CPTnet
October 15, 2004

GRASSY NARROWS UPDATE: August -- September 2004

Short-term Delegation: September 3-11, 2004
A group of seven delegates from Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and
Saskatchewan, came to Grassy Narrows and Kenora for ten days. The group
spent the first part of the delegation at Slant Lake (the site of the
blockade), learning and listening to First Nation, Anishnaabe voices talk
about Treaty #3 and how clear-cutting affects their traditional land.
During this time, a couple of the delegates went fishing with a community
member while the rest of the group picked blueberries.

The second part of the delegation was spent in Kenora and included meetings
with Abitibi-Consolidated and Mayor Dave Canfield. At the end of the week,
the CPT Clear-cut Choir had their debut performance at Kenora's Market
Square over the noon hour. Their performance included songs, chants and
cheers aimed at raising awareness of the issues involved in clear-cutting
and Anishnaabe peoples' means of survival. During the performance CPT
delegates and members of Friends of Grassy Narrows surveyed the passersby
with questions such as "What have you heard about the community of Grassy
Narrows?" and inquiries about tourism and clear-cutting.

New Project Focus

Reducing Street Violence
When Grassy Narrows community members come into the nearby city of Kenora to
buy groceries, they do not feel safe. They know about the ongoing street
violence against Natives. Out of their growing concern, they asked CPT to
shift its project focus from the violence reduction efforts on the logging
road blockades in their traditional lands to the streets of Kenora.

Exposing Racism
In order to reduce local street violence, the team expects to address
systemic roots of structural violence, structures of complicity that allow
targeted violence against Natives, and racism toward Natives. Although the
team has just begun to discuss its goals and its role among other local
peace and justice organizations, one possibility has been laid on the table
-- that CPT work to expose racist structures and attitudes.

New Team
Three new team members, Kristin Anderson (European-American), Stephani
Sakanee (Ojibway), and Kristyn Thurman (Japanese-American), arrived to join
Matt Schaaf (European Canadian) on the project. Given their racial and
ethnic backgrounds, the team recognizes its opportunity to serve as a
visible witness of multiracial, multiethnic harmony and cohesion (no small
task.)

New Base of Operations
The team relocated to Kenora in September and set up an apartment as a base
of operations, a place of hospitality, and a safe haven for Grassy Narrows
visitors. To introduce themselves to their new neighbors and to welcome
Grassy Narrows friends to their apartment, the team hosted two barbecues in
September.

Building Relationships
Anderson, Sakanee, and Thurman are building relationships with folks from
Grassy Narrows and with local Kenoran allies. Frequently, Grassy Narrows
community members ask new CPTers how long they intend to serve on the
project. Schaaf believes that community members ask the question because
they want to know whether the individual CPTer plans to be here for the long
haul or only plans a short-term commitment.

At the same time, the new team is learning about culturally appropriate
behaviors and cultural boundaries (for example, when meetings are intended
for Natives only.) Hospitality plays a key cultural role in developing
relations.

Prayer Vigil
During the week of September 20-24, CPT coordinated a prayer vigil in front
of the local Kenora courthouse. Inside the courthouse, the provincial
government's Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) charged the logging
company, Abitibi Consolidated, with twenty-two counts of breaching
provincial laws related to previous years' clear-cutting of areas in Grassy
Narrows traditional lands. Outside the courthouse, the CPT Kenora team, some
Grassy Narrows community members, and occasionally a local Kenoran, held
candles, sang, played musical instruments, and prayed for healing between
the Anishnaabe nation and Canada. People in the courtroom could hear the
singing. Even though the witness was not intended to be a media event, a
local newspaper reporter took a photo of the prayer vigil and printed it on
the paper's front page.

Toronto Trainee's Public Action
In consultation with Grassy Narrows community members, the team advised CPT
trainers in Toronto regarding a public action in solidarity with Grassy
Narrows' interests. On September 30, CPT trainees set up a mock clear-cut in
front of the Toronto Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR),
passed out leaflets to raise public awareness of the issues, and sang songs
as a "clear-cut choir." At the same time, a group of trainees proceeded into
the building to try to meet with the new Minister of MNR, Dave Ramsay.
Because he was absent, the group delivered a letter to his aides and prayed
for right relations between the government and Grassy Narrows First Nations.