From: DINETAH29@aol.com
Dear Big Mountain Supporters,
Since Eagle from Unity of Nations sent the e-mail below, I
thought it would
be good for everyone to hear the voice of Big Mountain youth.
I hope this is
just the beginning. Please send messages to this e-mail address
if you want
to continue this dialogue.
Thanks,
Marsha Monestersky
E-mail: dinetah29@aol.com
Dear Big Mountain Supporters,
I saw an e-mail from Eagle, Unity of Nations and I would like
to respond to
you and Big Mountain supporters about what Big Mountain youth
are facing.
I am a youth from Big Mountain and am 17 years old. As for
me, life is
really hard out here on the so-called HPL. Me and other young
people are not
thought about by the US government and their tribal officials.
It is as if
we don't exist. We feel homeless and hopeless because we are
not allowed to
live traditionally like our grandparents. We are being taught
by our elders
how to survive but we are being forced through another deadline.
I don't like the way our elders are being treated by the Hopi
Rangers. I
witness everything they do and say and I call what they do elder
abuse. I
don't see anyone going to these old Hopis doing this. What they
do is really
disrespectful. If you are traditional you don't do this kind
of thing. You
use your mind and your conscience to think about compassionn to
old people
that know more about survival than they do. The elders shouldn't
be
overridden because they know what young people don't know and
they have a lot
to teach us. I don't like to see the guns on their hips to intimidate.
If I
did this to them I would be sent to jail and that is what I know
and witness.
Also, a lot of other young people have experienced what I have
mentioned. I
respect my elders and the land. I speak my language and I was
taught to
respect other people.
As for the tribal officials of Hopi and Navajo tribes, they
get paid to
harass us. And I never seen them help us in any way so they shouldn't
speak
on our behalf because they don't help us. They should not say
anything
about us or make decisions about us because they don't care about
us. They
are only concerned about the money. That is just the way it is.
I have livestock at my grandmother's Pauline Whitesinger and
they are
threatened with impoundment because we have newborn lambs and
goats that will
be over the permit limit. They are innocent animals and they
face stringent
laws against them. We feel the same way as these innocent animals,
we want
to live traditionally like our grandparents.
This is my point of view for now and this is what I want to share.
Yours truly,
A Youth from Big Mountain
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In a message dated 1/4/00 8:51:57 PM US Mountain Standard Time,
unityofnations@eudoramail.com writes:
<< Subj: Re: [BIGMTLIST] In Search of Big Mtn Speaker
for youth
leadership camp
Date: 1/4/00 8:51:57 PM US Mountain Standard Time
From: unityofnations@eudoramail.com (Eagle Ortega)
Reply-to: <A HREF="mailto:BIGMTLIST@onelist.com">BIGMTLIST@onelist.com</A>
To: BIGMTLIST@onelist.com
From: "Eagle Ortega" <unityofnations@eudoramail.com>
Hello, My name is Anthony 'Eagle" Ortega - I help run a non-profit
501c(3)
multi-cultural organization called "UNITY OF NATIONS"
- I'm the Project
Coordinator for UNITY.
I have been working on Big Mounatain for 1 1/2 years-working with
the
traditional Dine'h people has been a long struggle. I work with
Marsha
Monetersky-Consultant for SDN (Sovereign Dine'h Nation). I have
worked with
several elders-and what sadness me most is the harsh reality of
what is
happening to the elders? They are suffering from Psychological
stress from
relocation. Their Cattle and sheep is being butchered by the BIA.
That's
what sadness me: Its relocation of the elders.
I have organized a BM Benefit for the people of BIG MOUNTAIN in
May of '99"
I feel that I would like to talk to the youth out there and talk
to the youth
about Big Mountain. If someone can please contact me at
unityofnations@eudoramail.com or at UNITY @ 323/344.8084 your
call will be
greatly appreciated.
Thank you for the Invite
ALL MY RELATIONS!
EAGLE
UNITY