SUPPORT THE STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL AT BIG MOUNTAIN, BLACK MESA, AZ : AZ IMC

On behalf of their peoples, their ancestral lands, and future generations, more than 350 Dineh residents of Black Mesa continue their staunch resistance to the efforts of the US Government-- acting in the interests of the Peabody Coal Company—to relocate the Dineh and destroy their homelands. This land is the basis for the Black Mesa peoples’ traditions, livelihoods, and spirituality.

At this moment the decision makers in Washington D.C. are planning ways to seize tribal lands to extract mineral resources. The coal companies are funding both the Republican and Democratic parties because they have huge interests at stake. Presidential candidate John McCain recently sponsored forced-relocation legislation targeting these Dineh families; Peabody Coal, the world's largest coal company, currently has plans to expand its strip mine operations and to seize more deep aquifers beneath these indigenous lands. Peabody Coal Company has completely dug up burials, sacred sites, and shrines designated specifically for offerings, preventing religious practices. Not only were the principal concerns of the communities directly affected by the legislation never addressed, those communities were not even notified.

"The Big Mountain matriarchal leaders always believed that resisting forced relocation will eventually benefit all ecological systems, including the human race." Bahe Keediniihii, Dineh organizer and translator states. "Continued residency by families throughout the Big Mountain region has a significant role in the intervention of Peabody's future plan for Black Mesa coal to be the major source of unsustainable energy, the growing dependency on fossil fuel, and escalating green house gas emissions. We will continue to fight to defend our homelands."

LIFE FOR RESIDENTS OF THE BIG MOUNTAIN REGION IN 2008:

Institutional racism fueled neglect and abandonment of public needs such as water, maintenance of roads, health care, and schools. Daily life for Big Mountain residents hasn't changed too much over the years, except that more of them have become elderly and now need additional help. Due to lack of local job opportunities and federal strangulation on Indian self-sufficiency, extended families are forced to live many miles away to earn incomes and have all the social amenities which include choices in mandatory, American education. It is increasingly difficult for families to come back to visit their relatives in these remote areas due to the unmaintained roads and the rising cost of transportation.

ANNUAL SPRING PLANTING PROJECTS NEED EXTRA SUPPORT THIS YEAR

The consistent rain and snow this past winter have been hard on many of the families living on Black Mesa, especially the elders. Because of the roads being impassable for such a long time, supply and medical trips were limited, as well as visits from extended families. (Black Mesa is a remote area in the high desert, rich with canyon lands and soft dirt that turns to clay when it gets wet.) But the desert thrives on water; there are many healthy new lambs and baby goats, as the life and land continue to cycle and regenerate. The families are thankful and excited about spring planting and there is much work to be done!

This spring, many fields left fallow will be planted. April is the time for preparing them for planting. This involves fixing fences, clearing out brush, and fixing water damage. May is the season for shearing the sheep and planting the fields with corn, squash, melons, etc.

BRING YOUR TOOLS:

Hand shears for sheering sheep, steel files, shovels, picks, axes, mattocks, posthole diggers, a roll of barbed wire, fence posts, leather gloves, heavy duty hoes, fencing pliers, and some single-axe & shovel handles.

BMIS WILL HELP YOU COME TO BLACK MESA PREPARED!

You are invited to come to Black Mesa any time of the year, not just spring and fall. You can come alone or as a pair for a longer duration, or as an organized work crew for a shorter time. Since establishing a routine is demanding on the host family, folks are encouraged to stay a minimum of three weeks. If you are not able to make this time commitment, check in with BMIS about organizing a work crew to stay a minimum of several days to a week. Guests are expected to be adequately prepared prior to staying with families on Black Mesa, which is a very remote area in a high desert terrain. Thoroughly read the Cultural Sensitivity & Preparedness Booklet and fill out the supporter application form. ( http://www.blackmesais.org/cultural_sen.html ) Email or snail-mail it to us. Contact BMIS as far in advance as possible so that we can support you in your visit to Black Mesa, answer any questions that you may have, and so that we can make arrangements with your host family. We can also be reached by our voicemail, 928-773-8086.

FALL ‘08 CARAVAN TO BLACK MESA IS IN THE WORKS!

Thank you. May the resistance of Big Mountain and surrounding communities on Black Mesa always be remembered and supported!

Black Mesa Indigenous Support
P.O. Box 23501, Flagstaff, Arizona 86002
Voice Mail: 928.773.8086
blackmesais@riseup.net
http://www.blackmesais.org

Black Mesa Indigenous Support is a small grass-roots all-volunteer group organized to work with and support the issues of traditional, indigenous peoples of Black Mesa who are impacted by the coal mining and forced relocation policies of the US government.

Do you have information about unranium mining in the grand canyon, and the position elders and the tribes in the canyon are taking?

Where can we send letters of support?

Greetings Friends, Families, & Supporters of Big Mountain Resistance
Communities of Black Mesa!!

We wanted to share with you a few event announcements and updates that
are in support of the struggle for survival at Big Mountain and surrounding communities of Black Mesa, AZ:

**ALL ARE WELCOME TO A BENEFIT EVENT TO HELP TRADITIONAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO MAINTAIN
A CULTURAL LIVELIHOOD ON BLACK MESA. There will be music, arts & crafts, and discussions centered on the Importance Of Indigenous Connections!! This event will support "a cultural-immersion project by volunteers will help plant fields in order to revive endangered cultural practices and teach indigenous cultivation methods".
APRIL 19, 2008, FLAGSTAFF, AZ.
DETAILS: http://www.blackmesais.org/benefit2008.htm

**PERSONAL MEMOIR AND A PLEA FOR BIG MOUNTAIN SUPPORT FROM MARK AND BEAR DYKEN, LONG TIME SUPPORTERS OF BIG MOUNTAIN. Dear Friends, Most of you know that last year Bear, Somer and I ran the Big Sur International Marathon last year and used the opportunity to ask for pledges which we used for our continuing work with the Dineh people of Arizona.....Spring is the time to plant corn and other native crops so important to the cultures of this region.....Please support our spring trip to the reservation by pledging some money on my 26.2 mile vigil.
READ MORE....http://www.blackmesais.org/memoir.htm

**SHEEP-SHEARING TIME - ANNUAL RENDEZVOUS
You are invited once again to the annual sheep shearing event at Mr. Jack
Woody's camp, Mother's day weekend...come and join us shear, socialize and have plenty to eat.

Who: Jack Woody of Red Willow Springs
What: Annual sheep shearing gathering
When: May 10, 2008
Where: Red Willow Springs or Jack Woody camp on Black Mesa
What are we shearing: 18 goats (mohair) and 35-40 sheep (wool)....
READ MORE: http://www.blackmesais.org/sheep-sheering.htm

**ALSO CONSIDER JOINING THE FALL CARAVAN TO BLACK MESA IN NOVEMBER OF '08. CONTACT BMIS FOR DETAILS.

**A Report From The Longest Walk II, Northern Route:
Navajo from Big Mountain: US media and politicians orchestrate wars.
By Brenda Norrell, March 28th, 2008.
PUEBLO, Colo. – Bahe Katenay, Navajo from Big Mountain on the Navajo
Nation, said the US media created the stories of the so-called Navajo Hopi Land Dispute, which was orchestrated by Peabody Coal and US politicians, the same way the US orchestrates the war in Iraq for its resources.
More.... http://www.blackmesais.org/wars.htm