Walk this way: Cross-country marchers cut through Shelby County
By JUSTIN AVERETTE / News Editor / Posted: Friday, June 6, 2008 4:20 PM CDT


MONTEVALLO - When Kid Valance gets where he's going, he'll have gone through 11 states, six pairs of shoes and countless foot blisters.
It's not easy walking 2,800 miles.


Longest Walk 2 participants march up Highway 25 toward Columbiana on Friday. The group is walking from San Francisco, Calif. to Washington, D.C. to raise awareness about Native American issues. (Reporter Photo / Justin Averette)


Valance and about 50 other people trekked through Shelby County last week on their way to Washington, D.C.

The group made up part of the Longest Walk 2, a five-month journey from San Francisco to D.C. that hopes to bring awareness to Native American issues.

The walk commemorates the 30th anniversary of a similar event that took place in 1978. That walk resulted in historic changes for Native Americans, including the American Indian Religious Freedom Act.

"This walk has changed my life," said San Francisco native Mari Villuna, 27. "I'm walking for my people, this land. Most people wake up thinking, 'Ugh, another day of work.' I love to wake up and greet the sun. That's beautiful."

The Longest Walk 2 covers two routes, one northern and one southern, that will cover more than 8,000 miles total. People are invited to join in and participate in the walk at any point, for any distance.

The southern route came through Shelby County last week.

The walkers showered and had a hot meal at the University of Montevallo campus Thursday. They camped at George Roy Park in Calera that night.

"They came through we opened our campus up to them," said Monte Perkins, an admissions counselor at UM.

The group walked up Alabama 25 on Thursday and Friday on their way to Sylacauga.

The walkers average about 20 miles a day. At night, they camp out, or if they're lucky, they stay at churches, school gyms or college campus.

To keep good time and make mileage, runners add another 60 or so miles a day, to make sure they make it to D.C. by July 11.

Kid Valance, 50, is one of those runners and describes his heritage as "Not sure ... maybe Scottish?"

Despite not being a native, he started participating in similar run events in 1991, after meeting another runner in a record store.

"I've always felt a deep connection with running," said Valance. "When I met this man, it was the first time I heard there was spiritual running - a way to pray for the earth as you run. It just feels natural to me."

Valance is a singer-songwriter and says he is fortunate to be able to take five months off at a time.

"Those of us who get to do this are lucky. We know there are people who care about this cause, who can't do something like this," said Valance. "It makes you very humble, to be a representative."

Valance said his favorite part of walking across the country is the friendships that develop along the way.

"These people turn into family. It's hard to say goodbye," he said.

Jun Yasuda, 59, came to America from Tokyo more than 30 years ago; one of the first things she did was sign up for the first Longest Walk.

"At the time, I had not English, no knowledge of native culture, I just walked," Yasuda said. "During the walk, I realized that native people have a deep respect for nature and a deep spirituality."

Since then, she has also walked across America eight times, protesting nuclear weapons, big oil and the destruction of the environment.

'I keep supporting these causes and love of nature," said Yasuda. "It's not about supporting this 30 years ago and again today ... it was about supporting something this whole time."