Tribal communities, ranchers, farmers and concerned citizens are gathering to stand in solidarity and plan actions to help stop the Keystone XL pipeline.
You can sign up for the event here: http://www.protectthesacred.org.
The event is free but you need to make hotel and travel arrangements. The event is happening at the Ft. Randall Casino: http://ftrandallcasino.com.
Check out the agenda, click here.
Nebraskans are attending the event and facilitating a panel with landowners on Thursday afternoon.
We look forward to supporting tribal communities and landowners and growing the #idlenomore movement.
From the leader of the gathering:
Tribes and Allies Gather on Yankton Sioux Reservation to Oppose the Tar Sands and Keystone XL Pipeline
–Unprecedented gathering marks the 150th anniversary of 1863 Peace Treaty —
Indigenous Nations from across the United States and Canada and their Allies will converge at the Yankton Sioux Reservation, South Dakota for a historical event, “Gathering to Protect the Sacred From the Tar Sands and Keystone XL.” Taking place January 23rd-25th, 2013, this event will be held at the Ft. Randall Hotel and Casino, 38538 South Dakota Highway 46, Pickstown, SD, 57356.
Those attending intend to sign an International Treaty to effectively block the Keystone XL TransCanada Pipeline. Representatives of Indigenous Nations and their Allies including farmers and ranchers, business and environmental leaders, leading treaty and environmental lawyers, news media, and other concerned citizens will gather for unprecedented unified action.
This International Treaty to Protect the Sacred from Tar Sands and Keystone XL will build upon the Save the Fraser River Declaration, the Rights of Mother Earth Accord, Indigenous Leaders Spiritual Declaration, the Earth Charter, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This International Treaty between Indigenous Nations is grounded in the January 23rd, 1863 Pawnee Nation and Ihanktonwan Dakota / Nakota Peace Treaty. Witnessed by representatives of the Ponca Nation and the United States government this was the first written Peace Treaty between Indian Nations in history.
The Gathering will be opened by Sacred Ceremony to honor and reaffirm the Treaty of 1863 as well as to formalize a united stand by the Pawnee Nation and the Yankton Sioux Tribe to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. With this legal and spiritual foundation other Indigenous Nations and Allies will unite at the conclusion of the Gathering in the signing of the International Treaty to Protect the Sacred from Tar Sands and Keystone XL.
President Barack Obama has been directly invited to send a representative to the gathering to hear all concerned and to witness the unprecedented unified action that will be taken. Through this action the United States Government will be notified that any future approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline will be considered a further grave abrogation of the 1863 Treaty, and possibly other related treaties and would have very regrettable consequences. For instance, on December 21st 2012 by Resolution, the Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council also stated they were “vehemently opposed to the construction of the TransCanada/Keystone XL Pipeline Project on any Aboriginal or Treaty lands”.
We are calling on all allies and supporters to come forth and participate in building the momentum to Protect the Sacred from Tars Sands and the Keystone Pipeline. More information can be found at www.protectthesacred.org. The Ihanktonwan Treaty Council, the Pawnee Nation, the Brave Heart Society, and the Four Worlds International Institute are hosting the event.
To learn more about this event, please contact: Faith Spotted Eagle, the Brave Heart Society, eagletrax@hotmail.com
Website: www.protectthesacred.org
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ProtectTheSacred
Twitter account: @protectsacred
