Indian Country in the News: Nov. 25 - Dec. 2, 2011

This week's news highlights include Obama's meeting with tribal leaders at the White House, a protest against a silver mine on sacred indigenous ground in Mexico, why a young chief in the Amazon was named by Fast Company as one of the 100 most creative people in business this year and a long-awaited reservation for the Fort Sill Apaches:

• HuffPo: Indigenous Leaders Will Hand Obama Emergency Mother Earth Accord, Say Face To Face No Keystone XL - "This Friday, tribal leaders from across the continent will meet for their third summit with the president in Washington, and one of the prime items on the agenda will be the fight against the Keystone Pipeline. They'll talk about the way both the pipeline and the process of approving it have violated treaties, and they'll present the president with a copy of the Mother Earth Accord adopted in a special meeting at the Rosebud reservation a few weeks ago. It's a strong document, full of details about the impacts of tar sands mining and pipeline leaks and carbon emissions -- but it also speaks with the real power of the people who've lived longest and best on this continent. Indeed, it begins by affirming that "the earth is our true mother, our grandmother who gives birth to us and maintains all life."

• AP: Famous writers, artists join petition to stop Mexico silver mine on indigenous sacred ground - "More than 150 internationally known writers and artists are urging Mexican President Felipe Calderon to cancel mining concessions in an area of northern Mexico considered sacred ground by the Huichol Indians. The list of petition signers released Thursday comprises a who’s who of arts and letters from 30 countries, including former U.S. poet laureate Robert Hass, who said he was “very happy to participate.The petition urges Mexico to rescind mining concessions granted to Canada-based First Majestic Silver Corp. for nearly 16,000 acres (6,300 hectares) in a desert area known as Wirikuta in San Luis Potosi state. The area is home to the Cerro Quemado, a mountain where the Huichol believe the sun was born."

• Forbes: Amazonian Tribe Has Earned its Carbon Crop - "The next time someone tells you that carbon money is a giveaway from rich countries to poor countries, ask them to google Almir Surui – or to google both him and “google” at the same time. He’s the young chief of the Surui people, a tribe of Amazon Indians who have decided to forego the certain income of farming and preserve their rainforest in the hopes of earning credit for the carbon their forest captures in trees. His efforts earned him a spot on this year’s Fast Company list of the 100 most creative people in business – and death threats from people who want illegal logging to continue in the Amazon."

• Fort Sill Apaches get new reservation NM, plan return 125 years after Geronimo scattered tribe - "More than 125 years after the surrender of renowned Apache leader Geronimo scattered tribal members across the Southwest, the Fort Sill Apache have won the right to establish a reservation on homelands in southern New Mexico.'

Comments

[Alex Cross]

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[Stairlifts]

Obama's summit meeting with tribal leaders at the White House is a good approach to foster unity with the masses.

[Ricardo Carlos Condis]

We should learn from indigenous peoples with respect for nature and environmental protection in order to live better.

[Javier]

It is very important to take care of nature, the leaders of the countries must unite to move forward without destroying the planet.

[cebuflight]

indigenous peoples for me are the remaining culture in that place. Let's help preserve the culture of those people.

Cebu Travel