Athabaskan and Eskimo women along with white women as allies gathered for a three-day women and girls leadership program at the Episcopal conference center in Waisala, Alaska.
The smells of cooking and the sounds of women laughing soon filled the dinning room where we brought and prepared food from our diverse cultures. The program reconnects indigenous women to their healthy ways, body, mind and spirit, starting with sharing a healthy meal.
The following day everyone helped to construct an indigenous history timeline globally, nationally and statewide. The colonizing of Indigenous people through genocide, boarding schools, relocation programs and racism has created conditions most of us can not imagine continue to occur in the US. Healing practices including Reiki and Tai Chi were offered throughout the three days.
From this reality of oppression the women and girls divided into three groups to create the Women’s Bill of Rights”. Their lists were long and powerful. We have the right to: clean water, to enough water for all of us in Kivalina Village, to sanitation, to health care, safe and affordable housing, education, unpolluted land, to the absence of violence, to be respect, to be protected, to preserve their culture, language and spiritual practices….
When I listened to them reading off their Bill of Rights I felt honored to be associated with these wise and courageous women ranging in age from 17 to 80.
They next met in their community groups. Six women from Kivalina, the Eskimo Village that is falling into the sea because of global warming, began to make plans for helping their village to have clean water and enough water for every person. Kivalina homes do not have running water or proper sanitation. There is a housing shortage causing severe social problems. Instead of relocating the villagers to a nearby Eskimo village, the government is building a very expensive sea wall. Why is the question we all need to ask ourselves and others, and to seek answers and real help.
The women from the Anchorage area formed a group to work on community services for Native Alaskans.
We closed the gathering with great celebration and a song from the Kivalina women. Their leadership for the common good goes forward. Namaste!!! Ann
