Solidarity with the struggles of Indigenous peoples.

Solidarity with the Struggles of Indigenous peoples.
Posting 12 - 12 - 2006.

Antur Ysbryd Cofiwn: gethin.apgruffydd@ntlworld.com

THIS POSTING IS A COPY OF ITEM SENT OUT AS EMAIL ATTACHMENT AT XMAS 2005, IT IS WORTH REPUBLISHING HERE: NATIVE AMERICANS - FIRST NATION PEOPLES - CYMRU REMEMBERS WOUNDED KNEE 29 Rhagfyr 1890.

Seasons Greetings: "It was the fourth day of Christmas in the year of our Lord 1890 when the first torn and bleeding bodies were carried into the candlelit church. Those who were conscious could see Christmas greenery hanging from the open rafters. Across the chancel front above the pulpit was strung a crudely lettered banner: "Peace on earth Good will to all men." Quoted from 'Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee' by Dee Brown. If you are going to buy any one a book this Xmas Season why not buy this one. Below are pictures of Post Cards produced by Cofiwn for our special campaign in support of the American Indian Movement. (Sorry! none left)

G.ap Gruffydd (c) ANM - HA.

In addition please note the sad news: Death of a Remembrancer.

Gladys Tantaquidgeon.

b: 15 June 1899 - d: 1 November 2005

Mohegan medicine woman dies at 106. Mohegan Medicine Woman Gladys Tantaquidgeon died Tuesday morning at her home on Church Lane. She was 106. Tribal members said Tantaquidgeon died peacefully at about 9:30 a.m. Close relatives arrived a short time later and were preparing funeral plans Tuesday afternoon. Born in New London in 1899, Tantaquidgeon devoted her life to American Indian culture. She opened the tribe's museum on Mohegan Hill with her father, John, and her brother, Harold, in 1931. It is the nation's oldest Indian-run museum. Gladys Tantaquidgeon and her late sister, Ruth, played a crucial role in the tribe's federal recognition in 1994 because they had documented the tribe's history and kept family records. Ruth Tantaquidgeon, who had lived with her sister, died last year at age 95.

We are all familiar with the book and the film 'Last of the Mohicans', but there were no "No Last of the Mohicans", nor was Gladys Tantaqingeon the "Last of the Mohicans". However, there are not a great number of the Mohegan people and those who have survived the Europeans genocide of Native Americans owe a great deal to Gladys Tantaqingeon as a 'Remembrancer' and preserver of native traditions. Please do a web search and spend some time reading of the great work of a small women with a huge heart that beat in love of her people and for the traditional ways of the Mohegan people that were being lost until Gladys took up their cause and struggle not to let such disappear. This Xmas Season do light a candle in remembrance of Gladys and not least in memory of those who so bitterly perished at the Massacre at Wounded Knee on 29 December 1890. It is worth while considering that 9 years after Wounded Knee Gladys was born and lived to the age of 109, sadly she lived through a time when the Native peoples were to see "The Nations Hoop Totally broken and scattered'' but thankfully there arose Native Americans as Gladys Tantaquidgeon who would be in the vanguard of the struggle for native American Civil rights, restoration of stolen land and revival of native traditions. They paved the way for the radical Native American Activists of the American Indian Movement who remember in the 70's made the name Wounded Knee be used as a rallying cry for the First Nation peoplesa to make a stand at the Wounded Knee Reservation against oppression and exploitation.

Additional News: Victory to the Indian Peoples of Bolivia. Cymru Salutes Struggle of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, Cymru salutes all 'Brothers and Sisters of the Ox'. SANTIAGO, Dec. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- A victory for Indian candidate Evo Morales in Bolivia's presidential election would help promote the indigenous movement in the South American country, a U.N. agency said Monday. Indigenous people in Bolivia are succeeding in getting the government to pay attention to their issues and pushing to get their rights exercised, said the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in a report. As a result of the indigenous movement, Bolivians are discussing the nature of their society, the country's democracy and the state itself, ECLAC said. Morales, leader of the Movement toward Socialism, garnered 51 percent of the vote late Sunday, according to exit polls. If confirmed by the electoral authorities, he will become the first president in Bolivian history from the country's Indian ethnic majority, who make up a majority of the population. But ECLAC also noted that government planning and programs failed to reflect the political and legal visibility of Bolivia's indigenous population, and statistics about them were grossly lacking. Bolivia's Indigenous population is made up of 37 ethnic groups, including the Aymara, Quechua and Guarani, making it difficult to get a clear picture of the exclusion and inequality that affects them in a wide range of issues such as land, education, health and employment opportunities. ECLAC offered to put together proper methods of identifying the ethnic groups in Bolivia, using the data provided by the country's 2001 census and adding criteria like self-identification, the language spoken by them and mother tongue. The report said indigenous children still fall behind and drop out of school far more than the general population despite provision of bilingual education. Only 37 percent of the indigenous population have graduated from high school, compared with 54 percent for the non-indigenous people. Infant mortality stands at 7.6 percent in the indigenous population compared with 5.2 percent in non-indigenous Bolivians. Some 62 percent of Bolivia's population are indigenous and in rural areas 72 percent of the population speak indigenous languages. That falls to 36 percent in the cities. (Web News Agency Report)

There is a tendancy amongst many militantly minded nationalists, particularly those of so called ''Welsh Republican'' beliefs to be fixated on Ireland 1916 and of more contemporary times. Nothing wrong in this but I cannot help thinking much more would be gained if Radical Nationalists seeking to be true 'Adfywiadwyr Gwlatgarol' cast their eyes towards the American Indian Movement and also Mexicanna Nationalist Movements that have arisen in south west America in recent years as example of the 'Barrio Warriors de Atzlan'. (search google for web sites)

Any 'Welsh Warriors' out there? Maybe after reading up on the 'Barrio Warriors', Radical Cymric Youth may be inspired to follow the example of Mexican youth? Do note the excellent work programmes and other initiatives being advanced by both the Mexican and Native American Movements, such in mind do take a look back at the BLACK PANTHERS. The road to 'Adfywiadwyr Activism' is not one that just skips along from one parade and pub to another but involves much 'Gwaith Gwladgarol' upon which is built consistant active struggle. Unfortunatly many ''Hen Cilmeriaid'' have become but ''Good Ole Boys'' and have become the ''Debris of to Dream of Freedom'', not fit for very much other than weeping into their pint pots. Thankfully, 'Cilmeriaid Newydd' and many of them of 'Balchder Cymru' are coming to prove their future potential as 'ADFYWIADWYR GWLATGAROL NEWYDD' but only time may show this to be true or but another passing disappointment? We shall see the proof is always in the pudding?

Gethin.