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Mexika
Consciousness
“An Indigenous Path to Awareness”
(Part 1) By Tekpatzin
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Ometeotl,
Hau Mitakuyapi.
The
history and modern day struggles of indigenous people have a common
factor. Indigenous people all over this planet have been deceived,
murdered, colonized, enslaved and their lands have been stolen
for others to profit from. Here in Cemanahuak (Turtle Island)
the Indigenous Nations have survived 512 years of genocide and
colonization by Western European countries and today in 2004 we
continue to struggle against the same forces and social conditions
that were set in motion over 500 years ago. Many of our own people
have become assimilated into the dominant culture, which was one
of the original objectives of the people from the other side of
the ocean.
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In
this country a massacre of some 300 Lakota men, women and children
by the U.S. 7th Cavalry in December of 1890 “officially” marked
the end of the so call “Indian Wars”, an invasion that was started
back in 1492 in the Caribbean Islands and later launched in Mexico
against the Mexika Nations in 1519. The 1890 massacre took place
at the Wounded Knee Creek near the Pine Ridge agency in South
Dakota. Black Elk describes this massacre as breaking the sacred
hoop of life.
There
are many that feel that in order for the indigenous people of
this land to recover and mend the broken hoop we need to return
to the place where it was broken and work together to mend it.
The 1973 Wounded Knee take over by the American Indian Movement
was a big step towards awakening the spirits and minds of the
indigenous people of this country. The Zapatista (EZLN) uprising
in Chiapas in January of 1994 was another step towards the awakening
and healing of indigenous people all over the planet and specifically
here on this continent. These moments of awakening and inspiration
have led to indigenous youth of all colors and cultures seeking
to learn about their own indigenous roots and history.
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But
as many of us have experienced just knowing our history and cultures
is not enough. We have been born at a time that requires massive
efforts of community building and unity. The Corporations that
run this country and this planet have one goal and one goal only
and that is: Seek as much of the financial holdings that they
can possibly get their hands (or claws) on. The Multi-National
corporations will fund both sides of a war or of a “staged” revolution
for guaranteed profits for their investment. For them to seek
a bigger return on their dollar investment they will provoke battles
between indigenous people especially in the urban areas.
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For
many years members of YSS (Youth Struggling for Survival) have
been traveling to Pine Ridge and Rosebud Lakota reservations (South
Dakota) to participate in ceremonies and to Vision Quest as well
as forming family (tiospaye) and community relationships.
RED
NOIZE is a collaboration of Aurora, IL, Chicago, and Oakland (CA)
based youth organizations that use the elements of urban youth
arts /Hip-Hop to spread their message of peace & non-violence,
self-awareness, indigenous pride, multi-cultural education, spirituality
and
historical healing.
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The
Pine Ridge Reservation - Shannon County - is the poorest county
in the nation. In fact, the three poorest counties in the state
of South Dakota are all Indian Reservations. The U.S. 2000 Census
reports that Native Americans make up 8.3% of the South Dakota
population. Of the 48 contiguous states, Shannon County, South
Dakota has the greatest percentage of Native Americans at 94.2%.
Unemployment is 80-90%. While approximately 60% of the population
on the Pine Ridge Reservation lives below the poverty level, 46.2%
of the children live below the
national poverty level.
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Due
to the fact that the majority of our urban youth are no strangers
to the oppression and social ills affecting our Lakota relations,
many of our youth can connect with the reservation youth at deeper
levels. And one of the immediate noticeable results that can be
seen in our urban youth is the rekindled awareness that they begin
to feel concerning their own indigenous roots and history.
Given
the sad and unfair history of this country and the manner in which
it continues to treat our Native American people, the youth organizers
of RED NOIZE decided to take our resources and experiences to
Pine Ridge High School for a four-year commitment. This year in
April of 2004, RED NOIZE will be a two-day multi-cultural indigenous
youth summit that will feature workshops on addictions, violence
and abuse, gangs, and cultural awareness. This represents a full
artistic and cultural education curriculum model that is sorely
lacking in the educational systems that currently exist today.
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The
Aurora-Chicago area youth organizations participating on this
historic journey are Youth Struggling for Survival (YSS), University
of Hip Hop (UHH), Southwest Youth Collaborative, AlterNatives,
Synergy, Chicago Tribe, Kuumba Lynx, Urban Art & Action Movement
(UAAM) and a Mexika Danza collaboration of four different danza
groups, which includes Nahuali. The Oakland- based youth groups
are Higher Gliffs, Ground Effects and SNAG (Seventh Native American
Generation).
This
youth collaboration is a representation of many different indigenous
cultures and backgrounds and depending on the results of RED NOIZE
at Pine Ridge High School we may be taking RED NOIZE to other
reservations and urban centers in the near future. For more information
about RED NOIZE go to www.youthstrugglingforsurvival.org
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Mexika
Tiahui! Mitakuye Oyasin!
To all our ancestors and relations
Tekpatzin (Frank)
Mah Piya Aka Mani
Executive Director of YSS
www.youthstrugglingforsurvival.org
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