Restoring Chepenefu

A gathering of the underground met at the place where the two rivers converge upon the request of the indigenous resistance. As it was becoming night and shrouded by darkness the people began to plant a plant relative known today as Blue Elderberry. As the area commonly known today as Corvallis was colonized the the food sources and what sustained those peoples were also removed. Early colonizers in the area including the Masons were fearful of the Kalapuya. Times they were especially fearful was when the Klamath would come north for marriage ceremonies. Colonists are fearful of our presence. This is what caused them to build underground near the Chepenefu (The Place Where The Elderberries Grow). This is the real reason that the starbucks downtown is underground. Have you ever asked yourself why they would build down in an area that floods? Now you know they were digging in. Upon the completion of indian forced removal the university was built. The university is a monument to colonization. O.S.U = Indian removal.

4 Blue elderberry plant relatives and 3 native razor grass relatives were returned to the land.

The Chepenefu was a great place where bands of indigenous people would gather to fish and pick berries. We pray for the restoration of this place and we take action.

The place of the two rivers meet is the place of the origin of our prayer for the wolf. “Like Willamala (The River With No Banks) our prayer for the wolf is unstoppable”. Invisible Warrior. We were asked to do this by a little known female indigenous leader. We in touch with the true authority on Turtle Island indigenous matriarchs. Part of why this was done hidden from view is a response to a 400 year pattern of colonial co-optation starting with the Irish co opting the Metis in the east. The indigenous resistance take credit restoring Chepenefu. Special thanks to members of Deep Green Resistance Eugene for backing us up on this project. Thank you to members of the rewilding community also for their contribution. The indigenous resistance defended the Chepenefu from development in past years. The irony is that we did this on so called veterans day by the colonist. We are the veterans of theses struggle for the land and water. Those ones who nobody knows our names. The ones the people no longer dance for. Perhaps put a little tobacco down for those who have dedicated their lives to it. Today was also the day we heard that Debra White Plume crossed over. Say a prayer for her and her relations. We encourage others to continue this effort with us and on your own in a good way. Fill all your holes, and leave something for the people who seek shelter in this last wild and sacred place. Illahee Spirit Runners dropped off 3 large boxes of fire wood on our way out to a woman standing near a place where fire is sometimes made for people to warm themselves.

Invisible Victory

Illahee Spirit Runners take action in two northern locations on the anniversary of the Battle Of The Wabash. A battle that occurred Nov. 4 1791. St. Clair who was the governor of what colonists were calling the Ohio territory. St. Clair tried to lead 1400 troops against a confederacy of indigenous tribes whos forces were 1000 to 1200. St. Clair became over confident. The indigenous confederacy was able to form a crescent moon shape around the u.s army killing almost all of the troops leaving them only one direction to retreat. The indigenous confederacy took minimal loses. The indigenous forces included Little Turtle of the Miamis, Blue Jacket War Chief of the Shawnee who forever turned his back on the whites and proved himself under the leadership of Tecumseh, also present were Delawares, and the Potowatomi.

The restoration continues. Quietly waiting for the right time to go forward honoring our ancestors and seeking their favor. Groups in the west and the east devoted time to checking in on our relative the wolf. We brought our stories back around so the people will not forget them. Kalapuya Wolf Story, Paiute Wolf Story, and Anishinabe Wolf Story. These stories prove without a doubt that wolves are sacred to many tribes. A deity, a creator figure, in some cases. We ask that the wolf be protected as a culturally significant animal. We bring this message:

Message from the indigenous resistance to Fish And Wildlife/Department Of Natural Resources: 2020
In response to a colonial pattern of extinction that is leaving a trail of devastation wherever the colonist goes. This pattern began in Europe with the extinction of the great auk, the wiset and countless species has spread to Turtle Island. In response to colonial wildlife agencies failing to protect wildlife from colonialism. In response to interfering with the abilities of the rightful stewards of this continent, the indigenous of Turtle Island to have control over our own destinies on our own land. In response to interfering with the restoration and free exercise of our freedom of religion by way of protecting our culturally significant animal the wolf. This is an intervention. A pattern of extinction follows you and it must end now! We the rightful stewards who have inherent authority over these lands superseding every colonial law ever written hereby ask that you relinquish all Fish And Wildlife/Department Of Natural Resources offices to the rightful stewards. This includes all vehicles, tools, and computers. These items and the lands they are on which are in fact ours by inherent authority are to be turned over intact and in good condition. This process should begin immediately.

We see this as a reparation a restoration. We hope that early moral adopters will see this as a righteous undertaking and that they should agree that for the healing and well being of the entire planet, the entire human family but also the four legged, the swimmers, the winged, the insect and nation those who crawl. By relinquishing control over all wildlife conservation on Turtle Island back to the rightful stewards. People like the wolf can be keystone species that benefit all others. I performed a pipe ceremony and i again prayed for the wolf. The wolf canupa {sacred pipe} i used was a gift from The great grandson of Pontiac the leader of a Potowatomi warrior society. We hope to convey to the world with this blog that we are united across the north on the subject of wolves.

Furthermore we seek to persuade tribal governments to turn their current lands into no kill zones for wolves as several tribes have done already including White Earth, Eastern Shoshone and Fond Du Lac. This should include a 30 mile buffer which is as far as a wolf can travel in a day. This is a chance to flex tribal sovereignty and give indigenous people a greater say in what happens to wildlife on our own lands. By protecting the land we protect the people. That which we are restoring will further restore us. We are the land and land is power.

Prayer Of Fire

Illahee Spirit Runners went and spent time with the prayer staves from Peace And Dignity Journeys. I sang the wolf song. I prayed for every staff and all the tribes and people involved with each one. I spoke about the environment, the physical manifestations of our prayer, how colonists are fearful of it and trying to build a wall at their imaginary border that will only delay us from our inevitable unification the need for ceremony for the resistance, covid and its connections to the animal world and addressing the imbalances the world is going thru. I talked about colonialism and its effects on wildlife. The need for indigenous led wildlife conservation. I spoke about protecting wolves as a culturally significant animal. I spoke about fire, this years sacred prayer for fire, the wildfires. The fires in the cities. I spoke about the #RightfulStewards being in control over fire prevention. Fire is a purifier. Fire is sacred. Fire is a necessary part of the natural world. Just like I said about pow wow the covid canceled our plans so we would have to focus on the imbalance and how to gain restoration and healing. We have been asked to keep a prayer for fire continuing. Let us keep the unification of the eagle and the condor in our minds and in our prayers. I was happy i was able to attend to this prayer and fulfill my obligations to it. It helped me to remember how I’ve been a living part of this prophecy.

Illahee Update

Many things have happened since we last entered in our blog. I would like to briefly share some of those things for our supporters and just to record some of our outreach attempts.

  1. We were present for the Indigenous/African unity march in so called Portland in July. I participated in security, keeping the people safe.
  2. We attended and provided trainings in self defense, cpr, first aid, security culture, security, food security, survival.
  3. We gathered nettle and blackberries.
  4. We were able to get food and horticulture supplies including close to 100 plant starts, seeds, planter boxes, ducks for meat. We delivered to the Siletz reservation.
  5. We have been engaged in and are supplying constant political education.
  6. We have continued to organize from coast to coast for the protection of wolves as a culturally significant animal.
  7. We have continued to expand our collaborations and increase our political power on and off the reservation through unity as the rightful stewards the indigenous resistance.
  8. We completed a sock drive for Tokala Warrior Society and Native Youth Movement.
  9. We provided security for an indigenous person who was a victim of domestic violence.
  10. We confronted a group of colonists who have taken over and are hoarding a geothermal hot spring and demanded indigenous people have access.
  11. We raised awareness exposing the proposed Verizon drone site in “Portland”
  12. We confronted Sierra Club and 350.org in “Portland” for their corruption and collaboration with the very corporations destroying the planet. We have officially told these groups to their faces that they are not welcome here on Turtle Island. That they must disband and leave the continent. They have been made clear of their abuses and have been explicitly told they have no consent to be organizing over and at the expense and sometimes the very lives of the indigenous resistance. They have been informed of their collusion and wrong doings in regards to wolves and other non human organisms, those swimmers, crawlers, those who fly. The eugenics and white supremacy of the NGO are not welcome on our continent. Do as they have done to us and leave nowhere comfortable for them to rest.

Electric Strawberry Moon

Indigenous resistance reclaim movement against the police killings of oppressed peoples by police. As you know by now members of invader culture are hijacking the movements of African and Indigenous peoples. Nowhere is this a greater issue than the so called pacific northwest. After an attempt to pass out fliers regarding indigenous resistance led to angry outbursts of white fragility and hate speech and invader culture members ripping up fliers and throwing the litter on the street yelling “Fuck native americans” we decieded to really step up our attempts to lead what was a mess of colonists and a mish mash of N.A.A.C.P type affiliates not yet radicalized who are unaware of the indigenous resistance because of the gate keeping of whites and fear of participation and lack of unity from our own indigenous community. It was the full strawberry moon and we took action. It was electric. We had observed for days the group standing in the designated free speech area for a week. They cant get out of the free speech area but act as if we are unable to organize for ourselves…. Like we need Kevin Costner to save us….Radicals here were making trips to other citys to participate in uprisings because kkkorvallis is so gatekept into impotence by white liberals nobody had the strength to wrestle control away from them. Were just too tired. I get it. Being indigenous resistance leader and head of so many organizations and having rank in so many other epic oganizations including an ancient warrior society older than the united states i used my inherent authority as ogitchidaw to initiate a march. On short notice i organized those loyal to the #RightfulStewards to back me up for a march. I spread the word so we would know to take over the march and people to rally behind the indigenous resistance. Some people outraged at the racism from the liberal whites against the indigenous resistance broke from white solidarity and switched sides to bolster the indigenous resistance. I got on the mega phone. I explained my authority and some background on the actions we have done so far. All the political rhetoric in the world does not replace action so i spoke of the action done. the sacrifices made. I gave a pep talk. I spoke of my grandfathers contributions to this community having built their schools and started soccer program that is huge now. I asked the people who have benefited from these things to show us love now. This is also to make people think. Every single person present had benefited from the indigenous resistance. It is my wishes that people meditate on that and show due respect. It is my wishes that people from outside the culture understand to treat me like your talking to 3 indigenous nations and all of my ancestors. When you speak to me consider it a nation to nation conversation. We will tolerate zero disrespect from invaders. I seen some people who believed in me in the crowd. I knew they had indigenous family members or in some way were loyal to the resistance. I organized well and i am thankful because the crowd was thick with loyalists of the resistance. We began to march. I had people spread out a bit because we are marching during a pandemic. The group who had lingered in the free speech area was actually marching. We headed straight to the police station because that is the goal. No frills, no fluff just headed right there. We began circling the block. People who seen us coming gave us a wide birth. I was sizing up to police station and checking their response. I wanted to demonstrate the courage lacking from liberals here so i led the group for a pass through the police station middle. Our whole group passing safely we made a second loop. I did Apache trail song and ask the group to howl when i howl so the ones inside can feel our wolf medicine and feel our power. Flex organization in a place of no organization. On our way back around feeling brave i stopped the group by the front door of the police station. The same doors i walked through to turn myself in for defending my own family almost 20 years ago. I stared into the office and i began to play the A.I.M unity song. Allies from the group could not help their excitement and came to stand by me also looking into the exposed glass windows and doors of the police station. We went from standing on the sidewalk to being one step away from taking over the police station in a day under my leadership. The unity song rang out and echoed from the concrete overhangs. Satisfied this being the climax and having some children present we went to wrap up at city hall. I made an epic speech. I told stories of indigenous people and Africans brutalized by the police in kkkorvallis. I sang a song for our head of security who was killed by police neglect. We wrote the names of those killed by police violence on the ground in front of city hall. I spoke of the unity of Indigenous and African people and our struggles for liberation. Both of us have been made invisible. People have been programed not to see us. I see you. You see me. The only thing this so called country fears is indian uprising and slave revolt. A perfect storm is happening. We have the authority you got the people power. Lets take this shit over so our kids don’t keep going through this suffering. Leave a mark this time. A forever mark. The sacred prayer this year was for fire. Flip it upside down and purify it. #LandBack.

Month Of Mutual Aid

For the last four Saturdays Illahee Spirit Runners and Deep Green Resistance Eugene have collaborated on a mutual aid effort in Kalapuya territory. One of the Spirit Runners spent days on a sign that read ‘Mutual Aid Free Market’. Members of both groups stepped up in a huge way to bring. Heirloom tomato starts, squash, mint, cherry trees, oak trees for acorns for replanting oak savannah, and many plant starts of various kinds. Many kinds of seeds including indigenous purple popcorn. Some of our locations gave out ducklings. Week one was “Eugene” where we hoped to attract radicals and had done some advertising on the internet. Week two was Siletz reservation where we continued reaching out to the Save Our Siletz River group and the greater Siletz community. We set up our tipi in Toledo the fishing community next to the rez and continued to encourage people to embrace resistance. Indigenous youth came and took trees and plant starts. Week three was “Corvallis” where we set up near the homeless shelter which is closed down for the summer. We were able to give planter boxes to the homeless shelter and a resistance hub that has indigenous and African people trying to survive under colonialism. In “Corvallis” a Potowatomi/Dakota elder was given heirloom tomato starts as he requested. Week four we were back in “Eugene” where we ran into Peace And Dignity Journeys organizer Mel Huey of all people. The Great Mystery sent him our way so we hooked him up with fresh veg. At every location we passed out fliers and info on how to hook up with both groups. We put effort into reaching out to the most effected. Feeling like weve done well to solidify the culture of resistance and gained in strength during historic Covid pandemic. We look to begin martial arts training in Karate/Jiujitsu. We will be collaborating again with DGR to bring in the direct action training that our constituency is starving for. This will offset the fact that trainings in Illahee have been going mostly to white dominated orgs who had in some cases admit to never intending on using the training in direct action they received. An agreement has been made that if the state opens up wildlife offices we will be trying to shut them down again in defense of wolves which Illahee Spirit Runners observe their sacredness and paramount importance to the restoration of indigenous ways of life. We continue to prepare to express self determination for the protection of this animal on OUR own lands as we are the inherent rightful stewards.

Boycott Shell

March 5th Illahee Spirit Runners take action against Adair Village Fish And Wildlife to protect wolves as a culturally significant animal. The federal government is seeking de listing for wolves which will open lands to further resource exploitation by way of logging, miming, clear cuts, fracking and pipelines. We are still asking for protection for wolves under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. We are still asking that tribes flex tribal sovereignty and turn their current lands into no wolf hunting zones with a 30 mile buffer. Illahee Advisor is asking tribal people especially tribal youth to pressure their own tribal departments of natural resources to protect wolves. Illahee Advisor played Anishinabe Wolf Song and Sun Dance Piercing song a song of pain as wolves the top predator has taken the brunt of ecological devastation and colonialism for centuries. Leaving before law enforcement could show up we moved on to two more targets. These would be Shell gas stations. It was chosen to target shell because they are benefiting from the proposed pipeline in Wetsuweten territory. Additionaly Illahee region has a history with Shell and we want to still up regional hostilities that exist between land defenders and shell in the so called pacific northwest. We instigate and support boycott passing out fliers. You can print your own fliers here. https://itsgoingdown.org/flyers-wetsuweten-outreach/

WE STRONGLY URGE THE ANIMAL RIGHTS SECTOR TO EMBRACE THE WETSUWETEN STRUGGLE TO PROTECT LAND AND WATER ON THEIR UNCEDED TERRITORY.

Wetsuweten territory is habitat for Pacific Grey Wolves and The Spirit Bear.

We are asking anti colonial indigenous groups take action across the continent for wolves March 19th. Spring Into Action For Wolves! Connect with Illahee Spirit Runners to find a location near you or if you are a anti colonial indigenous leader who is willing to rise up in your area and answer our call for solidarity. We encourage all A.I.M groups to consider these words as it was A.I.M spiritual leader Eddie Benton Benai who helped get wolves reintroduced in “Wisconsin” by citing Anishinabe/Ojibway religion. It is up to us to carry on now and these issues take constant upkeep.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Religious_Freedom_Act

Women’s March And Wetsuweten Solidarity Rally

Illahee Spirit Runners journey to whats commonly known as Portland for Indigenous led Womens’s march followed by Wetsuweten Solidarity Rally. When we arrived we seen the Native American center where Medz Hawk played in 2014 and the PSU building where i taught a workshop at Resistance Ecology. As i started to orient myself as “Portland” is always too urban for me i find it over whelming being raised between a valley with what used to be a little college town and a rainforest in the foothills of the coastal mountain range i seen the courtyard. The courtyard had speakers and canopies set up. People moving about and more coming. A few speakers took turns. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/People was talked about at length. I am always pleased to see revolutionary concepts reaching mainstream and the youth. Things we fought for are becoming reallity in the revolutionary culture. Like the concept of indigenous led marches. That was a huge focus of Illahee Spirit Runners. It had great pushback from the movement. It took several years of confrontation, education and negotiation to arrive at where we are today where indigenous people are leading marches on our own land and not in a tokenizing way but to at least start the road to the mainstream left following indigenous leadership. To improve from here is to bolster and cultivate anti colonialism. In the future indigenous youth will be in a world where they wont have to fight for that because we laid the groundwork. American Indian Movement and others laying the groundwork of getting the American Indian Religious Freedom Act passed and having patrols to protect indigenous women as early as the 1980’s in Minneapolis. March went great. I marched behind a Klamath Yahooskin Idle No More PDX leader i know to support our Idle No More crossover with Illahee Spirit Runners. It was good to hold the A.I.M flag high and carry on the A.I.M tradition of my grandfather and great uncle. A.I.M/Idle No More were in collaboration for this march which was clearly visible. I was also able to do an extra layer of security from my position looking after the front of the march. I exchanged words of unity with greater elements of A.I.M within the region. Dirty Mocs did and honor song for elder Grandmother Agnes Baker Pilgrim that made me cry. Theres very few like her because she worked for the great spirit, thats how she was rewarded and interacted with the world, how she was in favor by the great spirit. Not like some other leaders who shall remain nameless who are still being rewarded by greed and colonial assimilation. We did not attend her service we were taking action and applying her quote “Be the voice for the voiceless” the same day of the service. I chose taking action and applting her teaching as she specificly asked me to was the best way to honor her. A few weeks ago at a Direct Action Training we hosted in Siletz with Deep Green Resistance we put tobacco on the graves of Agnes as well as Chief Depoe. It has been a tradition of Illahee Spirit Runners to offer tobacco for the chief because our cofounder is the Chickasaw grandchild by marriage of Chief Depoe. We now extend the tradition to include Agnes. At this point the march was winding down and we scrambled to the Wetsuweten solidarity rally around the way. Several people spoke. Christopher Fransisco who led the Longest Walk 3 Reversing Diabetes Northern Route was present to speak and spoke eloquently. I was able to meet with Brown Berets and honor our alliances from decades ago in the civil rights era. Its apparent that we are circling back around to unite against racism and colonialism. When i spoke of collaboration the speaker on the mic also said the words collaboration at the same time like we were on the same vibration. I met with anti colonial elements, radical elements and we passed out fliers. The aztec dancers danced for the second time that day and its nice to see people regaining cultural dance. Some kind of racist trolls showed up but Antifa scared them away. Blessings and prayers to Antifa. Doing security for indigenous leaders is a righteous act and you are noticed for your courage and participation. At this point i had hoped we were going to take over the bridge and shut it down but one can only dream. They never had the intention of direct action so thats where we come in. Like the American Indian Religious Freedom Act indigenous rights rarely get enforced unless we take action and pressure those involved to change. Change being the meaning of revolution. Understanding that political change requires force we prepare for more action. Some for Wetsuweten as long as they can hold out. And we will persist in efforts to protect wolves as a culturally significant animal. We pray for Wetsuweten Chiefs to stay true. We pray for Mohawk and other warrior societies who are activated. Much respect to Cree Warrior Society for being ever vigilant. Respect.

Wetsuweten Solidarity

Feb. 25, 2020 Illahee Spirit Runners Sneak up on a rural wildlife office and make it inside. Illahee Advisor was present and did Anishinabe Wolf song. Staff locked up the repair garage and left a newbie staff member to watch us. They said they were going to get someone to talk to us. We know that there is nothing left to talk about. Wolf is sacred and will be protected. We left before law enforcement came and moved on to another target. We met up with elements of DGR for a demonstration at a near by Shell gas station. Royal Dutch Shell is on a list of corporations benefiting from Coastal Gas Link who is trespassing on unceded Wetsuweten Territory. We passed out information. Illahee Advisor had a huge sign reading “Native Land”. It seemed to really anger people in cars. I find it profound that the thing i most want to say to the public is the very thing that angers them the most.

At this point we went north to The Place Where The Elderberries Grow and waited to see who would show up for the march. Elements of A.S.A.P and Democratic Socialists Of America and Deep Green Resistance showed up. We performed a traffic slow down that was radical for the very tame liberal political climate of the area. We chanted “Coastal Gas Link! R.C.M.P! Out Of Wetsuweten! We continued on our march to Bank Of America another supporter of Coastal Gas Link. When we tried to enter we noticed that they had just closed not too long before and we just missed them. Rain check B.O.A. We then marched to an indigenous area where the two river meet. A sacred site to the Kalapuya. Illahee Advisor has blocked construction on this piece of land in the past making it a last little wild place in the city. We attempted to reach colonial youth but to our dismay we found them unreachable. We then marched on to the railroad crossing on the sacred site. Our two wolves joined in at this point and i am reminded of an old meme. The one that says “When wolf and warrior become one, Idle No More From Shore To Shore”. We were joined by a member of Illahee Spirit Runners. Illahee Advisor initiates railroad blockade in solidarity with Tyendinaga Mohawk. A ceremony using the sacred pipe gifted to us by Potowatomi Warrior Society Leader was used to initiate railroad blockade. People in the area are encouraged to join in the blockade. The will of the people and current people power was such that we are choosing to take action again next week. As indigenous resistance leader im making a call out to Illahee Region, whats commonly known as (Oregon, Washington, western Idaho) to rekindle the flame of the Shell No Movement. It was Illahee Advisor who journey to”Portland” to reach out with prayer and inspire and instigate the Shell No Movement that confronted Shell for trying to drill the arctic. Illahee Spirit Runners threw down on that for arctic wolves and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is actually an indigenous sacred site. Every indigenous uprising should rekindle. Additionally i would like to remind people that pacific grey wolves that have a rare adaptation to eating fish are in Wetsuweten territory as well as the Great Spirit Bear the pure white black bear. Illahee Spirit Runners speak for the nonhuman organisms threatened by colonialism and resource exploitation. “Its Time to Stand Up For Our land!Our Water! Our Homelands! SHUT DOWN AMERICA! Flashmob! Everywhere, sing Loud! Dance Hard! Prayer Hard!” LaDonna Brave Bull-Allard

Photos by Illahee Spirit Runners and Max Wilbert

Wetsuweten Solidarity

February 13 2020. In response to attacks by the R.C.M.P against Wetsuweten unceded lands. Illahee Spirit Runners supported by Deep Green Resistance and others confront Chase bank. 3 locations were visited. Illahee Advisor sang the wolf song at the first location. Confrontation went smoothly. We left before police moved in on us. Sheriff responded with a few SUV’s. Quickly moving to the second location we were denied entrance and staff told us they were having a “lockdown drill”. This indicated that we made a large enough disruption that one branch of Chase called another branch and told the to lock their doors. Thus we shut down Chase bank. Quickly we moved to a third location for another confrontation. Again Illahee Advisor sang the wolf song. Staff at the bank called the police. They then made a point of letting us know the police were on their way. I shrugged a little and kept singing. It was funny to see him think we would scare easy. Fliers were passed out. Onlookers were encouraged to move their money to a credit union. I was happy that i got much needed participation and help to fulfill my obligations as regional indigenous resistance. Weather was rainy. It was good practice and its good to stay sharp. Awareness was raised for upcoming much needed direct action training on the reservation. I am grateful that 15 or 16 people responded to the urgent situation by expressing solidarity for Unistoten, Wetsuweten.

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