IEN Conference Agenda Western Shoshone 2008

INDIGENOUS ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK (IEN)
15th PROTECTING MOTHER EARTH CONFERENCE
Sponsored by IEN and Hosted by
WESTERN SHOSHONE DEFENSE PROJECT
July 17-20, 2008
“Answering Mother Earth’s Call for Healing –Reaffirming Our Roots”
AGENDA
Camp Set-Up – Tuesday and Wednesday, July 15-16th
Day One – Thursday, July 17th (LAND)
5:30 Sunrise Ceremony – Lighting of the Sacred Fire
7:00 – 8:30 Breakfast
9:00 Opening Ceremony of the Conference
Prayer
Grand Entry of Indigenous Participants
Welcome by IEN/WSDP leadership
Western Shoshone Traditional Leadership, Local Tribal Officials
10:00 Big Circle: Western Shoshone History of the Struggle
Raymond Yowell, Former Chief, Western Shoshone National Council (WSNC)
Carrie Dann, Western Shoshone Grandmother and WSNC
Mary McCloud, Western Shoshone Grandmother and WSDP Board Member
12:30-2:00 Lunch Break
2:00 Big Circle: History of the Indigenous Struggle of Turtle Island and Presentations on Original
Instructions, Traditional Systems, Traditional Economies and Trade Routes
· Oren Lyons, (Onondaga Nation), Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan, Six Nations, New York
· Louise Benally (Dine'), Traditional Dineh Sovereignty Nation Big Mountain, Struggle to Define
Mother Earth, Arizona
· Speaker from the South (Abayala TBA)
· Arthur Manuel (Secwepemc Nation) Indigenous Network on Economics and Trade, British
Colombia, Canada
4:30-6:30 Big Circle: History of Colonial Laws against Indigenous Peoples, Doctrine of Discovery
· Steven Newcomb (Shawnee/Lenape), Indigenous Law Institute, California, Columnist Indian
Country Today, recently released a book entitled, “Pagans in the Promised Lands”.
· Tupac Enrique Acosta (Xicano Peoples), Tonatierra Instutute and Tlahtokan Aztlan, Phoenix,
speaking on the Confederacy of the Eagle and the Condor, liberation from colonial boundaries.
· Andrea Carmen (Yaqui), International Indian Treaty Council, California/Alaska, speaking on the
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
6:30 Evening Meal
6:45 Youth Orientation and Youth Caucus Meeting and other Caucuses – Border Justice Caucus
8:00 - Performer (Robby Romero (Apache)/Trinidad Goodshield (Lakota))
8:00 – Video & Films TBA
9:00 - Traditional Round Dance
Purification Ceremonies available in the evening
Day Two – Friday, July 18th (AIR)
5:30 Sunrise Ceremony
7:00 – 8:30 Breakfast
9:00-9:30 Opening Ceremony (Traditional Teaching - North)
9:30-12:30 Big Circle: Indigenous Struggles on Extractive Industry: Mining the Sources of Life - Voices
from the North and South - Moderated by Robert Shimek (Anishinaabe), Minnesota. Speakers: Carrie
Dann (Western Shoshone), WSDP; Samuel McKay, (Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwu) (Big Trout Lake) First
Nations, Ontario, Canada; Gonzalo Guzmán Demetrio , Natural Resources Secretary, Ecuadorian
Federation (ECUARUNARI) & CAOI (Association of Andean Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations), Ecuador,
South America; and others TBA.
9:30-12:00 and 2:00-4:30 On-Going Demonstration/Training Projects
1. Composting Toilet Construction - Pennelys Goodshield (Anishinaabe), Sustainable Nations
Development Project
2. Solar and Wind Power, Jeff Tobe Solar Energy International and John Shimek (Anishinaabe
Youth), Honor The Earth organization and White Earth Land Recovery Project
12:30-2:00 Lunch Break
2:00-4:00 Small Circles (Workshops)
1. Water Healing and Protection with Virginia Sanchez (Duckwater Shoshone), Nevada; Rick
Spilsbury, (Ely Shoshone), Nevada; and Felicia Bertin
2. Mineral Extraction – Strategies and Solutions (Part 1) for communities impacted by mining and
mineral extraction
3. Beginning Steps in Organizing 101 (Part 1) – Native Trainers: Indigenous Peoples Project (IP3) -
Ruckus Society
4. Climate Change 101 and Solutions: Trainers, Jihan Gearon (Dine’), IEN Native Energy and Climate
Program, Arizona; and Kandi Mossett (Mandan, Arikira, Hidatsa), IEN Tribal Campus Climate
Challenge, North Dakota, IEN
5. Using CERD as a Human Rights Tool to Address our Issues with Alberto Saldamando, Legal
Counsel, (Chicano/Zapoteca), International Indian Treaty Council, California and Julie Fishel,
Legal Counsel, Western Shoshone Defense Project. Newe Sogobia (Nevada)
6. Youth Activity: Elder and youth discussion on history and spirituality
7. Traditional Food and Plant Discussion led by Shoshone elder
4:00-4:30 Afternoon Break – Music Stage
4:30-6:30 Small Circles (Workshops)
1. Mineral Extraction – Strategies and Solutions (Part 2) for communities impacted by mining and
mineral extraction.
2. Organizing 101 (Part 2): IP3 Ruckus Society Native Trainers
3. Wisdom and knowledge of traditional teachings, understanding spirituality and mythology, with
Walter Porter (Tlingit) mythologist
4. Toxics Policy: The Need for Aggressive Action, with Shawna Larson (Ahtna Athabascan/Sugpiaq),
Alaska Community Action on Toxics and IEN/REDOIL, Alaska and Andrea Carmen (Yaqui),
International Indian Treaty Council, California/Alaska
5. Youth Activity: Archery
6. Traditional Food and Plants Discussion (led by Shoshone elder)
6:30 Evening Meal
6:45 Youth Caucus and other Caucuses: Sacred Areas Caucus
8:00 Talent Show – Performances from the Struggle
Purification Ceremonies in the evening
Day Three – Saturday, July 19th (WATER)
5:30 Sunrise Ceremony & Water Ceremony
7:00 – 8:30 Breakfast
9:00-9:30 Opening Ceremony (Traditional Teaching - East)
9:30-12:30 Big Circle: Energy Road of Destruction and Climate Change
Moderated by Clayton Thomas-Muller (Mathias Colomb Cree), Canada, Speakers: Nuclear: Ian Zabarte
(Western Shoshone), on Yucca Mountain, a proposed site for radioactive nuclear waste; Geothermal and
Sacred Area: Radley Davis (Pitt River) on Medicine Lake, California; Fossil Fuels from Top of the World:
Faith Gemmill (Gwichin Alaska), REDOIL, oil drilling, Alaska; Tar Sands: Eriel Deranger (Fort Chipewyan
Dene) on tar sands in Alberta Canada; Fossil Fuels Gas and Oil Pipeline: Melina Laboucan-Massimo
(Lubicon Cree), British Colombia; Fossil Fuels Oil Refinery: Casey Camp-Horinek (Ponca) on oil refinery,
Oklahoma; Loren White Jr. (Hidatsa) on oil drilling and proposed refinery in North Dakota; Coal Fired
Power Plant and Coal Mining: Elouise Brown (Dine’), Dooda Desert Rock, New Mexico; Fossil Fuel, Coal
Mining, Energy Policy: Enei Begaye (Dine’/ Tohono O'Odham) Black Mesa Water Coalition on fossil fuel
energy development on the Navajo Nation, Arizona.
9:30-12:00 and 2:00-4:30 On-Going Demonstration/Training Projects
1. Straw Bale Wall (House) and Earth Plaster Construction - Pennelys Goodshield (Anishinaabe),
Sustainable Nations Development Project, California
2. Solar and Wind Power, Jeff Tobe Solar Energy International, Colorado, and John Shimek
(Anishinaabe Youth), White Earth Land Recovery Project and Honor The Earth organization,
Minnesota
12:30-2:00 Lunch Break
2:00-4:00 Small Circles
1. Campaigning on Energy Issues (Part 1) – Strategies and Solutions with communities impacted by
energy and climate policies and development.
2. Direct Action Training Part 1 with IP3 – Ruckus Native Trainers
3. Corporate Campaign Development: Trainer, Miho Kim, Data Center, California
4. Toxic Waste Burners and Gasifiers: Trainer, Bradley Angel, Greenaction, California
5. Youth Activity: Traditional Foods and Plants Walking Tour
6. Cultural Resources Research and Reporting for Environmental Assessments: Monique Sonoquie
(Chumash/Apache). California, Ian Zabarte (Western Shoshone), WSNC, Newe Sogobia, and
Micheal Nixon (Seneca)
7. Indigenous Sustainable Economies: Arthur Manuel (Secwepemc Nation) Indigenous Network on
Economics and Trade, British Colombia, Canada and others TBA
4:00-4:30 Afternoon Break – Music Stage
4:30-6:30 Small Circles
1. Campaigning on Energy Issues (Part 2) – Strategies and Solutions with communities impacted by
energy and climate policies and development
2. Direct Action Training (Part 2): IP3 Ruckus Society Native Trainers
3. Well-Being: Healing Our Mind and Bodies of Contaminants: Renee Gurneau (Red Lake
Anishinaabe), Minnesota, Kathleen Tsosie (Dine’) New Mexico, and Jeanne Shenandoah,
traditional midwife, (Onondaga), New York
4. Indigenous-Centered Education: Nurturing the Next Generation of Indigenous Leadership with
Deb Harry, Kooyooe Dukaddo (Pyramid Lake Paiute), Nevada, Emerging Indigenous Leaders
Institute
5. Sacred Areas: Struggles of the Heart to Protect the Sacred: Sonny Weahkee, SAGE Council, New
Mexico, interactive session
6. Youth Activity: Making Dream Catchers
6:30 Evening Meal
6:45 Youth Caucus and other Caucuses
8:00 Drum and Dance Celebration – Grand Entry – Participants in Traditional Outfits – Honoring
8:00 Video and Films TBA
Late Night Purification Lodge Ceremonies
Day Four – Sunday, July 20th (FIRE-SUN-SPIRIT)
[Field trip this morning to a mining impact zone. (Approximately 2 hour round trip) – People who sign
up.]
5:30 Sunrise Ceremony
7:00 – 8:30 Breakfast
8:00 Departure on Field Trip
9:00-9:30 Opening Ceremony (Traditional Teaching - South)
9:30-12:30 Big Circle: Ethno Stress, Internalized Oppression and Healing: Renee Gurneau, (Red Lake
Anishinaabe), Minnesota and Dr. Eduardo Duran (invited), co-writer of the publication, “Native American
Postcolonial Psychology, California.
12:30-1:30 Lunch Break
1:30-3:30 Big Circle: Strategies for a Sustainable Indigenous Community and World
Original Instructions
· Community/Global Well-Being – Spirit, Environment, Economy, Culture – Speaker, Mato
Awanyankapi, Dine’/Dakota, Indigenous Environmental Network, Minnesota
· Protecting Cultural Heritage in a Globalized World – Speaker, Debra Harry, Kooyooe Dukaddo
(Pyramid Lake Paiute), Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism, Nevada
· Next Generation Leadership - Speaker, Evon Peter (Gwichin), Native Movement, Alaska
Statements for Commitment
4:00 Closing Ceremony – Putting the Fire to Rest
.
Camp Take-down
6:00 Evening Meal