In the Rainbow 2008

Hello friends,

As some of you may know I attended the Annual Rainbow Gathering this year in Wyoming. The Gathering was filled with drama and situations instigated by the police like them randomly shooting rubber bullets and tear gas into a camp site filled with women and children from 15 feet away for example!. The gathering is always targeted, but in these times when the govt. is desparately trying to keep a strong hold finger on everyone in order to manifest their new world tyranny they have been putting more pressure on peaceful groups and individuals as you well know. So please read my experiances.



I have been asked ,"why do I go to this gathering?" I go for many reasons that are my own, but the one reason I'll tell you as to why is because if we do not exercise and enforce our First Amendment right, not only is that, but our Human right to gather peaceably on public land then you may as well put the shackels on now. For those of you who think America is a pretty alright country, You like your supposed freedom you have now or had say 8 years ago? Then Know your rights while you got them, learn the constitution and EXERCISE it or it will vanish!!!



It was suggested to me that I Blog my experiances this year on the Gathering and it rung loud to do so, so here I am, writing about what I haven't really before. The beauty and the hardships encountered in the Rainbow all in a way for me was what I'd let go to spirit after returning to the city. I wouldn't talk or write much of my experiances, but this year I felt more at witness to things I guess that I am ready to articulate on to some point.


With what I am about to say about the experiances that were not so plesant, please allow yourself to continue to see that the light far outweighs the dark in this event. Always has and will.

The sheer magick and energy that moves throughout the gathering is not blantantly revealed to all who attend, but it is definitely in one way or another felt.

The many masks the Rainbow Gathering has put apon it, (but in essence is certainly not) are that it's a drug crazed party, a pretend indian village, a festival, a camping trip, a criminals hideout. All these things detract from what the Gathering is and what this organism as a whole accomplishes on many levels that have gone unnoticed or unaccounted for in the general media and public's eye. (if I may insert a jab here- consider tha attrocities the Amerikan government has bestowed apon this earth and yet many still try to reach for the decency in the organization. Then for goodness sakes consider even for a moment the possibility that the Rainbow Gathering is a positive powerful entity that causes far more good for this planet and it's societies than the petty harm it is accused of.)

I invite any who have not personally been to come and not just stroll around and look, but sit inside a talking circle, dinner circle, or lift a finger in help to a kitchen. This is where the real magick is. I have had people say that the Gathering is a romanticization of Native American way of life. That it is bogus and some of these people have never been there themselves. You come get into the dirt and see face to face all the odds at work against this gathering to try to keep it from continuing yet is perseveres and you'll see how unromanticized it really is.

This is real good warrior stuff happening for the light as is in anyother organizations you may know. The tactics that the Rainbow Gatherers use collectively ae methods that have to be used the world over in my opinion. Completely unarmed and without fear. Holding as much love energy in there hearts as can be mustered when against hostile situations and those three facts are what wins out and are the only things that will win out in the face offs and wars apon the free people yet to come. In many videos that shows 'Rainbows" facing off with the cops or forrest service trying to oppress and instill fear, they are chased off. CHASED OFF with nothing but shouts of love and anger yes, but they aren't sinking into fear screaming "what did we do??" Because they KNOW they have done nothing wrong! They do not shout threats or intend to combat the cops because it is known that warrents the reaction of violence. The "Rainbows" know their rights to Gather peaceably on public lands and they know the cops have no buisness with fatal weaponry in a crowd of unarmed, peaceful people. So they Tell them basically to "get the fuck out of here!" and what usually ends up happening is they do. hey leave with their few trumped up arrest charged people in custody and that's pretty much all they can do. How can we see more of this at protests and sit-ins or what have you?? My first suggestion is that it all is in the frame of mind we hold while in these situations. We must hold thoughts of conviction of courage and the sheer knowing that we are free people and we will protect ourselves, our children, the innocent and the earth no matter what! We must hold love in our hearts. We don't have to love the oppressing aggressive person before us if we are unable, it sure helps if you can, but if not, atleast hold an overall love in your heart for if nothing else yourself and that will exude and diffuse more than you can imagine. Fear and hate twards an aggressor empowers them more then you can imagine.

Secondly I think they are testing people period... Not so much as test subjects, but definitey testing the spirit of the people, the organization skills and the patience of the people. Definitely testing their boundaries and what they can get away with. Must uphold patience!! If they pop the patience and successfully provoke the people than it's over man! That's why I think there should be major workshop type circles happening OFTEN at gatherings teaching and drilling people on how to act, and not react in situations with LEOs. We spoke of this ever so briefly in council on the 7th. There is an organization I am sure you are aware of called 'Cop Watch' www.copwatch.org and it holds training sessions schooling the people on what their rights are and how to document cop action safely. They simulate stressful situations and drill the copwatch members in disarming a hostile situation as if they were actually getting provoked by a cop/s. That is so important!!! We can talk all the peace we want but when adrenalin kicks in it is another story to try to maintain non violence. Running simulation drills where you get to practice controlling and diffusing your inital reaction to police provoking people is essential to more successful outcomes in these situations!
It is also very obvious when in reading any media statement against Rainbows or any peace movement for that matter they will quote the govt.'s side as a factual, but when any statement is given contrary to the govt.'s then they purposefully put in dehabilitating words such as "allegedly", or "supposedly" Like "sheriff so and so said such and such happened, but Rainbow kid over here said so and so 'Allegedly' happened.

That is bogus.
I am sure you are aware of Indy Media right? www.indymedia.org I think this whole Wyoming and every Rainbow situation up against the govt. should be documented here in this site as well as other independant media resources. This also was mentioned at council on the 7th. The fact that we must talk more about the Gathering. More press from the Gathering's side, not just this defensive stance in response to every allegation the govt. throws out. But actively put out what good this Gathering is doing for the world, people and societies in media. Anyone can do it. I am going to do more as well, do what I can with what I have. Pardon this is long.

I'll attatch as a few videos here of this years examples below. Now here is my account of this year "In the Rainbow 2008"



Apon my first arrival to the Gathering this year in Wyoming on June 2nd around 12:30 or 1:p.m. I jumped out of the pick-up truck( nice gentleman who gave 5 of us a ride www.iamdave.com ), and in the parking lot of 'Bus Village' the first thing we see and hear is a bunch of shouting going on between law officers and a few gathering attendies. An older man in his late 60's or more is yelling for the officers to leave him alone. Others near by are yelling for the cops to leave him alone also. They keep shouting "he didn't do anything, leave him alone, don't hurt him!" Next thing we see is the officers slam this man to the ground face first with blasts from their tazzer guns. While he is on the ground convulsing from the shocks and screaming in pain they continue tazzering him atleast seven more times. His mouth full of sand and bleeding the officers cuff him and scream over their radios that they "need back up immediately!" passers by are distraught, children are crying and the teenage boy I was standing next to was weeping at what he witnessed. Their backup rushes in and they take the old man away as Gatherers take officers badge and plate #s. Telling the officers they loved them and that they had no right to be doing this also telling the cuffed man they loved him and everyone trying to calm down.



So we move on from this scene and start walking up the path into the Gathering. The hike was hard, steep and dusty. By the end of the hike we had meditated long enough over what we experianced coming in that with our tired breath we came apon Main Meadow.

Enchanting, peaceful, flowers and children playing and laughing, people flying kites and people yelling "we love you " Welcome home" These shouts with smiles are a constant chanting throughout the whole gathering experiance even at times in the midst or right next to a situation with the govt. The smiles and the love keep flowing, it's amazing.



That is the power! The love is stronger than all their hate.



So we sit, in the middle of this sunny field and take it in. Lay on the ground and breath. The peace and serenity right there makes it seem lucid as to how we could have just experianced such craziness that short while ago. But this year that dynamic back to back, chaos then miraculous harmony, scary drama then awesome joy was running strong.

We chose our campspot and strolled the Gathering.

Kitchens were hard at work pumping out food, people cutting wood, kids and dogs playing, people carrying water and supplies, people coming and going, grunge kids yelling for candy and nugs, Hare Krishnas chanting away & passing out cookies, drums in every direction, smells and sounds and sights of color to fill your senses.

Dinner Circle, yum yum food feeds thousands of people. All the kitchens bring out their goods. After dinner various groupings happpen, but the one in particular that I went to was the 'Angel Walk' where people create a tunnel for you to walk through and as you pass by each of them with your eyes closed they whisper the most beautiful things to you, all of them. This in itself is like 6months of therepy in 10 minutes. Then after you go through you have the option to stand in and be a tunnel angel whisperer yourself, which everyone ends up doing because you just feel so good. I saw a couple grandfather men actually breakdown and cry in this experiance.

And the night goes on like this, pulsing with good vibes and love, good food and music, smiles and laughter, dancing and games. Always a word of awareness on the wind among everyone where the forrest service cops are or have been and what they are up to yet it never wavers the spirit of the celebration vibration.



Looming troughout the gathering though was the fact that the town's local sherrif's son had turned up missing right about the time the gatehring had been setting up. He was known in his town as being outstanding, well kept, drove a spotless car at all times and it came as a shock that he was missing, Rumour was that this gave more reason for undercover feds to be in the gathering this year in"search" of him being that they found his abandoned car near the gathering and the cops thought the 'Rainbows" were hiding him, but it turns out they found his body and that the boy had killed himself. I think he hung himself which is word in the forrest, but the newspapers didn't say how he killed himself.

Anyways, so that was an added drama this year.





So on into the next day, July 3rd and into the early evening Main Circle, which is main dinner circle where all the kitchens bring food out to most everyone at the gathering (thousands apon thousands of people mind you) are circling up. Everyone is circling up for dinner and a situation unfolds in "Kiddie Village" ( a specific camping area for the families and children).

Forrest service cops came into Kiddie Village and began to arrest a young man allegedly for pot. Many of the young man's friend were naturally upset asking him to be left alone and the escalating situation caused women to begin to panic for the saftey of their children because the cops started pointing and waving their guns and tazzers at everyone as they became frustrated and nervous by the camp becoming upset. The rainbows sat on the ground and started Ohming around the cops telling them to get out of Kiddie Village with their guns. Emotions escalated and the cops began panicking and started shooting pepper balls from a paintball type gun at the camp.

People shouted out to main circle "Shots fired! but the majority of main circle heard only the words "fire" , which is an immediate call to action in the Rainbow Gathering. When you hear "fire" people start running with shovels and buckets of water twards the area. So that's exactly what happened. About 400 hundred people started frantically grabbing shovels and buckets thinking there was a fire and ended up rushing into Kiddie Village making the cops think they were being ambushed and the 400 or so people running in were confused to not find fire but to find the cop situation.Then the real anger set in when they found cops pointing guns at kids and women. The cops were shooting pepper balls at everyone, children, women and people trying to calm the crowd down. Mothers freaking out for their childrens saftey and people screaming " Get out of Kiddie Village!"

The cops got turned around in the forrest and didn't know which way was out and got more panicked.

In a stuation like this especially with all the children present it would take a Ghandi type of self restraint to not be enraged by these police actions. Some "Rainbows" tried to help the cops find their way out and almost got shot for it and twards the end as the cops walked out enraged rainbows alledgedly threw some rocks at the cops. There is no proof of this, but the cops are crying around about it big time.

Now this supposed behavior was seriously discussed and repremanded the day after and big speeches were given to the Gathering that Rainbows DO NOT act in Violence with anyone including cops ever. The whole essence of the Rainbow Gathering is to accomplish all that is being worked twards in a completely non-violent way. Assertive yes when need be, but aggressive. BIG difference. And this is the regard held most always, but I'll admit if a bunch of knee chattering blue coats or forrest service or whoever came slinging weapons at my children in a completely unarmed, unsuspecting camp, I'd find it very hard not to throw some hefty rocks myself at minimum, so I do not appologize for being bias here.



So as that situation comes to an end the gathering continiues on, vibes strong, The celebration day of prayer for peace goes on beautifully on July 4th. Spirits are high and the dancing and praying and drums and singing all fill the air with ferocity. Games and music, food and cheer, people helping eachother, beauty just fills every moment. When the forrest service or cops are not present there is nothing but magick, peace and happiness I tell ya. This I was discussing with a brother. We said when People are left totheir own devices, with no oppressive, manipulative interference there is always beautiful Harmony. Everyone learning from everyone. Those who are not helping to heal at the gathering are being healed. There are tears of joy and of release. Tears of concern and of hope.

The Gathering goes on in Peace for a couple more days. The cops do not enter inside until the final day.



July 7th. Vision council is happening. Talking to find consensus where the next gathering will be. From main medow we see billowing smoke come out of the forrest. Someone shouts fire! "Fire at Handicamp!" which is a camp where many disabled congregate. So again, a huge group of people go tearing off into the forrest in the direction of the smoke. I was not dressed with proper shoes or cloths to help much I didn't think, but I grabbed my camera and took off in with them anyways. I thought atleast I could get coverage if cops got weird or for whatever reason. We get in there and this fire is FAR away. We are trudging through this forrest, so many trees are fallen , criss crossing the floor that we have to skim across the fallen trees. The forrest is a timber box. The closer we got to the fire the more we realized how big this thing was. I fell behind eventually being I had on flip flops that were slipping in the mud and water. I kept going in the direction of the smoke. Honestly I had no idea what I was doing, I have never been near a forrest fire and when just my self and this other guy had long lost the rest of everyone who ran to help put out the fire I saw the billowing source smoke about 50 or 100 yards in front of me. The wind was blowing our direction and the smoke was infront of us and to the left and right of my vision so I then realize that this is too big and a wave of fear came over me that I could be in danger. The energy of the situation caught up with me and the power of the fire revealed it's fatal possibilities to me. I thought this was a fire that was going to be extinguishable by the ground efforts, but no, the helicopters are there dropping stuff above our heads. I look down at my flip flops and begin to think I would not be able to out run that fire if the wind picked up and it started climbing the hill twards us. So I turned around immediately. Huffed back twards main circle and apon getting there was informed the cops had been up in main meadow trying to make everyone evacuate the entire gathering, but nobody moved. They couldn't round up the Rainbows, the cops were basically ignored. I sat back down with the vision council which those who stayed didn't budge. So cool. They kept the circle even with the fire and cops trying to tell them to leave.

A little time goes by and some of the initial runners out to the fire start to trail back in. They said once they got close to the fire they were greeted with forrest service and tazzers who said if they tried to help put out the fire they would be and arrested.

It turnes out that the fire wasn't even on the public forrest land. It was on the neighboring BLM land and that there was not one person camped in that area. Interesting. Other people came back with words and pictures of individual logs set ablaze that were layed up against a tree sporadically along the way twards the fire in various spots as if the fire was intentional and intended to be bigger. So speculations are that the cops set a controlled fire to have a means to eveacuate the gathering because they were sure quick to come into main circle to try to get people to move and many, many things were just too convenient as more info came in. The cops had blocked the back trail out of the gathering and were trying to usher everyone out one entrance. And word is they arrested the disabled guy who initially came and told everyone there was a fire.



After this event people are pretty of stressed. It felt like soon would be a good time to leave and head back to the city. So Peace continues, smiles and shouts of love carry on through the air. Drums still playing. The gathering is still happening!!. Ya know it just astounds me how things just keep going on in effort for peace and harmony amongst the Gathering amidst all such dramatic events. Like a bump in the road, but we keep driving twards the light.



So this was the 2008 Wyoming Rainbow Gathering from my perspective. The odds were really at work against the light, but to no avail! Beyond all these events mentioned were the ones that were not documented, filmed or verbalized. Then there was a high black and brown bear presence which did not make itself known, but after I left the locals told me there had been quite a few bear/human fatalities in that area.. I gulped. Then there were the mosquitoes...Oh my the frigging mosquitos.. swarms and swarms like I have never seen before. We left looking like there was a small pox infestation. Man!

So if you still think the Gathering is a romanticization, well I invite you. If you haven't been in 10 or 20 years and you think its just a party, I invite you. There is real work and healing being done and real survival skills learned on many levels for if we ever have dire need to form together completely unhinged from any governmental system this would be the closest most concievable way I could see real harmony coming about within a societal structure.

Loving you!!!!!!

Always Free!!!!



"When the earth is ravaged and the animals are dying, a new tribe of people shall come unto the earth from many colors, classes, creeds, and who by their actions and deeds shall make the earth green again. They will be known as the warriors of the Rainbow" -- Old Native American Prophecy





www.welcomehome.org/rainbow/...site.html







to view Rainbow Family blogs on myspace covering this as well go here

blog.myspace.com/index.cfm



to see video please click the links below to watch and please, watch them, they are short, but impactual.



www.youtube.com/v/p5aed3FHiNc&hl=en







www.youtube.com/v/cV9s7rT1-iY&hl=en







www.youtube.com/v/S1SL58BHBSc&hl=en



Other blog links on this issue

adap2k.blogspot.com/2008/07/...2008.html



Alex Jones covers the Kiddie Village attack..

www.youtube.com/watch

.

Peace and Light!





~ KK

Updates

Hi Ya'll.
I just finnished a little southwest music tour for the month of May. Just returned June 6th and have been sleeping for a week strait practically! Just now getting back in touch with the WWW.
Missed ya!
I didn't dance or do any shoots, for this was dedicated strickly to my music and it was totally fun and non-stop. My first 'under my own name tour' with demo in hand.. Those of you I saw,,, so cool.
Learned much and have a big bag of beautiful memories of new and old friends, oh and TONS of pics. Mostly on Myspaces.
My house is half unpacked and organized. It has been six months and I figure another 6mos and then I should be settled. ...Yea.. Well that's just cuz it was a big move and I'm sifting through like ten years of my life. But it's all good. Thereputic really. No seriously, very.
I'm happy and ...... well that's about it for right now.

~KK

Kara Kay Updates :) Shows & Happenings

Hello Friends,
Here are some current happenings and upcomings of mine...



*** Been doing Open Mics 8:00p.m. Thursday Nights @
Wheatstate Pizza 1618 South Broadway
Pittsburg, KS
620-231-9200
(those of you in the area come on down and get on the mic with us!!) :)




*** This Friday April 4th (tomorrow morning) I will be doing interviews and playing live with a wonderfully talented guitar extraodinaire Daniel Albertini on air at the 99.1 Rock Revolution KSEK Studios on the airwaves around 11:00-30 or so.
You can tune in LIVE online @
www.rockrevolution991.com
Then again later that Friday evening 6:00 to 8:00p.m.
Daniel and I will both be performing
at Pittsburg Kansas' Meadowbrook Mall inside the "Luv Bubble" where just inside a little deeper
lies the inner workings of the KSEK Studios where Maryanne Freakin Rocks, Brando, Digm, Juno and
Ziggy perform their magical manipulations on the electronic gizmos being broadcasted right now over the airwaves!!!




*** Pittsburg Spring Artwalk on Friday the 25th 2008
5:00 to 8:00p.m.
in Pittsburg, KS
www.myspace.com/pittsburgartwalk



*** Daniel has also graciously agreed to accompany me on the main stage Saturday May 24th 7:00p.m.
@ the Telemagica Art & Music Festival this year in beautiful Jacumba, California May 22nd - 26 2008
Get your discount presale tickets NOW!
www.telemagica.com



www.myspace.com/karakaymusic
www.karakay.com
www.myspace.com/albertiniguitarworks



~ Kara Kay

Days of late....

Many are asking where I am and many have no idea I ever left. So I'll inform a bit here.
Life is nice and different for me these days and thankfully so. From my last post here, Gawd, like two years ago almost I was very dissatisfied with my residence in Phx. I felt trapped and creatively stifled. I felt there was not one street, not one crevice of that town that was unturned for me. I was born and raised in Phx and it was high time for me to set foot on other pastures. Happily now I have done so. I still visit and stay in Phx from time to time and will always have a base there, but no longer feel held by the clutches of that city. For if anyone who is actually FROM Phx can confirm the city can have a death grip on you and life can be a manifestation of the metaphore that Phoenix Bird respresents. Rising only to come crashing down to rise again. With extreme ferocity. It can be exhausting. Such is life anywhere I realize, but I think the intensity runs high in Phoenix. As I ramble so dramatically here, but hey.... I think we all need to leave our home town at some point. So I am happy, I am putting most all of my attention on music at this time. Dancing yes still, teaching every so often and and the occasional dance show, but I intend for you all to see me in the light of music more often now. Many know I have been in various bands and so on, but many have had no idea. I am happy to be hearing from so many lately and your blessings and kind words are so appreciated. Thank you.
So that's that I guess for now. Big Hugs and Love .

~ Kara Kay

In Phoenix for a bit.

Well I have been in Phoenix for the last week or so tieing up loose ends and preparring for a stint to Cali. then I'll be back here through October. Will be doing a couple shows here so I'll post more info on those as the details solidify. Meanwhile I am looking forward to catching up with friends here,, maybe catch a couple movies, go dancing.. K.I.T Ya'll Hugs!!!
~ K

Reports of my Travels

HI friends!
I've been on the road for Gosh a month now. Telemagica was Absolutely just that, Telemagical! Just fun stuff. Made many connections and friends this time round,, it felt much more cozy and musical connections flowed more free for me.. spent an entire night in a meditation chamber looking up to the vast milkyway,, I felt like i was in a Mayan temple .. We had a beautiful ceremony/ Opera, 'The Return of the White Buffallo',, I played the part of the girl who channels the spirit of her great grandfather who became a white Indian Chief by marriage to a Native woman in the tribe. The spirit then came to tell the whole camp of the legend of the white buffallo and the meaning of its return.. Was a syncronistic and fun part for me.

I then came back to Phoenix to pack up my house in a week with the great help of my friends,, we got it done in three days! OMG it was rough! Then I hit the road again with my sister and friend Nathan to the Rainbow Gathering which was of course another divine experiance! Was very, very dirty, dusty, then with the rain muddy! The Colorado clay of the tippy top mountains just sticks to you. I didn't play any music there, just danced my tushy off! To explain the Gathering is ugh,, how can I? Here's an entry from my Myspace blog while I was there.....

......Friday, July 07, 2006

In the rainbow!!!


How do I explain the sheer magick!!! Every moment,, every wish granted at every moment,,, every one,,, nothin but shinin' eyes,, bright! Full of love! Cuddle puddles( my fav.) In the middle of main circle under a shining luna,, Afternoon showers,, Being directed in and out as if through a portal from one world to the next on gaurd for 6ups and ohh my though endless food, fires, drums, daning, song, prayer Angel walks!,, can't forget the hare' Krishnas!! :) Just sooo much beauty! ....

More later, in town for a short stint to see a Micheal Franti/ Spearhead show,, coincidence? I think not! anyhoo Love you all!!!..........

... There was a little drama there with the law, but over all just beauty!

So yes things have been lovely. Now I'm in Fort Collins, CO for a job and just relaxing until it starts....

I wish you all peace and love and i hope you are well. I will post more as the journey unfolds!

~ K.K.

Leaving for Telemagica Today!

Hittin' the road to California To Telemagica the Art & Music festsival. ( Link to site is on my homepage under upcoming Performances ) This festival is surrounded by Natural Hotsprings and over looks the Mexican Border in the little town of Jacumba.
We'll be taking video and audio recording so I'll try to share as much of that as I can Asap and a blog of the trip. Lataz!
~K.K.

What a Blast!

This was an awesome night! Check out pics,, or go to Violet Wing's page in my groups to see more!

March for Sacred Sites & Human Rights!!

Grassroots Mobilization for Sacred Sites and Human Rights in Flagstaff, Arizona



Over a thousand people expected to converge in Flagstaff to march for Sacred Sites and Human Rights on March 25th



The March for Sacred Sites and Human Rights will be held in association with the National Conference of the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (Chicano/a Student Movement of Aztlan) (M.E.Ch.A.), which will be taking place at NAU during that week. The theme of the national M.E.Ch.A. conference is “Human Rights will not be Denied” and it is expected to bring over eight hundred high school and university students from throughout the US to NAU.

"Every year, M.E.Ch.A. marches on an issue that the local chapter has been engaged with," said Kesia Ceniceros female co-chair of M.E.Ch.A., "This year we have asked the Save the Peaks Coalition and other organizations to collaborate on our march to protect sacred sites and human rights of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.

More than fifty community organizations, businesses, and institutions from throughout the US are sponsoring the March, among them are the Save the Peaks Coalition, Youth of the Peaks, E.C.H.O.E.S, Native Movement, Tona Tierra, and the Laguna Acoma Coalition For A Safe Environment.

“Attacks on sacred sites and colonial borders that divide our families and peoples are a violation of our human rights as Indigenous peoples within our own homelands,” said Evon Peter, Chairman of Native Movement, “This March is a reflection of the growing solidarity within communities that are working for human rights, peace, and justice in the Americas.”

The March will start at 3pm on March 25th at the Aquatic Center on NAU on San Francisco St. and conclude at the Flagstaff City Hall. The people will gather at City Hall to make speeches and call for the Flagstaff City Council to rescind the vote to sell reclaimed wastewater to Arizona Snowbowl. Those at the march representing the rights of immigrants want to end the dehumanization of migrants and stop anti-immigration legislation.

"We are anticipating a thousand people to demonstrate their support for the movement to protect the San Francisco Peaks from Snowbowl's proposed desecration and for the human rights of Immigrants," said Kelley Nez of Youth of the Peaks, “This march unites the struggles to protect sacred places and the rights of working peoples, key issues that have been affecting us in the southwestern US and throughout the Americas. We are marching in solidarity with our people’s north and south against the ongoing efforts for a corporately controlled global economy, which continues to leave our communities with little or nothing.”



For more information visit the Native Movement website at www.nativemovement.org or call the office at (928) 213-9063. For More info on the M.E.Ch.A. conference visit www.nau.edu/mecha .

Friday Sunrise Prayer Gathering for the Holy San Fransisco Peaks

Please call your friends and relatives to let them know!

Contact: coalition@savethepeaks.org

Friday Sunrise Prayer Gathering for the Holy San Francisco Peaks!

Flagstaff, AZ - On Friday, March 17th at 6:00am, while Arizona Snowbowl prepares to open it's slopes for the first time this season, traditional Indigenous practitioners and community members will gather to offer prayers. The prayers offered will be to heal wounds and divisions created by Snowbowl owners and operators and the Forest Service officials because of their controversial plan to expand the developed ski area and make snow from contaminated wastewater on the Sacred Mountain known as the San Francisco Peaks.

"We are not gathering to interfere with Snowbowl's business or anybody's recreation," says Klee Benally of the Save the Peaks Coalition, "We are gathering to offer our prayers for healing. We will also acknowledge those who do not understand the harm they are trying to commit on our way of life, our community's health and the environment. We will be praying for compassion and respect."

Arizona Snowbowl recently received approval in District Court to make snow from contaminated wastewater, clear cut over 70 acres, expand its facilities and make additional development on the Peaks. The San Francisco Peaks are a holy site to more than 13 Native American Nations and a critical habitat for threatened species. The decision is being appealed by the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Yavapai Apache, Hualapai, Havasupai, Sierra Club, Flagstaff Activist Network and others.

Come show your support for the protection of our cultural and natural heritage. Save the Peaks!

After the prayer gathering at 1:30pm, members of ECHOES will be delivering petitions representing thousands of voices from throughout the world calling for the Flagstaff City Council to stop the sale of wastewater to Arizona Snowbowl for snowmaking.

Who: Traditional Indigenous Practitioners and Community Members

What: Sunrise Prayer Gathering for the Holy San Francisco Peaks!

Where: San Francisco Peaks, Arizona Snowbowl - Hart Prairie - lower parking lot

When: Sunrise - 6:00am

For more info email: coalition@savethepeaks.org

www.savethepeaks.org

......

If you can't make it to Flagstaff on Friday:

Call in to stop the City of Flagstaff's sale of wastewater to Snowbowl for Snowmaking!

Please call:
City of Flagstaff Mayor Joe Donaldson
Telephone: (928) 779-7600

Suggested talking points:

*


* The Coconino National Forest Service's Environmental Impact Statement recognizes that there will be "adverse impacts" to the cultural integrity of the San Francisco Peaks if the Snowbowl development is permitted. Snowbowl's plan would not be possible if the City did NOT sell wastewater to Snowbowl. Let him know how you personally feel about the preservation of ancient living cultures.
*

* Scientific studies have found contaminants in the wastewater that could be dangerous to the environment and humans. With this information, the City must also address its use on parks, school fields and golf courses. Urge the city council to take these scientific findings seriously!
*

* The City of Flagstaff's economy benefits greatly from neighboring Native American Nations and from heritage tourism year round. The sale of wastewater to Snowbowl will continue to be detrimental to the City's reputation and relations with these tribes that oppose further desecration of the San Francisco Peaks.
*

* Snowbowl's wastewater plan and the City's involvement are contributing to racial division in the community.
*

* Urge the Mayor to allow the community to decide if it should sell wastewater to Snowbowl.
*

*


* Stop the sale of contaminated wastewater to Snowbowl! Respect our Cultural and
* Natural Heritage!


www.savethepeaks.org