National Day of Mourning commemorated

Special to Workers World
Plymouth, Mass.

Nov. 25 — Hundreds of Native people and their supporters have gathered every year since 1970 in Plymouth, Mass., on “thanksgiving Thursday” to speak the truth about the history of the European invasion of the Americas and the consequences for Indigenous peoples.

Native peoples and supporters gather Nov. 25..

At an outdoor rally on a hill overlooking Plymouth Rock, Moonanum James, co-leader of United American Indians of New England, noted that the first officially declared day of thanksgiving in Massachusetts was actually a celebration following the massacre of hundreds of Pequot people in Mystic, Conn., in 1637.

The UAINE leader continued: “Today, as we did in 1970, we mourn the loss of millions of our ancestors and the devastation of our beautiful land and water and air. We pray for our people who have died during this past year. And I hope you will join me in grieving, too, for the immense suffering of our sisters and brothers in Afghanistan, in Pakistan, in Palestine, in Iraq, all human beings who suffer and face on a daily basis acts of terror.

“We remember, too, the millions of people who are hungry today, whether they live in Boston or in Port-Au-Prince or Gaza. ... Remember what your ancestors went through to bring you here. We are like the dirt, like the sand, like the tides. We shall endure.”

Juan Gonzalez brought a message from the Maya Council of Elders. He also spoke about a Canadian mining corporation that is devastating sacred land of the Wixarikas in central Mexico. He noted that such theft of land and poisonous mining are happening in many places where tribal peoples live. Gonzalez said, “This destructive mining is the source of the minerals and metals required to maintain and enjoy our modern, high-tech world.” He called on people to reduce their use of technology in order to save the earth from destruction.

Struggles of Indigenous women

UAINE co-leader Mahtowin Munro spoke to the crowd about the status of Native women. “Our dispossession is key to understanding our lives, just as this wrenching experience is key to understanding the lives of our Palestinian sisters. Every attempt has been made by the U.S. and the other occupying governments in this hemisphere to strip us of our language, our culture, our rights as women, our leadership role as women and clan mothers.

“Violence against Indigenous women has escalated, and the trafficking of Native women is rampant. Many Native women suffer from psychological stress and physical diseases because our economic, religious, political and social positions are devalued.”

Munro also spoke about how the right wing tries to turn any gains made by Native people into grounds for a racist attack. She ended by saluting the Six Nations (Iroquois) lacrosse team, whose members last summer refused to have their Native sovereignty denied by Britain and the U.S., and who were thus unable to travel to England to participate in the world lacrosse championships.

‘Free Leonard Peltier!’

To the non-Native supporters in the crowd, Rosalba Gonzalez said: “We do this for you. When we talk about these things, about our history, it is important that you find out more, that you look things up. We want you to learn and understand.”

Tiokasin Ghosthorse spoke of Indigenous sovereignty, noting that in his language, Lakota, “There is no word for freedom because we are free already.” Ghosthorse gave an update about Native political prisoner Leonard Peltier.

Peltier’s family is very concerned about his health, in particular that he may have prostate cancer or some other serious condition, and is not getting proper diagnostic treatment. The Peltier Defense/Offense Committee has asked people to keep up the pressure on President Barack Obama to free Peltier, who is now 66.

Ghosthorse announced a vigil for Peltier in Washington, D.C., outside the Department of the Interior on Dec. 16 starting at 7 a.m. For more information, go to www.whoisleonardpeliter.info.

Bert Waters from the Massachusetts Indian Commission read a message from Peltier (see accompanying statement). The crowd donated generously to a blanket dance to raise funds for Peltier’s ongoing defense.

In addition to Indigenous peoples from various nations, there were many allies — from children to elders in their 80s, Puerto Ricans and other Latinos/as, Haitians, Arab peoples, African Americans, Asians and whites, among other nationalities.

The outdoor rally was followed by a march through the town of Plymouth, with a rally at the waterfront by Plymouth Rock, which James termed a “monument to racism and oppression.”