This story is from an area we went to pow wow last year, and the Longest Walk came through. Some friends of ours there are deeply involved in this, so I wanted to help spread the word about what is going on. The news article from July 10, 2009 can be found here: http://www.reznetnews.org/article/goodbye-indian-mounds-hello-sam-s-club-36320
The following is from their Facebook Group
A 1,500 year old Native American stone mound is being continually bulldozed near Oxford, Alabama, and the earth used as fill dirt for a Sam's Club, the BIG BOX discount franchise owned by Walmart.
Protesters there have managed to stop the shovels on the top of the mound, but excavation continues at the base and 320 acres of Sacred burial grounds, temples and sanctuaries are at risk. The Mayor of Oxford in his 7th consecutive term, plans to level the top of the mound and build a hotel, spa and resort. City council members completely disregard the research of reputable archaeologist that this site is not only of cultural and historical importance, but most likely contains the remains of deceased ancestors as well as cultural and spiritual artifacts.
If this sickens you and violates your sense of justice as it does ours, Join us both virtually via facebook and twitter for Globally coordinated VP (virtual protests) as well as on site "LIVE" for those of you who can be there in person. This is a fight that we can win if we look at the bigger picture to preserve this and other sites that are at risk. We may very well lose this battle but we need to raise international awareness of this brutal disregard of our collective native heritage and it's continued desecration. If we don't succeed in saving this site, we must set our sites on preventing further abuses and to make this an example of rampant greed and disregard of Native Cultural heritage.
INVERT "the stereotypes and archaic notions of indianness
517 years of Colonialism, genocide and abuse on Turtle Island must come to an end. These United States were built on & with the very backs and bones of our ancestors. Their skin will not be traded or made into boots, flesh and bones will not be put on display in a circus or the cathedrals of consumerism.
-"THIS IS WHAT DECOLONIZATION LOOKS LIKE"*:
- DON'T "Bury your heart at Walmart!" - get your fight on right now!
- BOYCOTT WALMART & SAM'S CLUB and let them know about it!
- Join us for VP's (virtual protests) and Live protests
- Contribute your time, words and ideas to this movement
- Rise up and say:
"Mitakuye Oyesin" -Oglala wisdom*
WE ARE ALL ONE,
We are all inter-related to the Earth our Mother, to every living thing, each other and all of creation.This is not just the battle for Signal Mountain, but the fight for Native heritage to be preserved and respected on a wider scale.
Respectfully,
Carolyn Chambliss
