[Indigsol] Barriere Lake news / Circle of All Nations gathering

[ipsmo at riseup.net]

NEWS: Friday, July 22, 2011

Barriere Lake Algonquins celebrate mining company’s decision to suspend
exploration in their territory: Charest’s turn to act, community says


Kitiganik, Rapid Lake, Algonquin Territory / – The Algonquin First Nation
of Barriere Lake is celebrating the recent decision of Cartier Resources
Inc. to suspend the Rivière Doré copper mining project in their
traditional territory in north-western Quebec, after the community
expressed their overwhelming opposition to exploration activities and a
potential mine these activities could lead to.

“The community applauds Cartier Resources for respecting our wishes that
no mining exploration and drilling proceed. The company is setting an
important precedent by not moving ahead without the free, prior and
informed consent of the community, a right recognized by the United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” said Norman
Matchewan, a community spokesperson for Barriere Lake.

READ MORE:
http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/2011/07/barriere-lake-celebrates-mining.html

also at: http://montreal.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/7823


~ ~ ~ ~


2011 CIRCLE OF ALL NATIONS GATHERING

Grandfather William Commanda invites you to his Annual Spiritual Gathering
- August 5, 6 and 7 - at his home in Kitigan Zibi, Maniwaki, Quebec - J9E
3B1.

This year our focus is on PRECIOUS LAND AND SPECIAL POWER PLACES;
DEVELOPING THE CAN UMBRELLA (CAN U??!!); and there will also be a focussed
workshop to develop a volunteer CAN Task Force for the VISION FOR THE
INDIGENOUS CENTRE ON VICTORIA ISLAND AT THE SACRED CHAUDIÈRE SITE.

Now you see our notice and invitation are going out late - our
preparations are also starting late; we hope you will help animate the
Gathering by volunteering your skills, labour and support to make it
effortless for all our regular helpers, especially on the Thursday - you
will then be able to understand first hand how Grandfather magics a first
rate international gathering of leading edge ideas and creativity; unique
community peace-building, intercultural understanding and racial harmony;
and transformative personal development, under the shelter and wisdom of
the Indigenous Umbrella!

He gets us to share our unique individual gifts to create the bio-diverse
eco experience - and as we engage, so we evolve!  At the gathering each
year, we have a few streakers - who skim through the experience; a few
strollers who look and see; a few passengers, who come for the ride; but
the ANIMATORS are the ones who really know what the magic is about!
Thousands across the world have been inspired already!  Come be a part of
GWC's CAN!  - As somebody said, Yes, you CAN!

PLEASE REVIEW THE 2010 GATHERING INVITATION FOR GENERAL INFORMATION IN THE
EVENTS PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE www.circleofallnations.ca - Sorry, GWC is
keeping me too busy right now to do a full update!

==>
http://web.mac.com/circleofallnations/http___web.me.com_circleofallnations/Events.html



UPDATE on Grandfather William Commanda (from Romola):

Thanks for the many messages and prayers concerning Grandfather's health.
The past two months have been a really difficult experience - and GWC is
now catching up to his age.  I think we can thank the health care system
for that. You have heard of the Romanov Report - just wait till you see
the Romola Report!

In this regard, I include an excerpt from our note to the Office of the
Commissioner of Official Languages (needless to say, this in not all I
learned over the past weeks):

[[
Thank you for your concern for Elder Commanda's health.  The past weeks of
worsening kidney disease, dialysis and hospitalization have indeed been a
very difficult and painful experience, and, ironically, the predominant
feature in the end has been language. Yes, the Algonquin language.   Elder
Commanda reverted to almost exclusive use of his mother tongue during this
pivotal period.  At times when he seemed furtherest away from us and
closest to the other side, the language took on an unfamiliar rhythm,
sound and intensity - it was like the ancient voice of the land was
resounding.  At times when the pain was the greatest (and he was given no
pain killers), he prayed and shouted constantly and fervently in his
everyday Algonquin, for hours at a stretch, dry tongued and hoarse - it
took folk a long while to realized the acuteness of his pain; he prayed in
his language to cope with the pain - language was the pain killer.

And what did he say? - it was overwhelming the numbers of times he said
Megwetch, Megwetch - Thank you, Thank you. I thought, My God, in his
position, I would have been saying, Please, Please. He was saying, Thank
you, Thank you.  What a glimpse into the character of the man and the
demands of his language and philosophy.

This insight took me well beyond simple matters like, how can Native
people access adequate medical attention, if they cannot be understood -
and of course we all know access to health care was a fundamental
commitment of the Royal Proclamation and the earliest treaties.

This was about the entrenchment of the spirit and ideology of the language
on the land and its peoples - all its peoples - within the psyche of this
country.  Elder Commanda made this quite clear when we "bust him out" of
hospital, and took him to join his friends at the June 21 Summer Solstice
National Aboriginal Day Pipe Ceremony at Victoria Island, site of the much
anticipated Indigenous Centre, en route to his home in Kitigan Zibi - he
sat in his car and held court for 90 minutes, as the familiar faces
greeted him, one after the other - and this time, he spoke Algonquin to
them all.  He was in fact saying, if we truly want to communicate with and
understand him and his messages (and many do!), we have to embrace the
first language of the land and of its First Peoples.  This was a shift
from his own personal Trilingual Policy and his traditional style of
translating himself from Algonquin to English and French to ensure that he
communicates with all.

It was also a statement about the fallacy of building nationhood in this
country without the expression, vibrance, resonance and guiding precepts
of the first language of the land, which, as Elder Commanda has reminded
us countless times, was taken by the 84 nations of Algonquian descent
throughout Turtle Island from Time Immemorial.

It has been a humbling realization for me, who, as much as I have
supported his work these past thirteen years, has not learned his
language, and even now, as we cope with his illness at home, I see the
inadequacy of my service to him as he pointedly expresses his needs in
Algonquin - only when he decides to take pity on me does the cheeky man
translate! - but there are moments when he is too sick for that.
 ]]

Anyway, we are most grateful to all the folk from within and without the
system who helped Grandfather through this challenge.  In this regard, I
must especially acknowledge the ceaseless advice, support and supplies
from Susan Hagar and the special support from Edmond Decontie.

Now, as he did with his cancer in 1961, Grandfather is counting on his
unique blend of good medicine to help him into the future - yes, endless
work, Indian Medicine, traditional food, homeopathic cures, prayers,
ceremonies, drum songs, dance, and love and support from good friends
around the world, many, we are discovering being folk who do not even know
him personally (e.g. check out - Earth Heal Blog:
http://earthheal.blogspot.com/).