From: DINETAH29@aol.com

Dear Big Mountain Supporters,

Since Eagle from Unity of Nations sent the e-mail below, I thought it would
be good for everyone to hear the voice of Big Mountain youth. I hope this is
just the beginning. Please send messages to this e-mail address if you want
to continue this dialogue.

Thanks,
Marsha Monestersky
E-mail: dinetah29@aol.com

 

Dear Big Mountain Supporters,

I saw an e-mail from Eagle, Unity of Nations and I would like to respond to
you and Big Mountain supporters about what Big Mountain youth are facing.

I am a youth from Big Mountain and am 17 years old. As for me, life is
really hard out here on the so-called HPL. Me and other young people are not
thought about by the US government and their tribal officials. It is as if
we don't exist. We feel homeless and hopeless because we are not allowed to
live traditionally like our grandparents. We are being taught by our elders
how to survive but we are being forced through another deadline.

I don't like the way our elders are being treated by the Hopi Rangers. I
witness everything they do and say and I call what they do elder abuse. I
don't see anyone going to these old Hopis doing this. What they do is really
disrespectful. If you are traditional you don't do this kind of thing. You
use your mind and your conscience to think about compassionn to old people
that know more about survival than they do. The elders shouldn't be
overridden because they know what young people don't know and they have a lot
to teach us. I don't like to see the guns on their hips to intimidate. If I
did this to them I would be sent to jail and that is what I know and witness.
Also, a lot of other young people have experienced what I have mentioned. I
respect my elders and the land. I speak my language and I was taught to
respect other people.

As for the tribal officials of Hopi and Navajo tribes, they get paid to
harass us. And I never seen them help us in any way so they shouldn't speak
on our behalf because they don't help us. They should not say anything
about us or make decisions about us because they don't care about us. They
are only concerned about the money. That is just the way it is.

I have livestock at my grandmother's Pauline Whitesinger and they are
threatened with impoundment because we have newborn lambs and goats that will
be over the permit limit. They are innocent animals and they face stringent
laws against them. We feel the same way as these innocent animals, we want
to live traditionally like our grandparents.

This is my point of view for now and this is what I want to share.

Yours truly,

A Youth from Big Mountain

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In a message dated 1/4/00 8:51:57 PM US Mountain Standard Time,

unityofnations@eudoramail.com writes:

<< Subj: Re: [BIGMTLIST] In Search of Big Mtn Speaker for youth
leadership camp
Date: 1/4/00 8:51:57 PM US Mountain Standard Time
From: unityofnations@eudoramail.com (Eagle Ortega)
Reply-to: <A HREF="mailto:BIGMTLIST@onelist.com">BIGMTLIST@onelist.com</A>

To: BIGMTLIST@onelist.com

From: "Eagle Ortega" <unityofnations@eudoramail.com>

Hello, My name is Anthony 'Eagle" Ortega - I help run a non-profit 501c(3)
multi-cultural organization called "UNITY OF NATIONS" - I'm the Project
Coordinator for UNITY.

I have been working on Big Mounatain for 1 1/2 years-working with the
traditional Dine'h people has been a long struggle. I work with Marsha
Monetersky-Consultant for SDN (Sovereign Dine'h Nation). I have worked with
several elders-and what sadness me most is the harsh reality of what is
happening to the elders? They are suffering from Psychological stress from
relocation. Their Cattle and sheep is being butchered by the BIA. That's
what sadness me: Its relocation of the elders.

I have organized a BM Benefit for the people of BIG MOUNTAIN in May of '99"

I feel that I would like to talk to the youth out there and talk to the youth
about Big Mountain. If someone can please contact me at
unityofnations@eudoramail.com or at UNITY @ 323/344.8084 your call will be
greatly appreciated.

Thank you for the Invite

ALL MY RELATIONS!

EAGLE
UNITY