Protecting American Indian Sacred Places and Cultures in California from Further Threats a

ASSOCIATION ON AMERICAN INDIAN AFFAIRS
EVENTS TO PROTECT NATIVE SACRED PLACES INCLUDING
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER on June 20
Press Statement
For Immediate Release
Washington, DC, June 12, 2003
The national Sacred Places Protection Coalition will observe June 20th, 2003 as the National Day of Prayer to Protect Native American Sacred Places. Observances will be held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol from sunrise until midday and in at least ten other locations throughout the United States. Also, on June 18th at 10am, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will conduct Oversight Hearings on Native American Sacred Places.
We are gathering to greet the sun and pray in honor of the life and spirit of this great land and the sacred places of Native peoples. One could say that the protection of Native Sacred places is an Indian country faith-based initiative,said Guy Lopez (Crow Creek Sioux), Coordinator of the Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) Sacred Lands Protection Program.
A large number of those places sacred to traditional Native religions, utilized for ancient ceremonies and important to Native cultures, are located on land owned by non-Natives, including the federal government. Yet, while federal and other land managers routinely take into account the needs of developers and recreational users in making land management decisions, they are often not so diligent in taking into account the often profound effect of their undertakings upon sacred and ceremonial places that are critical to Native American populations, tribes and cultures.
During the war with Iraq, the United States made a tremendous effort to avoid bombing their holy places and sacred shrines, stated Jack F. Trope, Executive Director of AAIA. While we applaud the sensitivity of our Government in this respect, it is time that we make the same effort to protect our Native sacred places here at home. It is gratifying to see that Congress is seriously looking at this issue again and we particularly thank Senators Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Daniel Inouye and Representative Nick Rahall for their keen interest in protecting sacred places.
AAIA has worked closely with Indian tribes to protect sacred places for many years, including such sites as the Bighorn Medicine Wheel and Medicine Mountain in Wyoming. A press release from the Morning Star Institute is appended which provides more detailed information about the activities planned for next week. In Sacramento, California, Indian people will gather at the south side of the State Capitol Building for a Sunrise Ceremony and morning address of words and wisdom on protecting American Indian sacred places and cultures in California from further threats and destruction. The gathering will begin at 5:15 a.m. and conclude at 11:30 a.m.
Among the endangered sacred places identified in California are the following:
Medicine Lake, a Pitt River Nation ceremonial and healing place in the Modoc National Forest in northeastern California, is threatened by the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service decision to permit the state-funded Calpine Corporation to build a network of geothermal power plant facilities to produce electricity to export to Bonneville Power Administration for consumers in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Date 6/20/2003
Event National Prayer Day
Start Time 5:00 AM
End Time 7:00 AM
Location Sacramento State Capitol
Description
"Protecting American Indian Sacred Places and Cultures in California from Further Threats and Destruction"

Join California Indian peoples, nations and organizations at the Sacramento State Capitol for a sunrise prayer gathering on Friday, June 20, and mid-morning address of words of wisdom. This is a grassroots efforts in conjunction with many other areas such as Washington, DC for a National Prayer Day.
Accomodations are limited. Please bring your own blanket, chair, food, water. Arrive 1-2 hours before sunrise.

For information about the Prayer Day activities in In Sacramento and about endangered sacred places in California, contact Mark LeBeau (916-929-9761 or mark.lebeau [at] mail.his.gov), Mickey Gemmill (530-242-4510) and Radley Davis (530-275-1650 or radleyad [at] aol.com) of the Pitt River Nation; and Phillip Hunter (Yokuts), Vice Chairperson of the Tule River Tribal Government (559-781-4271)