured Americans cost the American healthcare system an additional $49 billion. Only 12% of uninsured families pay their hospital bills in full, this includes families making over $88k a year. These costs affect insurance premiums, ObamaCare helps to reduce this spending drastically.

• Annual limits for insurance premiums can be no more than 11% or less than 1.5% of your modified adjusted gross income, when insurance goes on sale via the health insurance exchanges in 2014.

• Members of Congress will purchase their health care through the health exchange like the rest of us (who chose not to opt out and pay a tax, are covered by Medicaid or choose to stay on their existing insurance) Get more facts about the ObamaCare Insurance Exchange

• In 2011 ObamaCare helped around 86 million Americans use free preventative services that had previously been subject to co-pays or deductibles.

• ObamaCare aims to improve community health care centers in an effort improve health care for those who cannot afford private health care.

• Obamacare doesn’t increase the deficit, it is projected to cut the deficit by over Trillion dollars over the next two decades.

• ObamaCare offers countless benefits and protections that have been rolling out since 2010 and continue into 2022. Find out more about the Benefits of ObamaCare

• In 2013 American Employers with more than 25 or less employees may receive tax breaks of up to 35% (25% non-profits) of the cost of their employees insurance premiums. In 2014 in increases to 50% (35%).

• Employers with more than 50 employees must insure their workers or pay a tax (like the current state run unemployment and workers compensation programs)

• ObamaCare won’t cause 650,000 Jobs to be lost as some of it’s detractors say (the number isn’t even in the CBO report on The Affordable Care Act). The often misrepresented quote stated that the only job loss ObamaCare may actually cause are from those who cut back their hours, since they will no longer have to rely on their jobs for their families health care. In fact most reports show that ObamaCare will create new jobs.

• ObamaCare doesn’t regulate health care, it regulates health insurance. What is ObamaCare?

• If an you or your family chooses not to purchase healthcare through the Online Health Insurance Exchange, they can still buy private insurance, get insurance through work or Medicare / Medicaid. Those who chose to not participate will pay an income “penalty” tax to help cover the rest of us. In other words it’s a tax, not a mandate, no one is actually forcing you to have health insurance.

• Obamacare cuts $716 billion of waste from Medicare and reimbursements to private Medicare Advantage plans and reinvests it into Obama’s health care reform. In other words $716 billion is saved and then $716 billion is reinvested back into Obamacare and Medicare. Doctors and hospitals almost universally agree on this reform.

• 19 million Americans will receive tax credits to help pay for healthcare and most middle class Americans will actually save thousands on healthcare via tax cuts (this has been going on for the past 3 years already)

• The Affordable Care Act (ACA or ObamaCare) reduces costs of premiums to millions of families and small businesses and provides billions dollars in tax relief – the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history.

• The healthcare industry, specifically doctors will be rewarded for quality over quantity.

• The Affordable Care Act allows Religious institutions to choose to be exempt from providing controversial contraception and reproductive health services to women. Multiple businesses have also received an exemption after taking the ruling to court.

• The Affordable Health Care Act doesn’t just focus on insurance, it also reforms the parts of the healthcare system that aren’t working or are costing the tax payer money. For example, by focusing on preventive measures instead of just treatment ObamaCare will save tens of billions of dollars and tens of thousands of lives.

• The ObamaCare fact is the average American will save money under Obamacare. In fact many Americans are already paying less for health care services.

• Obamacare cuts the national deficit by over two hundred billion dollars during it’s first 10 years.

• ObamaCare aims to make it easier for small businesses to provide coverage to workers by offering Tax Credits to employers who enroll their workers in private healthcare plans.

• One of the main goals of ObamaCare is to ensure that all preventative care will be free on all insurance plans. Private insurance plans that are grandfathered in and are all ready in place will be exempt until they lose their grandfathered status.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: The “ObamaCare” Bill is currently signed into law. There are many people who would like to see ObamaCare repealed. If Obamacare is repealed millions of Americans will be without proper health coverage and insurance companies will continue to be able to deny healthcare for preexisting conditions. Without healthcare reform America will continue suffer the consequences of a health care system controlled by private companies, who’s bottom line is money and not health. Help ObamaCare Facts to spread the truth about President Obama’s health care reform.