The California Valley Miwok Tribe needs your help - tomorrow July 1, 2009

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Dear Family and Friends

We have been told that tomorrow, July 1, 2009 is a VERY important day.

In a notice we received from Laura Davis, Associate Deputy Secretary of the Interior, Washington DC, it is stated that "The U.S. Supreme Cout issued an opinion interpreting a provision of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 ("IRA") that impacts the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Tribes"

"Please see attachment for more info"

The importance is: "In keeping with Interior's commitment on government-to-government consultation.... key word being "CONSULTATION"....

We were given a TIP that many VERY IMPORTANT officials, state and federal will be attending tomorrow's CONSULTATION....

To all of you who have been following our plight for justice... we are asking you to attend the meeting(in force)scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, 2009 (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) - Hilton Sacramento Inn, Folsom room, Harvard Street, Sacramento, California (916) 922-4700

Today, we received info that many important officials from DC are in Sacramento today and will be at the meeting tomorrow, including legislatures.

Again... we were told... this is VERY IMPORTANT and officials are there to LISTEN... this would be a VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITY to get our critical situation brought to the awarness of these officials.

Unfortunately for us (the Tribe) we are afraid that if we leave the tribal property, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's will seize the opportunity to overtake our Tribal office, so we cannot leave these grounds.

We understand that this is quite a bit to ask of you... but many have asked what they can do to help us find a resolve to our issues and to get justice.... the irony is that our problem started in Sacramento and its fitting that the protest for justice for our Tribe, be brought up in Sacramento, again... consultation means that the officials are there to listen and anything of IMPORTANCE can be brought to the floor at that meeting.

PLEASE BE OUR VOICE.... The opportunity is here and now... put a stop to the injustices being inflicted upon us... help right the wrongs... Independence Day for the U.S. is just around the corner... help our tribe gain independece from the outside interferences of the Gaming Developer Albert D. Seeno and his associates (Chadd Everone and Velma Whitebear) who have been tring to destroy us by spreading false rumors of a split tribe, and a leadership dispute. Their lies have caused the Bureau to wrongfully withhold our 638 contract for 2008/2009 and their criminal actions of deliberately given misinformation to the California Gambling Control Commission have caused CGCC to illegally withhold our RSTF (Revenue Sharing Trust Fund) monies of which in near or over 5 million dollars.

There is no reason as to why we are sitting here pennyless, near homeless and IGNORED by not only the BIA but by Government Officials. We are a federally recgonized Tribe that is being abused and ignored... our suffering is great, our pain is great and through you are voice will be great..

Our hearts are filled with hope... anyone who can attend tomorrow meeting on our behalf will be bringing justice to our cause.. for those who cannot attend... please keep us in your prayers and know that we are still here fighting to survive.. not only as our Tribe... but as Indian people.

With much Respect and Many Blessings!!!

Let our cries be heard and our prayers be answered

/s/
Silvia Burley
Chairperson
s.burley@californiavalleymiwoktribe-nsn.gov

and the
Tribal Council & Tribal Members of the California Valley Miwok Tribe
office@cvmt.net

Mailing Address Physical Address
California Valley Miwok Tribe California Valley Miwok Tribe
1163 E. March Lane 10601 Escondido Pl
Suite D-PMB#812 Stockton, California 95212
Stockton, California 95210-4512

Tribal Office 209.931.4567 or 209.487.9519
Fax 209.931.4333 or 209.487.8579
My Tribal Cell Phone 209.470.5963

http://www.californiavalleymiwoktribe-nsn.gov
http://californiavalleymiwoktribe.us

For more information see my former blog on this topic

The genocide on Native Americans

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It is said that 100 million Natives Americans were killed when immigrants, or invaders, from Europe came to the new continent. Many Indians were enslaved as well and sometimes shipped to Europe or other places. The Indian tribes that remained were repatriated or assimilated, apart from a very few. In these days, many Native Americans have become part of Western society more or less. Those of the American Indians who want to keep more of their own identity and want to stay on their own land are forced to live on reservations, where numerous government regulations control the residents' lives.
These misdeeds are usally not justified at all, they have just been committed. Some feel the need though to pronounce justifications. I heard some religious Christian leaders claiming that although the murder on Indians wasn't right, it was inevitable that "Christian religion being the major instrument in God's providence" would become the dominating religion on the continent.
I'm writing these lines from the viewpoint of an outsider, more or less. I wasn't born as a Native American, but my desire that righteousness will be done forces me to look at the facts as they are.
I come at a standstill in my writing here. I just don't know what exactly should be done. The truth should be made clear, the word should go out, that's for sure. But could there be compensation for lost lives, for lost happiness? Something must be done....
The descendants of those who committed the crimes and the descendants of the victims both bear responsibility for finding a solution.
Descendants of the victims have to stand up because they owe it to their dead ancestors.
Descendants of the criminals inherited the legacy of the misdeeds of their ancestors. Though these descendants are not personally responsible, they still have to do something. When your parents left you with huge financial debts, you also are not personally responsible, but you have to do something about it else your life is miserable. Descendants of those who committed the crimes are obliged to stand up and do what can be done to makes things in order.
If they don't do it, they will not be able to find the path of original spirituality in their lives. Trying to forget about the sins of your ancestors is one of the causes of widespread materialism.
May 17, 2006

Arrival of first Native Americans

Today i tell you a story that was told to me. The story is about how the first people came to America. Most, but not all of them, had a red skin. From where they came, life was good. Tribes of different skin colors lived in harmony. They had one chief, he was called the Primeaval Chief. The Creator had given the Primeaval Chief the task to unite the tribes. He gathered many tribes under him. He was of a race in which people got very old. Some of his relatives lived over 200 years. Also the Primeaval Chief became very old. He was very smart, but there was betrayal in his family. Because of that betrayal, evil tribes invaded and took away the good grounds from the good tribes. The Primeaval Chief sent the tribes away, to search for safe places. Some of the tribes went westwards. They eventually ended up in Western Europe. They went on until they reached the shores and could not go farther. Other tribes went to the northeast. The farther they got, the colder it got. They did not find good territory. They had decided to leave and could not go back. In front of them there was ice and water. They hunted on the way. The journey took several years. Sometimes water barred their way. They made boats to paddle to the next island of ice. Almost all of them died on the way. It was especially hard for the children. One man was very large. He loved children and he carried several of them during the entire journey. On arrival he died of exhaustion. His name was Massa.A small group managed to survive. Suddenly they could go southward again. It got warmer and better. They found a rich land.When the tribe had arrived, they had a gathering of chiefs and elders. They knew that their flight had been caused by betrayal that had given the upperhand to their enemies. To prevent betrayal in the future, they gave their tribe a new name: The Twin Brothers Tribe. Each person in the tribe had his twin brother. If needed, a twin brother would give his life for his brother.For long centuries, the new and good grounds were theirs. But the enemies that had chased them away from their original place grew in numbers and expanded their territory over the year-thousands. Eventually they also found America and brought with them the problems that had rested for so long.
May 12, 2006

California Valley Miwok tribal eviction in process - help!

The California Valley Miwok Tribe is threatened with eviction from their homes and land. At this moment they have barricaded themselves in.
The first section of this blog is from a bulletin by my friend  Shahuna, who took upon him the task to help this tribe and who is in contact with them. Please do what you can to help this native tribe. What's happening to them will happen to all natives, if we don't stand up and fight together.
From what Shahuna told me, this matter is complex. The tribe is threatened with a foreclosure.
Yet, as i see it this is not just about recent financial and legal affairs. There is a longer history to it. Native American tribes lost their land long ago and were put away in reservations where they have very limited economic opportunities. This historic perspective should be considered first of all. The wrongs of the past need to be corrected first of all. Cosmic Eagles



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Shahuna's bulletin
I'd like to ask y'all to sign and circulate this petition. The Miwok Nation are about to be evicted from their homes and land. We need as many people on this as possible.

Thank you in advance.









http:/ /www.petitionspot.com/petitions/cvmtUCSD/

We the students of UCSD, our friends, and allies stand in solidarity to the injustice that is occurring to our brothers and sisters of the California Valley Miwok Tribe (CVMT). They are a federally recognized Tribe, (listed in the Federal Register and in the Dept. of the Interior/Bureau of Indian Affairs, Tribal Leaders Directory, Winter 2009), yet they received an eviction notice to leave their tribal lands TODAY JUNE 17!

The entire tribe, elders and children included, is going to be removed by force from their land with no place to go. They are forced to barricade themselves in the tribal office. Using filing cabinets and anything else they can use to secure the building in hopes to protect their culture, their people, and basically everything they have.

We ask that Miwok tribe be allowed to stay in the land they have lived on for 7 years and be given the chance to dialogue with the appropriate legislatures and/or officials about the matter.

If you can help; by all means contact Silvia Burley, Chairperson of the California Valley Miwok Tribal Council, at 209 931 4567

More info: http://intercontinentalcry.org/alert-court-ordered-eviction-of-california-valley-miwok-tribe/

Thank you,
from the Office of Local Affairs at University of California: San Diego
email: aslocalaffairs@ucsd.edu
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More information and videos

From the website of the tribe
"The local Bureau of Indian Affairs office has been influenced by a group that intends to take over the Tribe in order to conduct casino gaming under the Tribe’s name. The Tribe is fighting to protect our tribal sovereignty to determine our membership and elect our own leadership. 

For several years, the California Valley Miwok Tribe has successfully fought off the efforts of Chadd Everone, a.k.a. Chadd Ludwig, and his associates who are trying to take over the Tribe.

In addition to taking over the Tribe, Everone and his associates are seeking to take the Tribe’s share of the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund. Through the influence of two former California Gambling Control Commission employees, Peter Melincoe and Arlo Smith, Everone and his associates have successfully halted the disbursement of the Tribe’s RSTF money. Everone sought investors in his scheme by pledging the Tribe’s Revenue Sharing Trust Fund money. 

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Everone and his associates have managed to convince the BIA that there is a large group of “putative members” of the Tribe that deserve to be enrolled into the Tribe. This is a fabrication that the Tribe is trying to dispel."

http://californiavalleymiwoktribe.us/

California Valley Miwok Tribe - Tribal Extinction Conducted by the BIA/Developers - Part 2 (part 1 is the video above)

California Valley Miwok Tribe Chairperson Silvia Burley Native Voice TV Interview - Part 1

California Valley Miwok Tribe Chairperson Silvia Burley Native Voice TV Interview - Part 2

California Valley Miwok Tribe Chairperson Silvia Burley Native Voice TV Interview - Part 3

News Article

ALERT: Court Ordered Eviction of California Valley Miwok Tribe

Bay Area Indymedia - ‎Jun 18, 2009‎If you can help, please do not hesitate calling Silvia Burley, Chairperson of the California Valley Miwok Tribal Council, at 209 931 4567

Sign the petition
http:/ /www.petitionspot.com/petitions/cvmtUCSD/