A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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NYS Assembly Unanimously Passes Resolution Calling on Pro Sports Leagues to Stop Using Racial Slurs Such as the Offensive R-Word ONEIDA NATION HOMELANDS (NY) (May 19, 2014) As NFL owners gathered for the NFL Spring Meeting in Atlanta, the New York State Assembly unanimously passed a resolution calling upon professional sports leagues to end their use of racial slurs. The resolution, introduced in New York State, where the NFL is headquartered, specifically cites the Washington NFL team’s R-word mascot as a dictionary-defined epithet. The new r...
AFN National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo Resigns, Picard Appointed as Spokesperson (Ottawa, ON) – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, in a statement on May 2nd in Ottawa, ON resigned as National Chief. Atleo cited the struggle over the First Nations Education Act as his reason, saying: “The current proposal on education is the latest attempt and a sincere, constructive effort on the part of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to take a step forward. I have fought for this work and to achieve this mandate. This work i...
Albuquerque, N.M. – April 26, 2014 – Taylor Thomas from Fort Hall, ID, and member of the Shoshone Bannock tribe was crowned Miss Indian World at the 31st Annual Gathering of Nations, the most prominent Native American powwow in the world. Thomas received the honor out of 23 Native American women representing their different tribes and traditions who competed in the areas of tribal knowledge, dancing ability, public speaking, and personality assessment. She is currently attending Idaho State Univ...
FOUR DENE CLANS OFFICIALLY REJECT NORTHERN GATEWAY PIPELINE A group of First Nations with territory covering a quarter of the route for the proposed Northern Gateway oil pipeline met with federal representatives recently to officially reject the project. Officials with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, the National Energy Board and Fisheries and Oceans Canada met with the four clans of the Yinka Dene in Fort St. James, and listened as dozens of elders and hereditary and elected chiefs said “No.” “We do not, we will not, allow this p...
UN CONDEMNS WASHINGTON’S NFL TEAM NAME WASHINGTON, DC – Human rights expert and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples James Anaya called the Washington NFL team’s current R-word team name a “hurtful reminder of past suffering of Native American.” The Oneida Indian Nation and its Change the Mascot campaign, as well as the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), are praising the UN for its powerful statement, which comes on the heels of Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter’s January mee...
U.S. Government Announces $1 Billion for Abandoned Uranium Mine Clean Up on the Navajo Nation (04/03/2014) SAN FRANCISCO – A settlement announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice secured approximately $1 billion in funds to cleanup 10 percent of abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation. The funds, going to both the EPA and the Navajo Nation, will be used to clean up contamination, which includes radioactive waste near communities, resulting from approximately 50 uranium mines that were o...
AFN WELCOMES ARRIVAL OF OMUSHKEGOWUK WALKERS IN OTTAWA February 24, 2014 (Ottawa, ON) – The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) welcomed the arrival of the Omushkegowuk Walkers to Ottawa, Ontario, arriving after a walk from Attawapiskat First Nation in Omushkegowuk territory that began on January 4. A group of walkers led by Danny Metatawabin left Attawapiskat First Nation on January 4 on a trek of more than 1,700 kilometres to Ottawa to raise awareness and call for action to honour First Nations Treaties and rights. Their route took them t...
UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR MEETS WITH LEONARD PELTIER IN PRISON COLEMAN, FLORIDA – On Friday January 24, 2014, United Nations Special Rapporteur, Professor James Anaya visited United States Penitentiary Coleman 1 in Florida, to meet with American Indian political prisoner Leonard Peltier. Professor Anaya is currently serving his second term as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People. In September 2012, following a series of consultation sessions with Indigenous Peoples throughout the United States, the Special R...
DECISION TO REJECT “REDSKINS” AS DEROGATORY BY U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE LAUDED BY ONEIDA INDIAN NATION Oneida campaign cited in Patent and Trademark Office Ruling ONEIDA NATION HOMELANDS (NY) (January 7, 2014) The Oneida Indian Nation and the Change the Mascot Campaign that it leads are lauding the decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to reject a recent application to register a trademark that used the term “Redskins.” “The USPTO ruling sends a powerful message to Washington team owner Dan Snyder and the NFL that...
HIGHWAY BATTLE OVER FRACKING CONTINUES IN NEW BRUNSWICK Content from APTN News ELSIPOGTOG FIRST NATION, NB - Demonstrations continued Monday against the exploration work of a Houston-based energy firm looking for shale gas deposits along a New Brunswick highway. SWN Resources Canada’s shale gas exploration work faced protests throughout the weekend and the RCMP was out in force on Hwy 11 attempting to keep the demonstrators away from the company’s machinery. Mi’kmaq community members from Elsipogtog have been leading the demonstrations which...
AFTER COURT LOSS, ELSIPOGTOG BRACES FOR SWN’S RETURN From APTN National News (abridged) By Jorge Barrera FREDERICTON–There were tears outside a courtroom in Fredericton Monday after a New Brunswick judge ruled against Elsipogtog First Nation which was seeking an injunction to stop a Houston-based energy company from continuing its controversial shale gas exploration work north of the community. Weeping supporters hugged Elsipogtog Chief Aaron Sock after Justice Judy Clendening handed down her ruling, effectively clearing the way for SWN Res...
ELSIPOGTOG PREPARES TO CONFRONT SWN’S MACHINERY LAKETON, NB–Warriors from Elsipogtog First Nation were preparing Tuesday evening to confront the machinery owned by a Houston-based energy firm conducting shale gas exploration work just north of the Mi’kmaq community. SWN Resources Canada is expected to roll out its thumper trucks Wednesday in an area along Hwy 11 and about 46 kilometres north of Elsipogtog First Nations. The company laid out a string of geophones Tuesday which will be used to capture the vibrations emitted by the thumper truck...
NATIVE AMERICANS’ SERVICE TO ARMY, NATION RECOGNIZED WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 31, 2013) -- “Throughout our Army’s 238-year history, American Indians have served valiantly and with distinction in times of peace and war, while also fighting for the right to be an equal part of our nation,” said Army leaders. Recognizing the contributions of American Indians to the Army and the nation were Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh, Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III, who tri-sig...
NATIONAL COALITION ON RACISM IN SPORTS AND MEDIA AND THE AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT ON THE DECLARATION OF “R” DAY Demonstration Planned in Minneapolis on 11/7 (October 22) MINNEAPOLIS----The American Indian Movement (AIM) and the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media (The Coalition) announced recently that because non-indigenous people have stolen portions of the sacred culture, heritage, religion and images of the Native American Nations for use and abuse by sports corporations for their profit and amusement, and because all such cul...
ONEIDA INDIAN NATION RELEASES POLL DATA ON WASHINGTON NAME CHANGE ONEIDA NATION HOMELANDS (NY) (October 16, 2013) The Oneida Indian Nation released in-depth public opinion survey research showing that if the Washington NFL team stops using a racial slur as its name, then the vast majority of Washington-area residents (73%) say the move will either not weaken their support for the team, or would actually strengthen their support. The polling also shows that an overwhelming majority of respondents (77%) believe that Washington team owner Dan...
VERONICA BROWN TRANSFERRED TO SOUTH CAROLINA TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA – OKLAHOMA CITY – After six days of negotiations between Cherokee Dusten Brown and the non-Native adoptive South Carolina proved futile, the Oklahoma State Supreme Court on Monday afternoon lifted the stay that had allowed four year old Veronica to stay with her American Indian family. Four year old Veronica Brown was transferred from her biological father, Dusten Brown, to the non-Native South Carolina couple Monday evening after the stay by the Oklahoma Supreme Court was lif...
ONEIDA INDIAN NATION LAUNCHES “CHANGE THE MASCOT” AD CAMPAIGN AGAINST D.C.’S NFL TEAM ONEIDA NATION HOMELANDS –On September 5th, the Oneida Indian Nation announced a new advertising campaign to urge Washington, D.C.’s professional football team to change its name. The first ads aired on sports radio in Washington, D.C. in advance of Washington’s season opening game against the Philadelphia Eagles. As the second series of ads launched, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that league and team officials “need to be listening” to the mounting calls...
AFN NATIONAL CHIEF ACKNOWLEDGES ANNIVERSARY OF THE UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES Calls For Action To Give Life To First Nations Rights OTTAWA, Sept. 13, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, on the sixth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) by the United Nations General Assembly, Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo expresses the urgent need for the federal government to work together with First Nations to implement and give life to the...
AMERICAN INDIAN GROUPS CALL FOR U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE INQUIRY SEATTLE – Tuesday, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Native American Rights Fund (NARF), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), as well as elected leaders and grassroots advocates from American Indian country, decried the United States’ violations of indigenous prisoners’ religious freedoms, to the United Nations Human Rights Committee. The coalition’s concerns took the form of a 15-page report, titled, “Joint Submission to Human Rights Committee Concernin...
PROTESTERS MARCH ON WYNNE’S HOUSE OVER MERCURY LEVELS IN FIRST NATION’S WATER Protesters descended on Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Toronto home on Sunday to draw attention to mercury levels at a Northern Ontario First Nation. Over 100 brightly dressed demonstrators attended, most of whom were carrying musical instruments and playing lively tunes. Unfortunately for the group, Wynne wasn’t home, but the supporters marched from North Toronto Collegiate School, shutting down Yonge St., to Wynne’s house. Water around Grassy Narrows First Nation ha...
CONSULTATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A FIRST NATION EDUCATION ACT: UPDATE ON PROGRESS OTTAWA, ONTARIO (August 14, 2013) –Bernard Valcourt, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, provided an update on the proposed First Nation Education Act: On July 12th, 2013, the Government sent A Blueprint for Legislation to more than 600 Chiefs and Band Councils across the country asking them to share it with members of their community for input and provide Aboriginal Affairs and Northern D...
INSTABILITY IN FIRST NATIONS POLICING IN ONTARIO LEADING TO LETHAL RESPONSES IN WAKE OF RECENT POLICE SHOOTING IN ONEIDA NATION OF THE THAMES Toronto, ON (August 12, 2013) The Chiefs of Ontario are awaiting information on the circumstances that led to shots being fired by a member of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in the Oneida Nation of the Thames on the Saturday morning of the August long weekend. Gunfire was exchanged and a young man was shot. The Special Investigations Unit is currently investigating. Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy...
AUGUST 9TH IS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES The International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (9 August) was first proclaimed by the General Assembly in December 1994, to be celebrated every year during the first International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1995 – 2004). In 2004, the Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade, from 2005 – 2014, with the theme of “A Decade for Action and Dignity.” The focus of this year’s International Day is “Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honouring treaties,...
NWAC CALLS ON HARPER GOVERNMENT TO JOIN THE REST OF CANADA AND SUPPORT A NATIONAL PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO MISSING AND MURDERED ABORIGINAL WOMEN IN CANADA Ottawa, ON. (July 26, 2013). The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) along with other Aboriginal leaders met on July 24, 2013 with Premiers at the Council of Federation meeting held at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario in what is being described as a historical moment for all Canadians and in particular to the Aboriginal people of Canada, many of whom can count among their families, a m...
NATIONAL NATIVE ORGANIZATIONS ANNOUNCE PURSUIT OF CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT FOR BABY VERONICA July 22, 2013 - Washington, DC – Three of the nation’s leading tribal organizations announced today they are in the early stages of pursuing litigation to protect the civil rights of Veronica Brown, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation who has been denied due process in the South Carolina courts. Late Wednesday of last week the South Carolina Supreme Court issued a controversial order to the state’s family court calling for an expedited transfer of custo...
