May 4, 2012
Winnemem Wintu Tribe

For more information

Caleen Sisk, Spiritual Leader and Tribal Chief: 530-710-4817
James Ward, media relations: 530-638-5580

FOREST SERVICE IGNORES TRIBE’S REQUEST FOR PEACEFUL SACRED CEREMONY; TRIBE PLANS WAR DANCE TO PROTECT TRADITIONAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Winnemem Wintu Tribe needs 4-day closure of 400-yard section of McCloud River to Perform Girls’ Traditional Coming of Age Ceremony

Redding, CA – U.S. Forest Service Region 5 Forester Randy Moore has missed his May 1 deadline to respond to the Winnemem Wintu’s request for a mandatory river closure to protect their Coming of Age ceremony this summer. The tribe has had not received any intention of Mr. Moore to respond in a timely fashion, and because the government’s legal process is clearly a dead end, the Winnemem will now hold a H’up Chonas, or War Dance, in the near future to defend their cultural rites in a traditional way.

Previous Coming of Age ceremonies have been disrupted by drunken recreational boaters motoring through the site and heckling the tribe with racial slurs.

“I am saddened that Moore does not have the courage to do what’s right,” Sisk said. “We lost all our land when they built Shasta Dam, and now all we want is four days of peace and dignity for our ceremony, which is vital to the social fabric of our tribe. A peaceful ceremony is our right, and we are not accepting anything short of that.”

The tribe is placing a call to action.  During the War Dance, the tribe, hundreds of tribal members from around the west coast and allies will gather in solidarity to ensure their sacred ceremony will proceed unhindered as it has for thousands of years before the Forest Service existed.  For more information, contact the tribe at: winnememwintutribe@gmail.com.  Details will be on the Winnemem Wintu web site soon.

The tribe first brought back the H’up Chonas, or War Dance, in 2004 to protest the proposal to raise Shasta Dam, which would flood many important sacred sites, including the site of the Coming of Age ceremonies. The War Dance signifies a commitment to a spiritual and physical resistance to threats to the tribe’s culture. It means the Winnemem are willing to die to protect their tribal way of life.

Frustrated by being ignored by Shasta-Trinity Forest officials for the past six years, members of the Tribe challenged Mr. Moore at his office in Vallejo, CA, April 16, to ask him directly for the closure for the young women’s ceremony.

Citing the U.N. Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples recently signed by President Obama, Chief Sisk and several women of the tribe sought to convince Mr. Moore that this is an issue of human rights and women’s rights.  The Forest Service’s position has been that they lack the authority to grant the request for the traditional tribe, though sources within the agency have verified that Mr. Moore has the authority to close the stretch of river necessary for the ceremony.

In previous ceremonies, the Forest Service attempted a “voluntary” closure of the river, which has led to the tribe being heckled and abused by antagonistic recreational boaters who are often drunk and have shouted racial slurs like “Fat Indians!”.

At the April 16 event, Chief Sisk reported to the press that a voluntary closure means that, “the 10 percent who mean harm, disrespect and possible violence barge through the ceremony by motor boat and prove that a voluntary closure does not work. “

Though the Winnemem are federally unrecognized due to a bureaucratic error, the Forest Service has previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the tribe, which states they are the indigenous people from the McCloud River.

Moore said the Forest Service could close the river for a federally recognized tribe on the Winnemem’s behalf. Not only is this an insult to the Winnemem, but it is exceedingly dangerous. It could set a legal precedent that another tribe has authority over the site and the ceremony.

“What if the Mormons had to ask the Catholic Church for permission to have a ceremony?” Sisk asked. “What if one day the Catholics said no? Then what do you do?”

The north end of the ceremony site is private land not accessible to boaters. The river closure would not stop a thoroughfare, but simply cut off a 400-yard corner of the 30,000 square-acre Shasta Lake.

At previous ceremonies, the Forest Service’s law enforcement officers have implemented a mandatory closure of the river on the last day of the ceremony when the young women swim across to symbolize their transition to womanhood.  They have cited safety reasons behind the closure.

Learn more about the Winnemem Wintu at http://www.winnememwintu.us/

Learn more about the ceremony at www.saveourceremony.com.

Download Video of motorboats speeding past ceremony and flashing the participants at: http://vimeo.com/39867112

Footage of April 16, 2012 protest at Forest Service Region 5 Headquarters in Vallejo: http://youtu.be/oglCy–o7oY

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Never Alone Tour

A speaking tour about long-term anarchist prisoner support, taking a close look at the cases of Eric McDavid* and Marie Mason

About the Tour

The tour will be throughout April, across the US. The complete itinerary is available at : neveralonetour.wordpress.com

Multimedia presentations about the cases of Eric and Marie!
A discussion about long-term anarchist prisoner support!
Strategies to build stronger cultures of resistance!
Security/culture: v.2012 – now with extra tech!
Rockstar guest speakers!
Rage and love!

*Eric McDavid was arrested in January 2006 and charged with a single count of conspiracy. Eric, who never carried out actions and was accused of what amounts to “thoughtcrime,” refused to cooperate with the state and took his case to trial. He was convicted by a jury after a trial fraught with errors and sentenced to almost 20 years in prison. More information of Eric and his case is available on supporteric.org.

**Marie Mason was arrested in March 2008 after her former partner turned informant for the FBI. Facing a life sentence if she went to trial, Marie accepted a plea bargain in September 2008, admitting her involvement in the burning of an office connected to GMO research and the destruction of a piece of logging equipment. She was sentenced to almost 22 years in February 2009. Information on Marie and her case can be found at supportmariemason.org.

Free all prisoners! Destroy all prisons!

Contact: neveralonetour@riseup.net

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Join your community allies while building cross-movement solidarity by learning about, writing to and supporting domestic and international Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War. All materials are provided as well as tutorials for those who have not written to people in prison.

Co-sponsored by: Portland Books to Prisoners, Oregon Jericho, NW Jericho Coalition, Portland Animal Defense League, Cascadia Earth First, Portland Anarchist Black Cross, Civil Liberties Defense Center, Portland Central America Solidarity Committee and more…

Tuesday May 8th 7-9pm
Lucky Labrador Tap Room
1700 North Killingsworth Street
Portland, OR 972177-9

Tuesday May 29th 7-9pm
Red & Black Cafe
400 SE 12th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214

Contact: oregon.jericho@gmail.com

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15 week training course for activist/organizers

Together, we make a powerful difference!

Occupy Eugene, in collaboration with the Civil Liberties Defense Center, presents a multi-week organizer training series for social justice activists. Come learn everything you need to know to be a strategic, confident organizer!

When: Every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm, starting March 14, including some 8-hour sessions held on a weekend.

Where: Occupy Eugene V (1274 W. 7th Ave., Eugene).

The trainings will be led by expert trainers from various progressive social change movements. Each session is designed to build upon prior sessions. One of the end goals of this training series will be to create a draft strategic campaign plan for the Occupy Eugene movement and empower activists to step up their organizing and actions.

Everyone is welcome. Donations are accepted but no one is turned away for lack of funds. Bring a folding chair, notebook and pen. We are planning to have each session video recorded and live streamed so that activists outside of Eugene can participate via the internet as well.

A sampling of some of the training sessions include:

• Fundamentals: Direct action organizing— doing the political work
• Strategic campaign planning & organizing—8 hr session
• Economic context of organizing
• Choosing Problems & Issues
• Action guidelines: planning events, campaigns
• Preventing cooption/infiltration
• Developing clear and winnable campaign goals,
• Building and using organizational power
• Recruitment: broadening and deepening membership
• Building and working with coalitions
• Identifying and researching targets
• Creating tactics that will have a direct impact on chosen target
• Media guidelines, press releases, press conferneces, public speaking
• Accountability sessions: how to meet/advocate to politicians/officials

For more information, contact the Civil Liberties Defense Center at 541-687-9180; info@cldc.org, or check out the Occupy Eugene website at http://occupyeugenemedia.org.

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The CLDC is looking for people to participate in creating and performing a Know Your Rights/Security Culture puppet show for activists. Basic script is ready to go!

We need people to create puppets and learn and/or perform with them.  Ideally performers will be in the Eugene/Portland area, but puppet artists could be anywhere!

Do you speak Spanish or Arabic? We would be particularly interested in hearing from you!

Email info@cldc.org with the subject:  Puppets!

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