A Sign

So this morning I went out at 6 am to the Sacred Fire area to sit with Al Robles. I had clipped his picture with a clothes pin to a bush under the cherry tree, the picture where he’s emphasizing something punching the air with his finger. It had become a prayer flag for me. I couldn’t bear to take it down from where I put it to pray for his healing.

I left it fluttering or soggily bent in half, letting the Oregon rain wash over it. “When it wears away, his love will spread,” I thought.

I’ve been on email, or writing poems, or on websites and Facebook reading about Al. I’ve been reading Bulosan, watching "Manilatown is in the Heart," basically inside the house feeling sorry for myself.

This morning at 4 am, I tuned in on the YouTube memorial clip, taking a moment of silence by myself listening to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” with ukulele in Iz style. And I thought to myself, “I wonder if I go out to the Fire, if Al will visit. I wonder if he’ll leave a sign.”

You guessed it.

The Al Robles Prayer Flag is gone, not in tatters, not torn.
He was never one to just wear down.
This morning before the sun broke over the trees:

The wind picked it up and it flew away;
The blue jay snatched it in its beak and it’s now a nice nest in the fir tree;
The deer came by and it stuck to them as they grazed on berries
And with them, disappeared into the dawn;
The trickster raccoon took it in its nimble hands
And with a few deft moves made it disappear into thin air;
The bees are chewing and chewing and making it into honey;
The rain got so bad last night a giant tsunami wave was created and it’s now the Ocean

Whatever form he chose,
This morning,
Love is all around the world!

For Al and For Us, Two Pieces

A heart felt thank you to filmmaker Curtis Choy, a reverent nod to writer, warrior and spiritual being, Carlos Bulosan; I've been reading his book American is in the Heart since Saturday night. And for my friend Al Robles, who has this week been called "urban saint" and "Confusionist" -- everybody's Brother, and for memories which allowed themselves through the sadness and upsetness. Here are two pieces. The first is for Al. The second for those of us left behind.

For Al
To be read in the Fireplace Room at Tule Lake Pilgrimage, 2010

Because you wrote on paper bags, scraps. and the last time,
on connected sheets of paper towels,
furling to the floor as you read to us,

Because you wrote about cedar trees
And salmon
And meteors
Your voice softened with Love

Because of all that,
I decided I wanted to tell you about a Tribal People
Right there in California.
It seemed you’d understand.
I wanted you to see the meteor showers from Coonrod Meadow on Mt. Shasta,
Take you up to where the water gushes from the roots of sugar pine
halfway up Cold Spring Mountain
And you would cup the icy spring water in your hands
and pat some on your head and heart and drink deeply.
I wanted to show you, along the McCloud River,
In the middle of the campground a fig tree grows
And the peach, the plum trees -- all planted by Granny’s father,
Proof that her People lived along the river long before there was a dam
A damned dam that stopped the Big Fish from coming Home
And drowned the Homes of the people who know the Fish by their true name
And still sing to them today.
I just knew you’d want to be there.

I walked up to you through the crowd to tell you,
But before I could open my mouth
You asked me, “Did you know a monk came to live in my kitchen?
I mean it. He came in my front door, into my kitchen and said, ‘I’m going to live here’ and I said to him, ‘Live here? In my kitchen?!?’ “

I followed word for word your story
About the monk who moved into your kitchen
And lived there for many months or was it years
After first, he cooked a meal.

I didn’t know I was learning from a Confusionist at the time,
But it all made sense to me:
You never closed doors
On adventure.
And each human being is an adventure waiting to be joined.

Another time at Tule Lake, you said we should go to Manzanar sometime.
And we will.

Before we boarded our buses to go home last summer
You told Shizue to bring sheet music next time so she could sing.
You would play the piano.
It was all planned.
You told me to write a poem to read in the Fireplace Room.
“We’ll ALL do it,” you emphasized, demonstrating a big circle with your arms.

But before I could, you went on the biggest adventure of them all
Without us
And now you are All and All is Al.
I’ll see you in the meteor showers at Coonrod Meadow, Al.
Or in the quiet hours at Manzanar when I finally make it there.

In the cold morning dawn of the high desert
Following Peter Yamamoto’s t’ai ch’I moves --
I’ll see you there too --
In that breeze that tickles our nose while we try to hold that tricky pose.
If you succeed to make us stumble, we will laugh, skyward.

I am sad, I grieve
But, today, it made me smile and laugh out loud,
Remembering you.
I know Al is All
And All is Al.
You’re here and everywhere.

From Misa (Joo) of Tule Lake Pilgrimage

How Did It Happen?

So I’ve been wondering how it happened.

All the elders he revered and adored,
Did he see them?
Did he see the old salmon runs,
The giant stands of ancient trees?
Did he see the pristine streams,
And rivers running wild?
Did he see all that
Through the Light separating us?
If he saw Jesus,
He saw himself
And in a moment’s flash
Did he see himself
Being able to help a little more
Because time’s getting tougher here
On this suffering Earth.

If anyone starts making Saint Al medals,
I’ll be first in line to get me one.
No joke.
I’ll wear it close to my heart.

Misa Joo
May 3, 2009




.

Rest In Peace to a Brother to Us All

Al Robles, poet of our generation for all generations, and as poet Lou Syquia calls him, an "urban saint," as close to a saint as anyone can be, died May 2. I am so saddened I cannot speak.
I offer instead the address of a website http://alrobles.manilatown.org/page-1/
"The Inspiration of Al Robles" put up by his friends. There is a piece on the page called "Confusionist." I believe that it was Syquia again who said he was a Confusionist, not to be mistaken for Confucius. I would like to follow his Confusionist tracks. On this page is a trailer for "Manilatown is in the Heart," with my gratitude to documentary filmmaker Curtis Choy, for following Al with your camera. If it were not for your sense of what stories must be told . . .

WW/ From Benny Lee, More Winnemem News Sources

Hello Winnemem and Supporters,

In this email I've put links to all the media and photos that I am aware of from the War Dance. These links are also available at www.ejcw.org

Since my last email, Marc Dadigan put together a fantastic 5 minute radio piece on Free Speech Radio that airs on 93 stations across the US!

Radio
Capital Public Radio "Native American Community Files Lawsuit Against Federal Government" aired on NPR's Morning Addition and All things Considered on 4/20 and 4/21 by Steve Shadley,
Free Speech Radio , "California Tribe Sues for Destruction of Cultural Sites" aired on 93 stations nationwide, by Marc Dadigan

Articles
in the Redding Record: Winnemem Wintus sue federal agencies over Shasta Dam, other issues
In the Sacramento Bee: Payment Sought for Shasta Lands

Photos
Lonny Shavelson (requests that any duplication of photos has his permission first)
EJCW photos

YouTube
Will Doolittle put up a great clip on youtube of Caleen speaking at the capital.

Blogs and Web (over 20!!)

Winnemem Wintu Tribe Sues Federal Agencies, Officials: Indybay
(Dan Bacher) 20 April
www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/20/18590483.php

NativeBiz – Winnemem Wintu Tribe Sues Federal Agencies, Officials
Indian Country's Business, News and Social Network (must be a member to view)
www.nativebiz.com/content/view/2140/179/

Winnemem Wintu Tribe Sues Federal Agencies, Officials
21 April, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, by Dan Bacher
(editor of Fish Sniffer)
www.calsport.org/4-21-09.htm

Indymedia-Lëtzebuerg - Winnemem Wintu Tribe Sues Federal Agencies
Indymedia-Letzebuerg - Internet Zeitung - journal Internet (Dan Bacher)
www.indymedia-letzebuerg.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23111&Itemid=28

Indymedia-Lëtzebuerg - Winnemem Wintu Tribe Holds War Dance Before
Launching Federal Lawsuit (Bacher) 25 April
www.indymedia-letzebuerg.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23462&Itemid=28

Winnemem Wintu Tribe sues federal agencies, officials
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven (Dan Bacher) 21 April
www.aquafornia.com/archives/8250

Indianz.Com > News > Winnemem Wintu Tribe files suit over lost land
April 21 (no author specified)
http://64.38.12.138/News/2009/014160.asp

Winnemem Wintus sue federal agencies over Shasta Dam, other issues
By Dylan Darling, 21 April. Redding Record Searchlight Online.
www.redding.com/news/2009/apr/21/winnemem-wintus-sue-federal-agencies-over-shasta/
(article has dozens of comments posted in response, contentious)

Winnemem Wintu tribe files lawsuit against feds
(staff authorship) 20 April. Redding Record Searchlight Online.
www.redding.com/news/2009/apr/20/winnemem-wintu-lawsuit-against-feds/
(article has dozens of comments posted in response, contentious)

antiracismdsa: Wintu Tribe sues the Federal Government
(Bacher article posted on Duane Campbell’s blog – Sacramento based) 24 April.
http://antiracismdsa.blogspot.com/2009/04/wintu-tribe-sues-federal-government.html

Winnemem Wintu Tribe Holds War Dance Before Launching Federal Lawsuit
(Bacher article on YubaNet.com) 25 April. No comments posted.
http://yubanet.com/regional/Winnemem-Wintu-Tribe-Holds-War-Dance-Before-Launching-Federal-Lawsuit.php

Winnemem Wintu position regarding Shasta Dam ABSTRACT
PDF doc by Mark Franco & Caleen Sisk-Franco (2002)
www.indian.senate.gov/2002hrgs/060402hrg/Franco.PDF

Government Native American >> Four Winds 10 - fourwinds10.com
WINNEMEM WINTU TRIBE SUES FEDERAL AGENCIES, OFFICIALS. (contact Jamie Moss
or Brad Wise – no author specified) 20 April.
www.fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/government/native_american/

Archive - Apr 23, 2009 | FSRN (Free Speech Radio News)
California tribe sues for destruction of cultural sites
(5:03 minute long radio news segment) Apparently 93 stations carry FSRN
http://fsrn.org/archive/all/2009/4/23

Courthouse News Service
SACRAMENTO (CN) - The Winnemem Wintu Tribe says the Department of the ...
(couldn’t find this article)
www.courthousenews.com/

News Brief for Students (American Indian Recruitment Programs - Serving
the San Diego American Indian Community for over 15 years)
Winnemem Wintu tribe files lawsuit against feds (Record Searchlight article)
www.airprograms.org/

Dance Wars
Winnemem Wintu Tribe Sues Federal Agencies, Officials (Bay Area Indymedia)
(article didn’t appear on front page – maybe just listed?)
www.thewebnewsroom.com/dance-wars.php

Native American Law Blog
Winnemem Wintu tribe files suit to replace tribal lands flooded by the
1941 construction of Shasta Dam. 21 April.
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/nativeamerican/ (Links to Sac Bee article
by Cathy Locke, published 20 April.
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1792984.html. 35 comments on Sac
Bee website)
Payment sought for Shasta lands – by Cathy Locke (found on Sac Bee website)
http://www.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/1792984.html

Native American Rights Fund, National Indian Law Library
Back restoration of Winnemem Wintu recognition by supporting AJR 39
(seems like an old article but came up 26th in Google results)
www.narf.org/nill/bulletins/news/2008/recognition.htm

bofirebear (botipton) on Twitter
Winnemem Wintus sue federal agencies over Shasta Dam, other issues.
Located in Mt. Washington, KY. Link to Bacher article on Indymedia.
http://twitter.com/botipton
Bofirebear also has a blog: http://bofirebear.blogspot.com/

AIM WEST (American Indian Movement West)
WINNEMEM WINTU TRIBE SUES FEDERAL AGENCIES, OFFICIALS. 21 April. (same
article as Jamie Moss/ Brad Wise one mentioned earlier)
http://www.aimwest.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=145&Itemid=81

No blogs were found on the NYT, LATimes, SF Chronicle, WSJ, Reuters, AP, Modesto Bee.




--
Benny Lee
Outreach Manager
Environmental Justice Coalition for Water
1201 Martin Luther King Way
Oakland, CA 94612
Ph: 510.286.8402
Fax: 510.444.2502
benny@ejcw.org

WW/ A Message to the World

Caleen Sisk Franco, Chief and Spiritual Leader of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe of Northern California speaks in front of the State Capitol Building in Sacramento, California. You can still sign the on line petition to Senators Boxer and Feinstien supporting the Winnemem tribe:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/support-justice-for-the-winnemem-wintu-tribe

WW/ The Winnemem Lawsuit against the Federal Government, Summarized

Following is a quick summary provided by Environmental Justice for Water, strong allies of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe:

WINNEMEM WINTU COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
Filed in the United States District Court, eastern District of California, Sacramento, CA
April 20, 2009

* Plantiff: The Winnemem Wintu Tribe and their leaders, Chief Caleen Sisk-Franco and Headman Mark Franco

*Defendants: US dept. of Interior; Bureau of reclamation; Bureau of Indian Affiars; Bureau of Land Management; Us Dept of Agriculture; US Forest Service; and Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior; Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture; and other responsible agency officials.

*Purpose of the Conplaint: The Winnemem Wintu Tribe seeks relief and damages for the destruction and damage of Traditional Cultural Properties within the Winnemem's apboriginal homelands.

Background Facts:
+The Winnemem Wintu Tribe has lived on the McCloud River and the area now flooded by Shasta Lake for at least 6000 years. The Winnemem have endured hardship, difficulty, and damage to their cultural identity over the last two centuries at the hands of the United States government. Today, the threat to the Winnemem is even greater, as the government's plan to raise the water level of the Shasta Lake Dam will result in cultural annhilation.
+Thehistor of the relationship between the Winnemem and the US government is marked with unfulfilled and broken promises.
+Through an error, the BIA did not include the Winnemem on the 1978 list of federally recognized tribesw, though the Winnemem had previously been recognized a sovereign entity.
+The Shasta Reservoir Indian Cemetery is supposed to be held in trust for the Winnemem. However, the Winnemem have been told by the BLM (which now has trust responsibility for the cemetery), that regulations will not permit additional burials in the cemetery due to the lack of federal acknowledgement and an internal BLM policy that forbids burial on "their" trust lands.

Current Harms:
+The ddestruction of Winnemem Cultural Sites is current and ongoing and includes several incidents and sites.
+In 2007, the UsF's forbade the Winnemem from using a significant ceremonial site by revoking a special use permit.

Future Harms: Raising the level of the Shasta Dam will irreparably damage many of the last remaining Winnemem cultural properties resulting in catastrophic harm to the Winnemem people.

Causes of Action: Negligence, gross negligence, trespass, public and private nuisance, conversion (the unlawful taking of Winnemem land), intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and declaratory relief.

Demands:
+Declaratory judgments as to the Causes of Action
+An order to study and report on the extent of damages to Winnemem cultural properties
+Damages to be determined by the Court

WW/ Back from War Dance on the American River

We just got back from war dance in Sacramento, tired but our hearts settled and full. I'm waiting for Chief Caleen Sisk Franco's words to those of us assembled at the state capitol, her words to all the good people of the world to be uploaded because more than anything else, that is the message of H'up Chonas and the lawsuit filed against: the US Department of Interior; Bureau of Reclamation; Bureau of Indian Affairs; Bureau of Land Management; US Dept of Agriculture; US forest Service; Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior; Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture; and other responsible agency officials. Her words should be available here on Monday. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your support. Thank you for signing the online petition supporting the Winnemem Wintu Tribe.

The petition shows 600 signatures from all over the country and all around the world. If you would like to sign, please go to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/support-justice-for-the-winnemem-wintu-tribe

A personal thank you also for the tribal letter of support from the leaders of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. As sovereign people, they have also sent a letter recognizing the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, something the US government has yet to do. I think any support such as this from tribal people would be appreciated. Please send to:

Caleen Sisk Franco, Chief
Winnemen Wintu Tribe
14840 Bear Mountain Road
Redding, CA 96003

On April 17, Head Man Mark Franco found that the road to the top of Universe Rock was still blocked by snow, but that was alright. Instead, the Sacred Fire was started at the Sugar Pines were the men go to fast. I won't go into detail except to say that it seems that was exactly as it should have been. I'll just say that this place was the first place that the briefs for the lawsuit were prayed over, where generations of Winnemem men fasted and dreamed.

That evening, the Fire was brought down to the Prayer House at the ranch, carried in the back of a pickup and, the next evening, on April 18, we all gathered from near and far, sitting around the Fire to listen to Caleen, then each of us praying to get ready for H'up Chonas. That night, the warriors began their fast.

April 19, we caravaned to Camp Pollock by the American River, guests of the Miwok. The Fire rode in the back of a truck and was placed in the middle of the war dance arena, ready for H'up Chonas. Warriors danced into the night. Singers sang H'up Chonas songs, ancient songs which came in for the warriors and the people during the H'up Chonas at Shasta Lake Dam, 2004, so they could be used again.

Early morning, April 20, as the sun topped the trees, Chief Caleen Sisk Franco prayed over the briefs which had been carried up to the Sugar Pines, prayed around the Fire at each of the stops. The War Dance resumed, this time to the last song which came in with the Bear Spirit at the H'up Chonas at Shasta Lake Dam -- and this was the H'up Chonas song: the Creator does not want the River dammed. The Creator wants his big fish to swim free -- as Head Man Mark Franco said, just as the Winnemem want to be free to be Winnemem. We all caravaned to Old Town Sacramento to march to the Capitol. All the Winnemem were in traditional regalia. Many Tribal Organizations and Tribal Representatives gathered in support bringing their flags and banners. A delegation of Tsukimi Kai members from San Francisco, the Environmental Justice for Water and some members of Winnemem Support Group of Oregon also marched with the Winnemem in solidarity.

We met at the State House under a circle of trees, giant witnesses to an historic moment as the Winnemem Tribe finished what their ancestors had begun. They have brought their complaint for over one hundred years of injustice right to the halls of justice of Federal Court.

So much happened, so much was felt that I am not able to express it right now. I ask for forgiveness for this skeletal piece, almost a list of facts, for what was really an event of huge emotional magnitude and great signficance for everyone there. I expect in days ahead for things to unfold, events set in motion by the prayers and sacrifices of the war dancers and the Winnemem leaders.

What I would ask is that you listen to Chief Caleen Sisk Franco's words when I put it up early next week.

Thank you to RT, the cooks for the wonderful meal which broke the fast and brought us together to celebrate and send us all home safely.