For Immediate Release – June 17, 2014
Media Contact: Leland Grass
(928) 429-1504 – sacred4s@hotmail.com
Dine’ Elders and Medicine People Unanimously Pass Joint Resolution
Urging Navajo Nation to Comply with Fundamental Law in
Treatment of Horses and Expressing Opposition to the
2014 Rangeland Improvement Act
Teesto, AZ — Diné Hataalii Association and Nohooka’ Diné, traditional cultural leaders, passed a joint resolution on June 14, 2014, advising the Navajo Nation to adhere to Dine’ spiritual traditions and culture to insure the humane treatment of horses and complete halt to NN horse round-up. Dr. Anthony Lee, President of DHA, spoke of the fire that is out of control on the Chuska Mountain Range, “this (fire) can be attributed, in part, to the horses that already have been slaughtered with no amends made to the Holy People.”
The resolution also expresses opposition to the 2014 Rangeland Improvement Act because the Navajo Nation has not properly consulted or informed the Dine’ people about the Act’s purpose, intent, impacts and/or consequences. The resolution states, “The 2014 Rangeland Improvement Act defines horses as “livestock” or an “animal unit” without regard for the sacred place that horses have in our healing ceremonies, prayers and way of life. This attempt to diminish or prohibit our spiritual way of life and understandings is a direct violation of the Navajo Nation’s bill of rights under freedom of religion.”
The two traditional groups also asked the Navajo Nation to conduct a formal and thorough investigation into alleged horse theft by those the Nation employed during the round-up, charging that some of the horses taken during the round-ups were professionally trained with brands and grazing permits.Mr. Leland Grass of Nohooka Dine’ said, “Horse theft and cruelty is a serious crime, it victimizes both the people whose horses were taken and it victimizes the horses. As traditional people we see every horse as sacred and when we treat them inhumanely we violate our own sacredness as human beings”.
The resolution also expresses concerns with a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Bill Richardson, Robert Redford and Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly regarding horse slaughter and the round-ups.
The resolution states, the MOU “does not acknowledge our sacred way of life and custom of Dine’ People” and “without the direct involvement and full participation of the Dine’ People, Elders, and Medicine People this MOU…will not have attained the free, prior and informed consent of the Dine’ Peoples as is required by law”. Dr. Lee states “In the long run, we, as medicine people, are advocating and protecting the sacred medicine bundles, passed down to us by our forebears and ancestry. They ensure the future survival of our children and grandchildren.”
The resolution further states, “It is unacceptable to violate or challenge our Creator’s immutable Laws and the way of life that was provided to us, as Dine’, to maintain balance and harmony with All Creation”. “We strongly urge the Navajo Nation to create and uphold man-made laws that do not oppose, challenge or go against our sacred Dine’ way of life”. “As earth surface people, we do not have the power nor the authority to change, alter, or supersede the natural and fundamental laws established by the Holy People”, adds Dr. Lee.
The resolution affirms that horses are sacred and created with the universe and ends by insisting “that all horses be treated humanely and that we maintain a healthy relationship with (the horse).”
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Excellent Resolution, Fortelling legal action :). NOTICE, corporate mainstream “media”/entertainment/spin has not reported this. WHY? Because they cannot spin it into pro-slaughter. Thank you Dine’!
The resolution affirms that horses are sacred and created with the universe and ends by insisting “that all horses be treated humanely and that we maintain a healthy relationship with (the horse).” thank you Dine elders and healers for embodying the original vision which once we all had that everything which has life has an important place in the Great Circle Of Life and as such is sacred. Horses are not “livestock”, a contradiction, for a living being has a will-to-live and is therefore not a “thing” (stock) whose value lies only in its weight in a butcher’s scale.
This is good news. Thank you Navajo Nation!!!
Please stop the round up and slaughter of the Native American horses these r there Brothers and goes against there beliefs and traditions and Mother Earth .
How is it in so few generations the Native American that r a part of these round ups and deprecating mares and there foals leaving the goals to die and the mares to slaughter and stealing there brothers and betraying them to the cruelty of slaughter have forgotten the genocides of so many Native Americans and the holocaust there ancestors suffered the same betrayals.
Please seperate your selves from the devils greed and cruelty .
I am incredibly grateful
to these true leaders for speaking up, and once again feel pride for my people.
Horses are not livestock. They have been our sacred companions since the beginning of time.
How we allow our horses to be treated in this day and age sets a precedent for all creatures. Whether mankind views an animal as useful or not, whether called livestock or something else, ALL creatures deserve to be cared for compassionately and humanely.
I pray that the Navajo Nation will listen to this wisdom.If they do listen well and act appropriately, the tide will finally turn and our horses will no longer be in danger of extermination. Setting this precedent will then impact all creatures.
THE WILD HORSES OF AMERICA ARE “OUR” NATIONAL TREASURES !!!!! THEY ARE “WE THE PEOPLES” HORSES….1971 WILD HORSE AND BURRO ACT…OUR GOV AND SOME OF ITS AGENCIES ARE BREAKING THIS PROTECTION ACT….THESE HORSES ARE “ALL” OF OURS ! NOT THE GOV’S….THEY DO NOT OWN THEM AT ALL…BUT THEY ARE KILLING THEM AND SELLING THEM…MAKING MONEY ON THEM….THEY ARE ROBBING THE WILD HORSES OWNERS…AMERICA…..WE NEED TO GET THEM UNDER WILD LIFE PROTECTION LIKE THEY DID FOR THE BALD EAGLE….SO NO GOV AGENCIES CAN HURT THEM ANYMORE…THEY ARE GROWING EXTINCT…JUST READ SOME OF THE REPORTS…COME ON PEOPLE !!!!!!!!!!!!! THESE ARE OUR HORSES !!!!!! AMERCIA’S TRUE BUILDER !!!!!!!!!!!! SAVE OUR WILD HORSES