You’re Invited: Caring For Our Homelands Gathering – Northern Cheyenne Reservation

It is no secret that Arch Coal and Burlington Northern Santa Fe are pushing to turn the Otter Creek and Tongue River Valleys into an industrial corridor to ship Montana’ s coal to Asia. I have moments of cynicism where it seems that we are at the mercy of international financial markets, political power brokers and men in suits that make a living in a boardroom.

I know that, to them, southeastern Montana is nothing but an untapped natural resource piggy bank that they can use to increase their profit margins. Nothing more.

They don’t live there, they don’t care about the land or the people and they don’t care about creating jobs or economic development.

They care about the one thing that their corporate charters allow them to care about: Money.

And we may not have the political influence they have. And we definitely don’t have the money that they have.

But we have things that they don’t have, we know things they do not and we are something they are not. We have community, we know the land and we are strong.

“If there is any hope for the world at all, it does not live in climate change conferences rooms or in cities with tall buildings. It lives low down on the ground, with its arm around the people who go to battle every day to protect their forests, their mountains and their rivers because they know that the forests, their mountains and their rivers protect them. ” Arundhati Roy.

 

To that end, on Friday June 27, you are invited to come to an event Caring for Our Homelands Gathering at the Last Bear Memorial Arbor below Muddy Hall on Northern Cheyenne Reservation.

Registration starts at 11:30 and the day will start around noon. Even if you can’t make it for the whole day, stop by when you can. There will be good food, good people and good information.  It will be a day where people can gather, learn, share and talk about the impacts from coal mining and the amazing projects happening in Indian Country with renewable and sustainable energy.

You can meet people like Henry Red Cloud from Lakota Solar Enterprises on Pine Ridge Reservation who started his own renewable energy business on Pine Ridge Reservation. He creates jobs, local economic development and helps hundreds of families every year harness the power of the sun to stay warm during the winter.

You’ll also hear from Wilmer Mesteth Oglala Lakota Tribal Historic Preservation Officer about why the Otter Creek and Tongue River Valleys are culturally and historically important and Steve Brady from the Northern Cheyenne Cultural Commission.

There will be information about the proposed coal mine and railroad, how you can help stop the projects and opportunities to learn how you can get your own solar air heater for your home. From 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm there will be a BBQ and Round Dancing. All are welcome!

Click here for a Google Map of the exact location. (the location is marked by a US 212 circle)

If you have any questions about the day or need directions, please contact Vanessa Braided Hair from ecoCheyenne at nessa.grace43@gmail.com or me at abonogofsky@gmail.com.

Hope to see you there!