CPTnet
September 20, 2004
ASUBPEESCHOSEEWAGONG/KENORA: CPT Delegation performs in the a "Clearcut
Choir"
On Friday, September 10, in Downtown Kenora, a Christian Peacemaker Teams
Delegation joined with Allies of the Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy
Narrows) First Nation as A Clearcut Choir, singing songs for the
lunchtime crowd on a sunny Friday afternoon in Market Square.
For about three hours, the choir sang a variety of rewritten hymns about
clear cutting and relations between First Nations and Non-First Nations.
Songs included "Clearcutting Hurts Both You and Me," "R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
(all creation," and "We
Value the Land."
"Through our singing we are voicing our support for the stand the Grassy
Narrows people are taking to preserve the forests and their way of life,"
said Katja Sander-Rehm, delegate from upstate New York. Sander-Rehm is one
member of a nine-person CPT delegation from various parts of the U.S. and
Canada who are visiting to learn more about the struggle that Grassy
Narrows First Nation has undergone with Montreal-based pulp and paper
company, Abitibi Consolidated over clearcutting in their traditional
territory.
Delegate Margaret Hoskins from Ohio, who celebrated her eightieth
birthday during the trip, said, "I was overwhelmed by the warmth of the
Grassy Narrows people and their friendly acceptance of us. It affected
me deeply to see the clearcut areas. What an ongoing tragedy this must
be in the hearts of the people who have lived in this forest for
generations who have no control over what is happening to their lands; it is
hard to forgive."
While the choir sang, other supporters conducted surveys with people
walking through the square to find out what their thoughts were about
clear cutting and the relationship between First Nations and Non-First
Nations people. Well over half of the approximately fifty people surveyed
had never been to Grassy Narrows. Close to half of the people surveyed
had never heard of the blockade.
"It is important to talk to people in the mainstream culture about these
issues," said Charlie Clark, a delegate from Saskatchewan. "Clearcutting
vast tracts of people's traditional hunting, fishing,and trapping grounds
to create junk mail and huge daily newspapers in Canada and the United
States is not acceptable. It is time for the newcomers to this land to
look at how we can change our ways to make more room for those whose land
we have occupied to live their lives."
The Clearcut Choir plans to have its next performance with members from
Grassy Narrows on the steps of the Minnesota Star-Tribune offices in
Minneapolis. The Star Tribune is one of the biggest customers for
Abitibi; it prints the news on paper made out of pulp from the forest
surrounding Grassy Narrows.
CPT has worked with the community of Grassy Narrows since 1999 with a
full-time presence since 2002. Today the Christian Peacemaker Teams is
focusing its work on reducing violence and racism in the Kenora area.
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(Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) with support and
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Supporting violence-reduction efforts around the world is its mandate.
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