Let's fatten it up with some posting! I'm Tsalagi and have been sharing some Native American type wisdom in the spiritual forum. Are there any other Indians on the PTO site who want to get something going here in this section?

Hi, toi_ama....I am not NA, but my Shawn is mostly of Lakota blood. Since being inside for this last case, he has once again found spirituality, and greatly adheres to the NA way of life....it is killing him not to be able to sweat or smudge (he has been in seg for a year and a half now).

I will look through my folders, and post any pertinent info here.....thanks for the reminder, as I have said the same thing to myself now and again!

Susan in Providence

Love that picture at the end of your post!

You might want to contact some of the Lakota Elders in your state because prisoners are supposed to have their spiritual needs addressed even if they're Indian. The Elders have to take the initiative to talk to the prison and try to get something going, though, I think.

Wellllll.........it's supposed to work that way, buuuuuuuuuuut.....you know the rest, I'm sure.

I have been active in a Native American inmate rights' group (many community Elders involved at some level) since meeting Shawn a year ago. They are headquartered in Kansas, but have reached out to brothers from Deer Lodge, Montana to Oklahoma, Colorado, and many other states. In fact, one of the co-founders is a wonderful woman whose husband is incarcerated at El Dorado CF, with Shawn. The group itself has been successful in attracting attention to the plight of NA inmates (dietary and religious concerns, as well as targeted harrassment by staff and other inmates), and even in bringing about certain changes in policy.

But, as with any other dealings with the DOC, it is like walking uphill in a shoulder-deep river of mud....progress is slow, but that is to be expected.

As far as religious rights go at El Dorado, seg inmates are denied access to the sweat lodge, as it's considered a "security threat". Under that "implied" risk, the administration has been allowed to deny our men a sacred and much-needed source of peace, healing, and inner strength.

Speaking solely for Shawn, his renewed faith is one of the few things he clings to in that hellish place....so of course, it's only natural that the DOC wants to take it away. So much for humanity.

Sadly,
Susan in Providence

hello Ladies....My Outlaw is half Navajo and he is in NY. And it seems that the DOC wants to walk all over him and deny him his religious rights. I'm new at all of this but I am learning........Susan, you are just down the street from me...I'm in New Bedford

Hi I am native indian too, i have to say i am mutts! cherokee,choctaw, shoshone. my sweetie is native indian too. but inmate of indians inside prison of his, they wont let him join because of birth certicate saying hes white. so anyway thats why my sweetie called me little squaw=lilsquaw.

Both Stephanie and I are members of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.Steve&kids

I'm glad to see so many are responding here! I know it's really hard to get anything in the way of spiritual practice rights going for Native Americans in prison. So many people circulate the info on Peltier, but I try to direct people to the thousands of Native Americans in prisons who are forgotten. Peltier's cause is a good one, but he's not the only one in need of remembering.

Bill and I are ojibwa as well as other stuff! lol! No full blood here! He's a tribal member and I'm not....They have ojibwa language classes and circles where he's at...I just sent in new language books and videos from the college I work at....

Deb

Well, as I posted earlier, my man is Chippewa Cree and hangs around with the natives in prison. I love my Indian (he, he, he) I am part Navajo and I'm very proud of it! I'm so glad that there is a support group for the natives!

I'm glad to meet you all, and I'm glad there's a forum group for the Natives, too. I never noticed it before till somone posted on it and when I went there, there was just that one thread. Now maybe we can get more threads going.

Hello Everyone
I am Native American; but I am Alaskan Inuit(eskimo).
Lorri

Hello and welcome, kianaak! You're almost my neighbor, aren't you? Alaska and Washington are closer to Oregon than some of the other states. It's beautiful up there from what I've seen in movies and documentaries. Have you ever lived in Alaska? I'm about halfway between the Washington and California borders in Oregon, just about 30 minutes south of Eugene.

Hey toi_ama,
I, like you, also look out for my native brothers who are behind bars. I currently write to 6 of them in various states. In fact one of my friends in Arizona made a tape for me and all of the brothers sang on it.
My brother is the reason I first came here...we are Oneida and Chippewa, but we are members of the Oneida Tribe.
Hey lilsquaw! I haven't seen you around in awhile. Good to see you. :)

What a wonderful tape that must be! I know it would put tears in my eyes to hear such a treasure! As I'm sure you know, Native Americans fall through the cracks even worse than so many others do, plus their spiritual needs aren't respected and met in many prisons. Plus there's the minority, poverty thing going against them and that for some reasons, a lot of Indians react so violently to substance abuse. My heart has a special place for them, and especially for the mixed bloods who can't document their Indian ancestry to be able to participate even in the limited spiritual practices that are offered because in lots of prisons, you have to prove the ancestry. Give my love to all your pen pals, will you, and tell them I send prayers for them daily even though I don't know each one.

My husband is half Blackfoot.

You are so right!
I am glad to say that all of my friends are able to practice their spiritual beliefs...sweat lodge, singing, etc.. Although, when it comes time where they hold their annual feast they do meet up with opposition, but in the end they do get to hold it.
Oh I do love the tape they made me...in fact I told my friend he has to make me a new one...for awhile there I fell asleep to the singing every night...the tape is wearing out! lol
I will pass along the prayers....

hugs,
Cindy

hi, I am part cherokee myself and my husband is a member of the NA. They have alot to offer him in the F.C.I. he is at so thats the main reason we dont push for him to be moved. I am not real familliar with the ways and religion of the native americans so anyone who would like to send me any info or teach me more please feel free to do so. Yhank you for the pto i have been tryin to find info on the na for several months now.

Tony, I'd be happy to share Cherokee knowledge with you. I don't know everything there is to know, but I belong to a group of Cherokees who are mostly non-carded who are dedicated to learning and living the traditions and passing them on to those who come after us. PM me and we can talk, or we can just post here.

Toi_ama,
Thank you for your responce and offer! I just noticed that i didnt include my name or e mail on here..lol
Please contact via Private Message to exchange Emails
By the way my name is Angie
Thanks, that crazy ole biker woman from n.c.

HEY ANGIE!!!!!!!

ITS ME SARAH!!!!

Shoulda know cant run and hid efrom you lol!!!

I write a man that is native american and i think that we have help each other. I as a Black American even tho my Grandfather mother Black and Native american i thank god for his friendship.

Frances

Deb,

I think that is great that your sending stuff to the Brothers. Which prison did you send it to Bellamy Creek?

Hello all. I'm new here, but thank you for this fourum.. My man isn't native, he's half black half white. But I'm indigenous, my people are from Mexico. I guess, I'm a mutt too because I'm mixed with 1/4 white. Anyways. It hurts me to know that indigenous people aren't given the same spiritual rights as other inmates. Its hard for me being in a multicultural relationship with my man locked up--because he can't see me dance at ceremony and know or understand what I'm doing. But I tell him all about it and how important it is to me and I send him pictures... Thats all I can do for now.. Thanks again for listening. This site has been very helpful to me.:wave:

Howdy all,

I just wrote a post to Toi ama on the spirit connection,
started it in Cherokee too. there is an old saying blood knows blood. I think it is true.I am not carded either, no matter, it is my bloodline not my driver's license,haha.We mixed bloods are a special group of people so I have learned the hard way! We my brothers and sisters are a bridge between two worlds, a new an old one. Then to the rest of the world we can give lessons in spirituality because we see and hear what others do not most anyway. The world of shrinks would lock us up too, because we doesn't fit the mold!!!!!!!!! Thank God
we have more hope than that, right?? And we have purpose
as well. Because our ancestors chose to cling to traditional ways it intimidates the rest of the world so what happens?
Fear causes people to conquer and divide and ignorance.
I have worked with and for other Native people for about 20 yrs. and in the end I know what they told me from the beginning, each person has to seek their own spiritual pathway while being careful to do no harm to those @ us, coool huh so go ahead get your toes in the water, then your feet who knows in the end maybe you will walk on it, just try
It is a wonderful journey and it never has to end. Oh ya I am excited about this, I will be 50 this year I was honored with my first Eagle Feather and I learned that when we dance our dances we impart something to the people around us and even far away. One man came to a gathering in Grand Coulee , Wa. and he said if a butterfly flaps its wings in
this place it will be felt and heard in the South American
Jungle. That means we are all so connected by the presence
of The Great Spirit in us that we cannt do anything without effecting the rest of humanity and the creation in whole
interesting, !!!no???????? wado, the dove