ACTION ALERT: Protest Halts Destruction On Sacred San Francisco Peaks
June 16, 2011 by pathfinder
Filed under Latest Posts
ACTIVISTS ARE NOW LOCKED DOWN TO EQUIPMENT: THE PROTEST HALTS DESTRUCTION ON SACRED SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS:
“Four weeks of desecration has already occurred. Too much has already been taken. Today, tomorrow and for a healthy future, we say “enough!”
“Our action is a prayer.”
(The struggle to protect the San Francisco Peaks is intricately connected with protecting the sacred places of Big Mountain & Black Mesa, AZ. Located just outside of Flagstaff, AZ the San Francisco Peaks has considerable religious significance to thirteen local Indigenous nations (including the Havasupai, Dine’ (Navajo), Hopi, and Zuni.) In particular, it forms the Dine’ sacred mountain of the west, called the Dook’o’oosłííd.
Here is a video that we recently discovered which also explains the significance of the Peaks to the Dine’: http://intercontinentalcry.org/dookooosliid-what-the-san-francisco-peaks-means-to-the-dine/)
Breaking news photos now at Censored News: http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
Today activists locked down to equipment used to construct a pipeline at Snowbowl, the ski area atop of the San Francisco peaks outside of Flagstaff, AZ. (See their press release below). The peaks are sacred to 13 Indigenous nations and play a central role in the creation stories of the Dineh, as well as serving as markers of the borders of Dinetah (Dineh land). The pipeline is meant to carry sewage water that will be used as fake snow for the ski area. Spraying sewage on this sacred place, beyond being profoundly disrespectful and insulting, will destroy a fragile and unique ecosystem in which medicine people gather plants for healing and ceremonies.
Please, support these activists! Six have been arrested, four of whom are Native. They are being held at the county jail and their bond is set at $238 each. If you are in a position to help financially, if you have legal skills that could be of service, or if you’re an independent journalist who can cover this story, please contact:
- DONATE: Through PayPal email: oybm@oybm.org OR http://www.facebook.com/l/4da4dx41FU_VsubSmh1VImLnYLg/www.indigenousaction.org” Help volunteer defenders of sacred sites.
- Good updte about the Peaks direction action on KUYI Hopi Radio, 88.1 FM! http://www.kuyi.net
Please hold these fighters in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you!
Black Mesa Indigenous Support
Please see this Press Release which has great background info on the Holy Peaks and Sacred Sites:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday morning, June 16, 2011
Contact: Beth Lavely
Tel: 928.254.1064
PROTECT THE PEAKS – STOP DESTRUCTION & DESECRATION NOW!
Today we take direct action to stop further desecration and destruction of
the Holy San Francisco Peaks. We stand with our ancestors, with allies and
with those who also choose to embrace diverse tactics to safeguard
Indigenous People’s cultural survival, our community’s health, and this
sensitive mountain ecosystem.
On May 25th 2011, sanctioned by the US Forest Service, owners of Arizona
Snowbowl began further destruction and desecration of the Holy San Francisco
Peaks. Snowbowl’s hired work crews have laid over a mile and a half of the
planned 14.8 mile wastewater pipeline. They have cut a six foot wide and six
foot deep gash into the Holy Mountain.
Although a current legal battle is under appeal, Snowbowl owners have chosen
to undermine judicial process by rushing to construct the pipeline. Not only
do they disregard culture, environment, and our children’s health, they have
proven that they are criminals beyond reproach.
Four weeks of desecration has already occurred. Too much has already been
taken. Today, tomorrow and for a healthy future, we say “enough!”
As we take action, we look to the East and see Bear Butte facing
desecration, Mt. Taylor facing further uranium mining; to the South, Mt.
Graham desecrated, South Mountain threatened, the US/Mexico border severing
Indigenous communities from sacred places; to the West, inspiring resistance
at Sogorea Te, Moana Keya facing desecration; to the North, Mt. Tenabo,
Grand Canyon, Black Mesa, and so many more… our homelands and our culture
under assault.
We thought that the USDA, heads of the Forest Service, had meant it when
they initiated nationwide listening sessions to protect sacred places. If
the process was meaningful, we would not have to take action today.
More than 13 Indigenous Nations hold the Peaks Holy. The question has been
asked yet we hear no response, “what part of sacred don’t you understand?”
For hundreds of years resistance to colonialism, slavery, & destruction of
Mother Earth has existed and continues here in what we now call Arizona.
The United States recently moved to join the United Nations Declaration on
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, evidently the US has not currently
observed and acted upon this declaration, otherwise we would not be taking
action today. This document informs our action, we also assert that UNDRIP
supports the basis for our action.
Although a current legal battle is under appeal, Snowbowl owners have chosen
to undermine judicial process by rushing to construct the pipeline. Not only
do they disregard culture, environment, and our children’s health, they have
proven that they are criminals beyond reproach.
Four weeks of desecration has already occurred. Too much has already been
taken. Today, tomorrow and for a healthy future, we say “enough!”
As we take action, we look to the East and see Bear Butte facing
desecration, Mt. Taylor facing further uranium mining; to the South, Mt.
Graham desecrated, South Mountain threatened, the US/Mexico border severing
Indigenous communities from sacred places; to the West, inspiring resistance
at Sogorea Te, Moana Keya facing desecration; to the North, Mt. Tenabo,
Grand Canyon, Black Mesa, and so many more… our homelands and our culture
under assault.
We thought that the USDA, heads of the Forest Service, had meant it when
they initiated nationwide listening sessions to protect sacred places. If
the process was meaningful, we would not have to take action today.
More than 13 Indigenous Nations hold the Peaks Holy. The question has been
asked yet we hear no response, “what part of sacred don’t you understand?”
For hundreds of years resistance to colonialism, slavery, & destruction of
Mother Earth has existed and continues here in what we now call Arizona.
The United States recently moved to join the United Nations Declaration on
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, evidently the US has not currently
observed and acted upon this declaration, otherwise we would not be taking
action today. This document informs our action, we also assert that UNDRIP
supports the basis for our action.
We continue today resisting Snowbowl’s plan to spray millions of gallons of
wastewater snow, which is filled with cancer causing and other harmful
contaminants, as well as clear-cut over 30,000 trees. The Peaks are a
pristine and beautiful place, a fragile ecosystem, and home to rare and
endangered species of plants and animals.
Our action is a prayer.
We invite those of you who could not join us today and who believe in the
protection of culture, the environment and community health to resist
destruction and desecration of the Peaks:
– Join us and others in physically stopping all Snowbowl development!
