Monthly Archives: October 2009
Dan Veesenmeyer / Language Class 10-28-09.
Dan received his eagle feather at language class. Melvin Grey Owl honored him with the eagle feather. Dan’s daughter Katie was there to see her father get his eagle feather. I was honored to give one of my eagle feathers to Dan. Dan has been finding his native ways and walking the red road. He served in the war for his country. He has a wonderful family. He is involved in his church. Dan is a MMDC member. He is truly a Dakota Warrior.
CONGRATULATIONS!
1ST Annual Twin Cities Pow Wow.
Pictures of Indian Reservation’s

Indian Reservation Mapswww.smarter.com/maps
Two Native artists receive Bush’s Enduring Visions Award
Written by Sheila Regan
Tuesday, August 25 2009
Musician Kevin Locke (Lakota/ Anishinaabe) and storyteller Mary Louise Defender Mary Louise Defender/ Bush Award recipientKevin Locke Bush Award recipient(Dakotah/Hidatsa) have each been awarded The Bush Foundation’s $100,000 Enduring Vision Award. A total of three artists received the award this year, with funds to be distributed over the next three to five years.
The Enduring Vision Awards are given to established artists to be an example for present and future generations in their fields, according to a Bush Foundation press release.
It’s purely coincidental that two of the three final winners are Native, as there are no racial or gender quotas in the criteria, according to Kathy Graves, a spokesperson for the Bush Foundation. In 2008, one of the award winners was White Earth Ojibwe painter Frank Big Bear. 

Leonard Peltier’s freedom05 November 2009; 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
*’“’*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*
> “I would like to ask you why when we speak you do not listen, and
> when you listen, you do not hear, and when you hear us, you do not
> choose to understand what we say. This is one time that I ask you
> to listen carefully and understand what we have to say.”–Frank
> Fools Crow
> *’“’*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*:-.,_,.-:*’“’
>
>
> * Call to Action *
>
> What: Peaceful demonstration in support of Leonard Peltier’s freedom
> When: 05 November 2009; 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
> Where: Washington, DC
>
> President Obama will host his first annual White House Tribal Summit
> on 05 November 2009. The Nations will be given the opportunity to
> interact directly with the president and other top administration
> officials. All of the 564 federally recognized tribes are invited
> to send a representative. This is a prime opportunity to be seen
> and heard on the issue of Leonard Peltier’s wrongful conviction
> and imprisonment. Please plan to attend.
>
> Supporters will gather in Lafayette Park on Pennsylvania Avenue
> (across from the White House) at 6:00 a.m. Bring signs and banners,
> wear Peltier T-Shirts, etc. From Lafayette Park, supporters will
> walk to the Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, where
> tribal leaders will assemble for their meeting with President Obama.
>
> In support of this action, tribal members are asked to (1) urge your
> Tribal Chairpersons to speak to Obama on Mr. Peltier’s behalf – Free
> Peltier NOW; and (2) lobby your Tribal Councils to pass resolutions
> calling for freedom for Peltier, the release of all case-related
> documents still withheld by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
> (FBI), and a congressional hearing on the government’s role in the
> turmoil on Pine Ridge Reservation during the 1970s.
>
>
> * Do It and Keep Doing It *
>
> Clemency is one path to freedom for Leonard Peltier. However, there
> are other issues that deserve as much attention – an Executive
> Review by Attorney General Eric Holder, for example. We’ve pushed
> for a review recently, as you know. But there are other important
> initiatives that we all need to work on:
>
> –> Congressional Hearing – In the early 70s, the Select Committee to Study
> Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities,
> or the Church Committee, investigated the counterintelligence
> activities of the FBI. The FBI conducted more than 2,000 COINTELPRO
> operations before the programs were officially discontinued in
> April of 1971. (While the programs themselves were discontinued,
> the FBI’s practices that the Church Committee found so objectionable
> were not.) The Church Committee had intended to investigate the
> American Indian Movement as another dissident group targeted by the
> Bureau. Witnesses had been investigated by congressional staff and
> called to provide testimony. However, one day after the firefight
> at Oglala, the Church Committee cancelled the hearings. We need
> to work hard to see that official misconduct in Indian Country -
> past and present – is finally addressed.
>
> –> FOIA Documents – The FBI continues to withhold tens of thousands
> of documents related to the RESMURS investigation. These documents
> are over 25 years old and, at minimum, should be turned over to
> the National Archives. Why are the documents important? You have
> all heard about information uncovered after Mr. Peltier’s trial.
> Given the nature of that evidence -the withheld ballistics report,
> for example – there is every reason to expect that other evidence
> is contained in the documents that may allow Mr. Peltier to appeal
> his conviction.
>
> On his first full day in office, President Obama signed an Executive
> Order with regard to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). He
> encouraged accountability through transparency, and said FOIA should
> be administered with a presumption of openness. Due to subsequent
> guidelines established by AG Holder, the Peltier Legal Team may
> succeed at getting Peltier documents released. But the attorneys
> need your help to make that happen.
>
> We host online petitions on these issues, of course. We urge
> you to sign them. That’s easy. However, petitions are not
> as effective as letters and phone calls to your senators and
> representative in Congress, or to the congressional committees and
> subcommittees responsible for oversight of government agencies and
> their activities. Mr. Peltier needs everyone to work hard toward
> achieving movement in the above areas.
>
> You’ll find Guidance on the above issues on our home page at
>
> our upcoming digests.


