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Wolves or Ma'iinganag have always been important to
Anishinaabe people and Natives across North America. The Anishinaabe
Creation Story tells of Wenaboozhoo walking the world with Ma'iingan naming
all the plants and animals, when the world was new. The creator told Wenaboozhoo
and Ma'iingan that what ever happened to one would happen to the other.
We have found this to be true. Both Anishinaabeg and Ma'iinganag have
suffered attempted genocide and loss of homelands; both have been subject
to policies of systematic extermination, relocation, and extrication.
The fate of one is tied to the other. Wolves have highly structured, close
and loving family systems. Everyone takes part in teaching and caring
for the young ones, the same way we as Anishinaabe traditionally raise
our children. When a wolf is killed especially an elder, it disrupts the
family structure and the young are without guidance. The Ma'iingan teaches
us to how to take care of ourselves, our children, our families, our nations
and our lands. We value them highly and want to work to see to it that
they are protected. We need them and they need us!
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to remove
the Gray Wolf from the endangered species act, and is holding a Public
Comment Hearing on August 31, 2004. Currently Minnesota does not have
an acceptable program to protect the Gray Wolf, if it is removed from
the federal protection afforded them by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Prior to the Public Comment Hearing, the Indigenous Environmental Network
is sponsoring a Rally to speak out against the proposed de-listing. Citizens
will have the opportunity to hear the proposal for delisting, and voice
their opinion during the public hearing. Please join the Indigenous Environmental
Network in urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to keep the Gray
Wolf on the Endangered Species List.
The US Fish and Wildlife service is considering public comments
on the proposal to delist the Gray Wolf until November 18th 2004, comments
can be made in person at the following locations or on line: http://midwest.fws.gov/wolf/
There will be additional hearings in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin:
Proposal to Delist the Gray Wolf Eastern Distinct Population Segment
You can provide your comments on the proposal by mail, facsimile, and
e:mail - or you can provide verbal comments at a public hearing.
All hearings will consist of an informational open house from 6:30 p.m.
to 7:00 p.m.; a presentation on the proposal and question and answer session
from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and the official public hearings from 7:30
p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
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Minnesota
- September 1 - Virginia
Mesabi Range Community College
F100 - Fine Arts Theater
1001 Chestnut Street West
Virginia, MN
Use West entrance to campus
- October 6 - Bloomington
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center
3815 American Blvd. East
Bloomington, MN 55425
Directions at:
midwest.fws.gov/MinnesotaValley/visitor_center.html
Parking available onsite
Michigan
- September 13 - Marquette
Northern Michigan University
Explorer Room, Don Bottum Conference Center
540 West Kaye Ave.
Marquette, MI
(Parking will be in Lot #8)
Campus Map at:
www.nmu.edu/campusmap
- September 14 - Sault Ste. Marie
Lake Superior State University
Cisler Center, Ontario Room
650 West Easterday Avenue
Sault Ste. Marie, MI
(Parking will be in Lots A, B, E, J, and X after 5:00pm,
A, B, and E are closest to Cisler Center)
Campus Map at:
www.lssu.edu/parking/pdf/parkingmap.pdf
(Cisler Center is #36 on the map)
- September 15 - East Lansing
Michigan State University
BioMedical and Physical Science Building - Auditorium
Corner of Wilson and Farm Lane
East Lansing, MI
(Parking is allowed in any "Staff or Faculty"
Parking spaces near the building after 6:00)
Campus Map at:
www.msu.edu/dig/msumap
Wisconsin
- September 27 - Madison
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Union South
227 North Randall Avenue
Madison, Wisconsin
Directions and Parking information at:
www.union.wisc.edu/parking/index.html
- September 28, - Wausau
Westwood Conference Room
Westwood Conference Center
1800 West Bridge Street
Wausau, Wisconsin
- September 28, - Ashland, WI
Northern Great Lakes Center
29270 County Highway G
Ashland, Wisconsin
Location information at:
www.northerngreatlakescenter.org/sitefiles/overviewfr.htm
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| For more information
on the US Fish and Wildlife's proposal to delist the wolf and how
to comment online go to: http://midwest.fws.gov/wolf/ |
Executive Director of IEN, Tom Goldtooth's
official comments submitted to the US Fish and Wildlife Service
The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) is a Native American
environmental and economic justice organization based here in Bemidji
that works with Indigenous Nations and communities both in the U.S.,
Canada and worldwide. We have sponsored this rally to bring attention
to the citizens, Tribes and Tribal members of the area about the
proposed plans by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to de-list
the gray wolf away from being protected as an endangered species.
IEN works to ensure that both Native and non-Native people are informed
of this federal plan and take part in these scheduled hearings.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has scheduled a series of public
information meetings to provide information on a de-listing proposal,
if finalized, would remove gray wolves in the Eastern District Population
Segment from the federal list of endangered and threatened species.
This is because the US Fish and Wildlife Service say the gray wolves
in this Eastern District have recovered. The proposal would also
remove critical habitat for the gray wolf in Michigan and Minnesota.
The Eastern Gray Wolf District in this proposal includes the historical
range of the gray wolf from the Dakotas, Kansas and Nebraska, throughout
the Great lakes and to the East Coast of the United States.
IEN has been part of this alliance of Minnesota citizens, organizations
and concerned Tribal members that say this de-listing proposal is
PREMATURE and must NOT be implemented at this time. IEN is opposed
to the de-listing of the gray wolf from federal protection According
to the law, a species can be removed from the endangered species
list only when it no longer needs the protection of the Endangered
Species Act (ESA). The determination that the species has "recovered"
must be based on scientific data and objective evidence. There are
many States involved in this de-listing plan. The gray wolf has
NOT fully recovered in all the historical range of these States
and deserves to continue to be protected under the Endangered Species
Act.
If the US Fish and Wildlife Service de-listing plan is implemented,
the authority for wolf protection goes to each State (and potentially
in partnership with our Tribes) to manage the wolf population. These
management plans have the potential to establish death quotas of
the wolf population that could create State funded wolf hunting
and trapping programs. There is a danger that State wolf management
plans would not be effective in protecting our brother and sister
Wolf.
Even here in Minnesota, in 1998, IEN was involved with many stakeholders
on the development of a Minnesota State Wolf Management Plan. After
months of working on this and reaching a level of consensus on allowable
levels of wolf population, the State legislature trumped the process
and developed their own plan. Politics got involved in the decision-making
process of protecting the wolf.
The survival of the wolf is important for the survival of many
of our Native cultures. The habitat of the wolf doesn't recognize
State and Tribal boundaries. When you really look at it, we are
in their environment.
We have great admiration for the wolf. We learned honor, endurance,
perseverance, and loyalty from the wolf. The wolf is the true warrior
to our people. The wolf is coming back for a reason, and we must
not mess around with these things. The wolf wants to teach us something
and we have to be able to learn to see what this is.
Restoring the wolf to their rightful place provides an opportunity
for Native and non-Native people to work together. As we build alliances
to work together and rekindle our relationship to the wolf, maybe
someday we could hear the victory song of the wolf. Thank
you.
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