I GAVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE IN THE MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE. A ROLL CALL VOTE WAS TAKEN AND EVERY SINGLE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE HOUSE VOTED IN FAVOR. AFTER MY SPEECH THEY DID SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL, THEY APPLAUDED...
THE RESOLUTION PASSED IN THE SENATE UNDER THE HAMMER (MEANING WITH UNANIMOUS CONSENT)
APRIL 18,2008
JOINT RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INIDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Thank you Mr. Speaker, Men and Women of the House.
I bring before you this resolution to support the rights of indigenous peoples all over the world.
As many of you know the United Nations approved this resolution on September 13, 2007. The vote was 143 in favor and 4 against. The four Countries against were the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, all Countries of Colonization. The white government of Australia issued an apology to the land’s indigenous peoples but did not vote to adopt the declaration yet. The Canadian Parliament voted in favor 148 to 114 on Wednesday April 9 2008, to support the UN Declaration and implement it’s standards.
One wonders what moral authority we have to chastise China on its human rights when we have voted against rights for our own indigenous peoples.
When I was trying to think of what to say I realized that I should have no problem speaking on behalf of indigenous peoples of the world after all, I am one.
I come from a line of Indigenous peoples who have been badly treated by the majority governments both Federal and State. I come from a people who have lost their lands and their rights and their religion to the majority culture.
I come from a people who have fought and died to protect this Country and
I come from a people who are the very essence of this Country.
I have been asked many times if I think Tribal Representatives make a difference here in Maine. I always say emphatically YES! We have played a role in making Indigenous peoples of Maine real and visible and human.
I truly believe the majority of Maine Legislators recognize the value of human rights and the fact that Indigenous peoples all over the world should have them and be treated with civility, equality and respect.
In 2002 I had the opportunity to travel to Chile with other Legislators from all over the United States. We visited the city of Temuco 2 hours south of Santiago by air. We stayed two days in Temuco and visited the city council. They were proud of the social programs the State had made available to the Mapuche. I asked how many Mapuche were on the council or on any committees, they looked at each other with surprise and said to me, none. I had the same experience when we met with the town council in a small town just outside the city.
We then drove into the bush to visit two Mapuche villages. I will never forget that experience.
Because we were VIPs we were welcomed in a joint ceremony by the two villages. Two Machi, medicine women greeted us. They were surrounded by Government officials who were very proud to tell us that government programs were improving the lives of these helpless people and they wanted us to know that these people weren’t lazy and wanted to work. Each Government official spoke very condescendingly about the Mapuchi how he or she provided them with what they needed etc. and this with the Mapuchi standing there listening with their heads down.
I had been asked to speak before arriving at the village but had said no because I was not prepared. After hearing these officials speak I went to our group leader and told her that I now wanted to speak but only as a member of the Penobscot Nation, not as a Legislator. I asked to speak after the head Machi spoke, she was to speak last. She spoke only Mapuchi and her speech was was translated into Spanish then English.
I was not sure what I was about to say would insult her, but I felt I had to say something. As I spoke I watched the expression on her face and still couldn’t tell. I said the following: “I am a Native American, a member of the Penobscot Indian Nation from the State of Maine in the United States. We have clan mothers much like your Machi and they take care of our community. I wish to give you a message from my people.
Never let your spirits be abused, never give up your language, never give up your culture, be proud of who you are. Stay true to your beliefs and you will win.”
You could have heard a pin drop. I did not expect any words from the head Machi, but she turned to me and said “Thank you for coming all this distance and thank you for your words, I hope that in some way you can help us save our culture.”
The translator came to me later and said there is something I did not translate and that is that she sends the spirits to be with you on your journey home. He said the reason he didn’t translate was because the Spanish would have considered that a non- Christian thing to say.
Indigenous peoples all over the world are in need of their freedoms including religious freedom and the right to be treated equally as human beings. The Mapuche are also trying to protect their lands against the corporations that are moving in and taking their lands illegally. On our way to the village we saw a funeral possession. There were many angry people crying and shouting as they carried a wooden coffin down the middle of the street. We found out later that it was the body of a young Mapuchi man just 19 years old who had been shot by the Chilean police as he protested the taking of his peoples land. The Medicine women told our delegation this, the Government officials wouldn’t talk about it.
This was just one incident we happened to find out about, I wonder what else and what other abuses they suffer daily.
I would like in some small way to help the Mapuche and all the Indigenous peoples around the world. Perhaps this vote, which I believe will be the first vote by a U.S State in support of the United Nations Resolution will be a first step in order that all Nations around the world support the rights of Indigenous peoples.
The United States of America has always stood for freedom and democracy. Many of us have fought and died for those rights. It is unconscionable that the United States voted against the rights of Indigenous peoples.
I ask you to support the rights of Indigenous peoples here in Maine and throughout the world.
It would make me very proud indeed to be a Tribal Representative in the State of Maine.
Thank you.
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