Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Leonard Peltier's Indigenous Day Statement
Leonard Peltier has released a 2012 Indigenous Day statement. Peltier is a Native American activist and member of the American Indian Movement, and he has been incarcerated since 1977.
Greetings my relatives and friends, supporters!
I know I say this same line all the time but in reality you all are my relatives and I appreciate you. I cannot say that enough. Some of our people, as well as ourselves have decided to call today Indigenous Day instead of Columbus Day and it makes me really think about how many People who still celebrate Columbus, a cruel, mass murderer who on his last trip to the Americas, as I have read, was arrested by his own people for being too cruel. When you consider those kinds of cruelty against our People and his status, it makes you wonder to what level he had taken his cruelty. In all of this historical knowledge that is available people still want to celebrate and hold in high esteem this murderer.
If we were to celebrate Hitler Day, or Mussolini Day, or some other murderer and initiator of violence and genocide, there would be widespread condemnation. It would be like celebrating Bush Day in Iraq. It's kind of sad to say that even mentioning Columbus in my comments gives him more recognition that he should have. So I agree wholeheartedly with all of you out there that have chosen to call this Indigenous Day. If I weren't Native American or as some of have come to say - Indigenous, I would still love our ways and cling to our ways and cherish our ways. I see our ways as the way to the future, for the world. Whereas I, and others, have said over and over, and our People before us: This earth is our Mother. This earth is life. And anything you take from the earth creates a debt that is to be paid back at some time in the future by someone.
In speaking of our ways I can't help but think of times that our sweat lodge that I feel that we could be anywhere, that we are with the Indigenous People, in that time, those moments in our prayers and in our hearts there is no distance between us. I am no longer in a prison in Florida. I can be on the prairie in South Dakota or in a lodge in British Columbia or in a lodge in South America. Or even with some of my children in a family lodge. We all need to be thankful for what we have but we cannot afford to forget what has been taken from us. There is no amount of freedom that I could personally receive that would be restitution enough for what they have taken from me. But if in some way my incarceration and sacrifices for our People who came before me and throughout our Indigenous history serves as a pathway to a brighter future, a healthier earth, and for life of all mankind; if it would bring us together to be of one mind in protecting the future of our People, our children, and all the future generations upon the earth, then it will have been well worth it.
Indigenous Day should become a way of life that embraces all that promotes life and not just a few days out of the year. If you're standing or sitting or whatever with whoever lives around you, give your loved ones a hug for me. Guard your freedom zealously. Rescue Mother Earth where you can. Sweat often and know that this common man, Leonard Peltier, will always be with you in the struggle, one way or another.
May the Great Spirit bless you with the things you need and enough to share.
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Osceola, Geronimo, Chief Seattle and all those many others who stood for what was right and tried to right what was wrong.
Mitakuye Oyasin.
Leonard Peltier
[October 2012]
I know I say this same line all the time but in reality you all are my relatives and I appreciate you. I cannot say that enough. Some of our people, as well as ourselves have decided to call today Indigenous Day instead of Columbus Day and it makes me really think about how many People who still celebrate Columbus, a cruel, mass murderer who on his last trip to the Americas, as I have read, was arrested by his own people for being too cruel. When you consider those kinds of cruelty against our People and his status, it makes you wonder to what level he had taken his cruelty. In all of this historical knowledge that is available people still want to celebrate and hold in high esteem this murderer.
If we were to celebrate Hitler Day, or Mussolini Day, or some other murderer and initiator of violence and genocide, there would be widespread condemnation. It would be like celebrating Bush Day in Iraq. It's kind of sad to say that even mentioning Columbus in my comments gives him more recognition that he should have. So I agree wholeheartedly with all of you out there that have chosen to call this Indigenous Day. If I weren't Native American or as some of have come to say - Indigenous, I would still love our ways and cling to our ways and cherish our ways. I see our ways as the way to the future, for the world. Whereas I, and others, have said over and over, and our People before us: This earth is our Mother. This earth is life. And anything you take from the earth creates a debt that is to be paid back at some time in the future by someone.
In speaking of our ways I can't help but think of times that our sweat lodge that I feel that we could be anywhere, that we are with the Indigenous People, in that time, those moments in our prayers and in our hearts there is no distance between us. I am no longer in a prison in Florida. I can be on the prairie in South Dakota or in a lodge in British Columbia or in a lodge in South America. Or even with some of my children in a family lodge. We all need to be thankful for what we have but we cannot afford to forget what has been taken from us. There is no amount of freedom that I could personally receive that would be restitution enough for what they have taken from me. But if in some way my incarceration and sacrifices for our People who came before me and throughout our Indigenous history serves as a pathway to a brighter future, a healthier earth, and for life of all mankind; if it would bring us together to be of one mind in protecting the future of our People, our children, and all the future generations upon the earth, then it will have been well worth it.
Indigenous Day should become a way of life that embraces all that promotes life and not just a few days out of the year. If you're standing or sitting or whatever with whoever lives around you, give your loved ones a hug for me. Guard your freedom zealously. Rescue Mother Earth where you can. Sweat often and know that this common man, Leonard Peltier, will always be with you in the struggle, one way or another.
May the Great Spirit bless you with the things you need and enough to share.
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Osceola, Geronimo, Chief Seattle and all those many others who stood for what was right and tried to right what was wrong.
Mitakuye Oyasin.
Leonard Peltier
[October 2012]
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
Ok, enough already. Free Leonard Peltier.
When I think back to the British Tribes Sextus' Conquest, I believe that from around 42AD to the present time, the loss of the fully functioning Matriarchy, and the continuation of Imperialist Male domination of all societies smitten by Empire since their beginnings, has left me a much less person then the liberated specie, which contains the Matriarchy, and its total respect for the organic web-of-life around us.
On the question of Lingo, I believe in the liberation of our specie from the narrow chauvinistic bigots who are now commanding the language, they will need to be removed so the natural ways of describing the natural world can again take place. Take for instance the Euro-Centric Calendar made by the Roman Empire which replaced the British Tribes Lunar Calendar, and to this day is more imperfect and removed from the time of the solar measures of time that every was.
The Roman Catholics ( the former slave holders) never tire of telling us that the Gregorian Calendar replaced the Julian Calendar false measure of time, ie twelve months instead of the thirteen months that measure the lunar changes per year. They say the Gregorian Calendar is not Roman but Christian.
Look at it truthfully and you'll see that is not so. For instance the Months of July, and August are glory months of name saked Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar (Christ never forgave of forgot the Imperialist Military enslavers that murdered the worlds natural functions, including himself), who like Colombus were Enslaving Mass Murders and Killers of the world's functioning Matriarchy and Working Classes-- each enslaved Nun is living proof to this day of these cruel and unusual practices.
Further each month is still Romanized with Latin endings, and not local to each dialect. Realize September, October, November, December, January ( the Roman God of Hypocracy that says one thing to your face, but another behind your back, or as the indigenous peoples say a person with forked toungue).
But it gets even worse because it detracts our minds from the actual time of the year. The Lunar New Year is the first day that the days begin to get longer instead of shorter. That day is December 23 each and every year. The thirteen months are each 28 days long, and signal the four changes of the moon as it waxes and wanes each month, and it is said that people could that way tell the time of the year and month by the look of the moon. A Real sun dial.
All that is lost in the twelve months to the year. It is lost because it does not tell the time by the movement of the solar system that we live in and on each and every year. Yes we need a new calendar in the world based again on mother natures kinder laws, and not on the glorification of monsterous mass murderers and enslavers to ignorance and starvation of knowledge to the needs of Empire for the one percent.
Victory to the change to power to the 99%!! Workers of the world, unite!! End pollution imperial wars, as false time and a waste of precious time and the life on the planet. You yet have a world to win!! Communes not prisons. Free Leonard Peltier!!
On the question of Lingo, I believe in the liberation of our specie from the narrow chauvinistic bigots who are now commanding the language, they will need to be removed so the natural ways of describing the natural world can again take place. Take for instance the Euro-Centric Calendar made by the Roman Empire which replaced the British Tribes Lunar Calendar, and to this day is more imperfect and removed from the time of the solar measures of time that every was.
The Roman Catholics ( the former slave holders) never tire of telling us that the Gregorian Calendar replaced the Julian Calendar false measure of time, ie twelve months instead of the thirteen months that measure the lunar changes per year. They say the Gregorian Calendar is not Roman but Christian.
Look at it truthfully and you'll see that is not so. For instance the Months of July, and August are glory months of name saked Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar (Christ never forgave of forgot the Imperialist Military enslavers that murdered the worlds natural functions, including himself), who like Colombus were Enslaving Mass Murders and Killers of the world's functioning Matriarchy and Working Classes-- each enslaved Nun is living proof to this day of these cruel and unusual practices.
Further each month is still Romanized with Latin endings, and not local to each dialect. Realize September, October, November, December, January ( the Roman God of Hypocracy that says one thing to your face, but another behind your back, or as the indigenous peoples say a person with forked toungue).
But it gets even worse because it detracts our minds from the actual time of the year. The Lunar New Year is the first day that the days begin to get longer instead of shorter. That day is December 23 each and every year. The thirteen months are each 28 days long, and signal the four changes of the moon as it waxes and wanes each month, and it is said that people could that way tell the time of the year and month by the look of the moon. A Real sun dial.
All that is lost in the twelve months to the year. It is lost because it does not tell the time by the movement of the solar system that we live in and on each and every year. Yes we need a new calendar in the world based again on mother natures kinder laws, and not on the glorification of monsterous mass murderers and enslavers to ignorance and starvation of knowledge to the needs of Empire for the one percent.
Victory to the change to power to the 99%!! Workers of the world, unite!! End pollution imperial wars, as false time and a waste of precious time and the life on the planet. You yet have a world to win!! Communes not prisons. Free Leonard Peltier!!
Someday your name will be cleared, someday our souls will be back, someday may all the gods roar and set you free. I see you walking among us and smiling; it will be a great day for all humans.
For more information:
http://http:/IndividualsForJustice.com
we feel privilaged to be able to send our love and prayers to LEONARD for the past many years. chaplin frank adams we will never stop praying for a wrong te be changed into freedom your brother in CHRIST. my ancestors are OSAGE.
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$75.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network