Totem Pole Journey to Protect Oak Flat – United Church of Ferndale, Friday, March 3
The House of Tears Lummi Carvers will make their only totem journey appearance in Ferndale at the United Church of Ferndale (2034 Washington Street), on Friday, March 3 beginning at 3:00 pm.
This year, the Totem Pole Journey is dedicated to the protection of an indigenous holy site at Oak Flat, Arizona. Oak Flat is a 6.7-square-mile stretch of land east of Phoenix that falls within Tonto National Forest. The San Carlos Apache people have always held a number of important ceremonies there, ceremonies that can take place only on the Oak Flat site, as it is a “place of prayer faces.” The site is sacred to other indigenous tribes/nations as well.
The Oak Flat site is under attack by a foreign based mining company, Resolution Copper, of Australia, owned in part by Rio Tinto. They want to construct and operate an open pit, copper and moly mine. It is somewhat akin to the Pebble Mine, whose permitting was recently denied by US EPA. Yet there is more at stake at Oak Flat; it is not just an environmental issue, but a spiritual and cultural issue.
The controversy is now before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court is examining a congressional land swap. Wendsler Nosie, Sr., an Apache leader who has been living at Oak Flat for the past two years, says that the attempted transfer of the sacred site amounts to a “war on religion.” His opinion is seconded by the Rev. William Barber II of the Poor People’s Campaign.
The Lummi Carvers are standing in solidarity with the San Carlos Apache people. They are also working with three other indigenous organizations: the Alliance of Earth, Sky and Water Protectors, the Catskill Mountainkeepers and Apache Stronghold.
To read more about Oak Flat, AZ: Oak Flat (Arizona) - Wikipedia and Religion News Service.
The House of Tears Lummi Carvers are requesting our aid to pay for food, gas and ceremonial materials. You can give cash at the event. You can also use the code on the flyer, or the address below. Catskill Mountainkeepers is the non-profit sponsor for the House of Tears Lummi Carvers.
The Catskill Mountainkeepers
PO Box 268
Hurleyville, NY 12747
On Friday, March 3, the House of Tears Lummi Carvers will be present at the United Church of Ferndale from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm. The Totem Journey blessing at will be at 4:30 pm. Hearty, healthy snacks, including homemade soup, will be served. Please come and support our Lummi neighbors!
Click here to download a flyer about the journey.
