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THE GREEDY AND THE TREATY
As
we enter this holiday season it is hard to find joy when people are in
the midst of struggle. The fact an Arizona auction house, (Allard
Auctions, Mesa AZ.), could consider auctioning off Sioux Scalps on ebay
has spoken volumes about our reality. It is absolutely appalling that
we (Native Americans) are still more a curio and a novelty item rather
than human beings. Our women are still considered sexual items rather
then givers of life by non Native men. With statistics where 7 out of
10 assaults on Native women are perpetrated by non Native men, it is
hard to ignore. This statistic is shared in Canada as well. How could
anyone be so callous and have total disregard for theremains of human
beings? How could you place a price tag on the dismembered remnants of
a person who was butchered in cold blood? Then
there is the on going struggle of the Western Shoshone Nation with the
Treaty of Ruby Valley of 1865 which includes Mount Tenabo. They have
been under assault over tribal land for many years as it is. Now a most
sacred site, Mt. Tenabo, is under assault as gold fever enters the mix.
I still think it's ironic the company who wants to mine tribal land is
named Cortez Mining Company though. As if the Shoshone Nation does not
exist, this company is trying to influence the US Government into
simply tossing out the Treaty of 1865. It's only a bunch of Natives so
why should we honor this silly obsolete document anyway? There is gold
in them there hills and no sacred ground or ancient traditions should
stand in the way.
Seems
the policy of lying and reneging on treaties has been the norm since
the time our people made first contact with these immigrants from
across the Great Pond. Unfortunately for us, we actually took them for
their word and thought they would honor this funny piece of paper
called a treaty. Black Kettle, with the US Flag and the Flag of truce
waving in the air, held up a treaty with "The Great White Fathers"
signature on this paper. But Chivington and his band of drunken
soldiers killed and butchered my people in a little place called Sand
Creek, CO. Later our people were almost exterminated along the Washita
River OK., by George Armstrong Custer. The atrocities told from our
oral tradition is far more perverse and bloody then you will ever read
in history books. Cutting the bellies open of expectant mom's and
carving out the still born infant then cutting them to shreds to the
joy of his soldiers while saying, "Knits make lice" was bad enough. But
for soldiers to take infants who still could not speak, have sex with
them then cut them to pieces was yet another part of our oral history
not in all the history books. And it gets much worse indeed.
And here we are in the 21st
Century and the Shoshone people are fighting to make the US Government
honor their treaty. It is absolutely appalling they should be
struggling with this issue in the first place. How can this be
happening when civilization is supposed to be so advanced and educated?
How can this nation call themselves leaders of the free world when
Native people are being subjugated, lied to and left to live in third
world conditions? How can they save the world from tyranny when their
actions mirror that of Adolph Hitler and Saddam Hussein in the
treatment of Indigenous people within the confines of these boarders?
How
could we possibly forgive and forget when we are still under assault
from Corporate America and the public at large? Some people tell us to
get over it and quite being such a baby. How can we forget the many
treaties that never were honored or simply cancelled? How can we forget
the billions owed our nations that simply have disappeared? Our
children are dying of despair and found Meth and Alcohol to self
medicate the PTSD's that haunt every Indigenous person with the
America's and possibly the world.
Oh
Canada and their judicial folly of dropping charges on 18 RCMP
Constables for raping Native childrensimply because of the statute of
limitations last year. I remember the case very well since there were
protests in Vancouver over that issue. But to the chagrin of tribal
leaders the Crown dropped all charges. Ask Salish tribal member and
activist Kate Norris who rallied for justice there. The list of
atrocities in Canada alone are outrageous to say the very least fore
these are contemporary times we are speaking about. The redistribution
of Natives kids to foster homes was a crime unto itself.
Then
there are the Me'tis of Black Tickle Labrador, they have no running
water or sanitation. Their entire economy thrust into limbo and all
they wanted was access to the Trans Labrador Highway so they could spur
tourism. Their location would have made a perfect tourist and sports
destination if they were provided a link to this highway. They wanted
to have a piece of the budding tourism industry Labrador and New
Foundland are currently promoting. I find this quite odd since it would
appear the government are purposely trying to squeeze these people out
because they live on prime land for development. To think Canada is
catering to the big bucks tourist industry at the expense of this
humble community is simply obscene. Why does progress have to be at the
expense of Indigenous people world wide?
Take
a long hard look at that diamond ring on your finger. Now take a long
hard look at the workers in South Africa who've slaved in grueling
inhuman conditions. The reward for their efforts may be a meal or two
for their families. The real bounty is sold for nothing less than a
king's ransom. The World Bank had gleaned a handsome profit as rain
forests disappeared in South America destroying traditional tribal land
for Natives in that region. When they protested, they simply were
machine gunned down and buried in mass graves. Their struggle never
made public or in the mainstream media. Dare I mention the struggle of
the good people of Ireland?
So
it is not so easy to be joyous let alone forgive and forget when we are
still under assault. We are the Indigenous people of the world and we
come in all races and nations. We are dying from the ill effects of
greed, cultural and religious differences as an ambivalent world looks
on. And I am the voice of the voiceless.
Your Devil's Advocate Buffalohair | 
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