Seal of the U. S. Department of the Interior
WASHINGTON – Last week the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Bryan Newland, announced the release of a 106-page report, the first volume on the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative.
The report, according to a Department of the Interior (DOI) press release, “lays the groundwork for the continued work of the Interior Department to address the intergenerational trauma created by historical federal Indian boarding school policies.”
The press release outlined the scope and potential impact of the report, “This investigative report is a significant step by the federal government to comprehensively address the facts and consequences of its federal Indian boarding school policies—implemented for more than a century and a half—resulting in the twin goals of cultural assimilation and territorial dispossession of Indigenous peoples through the forced removal and relocation of their children. It reflects an extensive and first-ever inventory of federally operated schools, including profiles and maps.”
Haaland formally requested the report in June of 2021, in the shadow of the first news reports of over 200 unmarked burial sites on the land that had been part of the Kamloops Indian Residential School in Canada.
“The consequences of federal Indian boarding school policies—including the intergenerational trauma caused by the family separation and cultural eradication inflicted upon generations of children as young as 4 years old—are heartbreaking and undeniable,” Secretary Haaland stated in the DOI press release.
She went on to say, “We continue to see the evidence of this attempt to forcibly assimilate Indigenous people in the disparities that communities face. It is my priority to not only give voice to the survivors and descendants of federal Indian boarding school policies, but also to address the lasting legacies of these policies so Indigenous peoples can continue to grow and heal.”
Similar to the findings in Canada, the report details the number of school sites with unmarked burial sites:
“The investigation found that from 1819 to 1969, the federal Indian boarding school system consisted of 408 federal schools across 37 states or then territories, including 21 schools in Alaska and 7 schools in Hawaii. The investigation identified marked or unmarked burial sites at approximately 53 different schools across the federal boarding school system. As the investigation continues, the Department expects the number of identified burial sites to increase.”
The grim details of how the Federal Indian Boarding School operated and the harm caused and the damage they inflicted not only on the children who were forced to attend but also on the devastating multi-generational effects they had on Indigenous cultures are detailed in stark relief in the report.
Native children who entered the boarding school system were assigned English names, had their hair cut, were often severely punished for speaking their native languages, and stripped of any visible shred of their culture while often being forced to accept Christianity in an attempt to supplant their own beliefs.
Deborah Parker, the CEO of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition said about the release of the report during a press conference as reported by AZCentral, “Our children had names. Our children had homes. They had families. They had their languages, their regalia, their prayers and religions.”
Reactions from tribal leaders and historians have noted the importance of the government finally acknowledging the loss of culture and deliberate damage done by separating children from their families.
Dakota Sioux historian Jeanne Eder Rhodes said, “If you want to change the culture, the first thing you do is take away their children and put them where they can’t access their culture.”
Rhodes also noted, “Grant’s policy authorized Christian religions to proselytize on reservations.” She stated she would like to see an in-depth examination of past presidential policies and how they contributed to the direction taken with the boarding schools, as well as calling for the religious schools to be investigated.
Newland outlined eight specific areas that the second volume of the Initiative will address. Continuing a full investigation that will include: obtaining access to all federal records that pertain to the boarding schools; providing an approximate number of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children who attended the boarding schools; locating both marked and unmarked burial sites of Indian children, Indian Prisoners of War, and Freedmen from the Five Civilized Tribes and identify individuals and their tribal affiliations.
Some of the other objectives outlined include: locating survivors of the schools and recording their experiences; developing a depository for school records to be held and maintained by the DOI Library; protection and preservation of boarding school sites; and seeking and obtaining relevant records from both other federal and non-federal agencies.
Newland also lists supporting Congressional action that would keep the locations of burial sites from being publicly accessible and allow for the return or reburial of remains by tribal authorities; efforts to revitalize Native languages; funding for research of health studies of those impacted by the schools; and for the creation of a memorial to recognize those who both perished and suffered under the government-sanctioned and operated schools.
While Newland and Haaland stressed that every effort will be made to locate records and find the names of those who died during their forced attendance, the report unflinchingly states that the names and locations of some of the missing children may never be known.
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Manatee with calf – Image credit: Sam Farkas (NOAA Photo Library) – Public Domain
ORLANDO, Florida – The Save the Manatee Club announced in a press release last Tuesday that they have filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to protect the animals under the Endangered Species Act. The Center for Biological Diversity and Defenders of Wildlife joined the Save the Manatee club in the filing.
Today, [5/10/22] Save the Manatee Club, along with other wildlife advocacy groups, sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over their failure to protect manatees as part of their obligation under the Endangered Species Act. As you have likely heard, polluted water in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon has caused massive seagrass die-offs in this critical manatee habitat, resulting in death by starvation of hundreds of manatees over the past year and a half. While Save the Manatee Club is actively working with our Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership co-members and other partners in the Indian River Lagoon to restore the habitat that manatees desperately need, we are also demanding that the EPA addresses the issues that brought us here in the first place.
In December, we urged the EPA to work with the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to review Florida’s water quality standards because they are clearly inadequate; something we have been stating for years. Even though almost 20% of Florida’s east coast manatee population has died recently, the EPA has not acted.
As we have done in the past by challenging Florida’s failed plans for restoring water quality in warm-water springs or insisting that FWS define “critical habitat” so that adequate safeguards are in place, we will continue to fight for manatees by making sure that their habitat is protected. You can help support this initiative by donating to our Research and Conservation Fund, sharing this message with friends and family, and by voicing your concerns to your representatives.
As we reported in April, manatee deaths nearly doubled last year with over 1,100 deaths in 2021, while they had averaged roughly 625 death in each of the previous five years. As of April 29, this year 537 manatee deaths have already been recorded.
The lawsuit seeks to require that the EPA re-engage in talks with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service about the degradation of water quality in the Indian River Lagoon which affects other endangered species like a variety of sea turtles.
EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman said in a statement that the EPA would continue to work towards improving water quality and: “The EPA is very concerned that degraded water quality in the Indian River Lagoon is contributing to seagrass loss and other factors affecting the long-term survival of manatee and other species. The unusual mortality event that is claiming the lives of so many manatees highlights the need for accelerated action by the state of Florida to control nutrients reaching the Indian River Lagoon watershed.”
Announcements:
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- Witch Hat Chats is a weekly podcast that airs each Sunday at 1:oopm (EST). According to their press release: “Miss Nikki Kirby and Saul Ravencraft chat about the Wickedly, Magickal, Conversational Topics of our Magickal Times! What makes us unique is the way Miss Nikki and Saul approach things as each one’s view comes from a different perspective. They also treat to bring the community together and educate (with fun) about other religious beliefs in the Pagan community.”
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- Earth-based Spirituality Action Team monthly meeting via Zoom on June 13th, 2022 at 5:00 pm (PST) – Guest speaker Amber K. On June 13th, join Amber K for a quick exploration of trees: what they do for the world, how you can plant a tree and create a relationship with it, and how to help reforest the planet.
Amber K is a priestess of Wicca and has been teaching and writing as a priestess for more than 40 years. She has authored/co-authored eleven books on various aspects of nature spirituality and magick and finds no conflict between her spiritual path and the scientific method. She founded the Ladywood Tradition of Wicca and serves as Executive Director of Ardantane, a nonprofit retreat center, and learning community. She has a special affinity for trees, tree science, and tree lore. Anyone interested in attending can contact the group by email for specific details prior to the event or join via Zoom.
In other news:
- Earth-based Spirituality Action Team monthly meeting via Zoom on June 13th, 2022 at 5:00 pm (PST) – Guest speaker Amber K. On June 13th, join Amber K for a quick exploration of trees: what they do for the world, how you can plant a tree and create a relationship with it, and how to help reforest the planet.
- Tiziana D’Angelo, 38, was announced as the new director of the ancient Greek city of Paestum. Not only is D’Angelo one of the youngest to be named as a director of a major cultural site in Italy, but she is among one of the few women to be appointed to such a position. Paestum is famous for its three Doric temples, which date from roughly 600 to 450BCE. The site originally called Poseidonia for the god Poseidon is located on the southern coast of Italy in the Cilento area of the Campania region.
- Last Thursday the research team from the Event Horizon Telescope released the images of the black hole in the Milky Way known as Sagittarius A*, often referred to as Sgr A* which is pronounced as sadge ay star. The team explained the technique they used to capture the image, “Although we cannot see the black hole itself, because it is completely dark, glowing gas around it reveals a telltale signature: a dark central region (called a ‘shadow’) surrounded by a bright ring-like structure.” More than 300 researchers and eight observatories collaborated to capture the image.
via Facebook
Kathryn Fuller – July 21, 1948 – May 2, 2022
Kathryn Fuller, a longtime member of Covenant of the Goddess crossed the veil early this month. In 1998 Kathryn was elected National First Officer of CoG. For reasons lost to history, she chose to serve a single term. She was elected to serve as First Officer again in 2004 and 2005.
Growing up in a rural portion of northern San Diego County, Fuller was always drawn to the beauty and energy of nature. She studied metaphysics and divination with various teachers in the ’70s and ’80s and became an accomplished card reader and numerologist.
About two years after marrying her husband, Daryl, she was invited by her mother-in-law to a public ritual conducted by a local teaching coven. After the ritual, the High Priestess approached Fuller to inquire about her experience with the rite. During the conversation, the HPs informed her that the circle was closed to new members… with the exception of family. Not one to let an opportunity to learn something new pass her by, Fuller joined the coven in 1988.
Her husband, Daryl, joined as well in 1989 and together they would advance through the tradition’s degree system and ultimately hive off, forming their own coven in 1992.
The Circle of the Wildewood flourished and trained many priests & priestesses until the decision was made to close the San Diego circle in 2003 as the Fullers were relocating to New Mexico. After settling in at their new home, they started the circle again with a new batch of students.
The Circle of the Wildewood joined Covenant of the Goddess (CoG) in 1995 as a member of the Calafia Local Council. During their tenure with Calafia, The Fullers performed many public rituals and became well known for their dynamic style.
Her life-long commitment to service to the community was reflected in her participation in various projects like the Veteran Pentacle Quest. In 2006, while serving in her capacity as Emerita, Kathryn encouraged CoG to join forces with Circle Sanctuary and other pagan organizations to bring about the approval of the pentacle as an approved symbol for inclusion on headstones at Arlington National Cemetery.
She was instrumental in getting others involved in the Pentacle Quest, especially veterans. Fuller was among those who were present at Arlington for the dedication of the first Veteran gravestone to bear a pentacle on July 4, 2007.
In 2014, Fuller was one of the first eight people to receive the Award of Honor which Covenant of the Goddess (CoG) defines as being “for outstanding service to the greater Pagan and Heathen communities in areas such as religious rights, international peace, environmental protection, interfaith leadership and education, the creation of lasting institutions, and the promotion of social justice and civil rights.”
Throughout her years of local and national service to the Wiccan/Pagan community, Fuller was known for her kindness, grace, and wisdom. She was an accomplished facilitator who conducted meetings with organization and efficiency. Not everyone loved her, but there were very few who did not respect her and even fewer who dared cross her. She was a formidable witch, a strong leader, and a powerful ally.
Friends who knew her described Fuller as being, “stubborn and infuriating and absolutely wonderful—everything you want in a High Priestess.”
Fuller also had a major passion for quilting and was noted as a very skilled longarm quilter. Additionally, she made and sold stoles for Pagan clergy that were finely crafted and unique.
She was diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma in July of 2020 and entered the Summerland on the evening of May 2, 2022, surrounded by her husband and two of her students, and close friends.
What is remembered, lives!
Last night there was a total lunar eclipse that was visible for many in total phase from portions of the Americas, Antarctica, Europe, Africa, and the East Pacific.
The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California live-streamed the eclipse, and also produced a time-lapse of the eclipse.
Meanwhile, there was also stunning footage of the moonrise over Poseidon’s ancient Temple in Greece.
Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Wonderland in Tarot, by Barbara Moore, illustrations by Eugene Smith, published by Llewellyn Publications.
Card: Two (2) of Swords
This week the focus is likely to be on making decisions. While intuition and gut instincts have a role to play, they should be tempered by reason and logic.
Conversely, waiting for more data or information will not change the possible options. Not making a deliberate choice, is still choosing.
Decks generously provided by Asheville Pagan Supply.
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